Television
Trump escalates row over Kimmel suspension
Yesterday we learned the US ABC network had pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely over these comments:
Now, The Sydney Morning Herald’s Michael Koziol writes that Donald Trump has been quick to praise the move, even warning networks could lose their licences if late-night shows keep criticising him, calling them “an arm of the Democrat party.”
Meanwhile…
The Hollywood Reporter’s Tony Maglio has written a blow-by-blow account of how Kimmel’s suspension went down.
The backlash over Kimmel’s comments sparked what one source described to THR as a “social-media s**tstorm” that briefly cooled before reigniting after FCC chair Brendan Carr’s podcast appearance, prompting urgent calls from ABC affiliates to Disney leadership.
Executives pressed Kimmel on how he’d handle it on air, but his response failed to reassure management, sources say.
Journalism
ABC shut out of Trump and Starmer press conference
ABC’s London team was barred from Donald Trump and Keir Starmer’s press conference at Chequers, with Downing Street citing security and saying several outlets were cut.
The Australian’s Jacquelin Magnay claims that reports suggest US officials vetted journalists’ social media for anti-Trump posts, sparking speculation it tied to ABC’s John Lyons clashing with the president this week, though UK sources denied a link.
Meanwhile…
Crikey’s Danyaal Saeed has offered his take on the entire Trump v Lyons debacle.
Streaming
Hubbl shows Foxtel’s ambition got ahead of reality
The Sydney Morning Herald’s Calum Jaspan’s offered his take on Foxtel’s Hubbl launch earlier this year and the promise it would redefine TV.
Eighteen months and $200 million later he writes, it’s been relegated to “maintenance mode.”
Legal
Sharaz hit with major payout over Reynolds defamation
The WA Supreme Court has ordered David Sharaz to pay more than $750,000 after ruling he defamed former minister Linda Reynolds in a series of “indefensible” social media posts.
The Australian Financial Review’s Jesinta Burton writes that Reynolds was awarded $85,000 in damages plus interest, while Sharaz and his wife Brittany Higgins were found jointly liable for $135,000 over a separate tweet implying Reynolds pressured Higgins not to report her alleged rape.
Social Media
From YouTube to TikTok: two decades that reshaped media
The Australian’s James Madden writes in 2005 it was a 19-second YouTube clip of elephants; today the platform clocks a billion hours of viewing daily.
Twitter followed, now rebranded as X with 650 million monthly users, while Facebook ballooned from campus fad to three billion global accounts.
The iPhone’s 2007 debut rewired how content is consumed, paving the way for Instagram and TikTok, which now boast two and 1.8 billion users each.
Abbie Chatfield tells critics to unfollow amid Kirk backlash
Zoe Smith and Freya Parsons report in The Daily Telegraph that Chatfield has responded to the wave of criticism over her comments on the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, telling trolls to simply block or unfollow her.
Posting to Instagram on Wednesday night, the podcaster said: “I actually have a way that you guys can cancel me … if you just blocked me or unfollowed me, my follower count would go down. If that’s what you want to do, just leave me alone.”
The backlash followed Chatfield’s earlier posts describing the assassination as “bad for everyone” while adding that she “hates” Kirk.
Meta unveils AI-powered smart glasses
Meta used its Meta Connect showcase to debut new smart glasses built with Ray-Ban and Oakley, positioning them as stylish wearables with AI baked in.
The BBC’s Lily Jamali writes that a companion “neural wristband” will let users send messages or control tasks with small hand gestures.
The launch comes as Meta faces mounting scrutiny over the impact of its platforms, particularly on children.
AI
Russian state TV debuts AI satire show
Russia’s defence ministry channel Zvezda has launched PolitStacker, a weekly program it claims is generated by AI and fronted by “Natasha,” an avatar modelled on journalist Nataliya Metlina not this writer.
404 Media’s Matthew Gault The show mocks global leaders with skits such as Emmanuel Macron in curlers, Donald Trump on golden toilets and Ursula von der Leyen singing a Soviet pop song.
Promos call it the world’s first fully AI-made TV show, though the “AI” commentary conveniently mirrors the broadcaster’s own editorial line.
Massive Attack pull music from Spotify over Daniel Ek’s AI ties
The band have pulled their catalogue from Spotify after founder Daniel Ek invested €600m in defence AI firm Helsing, making them the first major-label act to do so.
As The Guardian’s Laura Snapes explains, Helsing develops battlefield AI systems and military drones, with Ek also serving as its chairman.
The band announced the move while joining the No Music for Genocide campaign, which blocks music from streaming in Israel.
Atlassian makes $1.5b AI acquisition
Atlassian will acquire US software provider DX for USD1 billion ($1.5 billion), its largest deal to date and its second major purchase this month after The Browser Company.
Capital Brief’s Paulina Durán and Paige McNamee write that DX’s developer intelligence tools will be integrated with Jira and Confluence to boost Atlassian’s AI offering.
CTO Rajeev Rajan said buying DX was faster than building in-house, with strong overlap between DX’s customer base and Atlassian’s own. The deal is expected to close in FY26 Q2.
Sport
SBS secures rights to new Australian Championship
SBS will be the home of the new Australian Championship after striking a multi-year deal with Football Australia.
TV Tonight’s Kevin Perry writes that every stage of the competition, from group games to December’s grand final, will be shown live and free.
The agreement makes SBS the exclusive free-to-air broadcaster for the next two years, with coverage across SBS, SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand.