ABC managing director Hugh Marks has declared that media organisations, including the public broadcaster itself, must abandon volume-driven content models and refocus on distinctive programming. He warned that journalists and producers across the industry are buckling under pressure to fill an ever-expanding number of platforms. In an interview with Alan Kohler on the ABC's That's Business podcast, Marks (pictured above) argued the entire sector, commercial and public, confronts the same structural problem: rationalising output to match where audiences and revenue are actually shifting. He said the ABC had gone from operating two platforms to five — television, radio, digital, podcasting and social — without a matching lift in staffing. "We've got the same staff level to do it. So that has to change," Marks said. The prescription, he argued, applies to every player. "Less volume, more distinctiveness, is our future. It's the same sor

Budget backlash bites Labor as polling slumps Several front pages lead with evidence the federal budget has backfired politically, with Labor’s primary vote reported at 29% after breaking tax-election promises and support bleeding to minor parties. The story matters because it sharpens leadership pressure on Anthony Albanese and reshapes the pre-election contest, with Angus Taylor edging ahead as preferred PM in the polling cited. Covered by: Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian, The Australian. “Death tax” fight reignites over trust changes The government is facing renewed heat after the Prime Minister acknowledged testamentary (inheritance) trusts would face higher taxes under planned changes, after earlier assurances they were exempt. Beyond the political optics, it raises real stakes for estate planning and intergenerational wealth—an issue that can quickly become a defining election battleground. Covered by: The Australian. Economists warn budget “tax tweak

Friday, 15 May 2026 #1  ·  Times City  ·  Investigative Blast Plot Explained In 7.5k Pages: NIA Files Chargesheet, Links To Explosion Near Red Fort By Staff Reporter   ·   The Times of India  ·  Page 2 The NIA has filed a chargesheet running to 7,500 pages in connection with an explosion near Red Fort, linking the accused to a blast plot spanning six states and citing 588 witness testimonies. The chargesheet names 11 individuals as accused and details alleged connections to foreign agencies, with investigators documenting property damage and a sophisticated conspiracy. The case involves a 1,200-page probe covering multiple states and a range of evidentiary material. The story draws on a voluminous primary document — the NIA chargesheet itself — to reconstruct the scope and architecture of the alleged conspiracy, giving it strong evidentiary grounding and original reporting value beyond a routine cour

Journalists and popular social media personalities courting arrest for posting objectionable content is nothing new in India -- Indian law has ample provisions. But the recent arrest of a popular social media influencer from Delhi over some controversial posts on 'X' platform on the death of a businessman and his release on bail just five hours later have once again reignited the debate on when can a social media post land you in prison. Let's do a recap of the case: Dr Neelam Singh, popularly known online as “The Skin Doctor”, was arrested by Delhi Police over alleged social media posts linked to the family of late businessman Sunjay Kapur. A dermatologist who became popular on social media through videos beyond medical content, Singh shares views on politics, social issues and current affairs. His YouTube channel describes him as “A dermatologist speaking on social issues." As reported by Bar & Bench, Singh was arrested over a post that re

Laura Hughes departs Untitled Group for a gig in London Laura Hughes, Director of Communications at Untitled Group, has announced that she has wrapped up her time at the Group, after nearly nine years at the group, moving to London.  “Over the years, I’ve navigated rapid growth, evolving audiences, cultural shifts and increasingly global conversations. These experiences have shaped me into a far more rounded leader and operator than I could have imagined when I first started in this industry 12 years ago,” Hughes commented on her time at Untitled on LinkedIn.  Previously, she assumed various PR roles at Beyond The Valley, Grapevine Gathering, Pitch Music & Arts, Xe54, Daily Nightly Records, One World Entertainment and interned at Freuds and Hausmann Communications.  Mackenzie Simes departs Thrive PR Mackenzie Simes has announced on LinkedIn departed her role as PR consultant at Thrive PR.  She worked for two years at Thrive PR, j

  After 100 years in print, The Quirindi Advocate has ceased publishing  with immediate effect becoming the latest in a string of newspaper closures in the region following the closure of Australian Community Media's printing press in Tamworth. The Quirindi Advocate services the Quirindia and the Liverpool Plans region of NSW and has been published since 1925, celebrating its century milestone in July last year. Jocelyn Rose, managing director of QPP Media, which published the paper said the Tamworth print site closure, the current economic climate and the closure of neighbouring local papers had forced its'  hand. “It is with a very heavy heart that we have made the decision to say goodbye and close our doors," she wrote, announcing the shuttering on the paper's website. She expressed gratitude to their staff, business partners, advertisers, subscribers and local contributors who have supplied photographs and material to them, &ldq

Coalition goes hard on tax and migration in budget-reply pitch Angus Taylor is sharpening the Coalition’s election offer with a $22.5b plan to index income tax brackets to inflation (targeting bracket creep) alongside a tougher migration and welfare stance aimed at cost-of-living and housing pressures. The breadth of the pitch is also exposing internal Coalition fault-lines over how far to go on tax reform and how to prosecute the argument against Labor. Covered by: Australian Financial Review, Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, The West Australian, The Advertiser. NDIS overhaul: tighter eligibility and sweeping ministerial powers Labor’s proposed NDIS changes would narrow access and give the minister broader authority to set scheme-wide funding rules, pricing and therapies as government tries to curb runaway costs. The reforms are shaping as a major parliamentary fight, with disability advocates warning about fairness and transparency while the government argues sustainabil