Claim OwnershipWe Used to be Journos
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We used to be journalists, but now we mostly just bitch about them. (Kidding. Kind of.) We also break down broken news.
Episodes drop Wednesday and Saturday.
Hosted by long-suffering journalists and even longer-suffering friends Jan Fran and Antoinette Lattouf, We Used to Be Journos pulls apart the week in media from people who know exactly how the machine runs because they worked inside it for decades.
Every Wednesday, the pair sift through the headlines you saw and the forces you did not. Expect blunt media analysis, zooming in on dodgy editorial calls, anonymous sources doing gymnastics, and the occasional whiff of bigotry dressed up as balance. Consider it a guided tour of the newsroom sausage factory so you know what ended up on your plate.
On Saturdays, the spin-off segment Only Jan hands the microphone to Walkley Award winner Jan Fran. One issue, one sharp monologue, foresincally researched, tightly argued, and, inconveniently for the powerful, quite funny.
Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.
If you want to see our mugs as we yap you can watch the episode in full here.
Thanks to @jaidanielpyne for composing the music for our podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
44 Episodes
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In this particularly personal episode of Only Fran, Jan Fran reflects on what it's been like as a Lebanese-Australian watching Israel's invasion of Lebanon this week.She talks about her state of mind, shares some things you probably didn't know about Lebanon and examines the response from Australia’s government, who are not only failing to condemn Israel's invasion, but gaslighting Muslims who booed Anthony Albanese and Tony Burke at a Sydney mosque.Note: Although the poem is often mistakingly attributed to Maya Angelou, it was actually written by Rita Wehbe.Producer: Antoinette LattoufSupport Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode Jan Fran and Antoinette examine the devastating attacks on Lebanon and the Lebanese population - and why local media coverage has been strangely quiet.We dive into Louis Theroux’s Netflix exploration of the internet’s most toxic - and successful - “manosphere” influencers: what landed, and what was missing.We also tackle the rumour mill around wanted war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu (including the six-finger theory).And a rare moment of praise for the Australian Communications and Media Authority after its long-overdue move against shock jock Kyle Sandilands.Follow Lebanese-British journalist Hala Jaber’s substack.Follow American photojournalist Courtney Bonneau living in south Lebanon on instagram.Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.If you want to see our mugs as we yap you can watch the episode in full here.Thanks to @jaidanielpyne for composing the music for our podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1In this new Saturday break out series, Only Fran, Jan Fran picks an issue of the week that is living rent free in her head. Right now, it's Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke's decision to grant asylum to some members of the Iranian women's soccer team, while passing legislation that prevents people from conflict and crisis-affected countries from visiting Australia.So ... while Burke is patting himself on the back for doing a thing, Labor’s moving legislation that prevents the thing he’s patting himself on the back for doing …from happening.Producer: Antoinette LattoufSupport Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.If you want to see our mugs as we yap you can watch the episode in full here.Thanks to @jaidanielpyne for composing the music for our podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, Jan Fran and Antoinette ask whether the TV panel discussion show has run its course. They unpack ABC’s National Forum - a discussion that felt like host David Speers was walking on eggshells - with topics and trauma that may be too complex for the format to handle. Also this week: the escalating standoff between the government and Pornhub over age-verification laws, and why we’re already seeing the slippery slope that comes with the Queensland Government banning the slogans “globalise the intifada” and “from the river to the sea.”Plus what is QuitGPT and what does it have to do with weapons and Jan finds herself befuddled by Tucker Carlson’s podcast ads. Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.If you want to see our mugs as we yap you can watch the episode in full here.Thanks to @jaidanielpyne for composing the music for our podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this new Saturday break out series, Only Fran, Jan Fran looks at the who and the why of our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. As the US-Israel war on Iran escalates, Jan takes a look at the man who went from strongly opposing “US militarism” to becoming the first world leader to support it. Producer: Antoinette LattoufSupport Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.If you want to see our mugs as we yap you can watch the episode in full here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, Jan Fran and Antoinette look at the Australian media’s coverage of the U.S and Israeli attack on Iran and show how a narrative gets set in the first 24-48 hours. They also unpack Paramount’s $111billion takeover of Warner Bros Discovery, a deal that may suit Donald Trump but raises serious concerns for CNN, which could face the same kind of corporate and editorial pressure that has unsettled CBS.Plus, Jan Fran reckons a Good Weekend profile of ABC chair Kim Williams subtly reveals why he didn’t settle the Lattouf case before it got to the Federal Court. Also, a recognition for Guardian reporting that centres Australian children stranded in Syria, and a London Substack that took on a billionaire landlord and secured tenants a win.Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.If you want to see our mugs as we yap you can watch the episode in full here.Thanks to @jaidanielpyne for composing the music for our podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, Jan Fran and Antoinette examine why the BBC cut out a BAFTA winner’s acceptance speech on human rights but kept in the moment the n-word was yelled across the stage. They also chuckle at the slew of actors squirming when asked about politics at the Berlin Film Festival. Plus, Donald Trump says he’ll release classified documents about aliens and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan lowkey bullies a reporter when pressed on the CFMEU scandal.Jan’s It’s A Yes From Me goes to Dropsite News for its detailed reporting on Jeffrey Epstein’s links to powerful people and places. Antoinette’s pick is Crikey’s Cut Through podcast for its clear-eyed, news-breaking investigation into Palantir, data surveillance, and how Australian government money continues to back the company despite links to unlawful ICE raids and AI-assisted attacks in Gaza. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, we lay out the parallels between political attacks on a UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and a former Australian of the Year, and how large chunks of the media swallowed both with minimal scrutiny.We also share insider context and discuss how “harmful” reporting by the Canberra Times forced First Nations commissioner Vanessa Turnbull Roberts to go public about her sexual assault. Plus, why Angus Taylor’s media blitz is a harbinger for what’s to come in the “debate” about immigration. Responding to Etterati calls for ‘It’s A Yes From Me’, Antoinette singles out The Guardian’s excellent roundup of the sharpest insults politicians have lobbed at each other.Jan pulls double duty, backing AAP Fact Check and celebrating the sweet spot where sharp writing, strong connections, heavy research and hot goss meet, courtesy of former magazine editor Tina Brown’s Substack.Tsuno discount code is 'ETTE' to get 30% off your first order at tsuno.com.auBuy an Etterati shirt here.Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.If you want to see our mugs as we yap you can watch the episode in full here.Thanks to @jaidanielpyne for composing the music for our podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, we dissect the media’s coverage of Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Australia. We look at how two networks asked very different questions, analyse the warm, sympathetic coverage in the lead up and keep an eye on the outlets that dutifully repeated government lines even as footage showed police violence in plain sight.We also look at what was missing from most of the coverage. Hint: it was any mention of the genocide. Also, Australian commercial radio outs itself yet again as tacitly racist after Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance.And Today host Karl Stefanovic launches a podcast that winks hard at a far right audience.Plus a shout out to The Point, an independent think tank’s new publishing arm, stacked with good writers.Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.If you want to see our mugs as we yap you can watch the episode in full here.Thanks to @jaidanielpyne for composing the music for our podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, the current state of Australian media is examined through Jan Fran and Antoinette’s decades long journeys in the industry.They talk about how they broke into journalism, caught the tail end of television’s heyday, watched social media splinter audiences, and now brace for what AI is about to do to journalism and truth. They also maintain a decades-long grudge against their less-than-encouraging high school careers advisers.In the end they land somewhere cautiously optimistic: independent media is growing and audiences want better.Tickets to our final Canberra live show can be bought here.Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.If you want to see our mugs as we yap you can watch the episode in full here.Thanks to @jaidanielpyne for composing the music for our podcast.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, we look at the many red flags surrounding Labor’s new hate speech laws as well as the mainstream media’s strikingly uniform response to them. Jan provides an update on the sale of TikTok. Americans can stop worrying about China controlling their data and algorithms because a small group of pro-Trump billionaires has that covered now. Antoinette breaks down Australia Day polls and offers a toolkit for spotting agendas in the opaque polling world.There’s also a shout out to the women taking on pornographic deepfakes made by X’s Grok, plus an illuminating piece on the Beckham family feud, which Jan has a strange and (and unverified) theory about FINAL tickets to our live show can be bought here .Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.If you want to see our mugs as we yap you can watch the episode in full here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode Jan and Antoinette look at the fight to control the narrative over protests in Iran where the death toll has exceeded 3000. With an internet block out, state media tightly controlled, foreign actors bragging about armed interference, and exiled figures presenting themselves as the solution, protestors and their plight largely disappear from the story - by design. Meanwhile, Trump’s press secretary snaps at another reporter - this time to dodge a basic question about the shooting of an unarmed mother by an ICE agent. There’s also a shout out to some responsible reporting on neo-Nazi material and a peak at the growing influence of InDaily SA, the newspaper muscling in on Murdoch's territory in Adelaide. TIPS FROM ANTOINETTE ON IRANIAN WOMEN TO FOLLOW:Tara Kangarlou Iranian journalist, author and NGO founder Gissou Nia Iraninan human rights lawyer Samira Mohyeddin Iranian journalist and academic LIVE SHOW TICKETS in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane or Canberra tickets are here.Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.If you want to see our mugs as we yap you can watch the episode in full here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, Jan Fran speaks with the woman at the centre of the collapse of the Adelaide Writers Festival, Palestinian author and academic Randa Abdel-Fattah. The conversation is blunt and urgent. They talk about censorship, lobby pressure on cultural institutions, what it means to keep speaking as a Palestinian Australian as media outlets launder bad faith attacks, and the focus drifts anywhere but Gaza. TICKETS TO OUR LIVE SHOW CAN BE BOUGHT HERE. SUPPORT ETTE MEDIA BY BECOMING A SUBSCRIBER HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Part two of our summer special brings another round of Etterati questions, and this batch is delightfully varied.Prehistoric animal favourites. Media predictions for 2035. Practical tips for the days when hope feels elusive.Tickets to our live shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane can be bought here.Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.Follow The Antony Lowenstein Podcast here. If you want to see our mugs as we yap you can watch the episode in full here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Part one of our summer special is your Q&A therapy session disguised as a podcast. We answer all your burning questions. We talk about twenty years of friendship, juggling being fledgling media moguls with sanity, staying clear-eyed in the chaos and navigating holiday conversations with problematic fam. Tickets to our live shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane can be bought here.Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.Follow The Antony Lowenstein Podcast here. If you want to see our mugs as we yap you can watch the episode in full here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Independent journalist Antony Loewenstein joins Jan Fran to discuss how he's processing the Bondi terror attacks both as a Jewish man and long-time advocate for Palestine. Antony and Jan move through the tension between allowing victims time to grieve and needing to challenge political agendas that seek to curb our civil liberties. Antony talks through what he believes is driving the rise in antisemitism, and why parts of the Jewish diaspora feel increasingly alienated from Israel. He also lays out why the crowd must keep speaking and moving, even when the powerful wish the masses would go silent.Need a last minute gift? Tickets to our live shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane can be bought here.Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.Follow The Antony Lowenstein Podcast here. If you want to see our mugs as we yap you can watch the episode in full here.Thanks to @jaidanielpyne for composing the music for our podcast.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, Jan and Antoinette focus on the first 24-hours of media coverage of the antisemitic terrorist attack in Bondi that left 15 people dead. They examine how the story unfolded, which voices were given prominence, the role of social media in circulating original and often horrifying footage, and how easily misinformation spreads and how certain narratives take hold. It is a careful, unsparing look at how news is constructed and politicised under pressure, and what is lost when speed overtakes care.Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.Buy tickets to our live show It’s A No From Me. If you want to see our mugs as we yap you can watch the episode in full here.Thanks to @jaidanielpyne for composing the music for our podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As the social media ban kicks off, Jan and Antoinette find themselves disagreeing on its merits. Plus, we take a look at the rage-bait tabloid media machine currently targeting influencer Abbie Chatfield and the hypocrisy powering it all. And as boycott calls grow over Israel’s participation in Eurovision, SBS doubles down on a dud decision. We salute journalists who stay cool while being smacked by studio gear and airborne wildlife, and a poem in an unexpected place leaves us feeling unexpectedly seen.Brisbane live show guest announcements: TV presenter Myf Warhurst and comedian Anisa Nanduala will be joining us! Get tickets to our stage tour.Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.If you want to see our mugs as we yap you can watch the episode in full here.Thanks to @jaidanielpyne for composing the music for our podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode Jan and Antoinette delve into accusations of racism at the TikTok awards and speak to some big content creators who say this isn’t the first time they’ve felt shunned by the industry. Also, Trump adds media outlets who dare critically report on potentially unlawful strikes in Venezuela to an official White House naughty list. Plus we mark the two year anniversary of an open letter, signed by 300+ Australian journalists, that called for fairer Gaza–Israel coverage. Has anything changed since then? (spoiler: bring a pillow to scream into).A nod goes to Zee Feed, the small newsletter doing some heavy lifting and a confused raised eyebrow goes to The Monthly for comparing outlaws. Catch us, Claudia Karvan and L-Fresh The Lion at our Sydney live show! Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra can be purchased here.Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.If you want to see our mugs as we yap you can watch the episode in full here.Thanks to @jaidanielpyne for composing the music for our podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode Jan and Antoinette dig into a family violence story that manages to break (almost) every reporting guideline.Antoinette explains the latest escalation in the Daily Telegraph’s ‘undercover Jew’ mess at Cairo Takeaway restaurant, while Jan canvasses the good, the bad and the weird views of the Sydney Morning Herald. Plus, the journalist sex-scandal featuring Robert F Kennedy that Jan (shamefully) can’t get enough of and Mariah Carey caught up in X’s MAGA location reveal. Grab your tickets to our live shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra.Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.If you want to see our mugs as we yap you can watch the episode in full here.If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic and family violence, you should report it to the police.Support and counselling is available from the following agencies:DVConnect Womensline: 1800 811 811DVConnect Mensline: 1800 600 6361800 RESPECT: 1800 737 73213YARN: 13 92 76 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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