Flotilla activist abuse coverage, BTS at Sydney Writers Festival + is James the 'good Murdoch'?
26/05/2026 | 1h 8 mins.
In this episode, Jan and Antoinette explore why flotilla activists trying to break Israel’s illegal blockade are finally getting media attention, and look at how one interview took a very bizarre turn. We explain why the largest mining company in the world is suing the small independent outfit Michael West Media and why you’ve probably not seen much about it. Plus we give you an inside look at the Sydney Writers Festival and examine the latest Murdoch media purchase by the apparently “good” Murdoch brother, James. Antoinette gives her yes to a premium niche Aussie newspaper making a return to print, while Jan appreciates writers’ festivals showing more bravery.
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ONLY FRAN: Pauline Hanson’s gas grift (plus her other grifts too)
22/05/2026 | 19 mins.
This week One Nation’s Pauline Hanson released a policy that will see more gas industry’s money flow to the public purse. It sounded… legit. And that’s got Jan Fran worried.
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Ash Sarkar on how to scale independent media and have real impact
19/05/2026 | 43 mins.
Novara Media's Ash Sarkar knows a thing or two about starting (and growing!) an independent media company. In this special episode, the British journalist and author sits down with Antoinette Lattouf for a conversation about independent media, political journalism and the danger of "audience capture". They unpack the rise of indie media in the UK, failures of the BBC, “objectivity” in journalism, and whether mainstream media can still hold power to account. Plus: Ash’s defamation win and the pressures facing independent outlets in the age of AI.
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Follow Ash Sarkar on Instagram. Buy her book Minority Rule. Shout out to Triple R 102.7FM, Melbourne Independent Radio for hosting us in their studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Responding to the comments section
12/05/2026 | 37 mins.
In this episode Jan and Antoinette respond directly to feedback from the Etterati.
We answer questions about the language used to describe certain “regimes,” balance in journalism, why we talk about Gaza and whether we laugh too much about dark subject matters. Plus: what happens when journalists we’ve scrutinised reach out directly? As a media platform built on critiquing journalism and power, we ask how should we handle criticism of our own work? This is a candid conversation about accountability, truth and what drives us to do the work we do.
Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here. Antoinette’s book Women Who Win is here. If you want to see our mugs as we yap you can watch the episode in full here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
ONLY FRAN: Influencers v journalists: same same but different this budget lock up
08/05/2026 | 17 mins.
This week, Jan Fran examines the Albanese government’s attempt to sell its federal budget like a brand campaign — inviting influencers to pitch for access to the budget lock-up alongside journalists. It’s also an exploration of the line between “newsfluencers” and journalists, and what that means for political media in Australia.
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We used to be journalists, but now we mostly just bitch about them. (Kidding. Kind of.) We also break down broken news.Episodes drop Wednesday and Saturday.Hosted by long-suffering journalists and even longer-suffering friends Jan Fran and Antoinette Lattouf, We Used to Be Journos pulls apart the week in media from people who know exactly how the machine runs because they worked inside it for decades.Every Wednesday, the pair sift through the headlines you saw and the forces you did not. Expect blunt media analysis, zooming in on dodgy editorial calls, anonymous sources doing gymnastics, and the occasional whiff of bigotry dressed up as balance. Consider it a guided tour of the newsroom sausage factory so you know what ended up on your plate.On Saturdays, the spin-off segment Only Jan hands the microphone to Walkley Award winner Jan Fran. One issue, one sharp monologue, foresincally researched, tightly argued, and, inconveniently for the powerful, quite funny.Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.If you want to see our mugs as we yap you can watch the episode in full here. Thanks to @jaidanielpyne for composing the music for our podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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