Television
Sky News Regional to stay on air with new Ten deal
Sky News Regional has locked in a new home on Network Ten after the two signed a fresh multi-year agreement covering the eastern states.
The deal follows Ten’s recent buying spree of key regional TV licences, including Southern Cross Austereo’s in Queensland, southern NSW and Victoria, and the WIN Network’s in northern NSW and the Gold Coast.
But as James Madden writes in The Australian, the finer details, like contract length and value, remain tightly under wraps.
Logies shake-up raises fresh questions about who’s really in charge
The Logies have always had a bit of backstage drama, but this year’s confusion over judging, ratings influence, and eligibility rules has even insiders scratching their heads.
But as David Knox writes in TV Tonight, with Seven now hosting the show after blindsiding Nine in a 2022 deal with Are Media, the ceremony has become more polished, and more political.
Some industry players say the judging process has grown murkier, with ratings now part of the mix and less clarity about how winners are chosen.
Nine issues second apology over Tony Jones’ Djokovic comments
Nine has issued another public apology over Tony Jones’ on-air comments about Novak Djokovic during the Australian Open, this time directly addressing the Serbian-Australian community and the Serbian Council of Australia.
As Kevin Perry reports on TV Blackbox, the latest statement acknowledges the offence caused during a 9News Melbourne bulletin back in January, when Jones made remarks that sparked backlash among viewers.
The latest update comes just days after Nine decided to sideline Jones for the network’s Wimbledon coverage.
Journalism
ABC defends Gaza report after criticism from antisemitism envoy
Australia’s antisemitism envoy, Jillian Segal, has reignited debate over media responsibility by calling out the ABC for a 2023 news report she says fuelled anti-Jewish sentiment.
Speaking on Radio National Breakfast, Segal pointed to coverage of an explosion at a Gaza hospital, accusing the broadcaster of spreading a “manipulated narrative” that wrongly blamed Israel.
But Olivia Ireland writes in The Sydney Morning Herald, the ABC swiftly pushed back, defending its reporting and noting that any factual issues were quickly corrected at the time.
Social Media
Erin Molan’s 69X Minutes stalls after big promises
Crypto entrepreneur Mario Nawfal had a bold pitch: team up with Erin Molan, make a sex-pun-filled current affairs show on the cheap, and take down legacy media from the comfort of a Zoom screen.
As Steve Jackson details in The Australian, 69X Minutes was meant to be disruptive, dangerous, and dropped weekly.
When Mediaweek spoke exclusively with Molan back in February after the announcement, she explained how the deal came about: “When I saw Elon’s post about the show I took a screenshot and then sent it to so many friends of mine saying, ‘oh my gosh this would be amazing – can you imagine?’
But, instead of shaking the heritage news foundations, it’s gone suspiciously quiet.
Double Date becomes global YouTube juggernaut with Shorts strategy
They might have started as two dancing couples from Australia, but Double Date is now one of the biggest names in online video.
Since launching their YouTube channel in February 2023, the group has posted content at breakneck speed, averaging six videos a day, and it’s paid off.
As Sam Buckingham-Jones reports in The Australian Financial Review, in May, they briefly became the most-watched YouTubers in the world, and they’ve stayed in the global top three for the past 12 weeks.
Mr Potato founders under fire over unpaid staff and luxury getaways
The influencer couple behind collapsed food chain Mr Potato is facing backlash after text messages revealed they ignored unpaid staff while continuing a national food truck tour.
As Sumaiya Chowdhure writes on Sky News Australia, Jess Davis and her husband, basketballer Tyson Hoffman, reportedly left workers without more than two weeks’ pay as their business spiralled into liquidation.
Companies
TEG’s Brad Banducci outlines tech-first ticketing push
Former Woolworths boss Brad Banducci has resurfaced as CEO of TEG, and he’s wasting no time sketching out a tech-led vision for the Ticketek parent company.
In his first interview since taking the reins in March, Banducci tells The Australian Financial Review’s Sam Buckingham-Jones that he’s got a clear mandate to invest in technology and expand TEG’s footprint as global competitors like Live Nation loom large.
Among the ideas on the table: allowing fans to share an empty seat with a mate, or upgrade their spot via an app mid-show if better seats open up.
Canva shares pop up on US platforms despite company crackdown
Canva’s not on the stock market yet, but that hasn’t stopped its shares from quietly trading on US secondary platforms, against company policy.
As Bronwen Clune writes in Capital Brief, listings on sites like Hiive, EquityZen and Forge are offering investors a backdoor way to get in before Canva’s much-anticipated IPO, even as the Aussie design unicorn insists it doesn’t allow it.
These private exchanges let early employees or investors offload shares to cashed-up buyers looking for pre-listing exposure.