This Month
Memo to Hugh Marks: DOGE-like efficiency’s the fix for ABC’s news bias
The new managing director forcing the newsroom to operate as productively as commercial rivals would lead to more stories, more views and more angles.
Disney retreats from the culture wars, one trigger warning at a time
Donald Trump’s crackdown on diversity has seen the Mouse House tone down its pre-program messages. But content advisories have their defenders elsewhere.
February
‘I made smart decisions, I didn’t want to be poor’: Rachel Griffiths
The actor did her time in Hollywood and now calls her own shots, including producing a new series that looks at brothel life in a uniquely lighthearted way.
How Isla Fisher flies from LA to London (and back)
From early roles in Home and Away and the Wedding Crashers, this actor is now a global star. She shares her ultimate local and holiday-abroad spots.
Fox sales, profit surge; company plans new streaming service
Shares in the media company soared to their highest in nearly six years as its quarterly results were bolstered by higher US political ad spending.
January
CNN sacks 200 employees as news broadcaster faces ‘profound’ shift
The cable network let go of 6 per cent of its workforce as it focuses on streaming and digital audiences amid declining ratings.
James Packer dines with Trump, Elon Musk
New social media photos show the Australian billionaire seated with Elon Musk and the new president at dinner in Mar-a-Lago.
Foxtel’s $3.4b sale a bet on a billionaire, not a deal of the decade
There’s much more to the pay TV and streaming provider’s ownership change than the headline price. Now Saudi Arabia is involved.
December 2024
Blake Lively turns the shame around
The actress is suing a Hollywood studio alleging sexual harassment and a smear campaign. It may prolong the pain but the only way to end impunity is to speak up.
Lin-Manuel Miranda on Mufasa and the secret to a Disney hit
The Hamilton creator, who crafted the soundtrack for the new prequel to The Lion King, reflects on writing songs that have universal appeal.
The best TV shows of 2024
The New York Times picks English Teacher, My Brilliant Friend, Shogun, Babylon Berlin and Somebody Somewhere among the series that stood out this year.
Paramount’s Network Ten snaps up three regional broadcast licences
The seller, Southern Cross Media, has been trying to offload them for several years. It said it was in talks to sell others in Tasmania, Darwin and Broken Hill.
Former Nine boss Hugh Marks to lead ABC
The executive who pulled off the broadcaster’s merger with Fairfax and helped lobby for big tech to pay for Australian content starts his new job in March.
November 2024
How the world’s most popular TV show is made
Hwang Dong-hyuk wrote Squid Game, the biggest Netflix series ever, in the depths of despair. He’s back for season two. What can we learn from its success?
September 2024
Shogun wins best drama Emmy, Hacks shocks in comedy category
A tale of political machinations, Shogun also won acting awards for Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai, the first Japanese actors to win their categories.
June 2024
The creative force who persuaded Malala to appear in a comedy show
The creator of “We Are Lady Parts’, a show about an all-girl punk band, wants people to see Muslim women as more than trauma victims.
January 2024
Disney takes $110m more from Australia, hikes streaming price by 28pc
It will cost more to have the same service on Disney+ from March. The global entertainment giant posted a nearly 30 per cent jump in profit in Australia.
November 2023
A new Australian fashion TV show is coming – here’s who has been tapped
Amid rumours of a TV production about fashion insiders, the drama around Australian Fashion Week could make for a runway success story.
September 2023
Sheilas, blue heelers and a scene stealer: cultural power in 2023
The people who are behind a new era for women’s sport in Australia, an unlikely feminist icon and the first arts policy in decades.
August 2023
Aussie film sector doubles to $4.5b, but Hollywood strike impact looms
New data from an ABS survey of the TV and film production industry shows its revenue has doubled – but costs have risen more.