All podcast episodes

Podcast

Social media access for under 16s like Maggie Perry

Speaking in the final hours before the social media ban legislation was passed through the Senate on Thursday night, Spin Cycle co-hosts Natalie Feliks, Jess Lilley, Rachel Withers and Charlie Lewis speak to…

Podcast

David Leser on Alan Jones

Hosts Charlie, Jess and Rachel are joined by award-winning journalist David Leser, whose 1998 piece Who's Afraid of Alan Jones has come to light again following the arrest of former shock jock Alan…

Podcast

Albanese's national social media ban and Don Watson discusses the next 4 years with Trump 2.0

Jess and Rachel are joined by guest co-host Natalie Feliks. Together they unpack the government's plans to ban young people from social media.

Author, screenwriter and former political advisor Don Watson joins the…

Podcast

The National Anti-Corruption Commission & Robodebt

Rachel Withers is joined by guest co-host Daniel James to speak with Professor William Parlett on his recent article for The Conversation exposing the the National Anti-Corruption Commission's failure to investigate the Robodebt…

Podcast

Robodebt historian Rick Morton

Rick Morton joins Jess, Rachel and Charlie to discuss his new book Mean Streak, a "corporate thriller" that uncovers the horror of Robodebt. Rick gets into how it happened, where it all…

Podcast

Analysing the analysis of the US presidential debate

Dr Prudence Flowers joins Charlie and Rachel to delve into the American presidential debate. Together they explore the various interpretations of who came out on top, and ask whether presidential debates still have…

Podcast

Censorship and the arts

Jess and Rachel are joined by writer Jinghua Qian to discuss the effect Israel's war on Palestine is having on freedom of speech in the arts locally. From the State Library of Victoria…

Podcast

Ben Abbatangelo explains the NT Election

Jess, Charlie and guest host Natalie Feliks discuss the recent lacklustre in the media of political commentary, particularly at the ABC. The team are then joined by Ben Abbatangelo to discuss the recent…

Podcast

Radiothon 2024 & Watching the Media with Paul Barry

It's Radiothon week! And who's better than one of Australia's most well-respected investigative journalists, Paul Barry - the host of ABC's MediaWatch, to express the need and importance for community radio.

The team…

Podcast

Four Corners investigates Channel 7

Louise Milligan joins Jess, Rachel and Charlie to share some insights into the recent Four Corners investigation into Channel 7's workplace culture.


The team also discusses some recent news involving Algerian boxer Imane…

Podcast

How TERFS crashed the Olympics

Jess, Rachel and Charlie are joined by writer, Natalie Feliks, to talk about the misinformation campaign online and in the media around Algerian Olympic boxer, Imane Khelif. They also turn their attention to…

Podcast

Striking journos and Instagram Ballerinas

This week, Jess and Rachel chat to former editor of the 7AM podcast, Scott Mitchell, about the industrial action that hit 9 Papers just as they were gearing up to cover the Paris…

Podcast

Trump 2.0 and Project 2025

Charlie and Jess are joined by Amy Donaldson, producer of ABC’s Four Corners, to discuss the first part of Retribution, a two-part series exploring what a second Trump presidency might look like…

Podcast

On the Anti-Semitism Envoy & the Senator Supporting Palestine

With a full house (Jess, Rachel, Charlie, and Najma!), Spin Cycle greets two guests to discuss the latest in the Australian news media. Jewish Council of Australia Executive Officer, Sarah Schwartz, describes the…

Podcast

Reflecting On Thirty-Three Years Of Broadcasting With Phillip Adams

Charlie is back from Europe and joins Jess and Rachel in conversation with Phillip Adams. Fresh from finishing his run as host of 33-years to the ABC's Late Night Live, Phillip weighs in…

Podcast

Victories and Villains

Annika Blau joins Jess, Rachel and Esther to comment on the reality of reality TV, in particular the making of the “villain edit”. Annika goes more into depth on Australia’s "most hated" reality…

Podcast

Overland's 70 & Nuclear Woes!

Jess and Rachel are joined this week by Evelyn Araluen, Co-Editor In Chief of Overland. They discuss the extreme narratives at the ends of public culture, the need for independent media, and celebrating…

Podcast

Peter Costello and the problem with media men

Returning guest Denis Muller joins Jess, Rachel and Esther to discuss the power structures, authoritarianism and open secrets at 9 media. The team also discuss the resignation of Media Watch's Paul Barry, and…

Podcast

Biases in Australian financial reporting

Data specialist Kristen Moeller-Saxone joins Jess, Rachel and Esther to explore the study into the reporting of finance in the media over the last three decades, as well as the use of AI…

Podcast

Laura Tingle vs the media?

Daanyal Saeed joins Jess, Rachel and Esther to discuss the outrage over Laura Tingle's comments at the Sydney Writers' Festival. Why is it that the media so often takes commentary out of context?

Podcast

What it means to be Jewish in the midst of Israel's war on Gaza

Independent Journalist, author of the Palestine Laboratory & co-founder of Declassified Australia, Antony Loewenstein, joins Jess and Rachel to discuss zionism, anti-semitism, and the fight against fascism, after the exploration of these topics…

Podcast

The Quinoa Curtain

Emma Buckley Lennox fills in for the Spin Cycle crew this week and is joined by Professor Somwrita Sarkar from the University of Sydney to discuss her research into spatial segregation and neighbourhood…

Podcast

Class & socio-political diversity in the media

This week on Spin Cycle, Jess and Rachel are joined by Walkley Award-winning Journalist from UTS Helen Vatsikopulos. They talk with her about the current environment for studying journalism and the challenges of…

Podcast

It's all 'About Time' with Joseph Friedman

Joseph Friedman joins the Spin Cycle team to introduce 'About Time', a new publication created for, and largely by, incarcerated people in Australia. They dive into the intended content, similar existing publications, and…

Podcast

Unpacking An Omnishambles with Dr Rachael Burgin

In light of the verdict on Bruce Lehrmann's defamation case against Channel 10, the Spin Cycle team are joined by Dr Rachael Burgin, senior lecturer at Swinburne University and CEO of Rape and…

Podcast

Shit Rentals' Jordie Van Der Berg opens up about empty houses

Advocate for the right to housing, Jordan van den Berg, aka Purple Pingers, joins Jess and Rachel to talk about how the media have responded to his recent campaign to create a database…

Podcast

Sara M Saleh on Palestine as Liberatory Praxis

Human rights lawyer and author, Sarah M Saleh joins the team to discuss her recent piece in Meanjin's Autumn issue. Together they examine censorship and limits on free speech evident in recent artistic…

Podcast

Are news rooms equiped to handle complex mental health issues of their staff?

Jess is joined by Rachel Withers editor in chief of the politics to speak to investigative journalist Jarni Blakkarly who asks the question "are news rooms equiped for mental health of staff?" also…

Podcast

Spin Cycle - 21 March 2024

An episode of Spin Cycle from 21st March 2024.

Podcast

Looking back to understand the present in news media

Journalist and writer Jonathan Green joins Charlie and Rachel to unpack his new piece for The Monthly Whose ABC?, which applies a historical context to understand the current state of affairs and…

Podcast

Spin Cycle - 29 February 2024

An episode of Spin Cycle from 29th February 2024.

Podcast

What kind of journalism do we need in Australia's Future?

Tito Ambyo, writer, researcher, producer, and RMIT journalism lecturer, joins Jess and Charlie on this week's Spin Cycle. 

He shares his thoughts on the practice of journalism and its future. What does it…

Podcast

What should be reported in the public interest?

This week, Jess is joined by Prof. Peter Greste from Alliance for Journalists' Freedom. Together they discuss his own experience with the law and press freedom in Eygpt and how Australia treats freedom…

Podcast

How counter-terrorism cops allegedly radicalised a 13 year old autistic youth

The Guardian's Justice and Courts Reporter Nino Bucci, joins the Spin Cycle team to talk about his wild reporting into court findings that an undercover operation by counter-terrorism cops in the AFP may…

Podcast

What's in store for '24?

Jess, Charlie and Rachel return for the first episode of Spin Cycle in 2024! They kick off a mammoth week in the news media with a detailed look at Antoinette Lattouf's claim of…

Podcast

The year 2023 in media

In the final episode of Soin Cycle for the year, Jess, Charlie and Rachel revisit the highlights of the Australian media in 2023. They also wrap up the media stories of the past…

Podcast

Why can’t our news media grasp complexity?

Jess and Rachel are joined by Crikey media reporter Daany Saeed to discuss laws in relation to indefinite detention, illegal migration and how the media sensationalises fragments of full stories to create catchy…

Podcast

Defamation, power and bias

Media and human rights law specialist Michael Bradley talks to Charlie and Rachel about the changes in the public and media’s approach to defamation in recent years, with a particular focus on the…

Podcast

Investigations into gun laws in Australia

Charlie and Jess are joined by returning co-host, Meanjin editor Esther Anatolitis. Together they talk to Sarah Elks, senior reporter for The Australian in Brisbane, about her recent investigative series on gun laws…

Podcast

Will laws around whistleblowing ever change?

Eddie Lloyd is a criminal lawyer and close friend to former Australian Defence Force (ADF) lawyer David McBride. She's been attending and closely following McBride's trial for leaking secret information to journalists about…