Legal
Seven sued as workplace injury dispute spills into court
A veteran Seven producer has launched a Fair Work claim after a fall from his wheelchair in 2023 left him seriously injured, arguing the network worsened the situation by cutting his duties and leaving him “distressed, upset and humiliated”.
The Sydney Morning Herald’s Kishor Napier-Raman reports that Seven’s defence flips the script, accusing former Sunrise producer Matthew McGrane of aggressive and misogynistic behaviour toward female colleagues, including profane and sexist emails.
A Seven spokesperson has told Mediaweek: As this matter is before the court, Seven is unable to comment. Seven will defend its position.
Nine secrecy bid on Roberts-Smith source knocked back
A Federal Court judge has refused to keep secret a long-term deal between Nine and a key Ben Roberts-Smith source, reopening a fraught chapter of the defamation saga.
The woman, known as Person 17, had threatened to sue Nine after claiming that reporter Nick McKenzie had broken a promise not to identify her, with the commercial terms of their agreement previously kept under wraps.
According to Matthew Benns in The Daily Telegraph, that protection has now fallen away, adding another twist to a case that has already reshaped the media and legal landscape around Roberts-Smith.
Ten and Wilkinson push back on Lehrmann High Court bid
The Sydney Morning Herald’s Michaela Whitbourn reports that Bruce Lehrmann is having one last crack at the High Court, seeking special leave to overturn the defamation ruling that found he raped Brittany Higgins in Parliament House.
He claims Justice Michael Lee relied on material outside the evidence, including academic research on so-called rape myths, and that this undermined the 2024 decision.
Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson have moved to shut down the appeal, keeping the spotlight firmly on a case that continues to reverberate through media and politics.
Media
Trump lashes out after Grammys joke hits a nerve
The Australian reports Donald Trump has threatened legal action after a Grammy Awards joke linked him to Jeffrey Epstein, turning a comedy moment into a political flare-up.
Host Trevor Noah made the crack while congratulating Billie Eilish, tying Trump’s Greenland ambitions to a throwaway line about Epstein and Bill Clinton.
Trump fired back on Truth Social, calling the Grammys unwatchable and the joke false and defamatory, insisting he has never been anywhere near Epstein’s island.
Companies
Iger talks up Disney IP as rivals circle Warner Bros
The Hollywood Reporter’s Caitlin Huston writes that Bob Iger is watching the Warner Bros Discovery bidding war from the sidelines and liking what he sees.
On Disney’s earnings call, he said the chaos only highlights the strength of Disney’s own brands, franchises and ESPN.
He made it clear Disney is not hunting for more IP, arguing the company would rather keep creating than start buying.