Business of Media
Fox’s costs from defamation suit lead to a quarterly net loss
Lachlan Murdoch, the executive chairman of the Fox Corporation, conceded on Tuesday that a Delaware judge’s pretrial rulings against the company “severely limited our defense at trial” and contributed to his decision to settle the landmark defamation case brought by Dominion Voting Systems, reports The New York Times’ Michael M. Grynbaum.
Murdoch, on a call with investors and analysts, called the $787.5 million settlement — believed to be the largest in the history of defamation law — “a decision clearly in the best interest of the company and its shareholders.”
In a remark that echoed the trademark defiance of his father, Rupert Murdoch, he also defended the conduct of Fox News personnel, saying the settlement “in no way alters Fox’s commitment to the highest journalistic standards across our networks, or our passion for unabashedly reporting the news of the day.”
His remarks came after Fox revealed a real-world consequence of the landmark settlement: The company swung to a net loss in the first three months of the year, its quarterly revenue erased — and then some — by payments associated with resolving the lawsuit with Dominion, an election technology firm.
Fox swung to a net loss of $50 million for the quarter, compared with earnings of $290 million during the same period last year. The loss came despite revenue increasing 18 percent, to $4.08 billion.
Tucker Carlson says he will bring “new version” of his Fox News show to Twitter
It appears that Tucker Carlson will not be off the air for long. In a video posted to his Twitter account with the line “we’re back,” Carlson said that he will be bringing “a new version of the show that we have been doing for the past six and a half years to Twitter,” reports The Hollywood Reporter’s Alex Weprin.
“We’ll be bringing some other things too, which we will tell you about, but for now we are just grateful to be here,” Carlson added.
Carlson’s website on Tuesday led with the headline “Tucker is back,” with a sign-up so users could get details when they are officially announced. It also included a photo of Carlson — who splits his time between Maine and Florida — wearing a plaid shirt and holding what appears to be a shotgun.
It isn’t clear whether Elon Musk is funding Carlson’s show, though Carlson interviewed Musk just a few weeks ago on his now-canceled Fox News show.
Entertainment
Eurovision 2023: Betting agencies place Voyager second to make top 10 acts in grand final
Australia’s synth metal band Voyager have wowed Eurovision pundits with their electrifying rehearsal performances to strengthen as contenders to make the weekend’s grand final, reports News Corp’s Kathy McCabe.
The fun-loving five-piece, who have impressed with their song Promise and charming larrikinism, will compete in the second semi-final which will air in Australia on Friday.
Betting agencies now have them running second behind Austria to go through with the top 10 acts from their semi to the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest final in Liverpool on Sunday (AEST).
Voyager were among the 37 competing countries to walk the turquoise carpet at the traditional Eurovision opening ceremony on Monday as the rest of the UK continued their coronation celebrations.
But the synthsational band still faces a considerable challenge to convert the love from inside the Eurovision bubble of artists and media into votes from viewers.
Television
Bluey is most streamed ‘acquired’ series, sixth overall on American streaming
The Americans’ love affair with Bluey continues unabated. The beloved Australian animated series once again made a showing among the most streamed titles in the US, according to Nielsen, reports News Corp’s Wenlei Ma.
Bluey was the most streamed acquired series (referring to a show that did not originate on an American streaming platform) in the week to April 9, and was watched for 737 million minutes.
It was the sixth ranked show in the US on the overall most streamed series chart, which also includes original US streaming shows. Netflix’s The Night Agent was number one during the period measured, with 1.85 billion minutes watched.
It’s not the first time Bluey stormed the US streaming lists, having also been recognised in February, March and August 2022.
‘This is a pretty mint job, it’s pretty great.’ Comedian Melanie Bracewell is living the dream
Describing her work with Tim McDonald on The Cheap Seats, Melanie Bracewell says with self-effacing charm, “Tim brings a lot of hard work, determination and vision; I bring vibes.” The 27-year-old New Zealand-born writer and comedian is only partly kidding. She’s both admiring of her co-host and able to retain a sense of wonder at how she’s landed such a great gig, reports Nine Publishing’s Debi Enker.
As the comic current-affairs show moves into its third season, McDonald offers his take on the partnership: “I’ve probably got the best seat because I get to sit next to Mel and watch the magic happen. In the time that it takes me to think of something funny to say, she’s come up with something 10 times funnier. She definitely brings the energy and the wit. When I can’t think of something to say, I’ll turn to her with pleading eyes that say, ‘Get us out of this hole’, and she’ll always come up with something. She’s probably the most talented funny person I know, but never in an arrogant way. She’ll always laugh at others’ jokes. She’s a selfless performer.”
Asked what he contributes to the team, McDonald quips, “I know Mel’s coffee order, so that helps.
‘Really uncomfortable’: The Five Bedrooms scene fans still talk about
If Five Bedrooms, the share-house drama by Offspring writers Christine Bartlett and Michael Lucas, tapped into the housing crisis when it premiered on Network 10 in 2019, it’s reached peak zeitgeist with its fourth season, reports Nine Publishing’s Bridget McManus.
The original five singles (Kat Stewart, Stephen Peacocke, Doris Younane, Roy Joseph and Katie Robertson) who pooled their resources to buy a Victorian-fronted home in a leafy street in the Melbourne suburb of Malvern, have become six, with the addition of Simmo (Johnny Carr), the partner of bubbly real estate agent Ainsley Elling (Robertson).
Fans will be aware Robertson’s character has endured the most catastrophic trajectory of them all, with the stillbirth of Ainsley’s baby, Evie, in season two. Robertson continues to receive feedback from viewers praising the show’s treatment of the subject.
“I’m really, really proud of that episode and I’m proud of the story that we told,” she says. “It’s a subject that is still really uncomfortable. People are still reaching out and saying how touched they were – ‘That happened to me’ and ‘That happened to my friend’. I look back on that time and it was a bit of a blur, but it was also really quite precious.”
When she filmed that devastating scene, Robertson’s own baby, George, was 11 weeks old, and being brought into the house every three hours by Robertson’s partner, Jesse Dugan, who she also worked with on Rosehaven. George had made his appearance on the show much earlier, when Ainsley discovered she was pregnant to her dastardly ex, Lachlan (Hugh Sheridan, who returns this season). It was the same day Robertson also found out she was pregnant.
Screen Forever 2023: Right time for NCIS: Sydney
Not much has been revealed yet about the new NCIS: Sydney series, currently shooting in Sydney. But last week at Screen Forever conference, Dan Monaghan, Senior Vice President Content & Programming, Paramount ANZ, revealed there will be a story ‘incident’ which requires an NCIS force in Sydney… which could potentially suggest a crossover episode with the US series, reports TV Tonight.
Speaking about how the series got off the ground locally, he said, ” My boss has been talking about it since I can remember, about getting a version. NCIS was hugely popular in Australia for a long time…. It’s such a beautiful setting the harbour that we have in Sydney, to get NCIS out here.
“There is actually NCIS in Sydney, there’s quite a lot of them. But the way the show will form, there will be an incident and there will be a reason for a properly-formed NCIS in the show,” he said.