It’s election time and the leaders are coming out swinging - but Sky News couldn't quite believe the results of their own debate. 

There's been a media scandal about how much Mamamia’s Mia Freedman pays her son - but are the rumours true? Tim and Viv find out the real data on what women get paid in the Australian media.

Dawn Singleton's family are suing Nine and the SMH for using her image in reports of the Bondi Junction killings. It's a case which could have huge ramifications for the media.

• Guest: Petra Buchanon, Strategic Advisor, Women in Media and Project Lead on WiM’s Industry Insight report 

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has demanded excellence and efficiency from the ABC if he wins the election, while not committing to any specific cuts. To that, ABC Chair Kim WIlliams says “game on”. Tim and Viv parse out what the sparring could all mean for Aunty.

News outlets are trying all sorts of approaches to tackle rising news avoidance, from explainers and TikToks to AI personalisation, we look at what's actually working.

April Fool’s Day media pranks have a long history, but in a media environment rife with misinformation and outlandish headlines, are the jokes still landing?

Guest: 

Professor Monica Attard OAM, Co-Director, Centre For Media Transition, UTS 

What's a journalist to do when they accidentally get added to the US government’s war planning Signal chat? Tim and Viv dissect The Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg's strange scoop and the process of reporting classified information. 

Netflix and Stan turn 10 in Australia as Max enters the market. We look at how the state of streaming has changed viewing habits and homegrown content production. 

Plus, the first gfk radio ratings survey for the year yields interesting results for the ABC’s big lineup changes, and the ALP turns to a bizarre AI cat video to sell its Medicare election message.

Guest: 

Dr Alexa Scarlata, Lecturer in Digital Communication at RMIT University and co-leader of the Streaming Industry and Genres Network. 

Both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton 'faced the women of Australia' on Mamamia's No Filter podcast with Kate Langbroek this week, getting onto Albo's wedding, Dutton's meditation routine, and a sprinkling of policy.

The leaders have been racking up long chats with with the country's biggest podcasters, some with upfront political bias. Tim and Viv look at the strategy and how these appearances might shape the campaign.

The latest Edelman Trust Barometer and MediaNet surveys show trust in the media is at an all-time low. Even journalists are concerned. So how did we get here, and what can be done about it? 

Plus, the tech titans Meta, Google and X are urging Trump to pressure the Australian government to drop its News Bargaining Incentive, and is the Murdoch Royal Commission dead or just dormant?

The Newcastle Herald has apologised for running an inflammatory ad from Clive Palmer's Trumpet of Patriots party. As the election looms, we look at the standards for political ads, who sets them and why they might be slipping.

NewsCorp is making a big push for Tubi, its free ad-supported streaming service - but is its lesser quality content offering likely to take off? 

The story of a Sydney caravan thought to be linked to an anti-semitic terror attack dominated the headlines in January. Now, it turns out to have been a hoax all along, and the media fell for it. What does it say about responsible reporting in volatile times?

Matt Stanton is officially Nine's new CEO, we look at he brings to the role and where he might take the company after some troubled times.

Guest:

Toby Ralph, political campaigns specialist

The AFL's new broadcast deal kicks off this season, with Saturday matches going exclusive on Foxtel and Kayo. We look at anti-siphoning laws and what the deal means for the future of sport on free-to-air TV.

Meta's glitch meant Australians searching for Cyclone Alfred on Facebook were coming up empty. As social media algorithms drop in quality, are we losing an important resource for emergency info? We look at why we still need mainstream media in times of disaster.

Married At First Sight's wall-punching incident attracted a police investigation, controversy... and ratings. Will the networks get serious about participant welfare and change anything about the conditions of making reality TV? Amanda notices The Daily Mail's headlines are going beyond the deep end, and challenges Tim to a game of 'two truths and a lie' with the most egregious examples.

Guest: 

Dr Rebecca Trelease, Senior Lecturer in Communication Studies, Auckland University of Technology and former contestant on The Bachelor New Zealand

The quick exit of comedian Marty Sheargold from his Triple M slot in the wake of the outcry over his offensive comments about the Matildas seems like a turning point in Australian commercial radio standards. Then again, maybe it's just business. 

Former SCA content director Craig Bruce gives some insight into how networks manage their big stars and how Sheargold's exit signals a dying era.

Plus, Tim and Daany dig into the political 'dirt unit’ chasing opposition leader Peter Dutton.

Guest:

Craig Bruce, former host and content director for Southern Cross Austereo, creator of Game Changers Radio: Melbourne Radio Wars

Undercover reporting is one of those practices that challenges public trust with journalists, so when is it justified to deceive to get a story?

The Daily Telegraph's ‘social experiment’ internally referred to as 'Undercover Jew' seemed to be trying to catch a moment of conflict that didn't arise between workers at an Egyptian cafe and a customer wearing Jewish symbols. 

It's led to accusations of manufacturing the news, and raised questions about stings, stunts and hidden truths in journalism. Tim Burrowes and Daanyal Saeed look at when this practice is really necessary and when it causes harm. 

Plus, we take a look at The Guardian's new partnership with OpenAI to supply reporting and archive material to products like ChatGPT.

Guest:

Alex Wake, Associate Professor, School of Media and Communication, RMIT University

ACM, Australian Community Media, has announced that all 65 of its regional newspapers, including the Canberra Times and Newcastle Herald, will be reduced to weekly print runs over the next seven years. Tim and Viv look at the new initiatives springing up to keep local news alive.

And government ad spending is spiking ahead of the election, what can be done about taxpayer money going to potential political spruiking? 

Guest:

Claire Stuchbery, Executive Director, Local and Independent News Association (LINA)

The dismissals of Antoinette Lattouf from the ABC and Peter Lalor from SEN over social media posts on the Israel-Gaza war raise questions about how journalists separate the personal and professional in the modern world. 

Where does opinion end and advocacy begin? Does a perception of bias lead to material bias in a journalist's work? And is it fair to expect journalists to maintain a social media presence without participating in public conversations? Tim and Viv tackle it all with media ethics expert Dr Denis Muller.

Plus, what the launch of WB's Max streaming service will mean for Foxtel subscribers and Aussie content, and checking the accuracy of ABC comedy Optics' skewering of the PR industry. 

Guest:

Dr Denis Muller, senior research fellow at the University of Melbourne's Centre for Advancing Journalism