Legal
ABC penalty hearing looms over Lattouf case
The ABC has already been ordered to pay Antoinette Lattouf $70,000 for wrongful dismissal, but the broadcaster could face extra penalties.
Steve Zemek and Clareese Packer write in The Daily Telegraph, a Federal Court hearing will today decide if fines should be added, with Lattouf’s lawyers pushing for “hundreds of thousands” more.
Lattouf was cut from her last two shifts at ABC Radio Sydney in December 2023, sparking the case.
You can watch the live stream of the judgement here.
Disney settles $10m YouTube privacy case
Disney has agreed to hand over $10 million to the US Federal Trade Commission after being accused of mishandling children’s data on YouTube.
The Hollywood Reporter’s Winston Cho writes the regulator argued the company mislabelled some kids’ videos, letting targeted ads slip through.
Disney insists the issue doesn’t touch its own platforms, saying the case is confined to how some of its shows were distributed on YouTube.
Journalism
Inside the life of Hugh Marks at the ABC
The Age’s Jordan Baker’s profile of Hugh Marks shows a very different side to one of TV’s most powerful figures.
The former Nine boss, once nicknamed “Hollywood Hugh,” famously left the top job after falling for a colleague, choosing family life over corporate power.
Now leading the ABC, Marks says he wasn’t chasing another big gig but felt the pull of purpose.
His go-to restaurant order is pork schnitzel, which proves that yes, reading this far has finally paid off. Bravo you.
Read more… (I guess?)
Companies
Nestle sacks CEO after relationship scandal
Alas, not every interoffice romance ends quite so nicely as Marks’.
Over at Nestle, they’ve dumped their CEO Laurent Freixe after just a year, following revelations he hid a relationship with a subordinate.
As Reuters John Revill and Oliver Hirt report, the abrupt exit adds to the Swiss giant’s woes, with shares down and sales slowing.
Agency
Publicis launches Influential to chase creator dollars
Publicis Groupe Australia is doubling down on the influencer economy, unveiling a new agency called Influential to help brands better tap into creators, culture and commerce.
As Danielle Long writes in The Australian, the shop is designed to help Publicis win a bigger share of the $885 million local influencer ad market, while drawing on the group’s broader media, creative and data strengths.
It will sit within Publicis ANZ’s Influence Practice under CEO Skye Lambley, alongside Herd MSL and Salterbaxter.
Online
Google wins reprieve on Chrome and Android
A US judge has rejected demands for Google to sell off Chrome or Android, instead ordering the company to share more data with rivals to boost search competition.
Reuter’s Jody Godoy writes that the ruling sent Alphabet shares up nearly 7% as investors celebrated keeping Google’s key assets intact. Apple also benefits, with its multibillion-dollar search deal untouched.
Google plans to appeal, meaning the final outcome could still take years.
Publishing
Amazon author sparks AI suspicions
The Australian’s Paul Garvey writes that Amazon writer Duemanik Buacker released five nonfiction books in a single day, covering everything from survival tips to sport.
One title, however, raised eyebrows: a football guide featuring a soccer cover but gridiron content.
The mismatch, combined with the sheer output, has fuelled speculation the books are AI-generated.
AI
OpenAI adds parental alerts to ChatGPT
OpenAI is rolling out new safeguards for teenage ChatGPT users, including a feature that alerts parents if the system detects a child may be in “acute distress”.
According to the BBC’s Graham Fraser, the move comes after a California couple filed a lawsuit alleging the chatbot played a role in their son’s death.
OpenAI has since pledged “strengthened protections for teens” and reiterated that ChatGPT is designed to steer users toward professional help services in crisis situations.