Journalism
Lisa Davies to exit AAP after stabilising the ship
Lisa Davies is set to wrap up her time as CEO of Australian Associated Press in June, after three years steering the national newswire through some choppy waters.
As John Buckley writes in Capital Brief, during her tenure, she helped secure the kind of funding lifeline most media orgs dream of, $11 million a year from the federal government, locked in for the next three years.
AAP chair Gail Hambly broke the news to staff in a memo on Tuesday, praising Davies for the turnaround and her push to future-proof the newsroom.
ABC interview disappears after Gaza segment airs
An ABC interview with Australia Palestine Advocacy Network president Nasser Mashni has quietly vanished from the broadcaster’s platforms, just hours after it aired.
As Daanyal Saeed writes in Crikey, Mashni appeared on the network Monday afternoon to discuss Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s sharp criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The conversation, hosted by Kathryn Robinson, covered Albanese’s claim that Israel’s justifications for blocking aid into Gaza were “completely untenable and without credibility.”
Gender politics gets a reset in Canberra
Something’s shifting in the nation’s capital, and it’s not just the seating arrangements.
Canberra’s old political instincts are looking increasingly out of step as gender balance quietly but decisively reshapes the landscape.
But as Christopher Warren writes in this Crikey Op-Ed, there’s a new tone creeping in, less shouty, more considered, and not everyone’s caught on.
Television
Drama spending flatlines as local storytelling struggles
Australian commercial TV is still giving drama the cold shoulder, with the latest ACMA figures showing minimal investment in both adult and children’s scripted content.
As Kyle Laidlaw writes on TV Blackbox, while there’s been a tiny uptick in kids’ drama spending, the overall picture remains bleak.
Screen Producers Australia has called out the data as fresh proof of market failure.
NITV calls for bigger budget to back First Nations stories
As SBS marks 50 years of multicultural storytelling, the focus is shifting to its sister network, NITV, the only broadcaster dedicated entirely to First Nations perspectives.
With diversity slowly becoming less of a novelty across Australian screens, there’s growing momentum behind the call to give NITV the resources it needs to go bigger.
As David Knox writes in TV Tonight, that question took centre stage during a commissioning panel at Screen Forever, where NITV’s Head of Indigenous Commissioning, Dena Curtis, said the appetite for black-led storytelling has never been stronger.
Channel 9 caught in fallout over Mitchell Moses and Michael Chammas
New layers are unfolding from last month’s Channel 9 drama on the 100% Footy set, where reporter Michael Chammas was reportedly told not to show up after Eels star Mitchell Moses raised objections.
According to Phil Rothfield in news.com.au, sources say Moses’ manager, Isaac Moses, threatened to pull his client from the show unless Chammas was axed from the lineup.
This move by Nine, apparently bowing to the player and his agent’s pressure, didn’t sit well with many journalists inside the network, sparking frustration behind the scenes.
Scott Pelley’s fiery graduation speech sparks backlash
Scott Pelley, the longtime 60 Minutes anchor, stirred up controversy with a charged commencement address at Wake Forest University.
As Anna Young writes on Sky News Australia, Pelley was speaking to the class of 2025 and warned that America is gripped by a creeping “insidious fear” that’s taken root in schools, businesses, and homes, painting a grim picture of the nation’s future.
His passionate plea called on graduates to rise up and meet the moment, telling them their country “needs you and it needs you today.”
AI
Sydney AI start-up Unleash Live nets $17 million in fresh funding
Sydney’s Unleash Live, an AI start-up founded by ex-Boston Consulting Group partner Hanno Blankenstein, has scored a $17 million Series B raise from wealthy European investors, pushing its valuation past the $100 million mark.
As Tess Bennett writes in The Australian Financial Review, the company has quietly built a niche using computer vision to analyse security camera and drone footage for clients like Ausgrid, BHP, Transport for NSW and Alcoa.
While the full list of investors remains under wraps, ASIC filings reveal backing from JR Investment, a family office based in Salzburg with a keen eye on AI and automation.
Film
James Bond owners seek more time in EU trademark fight
The billion-dollar Bond empire is battling to hold onto its trademark rights across Europe, asking for extra time to respond to a challenge over the iconic spy’s name.
As Mark Sweney writes in The Guardian Australia, the legal tussle centres on whether the famous James Bond brand has been properly used on a range of merchandise and services.
The challenge, brought by Dubai-based developer Josef Kleindienst, claims the trademarks, covering everything from “James Bond” to “007” and the famous catchphrase, have lapsed due to lack of use.