Companies
TEG appoints new chairman and CEO
TEG has announced a leadership change, naming long-time CEO Geoff Jones as chairman and appointing Brad Banducci as the company’s new chief executive officer.
Jones transitions to the chairman role after a 14-year tenure as CEO, during which he spearheaded TEG’s transformation from a ticketing operation into a global powerhouse in live entertainment, ticketing, digital, and data. Under his leadership, Ticketek evolved into TEG, now an integrated network of more than 30 businesses worldwide.
Taking the reins as CEO, Banducci brings over 30 years of leadership experience in the retail and consumer sectors, most recently serving as CEO of Woolworths Group.
Nine defends running Palmer ad
Nine Entertainment has justified its decision to publish a $200,000 front-page ad from Clive Palmer‘s Trumpet of Patriots party in The Age, arguing that rejecting it could be seen as taking a political stance. The full-page ad, which declared “There are only two genders,” ran alongside an editorial condemning Palmer as a “persistent wart on the foot of Australian politics.”
As Amanda Meade writes in The Guardian, the editorial didn’t hold back, criticising Palmer’s pledge to spend over $1 million on election advertising and accusing him of using his fortune to flood media channels with blunt political slogans. It also called the ad’s message “simplistic and hurtful to many.”
Despite backlash from both staff and readers, Nine’s executive editor Luke McIlveen and managing director of publishing Tory Maguire defended the decision.
Radio
2Day FM relaunches with a ‘Fresh Music’ promise
Sydney radio is getting a refresh. 1041 2Day FM has officially rebranded, introducing a new format that promises “the hits, before they hit.”
The station is doubling down on new music, vowing to bring more fresh tracks than any other commercial station in Sydney, while spotlighting emerging Australian artists alongside global stars.
With a commitment to championing both local and international talent, the station’s playlist will feature artists including Troye Sivan, The Kid LAROI, Doechii, SZA, Dom Dolla, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Kita Alexander, Young Franco, and Sabrina Carpenter. This shift marks Sydney radio’s biggest format change in over two decades.
Legal
Former Seven producer avoids conviction in assault case
Former The Morning Show producer Jessica Bowditch will avoid a criminal record after assault charges against her were dismissed, provided she continues mental health treatment and complies with a two-year apprehended violence order (AVO).
As Max Mason writes in The Australian Financial Review, Bowditch, 38, was arrested last November following an alleged domestic dispute with her estranged husband, high-profile Barrenjoey banker Dyson Bowditch.
In court, deputy chief magistrate Theo Tsavdaridis agreed to dismiss the charges on the condition that Bowditch follows a mental health plan for the next 12 months, while the AVO issued against her remains in place for two years.
OpenAI has hinted at a breakthrough in AI-generated content, revealing it has developed a model that excels in creative writing – though details on its release remain unclear. The announcement comes as tensions between the tech sector and creative industries over copyright continue to mount.
As Dan Milmo reports in The Guardian, CEO Sam Altman shared the news on X, calling it the first time he had been “really struck” by an AI’s written output.
“We trained a new model that is good at creative writing (not sure yet how/when it will get released),” he posted.
Meta tests in-house AI chip to cut reliance on Nvidia
Meta is trialing its first custom-built AI training chip, marking a strategic shift away from external suppliers like Nvidia, sources told Reuters. If successful, the company plans to scale up production, reducing costs as it doubles down on AI-driven growth.
As Katie Paul and Krystal Hu write in The Australian Financial Review, the push for in-house silicon is part of Meta’s long-term effort to rein in infrastructure expenses, with AI investments driving up costs.
The company has projected 2025 expenses of up to $US119 billion, with as much as $US65 billion earmarked for AI infrastructure.
Streaming
Meghan Markle’s Netflix show struggles to match past success
Meghan Markle‘s latest Netflix series, With Love, Meghan, is off to a slower start than her 2022 hit Harry & Meghan, suggesting audiences are more drawn to the Duchess of Sussex alongside Prince Harry than on her own.
As Nika Shakhnazarova writes in The Daily Telegraph, the eight-part cooking and lifestyle series made it into Netflix’s Top 10 but fell short in viewership compared to her previous documentary.
According to Samba TV data, it attracted 526,000 US households in its first five days – well below the numbers Harry & Meghan pulled in.
Pictured: Meghan Markle