ABC presenter Alan Kohler withdraws from political event; media funding, Foxtel ads, Rebel Wilson defamation case
Consensus Summary
Alan Kohler, the ABC’s finance presenter, withdrew from a Melbourne event after realizing it was political, linked to the teal movement’s candidate search for the Victorian state election. The event, titled 'Alan Kohler: Home Truths on the Housing Crisis,' was organized by Voices of Jagajaga, which declined to comment but considered postponing it. Kohler admitted to misunderstanding the event’s nature and called it a 'stuff-up,' with the ABC supporting his decision. Meanwhile, Foxtel’s Kayo service faced backlash after ads interrupted live AFL coverage despite its ad-free branding, though the company attributed it to human error and confirmed no future ads during play. In unrelated news, Rebel Wilson accused billionaire Sir Leonard Blavatnik of funding a defamation case against her, alleging his involvement in blocking her film *The Deb*, though Blavatnik denies it and was reportedly not in Australia during the trial. The government’s new media funding scheme, replacing the old bargaining code, will distribute up to $250 million based on journalist headcount, with ABC, News Corp, and Nine expected to receive the bulk of the funds. Nine also announced 20 job cuts in its Sydney news division as part of restructuring efforts.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Alan Kohler, ABC’s nightly finance presenter, pulled out of a ticketed event titled 'Alan Kohler: Home Truths on the Housing Crisis' in Melbourne after realizing it was political in nature
- The event was organized by Voices of Jagajaga, part of the Community Independents Project linked to Australia’s urban teal movement, and aimed to recruit candidates for the Victorian state election in Eltham and Ivanhoe
- Kohler stated 'I thought it was a housing event' and called the appearance 'my stuff-up' after informing the ABC, which agreed with his decision
- Voices of Jagajaga declined to comment but said they were meeting to decide whether to postpone the event
- Kayo, Foxtel’s ad-free sports streaming service, interrupted live AFL coverage with ads during play due to 'human error' during Hawthorn vs. Gold Coast Suns, despite its 'don’t want to miss a thing' ad-free claim
- Foxtel confirmed no plans to introduce ads during live play moving forward
- Rebel Wilson accused billionaire Sir Leonard Blavatnik (Foxtel owner) of funding a defamation case against her and three other lawsuits, claiming his money stems from attempts to block her film *The Deb*
- Blavatnik denies funding the case and was not in Australia during the trial, according to a Foxtel spokesperson
- The government’s new News Media Bargaining Incentive will distribute funds based on the number of journalists employed by media companies, with an estimated $250 million pool
- ABC, News Corp, and Nine are expected to be the biggest beneficiaries, potentially receiving up to $150 million combined, as 60% of Australian journalists work for these three organizations
- Nine’s television news division made 20 jobs redundant in Sydney as part of its 'Future News' investment program, with no on-air talent impacted
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Alan Kohler has worked for the ABC for nearly three decades and was previously editor of *The Age* in the 1990s
- The ABC’s new public comment guidelines classify Kohler as 'very high risk' for conflicts of interest, updated after the Antoinette Lattouf sacking saga
- The event tickets were priced at $35, with a $20 discount for renters
- The article includes a mention of the *Business Briefing* newsletter delivering major stories, exclusive coverage, and expert opinion
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Rebel Wilson claims Blavatnik’s plane was in Sydney last week, but a Foxtel spokesperson stated Blavatnik was not and had not been in Australia
- Wilson has not provided hard evidence that Blavatnik is funding the defamation case, though she shared an email addressed to 'Dearest Len' in 2024 and alleged direct complaints to him
Source Articles
‘My stuff-up’: Alan Kohler pulls out of political event
ABC finance presenter Alan Kohler, arguably Australia’s most experienced business journalist, was an unlikely headline speaker at a ticketed event in Melbourne.
‘My stuff-up’: Alan Kohler pulls out of political event
ABC finance presenter Alan Kohler, arguably Australia’s most experienced business journalist, was an unlikely headline speaker at a ticketed event in Melbourne.