Media
Senate blocks bid for ABC scrutiny
Sky News Australia’s Matt Hampson and Patrick Hannaford write the Senate has knocked back Sarah Henderson’s push to probe the ABC’s editorial standards, rejecting her motion for an inquiry on Wednesday afternoon.
The former ABC journalist argued the broadcaster’s “egregious errors” were being overlooked and called for a closer look at impartiality and accuracy.
Trump swats at New York Times fatigue story
Variety’s Todd Spangler reports that Donald Trump has blasted a New York Times article suggesting the 79-year-old president is showing “signs of fatigue” as the realities of age settle in.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump railed against what he called “The Creeps at the Failing New York Times,” insisting he has “never worked so hard” and rejecting any claim he’s slowing down.
Companies
Stan Sport director exits
Nine’s internal reshuffle has claimed another senior figure, with Stan Sport founding director Ben Kimber confirming he’s stepping away after five years building the service from scratch.
According to TV Blackbox’s Kyle Laidlaw, Kimber revealed the move on LinkedIn, saying he’s “hanging up the boots” as Stan Sport is folded into Nine’s wider structure.
Streaming
Apple pulls French thriller from view
The Hollywood Reporter’s Tony Maglio writes that Apple TV has quietly yanked its upcoming French thriller The Hunt from next month’s lineup, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a trace of it anywhere online.
The disappearance follows plagiarism accusations that landed just as Apple was gearing up for launch.
Online
Deepfake nudifying sites blocked in Australia
Three deepfake nudifying apps have been cut off from Australians after UK-based Itai Tech agreed to block access when the eSafety Commissioner threatened legal action.
As Eilidh Sproul-Mellis reports in The Daily Telegraph, the sites have been tied to incidents in schools.
Social Media
Government flags bumps in teen social media ban
With Australia’s under-16 social media ban kicking in on 10 December, Crikey’s Cam Wilson reports the government is already tempering expectations.
Communications Minister Anika Wells has been upfront, saying the laws “will not be perfect in their implementation,” a line the government has used consistently.
Teens take social media ban to the High Court
Australia’s under-16 social media ban is facing its first major legal test, with two teenagers asking the High Court to strike it down on constitutional grounds.
As the BBC’s Tiffanie Turnbull writes, their argument is simple and sharp: the law cuts them off from basic communication.
Television
TV crew stumbles across murder case
Sky News Australia’s Andrea Margolis writes that a routine dig for Sandi Toksvig’s new Channel 4 series has taken a sharp left turn, with archaeologists unearthing what appears to be a 2,000-year-old murder case in Dorset.
Bournemouth University confirmed the find in late October, noting Toksvig wasn’t just presenting. The Cambridge-trained archaeology nerd jumped into the excavation herself.