Fourth Estate

What can journalists see from outside the centres of power—and what might proximity prevent them from questioning? In the inaugural 2SER Oration, journalist and academic Chris Nash examines the importance of independent journalism through the work of American investigative reporter I.F. Stone. Drawing on Stone’s coverage of the Korean War, Nash explores how publicly available evidence can challenge official narratives—and why consequential stories can still disappear from public understanding. Following the address, Nash joins Fourth Estate host Tina Quinn to discuss editorial independence, media ownership, the corporatisation of universities and the conditions that allow rigorous journalism to flourish. They consider the pressures facing journalists inside major news organisations, the responsibilities of independent outlets, and the role community broadcasting plays in sustaining both emerging reporters and experienced practitioners. Recorded at the University of Technology Sydney on 22 October 2026 as part of 2SER’s Radiothon, The Independent Mind launches an annual forum examining the pressing issues facing journalism, media and public life. Support independent community broadcasting by subscribing or donating at 2ser.com. Want to get in touch? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] or follow us @fourthestateau. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who gets to defend the public’s right to know—and when do they need permission? After ABC journalist and union president Michael Slezak faced possible disciplinary action over an article opposing restrictions on access to company directors’ information, we revisit a conversation about press freedom with award-winning journalist Peter Greste. Originally broadcast in November 2023, Greste joins then Fourth Estate host Anthony Dockrill to examine Australia’s secrecy laws, the vulnerability of journalists and whistleblowers, and the chilling effect of legal threats on public interest reporting. Drawing on his experience of spending 400 days imprisoned in Egypt, Greste argues for stronger protections for journalism—and asks what the public loses when important stories become too risky to pursue. Introduced by Tina Quinn with context on this week’s ABC dispute and the staff pushback that followed. Please note: the legal developments, cases and figures discussed in the archive interview reflect November 2023. Want to get in touch? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] or follow us @fourthestateau. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of Australia's most celebrated investigative journalists, Kate McClymont has spent decades exposing corruption, organised crime and the murky relationships between money and political power. In this episode from the Fourth Estate archives, originally broadcast in September 2019, McClymont joins former host, Peter Fray to discuss Dead Man Walking, her book co-written with journalist Vanda Carson about the extraordinary life and murder of Sydney businessman Michael McGurk. Gunned down outside his Cremorne home in 2009, McGurk had warned McClymont just ten days earlier that he believed there was a contract out on his life. His murder exposed a tangled web of property developers, political connections, corruption and criminality. McClymont reflects on the investigation, the challenges of dealing with unreliable and self-interested sources, and the persistence required to uncover the truth. The pair also discuss the growing threats to investigative journalism, from surveillance powers and the protection of confidential sources to the 2019 Australian Federal Police raids on the ABC and News Corp. Seven years on, it's a compelling reminder of why investigative journalism matters — and the extraordinary stories that might otherwise remain untold. We’d love to hear from you. Email us at [email protected] or follow us at @fourthestateau. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump’s latest battle with the press has seen his White House move to exclude CNN, POLITICO and MS NOW — but this time, rival news organisations are standing together. What could Australia’s media learn from that show of solidarity? Susan Glasser, staff writer at The New Yorker and former editor of POLITICO, and former ABC Editorial Director Alan Sunderland join Tina Quinn to examine press freedom, political access and what happens when governments decide which journalists get into the room. Then, The Australia Institute's Amy Remeikis takes us inside the Canberra Press Gallery — from political “drops” and strings-attached exclusives to whether Australian journalists need to get better at standing together when one of their own is shut out. And we remember one of the giants of Australian journalism, Peter Manning, who died this week aged 81. Former Media Watch host Jonathan Holmes and journalist Jan Fran reflect on the legendary Four Corners executive producer, ABC news leader and mentor who backed generations of journalists to hold power to account. Want to get in touch? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] or follow us @fourthestateau. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Australia has changed — but have our politics and media kept up? In his new book Three Shocks: Who We Are Becoming in the 21st Century, journalist and author George Megalogenis charts the demographic, economic and geopolitical forces reshaping the country. Tina Quinn speaks with George about the widening disconnect between Australia and its political class, the media’s enduring obsession with an outdated idea of the “Australian voter”, the resurgence of One Nation and the increasingly fraught debate over migration and housing. They also examine what happens when journalism is no longer the curator of political debate — and an online attention economy increasingly rewards the loudest and most extreme voices. Want to get in touch? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠ or follow us ⁠@fourthestateau⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices