Journalism
Nine journalist signed in by Greens amid Bradfield recount drama
A senior political correspondent from Nine has raised eyebrows after being signed in as a Greens scrutineer at the vote count for Bradfield, the federal election’s most nail-biting contest.
According to Caroline Marcus on Sky News Australia, the Australian Financial Review’s Paul Karp entered the Asquith counting centre last week under a plan reportedly ticked off by Nine management.
Sky News Australia obtained a photo of Karp being signed in by a Greens representative on May 22, just as a full recount got underway in the ultra-tight seat.
Bondi victim’s family slams media for insensitive coverage
The family of Dawn Singleton, one of the victims of the Westfield Bondi Junction stabbings, has delivered a blistering rebuke of media coverage, calling it distressing and deeply insensitive.
Her mother and fiancé say they learned of her death not from police, but via a live radio broadcast.
As Miklos Bolza and Alex Mitchell write on 7NEWS, the criticism was directed squarely at 2GB’s Ray Hadley, who named Singleton on air before her family had confirmed her identity.
Business
Gina Rinehart holds Rich List crown as mining moguls take a hit
Gina Rinehart has once again claimed the top spot on the Financial Review Rich List, marking six years straight at number one, even as her fortune dipped six-per-cent to $38.1 billion thanks to softer iron ore prices.
As Yoland Redrup reports on The Australian Financial Review, she wasn’t alone in the slide.
Clive Palmer and Nicola Forrest also took multibillion-dollar hits, dragging the top ten’s collective wealth down 9.2 per cent to $202 billion.
Productivity slump not caused by remote work, says commission
Turns out your home office isn’t the villain.
The Productivity Commission has pushed back on claims that remote work is behind Australia’s post-Covid productivity slide, pointing instead to a wild ride in working hours during and after the pandemic.
As Patrick Commins reports on The Guardian Australia, the Commission’s latest report has found that the short-lived productivity boom during lockdowns was more about fewer hours worked than any long-term gains.
REA price hike shocks agents with 78 per cent subscription jump
REA Group has notified real estate agents that subscription fees for its realestate.com.au portal will rise sharply, with some facing increases of up to 78 per cent from July.
The company sent an automated email on May 15 outlining the price changes under the guise of offering “more choice, flexibility and value.”
Retail
Sephora expands as beauty battle heats up in Aussie retail
Australia’s beauty aisles are more crowded than ever, with Mecca, Priceline and W Cosmetics all slugging it out for shelf space.
But, as Lauren Ironmonger writes in The Sydney Morning Herald, Sephora, the LVMH-owned giant quietly growing its footprint since its local debut in 2014.
Now up to 32 stores across the country, including a recent launch in Bankstown, Sephora plans to open two more locations before year’s end.
Myer reveals makeover to woo younger shoppers and revamp loyalty program
Olivia Wirth is shaking things up at Myer with a bold new strategy aimed at breathing fresh life into the Aussie retail icon.
As Eli Greenblat reports in The Australian, the plan includes a revamped cosmetics section featuring nail and blow-dry bars designed to attract a younger crowd.
This refresh marks Myer’s first major strategy overhaul in nearly a decade
$1.5 billion of online returns end up in landfill, report finds
Online shopping may be booming in Australia, but the fallout is piling up in the bins.
According to Frances Howe in The Sydney Morning Herald, a new report from charity Good360 reveals that around $1.5 billion worth of returned online purchases were dumped in landfill last year.
Deloitte’s analysis highlights a sharp jump in waste, with $4.5 billion in unsold goods trashed annually, up 79 per cent since 2021.
Television
Fox Footy’s dedicated commentary teams prove a hit with fans
Fox Footy’s decision to roll out dedicated commentary crews on Thursday and Friday nights is paying off big time.
As Scott Gullan writes in The Herald-Sun, for the first time, footy fans can choose between Channel 7 or Fox Footy when it comes to who calls the game.
Thursday nights feature Matt Hill and Mark Howard alongside Richmond legend Jack Riewoldt, while Friday teams bring together veterans Anthony Hudson and Gerard Whateley with special commentary from Garry Lyon and Jason Dunstall.
Phil Gould’s role questioned after Lachlan Galvin signing controversy
Phil Gould’s position at Channel 9 has come under scrutiny following claims he misled fans about Lachlan Galvin’s move to the Bulldogs.
According to Ben Talintyre on news.com.au, news broke on Sunday that Galvin agreed to a three-year deal worth around $750,000 a season, rejecting a huge $6 million offer from the Tigers.
Rumours had swirled that Gould, the Bulldogs’ general manager of football, was quietly pulling strings behind the scenes to land Galvin.
Is it time to give NITV a bigger budget to tell first nations stories?
For 50 years, SBS has been Australia’s go-to for multicultural stories, starting from its humble beginnings as Radio 2EA and 3EA before launching Channel 0-28 in 1980.
As David Knox writes on TV Tonight, it’s long been a trailblazer in showcasing voices often missing from mainstream TV screens.
NITV stands out as the only broadcaster dedicated solely to First Nations storytelling, sparking a question recently asked at Screen Forever: should it get a bigger budget to amplify those stories even further?
Social Media
CEO’s turn to unscripted video to speak directly to audiences
Alex Mahon, Channel Four’s UK chief, recently broke the corporate mould by posting a raw, off-the-cuff resignation video on LinkedIn.
In a casual sweater, phone in hand, she told her followers the news “slightly breaks my heart,” showcasing a new wave of leaders using social media to communicate more personally.
According to Isabel Berwick on The Australian Financial Review, LinkedIn reports a 52 per cent jump in CEO videos over the past two years, with video content overall growing twice as fast as other formats.
Tech
Google faces class action over alleged ad market monopoly
Google could be staring down a class action in Australia as Slater and Gordon investigates claims the tech giant has squeezed out competition in the local advertising space.
As Jared Lynch writes in The Australian, This follows a US court ruling last month that labelled Google’s dominance an illegal monopoly, blocking rivals from competing fairly.
The US Justice Department is even pushing to break up Google, aiming to force a sale of its AdX platform, where advertisers and publishers trade digital ad space.
Entertainment
‘The White Lotus’ creator Mike White set to star on ‘Survivor 50’
Mike White is swapping Emmy-winning scripts for tribal councils again.
The White Lotus creator and actor is back on Survivor’s milestone 50th season, proving he’s as serious about outwitting and outlasting as he is about storytelling.
As James Hibberd writes in The Hollywood Reporter, White first appeared on the show in 2018, finishing a strong second place in the “David vs. Goliath” season.