Fourth Estate

How is press freedom being tested in the Trump era? In this episode of Fourth Estate, Tina Quinn is joined by Media Correspondent with NPR, David Folkenflik and Chief Political Correspondent for The Washington Post, Karen Tumulty, examining the growing pressure on journalists in the United States. They discuss Trump’s personal attacks on reporters, lawsuits against major networks, access restrictions, media ownership battles, and upheaval inside legacy mastheads. If the First Amendment supposedly still stands, how is press freedom quietly eroding? Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at fourthestate@2ser.com or tweet us at @fourthestateau Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the mass shooting at Bondi, Australia became a global headline, and a case study in how tragedy is rapidly politicised. Before facts were established, misinformation surged, racial vilification followed, and political narratives hardened. Jewish, Middle Eastern, Arabic and Muslim communities were unfairly targeted, while debates over gun laws, antisemitism and national security were pulled into the news cycle at speed. In this episode of Fourth Estate, we interrogate how the Bondi shooting was covered, and how journalism struggled under pressure. Joining Tina Quinn to unpack the coverage and issues at play is Antony Loewenstein, an independent journalist and author of My Israel Question and The Palestine Laboratory, as well as Crikey's Daanyal Saeed and The Australian Financial Review's Jennifer Hewett. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at fourthestate@2ser.com or tweet us at @fourthestateau Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Journalist, author and feminist thinker Virginia Haussegger joins Tina Quinn to examine why the feminist revolution — inside Australia’s media and beyond — remains unfinished. Drawing on her latest book, Unfinished Revolution: The Feminist Fightback, Haussegger traces the long arc of sexism, backlash and resistance — from the media mockery of feminism during International Women’s Year in 1975, through to the misogyny directed at Australia’s first female prime minister, and the explosive reckoning of the March4Justice movement in 2021. Despite women now slightly outnumbering men as reporters in Australian newsrooms, Haussegger argues that real power has barely shifted. Media ownership and executive leadership remain overwhelmingly male, reinforcing cultures of machismo, misogyny and resistance to accountability. She reflects candidly on her own career — thriving at times inside these systems — and on confronting the ways sexism shaped even her own assumptions. The conversation ranges from the treatment of women in political and media life, to the persistence of gendered violence, the silencing of feminist history, and Australia’s slide on global gender equality rankings. At a moment of global backlash against women’s rights, this is a searching discussion about power, media, history and whether feminism still dares to imagine revolution. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at fourthestate@2ser.com or tweet us at @fourthestateau Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After ten years co-hosting The Today Show, Liz Hayes made a decision that would reshape her life — she walked away from the top breakfast-television gig in the country. In this second part of this conversation with Tina Quinn, Liz shares the personal turmoil that led her to professional triumphs at 60 Minutes, and the extraordinary assignments that took her from the war in Afghanistan, to the emerald mines of Colombia, and detention centers at Guantanamo Bay. She reflects on the emotional toll of high-stakes reporting, the interviews that have stayed with her, and her eventual decision to leave Channel Nine after an incredible 44 years. For more on Liz, pick up a copy of her 2023 memoir, I'm Liz Hayes. Her new book, Outback Astronomer, is out now. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at fourthestate@2ser.com or tweet us at @fourthestateau Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Liz Hayes is one of Australia’s most trusted and enduring journalists — but her story begins far from the studio lights. In this first part of our profile, Liz joins Tina Quinn in-studio to reflect on her upbringing on the Mid North Coast, where she started out as a cadet reporter, and her rapid rise through the newsrooms of Network Ten and Channel Nine. She talks about her decade at the helm of The Today Show — a role that made her one of the most recognisable faces in the country, as well as the pressures that came with that visibility, and the expectations placed on women in television in the 1980s and 90s. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at fourthestate@2ser.com or tweet us at @fourthestateau Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For more than a century, Condé Nast defined taste, power, and aspiration. From Vogue and Vanity Fair to The New Yorker and GQ, its magazines didn’t just chronicle culture — they shaped it. In this episode, Tina Quinn speaks with media correspondent for The New York Times, Michael M. Grynbaum, author of Empire Of The Elite, about how the company built an empire of influence — and how that power has been transformed in the age of social media, shifting values, and audiences who no longer wait to be told what’s beautiful or important. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just weeks ago, Palestinian media worker Samer Tarazi was struggling for survival amid the devastation of Gaza. Now safe in Sydney, he reflects on what he witnessed — the destruction of his city, the loss of his journalist colleagues, and the ongoing toll of a conflict that continues to test the world’s conscience. As news breaks of a “ceasefire” — hailed by some as a breakthrough and dismissed by others as fragile and uncertain — Samer joined host, Tina Quinn in studio to speak about survival, truth-telling, and what peace really means when you’ve lived through war. With translation and assistance from ABC journalist Nabil Al-Nashar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the main stage at Sydney’s ICC, Women In Media's national conference brought together some of the sharpest voices in journalism and storytelling — Claudia Karvan, Hanna Rosin, Libbi Gorr, Hannah Ferguson, and Monica Attard among them. Join Tina Quinn as she dives into the standout moments and voices from the day, unpacking the ideas, debates and powerful moments that emerged. To find out more about WIM, head to womeninmedia.com.au - you'll be able to find more information about the Caroline Jones Women in Media Young Journalist’s Award at the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Stasiland was first published in 2003, it became an international sensation — winning the UK’s top non-fiction prize and propelling Anna Funder onto the world stage. In part two of this conversation with Tina Quinn, Anna reflects on the book’s extraordinary acclaim, and how her distinctive approach to truth-telling shaped her later works, All That I Am, The Girl with the Dogs, and Wifedom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

She may not call herself a journalist, but Anna Funder’s work is a fearless meditation on truth, and a masterclass in pushing the boundaries of genre to capture it. Her writing tackles the great arcs of 20th-century history, from the totalitarian state of East Germany, to the rise of Nazism, to the shackles of patriarchy, always through the lives of real people whose courage, resilience, and quiet heroism shine through. As part of our ongoing in-profile series, Anna joined Tina Quinn in studio to talk about her journey from Melbourne to East Berlin — the city where the stories that became her award-winning debut book, Stasiland, first began to take shape. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we mark 24 years since the September 11 terror attacks, we revisit the Fourth Estate archives with a special episode first broadcast in September 2021 on the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Hosted at the time by Prue Clarke — who herself was in New York when the attacks happened — this conversation digs into the media’s role in shaping America’s response, from uncritical reporting that smoothed the path to war, to coverage that overlooked the backlash against Muslim Americans and the erosion of civil liberties within the United States. Prue was joined by Andrew Rosenthal, former editorial page editor of The New York Times, and Doha Madani, senior breaking news reporter at NBC News. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, Australia expelled Iran’s ambassador in a move that dominated headlines. But while the media focused on the diplomatic drama, the government quietly introduced legislation that would strip certain migrants of their right to procedural fairness — a story almost entirely buried by the Iran announcement. Both developments raise serious questions about secrecy, accountability, and double standards — questions the media largely failed to ask. On this episode of Fourth Estate, we look at how the media missed the bigger story, why the public was quicker to connect the dots, and what it tells us about Australia’s treatment of migrants and its relationships abroad. Joining host, Tina Quinn, is two stalwarts of the Canberra Press Gallery - Amy Remeikis (Chief Political Analyst for The Australia Institute) and Mark Kenny (Director of the Australian Studies Institute at ANU). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laura Tingle is widely regarded as one of Australia’s finest political journalists, with nearly four decades spent in the Canberra Press Gallery covering every government Malcolm Fraser’s to Anthony Albanese’s. But this year she stunned even the most seasoned observers by announcing her departure as 7.30’s Chief Political Correspondent — leaving Parliament House behind to take on a new role as the ABC’s Global Affairs Editor. In this episode of Fourth Estate’s ongoing 'In Profile' series, Laura joined Tina Quinn in studio to reflect on her remarkable career, the shifting culture of political reporting, and what comes next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A historic moment of civil disobedience took place across the Sydney Harbour Bridge last week, as hundreds of thousands of people came out to demonstrate against Israel’s actions in Gaza. Although some media outlets chose to report on the protest with highly dramatised descriptions, authorities confirmed no arrests were made and the demonstration was largely peaceful. The following day, Australia’s government announced a further $20 million for aid to assist with both food and medical supplies in Gaza. Joining Tina Quinn to discuss the coverage of the protest and its political impact was Kenneth Roth (former Executive Director of Human Rights Watch), Nabil Al-Nashar (Reporter for ABC News Sydney) and Amber Schultz (Crime and Justice Reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald). Kenneth Roth has just published a new book entitled, Righting Wrongs: Three Decades on the Front Lines Battling Abusive Governments. And stay tuned for a special message about the upcoming national conference for the not-for-profit charity, Women In Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All eyes are again firmly on Gaza this week as the enclave faces mass starvation that human rights groups and aid organisations have been loudly warning of for months. Media outlets that seemed to previously play down the plight of Palestinians, and the actions of the Israeli government have flooded their front pages with graphic images of emaciated, disease ridden children, accompanied by headlines like “Stop This Now.” The UK and France have flagged their intention to recognise Palestine as a state, and the Australian government has accused Israel of breaching international law. So how seismic really is this apparent change in tone from our media and our politicians? Former Middle East Correspondent David Leser, himself a Jewish man has penned a powerful column for The Sydney Morning Herald on the moral catastrophe facing his community and political leaders the world over. He spoke with Tina Quinn about whether we actually might be at a tipping point, the plight of journalists reporting in the region and the only thing he thinks could bring an end to the bloodshed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For generations, First Nations people have called for a truth-telling process — a way to formally acknowledge the harm caused by colonisation and ongoing injustice. In Victoria, that process has taken historic form through the Yoorrook Justice Commission — the first truth-telling inquiry of its kind in Australia. Over a number of years, the commission heard thousands of testimonies, exposing the deep and painful truths of the state’s past and present. Now, its final report has been handed to the Victorian government. Daniel James — writer, broadcaster, and co-host of the 7am podcast was one of the author's of the commission's report, Truth Be Told. He joined Tina Quinn to discuss what Yoorrook uncovered. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Journalist, author and television presenter, Jan Fran joins Tina Quinn in studio to talk the launch of Ette Media, a new independent venture she's co-founded with fellow journalist, Antoinette Lattouf. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What began as just five casual shifts behind the microphone has escalated into one of the most high-profile legal battles in Australian media. In 2023, Antoinette Lattouf was dropped as a fill-in presenter on ABC Radio Sydney after she shared a Human Rights Watch post about the Israel-Gaza conflict, which claimed Israel had used starvation as a "weapon of war." Lattouf took the national broadcaster to court, alleging wrongful dismissal. Now, after a lengthy and expensive legal fight, Justice Darryl Rangiah has ruled in favour of Antoinette Lattouf. Co-founder of Lamestream Media, Scott Mitchell and Media Reporter for Crikey, Daanyal Saeed, joined Tina Quinn to discuss both the judgment and the implications for not only the ABC, but the media more broadly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We turn the clock back this week and revisit former Fourth Estate host, Monica Attard's conversation with Sophie McNeil, previously the ABC's Middle East Correspondent, and Hugh Riminton, National Affairs Editor for 10 News First. This episode originally aired in May 2021, during what became known as the Israel-Palestine crisis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the latest uprising of violence in Gaza surpasses 600 days, the government of Israel is facing unprecedented condemnation from its Western allies. France, the United Kingdom, and Canada have provided the most surprising about-face, with many other countries echoing sentiments of "disgrace" over the Netanyahu government's actions. But many critics say it's a case of too little, too late. So what has triggered this shift in language, and could it signal a more meaningful shift in policy? Joining Tina Quinn from Tel Aviv to discuss the implications, the coverage, and the way forward is Lindsey Hilsum, International Editor for Channel 4 News and one of the most esteemed foreign correspondents of her generation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices