Legal
Bruce Lehrmann launches appeal in defamation case
Steve Zemek reports in The Australian that Bruce Lehrmann returns to court this week, appealing last year’s ruling that dismissed his defamation suit against Lisa Wilkinson and Network 10.
Justice Michael Lee had found, on the civil standard, that Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins in 2019, a conclusion that underpinned his loss.
A three-day appeal begins Wednesday before Justices Michael Wigney, Craig Colvin and Wendy Abraham.
Dr Phil’s media empire faces fresh legal fire
Dr Phil McGraw’s Merit Street Media is being sued by Trinity Broadcasting, which claims a $500 million deal produced no episodes of his talk show.
According to Winston Cho in The Hollywood Reporter, McGraw’s team says 214 episodes of Dr Phil Primetime did air, calling the allegation “absolutely false.”
The clash plays out as Merit Street battles bankruptcy and sues Trinity in return, with the court describing the dispute as far from routine.
Journalism
Guardian restarts search for political editor
Guardian Australia has relaunched its hunt for a political editor, months after putting the process on hold. Fresh interviews were held this week following a new job ad.
According to Calum Jaspan in The Sydney Morning Herald, contenders include The West Australian’s Katina Curtis and The Saturday Paper’s Jason Koutsoukis, though neither is commenting.
The role has been vacant since Karen Middleton’s exit in March, with the Guardian looking for a senior journalist to both break news and pen a weekly column.
Herald under fire over Hamas quotes
The Sydney Morning Herald is facing scrutiny after publishing an exclusive that quoted Hamas co-founder Hassan Yousef in reaction to Australia’s planned recognition of a Palestinian state.
Crikey’s Daanyal Saeed writes that the front-page story ran on August 14 under the headline “Terror group praises Albanese.”
The snag? Yousef has been in an Israeli prison since late 2023, casting doubt on the authenticity of the comments.
AI
Meta reshapes AI unit in superintelligence push
Meta is restructuring its AI division, splitting it into four teams and shifting staff to maximise its hefty investment in talent.
New chief AI officer Alexandr Wang said the revamp is about “accelerating” the path to superintelligence, with a focus on research, product and infrastructure.
According to Riley Griffin in The Australian Financial Review, the move signals Meta’s intent to stay sharp in the escalating AI race.
Television
Jonathan LaPaglia responds to Survivor exit
As Jonathon Moran writes in The Daily Telegraph, Jonathan LaPaglia has taken a swipe at his sudden departure from Australian Survivor, posting a tongue-in-cheek farewell after more than a decade hosting the franchise.
His replacement, former contestant and fan favourite David Genat, was unveiled just as his own elimination aired on Survivor: Australia v The World. LaPaglia marked the moment with a pointed Instagram post.
“Damn DAVID! If I’d known I could have just handed you the snuffer like an Olympic relay,” he wrote, before signing off with a nod to The Outsiders: “Stay Gold Ponyboy.”
Streaming
Stranger Things creators sign with Paramount
Matt and Ross Duffer, the duo behind Netflix hit Stranger Things, are moving on from the streamer and have inked an exclusive four-year deal with Paramount.
The pact kicks in once their Netflix agreement wraps in April 2026 and covers film, TV and streaming projects.
As Rebecca Rubin details in Variety, their shingle, Upside Down Pictures, will lead development, with producing partner Hilary Leavitt at the helm.