Truth, Lies and Media

Sally Gibson was a young self described ‘politics nut’ and writer for ‘The Age’ who had watched in horror as her hero Labor PM Gough Whitlam had been sacked. 

But women weren’t selected to cover the big politics stories back in the day. 

In fact when she’d applied for a journalism cadetship she was told no .. because her husband ‘would want dinner on the table by 6pm.’

Then one day the phone at her desk rang. 

It was a call that would dramatically pitch her into the lives of all the larger than life players from Nov 11 1975 and sweep her up in a landmark TV docu-drama called “The Dismissal.’

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Where were you 50 years ago when Australian democracy appeared to be on the verge of tearing itself apart over the sacking of the messianic Labor PM Gough Whitlam?

Denis Muller was working as federal parliamentary sub editor at the Sydney Morning Herald and describes that newsroom on Remembrance Day 1974 as a political tidal wave hit.

Plus .. Donald Trump rolls out his tried and true business model - confecting outrage and then extorting money from the media - this time he wants $1b from the BBC for a misleading edit .. 

And we remember the glitter, the pomposity, the devotees and the scandals that characterised of the life of Sydney talkback radio star John Laws who has died at the age of 90.

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Another fairytale Melbourne Cup story goes down in history .. but who shines a light on the shameful way many of the thoroughbred champions are treated? 

And .. first there was Robodebt - now the Australian Tax Office is using an aggressive private debt collector to hunt taxpayers including welfare recipients - while billionaire media propagandist Rupert Murdoch pays no tax.

Is salacious gossip “news?” We look at the Victorian Liberal MP and his wife who are suing the Herald Sun in the first test of new privacy laws .. 

And ABC staff who struggle to get a pay rise unimpressed as Aunty pays $836,000 to the former executive who illegally sacked Antoinette Lattouf - for just 8 months work. 

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Silencing the truthtellers .. A furore ignites after the National Press Club cancels a pro Palestinian commentator and then falsely denies he was ever booked ..

The ABCs David Marr then interviews the Pulitzer Prize winning war correspondent .. but it too turns into an attack.

Why such rage triggered by the celebrated Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Chris Hedges whose sin was apparently to observe that the Western media had been amplifying Israel's lies over the killing in Gaza.

Plus .. 

Google AI falsely names a Sydney Morning Herald employee as a child killer.. we discuss the chilling danger of replacing journalists with artificial intelligence.

Also .. Lying for votes - new research reveals politicians and political parties were the key drivers of misinformation during the 2025 federal election .. 

And ex ABC Chair Ita Buttrose is doing a media blitz to sell her new book .. but is also wiping her hands of any blame for the multi million dollar debacle that started with the illegal sacking of journalist Antoinette Lattouf to placate an aggressive pro Israel lobby.

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In front of a world audience Anthony Albanese charms the irascible, unpredictable, self-aggrandising President of the United States, inking a lucrative rare earths deal for Australia and artfully defusing a petty insult thrown at ambassador Kevin Rudd - who once called Trump the "village idiot".

The Age describes the landmark meeting as "a raging success" but News Corp drags out its haters to run LNP talking points and to claim Rudd was "lashed" and "humiliated"

Mind you, this is the same discredited hard right News Corp who, courtesy of The Australian

newspaper, eagerly agreed to curbs on reporting issued by Pentagon control freaks that effectively criminalised journalism - before an embarrassing backflip.

In the UK we take a critical look at the BBC edict ordering journalists not to wear "Black Lives Matter" t-shirts in the newsroom ..

And fifty years after their murder by Indonesian special forces, we honour the memory of the Balibo Five - the newsmen who died attempting to report on the brutal and bloody invasion of East Timor.

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The attempted global rebrand of Donald Trump from dictatorial tyrant to world peacemaker is in full swing .. but will the media fall for it?

The backdrop of the Egypt peace summit, lavish orchestral music and freed hostages is not convincing everybody as innocent Americans continue to be rounded up violently by masked ICE enforcers and Trumps corrupt business deals come under scrutiny.

Plus the new ABC MD reveals the national broadcasters failed court fight with illegally sacked broadcaster Antoinette Lattouf has so far cost the taxpayer two and a half million dollars .. Hugh Marks told Senate Estimates the debacle had been “totally avoidable”

And News Corps endless harassment of Brittany Higgins ratchets up again.

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A Special Live Event with ABC Friends Inner Melbourne.

Moderated by Dr Jennifer Bowen, Nicole and Denis discuss the making of this podcast, and answer questions about the state of the media in Australia and the world.

Recorded on October 7, 2025, at the "Meet the Podcasters" event.

Many thanks to everyone involved for a fantastic night!

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Using the violent language of Mussolini, Trump and his Secretary of War Pete Hegseth tell 800 generals and admirals that they will be expected to wage war in Democrat cities against American citizens they are sworn to protect claiming there is "an enemy within."

The American media immediately went "red alert" at the unprecedented threat from a President to the people .. 

Why did the Australian media focus on Hegseth's "fat generals" slur and

"woke bashing?"

Plus Oscar winning actor Jane Fonda reactivates the Hollywood free speech activist group her father started to combat the rise of McCarthyism warning Donald Trump there's a fight coming ..

And Rupert Murdoch's News Australia pays no tax but carries on demonising welfare recipients for expecting an "age of entitlement."

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A speeding stolen car, an injured pedestrian and terrified onlookers puts Bourke Street in the headlines again, in a chilling reminder of the deadly 2017 rampage. But when crime is retraumatising a city, why is the media response endless "lock em up and throw away the key" stories?

Plus the end of an era with the Channel Seven media baron Kerry Stokes to retire after a $400m Seven West merger deal with Australia's biggest radio owner Southern Cross Media.  

Another ominous legal settlement for Donald Trump who'll get $24m from YouTube which suspended his account in the wake of the Jan 6 riot - an extortion shakedown in plain sight says Dr Denis Muller.

And Sky News which lectures the ABC and other media on journalistic integrity dumps the TV show that put an Islamophobic bigot live to air wearing rashers of bacon on his shoulders to protect him from "terrorists".

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The public backlash at the sacking of American late night host Jimmy Kimmel to appease Donald Trump becomes a hurricane .. and the Disney-owned ABC backflips as it hemorrhages money and subscribers.  

Denis Muller says we are watching before our eyes the decay of the American democracy as its tyrannical leader terrorises major media outlets who broadcast or publish political critiques. 

Plus the Australian ABC reporter who made global headlines just by asking a legitimate question of the US President, prompting a classic tantrum and flurry of threats. 

Also .. Lachlan Murdoch tipped to buy into Tik Tok grabbing a major global social media platform in which to spread his dangerous hard right messaging. At the same time a signature Murdoch show on Sky News - which repeatedly lectures the ABC on morality - broadcasts an Islam-hating bigot wearing bacon rashers on his shoulders he says will protect him from "terrorists."

And wake up Canberra press gallery! There are more important stories than fevered reporting on every second that Anthony Albanese did not meet the orange wrecking ball.

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