This Month
TechDay ends links with PR firm after ‘exasperating’ requests
What happened between TechDay and PR firm Archetype?; The Daily Telegraph’s new TV play; SBS’s ad revenue bucks the market.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones and Mark Di Stefano
News Corp, James Hardie spinner takes Eat, Pray, Love retirement
After a quadruple heart bypass in July, former News Limited spin doctor Greg Baxter retired from CBA in exactly the right way.
- Mark Di Stefano and Sam Buckingham-Jones
Kerry Stokes spurns doing a Rupert, rides again
Billionaire Kerry Stokes renominates as director of Seven West Media; behind the ABC’s decision to block ChatGPT’s web crawler; The Market Herald’s rebrand.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones and Mark Di Stefano
Amazon’s behind the scenes back-down in bid for TV ad millions
Amazon tells us its plan to take 30pc cut from Fire TV advertising is global, tells networks otherwise; Foxtel’s Patrick Delany concedes “lack of content”.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones and Mark Di Stefano
September
Newsrooms prepare to name Queensland rape case’s ‘high-profile man’
From October 3, a change to Queensland sexual offender laws could prompt a tsunami of reporting about a case that has remained below the radar.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones and Mark Di Stefano
China-owned TikTok’s Aussie hiring spree seeks ‘tax optimisation’ pro
After pitching to hire people sacked by Meta and Twitter late last year, TikTok wants someone from a major accounting firm to help with “tax optimisation”.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones and Mark Di Stefano
Jim Chalmers’ conflict of interest for the media bargaining code fray
Meta is pulling out of news and media companies expect a fight next year for a new set of deals. The treasurer won’t be there for it.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones and Mark Di Stefano
Media giants line up to pitch to advertisers at this year’s Upfronts
Media companies ready their upfront presentation to increase their share of billions in advertising; No mushrooms on Jimmy and Jane Barnes’ menu.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones and Mark Di Stefano
August
PwC’s once formidable expert marketing wing cut adrift
Bookies up in arms at rival’s BetStop link; Were ABC recruiters already replacing Ita before she stepped down?
- Sam Buckingham-Jones and Mark Di Stefano
Mumbrella in disarray as it feels the heat from South by Southwest
Mumbrella’s pain continues with another big departure and an increasingly competitive event market; Seven happy to platform activists when it’s exclusive.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones and Mark Di Stefano
Meg O’Neill’s secret weapon against the ABC is an ex-ABC journalist
A former ABC veteran is penning the Woodside CEO’s speeches as the company wages war on the broadcaster; Mumbrella loses its third editor in a year.
- Mark Di Stefano and Sam Buckingham-Jones
July
ARN buys skywriting to impress Kyle and Jackie O
How far will ARN Media go to impress – and keep – Kyle & Jackie O at Kiis FM? And the ABC’s next lightning rod.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones and Mark Di Stefano
The mini-deal that shows the Foxtel CEO is on a winning streak
The network remains tight-lipped on the deal to broadcast sports like NBA and NFL, but CEO Patrick Delany has nailed down another key plank of the pay TV ship.
- Mark Di Stefano and Sam Buckingham-Jones
The West Australian has Twiggy on the brain
Did The West Australian nick a scoop off a printing press? And female media pros have itchy feet.
- Mark Di Stefano and Sam Buckingham-Jones
Tony Abbott’s next act? Podcasting
The former prime minister has been lured into the audio domain to host his own show alongside his former chief of staff turned Sky News star Peta Credlin.
- Mark Di Stefano and Sam Buckingham-Jones
How much is a political editor worth anyway?
The ABC’s recent cost cuts, and last week’s court case involving Peter van Onselen, have put a spotlight on the role (and cost) of senior reporters in Canberra.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones and Mark Di Stefano
June
- Analysis
- Media & marketing
Kyle & Jackie O’s boss ignites silent fury among his own investors
ARN’s dubious splurge on a rival’s shares has become the talk of the Australian radio industry.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones and Mark Di Stefano
- Analysis
- Analysis
Dominic Perrottet pops up in New York, meets News Corp execs
The former NSW premier says he is not seeking employment, and only catching up with old friends “from my uni days who are in finance over here”.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones and Mark Di Stefano
- Analysis
- Media & marketing
News Corp creates ‘innovation’ centre – but staff fear more cuts
It will ‘utilise AI technology to enhance our journalism capabilities’, the local publisher’s boss, Michael Miller, wrote in a note to employees last week.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones and Mark Di Stefano
May
Michael Pell, Seven’s top LA exec, absent at Hollywood’s big week
America’s biggest TV studios hosted executives from around the world this past week, and Michael Pell wasn’t among Seven’s team.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones and Mark Di Stefano
