Business of Media
Publishers fear this new Google AI feature will kill their traffic
Ask just about any news publisher what keeps them awake at night, and Google using artificial intelligence to answer search queries is at or near the top of the list, reports Nine Publishing’s Sam Buckingham-Jones.
This is why Google’s new AI Overview feature, which automatically generates an answer to a query that appears above any source links, is a major concern. Last month, Google began rolling it out in the US. It is yet to arrive in Australia. Google has told publishers not to worry.
Jobs on the line as media chiefs unite in stinging rebuke of Meta
Top executives from Australia’s three largest commercial media companies have warned of job cuts across newsrooms if Facebook and Instagram’s parent Meta fails to renew the deals struck with publishers under the media bargaining code, reports Nine Publishing’s Calum Jaspan.
On Friday, a trio of executives from Nine, News Corp and Seven West Media slammed the “toxic” impact of social media on Australian democracy and society, pointing to the growing incidence of trolling, political interference, scams and blackmail.
Speaking at the Social Media and Australian Society inquiry in Canberra, the executives argued the federal government should impose further regulations on social media platforms, including the potential expulsion of Facebook from Australia if Meta failed to comply with local laws and values.
Dumped Channel 7 reporter Robert Ovadia done with journalism
Veteran Channel 7 reporter Robert Ovadia, who was sacked by the network last week after various emails and correspondence involving inappropriate conduct were unearthed, is done with journalism, report The Australian’s Sophie Elsworth and James Madden.
On Friday, The Australian revealed Ovadia had been officially dumped after 23 years at the network, and while his legal team has instructed him not to talk to the media, you can be sure this won’t be the last you’ll hear of the matter.
When Diary contacted him on Sunday, Ovadia said: “I’ve been advised not to talk about my case so I won’t, but if you’re asking whether I’ll be returning to journalism? No, I don’t think so.” The Sydney-based reporter has engaged the services of high-profile lawyer John Laxon.
See Also: Seven reporter Robert Ovadia ‘sacked’ after allegations of inappropriate behaviour
Spotify launches less expensive “Basic” premium plan, without audiobooks
Just weeks after raising the prices for its premium subscription offerings, Spotify is making another change and launching a less expensive tier, reports The Hollywood Reporter’s Alex Weprin.
The streaming music platform on Friday launched what it is calling a “Basic” premium plan, which will include all of the streaming music benefits, without any audiobooks. The new Basic plan will cost $10.99 per month, the same as the Spotify standard plan (which it calls “Premium Individual”) used to cost.
News Brands
‘Should have owned it’: Seven chief admits paying Lehrmann’s rent eroded trust
Seven chief executive Jeff Howard has admitted the company lost the trust of audiences over the handling of its Spotlight interview with former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann, reports Crikey’s Daanyal Saeed.
Howard, alongside Nine CEO Mike Sneesby and News Corp Australia executive chair Michael Miller, fronted a joint select committee hearing on social media and Australian society on Friday morning, primarily to discuss the ills of social media and the news media bargaining code.
Most recently, Miller argued at the National Press Club for the introduction of a “social licence” for tech companies that publish in Australia, saying companies should be “liable for all content that is amplified, curated and controlled by their algorithms or recommender engines”.
Nine’s review into harassment and bullying is flooded with complaints
A groundswell of anger among female employees at Nine Entertainment is sweeping through all corners of the media company, with dozens of current and former employees having lodged complaints about mistreatment at the hands of senior staff, report The Australian’s Sophie Elsworth and James Madden.
The Australian has been told that a rush of employees – most of whom are women – came forward in the past week to make claims of bullying, misogyny, harassment and inappropriate workplace conduct, with the alleged abuse dating back more than a decade in some cases.
Many women have either already lodged formal complaints to the network’s independent and external review, or are planning to do so in coming days.
Television
Married at First Sight’s Olivia Frazer says ‘villain edit’ left her ‘devoured’ and suicidal
Olivia Frazer is home minding her mum’s dog one Saturday night when she notices something odd. A car is crawling past her house. Then it stops, right in front. The doors open. “Then I just hear four or five middle-aged women screaming, ‘Olivia, you’re a c***. Die, piggy!'” reports the ABC’s Annika Blau.
This was just another in a long line of abusive incidents that Olivia has experienced since she appeared on Australia’s TV screens in 2022. But this one was much closer to home.
Olivia went on Married at First Sight to find love, but instead, she lost almost everything.
Loving the Deal but Grant Denyer also wanted Top Gear Australia
Grant Denyer is having a ball hosting Deal or No Deal for 10, but as the only racing driver on the network’s talent list, outside of those hired for the Australian Grand Prix, some observers thought he might have been in the running for Top Gear Australia, reports TV Tonight.
“I thought I might have too,” he tells TV Tonight.
“I was obviously a massive fan of that format back in the day with the original three, Jeremy, James and Richard. Yeah, I’m a car man. I’m certainly the only active racing TV presenter in Australia who finished first in his Lamborghini, at the Bathurst 12 Hour in February.