Monday March 16, 2026
EXCLUSIVE: From COVID briefings to conspiracy theories: Nick Coatsworth and Richard Baker launch conspiracy podcast
It is, on the surface, a classic odd-couple pitch: put a Walkley Award-winning investigative journalist in a room with the doctor who became the face of Australia’s COVID-19 response, and ask them to interrogate the world’s most persistent conspiracy theories.
But Conspiracy Cabal is more than a novelty pairing. It may be the most strategically significant new Australian podcast of 2026.
Richard Baker, whose journalism has helped bring down banks, exposed sports doping cover-ups and forced royal commissions, and Dr Nick Coatsworth, whose COVID briefings made him one of the most recognised faces in the country, have spent 18 months developing a show that aims to do something the conspiracy podcast genre has largely failed to do: take the audience seriously.
“My professional brain and my head are so trained to research facts and what evidence there is. Obviously, that’s the essence of investigative journalism. But in my heart, I’m a believer,” Baker told Mediaweek.
The weekly series sees the unlikely duo examine some of the world’s most persistent conspiracy narratives, unpacking where they began, why people believe them, and whether any truth lies buried beneath the speculation.
Rather than amplify fringe claims, the pair say the show is about investigating them – a blend of journalism, research and psychology designed to explore how conspiracy culture evolves in the digital age.
A journalist and a doctor walk into a conspiracy
The idea for the show began in a way that feels almost Hollywood-esque.
“Rich and I actually only met a year ago. We’re managed by the same agent. And she was having a talent get together,” Coatsworth explained to Mediaweek.
“And she manages a lot of people who are, you know, on the stage, I guess. But Rich and I gravitated towards each other as kind of a different sort of talent that she manages.”
Six months later, Baker had an idea.
He called Coatsworth and had floated the concept of a show that would investigate conspiracy theories without ridiculing the people drawn to them.
“It instantly grabbed me,” Coatsworth said.
For the former deputy chief medical officer, the appeal lay in the fact that conspiracy thinking is far more common than many people care to admit.
As he puts it, most people quietly carry their own private curiosities about unexplained events or contested historical moments – questions that rarely get aired in polite conversation.
“We all kind of hide our conspiracy beliefs under a bushel,” he said.
The podcast, he believes, simply creates a space where those curiosities can be explored openly, without the stigma that often shuts down discussion.
“It gives an opportunity for people to engage with it without being called a cooker or a tinfoil hat person.”
The format draws on Baker’s investigative journalism background and Coatsworth’s experience navigating public policy and science during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Seeking the “kernel of truth”
At the heart of the podcast is a guiding idea: almost every conspiracy theory begins with some version of reality.
“The word ‘research’ is a real key for this show; Nick and I are both research people,” Baker explained.
“Our tagline is seeking the kernel of truth, and every conspiracy starts with a kernel of truth. What we want to do is tell the story of that, then look at its evolution, and do a bit of a soft fact-check along the way.”
Episodes explore everything from intelligence agency plots and political scandals to health scares and extraterrestrial claims. The goal, Baker said, is to create a space where listeners can question big narratives without being ridiculed.
“We want the show to be a really safe space where people can come and join in and where it’s okay to disagree or have different opinions on the validity of things.”
Why conspiracy theories take hold
Coatsworth said the show is less about debunking and more about understanding the psychology behind why people believe conspiracies in the first place.
“It doesn’t actually matter whether it’s a way out conspiracy – you know, aliens from outer space, or whether it’s something a lot more real for people like, you know, like the COVID pandemic.
“What interests me is how these things can capture us. Sometimes, it captures small numbers of people. Sometimes, many people get captured,” he said.
That fascination with belief systems is also what shapes the episode slate.
The first season includes both well-known conspiracies and more obscure ones – including Australia’s mysterious Westall UFO sighting, which Coatsworth admits surprised even his friends.
“It’s really interesting how few people have heard of some of these major conspiracies in Australia,” he said.
“After we did our episode on the Westall UFO incident, I had a mate who grew up in Melbourne. She’s my age, late 40s. And she texted me and said, I can’t believe I’ve never heard of that story.”
For those not in the know, the Westall UFO incident occurred back in 1966. At the time, hundreds of locals claimed to have seen an unidentified flying object. No real explanation has ever been provided.
Independent podcast play
Conspiracy Cabal has been independently developed and funded by Baker and Coatsworth, with production by former LiSTNR producer Ed Gooden.
The project has been in development for roughly 18 months and is available in both audio and video formats across podcast platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Australian pharmacy and retailer Wholelife has signed on as a launch partner for the series.
For Baker, the independent route was part of the appeal. Investigating conspiracies, even cautiously, can be controversial territory.
For Coatsworth, the balancing act is simple.
“We’ve got to attune our radars really quickly to, you know, what’s real, what’s not, but we’ve both got reputations behind us that, you know, we’ve got to, we’ve got to be cautious with.”
The 2026 Oscars $65k gift bag includes a bougie pre-nup
The countdown to the 98th Academy Awards has begun!
The winners in all categories will be awarded with the coveted golden statuette on March 16 at The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California.
And, a select 25 will get the coveted luxury gift bag worth thousands – $65+k to be exact.
The swag bag is traditionally packed with the ultimate in luxury goods and experiences, such as this year’s private luxury villa in Costa Rica, valued at $9M with a concierge, chef, and driver.
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What’s in the 2026 Oscars gift bag?
The swag also includes a custom residential interior design package, cannabis products, a luxury arctic villa getaway with views of the Northern Lights and facial rejuvenation procedures from a leading plastic surgeon.
This year, there’s also one standout unexpected inclusion: recipients of the swag will also receive access to a fully customised prenuptial agreement through Trusted Prenup, founded by famous divorce attorney, James Sexton.
James J. Sexton is a New York-based divorce and family law attorney with over 20 years of experience. Known as a “top” or “celebrity” divorce lawyer, he focuses on high-stakes, contentious divorces and is a best-selling author of books on marriage and relationships, including How to Stay in Love and If You’re in My Office It’s Already Too Late.
Sexton also hosts the “Better Call Sexton” podcast.
The pre-nup has attracted a lot of attention for its inclusion this year. But let’s face it, is a pragmatic inclusion for the recipient – considering that since they’re now really at the top of their game, they’ll probably need one.
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An Australian family lawyer weighs in on a pre-nup as a gift
Managing partner and leader of the family law team at Dowson Turco Lawyers, Stacey Dowson, told Mediaweek:
“This is definitely very American. I like to think that Australia’s culture is not as negative and brash as this is.
“Also, Australian lawyers are regulated by the Uniform Solicitors Conduct Rules and these rules prevent solicitors engaging in conduct which tends to be prejudicial to, or diminish the public confidence in, the administration of justice, or brings the profession into disrepute.
“I am not saying Mr Sexton is guilty of such a breach (he is not subject to our laws), but I am saying that Australian lawyers have a lot of obligations and those obligations extend to how we conduct ourselves in public; this usually results in a more considered approach.
“Having said all of that, a prenup is always a good idea!”
Top image: James Sexton is offering Oscar winners a customised pre-nup. Image: Instagram
Mike E plays temp breakfast host on KIIS for Kyle and Jackie O
Another temporary replacement has been added to the radio’s biggest drama.
Mike Etheridge has replaced Kent Small – Smallzy – as the temporary host of KIIS Breakfast this morning, filling in for Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson while they remain off air.
Smallzy had been holding the breakfast slot for the past two weeks before today’s handover.
‘So the reason I’m here?’
Speaking on air, Mike E said: “It’s weird to get the call up to help fill in.”
Newsreader Brooklyn Ross then explained how his name came up in the conversation.
“Last week, when they needed someone to fill in again, they were walking around, saying ‘Who would come in and work with one day’s notice (and) no idea of how long they’re going to actually get the job for?’ I said ‘Mike E.’”
Mike E responded: “So the reason I’m here? I wasn’t doing anything else.”
Mike E recently launched Behind The Mic with Mike E, a podcast exploring the pivots, ego, burnout and ambition that come with a life in audio.
Ben Fordham and Michael Etheridge. Source: Supplied
Ben Fordham speaks to Mike E about Kyle and Jackie O
2GB Breakfast host Ben Fordham recently weighed into the escalating fallout between Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson, declaring the shock jock made a critical error by airing his frustrations with his longtime co-host live on radio.
Speaking on the Behind the Mic with Mike E podcast, Fordham told host Mike E the moment that triggered the crisis inside ARN’s biggest radio show should never have played out in public.
“It shouldn’t have happened on air. It should not have happened on air. If Kyle had said to Jackie off air, ‘Babe, your interest in astrology is driving me nuts’, I reckon Jackie probably would have said ‘oh right’.”
The comments follow a dramatic on-air clash last month during which Henderson was left in tears after Sandilands accused her of letting her interest in astrology interfere with her work.
During the broadcast, Sandilands had lashed out: “It’s affecting other things, like your fixation on this has made you almost unworkable. You’re off with the fairies with this s***. It’s mental.”
Top Image: Mike Etheridge
What brands can learn from Australia’s former top escort
If cats have nine lives than Amanda Goff must have feline DNA carousing through her veins.
Goff’s career projectory is anything but conventional. After starting her career as a journalist, Goff made the decision to enter the world of escorting under the moniker ‘Samantha X’. She’s since abandoned that world altogether.
Now, with her new book Misfit, published by Echo, she is stripping back the last layer of performance – saying goodbye to Samantha X and fully embracing Amanda Goff. The memoir details her journey through addiction, a bipolar diagnosis, and the decision to step away from a lucrative brand built on notoriety.
While she might not be the conventional teacher brands and agencies are be used to, she is, perhaps, the most honest, and her ability to reinvent herself, apropos of nothing external, is a masterclass in evolution.
“Well, I hate hypocrites” Goff told Mediaweek, “so that’s a good start”.
Amanda Goff
Slow burn
“I went public with Samantha 10 years ago when no one in the industry was talking about the industry. It was very controversial at the time,” Goff explains. “Now, even Instagram wasn’t a huge thing 10 years ago. If I’d come out now, I don’t think it would be that much of a big deal at all. I had to grow when I came out. I exposed myself to the whole of Australia and the world because I went on TV in LA and London. I had to learn about social media, learn about ownership, and learn about growth.”
Through this transformation, Goff has gained a unique perspective on personal branding, authenticity, and the shifting expectations of audiences in the digital age.
The social media evolution
In a world dominated by curated feeds and aesthetic perfection, Goff acknowledges the stark contrast between generations. “I have a sort of envy for how they’re able to be so free online,” she admits. “I didn’t understand how people could do this online, but it’s because it’s so alien to me. You know, I grew up in a generation where we did talk about our feelings, and now not only do we talk about our feelings, but we put them out there in the world for everyone else.”
This oversharing, however, comes with consequences. “You need to be kind of careful as well. What you put out there can be almost used against you.”
As the social media landscape continues to evolve, brands and influencers are constantly navigating the fine line between relatability and aspirational content. But according to Goff, today’s audiences are becoming increasingly wary of perfection.
Goff’s latest book, ‘Misfit’.
Authenticity over perfection
Goff believes that authenticity is the ultimate currency in today’s world: “It’s okay for brands to get things wrong; it’s okay to make mistakes. Because guess what? That’s called being genuine – and audiences appreciate that, and that’s called being authentic.”
She points to the rise of reality TV as an example of why imperfection resonates with people. “Someone, somewhere, can always relate to reinvention, to healing, to blowing up their lives with drugs, alcohol, relationships, whatever embarrassing mistakes. People like that because it makes them feel better about themselves.”
This, she argues, is why the era of the “Instagram-perfect influencer” is losing steam. “Yes, that might be aspirational, but it’s not realistic. Women, in particular, are moving away from that idea because we know it’s not real.”
For brands and agencies, this shift presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Recent controversies, like Carrie Bickmore and Fifi Box’s ill-received Kmart collaboration, highlight the dangers of inauthenticity. When audiences perceive a lack of sincerity, backlash is swift. Goff stresses that the most damaging thing a brand or public figure can do is project a facade that doesn’t align with reality.
The pitfalls of fakeness in branding
Goff is blunt about the consequences of maintaining an unrealistic public image. “If you scratch beneath the surface of any mansion in decent suburbs of Sydney, you’ll find rot. You’ll find dysfunctional relationships, alcoholism, drug addiction, fraud. As Samantha, I got exposed to those kinds of people and those kinds of lives.”
This level of inauthenticity is why some public figures and brands get caught in PR disasters. “People can sniff out insincerity,” she warns. “The ones who make headlines for the wrong reasons are those who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk.”
The element of inauthenticity was recently thrust into the spotlight after radio stars Carrie Bickmore and Fifi Box copped online criticism from Australian shoppers, over their Kmart ad campaign.
The radio duo teamed up with the budget retailer for a paid partnership, showing off a shopping spree inside a Kmart store. But rather than sparking excitement, the ad has left viewers unconvinced – many accusing the pair of being “rookies” who rarely, if ever, shop there.
Shared across the Carrie & Tommy Show and Fifi, Fev & Nick Show Instagram pages, the video sees the besties on the hunt for affordable home decor. But eagle-eyed fans were quick to call out a glaring detail – one that, for many, proves they’re not exactly regulars at the retail giant.
Carrie Bickmore and Fifi Box.
“Tell me you don’t shop at Kmart without telling me – came out with a cushion and a vase. LOL take me and I will show you how to shop at Kmart. Tip one get a trolley,” wrote one Instagram user.
While another also took aim at the absence of a trolley: “Pft, rookies. Where’s the dual shopping trolleys?”
She urges brands, influencers, and companies to embrace the full spectrum of their identity. “It’s really important for brands, people, and companies to embrace the good, the bad, and the ugly. The striving for perfection is so unrealistic and so damaging, particularly to women. That is more harmful than good.”
A call for realness
As the advertising and media industry grapples with shifting audience expectations, Goff’s insights serve as a wake-up call. Consumers are demanding transparency, and brands that fail to deliver risk irrelevance – or worse, backlash.
The solution? Own who you are. Embrace imperfection. And most importantly, never underestimate your audience’s ability to see through the illusion.
For agencies and brands looking to maintain credibility, authenticity isn’t just an option – it’s a necessity.
Pictured: Amanda Goff
This article first appeared 3 March, 2025.
SXSW 2026: AI dominates the conversation in Austin
Monique Harris, chief executive officer of Convo Media, shares her perspective from the first few days on the ground at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin.
For a festival once famous for over-the-top brand activations, SXSW 2026 feels surprisingly light on experiential marketing.
Instead, the streets of Austin are buzzing with one topic: AI. Walking between venues you hear the same thing in almost every conversation.. in coffee lines, in the corridors between sessions, and in crowded bars late at night: AI.
It genuinely feels like most of the 300,000-plus people in town are talking about AI, AI, AI… and then a little more AI for good measure.
The big existential questions
The questions bubbling up everywhere are the big existential ones. Are we losing the battle to the machines? Are we setting ourselves up for a dystopian future? Will AI replace human thinking, creativity and decision-making? Or are we simply entering a new phase where humans and machines learn to work together in smarter ways?
Steven Spielberg at SXSW 2026. Image: supplied
There’s a mix of excitement, curiosity and just a little nervous energy running through the event. It feels like the industry knows something big is happening, we’re just not quite sure yet what the endgame looks like.
Even in the keynote sessions, the conversation keeps coming back to the same tension: how powerful these tools are becoming, and where the line should sit between assistance and replacement.
Spielberg and Galloway weigh in
In his keynote, Steven Spielberg struck a surprisingly firm note on the subject. While acknowledging AI could help aspects of production, he was clear that creativity ultimately belongs to humans.
He also revealed he has never used AI in any of his films, a statement that drew a strong reaction from the audience and highlighted just how sensitive the issue has become for creative industries.
Back in the official program, Scott Galloway‘s session was standing-room only. His message on AI was blunt and really struck a chord with the audience.
Scott Galloway struck a chord. Image: supplied
He argued AI will reshape white-collar work just as dramatically as technology once transformed manual labour. The people who benefit most won’t be those who resist it, but those who learn how to use it as leverage.
Rather than focusing on hype, companies should be looking for real productivity gains. One line in particular summed it up nicely: “AI won’t replace you. But someone using AI probably will.”
The magic between sessions
What I am loving most about being on the ground, is how the most interesting parts of SXSW often happens outside the official sessions.
You can sit down at a random bar in Austin and suddenly find yourself deep in conversation with someone extraordinary. One night I found myself chatting with a woman who turned out to be a well-known entertainment journalist from The New Yorker.
Within minutes we were comparing the media landscapes of Australia and the US, discussing what New York’s new mayor is getting right, and hearing about what her husband (an award-winning tech journalist at The New York Times mind you) had been finding most interesting at SXSW. Those kinds of unexpected conversations are part of what makes South by Southwest (SXSW) so unique.
The conference sessions may set the agenda, but the real thinking often happens between strangers over a drink, something SXSW Sydney never quite managed to replicate, and perhaps part of the secret sauce it was missing.
Selfie with Faith Popcorn, who is concerned about AI’s lack of empathy. Image: supplied
The empathy advantage
One session that genuinely stopped me in my tracks was Technology Convergence: Identifying the Advantage, featuring futurist Faith Popcorn alongside Sarah DaVanzo and an AI-generated speaker from Delph AI.
I’ll admit something straight away, attending a conference session with an AI-generated speaker was not on my bingo card for 2026. But seeing it play out in real time was both fascinating and slightly surreal.
The standout voice in the session was Popcorn, who has spent decades predicting cultural and technology shifts. Her biggest concern about the rise of AI isn’t capability or power, it’s empathy.
A futurist showdown… Sarah Davanzo vs Faith Popcorn vs AI. Image supplied
AI can learn patterns, analyse data and replicate language, she argued, but it fundamentally lacks the human capacity for empathy. “AI cannot feel,” she said. “And empathy is something you can’t simply program.” She also delivered one of the funniest moments of the session when she joked that AI could probably replace most company boards.
Then she paused and asked, “But what would all the old white guys do then?” The room erupted in laughter. As AI becomes more embedded in decision-making, creativity and strategy, the real competitive advantage for humans may not be intelligence at all, it may be empathy.
Alanis Morissette headlined the Spotify party. Image supplied
Drawing the line
Across SXSW, from Steven Spielberg to Scott Galloway and futurist Faith Popcorn, the same tension keeps surfacing.
AI will undoubtedly reshape how we work and create, but industries built on human imagination are still wrestling with where the boundary between tool and replacement should sit. And judging by the conversations happening all across Austin these past couple of days, that line is still very much being drawn.
Stay tuned for more from SXSW 2026. In the meantime, Alanis Morissette is calling from the Spotify party celebrating 20 years of the streaming giant.
How has it been 20 years already!
Foxtel Media locks in AFL sponsors for 2026
Which brands have signed on to Foxtel Media’s AFL coverage in 2026? Foxtel Media has confirmed a broad line-up of returning sponsors after what it says was the most-watched Toyota AFL Premiership season across Foxtel Group platforms in 2025.
The company said last year’s AFL season reached 15.1 million viewers across the calendar year and delivered 9.8 billion streamed minutes. Foxtel Media also reported 19 per cent year-on-year growth on Kayo Sports.
Among the returning sponsors for the 2026 season are Chemist Warehouse, Sportsbet, Aussie Broadband, AAMI, Harvey Norman, KFC, McDonald’s, Jameson, Bunnings, Ford, Industry Super Fund, NAB, Toyota, Ashley & Martin, Steel Blue Boots, Coles and HBF.
Major brands return to AFL coverage
Toyota has also returned as naming rights partner of AFL Super Saturday. Foxtel Media said audiences for the Saturday fixture grew 8 per cent year-on-year in 2025.
The 2026 season will include two additional weeks of exclusive Super Saturday coverage in South Australia and Queensland. Foxtel Media said the expanded national coverage is aimed at dedicated AFL audiences.
Outside sponsorship packages, the company said 22 advertisers have joined its AFL line-up for the first time. It linked that growth to expanded programmatic inventory and more flexible buying options for brands of different sizes.
Foxtel Media said those newer advertisers include GlanEry in Victoria, Vital Strength and Montgomery Homes in New South Wales, Bank WAW in Western Australia, and Funlab and Toscano’s Authentic in Victoria. Cancer Council and ABN Group have also signed tailored sponsorship packages in Western Australia.
Audience growth drives commercial demand
Nev Hasan, chief sales officer at Foxtel Media, said the 2025 season created a stronger commercial environment for brands.
“The 2025 season was another record-breaking one for Foxtel Media,” Hasan said. “This helped drive a massive total reach of 15.1 million over the calendar year, capturing a highly engaged audience that spends significantly more than average – 107% more on entertainment, 106% more on insurance, and 91% more on travel.”
Nev Hasan
Foxtel Media said the audience gains were supported by its live coverage strategy, including calling every game across the round, alongside investment in production and presentation.
Fox Footy doubles down on coverage
FOX FOOTY’s 2026 line-up will again include AFL Tonight, AFL360, On The Couch, Midweek Tackle, First Crack Review, Thursday Night Footy, Friday Night Footy, Sunday Ticket, Bounce and First Crack.
Foxtel Media said it continues to invest in technology, analysis and its broadcast schedule, with every game of every round available in 4K on FOX FOOTY.
Monika Poposki, sport sales director, Melbourne and Perth at Foxtel Media, said streaming audiences rose 14 per cent year-on-year in 2025, marking the platform’s seventh straight year of growth.
“When you combine that level of fan passion with our exclusive Saturday coverage across Rounds 0 to 10, brands are perfectly positioned to capture unmatched, highly engaged attention,” Poposki said.
Finals also hit record levels
Foxtel Media said weeks one to three of the 2025 AFL Finals series delivered its most-watched finals period on record. It also said the preliminary final between Collingwood Magpies and Brisbane Lions ranked as the second most-watched live sport audience, and the top AFL game, in Foxtel Group history.
The company added that Collingwood was its most-watched AFL team in 2025, with audience growth of 10 per cent year-on-year and the largest team audience recorded on Foxtel Group platforms.
Streamers are driving youth culture but Australian brands reluctant
Agencies and brands now understand creator tiers, audience segmentation and platform strategy, with influencer marketing firmly embedded across media plans.
But one part of the creator economy still feels distant in Australia: live streamers.
Some agencies know the space exists. Fewer know how to approach it. And many brands still do not fully understand just how influential streamers have become, particularly among younger audiences who spend hours, not seconds, with them.
Welcome to the world of live streaming
Kai Cenat, IShowSpeed, and Adin Ross.
If names like IShowSpeed, Kai Cenat and Adin Ross are already shaping internet culture globally, a new generation of creators is driving online trends and language in real time.
Terms like “mog”, “looksmaxing”, “bone smashing” and “chopped” are just some of the cultural codes spilling out of these communities and into broader online conversation.
At the centre of that recent surge are streamers like Clavicular and Australian streamer Androgenic, whose growing view counts reflect the rise of hyper-online communities centred on appearance, masculinity and digital status, often self-described as looksmaxers.
But the bigger story for marketers is not just who these creators are. It is how they influence.
What separates streamers from traditional short-form influencers is not simply audience size, but audience depth.
Nick Grinberg
According to Nick Grinberg, head of strategy at Next&Co, the difference lies in how much time audiences spend with them.
“Unlike an influencer that you follow on Instagram and scroll past their post, with a streamer you could spend hours and hours every week watching their content,” Grinberg said.
“I’m going to say real s**t. I’m going to be myself. You’re going to see my personality.”
That longer exposure changes the nature of influence itself.
“So there’s a higher likelihood that you’re going to be influenced by a streamer because you’re interacting with them so much,” he said.
Even for viewers who do not watch full streams, streamer culture travels far beyond live broadcasts. Clips are constantly repackaged and redistributed across TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, turning streamers into viral personalities well beyond their core fan bases.
For smaller creators especially, the connection can feel even more direct, with audiences shaping the content in real time through live chat.
Traditional influencers vs streamers
Grinberg said that same dynamic also changes how brands appear in streaming environments, often making sponsorship feel less forced than traditional influencer placements.
“I think the way a brand can embed itself with a streamer can be far more organic than with an influencer,” he said.
He argues audiences are now highly trained to detect paid content on short-form platforms.
“People can smell and feel when something is a paid promo.”
“Let’s say you’re scrolling Instagram and you see an influencer doing a day-in-the-life video or a morning skincare routine, you know what that is. You know that’s paid placement,” Grinberg said.
Streaming, by contrast, often places products inside a creator’s environment rather than interrupting it.
The popularity of these headphones among gamers soared after streaming sensation Ninja wore them during his streams and gaming competitions.
“But if a video game streamer is live and you watch their setup, and they’re a pro gamer, and you see their GPU, their Predator monitor, their Alienware mouse, it’s different. It feels more authentic,” he said.
Grinberg believes authenticity is one of the main reasons streaming continues to produce culturally dominant personalities.
“People love seeing other people being authentic, and I think streaming, whether it’s game streamers, IRL streamers, or niche streamers, makes people feel like they can connect because they’re seeing true personality,” he said.
‘Not fully brand safe’
Despite the scale, virality and growing number of global brand integrations, Australian brands and agencies are still largely watching from the sidelines.
“Honestly, I don’t think media agencies are bringing brands the option of partnering with streamers,” Grinberg said.
He added that streaming is still treated as unfamiliar territory.
“Or maybe not fully brand safe,” he said.
For brands, the challenge is that streamer partnerships rarely come in a standard format. Grinberg said it comes down less to category and more to the individual creator.
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“Every streamer partnership is very bespoke because you have to factor in what environment the streamer is in, whether the brand is visually represented, whether it’s spoken about, what the brand presence looks like, and how that suits the brand,” he said.
That, he argues, is why education is still missing.
Grinberg said simply deciding to “work with streamers” is not enough. Execution matters, especially for brands trying to connect with younger audiences who are increasingly spending their time in on-demand, personality-led environments rather than traditional media.
And increasingly, that means spending time with streamers.
“That’s where the opportunity is for brands that want younger audiences.”
Top Image: The popularity of these headphones among gamers soared after streaming sensation Ninja wore them during his streams and gaming competitions.
The deals don't lie: a media industry ready-reckoner on AI and copyright
If you work in Australian media and you haven’t been paying close attention to the copyright and AI debate beyond the News Bargaining Incentive, it’s time to start: the outcome of this fight will determine whether the content your organisation creates retains its commercial value or gets strip-mined by trillion-dollar systems for free.
Australia’s media and creative landscape had a huge win in October, when Attorney-General Michelle Rowland ruled out a text-and-data-mining exception for AI training in a global first.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that settled the matter.
While it was a huge step forward, it was the beginning of a much longer fight to defend Australian rights holders’ entitlement to consent and remuneration for IP. If anything, the lobbying has intensified since then, and it’s gotten slipperier.
The direct pitch for a copyright exception has been replaced by softer language about “investment signals” and “regulatory settings” but the destination is the same.
Most recently, this came to the fore at the India AI Impact Summit last month, where over AU$282,000 in AI investment commitments were announced, and a familiar chorus resumed here at home.
Technology lobbyists and sympathetic commentators are again warning that Australia made a mistake by rejecting a text-and-data mining exception to our copyright laws. The argument: without preventing AI companies from scraping creative works without permission, investment will bypass us. It sounds urgent, maybe even plausible, but it falls apart the moment you look at what AI companies are doing in the real world.
Australia is not the outlier we’re made out to be: the United States has no text-and-data mining exception and currently has over 60 AI training lawsuits on foot.
Canada and New Zealand have no such exceptions either. The UK proposed one in 2024, which was met with fierce opposition from its creative sector, and a recent parliamentary report recommended following Australia’s lead.
Where exceptions have been introduced – the EU in 2019, Japan and Singapore before ChatGPT – none saw a resulting surge in investment. The capital has gone where licensing markets operate, because licensed content delivers what AI companies actually need: defensibility.
Licensing deals are being signed at a pace across every content vertical, around the world. They exist because copyright law gives rights-holders something to negotiate with, and they prove that existing copyright legislation is more than capable of working with AI the same way it works with every other industry.
News Corp signed a multi-year global partnership with OpenAI covering Australian mastheads including The Australian, The Herald Sun and The Daily Telegraph. AAP struck a licensing deal with Google for AI search and summarisation. HarperCollins entered into agreements covering Australian-published authors. Getty Images partnered with Canva on a responsible AI training framework that encompasses Australian imagery.
In music, all three global majors – Universal Music Group, Sony Music and Warner Music Group – have signed licensing deals with AI platforms, including Klay and Suno, whose catalogues include Australian repertoire.
Merlin, the independent network that includes Mushroom Music, signed with Udio. Kobalt and Merlin signed with ElevenLabs, so artists and songwriters can participate in model training and receive royalties. Adobe signed with talent agencies CAA, UTA and WME to supply training data for its Firefly Foundry AI, these are agencies representing Australian creators.
Why does that list matter? Because every one of those deals is proof that copyright and AI development work together.
Licensed content provides AI companies with legal certainty, high-quality training, and defensible products. It gives creators income, control and agency over how their work is used. A licensing market functioning at this scale tells you something important: the most significant wave of technological innovation in a generation is being built on the foundation of intellectual property rights.
The system works.
Arguments designed to save hyperscalers a quick buck under the thin veil of innovation cannot be allowed to tear that system down at the expense of our media and creative industries.
Companies are spending AU$1.8 trillion globally on AI infrastructure this year. Estimated global content licensing costs sit at AU$4.3–A$5.7 billion. Licensing is a rounding error on these companies’ balance sheets. Framing it as a barrier to progress is a bid to shave costs at the margins of an industry awash with capital, and it would come at the direct expense of Australia’s $67 billion creative economy and the roughly $900 million our collecting societies distribute to creators every year.
AI companies argue that copyright protections should be relaxed so their systems can train more freely and cheaply.
At the same time, those same companies tightly control how their own AI systems are deployed: strict contracts, enforceable protections, the lot. They want frictionless access to the content that powers their products, and ironclad control over the products themselves. We’re asking for the same principle in return. Permission, control and enforceable terms.
If you’re a media executive, an editor, a journalist – anyone whose livelihood depends on the commercial value of content – this debate has direct consequences for your business.
The 2025 decision to reject a text-and-data mining exception gave Australian media and creative industries a foundation to negotiate from. Any other access scheme proposed by the government would undermine our right to negotiate terms of use and devalue the investment in our intellectual property. We back ourselves every time to negotiate our own deals better than the government can.
We cannot afford to reopen this question, undermine deals already in progress and tell the world that Australian content is there for the taking.
Copyright works.
Licensing works.
The deals prove it.
Now we need to make sure the framework that enabled them stays in place.
Edge Marketing expands team with hires and promotions
Edge Marketing has announced a series of hires and promotions as the independent agency builds out its paid media, client service and creative capabilities.
The Gold Coast-based business has appointed Tika Hasborth as senior paid media strategist, Jasmine Defty as digital account manager, and Victoria Hutchinson in a graphic design role. It has also promoted Sushmita Sharma to senior account manager and Jayd Ozolins to senior project manager.
New hires across paid media, client service and design
Dan Hunjas, founder and director of Edge Marketing, said the appointments reflect the agency’s next phase of growth as client needs become more complex.
“Over recent years, Edge has strategically evolved to meet the rapidly increasing complexity of modern marketing. Success today is no longer about simply promoting products or services, it requires solving complex business challenges and delivering integrated solutions that unlock meaningful growth for our clients,” Hunjas said.
“To operate at this level, we’ve invested heavily in our people, systems and specialist expertise.”
Hasborth joins to strengthen the agency’s paid media capability and will report to head of paid media Mira Robinson. She will lead Edge’s social advertising strategy, bringing experience across agency, in-house and consultancy roles, most recently through her own advisory business.
Dan Hunjas
Hunjas said Hasborth’s mix of strategic and commercial experience stood out. “Tika’s well-rounded experience gives her a deep understanding of the pressures and opportunities our clients face to stay ahead of their competitors in a fragmented and challenging market,” he said.
“She combines strategic rigour with commercial acumen, and that balance is exactly what modern growth-focused organisations need from their agency partners. We are delighted she has joined our team and can’t wait to see what the future brings.”
Hasborth said Edge’s reputation and investment in capability made the move appealing. “Edge has built a strong reputation for delivering integrated solutions that genuinely move the needle for its clients,” she said.
“The agency’s ambition, combined with its investment in people and systems, makes it an exciting place to drive best-in-class social strategies that deliver measurable business outcomes.”
Defty joins as digital account manager and will report to head of client service Matt Roessler. Edge said she brings eight years of experience in digital and client leadership roles, with a focus on strategic partnerships and client growth.
Hutchinson has joined the agency’s design team, with a brief to refresh Edge’s go-to-market look and feel. The agency said the role will help align its creative output with its evolving brand positioning.
Promotions support client service model
Internally, Sharma has been promoted to senior account manager. Edge said the move recognises her contribution to client growth and her role in developing internal systems and processes.
Ozolins has also been promoted to senior project manager. In the role, he will support the agency’s second-layer client service model and oversee initiatives designed to improve responsiveness and accountability.
Hunjas said attracting and retaining talent remains central to the agency’s plans. “Having the very best talent on board is critical to driving growth for our clients and for the agency,” he said.
“These appointments and promotions signal the confidence and momentum Edge is experiencing as we continue to scale.”
Top image: L-R: Tika Hasborth, Jasmine Defty, Dan Hunjas, Victoria Hutchinson.
How Australians watch sport has changed, but not all brands have noticed
From the Australian Open to the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics, Australians have spent the first months of 2026 immersed in live sport.
But while athletes dominated the action on the field, new research from The Trade Desk shows brands also had reason to pay attention.
More than half of Australians, 53%, say they are more likely to notice a brand when it advertises around their favourite team, athlete or league, while 50% say brands advertising in sport feels more credible.
The data points to sport’s enduring value as a shared cultural moment.
Ashton De Santis Image: The Trade Desk
As Ashton De Santis, senior director of Inventory Development at The Trade Desk, said, broadcasters’ continued pursuit of sports rights reflects that live sport remains “the last true bastion” of live viewing.
Sport still cuts through as a weekly habit
The research shows live sport remains deeply embedded in Australians’ everyday media routines rather than functioning as an occasional event-only behaviour.
Overall, 62% of Australians watch or follow sport daily or weekly.
Men remain the most engaged cohort, with 80% watching or following sport regularly, while younger audiences are also highly engaged, including 65% of Gen Z and 63% of Millennials.
Nearly half of Australians, 48%, watch between one and five hours of live sport each week, underlining the consistency of that engagement.
“That shared moment still exists, but it has shifted from linear TV to digital screens,” De Santis said.
That matters for brands because sport continues to deliver something increasingly rare in the media market: a live, real-time audience that actively chooses to show up.
The shared moment has moved screens
The Trade Desk’s data suggests the shift away from traditional television is now well underway.
Outside of broadcast TV, 35% of Australians are consuming live sport via Connected TV and streaming platforms.
More notably, 37% of Australians say they subscribed to a streaming service specifically to watch live sport and then kept that subscription after the season ended.
“Sport may be the trigger for subscription, but audiences often stay because of the broader content ecosystem around it,” De Santis said.
“Viewers sign up for a match, tournament or season, then remain engaged through supporting content and continue watching through CTV and streaming environments.”
That indicates streaming is no longer just a temporary access point for a tournament, match or season, but is influencing longer-term viewing habits.
Advertising in sport still drives trust and action
For marketers, the value of sport is not just reach. It is also about how advertising performs in that environment.
The research states 43% of Australians say they are more likely to look for additional information about a brand or product they have seen advertised during sporting events.
Combined with the 53% who say sport makes brands more noticeable, the numbers suggest live sport remains effective at driving both awareness and follow-up behaviour.
“The benefits of digital are now clear, whether that is precision targeting, frequency control or independent measurement,” De Santis said.
The credibility factor is equally significant. Half of Australians say brands that advertise in sport feel more credible, reinforcing sport’s position as a context that can elevate perception, not just impressions.
Planning habits are lagging behind audience habits
The bigger challenge for advertisers is not whether sport works, but whether media strategy has kept pace with audience behaviour.
“The disconnect comes from the fact that consumption has shifted faster than planning and buying behaviour,” De Santis said.
“Traditional planning habits remain strong, even though there is incremental reach available through digital environments, particularly among younger audiences who are no longer watching through linear channels in the same way.”
That gap becomes harder to ignore as audiences continue to move across streaming, mobile, and premium digital environments, while many campaigns still lean on linear television first.
Top Image: PwC