November
Kim Williams’ pleas for ABC funding get $50m boost in Greens deal
The Greens struck a deal with Anthony Albanese to pass content quotas for streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+. The cost? A big cheque for the ABC.
Stranger Things’ final, 5th season has arrived. Here’s our verdict
Volume one of this finale is epic in scale, which presents problems but promises thrills as it sets the stage for the last, violent confrontation.
Luna Park is hoping to cash in on this Netflix show’s success
The three-year wait for the final season of supernatural series Stranger Things ends on Thursday when the fifth season drops. Everyone wants in on the action.
Coalition backs Labor’s streaming laws despite US tariff threat
The government’s streaming laws are set to pass both houses of parliament, despite US threats of new and increased tariffs.
The former lawyer who has become a must-read in Hollywood
Matthew Belloni covers Hollywood as the human melodrama of an empire in decline. “It’s the real-time disintegration of a 100-year-old industry, and it’s a fantastic story.”
Trump officials warn Rudd against new Australian streaming laws
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau is among those urging Australia against content requirement laws for streaming services.
The Australian running Disney+ is ready to talk about it
Once a PR staffer, Alisa Bowen now oversees one of the world’s biggest streaming platforms. In a rare interview, she outlines her vision for its future.
Channel Nine and Stan’s new chief has media’s toughest job
Amanda Laing, Nine Entertainment’s new streaming and broadcast boss, says putting the Nine Network, 9Now app and Stan under one team is paying dividends.
It’s the end of the world on TV – and we can’t get enough
When society feels on the brink – as it currently does, with climate change and the impacts of AI dominating the news, there’s a comfort in apocalypse narratives.
How did Naomi Watts get caught up in this car crash TV?
All’s Fair, also featuring Kim Kardashian, is essentially the world inside your phone made into a TV show. The dire reviews have made the show a must-watch.
New Nine executive to cut 50 jobs in broadcast efficiency drive
Amanda Laing joined Nine Entertainment in January to lead its biggest division: television, Stan and radio. She is making her first big cuts.
Breaking Bad’s creator bowls up a mind-bending sci-fi
Vince Gilligan’s ‘Pluribus’ asks whether a world that’s truly civilised is worth any price, while ‘All Her Fault’ plunges Sarah Snook into every parent’s worst nightmare.
Netflix hit with $100m local content quota under new laws
New laws will require streaming platforms to spend set amounts on Australian-made programs.
October
Finished Slow Horses? Try Mick Herron’s new thriller
Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson are superb in Down Cemetery Road, the latest adaptation from the bestselling author.
‘Competency porn’ is what makes this show click
Showrunner Debora Cahn on why viewers are keen to watch the “fantasy” of smart, talented, qualified people doing “ordinary politics” on TV.
Media giant Warner Bros considers sale
Warner Bros Discovery has been the subject of takeover offers in recent months, but says it is now open to a whole or partial sale.
Apple wins Formula 1 US streaming rights
The iPhone maker struck a five-year deal starting in 2026 with F1 owner Liberty Media, which the BBC estimated is worth $1.2 billion.
Liked The West Wing? You’ll love The Diplomat
Right now it’s hard for a drama about American diplomacy to be wilder than the real thing, but the third season of Netflix’s political thriller runs it close.
Record-smashing Taylor Swift closes in on The Beatles
The superstar has broken the first week US sales record with her album The Life of a Showgirl, despite mixed reviews from critics.
‘Classy lady’: The former privacy lawyer running the OnlyFans empire
Keily Blair runs a tech start-up that generated $11 billion in revenue last year and has just 46 employees. She still gets snubbed by politicians.