Rebekah Brooks, CEO of News UK, and Lachlan Murdoch, executive chairman and CEO of Fox Corporation, arrived in Sydney in May 2024 ahead of a significant restructure announcement for "The Australian" newspaper. The visit sparked increased activity among News Corp editors, who tried to impress the visiting executives by promoting noteworthy stories.
During the visit, "The Australian" highlighted a cold case investigation by reporter Hedley Thomas, famed for his "The Teacher’s Pet" podcast. Additionally, Michelle Gunn, the paper's editor-in-chief, claimed increased readership, rivaling other major newspapers like the Sydney Morning Herald, though different metrics showed varying figures.
Meanwhile, News Corp Australia has partnered with OpenAI in a $250 million deal, integrating its content with ChatGPT technology. The agreement aims to enhance News Corp's presence in the GenAI age.
James Raptis, senior legal counsel at Australian Community Media (ACM), resigned following allegations of hosting websites publishing copied articles. Despite his denial of involvement, internal sources believed his departure was necessary.
The New York Times is now searching for a new Australia Correspondent as Damien Cave transitions to reporting on Taiwan, China, and Ukraine.
At Channel Seven, Anthony De Ceglie has taken over the news division, appointing Gemma Williams, a young producer from Nine, to manage the Spotlight program. This follows the departure of veteran executive producer Mark Llewellyn amid controversies.
In a related development, the Walkley Awards will ban chequebook journalism after Seven's Spotlight program faced scrutiny for a paid interview with Bruce Lehrmann, which sparked debates about ethical reporting practices in Australian media.