MediaLand

It's the final MediaLand, for the year and well, ever! Vivienne and Tim look back at the big media stories of the year and what they mean for what will be landing on your screens and radios in 2026. From huge media mergers to who is actually in charge of the big media families now, all the way over to whether commercial radio can't afford three hosts a show any more, we've got you covered. Guest: Rob Kelly, producer of MediaLand and freelance journalist You can binge more episodes of the MediaLand podcast with media insiders Tim Burrowes and Vivienne Kelly on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find interviews with the big media bosses, the journalists on the ground and the hacks who hunt for the big media scoops. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

The social media ban is almost here! And so are the legal challenges, while a lot of the country begins to wind down, the media landscape is about to experience an earthquake. The new regulations kick into effect formally on Wednesday the 10th of December, although some companies have gone early with their age gating attempts. How did we get here and what is actually happening on the ground, or in the cyberspace, as the new rules come into effect? What is going on with media company ownership?!? In a week worthy of a Succession plotline media companies have been shedding stock in each other, which we presume means some major ownership changes might be coming down the pipe.  The media killing season continues with high profile axings across the broadcast industry this week. It's not unusual for this time of year, but why is it so harsh and enduring in 2025 and what does it mean for our local media diet in 2026? Guest: Cam Wilson, Associate Editor of Crikey and co-author of Conspiracy Nation You can binge more episodes of the MediaLand podcast with media insiders Tim Burrowes and Vivienne Kelly on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find interviews with the big media bosses, the journalists on the ground and the hacks who hunt for the big media scoops. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

What are you really gambling with? You may recognise those words from the very brief window of advice which has to follow gambling advertising now. But the amount of advertising for gambling, where it’s allowed and the tone it has to take has been a political and business football for decades in Australia. The current Government is following its predecessors in saying it’s going to increase regulation, but critics say we shouldn't be holding our breath. Quentin Beresford has written books on everything from the hunt for the Tasmanian Tiger to the rules and regulations that bind our environmental laws. His recent obsession has been the gambling industry in Australia and his latest book Hooked investigates the impact of gambling on our daily lives. It's a great time to buy a media company if you're in the market. A new twist in the tale for the beleaguered Telegraph sale opens door to new buyers and Warner Bros. Discovery wants a bit more cash than people have so far thought it is worth. Are we eventually going to just have one big international media company? The Walkley Awards for journalistic excellence took place this week! We take a look at the runners and riders and ask whether awards for journalism are particularly useful. Guest: Quentin Beresford, author of Hooked: Inside the murky world of Australia's gambling industryYou can binge more episodes of the MediaLand podcast with media insiders Tim Burrowes and Vivienne Kelly on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find interviews with the big media bosses, the journalists on the ground and the hacks who hunt for the big media scoops. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

Whistleblowing has long been a key part of the ability of media to hold governments and corporations to account, but the toll on the whistleblowers and journalists involved can be extremely heavy. The Federal Government's proposed public sector whistleblower reforms, including the establishment of a Whistleblowing Ombudsman, are working their way through the legal process and experts are concerned they won't provide the right protections for people wanting to sound the alarm. Can Australian public servants be summoned to Washington? E-Safety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant has been asked to appear before a United States Congressional Committee, but it remains unclear if she'll go. It's a busy month for the commissioner and many others as the social media restrictions loom in early December. Meta announced they're starting with restrictions a week early. Are they going too soon or is everyone else behind? The ABC closed out the 2025 media upfronts season this week with its content showcase for 2026. Its Managing Director Hugh Marks also took to the dais of the National Press Club on Wednesday to exhort ABC journalists to "stick to the journalism". What's in store for public broadcasting in 2026? It's been another tough week for the staff at the media behemoth Nine with the head of their broadcast division promising to "squeeze" more out of the beleaguered department.  Is the season of the cuts particularly harsh this year? Guest: Dr Rebecca Ananian-Welsh, Associate Professor at the University of Queensland, Executive Director of Public Law with the Centre for Public International and Comparative Law (CPICL), and Chief Editor of the University of Queensland Law Journal You can binge more episodes of the MediaLand podcast with media insiders Tim Burrowes and Vivienne Kelly on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find interviews with the big media bosses, the journalists on the ground and the hacks who hunt for the big media scoops. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

We’re always talking about media companies trying to get bigger in order to survive. But that may not be the only way to do it. Hannah Ferguson set up Cheek Media in 2020 and has been building an independent media powerhouse without outside investment or selling off parts of the company. Does being small help and are there gaps growing between big media companies and their audiences? Will big tech companies have to pay to play with local news makers again? The Federal Government released a document this week suggesting that the long talked about New Bargaining Incentive may kick into gear in 2026. It’s been a pretty turbulent week for domestic media companies, who are all in their own ways reacting to a softening advertising market. Job cuts at Nine are the most obvious symptom, but it's going to be a tough end to 2025 right across commercial media. And we found out this week that The Victorian Office of Public Prosecutions will not charge Kyle and Jackie O or Mamamia with contempt for potentially prejudicial comments made during the trial of Erin Patterson. Can these media companies breathe a sigh of relief yet? Guest: Hannah Ferguson, CEO and Founder of Cheek Media Co., co-host of Cheek’s podcast The Big Small Talk and the author of Bite Back and 2024’s Taboo.

Tuesday the 11th of November marks a big date in the political history calendar in Australia. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the dismissal of the Gough Whitlam government, heralding a blizzard of political change. What was it like in the press gallery on that day and what impact did the events of 1975 have on Australian political journalism? Tom Mcllroy has been speaking to political journalists from 1975 who weathered the storm in the press gallery fifty years ago for Meanjin. After literal years of people calling for it the federal government is making international streamers invest in a certain amount of Australian content. Legislation was introduced this week to mandate that any streaming services with more than 1 million Australian subscribers must produce Australian drama, children's, documentary, arts or educational programs. It's been a long time coming, but will it actually mean more Australian content on our screens? We learned more this week about Australia's impending social media ban for children under sixteen, but it’s still not entirely clear what’s happening in roughly four weeks when the law comes into effect. What we do know is that Reddit and live-streaming platform Kick will be included along with Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, X, Facebook and Instagram. Guest: Tom Mcllroy, Political Editor for The Guardian Australia You can binge more episodes of the MediaLand podcast with media insiders Tim Burrowes and Vivienne Kelly on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find interviews with the big media bosses, the journalists on the ground and the hacks who hunt for the big media scoops. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

Get the inside track on the global media industry

Regional news in Australia has been in a decline for a while, in quantity at least. Between 2019 and 2024, there were 358 contractions and 174 expansions of news outlets across Australia, that’s a loss of at least 184 outlets. It’s been a struggle and ultimately it's audiences who end up missing out. The Public Interest Journalism Initiative says that as of last year there were at least 29 local government areas who didn’t have any print or digital news at all. What happens when no one is watching? One of the biggest media companies in the world is up for sale, although not entirely by choice. Warner Brothers Discovery has declared itself open for offers in the United States after receiving "unsolicited interest". Big media buyout season appears to be still on in the international market and could have a big impact for Australian viewers. And the rolling maul of media announcements for 2026 in Australia continues as networks confirm their line ups and announce their content slates. What is next year going to look and sound like on our screens and speakers? Guest: Dr T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer at RMIT and Australian Research Council DECRA FellowYou can binge more episodes of the MediaLand podcast with media insiders Tim Burrowes and Vivienne Kelly on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find interviews with the big media bosses, the journalists on the ground and the hacks who hunt for the big media scoops. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

It's October and that means radio killing season is underway. It's that special time of the year where radio stations and TV channels decide what their next year will look like and make sudden and sometimes shocking changes to their hosting line ups. We've already seen a few quick dispatches this killing season and it's likely to heat up over the next fortnight. Former KIIS FM Nights host Mitch Churi was one of the victims last year and he joins us to discuss the scariest time of year for radio hosts. Netflix and Spotify have signed a deal this week bringing video podcasts into the stable of the streaming giant. Is video about to kill the podcasting star? Teens and tech titans are all busy at the moment looking for ways around the impending social media age restrictions. Does the big shift towards age restriction online in December have a chance of working as intended?  Guest: Mitch Churi, Host of The Mitch Churi Chat Show and former KIIS FM radio host You can binge more episodes of the MediaLand podcast with media insiders Tim Burrowes and Vivienne Kelly on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find interviews with the big media bosses, the journalists on the ground and the hacks who hunt for the big media scoops. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

If you weren’t reading the newspapers in Victoria and Queensland in 1980s you could be forgiven for not knowing the name of fallen media mogul Christopher Skase. It's a problem Mark Humphries is trying to solve with a new podcast from ABC Radio National Rewind - Skase Fall of a Tycoon. We dig into why media personalities are so interesting to Australians when they're at their peak, and decades later.News Corp Australia boss Michael Miller fired some opening shots at the big tech companies this Wednesday at the Melbourne Press Club claiming calls to reform copyright laws are an attempt at a "big steal". Why is copyright becoming such a hot topic and what do Australian writers and creatives stand to lose? Google has launched in Australia a chatbot-like advanced form of AI search, called "AI Mode". They’re calling a move from “search engine” to “answer engine”. What impact will this have on news websites which have already seen a drop in traffic after AI summaries were introduced on Google a year ago? Guest: Mark Humphries, comedian and host of Skase: Fall of a Tycoon on ABC Radio National Rewind 

In a major move in the race for media consolidation Seven West Media and Southern Cross Austereo are proposing a merger which would make them a major broadcast and print player on both sides of the continent. But will shareholders and regulators be as thrilled as the executives and if this does go through what does it mean for the Australian media we consume? Media regulator ACMA threw a whole book of bus tickets at the Kyle and Jackie O show this week, finding another seven breaches of the Commercial Radio Code  in 2024. While it can barely contain its ire, it hasn't announced any sanctions for KIIS FM or its owner Australian Radio Network yet. Speaking of ARN, its CEO Ciaran Davis announced this week he'll be stepping aside after sixteen years at the helm of the commercial radio juggernaut. What's next for our big talk and music radio stations? Guest: Craig Bruce, Co-host of the Game Changers Radio podcast and former Content Director for Southern Cross Austereo You can binge more episodes of the MediaLand podcast with media insiders Tim Burrowes and Vivienne Kelly on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find interviews with the big media bosses, the journalists on the ground and the hacks who hunt for the big media scoops. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

With a new season of Big Brother in the wings, what’s the future for reality TV in Australia? Host of reality TV podcast So Dramatic Megan Pustetto is in to discuss the powerhouse of Australian reality television. It's late night redemption for Jimmy Kimmel as his late night show returns to ABC, but not the affiliate stations who are hoping for a merger deal approval from the FCC. Is free speech safe on American TV or is life support well and truly on? And it's time for the MediaLand Book Club! To celebrate the last week of voting for the ABC Radio National Top 100 Books Countdown we browse the bookshelves of Australian Media biography. it would be fair to say Tim has a list...Guest: Megan Pustetto, host of reality TV podcast So Dramatic and Founder and Creative Director of the Kind Regards NetworkYou can binge more episodes of the MediaLand podcast with media insiders Tim Burrowes and Vivienne Kelly on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find interviews with the big media bosses, the journalists on the ground and the hacks who hunt for the big media scoops. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

American President Donald Trump is on a media warpath. He's filed a new defamation lawsuit against the New York Times and had a run in with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's America's Editor John Lyons. That's not even mentioning the demise of Jimmy Kimmel Live. Are local journalists "hurting Australia" by asking questions on the world stage? How hard is it to make Australian drama and documentaries if you aren't a huge media company? Next Wednesday the 24th of September a new 3 part hybrid drama documentary is launching on SBS and SBS on Demand titled The People vs Robodebt. We look at the peaks and troughs of trying to get local stories made. How are the new restrictions on youth social media use going to actually work? Well, we're still a bit unclear on that. New government guidelines were released this week ahead of the policy coming into effect in December but the companies the law will apply to are worried the rules aren't clear enough. The Emmy awards produced some surprise headlines this week and it looks like the age of prestige programming is well and truly back in force. Guest: Michael Cordell, Creative Director of production company CJZ and Executive Producer of The People Vs Robodebt You can binge more episodes of the MediaLand podcast with media insiders Tim Burrowes and Vivienne Kelly on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find interviews with the big media bosses, the journalists on the ground and the hacks who hunt for the big media scoops. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

A settlement deal has been reached between Rupert Murdoch and his four oldest children, with billions of dollars changing hands. It leaves Lachlan Murdoch firmly in charge but with watered down ownership of News Corporation and Fox.  Can we expect a swing to the right in the Murdoch press or is it business as usual? How are journalists affected by what they cover and is it getting worse? A landmark new study into journalist trauma is underway looking at the impact of emotional and physical damage on journalists and the communities they cover. Historian Dr Fay Anderson is leading the project interviewing news makers and their subjects.  Do you like lukewarm catering and big LED displays? Well good news, it's upfront season for the big broadcasters in Australia, giving us a flavour of what to expect on our screens next year. Do Tim and Viv meet the competing dress codes? Guest: Fay Anderson,  Associate Professor and the Program Director of the Master of Journalism at Monash University  You can binge more episodes of the MediaLand podcast with media insiders Tim Burrowes and Vivienne Kelly on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find interviews with the big media bosses, the journalists on the ground and the hacks who hunt for the big media scoops. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

Why is the government trying to further restrict Freedom of Information laws? The proposed changes include the introduction of fees for FOI requests, a 40 hour time cap on processing a request and widening the definition of cabinet papers, which cannot be requested under the transparency law. What impact could these changes have on journalism in Australia? Does reporting on extreme views fan the flames or is it an important way of understanding the society we live in? Reporting of protest actions last weekend in Australian cities has drawn criticism from all sides. News broke this week of the death of Australian broadcaster Michael Charlton. He was the first ever famous face on ABC TV,  launching this broadcast onto the airwaves in 1958. How different in investigative journalism on TV now than it was in 1961 when he was the first host on ABC's Four Corners. Guest: William Summers, freelance journalist and FOI expert You can binge more episodes of the MediaLand podcast, with media insiders Tim Burrowes and Vivienne Kelly on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

Free to air television is at a tipping point as Australians flock to international streamers. The commercial television broadcasters are heading to Canberra next week to lobby the returned government to change the rules they're under. But is it the government's job to support commercial media? Is one of our biggest audio studios for sale? It depends who you ask. There's a reporting buzz going on around the future of LiSTNER and Triple M owner Southern Cross Austereo and if it might potentially be sold to Nine. What would consolidation of that kind look like for Australian ears? And are the disruptors becoming what they promised to disrupt? Netflix has started cinematic releases for some of the movies it makes itself. When is a movie studio not a movie studio? We also find out just what exactly a Kpop Demon Hunter is. Guest Host: Zoe Samios, Business Reporter for the Australian Financial Review Guest: Bridget Fair, CEO of Free TV Australia You can binge more episodes of the MediaLand podcast, with media insiders Tim Burrowes and Vivienne Kelly on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

Everyone thinks they know how the ABC should spend its money, but there's only one person at the top of the decision making tree! New (ish) managing Director Hugh Marks is five months into a five year term, is he ready to start making some big calls? Domestic basketball and international UFC media rights deals mark a new chapter in streamers and broadcasters competing for lucrative sporting titles. How will it hit your wallet? And rumours are swirling that that Guy Pearce is in talks to play Rupert Murdoch in a new flick about the media mogul's succession plans. Why are we still so fascinated by this modern Shakespearean drama? Guest Host: Zoe Samios, Business reporter for the Australian Financial Review and former media reporter Guest: Hugh Marks, Managing Director of the ABCYou can binge more episodes of the MediaLand podcast, with media insiders Tim Burrowes and Vivienne Kelly on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

More journalists have been killed in Gaza, adding to the highest ever media death toll recorded. Why are journalists being killed in such high numbers and are conflict zones like Gaza and Sudan becoming black holes for news coverage? Former foreign correspondent Peter Greste is adamant that foreign correspondents are necessary, but we're fighting a losing battle. New "Post and Boast" legislation has got journalists and lawyers in Western Australia worried. The State Government has been debating new law this week which could have a profound effect on freedom of speech. SBS Managing Director James Taylor has announced he will step down from his role this year in order to head up Ooh Media. it leaves SBS without a chairperson or clear MD at the same time. And Netflix is getting more expensive, again! Can the streamer justify $28.99 a month to content hungry viewers?  Guest: Professor Peter Greste, Executive Director of the Alliance for Journalists' Freedom, Professor at the University of Queensland and former correspondent for Al Jazeera in the Middle East You can binge more episodes of the MediaLand podcast, with media insiders Tim Burrowes and Vivienne Kelly on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

Reports of the death of print newspapers have been exaggerated. The Australian Financial Review is reporting that Nine Entertainment and News Corp are poised to sign a new contract to print newspapers across the country. The Murdochs are so bullish they’re launching a new paper! The California Post. Is there life in the old newshound yet? The Sydney Harbour Bridge protest drew the attention of Australian media but they covered it in very different ways. Why was it a "bloody disgrace" for some outlets and a "peaceful protest" elsewhere? Christian O'Connell’s breakfast show on Gold FM is launching nationally in 2026, ARN are claiming that makes it the first national commercial breakfast show. Meanwhile, Howard Stern’s contract in the US is coming to a close. Are we still in the age of the radio megastars? Guest: Chris Janz, CEO of Capital Brief and former chief digital and publishing officer at NineYou can binge more episodes of the MediaLand podcast, with media insiders Tim Burrowes and Vivienne Kelly on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

On this week's episode, it's media mayhem in Australia as the Albanese Government’s surprise move to include YouTube in the national social media ban sparks global headlines — and a possible lawsuit from Google. Is this the moment big tech stops pretending to be the good guy?Meanwhile, Bondi Rescue might be quietly cancelled, leaving fans wondering why some shows vanish without a trace. And in the boardroom, media mergers are heating up, with Solstice Media, Private Media and Nine all making moves. Is editorial independence the price of consolidation?Guest: Ben Willee, Executive Director of Media and Data, Spinach AdvertisingYou can binge more episodes of the MediaLand podcast, with media insiders Tim Burrowes and Vivienne Kelly on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

It’s media mayhem in the states as Trump takes on the Murdoch media empire, political machinations are accused of being behind the cancellation of a beloved late night TV show and big media companies are settling all over the place. What does mass media in the states look like under Trump 2.0? Who is the most family friendly app of them all? Big tech companies are announcing 'family friendly' features ahead of the policy announcement in Australia that could change the game for kids' content. Over the Tasman, Sky is making moves in the New Zealand media scene.Guest: Eriq Gardner, Legal Author at Puck, former Editor at Large for The Hollywood Reporter 

Are magazines dead? Australia's biggest magazine publisher Are Media is seeking buyers and the future of the publishing industry is up in the air. The Emmy nominations were released this week and it’s been a bumper crop for highly produced fiction on the big streamers. Have the 'disruptors' become what they once displaced? The radio wars are losing a key general this year, Southern Cross Austereo announced this week that their long-serving chief content officer Dave Cameron will be calling it quits.And is Lois Lane in violation of journalistic ethics in the new Superman film? Guest: Marina Go, Independent Director and former magazine editor and publisher 

Media mania descended on Morwell this week for the murder trial and verdict of Erin Patterson, are the victims being forgotten? SBS is celebrating fifty years of broadcasting this year, but is it still meeting its mandate? Managing Director of the Special Broadcasting Service James Taylor is adamant that it is. Thirteen years on from the prank call that shocked the world, radio host Michael Christian is taking his former employer to court. Over a decade after the call and the death of a UK nurse that followed it, where does the responsibility for damage caused by media lie? Guest: James Taylor, Managing Director of SBS 

Is AI writing your news? Is it a problem if it does? Artificial intelligence in journalism researcher Dr Phoebe Matich is trying to discover the extent to which AI is being used in our newsrooms, and how journalists and audiences feel about it. Community radio stations across Australia are fighting for survival against a rising tide of costs and limited funding. The Managing Director of FBI Radio in Sydney Tyson Koh joins us to talk about the station’s efforts to stay on air. A sports streaming stoush has broken out as Nine secures a new rights deal for the English Premier League. Some linear TV channels burst back into life in New South Wales and South Australia after a brief period off air as Seven and WIN networks find a way to agree. Guests: Tyson Koh, Managing Director of FBI Radio and Phoebe Matich, Postdoctoral researcher at the Queensland University of Technology 

The fog of war is an old term but it has very modern applications. In the conflict between Israel and Iran there have been plenty of false images and videos doing the rounds and it can be tough for foreign media to know what’s accurate. So how do you tell the real from the fake? Antoinette Lattouf won her employment case against the ABC on Wednesday. Daany Saeed was in court and reflects on the media trial that made ABC the headline rather than the publisher. And a war of words has erupted this week with the E-Safety Commissioner and YouTube disputing terms as the Government considers whether or not to exempt the platform from the impending Social Media Minimum Age Legislation. Guest: Maryanne Taouk is a reporter for ABC Verify

In a MediaLand special we dissect the ruling for Antoinette Latouff in her case against the ABC this morning. This morning the judgement in the case of Antoinette Lattouf vs the Australian Broadcasting Corporation was handed down in the Federal Court of Australia.  Justice Darryl Rangiah ruled that Australian Broadcasting Corporation contravened the Fair Work Act by terminating the employment of the applicant, Antoinette Lattouf, for reasons including that she held a political opinion opposing the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. Her lawyers had also argued that her national extraction and race had played a role in her termination, however Justice Rangiah ruled the executives involved were not motivated by these factors. The ABC consistently denied she was unlawfully terminated during the hearing process. The judge ruled that the ABC must pay Ms Lattouf compensation of $70,000. He also ruled that a further hearing will take place in the future to decide on pecuniary compensation. Guests: Michael Bradley, Director of Marque Law and media commentator 

More Australians than ever are getting their news from social media with the big platforms expanding their online reach over that of Aussie newsrooms. We're also becoming more and more worried about misinformation but, depending on our political persuasions, we disagree about where it's coming from. The University of Canberra’s News and Media Research Centre’s digital media report for 2025 lays our news consuming souls bare.  It's been a week for strange PR apologies, or non apologies. Three Australian companies illustrate how not to do it. And it's Christmas for audio statisticians! The radio stars aligned this week with three sets of data showing us how Australians are listening. Guest: Associate Professor of Communication at the University of Canberra Dr Caroline Fisher ck on the global media industry

It's been a week of cuts for TV with Network Ten axing the Project, ABC cancelling Q&A and Foxtel spiking The Back page. What's the future for current affairs television in Australia and can anyone make it pay? Aussie reporters have been in the firing line in Los Angeles this week prompting a big conversation about correspondents and their safety in the United States. And it's a very special 50th birthday to the SBS! Guest: Louise Rugendyke, National TV Editor for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. 

This week, Viv and Tim speak to Greg Hywood in the week he's announced his retirement from his role as Independent Chair at Free TV.  The former Fairfax CEO and newspaper editor has been in journalism and publishing since the 1970s when he started at the Australian Financial Review. He presided over period of intense cost cutting at Fairfax in the early 2010s and was CEO as the merger with NINE was put in place. He shares his views on whether that merger has worked and the state of publishing and commercial media in 2025. In another blow to music television, Foxtel has announced that MTV Hits, Nick Music, MTV Club, MTV 80s, and CMT music channels will stop playing at the end of June.TikTok has announced it is launching safety and wellness features including guided meditation sessions. George Clooney is bringing Broadway to America and the world's living rooms in a live streaming event of Good Night and Good Luck.Guest: Greg Hywood, Retiring Independent Chair of Free TV, former CEO of Fairfax and Editor and Publisher at the Australian Financial Review, Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. 

This week Netflix lifts the veil of secrecy and enters ratings war in Australia and a potential class action law suit adds to mounting pressure on Google’s advertising business.Commercial TV spending on ‘light entertainment’ is skyrocketing but drama and kids’ programming remain in the doldrums, and the publication of a TV salary rich list shows age of big bucks for broadcast stars might be coming to an end.  Guest: Dr Anna Potter, Professor in Digital Media and Cultural Studies in QUT’s School of Communication and a Chief Investigator in the Digital Media Research Centre 

The Coalition break-up has been like media Christmas this week but is the hour by hour reporting as interesting to audiences as the journalists producing it? New gender pay gap reporting on public broadcasters SBS and ABC shows plenty of work still to be done. How we teach kids media literacy in Australia in 2025 and why Europe is pouring millions of euros into it. Will 2GB and 3AW be up for sale?Guest: Bryce Corbett, Creator of Newshounds, the media literacy program for primary-school kids and Director of the Squiz Kids daily news podcast for kids. 

The challenges facing incoming Communications Minister Anika Wells and Arts Minister Tony Burke. The BBC will stop broadcasting and move to fully online by 2035 - will Australia follow suit?From 'mommy bloggers' to product floggers - how influencers became a gendered word.Guest: Lauren Meisner, Founder and Director of youth media brand, Centennial World 

Election wash-up: has Newscorp's ability to influence election outcomes waned? Adam Bandt's parting shot: the media don't take the climate crisis seriously. Donald Trump's film industry tariffs could drive content onto streaming services - and push up their profits.  Mushroom mania - how the Erin Patterson trial took over the podcast world - and why newsrooms are pivoting to this format. Why an ad for soy milk has just been banned. Guest: Maria Rae, former court reporter, true crime podcast producer and senior lecturer in politics and policy at Deakin University.  

In the final week of the election campaign the media's attention turned to debating Welcome to Country ceremonies, some decrying Neo-Nazi behaviour while running Trumpet of Patriot ads calling for an end to the practice.The journalist's union calls for an investigation into allegations ABC Chair Kim Williams pushed local stations to give air time to comedian Austen Tayshus. Denis Muller examines how well the media held political parties and candidates to account during the campaign and how relevant election newspaper editorials are in the era of influencers.And AI DJ Thy wins her time slot in the ratings. Guest: Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, The University of Melbourne

Will the US be able to force tech giants Meta and Google to break up their businesses? Divestment trials are underway but the outcome may never be enforced. The major commercial media companies have launched a “Stand up to hate” campaign, showcasing Kyle Sandilands as a signatory. So who is behind the campaign?  The world’s media dedicated a lot of time and attention to marking the death of the pope. Not everything went according to plan.Guest: Alan Sunderland, former Editorial Director of the ABC  

Social media influencers are having a field day with politicians this election - but are pollies bending the rules? The internet is flooded with false advertising on social media, but the government is yet to compel the tech giants to step in. Without content quotas the Australian screen industry is in dire straits; jobs are disappearing and projects folding, and it seems the US trade wars are behind it all. Guest: Matthew Deaner, Chief Executive Officer of Screen Producers Australia. 

It’s election time and the leaders are coming out swinging - but Sky News couldn't quite believe the results of their own debate. There's been a media scandal about how much Mamamia’s Mia Freedman pays her son - but are the rumours true? Tim and Viv find out the real data on what women get paid in the Australian media.Dawn Singleton's family are suing Nine and the SMH for using her image in reports of the Bondi Junction killings. It's a case which could have huge ramifications for the media.Guest: Petra Buchanon, Strategic Advisor, Women in Media and Project Lead on WiM’s Industry Insight report 

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has demanded excellence and efficiency from the ABC if he wins the election, while not committing to any specific cuts. To that, ABC Chair Kim WIlliams says “game on”. Tim and Viv parse out what the sparring could all mean for Aunty.News outlets are trying all sorts of approaches to tackle rising news avoidance, from explainers and TikToks to AI personalisation, we look at what's actually working.April Fool’s Day media pranks have a long history, but in a media environment rife with misinformation and outlandish headlines, are the jokes still landing?Guest: Professor Monica Attard OAM, Co-Director, Centre For Media Transition, UTS 

What's a journalist to do when they accidentally get added to the US government’s war planning Signal chat? Tim and Viv dissect The Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg's strange scoop and the process of reporting classified information. Netflix and Stan turn 10 in Australia as Max enters the market. We look at how the state of streaming has changed viewing habits and homegrown content production. Plus, the first gfk radio ratings survey for the year yields interesting results for the ABC’s big lineup changes, and the ALP turns to a bizarre AI cat video to sell its Medicare election message.Guest: Dr Alexa Scarlata, Lecturer in Digital Communication at RMIT University and co-leader of the Streaming Industry and Genres Network. 

Both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton 'faced the women of Australia' on Mamamia's No Filter podcast with Kate Langbroek this week, getting onto Albo's wedding, Dutton's meditation routine, and a sprinkling of policy.The leaders have been racking up long chats with with the country's biggest podcasters, some with upfront political bias. Tim and Viv look at the strategy and how these appearances might shape the campaign.The latest Edelman Trust Barometer and MediaNet surveys show trust in the media is at an all-time low. Even journalists are concerned. So how did we get here, and what can be done about it? Plus, the tech titans Meta, Google and X are urging Trump to pressure the Australian government to drop its News Bargaining Incentive, and is the Murdoch Royal Commission dead or just dormant?

The Newcastle Herald has apologised for running an inflammatory ad from Clive Palmer's Trumpet of Patriots party. As the election looms, we look at the standards for political ads, who sets them and why they might be slipping.NewsCorp is making a big push for Tubi, its free ad-supported streaming service - but is its lesser quality content offering likely to take off? The story of a Sydney caravan thought to be linked to an anti-semitic terror attack dominated the headlines in January. Now, it turns out to have been a hoax all along, and the media fell for it. What does it say about responsible reporting in volatile times?Matt Stanton is officially Nine's new CEO, we look at he brings to the role and where he might take the company after some troubled times.Guest:Toby Ralph, political campaigns specialist

The AFL's new broadcast deal kicks off this season, with Saturday matches going exclusive on Foxtel and Kayo. We look at anti-siphoning laws and what the deal means for the future of sport on free-to-air TV.Meta's glitch meant Australians searching for Cyclone Alfred on Facebook were coming up empty. As social media algorithms drop in quality, are we losing an important resource for emergency info? We look at why we still need mainstream media in times of disaster.Married At First Sight's wall-punching incident attracted a police investigation, controversy... and ratings. Will the networks get serious about participant welfare and change anything about the conditions of making reality TV? Amanda notices The Daily Mail's headlines are going beyond the deep end, and challenges Tim to a game of 'two truths and a lie' with the most egregious examples.Guest: Dr Rebecca Trelease, Senior Lecturer in Communication Studies, Auckland University of Technology and former contestant on The Bachelor New Zealand

The quick exit of comedian Marty Sheargold from his Triple M slot in the wake of the outcry over his offensive comments about the Matildas seems like a turning point in Australian commercial radio standards. Then again, maybe it's just business. Former SCA content director Craig Bruce gives some insight into how networks manage their big stars and how Sheargold's exit signals a dying era.Plus, Tim and Daany dig into the political 'dirt unit’ chasing opposition leader Peter Dutton.Guest:Craig Bruce, former host and content director for Southern Cross Austereo, creator of Game Changers Radio: Melbourne Radio Wars

Undercover reporting is one of those practices that challenges public trust with journalists, so when is it justified to deceive to get a story?The Daily Telegraph's ‘social experiment’ internally referred to as 'Undercover Jew' seemed to be trying to catch a moment of conflict that didn't arise between workers at an Egyptian cafe and a customer wearing Jewish symbols. It's led to accusations of manufacturing the news, and raised questions about stings, stunts and hidden truths in journalism. Tim Burrowes and Daanyal Saeed look at when this practice is really necessary and when it causes harm. Plus, we take a look at The Guardian's new partnership with OpenAI to supply reporting and archive material to products like ChatGPT.Guest:Alex Wake, Associate Professor, School of Media and Communication, RMIT University

ACM, Australian Community Media, has announced that all 65 of its regional newspapers, including the Canberra Times and Newcastle Herald, will be reduced to weekly print runs over the next seven years. Tim and Viv look at the new initiatives springing up to keep local news alive.And government ad spending is spiking ahead of the election, what can be done about taxpayer money going to potential political spruiking? Guest:Claire Stuchbery, Executive Director, Local and Independent News Association (LINA)

The dismissals of Antoinette Lattouf from the ABC and Peter Lalor from SEN over social media posts on the Israel-Gaza war raise questions about how journalists separate the personal and professional in the modern world. Where does opinion end and advocacy begin? Does a perception of bias lead to material bias in a journalist's work? And is it fair to expect journalists to maintain a social media presence without participating in public conversations? Tim and Viv tackle it all with media ethics expert Dr Denis Muller.Plus, what the launch of WB's Max streaming service will mean for Foxtel subscribers and Aussie content, and checking the accuracy of ABC comedy Optics' skewering of the PR industry. Guest:Dr Denis Muller, senior research fellow at the University of Melbourne's Centre for Advancing Journalism

ARN Media, owners of Gold and KIIS radio networks, made headlines this week when chair Hamish McLennan teased interest in buying Nine's talk stations 2GB and 3AW. At least that would be the plan, if it weren't for laws that prevent more "than two radio licences in the same licence area". Tim and Viv talk to Hamish about consolidation in radio, Kyle & Jackie O's troubled national expansion, and the competition of global streaming platforms.Plus, a look at NRL broadcast rights and the fight for sport to stay on free-to-air TV, and how the media handled Grace Tame's anti-Murdoch t-shirt.

Today presenter Alex Cullen has departed Nine after taking on a $50k challenge to help rebrand billionaire Adrian 'Lambo Guy' Portelli on air. There's a long history of hosts sneaking words onto television, but some dubious ethics in taking a tip for it.ABC Chief Content Officer Chris Oliver Taylor departs in a flurry of changes for the ABC. Tim and Viv break down the shifts and what it'll mean for the future of the public broadcaster.Plus, we take a look at the brief US TikTok ban and un-ban, and how the political leanings of the tech broligarchy might impact political comms in Australia.Guest:Dr Susan Grantham, lecturer in communications at Griffith University

Media — it's all around us; shaping our worldview, dictating how and what we see, hear and watch. So who are the media players and what do you need to know about how they operate?Each week media insiders Tim Burrowes and Vivienne Kelly dissect the stories and the story makers. Real-life succession battles, unfolding crises, what made the front page and why.Broadcast on ABC Radio National on Friday at 5.30pm and on the ABC listen app.