Spin Cycle

Investigative journalist and documentary photographer, Ben Camacho, joins Charlie and guest host Natalie Feliks on this week’s episode of Spin Cycle. Together they discuss the violent treatment of journalists in the LA protests of ICE, and in particular, whether or not it is intentional. They ask what the consequences of silencing the media are, and what the end of programs like Q+A and The Project mean about how Australia’s media consumption is shifting.

Friend of Spin Cycle, Natalie Feliks joins Charlie on the show to talk about the Australian media’s coverage of climate policy, in light of the extension of Woodside’s North Shelf gas project in WA.

Together they also take a look at the media training of political candidates, including revisiting some classic “gotcha” moments.

Antoun Issa joins Jess and Charlie to discuss the launch of he and cofounder Alex McKinnon’s online news platform Deepcut. They talk about slow cultural change, media as historical recording, and funding for new media.

Jess and Charlie also talk about the week in news, in particular the inquest into the Bondi Junction stabbings and the media’s role in the families’ trauma.

Long time political analyst Anthony Green, joins Jess, Rachel and Charlie to talk about Labor's landslide victory and other facets of the recent election. He also shares insights into how the election process has changed over the years.

The team also reviews the week in other news, including ongoing backlash against people outspoken in support of Palestine.

In this week's Spin Cycle, Jess and Rachel discuss the media's coverage of Susan Ley's appointment to head of the LNP - is it genuine analysis or does it involve internalised misogyny?

They are also joined by Josh Bornstein, in a conversation about where lines are drawn where employees hold different political views to their employers.

Daniel James of the 7am podcast and RRR's The Mission talks to Jess and Rachel about election night. What was it like at the ALP's function, and what has the media coverage been like in the wake?

Together they also talk about other news of the week, namely the beginning of the mushroom murder trials.

Journalist Crystal Andrews, founder of Zee Feed, and readers’ editor at Crikey, talks to Jess and Rachel on the place of new media in the 2025 election. Jess and Rachel also look at the demise of Amelia Hamer over the past few weeks of the election.

Jess flies solo and, in this episode, is joined by senior writer at Good Weekend, Tim Elliot, to delve into his investigation of “grassroots” campaign group Advance Australia. They discuss its ideological origins, and its connection to the fossil fuel industry, and the ATLAS network.Jess also talks about the decline of ARN’s CADA, including their recent addition of an AI breakfast show host.

Jess and Charlie are joined by Hannah McElhinney, co-creator of Rainbow History Class, to discuss the major parties’ social media content creation for the upcoming election. They also discuss Crikey’s political candidate, and Peter Dutton’s turbulent week on the trail.

Jess and Charlie welcome Isabelle Roe, one of the ABC journalists on the campaign trail this election. What is it like, and what can she tell us about the inner workings of Peter Dutton’s campaign.

Jess and Charlie also discuss more of the “meh” election, including the recent debates hosted by Sky and Channel 7, and the Liberal campaign ad made with AI.