

Background Briefing
ABC listen
Background Briefing tells true stories not everyone will want you to hear. We infuse investigative reporting with captivating drama, following the thread of an individual story only to find that it leads us to something bigger. It's the only podcast in Australia that does this week in, week out.
Hosted by Thomas Oriti.
We want to hear from you too. If you have a tip-off, please contact us at backgroundbriefing[at]abc.net.au
Hosted by Thomas Oriti.
We want to hear from you too. If you have a tip-off, please contact us at backgroundbriefing[at]abc.net.au
Episodes
Mentioned books

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.  

Apr 4, 2025 • 21min
Long Read | The church’s disappearing women
 Three decades after the first ordinations of women to the Anglican priesthood, women are still struggling to reach leadership — and now the congregation is changing too. 

Mar 13, 2025 • 41min
05 The Invisible Killer | Did police miss a murder?
 A court found that Garry Davis injected three victims with lethal doses of insulin during a 48 hour period. But what if there was another victim? Is it possible police failed to collect crucial evidence to prove someone else had also been killed? 


