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Media Roundup: YouTube dodges ban, SEN under fire, Optus eyes sports bundles, Walkley turmoil deepens and the Bond brand's future

See the top industry stories trending today.

By Natasha LeePublished Mar 17, 2025
6 min read
rowland

Social Media

YouTube dodges social media age ban as government skips eSafety advice

The federal government’s social media age ban is moving ahead without input from the very agency meant to enforce it - and YouTube has somehow been left off the hook. A freedom of information request revealed that Communications Minister Michelle Rowland did not consult eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant before excluding the Google-owned platform from the restrictions.

As Sam Buckingham-Jones writes in The Australian Financial Review, set to take effect later this year, the new law will bar users under 16 from Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok, making it a global first.

However, the exemption for YouTube has sparked debate, with industry players questioning why one of the world’s biggest digital platforms is getting special treatment.

Radio

SEN under fire after on-air remark disappears from podcast

Veteran broadcaster Gerard Healy has come under scrutiny for a remark during SEN's Sportsday, where he said, "Used to be black men can't swim!" while discussing the classic basketball film White Men Can't Jump. Though the comment aired live, it was later scrubbed from the podcast version of the show.

The exchange took place during co-host Kane Cornes’ “Kane’s Countdown” segment, where he ranked his top 10 sports films, as Daanyal Saeed reports in Crikey.

Rocky III topped the list, but it was the inclusion of White Men Can't Jump that prompted Healy's remark - one that has since sparked backlash.

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Healy, a decorated former AFL star and longtime media figure, has yet to address the controversy.

Television

Nine takes legal aim at podcaster after off-script MAFS confrontation

Nine Entertainment has unleashed its lawyers on content creator and podcaster Joshua Fox after he confronted Married at First Sight expert John Aiken on the streets of Sydney. Fox, known for his popular MAFS-themed social media content, filmed the exchange and uploaded it online - prompting swift legal action from the network.

According to James Madden and James Manning in The Australian, Fox calls out Aiken and the show's producers in the video, claiming their matchmaking tactics are designed to create drama rather than foster genuine relationships.

Frustrated by Nine's lack of response to his previous inquiries, he quipped that his ambush was inspired by A Current Affair - one of Nine's own signature programs.

Ten bets big on Sam Pang Tonight

Australia's history with a solo style of talk show is a graveyard of good intentions. From the earnest to the experimental, attempts to replicate the American model have often faltered.

Now, Ten is placing its chips on Pang, launching Sam Pang Tonight and hoping to finally break the mould with an eight-episode run.

The brains behind the concept,  Paramount Australia’s head of scripted and comedy, Sophia Mogford, says that for this style of show to succeed, it needs a host with a distinct voice, natural comedic timing, and a genuine connection with audiences, and according to her, Pang ticks every box.

[Read more]

Streaming

Amazon owns Bond - but the Broccolis still hold the keys

When Amazon snapped up MGM for $US8.5 billion in 2022, it secured a Hollywood crown jewel: the rights to James Bond. The purchase positioned the tech giant alongside Disney's Marvel and Star Wars acquisitions, unlocking a franchise with endless spin-off potential in an industry obsessed with reboots and shared universes.

But while Amazon may own the studio, the Bond brand remains firmly in the grip of Eon Productions, led by Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, reports Michael Idato in The Sydney Morning Herald.

The heirs to Cubby Broccoli's legacy have fiercely guarded the character's integrity, resisting the industry’s franchise-first mentality that has turned other properties into sprawling, multi-platform IP machines.

[Read more]

Optus eyes sports bundles to keep customers onside

New Optus CEO Stephen Rue is exploring ways to keep customers loyal, with bundling sports content into mobile plans emerging as a key play. After a tumultuous period marked by a major data breach and a nationwide outage, the telco is looking for fresh strategies to rebuild trust and drive retention.

While Optus has reportedly considered selling its Optus Sport streaming arm to recoup losses, Rue suggests content integration might be a smarter move. The platform, which holds the Australian rights to the English Premier League and set streaming records during the Matildas' 2023 World Cup run, could become a value-add for subscribers rather than a divestment.

As Jenny Wiggins reports in The Australian Financial Review, Rue's next steps will determine if Optus Sport remains a core asset or a financial lifeline.

Agencies

AI is rewriting ad agency economics - will the industry keep up?

For decades, agencies have profited from the equation that more effort equals higher fees. But with AI now capable of generating high-quality creative work in minutes, the traditional billable hours model is under threat. Some agencies are embracing the shift, while others cling to inefficiencies, charging as if campaigns still take weeks to produce.

As Ashadi Hopper writes in The Australian, the creative economy has long been built on the idea that effort defines value. But in an AI-driven landscape, the real competitive edge lies in intelligence, not hours worked.

When technology can collapse the gap between a million-dollar budget and a fraction of that, creative dominance will no longer be about scale - it will belong to those who harness AI as a force multiplier.

Journalism

Walkley Awards turmoil deepens

The Walkley Awards are facing internal upheaval after the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) rejected a proposal from senior industry figures to make the event more independent. The move has intensified tensions within the union, which has been grappling with declining membership and accusations of ideological bias.

The MEAA has been at the centre of controversy, including its stance on newsroom coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict and its decision to ban sponsorships that don’t offer a "tangible benefit to humanity", writes James Madden in The Australian.

That policy cost the Walkleys its long-standing partnership with Ampol, leaving a significant funding gap.

Retail

How Unilever is reshaping the hydration market

Unilever's push into Australia's hydration category is exceeding expectations, with its Liquid I.V. brand outperforming forecasts by 27% and driving a 20% lift in Chemist Warehouse's rehydration sales. Rather than competing for market share, the brand is expanding the category, according to Unilever's global VP of health and wellbeing, Anusha Babbar.

As Danielle Long writes in The Australian, the company's strategy remains anchored in Chemist Warehouse and Costco, with Unilever predicting "strong double-digit growth" in the coming years.

Competing against legacy brands like Hydralyte, Voost, and sports drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade, Liquid I.V. is betting on consumer demand for hydration solutions that go beyond traditional beverages.

Pictured: Anthony Albanese and Michelle Rowland

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