News funding, X fines and Kim Williams on AI | Issue 1/2026
Michael Davis reviews the European Commission’s fine against X for breaching the Digital Services Act, clarifying that the fine was not in fact for misinformation or censorship. Derek highlights CMT’s new report - Funding the Way Forward for Australian News. With comments from Prime Minister Albanese that platforms must pay for news, the report's focus is on how tax revenue would be distributed. Sacha Molitorisz previews UTS Professor David Lindsay’s Jill McKeough lecture, which addresses copyright policy challenges posed by generative AI and the balance between AI and human creativity.
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News funding, X fines and Kim Williams on AI _ Issue 1_2026.pdf
Defending, verifying and bundling news - Issue 2/2026
Florencia Melgar – Editorial Standards Manager at SBS – reminds us of the importance of verification, not just to counter disinformation, but also to raise standards. Derek extends this theme and looks at the complications surrounding the latest adjudication from the Australian Press Council and the deluge of commentary from The Australian opposing it. Next, Monica examines the alarming emergence of news as a loss leader at The New York Times.
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Rules, risk and responsibility | Issue 3/2026
Derek examines the latest developments in Kyle Sandilands’ dispute with KIIS FM, ACMA’s powers, and the challenges of regulating repeat misconduct; Alena explores what the latest eSafety findings tell us about children’s use of AI companions' uptake among children, the risks they pose, and the emerging regulatory responses in the UK and Australia; and Sacha shares some reflections from the recent public lecture and symposium celebrating UTS Professor David Lindsay’s contributions to copyright, privacy, cyberlaw, and digital regulation in Australia.
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ABC breach, AI inventions, ending industry rules | Issue 4/2026
Derek discusses the communications regulator’s renewed vigour in scrutinising industry codes, with a companion code in the telco sector the latest to be rejected by the ACMA. Also on ACMA, Monica looks at the regulator’s latest investigation report about a Four Corners program. Finally, we have a fascinating and disturbing contribution from guest writer and acclaimed international journalist, Peter Charley, who tells us of the astounding contributions of AI to the launch of his latest book, The Truth Illusion: How America’s Addiction to Lies is Eating the Nation Alive.
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ABC Breach, AI Inventions, ending industry rules_Issue 4_2026.pdf
Swinging the axe | Issue 5/2026
Monica looks at the announcement by community radio station 2SER that that it may have to cease operations. Sacha reflects on the news investigations that led to the arrest of former SAS soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith, on charges of committing war crimes. And Michael looks further afield to Hungary, where Viktor Orbán lost power after 16 years, in one of the first elections since Meta and Google pulled political advertising from their platforms in Europe.
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Bargaining Incentive and Walkley walkouts | Issue 6/2026
CMT is doing a deep dive into the proposed News Bargaining Incentive. Derek sifts through the draft legislation to identify major issues, before Julie details how funds raised by the new charge might be distributed. To round out today’s newsletter, Monica explains some of the tensions behind the scenes at the Walkleys.
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The News Bargaining Incentive and Walkley walkouts_Issue 6_2026.pdf
Budget, quantum tech, AI and press freedom | Issue 7/2026
Monica discusses how the Government's fifth budget impacts news. Michael is weighing up the hype and scepticism around AI; Sacha is looking at why Australia is slipping down the global press freedom index; and Anh Nguyen, a visiting fellow from the University of Amsterdam, examines the legal and geopolitical dynamics shaping emerging quantum technology ecosystems.
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$$ for news and ?? About consent | Issue 8/2026
CMT shares its view on the government's proposed News Bargaining Intensive scheme and how there may be a more effective approach than that being considered. Derek Wilding discusses a new quandary for journalism – when a victim of sexual abuse opts to be named by just one journalist at one media outlet and we share our latest DoubleTake podcast where Dr Alena Radina spoke with Kevin Kallaugher, the legendary political cartoonist behind some of The Economist’s most iconic and globally recognised imagery, about the state of political cartooning and the growing dangers of speaking truth to power in an era that has grown increasingly hostile to it.
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Is News Media meeting our expectations | Issue 9/2026
Monica gives us a report on some of the 2026 Digital News Report highlights. Alena discusses the Australian Press Council finding that Nine Entertainment breached one of the Council’s rules when it published a cartoon by Cathy Wilcox earlier this year and Derek highlights that a substantial public policy intervention like the NMBC or the NBI to support news should bring with it a greater commitment to media standards.
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Extremism, bulldozers and beautiful broadcasting | Issue 10/2026
Monica exposes an emerging trend among media personalities: get famous; get outrageous; get out. Karl Stefanovic is the latest example. Sacha turns to another departing giant of broadcast media: Danny Chifley. Then Derek turns to the links between Gina Rinehart and Pauline Hanson, and to the concern that editorial independence is parked in an aircraft hangar somewhere out of sight. Finally, Monica details a stunning German court decision that holds Google liable for the false, harmful outputs of its genAI search results, before she outlines our newest podcast, which summarises the fascinating new findings from the latest Australian Digital News Report.
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Extremism, bulldozers and beautiful broadcasting_Issue 10_2026.pdf
AI announcement, gambling ads and media power | Issue 11/2026
Derek recaps some media freedom issues that have surfaced over the last fortnight. Michael updates us on Australia's new AI policy, announced by the Prime Minister, Alena tells us about the latest journalism research around media power presented at the international IAMCR conference in Dublin and finally, Derek explores at how proposed gambling ad laws capture "notable people".
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AI announcement, gambling ads and media power_Issue 11_2026.pdf
AI gets scary and social media bans go global | Issue 12/2026
Harry Craigie explores about the gap between the way China and Australia look at and use AI; Alena is looks at the different ways the Australian social media for youth ban is being adopted around the world, and we have a new podcast to share -Michael is talking to Paul Keller, the co-founder and director of policy at Open Future, a European think tank developing new approaches to a safe and open internet. Michael and Paul discuss whether there are ways other than through copyright licencing to deal with the impact of AI on the information ecosystem.
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AI gets scary and social media bans go global_Issue 12_2026.pdf