We Used to be Journos

In a lively summer Q&A, the hosts share childhood dinosaur favorites and personal anecdotes. They reflect on their journeys to becoming truth-seekers and discuss media's role in unity amidst division. Insights on media literacy for young people and the uncertain future of mainstream outlets provide thought-provoking commentary. The pressure surrounding Eurovision and the balance of personal activism versus institutional change is explored. They also offer practical tips for dealing with despair and maintaining hope through community and action.

Part one of our summer special is your Q&A therapy session disguised as a podcast. We answer all your burning questions. We talk about twenty years of friendship, juggling being fledgling media moguls with sanity, staying clear-eyed in the chaos and navigating holiday conversations with problematic fam. Tickets to our live shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane can be bought here.Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.Follow The Antony Lowenstein Podcast 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.

Antony Loewenstein, an award-winning journalist and author focused on Israel/Palestine, joins Jan Fran to discuss the Bondi terror attacks. He shares his emotional response and the importance of balancing grief with a critique of political narratives. Antony critiques Israeli leaders for their rapid politicization of events and explains how rising antisemitism connects to mainstream Jewish leadership's actions. He urges against silencing dissenting voices and emphasizes the need for ongoing dialogue and solidarity to combat oppression.

Jan and Antoinette dive deep into the chaotic first 24 hours following the Bondi terror attack. They explore the emotional impacts of distressing footage shared on social media and the rapid spread of misinformation. The hosts critique the media's response, highlighting the dangers of politicizing breaking news and how certain narratives took hold. They also address the importance of ethical reporting, the heroism of individuals during the crisis, and the urgent conversation surrounding gun laws. A thoughtful look at media responsibility in times of tragedy!

As the social media ban kicks off, Jan and Antoinette find themselves disagreeing on its merits. Plus, we take a look at the rage-bait tabloid media machine currently targeting influencer Abbie Chatfield and the hypocrisy powering it all. And as boycott calls grow over Israel’s participation in Eurovision, SBS doubles down on a dud decision. We salute journalists who stay cool while being smacked by studio gear and airborne wildlife, and a poem in an unexpected place leaves us feeling unexpectedly seen.Brisbane live show guest announcements: TV presenter Myf Warhurst and comedian Anisa Nanduala will be joining us! Get tickets to our stage tour.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.

In this episode Jan and Antoinette delve into accusations of racism at the TikTok awards and speak to some big content creators who say this isn’t the first time they’ve felt shunned by the industry. Also, Trump adds media outlets who dare critically report on potentially unlawful strikes in Venezuela to an official White House naughty list. Plus we mark the two year anniversary of an open letter, signed by 300+ Australian journalists, that called for fairer Gaza–Israel coverage. Has anything changed since then? (spoiler: bring a pillow to scream into).A nod goes to Zee Feed, the small newsletter doing some heavy lifting and a confused raised eyebrow goes to The Monthly for comparing outlaws.  Catch us, Claudia Karvan and L-Fresh The Lion at our Sydney live show! Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra can be purchased here.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.

In this episode Jan and Antoinette dig into a family violence story that manages to break (almost) every reporting guideline.Antoinette explains the latest escalation in the Daily Telegraph’s ‘undercover Jew’ mess at Cairo Takeaway restaurant, while Jan canvasses the good, the bad and the weird views of the Sydney Morning Herald.    Plus, the journalist sex-scandal featuring Robert F Kennedy that Jan (shamefully) can’t get enough of and Mariah Carey caught up in X’s MAGA location reveal. Grab your tickets to our live shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra.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.If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic and family violence, you should report it to the police.Support and counselling is available from the following agencies:DVConnect Womensline: 1800 811 811DVConnect Mensline: 1800 600 6361800 RESPECT: 1800 737 73213YARN: 13 92 76 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan and Antoinette dive into the chaos of a fake mosque letter that sparked outrage across multiple media outlets. They reveal how one newspaper mistakenly published a ChatGPT prompt, highlighting the rising influence of AI in journalism. Jan shares her own struggle with a shadowban on Instagram, testing out creative ways to regain visibility. Plus, the hosts discuss serious implications of a human rights complaint against News Corp, emphasizing the need for accountability in media.

In this episode, Jan and Antoinette examine the BBC ‘bias’ scandal that saw its director general and head of news resign. They go through the complaint letter that kicked off the scandal and examine other accusations of bias that haven't gotten nearly as much attention. Plus, as two Leb chicks who grew up in Sydney’s western suburbs in the early 2000s - Jan and Antoinette have memories of John Laws that are very different to the gushing media coverage of his passing.   Also, Antoinette salutes the AFR for sniffing out The West Australian’s suspiciously glowing coverage of one ASX darling, while Jan backs the Italian journalist fired for asking a question about Gaza - and the colleague who asked it again, just louder.Buy tickets to our LIVE SHOWS in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Canberra here. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Jan takes a look at the use of AI in New York’s mayoral race and finds Cuomo’s campaign ads against Zohran Mamdani don’t just bend the truth but snap it completely and add a good dose of racism. This can’t be the future of political advertising…or can it? Also, the Coalition reckons net zero is “too toxic” but Antoinette discovers it’s only toxic to billionaires with an agenda and a media empire.  Plus, news of long running atrocities in Sudan find their way into Western headlines but why now? It’s a Yes: The new magazine that mixes politics, culture and art to achieve a lofty goal and a much-loved indi media company tries to break free of the algorithm. Sudan coverage tips: follow Yousra Elbagir  Sky News UK’s Africa correspondent, Yassmin Abdel-Magied or Sudanese journalist Almigdad Hassan and follow updates from Sudanese Journalists Syndicate.Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here and you’ll get first dibs on tickets for our NATIONAL TOUR BABY!Buy an ‘Etterati: Members Only’ or ‘It’s A No From Me’ tee here.Watch the episode in full here if you want to see our mugs.Thanks to @jaidanielpyne for composing the music for our podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.