Journalism
Labor pushes to finalise news code before Google deals expire
Labor is aiming to revive its shelved news media policy before key deals between Google and major publishers like Nine and Seven lapse from April 2026.
The government has reassured media bosses it wants the updated code in place by then, despite concerns progress has stalled due to fears of backlash from a potential Trump presidency.
As John Buckley details in Capital Brief, publishers are watching closely, if the clock runs out without a new policy, millions in platform payments could vanish overnight.
Legal
Is sex now a spectrum? A question the media is dodging
This opinion piece from The Sydney Morning Herald’s Stephen Rice details an impending landmark Federal Court case that could redefine the legal meaning of “woman” in Australia.
Despite it’s significance, Rice claims most major outlets aren’t touching it.
Tickle v Giggle centres on whether sex is binary or a spectrum, a position backed by Equality Australia and not challenged by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner. The outcome could reshape laws around female-only spaces.
Rebel Wilson faces new lawsuit over debut film drama
As Perry Duffin reports in The Sydney Morning Herald, Wilson’s directorial debut The Deb is back in the headlines, with a fresh lawsuit claiming she blocked the film’s release and made false allegations about a young actor.
The production company behind the film says Wilson deliberately derailed the project, which premiered at Toronto in 2023 but never hit cinemas.
With both sides trading serious accusations, The Deb remains stuck in legal limbo, and far from the big screen.
AI
Labor cools talk of AI copyright changes
Jim Chalmers says Labor has “no plans” to weaken copyright laws, after backlash over a proposal that could let big tech mine local content to train AI.
The Australian’s Noah Yim explains that when The Productivity Commission floated the idea this week, it sparked immediate concern from artists and writers who say it risks trading away Australia’s cultural heritage.
Chalmers hasn’t ruled it out entirely but insists creators’ rights remain a priority.
OpenAI says GPT-5 edges closer to human-level AI
OpenAI has launched GPT-5, calling it a “significant step” toward artificial general intelligence. The upgrade brings better coding, stronger writing and fewer sycophantic replies.
It’s now live for all 700 million ChatGPT users, with CEO Sam Altman touting progress toward AI that can outdo humans at most jobs.
Still, as Dan Milmo writes in The Guardian, OpenAI admits it’s not there yet, with “many things” left to solve.
Companies
Paramount and Skydance merge to form new Hollywood player
Paramount and Skydance have officially completed their $8.4 billion merger, forming “Paramount, A Skydance Corporation” and hitting the Nasdaq under PSKY.
CEO David Ellison says the aim is to honour Paramount’s legacy while modernising how content is made and delivered.
But, as Dade Hayes writes in Deadline, now comes the hard part, proving the new studio can thrive in today’s fast-shifting entertainment landscape.
Vale
David Dale remembered for wit and fearless journalism
As Damien Murphy writes in The Sydney Morning Herald, the veteran journalist has died aged 77, best known for his sharp, satirical Stay In Touch column that helped define The Herald’s golden era.
His career spanned from New York correspondent to Bulletin editor, radio broadcaster and, later, journalism lecturer at UTS and UNSW.
Dale’s legacy? A fearless voice, a love of language, and an enduring distaste for sycophants.