Business of Media
Why is Elon Musk attacking Wikipedia? Because its very existence offends him
Just before the 2017 UK general election, I was introduced to the distinction between the good internet and the bad internet, democratically speaking. First, I had to learn what “civic tech” meant. In the broadest possible terms, it’s using online platforms to do socially useful things, rather than sell things, buy things or whip each other into an unspeakable fury about stuff that we didn’t care about five minutes ago, reports The Guardian’s Zoe Williams.
The civic tech expert Ed Saperia used as his parable the difference between Wikipedia and Facebook. Jimmy Wales’s big experiment, which started life in 1999 as Nupedia, has created an open-source collection of human knowledge in hundreds of languages that is essentially trustworthy. If a mistake creeps in through the gates of human generosity, it gets corrected in the same way. If malicious actors try to slander their foes, the punishment is not cancellation, but more like lifelong ridicule, which is proportionate, given how long a slanderous person is likely to carry on doing ridiculous things. In other words, it is the best of humanity, all natural desire to help each other with cross-pollinated knowledge concentrated in one place.
Netflix’s Ted Sarandos optimistic about upcoming strike negotiations with SAG-AFTRA
After the AMPTP walked away from the negotiating table over a week ago, Ted Sarandos is hopeful that the upcoming conversations with SAG-AFTRA on Tuesday will lead to a suitable agreement for both parties, reports Variety Australia’s BreAnna Bell.
“I’m an optimist. I’m an eternal optimist. We’ve been at the table and been receptive and we’re working at this as hard as we can. It’s impacted a lot of people,” Sarandos told Variety at A Sense of Home’s third annual gala, which was held at the Netflix CEO’s private residence on Saturday evening.
“I mean, we’re talking about helping folks with housing instability today. This strike has cost families billions of dollars and communities billions of dollars. It’s 3% of the national economy, 20% of the California economy is affected by this strike. So, we are trying very hard to get this done,” he added.
News Brands
SBS has rolled out several new policies including ‘sorry’ business leave and menopause support
Sorry business leave and support for staff experiencing menopause are among “inclusive” programs and policies SBS has introduced, reports The Australian’s Sophie Elsworth.
In its 2022-23 annual report published on Friday, the taxpayer-funded broadcaster revealed details about programs introduced in the past year to help staff cope during difficult stages of their lives.
It outlined that sorry business leave had been created so Indigenous staff could take leave while responding to cultural protocols including loss and grieving.
West pumping in cash
A plethora of Seven stars were summoned to Perth for Saturday’s annual Telethon, a 26-hour TV broadcast for the WA children’s charity, among them WA-born presenter Natalie Barr, who hosted in the studio, reports The Australian’s Jenna Clarke and Sophie Elsworth.
Meanwhile, Telethon trustee and Seven West chairman Kerry Stokes predicted a final fundraising tally of more than $70m as he entered the event’s exclusive gala ball on Saturday, looking sprightly, with wife Christine Simpson Stokes.
The event boasted more individuals with high net worth, and higher self esteem, than a Davos convention.
Radio
Jade Robran announces she is quitting as host of FIVEaa afternoons program
Jade Robran has announced she will be leaving her post as host of FIVEaa radio’s afternoons show, reports News Corp’s Kitty Barr.
Her departure from the show was announced on FIVEaa’s website, with Robran saying that after two years as host, she will be stepping away.
“It is my decision and it’s been a really tough one, and one that I haven’t taken lightly, but it is best for me and my family,” she said.
Television
‘Go big or give up’: The hunt for TV’s next big hit
As more than 11,000 television program buyers and sellers head home from Mipcom — the annual market where TV content is bought and sold — striking American actors will mark the 100th day of industrial action which has essentially put a plug in Hollywood’s content pipe, reports Nine Publishing’s Michael Idato.
The strikes — in addition to the actors, Hollywood’s writers ratified a new, three-year contract earlier this month after their own 148-day stoppage — shifted the focus at Mipcom, held annually in Cannes, France, to international content, including Australian content, as program buyers searched for the “next big thing”.
Bluey Fest to mark 5 years of hit series
ABC is marking 5 years of Bluey with a “Bluey Fest”, in which fans can vote for their favourite episode and a Bluey ice cream van will make stops in NSW and Queensland, reports TV Tonight.
”We’re calling for all Australians to vote for their top five episodes of Australia’s #1 TV series via the ABC Kids website, from today until Monday 6 November. Whether you’re a fan of Lucky’s Dad’s rules in Pass the Parcel, can’t hold back the tears during Sleepytime, or hold a soft spot for Jean-Luc in Camping – we want to know!” says ABC.