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ABC News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Media Watch: Monday 9/6/2025
Media Watch NEW EPISODE ABC NEWS Current Affairs Australian Watch Article share options Share this on Facebook Twitter Send this by Email Copy link WhatsApp Messenger It's the show everybody loves until they're on it. Media Watch returns with a new host. Sitting in the hot seat will be four-time Walkley award-winner Linton Besser, an investigative reporter and former foreign correspondent. New episodes available every Monday night. Add to your Watchlist so you don't miss an episode.
7NEWS
06-05-2025
- Politics
- 7NEWS
Nine chair Catherine West refuses to say if she approved $700k cheque to silence witness in Roberts-Smith case
Nine chair Catherine West has refused to say if she signed off on a $700,000 cheque to silence a crucial witness in the Ben Roberts-Smith case, running away from questions about the scandal engulfing the media company and its star reporter. Ms West and the rest of Nine's board have come under intense pressure to explain the payment of hush money to the witness to stop her from going public with complaints about journalist Nick McKenzie. The witness, Mr Roberts-Smith's one-time mistress known only as Person 17, had sent a series of explosive emails to Nine executives claiming the reporter had treated her poorly, and wrongly obtained the former soldier's legal strategy in his war crimes defamation case. To silence the woman, whom Nine alleges is a domestic violence survivor, Nine paid her $700,000 shortly before Mr Roberts-Smith's appeal in the case was due to start. Asked by 7NEWS outside her Sydney home on Tuesday to explain if she signed off on that payment, Ms West tried to avoid the camera, running inside and slamming the front door without responding to questioning. Ms West, who was deputy chair to Peter Costello when the hush money was paid, also declined to respond when asked if she still stood by McKenzie's reporting. When Ms West emerged from the house again a short time later, she again ignored questions — including if Nine had made other payments to keep people quiet in the case — getting into the back of a black Audi and driving away. It has been revealed that before she was paid off, Person 17 had sent emails to Nine executive Tory Maguire and executive counsel Larina Alick claiming McKenzie admitted receiving confidential legal strategies from the former SAS soldier's ex-wife Emma Roberts and her friend Danielle Scott. 'I also know these women were passing on confidential and privileged information to Nick as far back as mid-late 2020,' the email said. A recording of a conversation between Person 17 and McKenzie has since emerged, in which the journalist can be heard saying Ms Roberts and Ms Scott had been 'actively briefing us on his legal strategy in respect of you'. 'I shouldn't tell you. I've just breached my ethics in doing that,' he says. After Sky News aired the recording in March, Nine demanded Person 17 repay the $700,000, accusing her of leaking the audio and breaching the confidentiality clause of her settlement. The witness denies she leaked the information, and has since threatened to take legal action against the ABC after its Media Watch program insinuated that she was the source. In a concerns notice sent to the ABC, she said suggestions she leaked the conversation were 'false and seriously defamatory'. The bombshell secret tapes prompted Mr Roberts-Smith to make an 11th hour bid to have his appeal reopened in the Federal Court, alleging he suffered a miscarriage of justice. Mr Roberts-Smith, a Victoria Cross recipient, initially sued Nine for defamation after being accused of being a war criminal during his deployments in Afghanistan. McKenzie faced hours of cross-examination on the issue last week, saying none of the information he was given by Mr Roberts-Smith's ex-wife via Ms Scott was privileged and was no more than 'gossip' between friends that had been passed onto him. The judges reserved their decision on whether to grant a retrial.
The National
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Palestinian activist's home raided by soldiers after BBC documentary
Good evening and welcome to this week's edition of Media Watch. Remember you can subscribe to get this newsletter in your inbox for free every week by clicking the banner above. This week we have had the troubling news of a Palestinian activist's home being raided following a BBC documentary series as well as an LBC host coming under fire for swearing under her breath during a discussion about the Irish band Kneecap and Gaza. Palestinian's home raided after Louis Theroux programme A new tell-all documentary aired last week where Louis Theroux looked at why the world has 'amply demonstrated' its ability to withstand the Israeli atrocities against Palestinians. Louis Theroux: The Settlers saw the presenter return to the West Bank for the first time in 15 years where he spent three weeks documenting 'the world of the Israeli ultra-nationalists" who have settled in the territory, illegally under international law. Shot in two blocks, Theroux interviewed settlers and their leaders, including the woman known as the 'Godmother' of the 'settler movement', Daniella Weiss. READ MORE: Israeli ministers approve plans to 'capture and hold' all of Gaza Following the documentary, disturbing news has dropped of a Palestinian activist's home being raided by Israeli soldiers after he featured in the programme. Issa Amro, who was born in Hebron where he still lives, is the founder of the non-violent group Youth Against Settlements (YAS) and has been an advocate for non-violent resistance against the occupation for nearly 20 years. He showed Theroux around the settler-occupied part of the city here he lives. Amro has now claimed in a post on social media that he was raided by Israeli soldiers and settlers as a repercussion for his part in the short film, where he highlighted the difficulties and discrimination Palestinians face living under occupation. The soldiers raided my house today, they wanted to revenge from me for participating in the @BBC documentary ' the settlers' , after the army left the settlers raided my house, they injured one activist and cut the tree, they stole tools and the garbage containers. The Israeli… — Issa Amro عيسى عمرو 🇵🇸 (@Issaamro) May 3, 2025 He claimed a fellow activist was injured and settlers chopped down his tree while also stealing tools from his home. The post on Twitter/X was accompanied by a short clip where Amro challenges Israeli soldiers who appear to be at his home. He asked them why they were at his home, where one soldier with what appears to be a British accent replies: 'You know exactly why.' The National reporter Alastair Ferguson spoke highly of the documentary when he reviewed it last week, calling it 'powerful' and one of Theroux's 'best works'. LBC host swears during Gaza interview Elsewhere, LBC host Shelagh Fogarty came under fire for a foul-mouthed response to a caller who was discussing Kneecap and Gaza. The incident occurred during a segment on the radio channel in which Fogarty took calls from viewers to discuss the day's main topics. The caller, Oisín, raised the political context surrounding criticism of the rap trio Kneecap and their statements in support of Palestinians amid Israel's brutal war on Gaza. (Image: LBC) Kneecap dominated the news agenda last week after old footage emerged of them calling for the death of Tory MPs and shouting 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah'. Many people, including the First Minister, suggested they should be banned from the TRNSMT festival in Glasgow. As the caller referenced alleged war crimes in Gaza, calling it a 'genocide', and accusing politicians of ignoring them, Fogarty interrupted. 'You describe it as a genocide. Not everyone does,' she said. Oisin responded: 'It's the top human rights lawyers in the world also describe it as a genocide. Many around the world also do.' READ MORE: Baby Reindeer creator Richard Gadd named TV's most influential person After Fogarty then said she was 'just doing her job' she then audibly muttered *f****** hell' under her breath. It doesn't appear as though Fogarty has issued a formal apology or acknowledged swearing on air despite Oisin calling for one. VE Day commentary What has also been troubling is the excessive, moment by moment commentary around the royal family on VE day. Updates coming in on Monday seemed to reflect on the family's every movement, with one update mentioning how Prince Louis "briefly struggled to gain the attention of his father the Prince of Wales" by repeatedly tapping his shoulder while he was in conversation. After a few moments, William apparently spoke to his son. Breaking news! Monday marks 80 years since VE Day, a significant moment in the history of the UK. Should we not be using it to teach younger generations about this, rather than needlessly commentate on every breath the royals take? This day is not about them, it never has been and so why is the mainstream media making it so?
Sydney Morning Herald
01-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Media Watch's Kim Williams take-down hands a win to ABC boss
The biggest beneficiary of Media Watch' s take-down of Kim Williams on Monday was the ABC's new managing director. Hugh Marks was handed a serendipitous free-kick by the program's new host Linton Besser and his team, winning points by backing his journalists publicly and ensuring everyone, including Williams, know that there's a new sheriff in town. Williams is alleged to have intervened on a number of occasions on behalf of comedian Austen Tayshus (real name Sandy Gutman), helping him secure a number of interviews on the ABC's regional radio network, which in turn promoted his touring shows. Media Watch reported that in August, Gutman called Williams, an old acquaintance of his, claiming he had been turned down for interviews because he was Jewish. On two occasions, Williams helped overturn local editorial decisions not to host Gutman. It was a gift for Marks, who has seized the moment and set a clear marker in the newly minted relationship between him and Williams. It's a professional pairing that needs to endure for at least the next four years as Williams carries through with his planned makeover of the public broadcaster. Loading In Marks and Williams, the ABC has arguably got two of the biggest names in Australian media management running the show. Both have had stints at the top of the country's two largest commercial media companies, and are experienced in navigating a tricky relationship with strong-headed chairs – Rupert Murdoch at News Corp for Williams, and Peter Costello for Marks at Nine. Now, they take on a different beast at the ABC, and their biggest shareholder isn't a financial institution or a media baron in New York – it's the Australian public. Williams has been in the thick of things since he landed the chair's gig. While forceful in his defence of the broadcaster, he hasn't been shy making his feelings known about what needs to improve.
The Age
01-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
Media Watch's Kim Williams take-down hands a win to ABC boss
The biggest beneficiary of Media Watch' s take-down of Kim Williams on Monday was the ABC's new managing director. Hugh Marks was handed a serendipitous free-kick by the program's new host Linton Besser and his team, winning points by backing his journalists publicly and ensuring everyone, including Williams, know that there's a new sheriff in town. Williams is alleged to have intervened on a number of occasions on behalf of comedian Austen Tayshus (real name Sandy Gutman), helping him secure a number of interviews on the ABC's regional radio network, which in turn promoted his touring shows. Media Watch reported that in August, Gutman called Williams, an old acquaintance of his, claiming he had been turned down for interviews because he was Jewish. On two occasions, Williams helped overturn local editorial decisions not to host Gutman. It was a gift for Marks, who has seized the moment and set a clear marker in the newly minted relationship between him and Williams. It's a professional pairing that needs to endure for at least the next four years as Williams carries through with his planned makeover of the public broadcaster. Loading In Marks and Williams, the ABC has arguably got two of the biggest names in Australian media management running the show. Both have had stints at the top of the country's two largest commercial media companies, and are experienced in navigating a tricky relationship with strong-headed chairs – Rupert Murdoch at News Corp for Williams, and Peter Costello for Marks at Nine. Now, they take on a different beast at the ABC, and their biggest shareholder isn't a financial institution or a media baron in New York – it's the Australian public. Williams has been in the thick of things since he landed the chair's gig. While forceful in his defence of the broadcaster, he hasn't been shy making his feelings known about what needs to improve.
