Radio
Christian O’Connell to go national next year
Gold 101.7 listeners in Sydney will be waking up with Christian O’Connell in 2026.
The announcement comes just days after the stations long-time Breakfast duo of Brendan ‘Jonesy’ Jones and Amanda Keller confirmed they will move to the drive slot next year.
The move will see O’Connell’s Melbourne-based show expand its footprint to audiences in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide, with evening broadcasts planned for regional markets via the broader GOLD Network.
Nine eyes radio sale after Domain deal
Nine is expected to offload its talk radio network, 2GB, 3AW, 4BC and 6PR, before Christmas, with formal bids from interested parties due soon.
According to James Madden and Steve Jackson in The Australian, the media giant has kept quiet amid speculation, waiting to finalise the $2.8 billion sale of Domain to CoStar, which will go to a shareholder vote today.
With Nine holding 60.1 per cent and CoStar 17 per cent, the deal is tipped to pass, clearing the path for a major shake-up in Nine’s audio business.
Television
Lynne McGranger scores Gold in Logies farewell
Lynne McGranger has won her first-ever Logie, and it’s the big one. The Home and Away veteran took home the Gold just weeks before her character exits the soap after 33 years.
As Karl Quinn reports in The Sydney Morning Herald, she also nabbed best lead actress, beating out Netflix and ABC favourites. “If I’d known this was going to happen, I’d have left years ago, love,” she joked backstage.
Backstage, McGranger quipped, “If I’d known this was going to happen, I’d have left years ago, love.”
Bluey linked to resilience boost in kids
Turns out Bluey isn’t just good fun, it might be good for kids’ mental health too.
According to Ian Royall in The Daily Telegraph, new research out of CQUniversity suggests the show helps young viewers build emotional resilience by modelling how to handle life’s ups and downs.
Researcher Kelly Bohl analysed 150 episodes and found the Heeler family routinely demonstrates coping strategies, emotional recovery, and everyday problem-solving in ways kids can absorb.
“When I started watching Bluey… I noticed characters regularly living these lessons in emotional strength, coping, and recovery,” said Bohl, whose study is believed to be the first of its kind.
Legal
Lachlan Murdoch visit stirs Trump chatter
Lachlan Murdoch’s visit to News Corp’s Sydney HQ last week raised eyebrows, coming just days after Donald Trump filed a US$10 billion defamation suit over a Wall Street Journal article.
As John Buckley writes in Capital Brief, while the media exec drops in from time to time, the timing sparked talk about how News Corp will respond.
Murdoch is now expected back in the US for this week’s News and Fox Corp earnings, with a Murdoch family trust court date looming in October.
Gaming and TikTok ads boost ADF numbers
The ADF has recorded its biggest recruitment jump in 15 years, crediting targeted ads on TikTok and video games for attracting over 7000 new full-time personnel.
Applications surged 28 per cent to a five-year high, with Defence Minister Richard Marles declaring the force is growing again after years of stagnation.
As Matthew Knott writes in The Sydney Morning Herald, the ADF is now aiming for 69,000 permanent members by the early 2030s.
Business
Virgin changemaker to speak at SXSW Sydney
Jean Oelwang, founding CEO of Virgin Unite and Planetary Guardians, will headline SXSW Sydney this October.
The former Virgin Mobile exec will speak on how businesses can form long-term partnerships to drive global change.
As Danielle Long writes in The Australian, she joins a speaker lineup that includes Mo Gawdat, Paul Feig and Signal’s Meredith Whittaker.
Tourism Australia goes global with star-studded campaign
Robert Irwin, Nigella Lawson and Sara Tendulkar headline Tourism Australia’s new market-specific ads as it eyes 10 million international visitors next year.
The campaign builds on 2022’s “Come and say G’day” reboot and now targets key markets like the US, UK, China, India and Japan with tailored content.
For Susan Coghill, CMO of Tourism Australia, there was no doubt in bringing Ruby back to the world.
AI
Stake billionaire bets big on Aussie AI
Ed Craven, founder of crypto casino Stake.com, is backing new Melbourne AI venture Maincode, aiming to take on global players like OpenAI.
Co-founded by ex-Microsoft and AWS talent Dave Lemphers, Maincode is focused on building core AI models, not just apps or tools.
As Paul Smith writes in The Australian Financial Review, it’s a bold pivot from gambling to generative tech, with Craven investing millions to put Australia on the AI map.