Lehrmann, the Murdochs, Ita Buttrose and media’s big hits in 2023

Australia’s media landscape was once again dominated by the big names, though with landmark court rulings, shock resignations, redundancies and succession plans finally playing out, the industry offered a year to remember.

The year kicked off when The Australian appointed Michelle Gunn as its first-ever female editor-in-chief just six days into the year, but ultimately, Sky News Australia boss Paul Whittaker was installed as chair of an editorial board set up to oversee her big moves.

Newsmakers: Ita Buttrose; Ben Roberts-Smith; Lisa Wilkinson; Bruce Lehrmann; Rupert Murdoch and Lachlan Murdoch.Credit: Marija Ercegovac

Most in media still had their feet up in mid-January, including one of Nine’s biggest stars, Karl “Karlos” Stefanovic, yet he still found himself in the headlines after a car park bust-up also featuring former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke. The brouhaha ultimately cost “Pup” a high-paying commentary gig in India.

The ABC made its push to become a truly digital media company and made a number of staff redundant – none as high-profile as news breaker and political editor Andrew Probyn, who Nine (owner of this masthead) subsequently hired. Newly relocated host of Insiders David Speers picked up the confusingly titled role of “political lead” in the national capital.

Other high-profile departures from Aunty included Stan Grant, Tracey Holmes and more recently Triple J stalwart Richard Kingsmill.

While the bosses of the ABC (David Anderson) and SBS (James Taylor) got new contracts, ABC chair Ita Buttrose said she wouldn’t be seeking a second term. Her replacement could be announced as early as January, two months before Buttrose is due to depart. Expect the tributes to flow in the early months of 2024.

There was more movement on the national broadcaster’s board: Laura Tingle was elected staff representative, and Nicolette Maury and Louise McElvogue filled two more spots.

The ABC wasn’t the only one to make hard decisions, with a weak advertising market making for a tough year for commercial media, with subdued earnings calls and generally downbeat outlooks. Most conversations on 2024 budgets include an expectation Meta will fight tooth and nail to avoid stumping up in new commercial deals with media companies as part of the News Media Bargaining Code.

A win for journalism

Perhaps the biggest story of the year (no bias) was Justice Anthony Basenko’s ruling on Ben Roberts-Smith’s defamation suit, vindicating reporting from Nick McKenzie and Chris Masters in this masthead. With an appeal by the disgraced war hero set to be heard in February, this stays on the radar into 2024.

Journalists Chris Masters and Nick McKenzie after the verdict.Credit: James Brickwood

Seven West Media found itself on the end of some poor PR in 2023, with chair Kerry Stokes’ bankrolling of Roberts-Smith continuing to raise questions about his and the company’s involvement in the case.

At risk of “personally embarrassing” emails coming to light, Stokes eventually agreed to pay the entire costs for Nine’s legal troubles.

Seven also did its best to insert itself in the Bruce Lehrmann fracas by securing what a Seven insider described as a “grubby” deal to cover the former Liberal staffer’s rental costs for a year. Such were the murky details of the “exclusive” interview series, the scoop was retrospectively disqualified from its finalist status at the Walkley Awards.

Along with Optus Sport, Seven bagged the broadcast rights for the Matildas games at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, which swept the nation, and shattered viewership records as the tournament went on, delivering a halo effect for the network’s surrounding programming, despite chief executive James Warburton lamenting a lack of financial benefit it could reap.

Sam Kerr’s goal against England will go down as one of Australia’s famous sporting moments.Credit: Edwina Pickles

Warburton, described in this masthead as one of television’s “last great showmen”, will leave Seven in 2024 after a shock exit announcement in December. Chief financial officer Jeff Howard will be installed into the top job. All eyes are on Seven’s next moves; will they open the chequebook further after raiding ARN Media’s share register, or will the hunter become the hunted?

ARN was responsible for one of the more audacious moves of the year as it moved to swallow up rival Southern Cross Media in October with help from Anchorage Capital Partners. The outcome remains undecided going into 2024.

The eldest boy gets the gig

A sigh of relief was heard in Sydney’s inner-east where media scion and billionaire Lachlan Murdoch resides when his father, Rupert Murdoch, pulled the curtains on his 70-year career, officially handing over the keys to the empire after a two-decade succession saga, not long after the fictionalised smash-hit HBO show ended its four-season run.

The “eldest boy” is now sole chair of News Corp and Fox Corp. The plan to re-merge the two was scrapped early in the year, though this could be back on the cards in 2024. Locally, expect changes in the next 12 months as Lachlan Murdoch looks to put his stamp on the Australian business. Foxtel’s mooted IPO may also be back on the cards at some point in the new year.

Lachlan Murdoch, pictured here in the New York Post newsroom back in 2002, was given the family crown.Credit: NYT

Murdoch’s rise was good news for former prime minister Tony Abbott, the pair formalising their relationship with his appointment into a cushy new $500,000 director role on the board of Fox. Former editor-in-chief of The Australian Chris Mitchell told us: “I’m not sure he’d bring any particular skills to do with publishing, TV or pay TV.”

It wasn’t all good news, though. Murdoch dropped his defamation suit against plucky website Crikey in April, handing a famous win to Eric Beecher’s company just days after settling for $1.17 billion in its case against Dominion Voting Systems.

News Corp also parted ways with gambling start-up Betr after punting an enormous sum for what turned out to be little return. An inside source close to the top at the US-owned company says its losses could be as high as $125 million, with official filings reported to have sunk at least $70 million into the venture.

Former Qantas boss Alan Joyce banned the AFR after sustained criticism.Credit: Bloomberg

International streamers continue to face off against local rivals, and shortly after the Australian cricket team returned home as world champions, Amazon picked up the rights to ICC tournaments until 2027. If you’re to believe Foxtel’s Patrick Delany though, the deal doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things.

Qantas’ year from hell extended into media as Alan Joyce banned copies of The Australian Financial Review from its Chairman’s Lounge and in-flight Wi-Fi after sustained scrutiny by former Rear Window columnist Joe Aston. This was eventually overturned, but not until Joyce was out the door.

Network 10 and its US owners, Paramount, mostly stayed out of the headlines, though spent a decent chunk of time in Australia’s court chambers. It sued former political editor Peter van Onselen for breach of contract; was sued by current employee and former host of The Project Lisa Wilkinson; is getting sued by Lehrmann for defamation; and is facing a legal dispute with another employee over bullying claims. Some year.

Race to the finish line

The year didn’t slow down in December, with publication of Kate McClymont’s three-year investigation into Alan Jones, documenting allegations of indecent assault towards young men. Jones maintains his denial of the allegations.

An investigation into Alan Jones was published by this masthead in December.Credit: AAP

At Nine, there were some big outs. Publishing boss James Chessell is standing down, 3AW veteran Neil Mitchell resigned after 30 years hosting the morning shift, and Peter Hitchener moved off the network’s weekday news bulletins after 25 years in Melbourne.

Finally, there was movement in the government’s media reform agenda late in the game, with two pieces of legislation introduced to parliament at the latest possible moment.

Perhaps the most important piece of work remains up in the air – reform of gambling advertising regulation. It’s been slated as an incredibly complex piece of work, with wagering dollars tangled in the finances of major sporting codes and media companies. This explains the hold-up, yet consensus shows Australians only want one thing: to see less of them.

All of that in 12 months! Let’s do it all again next year.

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