We Used to be Journos

In this episode, Jan and Antoinette focus on the first 24-hours of media coverage of the antisemitic terrorist attack in Bondi that left 15 people dead.   They examine how the story unfolded, which voices were given prominence, the role of social media in circulating original and often horrifying footage, and how easily misinformation spreads and how certain narratives take hold.  I...

As the social media ban kicks off, Jan and Antoinette find themselves disagreeing on its merits.  Plus, we take a look at the rage-bait tabloid media machine currently targeting influencer Abbie Chatfield and the hypocrisy powering it all.  And as boycott calls grow over Israel’s participation in Eurovision, SBS doubles down on a dud decision.  We salute journalists who stay cool wh...

In this episode Jan and Antoinette delve into accusations of racism at the TikTok awards and speak to some big content creators who say this isn’t the first time they’ve felt shunned by the industry.  Also, Trump adds media outlets who dare critically report on potentially unlawful strikes in Venezuela to an official White House naughty list.  Plus we mark the two year anniversary of an...

In this episode Jan and Antoinette dig into a family violence story that manages to break (almost) every reporting guideline. Antoinette explains the latest escalation in the Daily Telegraph’s ‘undercover Jew’ mess at Cairo Takeaway restaurant, while Jan canvasses the good, the bad and the weird views of the Sydney Morning Herald.      Plus, the journalist sex-scandal featuring...

In this episode, Jan and Antoinette unpack how parts of the media managed to spin a fake letter into a real panic about a new mosque in Western Sydney. No less than three separate media outlets whipped up outrage over a story with some shaky foundations.  We also name and shame the daily newspaper that accidentally printed a ChatGPT prompt in its own business story, and what that slip says ab...

In this episode, Jan and Antoinette examine the BBC ‘bias’ scandal that saw its director general and head of news resign. They go through the complaint letter that kicked off the scandal and examine other accusations of bias that haven't gotten nearly as much attention.  Plus, as two Leb chicks who grew up in Sydney’s western suburbs in the early 2000s - Jan and Antoinette have memories of Jo...

In this episode, Jan takes a look at the use of AI in New York’s mayoral race and finds Cuomo’s campaign ads against Zohran Mamdani don’t just bend the truth but snap it completely and add a good dose of racism. This can’t be the future of political advertising…or can it?  Also, the Coalition reckons net zero is “too toxic” but Antoinette discovers it’s only toxic to billionaires with an agen...

Egyptian-Canadian journalist Omar El Akkad joins Antoinette Lattouf on stage at the Queenscliff Literary Festival for a searingly honest and intimate conversation. The author of ‘One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This’, confronts a brutal question: what does it mean to live in the US while its government bankrolls, supports and enables Palestinian ethnic cleansing? He speaks to his se...

As former ABC chair Ita Buttrose promotes her latest book Jan and Antoinette pull apart the plentiful puff pieces.  Antoinette hunts for proof of Melbourne’s machete epidemic and finds it exists mainly in headlines.   Plus who is watching free to air TV… no really who? Because we crunched some numbers and they don't add up.  Also a double shout out to the Labor Party (yes, shoc...

In this bonus episode, Pulitzer Prize–winning US journalist Chris Hedges joins Antoinette Lattouf to unpack his time in Australia so far, including some fraught interactions with sections of the Australian media. We also discuss what he flew all this way to talk about: how western journalists are betraying their colleagues in Gaza.  Plus, Chris offers some honest advice for young people who s...

In this episode, as Anthony Albanese meets Donald Trump at the White House we take a look at the manufactured moment that saw former PM Kevin Rudd hit the headlines.  Plus, we unpack the media’s warped definitions of a “ceasefire” in Gaza as near-identical coverage around the world tows the Israeli line and ignores Palestinians.    And, with the commentary creep in journalism l...

In this episode, a tip off leads Jan and Antoinette to discover a U.S. website had published the private phone numbers of high profile Australians including the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and the NSW Premier.  Some awkward verification calls followed as well as some questions about what the PM knew and when.    We take you through the story fr...

In this episode we reveal what really happened behind the scenes of Pulitzer Prize winner Chris Hedges’ National Press Club address - a talk that vanished from the schedule. Was it ever confirmed, did it get cancelled or did the NPC, as Hedges alleges, cave to the Israel lobby? We’ve got the paper trail.   Also, the Trump administration’s crackdown on press freedom takes a dark turn: a v...

In this episode Jan and Antoinette try to answer the question many of you have asked: why am I agreeing with Candace Owens? They take a look at the divisions within the MAGA movement over Israel and why things aren’t quite what they seem.  Plus, it costs $25 million to police protests in Victoria - or does it? We dig into that figure and not only is it inflated by we find certain politicians...

We’re live at the Wheeler Centre in Melbourne this week, handing out a report card on independent media now that Ette Media has survived its three-month probation. Jan Fran, once reporting on Eurovision for SBS, is now not-happy-Jan at the broadcaster’s refusal to boycott if Israel takes the stage.  Antoinette brings the receipts on The Daily Telegraph’s dodgy hit job against the Jewish Counc...

In an exclusive investigation, we look at Melbourne University Press’s decision to close one of Australia’s oldest literary journals. MUP says it’s about money, we reveal new testimony that says otherwise. So what’s it really about?  Plus, we look at the saturation of media coverage following Charlie Kirk’s murder. We explore how the media should cover the far right, how “centrist media” gets...

With Antoinette away this week, Jan Fran holds down the fort with former BBC journalist and presenter Karishma Patel. Karishma walked out of the BBC in October 2024 over its coverage of Gaza and has since become one of its loudest and most public critics. In this episode, she and Jan dive into life inside the BBC, what finally pushed her to resign, and why she’s now taking the organisation to task...

Jan and Antoinette have been busting to share their inside Lebbo goss about Bob Katter.  Also, we cover the coverage of the so-called March for Australia - a rally led by neo-Nazis and followed by limp reporting.  The Herald Sun dibberdobs … again and the Canberra Midwinter Ball leaves Jan feeling icy as she watches old-school journalists and new school content creators clink glasses wit...

In this episode Antoinette (finally!) gives her reaction to the ABC’s new Public Comment Guidelines, which Jan calls the ‘Lattouf guidelines.’ The broadcaster says the new rules aren’t due to its Federal Court loss to Antoinette but we’re not so sure. We also examine the messy, co-dependent and ever-changing relationship between journalists and the public comments they were encouraged (then discou...

In this episode, Jan examines the fishy relationship between Woodside Energy and Seven West Media . Antoinette looks at The Daily Telegraph revving up far-right, anti-immigration protests despite demonising other protests, a move that gives Jan flashbacks to the Cronulla Riots.   Meanwhile, as Deepcut News breaks a story of censorship at the Bendigo's Writer's Festival, we spill some ins...

This week, Jan and Antoinette are gutted by news that more of their Palestinian journalist colleagues - including Al Jazeera's Anas Al-Sharif - were killed in Gaza. Instead of honouring their work, much of the media repeated - nay led- with the Israeli line that they were “terrorists” despite a complete lack of evidence.   We pull apart the evidence and long, well-documented history of I...

In this episode, Jan and Antoinette reflect on their decision to attend what’s being called Australia’s biggest anti-war march. Fresh off that Harbour Bridge high, they grapple with the chaotic, contradictory and downright distorted media framing of the protest.  At the Logies, things felt … well, the same. Veteran Ray Martin’s speech piqued our interest but the moment was quickly lost. ...

In this episode Jan and Antoinette unpack the sudden, strangely synchronised media concern for starving Palestinian children. Why now? What’s changed—and what still hasn’t? A look at the caveats, spin, and selective outrage still dominating the conversation. We also look closely at the prestigious Andrew OIllie media lecture that is meant to be a forward-looking media lecture but curiously fa...

In this episode, Jan and Antoinette have a candid and sometimes chaotic conversation about whether they still see themselves as journalists—and why they threw caution to the wind and launched an independent media company. This honest exploration of the Australian media industry is part reflection, part existential crisis. It’s A No From Me: A dissection of a political TV debate that’s more sp...

In this episode, we take a look at Australia's antisemitism envoy and her plan to “monitor” and “advise” public broadcasters. Jillian Segal says her plan wont stifle criticism of Israel but we aren't so sure. We also have an honest conversation about the pro-Israel lobby and its influence on the Australian media, from all-expenses-junkets to Israel for top editors to those same editors punishing j...