Nine has today announced the appointment of journalist Joel Dry as the new co-presenter of 9News Queensland's 6.00pm bulletin, alongside Melissa Downes. Dry will start his new role in August. This appointment marks a significant return to Nine for Dry, who began his television reporting career with the network in Adelaide in September 2009 before moving to Channel 9 Queensland in December 2011 and later serving as a federal politics reporter for Channel 9 in Canberra. Dry is stepping into the role previously held by the legendary Andrew "Lofty" Lofthouse, who retired earlier this year. Melissa Downes said, "This is an exciting time for 9News Queensland, a regeneration, and I know the team will be just as delighted as I am to have Joel joining me on the 6pm news desk. I know he will bring a new energy to the newsroom and his insightful reporting will add depth to our bulletin, offering our viewers an even richer understanding of the stories that matter most. "We are th

  Peter Dutton campaigning at a produce market in Pooraka in the Adelaide seat of Makin this morning. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP   Well it’s almost here - poll booths open nationwide tomorrow morning and by Saturday evening we will know if the Albanese government resumes or if Peter Dutton’s Coalition takes power. Or, of course, it could be a minority government of either stripe. We shall see.  This morning Peter Dutton has said he believes tomorrow’s result could be a miracle for the Liberal party, like the 2019 election which Labor widely expected to win. Speaking to ABC AM's Sabra Lane this morning, Albanese is asked whether he’s worried this election could deliver a surprise result for the opposition. Albanese says he “certainly take[s] nothing for granted”. The Australian’s Geoff Chambers and Dennis Shanahan have called Exclusive on a story headlined ‘Peter Dutton banking on ‘surprises’ in key seats’.  The thrust of that piece is Coalition campa

Newly appointed Senior Reporter for BBC News Verify, Kevin Nguyen’s career in investigative journalism might never have happened had he stayed with his initial university degree.  Nguyen said, back in his uni days he was “aiming to get my doctorate in psychology, but quite frankly, I wasn’t having fun and didn’t feel as if I was making a huge impact,” Nguyen told Influencing. “I grew up in Cabramatta during some tumultuous times, in which the media played a huge part, for better or worse, so I saw the work the media was doing and that provided me an interest, and I decided, ‘Yep, I’ll do that’.” From there, he embarked on a journalism career which has seen him produce work for Storyful and Fairfax Community News before achieving his goal of working for the ABC, and now moving to London to work for the BBC, as we exclusively revealed on Influencing.  “I cut my teeth at Storyful, reporting on global news stories and high-level news, which was really excitin

  Nine Radio has extended its positive start to 2025, with 2GB once again leading the market in Sydney, according to the latest GfK Survey. 2GB took out the number one station position, rising to a 12.8 share (up 1.2) and delivering strong growth across all dayparts.  Ben Fordham Live climbed 3 points clear of its nearest rival to a 15.6% share, retaining its spot as the #1 Breakfast show, while Mark Levy cemented his claim on the Mornings slot with a 15.5% (up 2.0). Nine’s National Content Manager, Greg Byrnes, said: “These are great results for our talk stations, with more people listening longer right across the country. “Sydney has embraced 2GB’s new line-up with big audience gains in all shifts”.   Sydney Radio Ratings GfK Survey 2 2025 Survey Period: Sun Feb 9 to Sat Mar 1 & Sun Mar 9 to Sat Apr 12 Biggest Movers: UP: 2GB +1.2 DOWN: KIIS -0.4 2GB  12.8% (11.6%) Cume: 665,000 (-24,000) Breakfast:  15.6% (14.4%)     Melbourne radio ratin

  Kyle Sandilands in full flow. Opposition leader Peter Dutton - just three days out from the federal election - has appeared on the The Kyle and Jackie O Show where both he and shock jock host Kyle Sandilands have given some of the tech giants a tongue-lashing.  Dutton, who has long advocated for better protections for children online, didn’t hold back in his criticism of social media companies. “I’ve spent a lot of time over the years working on trying to protect, in particular, girls online,” he said. “Sharing your body images and those images that ultimately stay on the internet forever, or, you know, sexual abuse of kids and those images. Somebody who’s been abused feels that they’ve been re-abused every time that image is being shared. “Trying to get these companies to remove those images and take them down has been a bloody nightmare,” Dutton said. Sandilands, who has also been outspoken on the dangers of social media, chipped in too.   “If I w

  Communications Minister Michelle Rowland and Claire Stuchbery, Executive Director of the Local & Independent News Association (LINA) are among the first guests on new podcast - Pillar to Post - hosted by Community Broadcasting Association of Australia’s Political Reporter Noah Secomb.  The first episode revolves around Australia's News Media Bargaining Code, so what better guests than the Comms Minister, Ms Stutchbery and two regional newspaper executives, Lee O’Connor, owner and editor of the Coonamble Times and Mark Phillips, publisher and editor of the Brunswick Voice.  “We are proud to launch From Pillar to Post,” said Secomb, “a new podcast designed to take real issues to and from the people shaping them: listeners, politicians and community media practitioners.” Hosted by CBAA , each 15-minute episode offers a fresh, accessible space for socially and politically curious Australians aged 18–30 to explore the stories that impact our communities,” Sec

Collective Artists Network has launched ‘Collective Media Network’, aiming to create and distribute original content across platforms while engaging with pop culture trends. The new media division, according to Social Samosa, integrates platforms like Terribly Tiny Tales, Under 25, Big Bang Social, and Galleri5, offering storytelling, youth engagement, and creator-led formats such as digital IPs and live shows. Recent projects include Rashmika & Ru with TTT and Marathi Minded featuring Neel Salekar, signalling a focus on regional and genre-specific narratives. “In today’s world, new media is about owning eyeballs… We intend to become the media network that defines attention,” said Vijay Subramaniam, founder and group CEO. The network has also introduced AI-powered creators Kavya Mehra and Radhika Subramaniam and appointed Sudeep Lahiri as head of channels and distribution.