Behind The Media

The legendary former anchor of 7:30 Report and Four Corners discusses the "punishment" behind the governments ABC cuts, how the public broadcaster must mobilise, the trick to getting a good interview, why he admires John Howard and his forthcoming book.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

International guest Richard Lloyd Parry is the Asia Editor of The Times newspaper.He’s the author of Ghosts Of The Tsunami, a book about how that disaster devastated a community in northern Japan in 2011, and People Who Eat Darkness about the disappearance of a British woman in Tokyo and the attempts by her killer to sue him for libel.Lloyd Parry has worked for The Independent and The Times and reported from most of Asia's trouble spots including Indonesia and Afghanistan. He speaks about about whether foreign correspondents have a future, how to use a pseudonym to sneak into Burma, and where he keeps Osama Bin Laden’s underwear.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zemiro is the host with the most; she’s the face of Home Delivery on ABC, RocKwiz on SBS and calls herself the midwife of Eurovision in Australia. And she's about to present All Together Now, a big budget singing show on Channel 7.Born in France, Julia went to a French school in Bondi, studied drama and did improv and was an actress before becoming a TV host and interviewer. She talks about why she won't present Eurovision again, if RocKwiz will ever come back, plus her talents in getting showbusiness veterans to open up in interviews.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At 34, the indefatigable Markson is the national political editor for The Daily Telegraph. She broke the news that Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce was having a love child with a former staffer, which cost him his job, and explains how the Canberra Press Gallery works. Sharri spent a year editing Cleo magazine, was media editor of The Australian, won a Walkley award at Seven news, convinced a wealthy businessman to let her have her wedding on his private country estate despite his initial refusal. And recounts how she got access to a survivor of the 2005 London Bombing Victim when no one else could or would.  And there’s the time the ABC baked her a birthday cake.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A senior presence at the Nine Network's 60 Minutes, investigative journalist Ross Coulthart talks about why he is departing, and what he might to do next.  The former lawyer who has worked at the ABC, Seven and Nine, is discouraged about the state of television to investigate stories, he says it lacks the sufficient budgets and attracting audiences are a problem. US start-ups such as The Intercept might be able to fix the formula.  Coulthart accuses the ABC of mishandling the return of the Cabinet Files and recalls the ABC's different approach during his days on Four Corners. And if you want to leak him a story, don’t call him on your mobile. It’ll only end badly, due to the chilling effect of metadata laws. Write a letter instead.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kochie discusses being a finance nerd, his career trajectory from being a junior auditor to a cadetship at The Australian and creating the format of relatable breakfast TV for Sunrise.Building things is important to the number one morning show host; being the Port Adelaide chairman, The Koch Centre for Youth and Learning in Macquarie Fields and his involvement with an orphanage in East Timor.Kochie also discusses his lowest moment of the dot com crash, the satisfaction of dedicated coverage to fix Australia's organ transplant system, offending former Prime Minister John Howard, and Sunrise's role in making Kevin Rudd PM.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Blunden looks back over more than 40 years in journalism, including editing the Herald Sun and Adelaide Advertiser. The newspaper veteran has mellowed but still admits he can drive his staff mad over stories. A recent bout of open heart surgery led to his longest period away from work in his career, nearly two months. Being an editor and executive is all about getting to know readers and making decisions in their interest   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PK is the host of ABC Radio National Drive,  National Wrap on ABC News 24 and The Party Room podcast. She previously hosted her own program on Sky News, was the Victorian Bureau Chief for The Australian newspaper and the political correspondent in the Canberra press gallery.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The actress, producer, comedian, cook book author, tv presenter and radio broadcaster wears many hats. Perhaps best known for her role as Brooke Vandenberg on Frontline, Jane is about to return to her rock chick roots co-hosting the drive slot on Triple M with Mick Molloy.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bolt talks about retirement plans, political plans, loyalty to readers outweighing his friendship with politicians including Tony Abbott. He reveals the influence his late father-in- law had on his journalism, and also delves into losing a racial vilification court case in 2011.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Ware became the voice of the Iraq war when he was based in Baghdad for Time magazine and CNN for six years from 2003. ​Here he details why such war reporting faces extinction, what motivated him to face incredible danger in both Afghanistan and Iraq, the painful price reporting took on his mental health and why Wikileaks founder Julian Assange doesn't deserve to be called a journalist.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ita Buttrose is a media figure who needs no introduction. She founded Cleo magazine in the 1970s, then became editor in chief of the Australian Women's Weekly and later the Daily and Sunday Telegraph newspapers. She has been a magazine founder, media executive, Australian of the Year and now appears on Studio 10.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

​Janet Albrechtsen is an opinion columnist with The Australian who came to the paper after a career in law. She sat down with Stephen Brook to talk about the #metoo movement going too far, writing her centre right column but turning against liberal party prime ministers and the time she was called a "shanky ho" by Mark Latham.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Russel Howcroft, an industry veteran who this year celebrates a decade on The Gruen Transfer, the hit ABC advertising panel show, says the dynamic has shifted among business clients coming to consultancy firm PwC to seek insights from its CMO advisory consultancy. Howcroft, who is also PwC chief creative officer, tells The Australian’s Stephen Brook that the digital media business is maturing. He also lifts the lid on how the Gruen program changed his life.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Chaser has been a unique part of the media landscape and at its centre has been Julian Morrow, who trained as a lawyer, negotiated the contracts with the ABC and took the frantic phone calls from management during the many crisis prompted by their infamous stunts, which included a tasteless Make A Wish Foundation sketch, the APEC security breach and infamous Chris Kenny dog sex sketch. Julian Morrow tells Stephen Brook about Andrew Denton making it all possible, creating the satirical consumer affairs genre with The Checkout, getting arrested, getting sued, suing and if the gang will ever get back together for another TV show.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The MamaMia founder sits down for her first extensive interview after her annus horribilis, and discusses why she continues to put herself out there, how she's learned to be a better boss, and why she thinks she's been able to stay ahead of rapidly shifting media trends.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian’s Chris Kenny today talks about why he is leaving Sky News for radio, whether Kevin Rudd really tried to block him getting a job on the Oz, why he sued the Chaser boys and the necessity of being an arse in print.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Foreign correspondent Peter Greste explains how to survive in an Egyptian prison for 400 days, watching a colleague die in Somalia, fighting for press freedom and why he can never roam the globe reporting from world trouble spots ever again.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Controversial News Corp columnist Miranda Devine explains why she said no to same-sex marriage, how column writing is a performance, and reflects on becoming a mother instead of an editor.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amanda Keller talks about how she tackles early mornings as the host of WSFM's breakfast radio show, being the first female presenter to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, how Nine disrespectfully handled Lisa Wilkinson's departure and fighting with her co-host.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.