This Month
Fastest-selling debut novelist in Australia gets Netflix series
Journalist turned bestselling author Trent Dalton says he owes a huge debt to his hometown of Brisbane for turning his and his family’s life around.
- Updated
- Mark Ludlow
September
The power of data: How popular was Succession? It’s secret. Here’s why
Never before has so much information been collected on your viewing habits, and yet less and less is known about what you are watching.
- Zoe Samios
Amazon Prime will slap ads in movies and shows - unless you pay extra
Australians will be forced to watch ads on Amazon Prime shows starting in 2024 and must pay an extra charge to avoid them.
- Michelle Chapman
Universal Music strikes deal to reshape streaming economics
The world’s largest record company and French streaming service Deezer have agreed an arrangement they expect will lift payouts to professional artists by 10 per cent.
- Anna Nicolaou
August
Man mistaken for tech expert to sue BBC over footage royalties
Guy Goma became an internet sensation after staff at the public broadcaster confused him with a technology expert due to be interviewed about the threat of online music to the industry.
- Michael Murphy and Alex Barton
- Opinion
- Tech Observed
Telcos struggle for public sympathy in big tech battle
The telco sector will open a can of worms if it goes after big tech for more payments, and it may struggle to win the argument.
- Paul Smith
Streaming platforms should pay us for infrastructure, telcos say
Telstra, Optus and TPG say the likes of Netflix, YouTube and Amazon’s cloud and AI services are driving network traffic to unsustainable levels.
- Paul Smith
Foxtel ‘flagrantly’ stole technology from us, small Sydney firm claims
Advanced Technology Group is taking the News Corp-controlled broadcaster to court for allegedly using its patented system to sell set-top boxes for years.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
Hollywood calls time on golden era of cheap streaming
Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros Discovery and others have raised their prices in response to pressure from Wall Street to end the profligacy of the streaming boom.
- Anna Nicolaou and Christopher Grimes
It’s the royal gay romcom we’ve all been waiting for
The feverishly awaited Amazon Prime screen adaptation of a viral novel hits our screens on Friday.
- Claire Allfree
July
These three Spotify editors are becoming music’s most influential players
Between them, Hannah Brewer, Jazmine Huggins and Amelia Jenner decide what will make up some of the most listened to playlists in the country.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
Netflix set for worst share price drop this year
The streaming giant’s crackdown on password sharing and a new advertising tier failed to deliver the sales growth that investors hoped for.
- Lucas Shaw
Netflix’s password sharing crackdown pays off
The streaming services’ strategy to shore up its business appears to be working. It added almost 6 million subscribers in the three months to the end of June.
- Updated
- Michael Liedtke
- Analysis
- FIFA World Cup
Women’s World Cup offers broadcaster Optus a shot at redemption
It can’t control how well the Matildas do in the World Cup, but Optus Sport says it has pulled out all the tech stops to make its coverage a success.
- Paul Smith
June
Why everyone is watching TV with subtitles
It’s not just a Millennial thing - there is a reason watching television with subtitles has become increasingly common.
- Devin Gordon
‘Tricked and trapped’: How Amazon Prime gets subscribers
The US consumer regulator has sued Amazon, arguing it “duped millions of consumers” into enrolling in Prime using “manipulative, coercive or deceptive” tactics.
- David McCabe
Harry and Meghan are ‘f---ing grifters’, says Spotify executive
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been slammed as their reputed $US20 million podcast deal was dropped after one series.
- Ewan Somerville
Stan seeks US strike buffer in Lionsgate deal, The Walking Dead shows
The Hollywood studio has become the latest North American player to decide against launching its own streaming service in Australia.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
May
How ‘Succession’ rich is different from ‘Dallas’ rich
In 1980, American wealth inequality was still near its postwar lows. Today, the very rich are very, very, very richer.
- James Poniewozik
Succession fans flock to Binge for final episode
Fans of Succession flocked to watch on Foxtel’s Binge, which is part-owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. Murdoch and his children are the inspiration for the show.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
