Trump Tariffs
Kevin Rudd warns Trump’s movie tariffs are a tax on ‘Bluey’
Kevin Rudd has had a swing at Donald Trump’s latest brainwave: a 100% tariff on films made outside the US.
As Joe Kelly writes in The Australian, the Aussie ambassador called it what it is, a tax on Bluey, warning the move would hit beloved shows and affect cultural exchange.
Trump floated the idea on Truth Social, claiming Hollywood was “devastated” by filmmakers working overseas.
At Screen Forever, Trump’s film tariff threat gets the cold shoulder
Donald Trump’s push for a 100% tariff on foreign-made films loomed large this week, but at Australia’s Screen Forever conference, it barely registered as more than background noise.
As David Knox reports in TV Tonight, Industry leaders from Australia and Canada were united in their response: don’t panic, pivot.
Canadian screen bosses attending the Gold Coast event used the moment to call for deeper creative ties beyond the US.
Television
Pendal tips $1.2b payday for Nine investors if Domain deal lands
Nine’s biggest institutional backer, Pendal, is already counting the spoils from a likely Domain sale, telling clients it expects a $1.2 billion windfall for shareholders if US giant CoStar seals the deal.
As Sam Buckingham-Jones reports in The Australian Financial Review, CoStar, which snapped up nearly 17% of Domain earlier this year, has extended its due diligence window but left its $4.43-a-share offer untouched, a sign, Pendal reckons, that the $2.8 billion takeover is all but locked in.
With Nine holding a 60% stake, the company stands to pocket $1.4 billion post-tax.
Journalism
The Guardian relaunches mobile app and homepage design
The Guardian has revamped its mobile app to put podcasts front and centre, adding a dedicated tab to help users easily discover and stream episodes.
As Michael Savage writes in The Guardian, the update also introduces a text-to-speech feature, allowing users to listen to articles on the go.
This shift reflects the growing importance of mobile for news consumption, with three-quarters of The Guardian’s daily digital audience accessing content via smartphones.
ABC’s new Global Affairs Editor, Laura Tingle, found the role via a job ad
She might be one of Australia’s best political journalists, but when it comes to job hunting, Laura Tingle, is no different from the rest of us.
Fresh off an announcement that she will now take on the role of Global Affairs Editor at the ABC, Tingle told Mediaweek that when she first saw the job advertised she thought to herself: “This has got to be the best job in journalism other than the one I’ve already got”.
Despite boasting a 40-year career in journalism, Tingle said she still needed to apply for the role.
Legal
Mary Kostakidis to challenge racial discrimination claim in federal court
Mary Kostakidis is set to challenge a racial discrimination claim filed against her by the Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) in federal court on Thursday.
As Amanda Meade writes in The Guardian Australia, her lawyers will argue for the statement of claim to be struck out at the first hearing.
The former SBS newsreader is accused of breaching the Racial Discrimination Act after posting a video of Hezbollah’s late leader Hassan Nasrallah on X, alongside comments about Israel’s actions.
Streaming
Stan closes in on exclusive EPL broadcast rights
Nine Entertainment’s streaming platform Stan is reportedly on the brink of securing the highly coveted English Premier League (EPL) broadcast rights, potentially worth up to $100 million annually.
As James Madden reports in The Australian, this would see Stan take over from Optus Sport, which currently holds the rights until 2028.
The deal comes after Optus decided not to renew its rights to other major football competitions like La Liga and the UEFA Champions League, focusing instead on its core telecommunications business.
Social Media
LinkedIn turns 22: from network to content hub and AI powerhouse
Next month, LinkedIn hits its 22nd birthday, and it’s evolved far beyond being a platform for career updates and the occasional humblebrag.
In this article from The Australian Financial Review, with 1.1 billion users, it’s now a content hub, full of motivational quotes and viral debates on everything from em dashes to tuberculosis.
Microsoft, which acquired LinkedIn for $26 billion in 2016, has seen its investment pay off. Annual revenue has soared from $3 billion to $17 billion, and LinkedIn’s role is shifting, too.
Tech
Apple eyes AI search engines for Safari in response to Google deal uncertainty
Apple is considering a major overhaul of its Safari browser, shifting focus to AI-powered search engines.
As Mark Gurman, Leah Nylen and Stephanie Lai write in The Australian Financial Review, the move comes amid the potential unraveling of its longstanding $31 billion deal with Google, which currently powers Safari’s default search.
Eddy Cue, Apple’s services boss, revealed this shift during his testimony in the US Justice Department’s antitrust case against Google.
Retail
Maison de Sabre slams Sportsgirl over alleged design rip-off
Omar Sabre, co-founder of luxury brand Maison de Sabre, has called out Sportsgirl for copying his brand’s popular fruit-shaped handbag charms.
As Jessica Yun writes in The Sydney Morning Herald, he described the practice of design duplication as “completely unacceptable” and vowed to speak out against it.
In response, Sportsgirl removed the controversial charms from shelves and its website, promising to review internal processes.
JB Hi-Fi sees moderate slowdown in sales, but remains optimistic
JB Hi-Fi’s CEO Terry Smart has reported a slight dip in sales momentum during the third quarter, but remains confident the company is primed to meet strong consumer demand for tech.
As Carrie LaFrenz reports in The Australian Financial Review, the $11.3 billion retailer saw a 6.5% sales increase for the quarter, with a 6% rise in same-store sales at its Australian outlets.
While growth eased from January’s 7.1%, the retailer’s performance still met expectations, with year-to-date sales up 6.9%.
Vale
Veteran journalist Iain Finlay chooses voluntary assisted dying
Iain Finlay, the respected former ABC correspondent, had always been intrigued by life’s big mysteries: birth, death, and everything in between.
As Hannah Ross reports on ABC News At 89, Finlay chose voluntary assisted dying at his home in Tumbulgum, northern NSW, surrounded by his partner of 60 years, Trish Clark, and their children.
Finlay was a well-known figure in Australian media, reporting for This Day Tonight, AM, and Beyond 2000.