The Australian Financial Review will bring across Zoe Samios and Emma Rapaport to join editor Paul Smith on the tech team. The appointments follow the departures of Tess Bennett and Amelia McGuire. Bennett has made a lifestyle move to North Queensland, while McGuire has joined Joe Aston’s Rampart masthead. Samios (left above), who has been covering the gambling and sports sectors for The Fin, has prior tech-related experience having worked the telecommunications beat at the Sydney Morning Herald prior to shifting to the AFR. She starts this week. Rapaport (right above) is currently a co-editor on Street Talk, which has also seen her report regularly on the technology sector. Prior to working on Street Talk, she was a markets reporter, and prior to that worked as Editorial Manager at Morningstar. She will shift to the tech team in August. The Fin's technology editor, Paul Smith, told Influencing he was looking forward to working with the duo. “Both are fantastic j

It’s difficult to believe that Karl Stefanovic didn’t know his increasingly controversial line-up of podcast guests wasn’t going to make his Today Show gig untenable. Knowing that his contract with Nine to host the Today Show wasn’t going to be renewed, it was only a matter of ‘when’ Stefanovic and Nine would part ways. So it makes sense that if your desire is to transition into a new venture, ‘when’ needed to involve as much publicity and attention as possible. And judging by the blanket media coverage that came with his departure from the Today Show last week, that’s exactly what Stefanovic achieved. “So I’m free, truly independent,” Stefanovic told the world when he published his response to his Today Show dismissal on YouTube. “Here’s what I believe in. The public deserves to hear perspectives. This country was built by hardworking Aussies from all around the world, and they were bound by the

Budget tax shock hits housing market confidence Sydney’s auction market is being painted as the first major casualty of Jim Chalmers’ budget tax changes, with clearance rates and turnout reportedly sliding back to GFC/Covid-era lows. Beyond property, the story is a political warning light: if sentiment sours and activity stalls, the government risks wearing blame for household wealth anxiety and broader economic softness. Covered by: Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun. Labor’s political bounce back — but trust and Hanson remain live issues Polling suggests Labor has regained the lead after budget backflips, while One Nation’s support and Pauline Hanson’s personal ratings have slipped—reshaping the electoral map and the pressure points for both major parties. At the same time, Coalition and business critics are sharpening attacks on Labor’s proposed trust tax reforms and industrial relations agenda, framing them as cost-of-living risks and a test of the government’s credib

Bodhi Tree Multimedia has secured a mandate from the Government of Assam to develop, launch and manage the state's official digital content platform, expanding its presence into digital infrastructure and platform management.  According to sources, the platform will feature Assamese films, music, heritage programmes, live events and creator-led content across mobile, web and connected TV platforms. Bodhi Tree will handle content strategy, monetisation, subscription management and long-term operations.  The project is already in an advanced stage and is being developed with Mogi OTT on Google Cloud infrastructure.  Mautik Tolia, Managing Director and CEO of Bodhi Tree Multimedia, said the mandate reflects the growing role of media companies in building digital ecosystems that combine storytelling, technology and distribution.  The initiative aims to make Assamese cultural content more accessible to audiences in India 

Independent news platform Su-Niti News has crossed 1 million views across Instagram and Facebook, marking a major milestone in its six-year journey.  Speaking about the achievement, Founder and Editor Arth Chakraborty said, "This milestone means the world to me and all the people associated with it. Thanks to everyone who has supported us in our journey, including the critics. Starting from a few hundred readers and viewers to crossing 1 million has been a rollercoaster ride."  He added that numbers have never been the primary focus. "Views have always been a secondary factor for me. It's always trust-building, awareness and ethics. We aim for quality over quantity and credibility over sensationalism."  On the type of content that resonates with audiences, Chakraborty said breaking news, ground reports and trending stories perform best, particularly those related to crime, politics, international confli

India’s private FM radio sector expanded from 385 channels in 113 cities to 390 channels in 120 cities during January-March 2026, driven by seven new stations launched by DB Corp, according to TRAI. However, ad revenue declined from Rs 419.29 crore to Rs 414.03 crore during the quarter, indicating growing monetisation challenges despite wider reach. The data comes amid major industry restructuring, including HT Media’s closure of five FM stations in June due to financial unviability. Entertainment Network remained the largest private FM operator with 73 channels, while community radio stations increased from 557 to 564. The figures highlight a sector balancing expansion with revenue pressures and rising competition from digital audio platforms, Bestmediainfo reported.