
Background Briefing
Background Briefing brings you true stories not everyone will want you to hear.
Latest episodes

Jun 13, 2025 • 19min
Long Read | The hunt for the next pandemic is on our shores
This week, reporter Catherine Taylor investigates a new strain of avian flu virus that's running rampant across Europe, Asia, South America and the US. How long can we keep it from reaching us?

Jun 6, 2025 • 25min
Long Read | Can Wikipedia survive the rise of AI and Trump?
Rhiannon Stevens, a Features reporter at the ABC, dives into the precarious future of Wikipedia. She discusses how AI technologies threaten the platform’s integrity and the impact of political dynamics, particularly under Trump's influence. The conversation highlights the fight against misinformation and the crucial role of individual contributors in maintaining the site's reliability. Stevens paints a vivid picture of Wikipedia at a crucial crossroads, raising essential questions about truth in the digital age.

May 30, 2025 • 21min
Long Read | Australia: burnout capital, or how to get a career break right
This week, Annie Louey discovers what happens when your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing means your career is no longer worth the money.

May 24, 2025 • 37min
05 Agents of Influence | The letters journalists fear
There’s something shaping what appears in your newsfeed that you might not be aware of. Reporter Gina McKeon investigates.

May 16, 2025 • 37min
04 Agents of Influence | The powerbroker unseated by ‘traitors’
This week, reporter Annika Blau gets the inside story of a union powerbroker’s rise, and the people who risked it all to stop her

May 9, 2025 • 42min
03 Agents of Influence | The man whose name is all over Sydney
Take a stroll around Sydney and you'll find his name on many venerated buildings. But this man, a 101-year-old billionaire, has also created machines that risk ruining their users' lives.

May 2, 2025 • 42min
02 Agents of Influence | The Billionaire's New Sport
A former oil tycoon has just bought the streaming rights to Australia’s great homegrown sports, the AFL and NRL. This week, reporter Marty Smiley investigates one of the richest men in the world - who is Len Blavatnik?

10 snips
Apr 17, 2025 • 36min
01 Agents of Influence | The PM's secret strategists
Tynan King, a savvy reporter, dives into the world of online content creators and their surprising influence on Australian politics. She reveals how millennial influencers are shifting political engagement from traditional media to social platforms, resonating with younger voters. King highlights strategic moves in political campaigns, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and undisclosed relationships between politicians and content creators. Additionally, she examines ethical concerns surrounding media companies and their role in shaping political narratives.

Apr 16, 2025 • 37sec
Introducing... Agents of Influence
They're not household names. But they wield serious power under the radar.

Apr 11, 2025 • 22min
Long Read | How deepfakes, nudes and teen misogyny have changed growing up
This week, Bri Lee investigates tech-assisted gendered abuse by schoolboys against their peers and teachers.