All podcast episodes

Podcast

Misinformation and disinformation in online media

Dr Jay Daniel Thompson from RMIT joins Charlie and Rachel to discuss the government's proposed digital/online misinformation bill. Together they look at the issues in the language of the proposal and how mis-…

Podcast

Privacy, defamation and protection in the law

This week on Spin Cycle Jess and Charlie talk to Professor Rick Sarre about the recent change in Queensland law that allows the naming of the accused when they are charged in sexual…

Podcast

How does power interfere with the transfer of information?

Jess flies solo this week on Spin Cycle and is joined by Daany Saeed, media reporter for Crikey News. Together they discuss the ABC's potential disclosure of footage collected in confidence, the leaking…

Podcast

How did the media perform on the Voice referendum?

Charlie is joined by returning guest host Rachel Withers of The Monthly. Together they talk to the Centre for Advancing Journalism's media ethics expert and Senior Research Fellow, Dr Denis Muller. 

They discuss…

Podcast

Context and the media

Jess and Rachel are joined by Peter Lewis of Essential Media to talk about polling, given its prominence in the lead up to the Voice to Parliament referendum. What's the process how do…

Podcast

How gambling advertising is affecting Australia's youth

Rachel Withers and Jess Lilley are joined by Natasha May, Health reporter for The Guardian Australia, to discuss a special report into the rise in youth gambling - the team ask whether parents…

Podcast

Investigating Mike Pezzullo with Nick McKenzie

Award winning Investigative journalist Nick Mckenzie (The Age) joins Jess, Charlie and Rachel Withers, to discuss a groundbreaking investigation to former Home Affairs secretary Mike Pezzullo.

The team also discuss the resignations of…

Podcast

First Nations Stories for Spring, Russell Brand Allegations and ScoMo's Book

A note that this episode contains discussion of sexual assault. If you or anyone requires support, you can call the National Sexual Assault, Family and Domestic Violence Counselling line on 1800 737 732

Podcast

The media and The Voice

Charlie and Jess are joined by host of The Mission, Daniel James and contributing editor for The Monthly, Rachel Withers. Together they discuss the media's focus on negativity, outrage headlines and disinformation in…

Podcast

Trans representation in the Australian media

The Spin Cycle team are joined by writer, critic and activist Natalie Feliks to discuss the anti-trans angle of 7 News' Spotlight on de-transitioning. They also talk more broadly about trans representation in…

Podcast

Radiothon 2023

What's Radiothon you ask?  It's the time of the year that we ask you, the listeners of Spin Cycle, to help donate and support Triple R - the radio station that helps power…

Podcast

Boomers v Millennials

This week on Spin Cycle, Jess & Rachel are joined by Xavier George, recent guest on Insight for their “Boomers vs Millennials” episode - which tackled all things generational divide. 

Plus the team…

Podcast

Rupert Murdoch's Early Years

Charlie Lewis flies solo this week while Jess Lilley is on break.

Author and journalist Walter Marsh joins the show to talk about his new book Young Rupert - chronicling the power and…

Podcast

Supporting Youth Journalism

High school student journalists Aidan Sinclair and Saskia De Leeuw Kyle join Jess and Charlie to discuss the YMCA Victorian Youth Parliament and its Youth Press Gallery program. They consider whether the environment…

Podcast

Is arts journalism still valued in the media?

As Barbenheimer floods cinema screens this week, the Spin Cycle team takes a look at arts and culture journalism in Australia. 
Jess and Charlie are joined by Brodie Landcaster, author and freelance cultural…

Podcast

From Real Estate To Whistleblowing

Charlie Lewis is away this week. Jess captains the good ship Spin Cycle with special guest co-hosts Rachel Withers (Contributing editor at The Monthly) and Esther Anatolitis (Editor of Meanjin).

They chat to…

Podcast

Diving deep into teal

Rachel Withers joins Jess and Charlie in the studio to discuss her recent piece for The Monthly. What does it mean to be a 'Teal Independent', and what do they tell us about…

Podcast

Gambling and the media

Associate professor of public health and preventative medicine, Charles Livingstone, joins Jess and Charlie to talk about the media and gambling. They discuss the politics, research, and recommendations, and ask the question

Podcast

Understanding trauma experience and response in journalism

Jess and Charlie's guest is Kimina Lyall, Deputy CEO of Dart Centre Asia Pacific, a clinical psychologist and a former journalist. She talks to the team about trauma literacy in the Australian media…

Podcast

The Many Lives of MP Warren Entsch

Jess is joined by senior reporter for The Australian, Sarah Elks, to discuss Sarah's jaw dropping series of investigative reports into long-time QLD MP, Warren Entsch. From spiriting a billionaire to Thursday Island…

Podcast

Counter-journalism and Trials By Media

Media ethics expert and long-time journalist, Denis Muller returns to Spin Cycle to join Charlie for a discussion on the past week's news. What does the ABC's redundancy of Andrew Probyn and his…

Podcast

An Inside Look at Pentecostalism in Australia

Jess and Charlie are joined by journalist Marc Fennell for a discussion about the making of his new SBS documentary The Kingdom, his personal history with the church, and the changing face…

Podcast

Australians Newspaper Empires & The Ben Roberts-Smith Verdict

Academic and Author Sally Young joins Jess and Charlie to discuss Australia's media mogul history and her new book, Media Monsters: The Transformation of Australia's Newspaper Empires. The team also cover this…

Podcast

The media and Stan Grant

After Stan Grant's departure from the ABC, hosts Jess and Charlie discuss how various corners of the media responded, and the broader lack of inclusion and support of Indigenous voices in the Australian…

Podcast

Are we entering a new age of radicalisation?

Award-winning author of The Trauma Cleaner, Sarah Krasnostein, Joins the Spin Cycle team for a chat through her latest piece for the Monthly - exploring the media response to 2022 Train family murders…

Podcast

The value of foreign correspondents

Najma Sambul returns to Spin Cycle this week. Jess and Najma reviewed the recent episode of Foreign Conversation, Surviving in Somalia, as an example of the vital reporting foreign correspondents do. They also…

Podcast

The reality of living on Jobseeker

Jess flies solo this week with Charlie on holidays for the next fortnight.

First up, Crikey associate editor, Cam Wilson gets on the line to discuss his recent reporting into how both the…

Podcast

Can the media be trusted to cover the Referendum on the Voice?

Ben Abbatangelo, writer for The Saturday Paper and The Guardian, joins Jess and Charlie to discuss his debut piece for Indigenous X, covering Peter Dutton's comments on Indigenous issues, Jacinta Price and the…

Podcast

The goss on political gossip with Kishor Napier-Raman

Charlie Lewis is joined by guest-host Rachel Withers (The Monthly) covering for Jess Lilley.  They're joined by special guest Kishor Napier-Raman, CBD columnist for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age who covers…

Podcast

Australia's First Nations reporting - what are we doing and is it enough?

Rachel Withers is Jess Lilley’s guest host this week on Spin Cycle. Together they explore policies and politicians after the recent NSW election, and the associated media coverage. They are also joined by…

Podcast

How should the media report on online Incel culture?

Joshua Thorburn, criminology PhD student at Monash Uni, joins Jess and Charlie to discuss the ideologies of incels and femcels, and common misconceptions about this group due to coverage in the media. Jess…

Podcast

What's our basis for trust in public broadcasters?

Denis Muller, media editor, research consultant and specialist on media ethics and accountability, talks to Jess and Charlie about the role of public broadcasters in light of recent BBC controversy, and how the…

Podcast

Uncovering anti-trans rhetoric in the media

Jackie Turner, the Director of the Trans Justice Project, joins the team to chat about how to identify anti-trans misinformation and become more media-literate to anti-trans rhetoric popping up in reporting, both of…

Podcast

Music Writer Ben Madden on Bluesfest's PR misadventures

Melbourne music writer & Journalist, Ben Madden joins Jess Lilley.  They unpack his piece for Junkee on Bluesfest's rocky PR misadventures since announcing,and then eventually removing, sydney-based rock band Sticky Fingers from their…

Podcast

Are Australians invested in keeping up with Finance?

Jess and Charlie chat with Alan Kohler, long time financial analyst for the ABC and all-round Finance journalist across a number of Australian publications, including The Financial Review, Sydney Morning Herald and The…

Podcast

James Oaten on Japan's new war footing, and what it is to be a Foreign Correspondent

After more than 60 years of constitutionally mandated pacificism, Japan is embarking on its biggest military spend since the second world war. The Spin Cycle crew is joined by the ABC's North Asia…

Podcast

How is Australian Media Approaching Youth Engagement?

In this week's episode, Jess and Charlie talk to Matilda Boseley (she/her), a Melbourne-based reporter for The Guardian. Together they explore the different attempts to entice Australian youth into the news cycle via…

Podcast

Louise Milligan on Religion, Media & Power

In Spin Cycle's return for 2023, Jess and Charlie speak to 4 Corners investigative reporter, Louise Milligan about her report on Opus Dei's influence in the NSW education system. Plus we discuss the…

Podcast

This Year In News

Happy news year! Jess and Charlie wrap up the biggest media stories of 2022 just in times for Christmas. They chat to Najma, discuss some more recent stories and all of the wonderful…

Podcast

Junkee's journey

This week, Spin Cycle's producer Adam joins Jess and Charlie in the studio to discuss a meaty GQ profile on the Liver King, which they find equal parts illuminating and silly. Jess and…