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.
This weekly podcast brings you honest and original media analysis from two insiders who’ve broken plenty of news and been broken by it, too. Hosted by long-suffering journalists and even longer-suffering friends, Jan Fran and Antoinette Lattouf, We Used to Be Journos is your guide to the way the media works.
Join us every Wednesday as we unpack the headlines you see, and the power you don’t. We’ll take you through the week’s sketchy editorial decisions, suspect sources and thinly veiled bigotry. We’ll show you how the media sausage is made —so you know what you’re being fed.
Armed with a low tolerance for spin, zero patience for BS, and just enough humour (and delusion) to keep working in the media, We Used to Be Journos serves up hot, sharp, unapologetic media tea.
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.
29 Episodes
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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.
1As 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.
In this episode, Jan and Antoinette unpack how parts of the media managed to spin a fake letter into a real panic about a new mosque in Western Sydney. No less than three separate media outlets whipped up outrage over a story with some shaky foundations. We also name and shame the daily newspaper that accidentally printed a ChatGPT prompt in its own business story, and what that slip says about how deep AI already runs in newsrooms… including ours. Plus, Jan got shadowbanned on Instagram and had to get her norks out. Is this really what it takes to break free of a shadowban?Antoinette watches a cluster of News Corp journalists get probed for alleged racism, in a case that could end up before the Federal Court while Jan salutes our Etterati for their sharp eyes and ears (and dobbing skills). Grab your tickets to our live shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra.Almost sold out: ‘Etterati: Members Only’ or ‘It’s A No From Me’ tee grab here.Watch the episode in full here if you want to see our mugs as we yap. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, Jan and Antoinette examine the BBC ‘bias’ scandal that saw its director general and head of news resign. They go through the complaint letter that kicked off the scandal and examine other accusations of bias that haven't gotten nearly as much attention. Plus, as two Leb chicks who grew up in Sydney’s western suburbs in the early 2000s - Jan and Antoinette have memories of John Laws that are very different to the gushing media coverage of his passing. Also, Antoinette salutes the AFR for sniffing out The West Australian’s suspiciously glowing coverage of one ASX darling, while Jan backs the Italian journalist fired for asking a question about Gaza - and the colleague who asked it again, just louder.Buy tickets to our LIVE SHOWS in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Canberra 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 takes a look at the use of AI in New York’s mayoral race and finds Cuomo’s campaign ads against Zohran Mamdani don’t just bend the truth but snap it completely and add a good dose of racism. This can’t be the future of political advertising…or can it? Also, the Coalition reckons net zero is “too toxic” but Antoinette discovers it’s only toxic to billionaires with an agenda and a media empire. Plus, news of long running atrocities in Sudan find their way into Western headlines but why now? It’s a Yes: The new magazine that mixes politics, culture and art to achieve a lofty goal and a much-loved indi media company tries to break free of the algorithm. Sudan coverage tips: follow Yousra Elbagir Sky News UK’s Africa correspondent, Yassmin Abdel-Magied or Sudanese journalist Almigdad Hassan and follow updates from Sudanese Journalists Syndicate.Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here and you’ll get first dibs on tickets for our NATIONAL TOUR BABY!Buy an ‘Etterati: Members Only’ or ‘It’s A No From Me’ tee here.Watch the episode in full here if you want to see our mugs.Thanks to @jaidanielpyne for composing the music for our podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Egyptian-Canadian journalist Omar El Akkad joins Antoinette Lattouf on stage at the Queenscliff Literary Festival for a searingly honest and intimate conversation.The author of ‘One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This’, confronts a brutal question: what does it mean to live in the US while its government bankrolls, supports and enables Palestinian ethnic cleansing? He speaks to his sense of personal complicity, silence and the media’s role in manufacturing consent.Yet even as despair presses in, El Akkad refuses to surrender hope. He explains why giving up is a luxury Palestinians cannot afford and neither can those who claim to stand with them.This is a conversation that refuses comfort.Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.Buy our new Etterati and It’s A No From Me T-shirts here. Omar El Akkad's book One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As former ABC chair Ita Buttrose promotes her latest book Jan and Antoinette pull apart the plentiful puff pieces. Antoinette hunts for proof of Melbourne’s machete epidemic and finds it exists mainly in headlines. Plus who is watching free to air TV… no really who? Because we crunched some numbers and they don't add up. Also a double shout out to the Labor Party (yes, shocking): first for new AI laws that make it harder for big tech to take artists’ work for free, and second to the junior staffer whose leaked memo lays out the party’s Gaza gaslighting talking points.Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.Buy an ‘Etterati: Members Only’ or ‘It’s A No From Me’ tee 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 bonus episode, Pulitzer Prize–winning US journalist Chris Hedges joins Antoinette Lattouf to unpack his time in Australia so far, including some fraught interactions with sections of the Australian media.We also discuss what he flew all this way to talk about: how western journalists are betraying their colleagues in Gaza. Plus, Chris offers some honest advice for young people who still want to tell stories and speak truth to power. Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.Buy our new Etterati and It’s A No From Me T-shirts here. If you want to see our mugs as well as hear our dulcet tones 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, as Anthony Albanese meets Donald Trump at the White House we take a look at the manufactured moment that saw former PM Kevin Rudd hit the headlines. Plus, we unpack the media’s warped definitions of a “ceasefire” in Gaza as near-identical coverage around the world tows the Israeli line and ignores Palestinians. And, with the commentary creep in journalism leaving audiences confused we proffer an unlikely solution. Also in medialand women get punted, men get promoted. It’s A Yes From Me: the U.S reporters resisting Trump’s creeping authoritarianism by hitting the pavement… in more ways than one. Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here.Buy our new Etterati and It’s A No From Me T-shirts here. If you want to see our mugs as well as hear our dulcet tones 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, a tip off leads Jan and Antoinette to discover a U.S. website had published the private phone numbers of high profile Australians including the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and the NSW Premier. Some awkward verification calls followed as well as some questions about what the PM knew and when. We take you through the story from start to finish and wade through the world of AI-driven data scraping to understand what this means for your privacy (and the PMs)In It's a No From Me, Antoinette adds The West Australian’s ceasefire editorial to the “vile pile”, plus some TLDR tips on spotting below average “expert” takes on Gaza.In It’s a Yes From Me, Jan Fran salutes The Shot and The Sunday Shot and Antoinette cheers on an opinion piece about Senator David Pocock tackling the gambling lobby. LinkedIn spokesperson statement: “Our policies are clear that any unauthorised scraping of data from LinkedIn is prohibited. In addition to the technology and teams we’ve long had in place to stop unauthorised data scraping, we continue to invest in new defenses to protect our members’ data. You can read about our latest efforts 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 reveal what really happened behind the scenes of Pulitzer Prize winner Chris Hedges’ National Press Club address - a talk that vanished from the schedule. Was it ever confirmed, did it get cancelled or did the NPC, as Hedges alleges, cave to the Israel lobby? We’ve got the paper trail. Also, the Trump administration’s crackdown on press freedom takes a dark turn: a veteran journalist is arrested while live streaming an ICE raid and then kicked out of the country by the same immigration body he’d been filming.We also unpack Israel’s latest influencer campaign targeting Gen Z, a glossy front in the propaganda war during its genocide in Gaza.Plus, a nod to the SBS doco on robodebt and its inadvertent role in providing much needed media literacy and a quick shout to a new toolkit for starting your own hyperlocal newsroom.Grab your tickets to A Night of Humanity at Enmore Theatre 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 try to answer the question many of you have asked: why am I agreeing with Candace Owens? They take a look at the divisions within the MAGA movement over Israel and why things aren’t quite what they seem. Plus, it costs $25 million to police protests in Victoria - or does it? We dig into that figure and not only is it inflated by we find certain politicians working with certain media outlets to manufacture a story. And, AI is coming for your ears. Jan looks at Inception Point AI - the new podcast company flooding the zone with thousands of podcasts episodes each week with not a human in sight. There’s also a shout out to one of our favourite columnists who also used to be a journo. 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.
We’re live at the Wheeler Centre in Melbourne this week, handing out a report card on independent media now that Ette Media has survived its three-month probation.Jan Fran, once reporting on Eurovision for SBS, is now not-happy-Jan at the broadcaster’s refusal to boycott if Israel takes the stage. Antoinette brings the receipts on The Daily Telegraph’s dodgy hit job against the Jewish Council of Australia, which just happened to interrupt the Council’s paid ad opposing genocide. And yes, it gets raw: the audience pulls no punches in the Q+A, and neither do we.It’s A Yes From Me:Antoinette tips her hat to ABC’s John Lyons for irritating President Trump.Jan Fran can’t get enough of Greg Larsen’s eulogy of Charlie Kirk.We Used To Be Journos live was originally presented on 20th September 2025 inpartnership with The Wheeler Centre Follow Wheeler for more smart, passionate and entertainingpublic talks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In an exclusive investigation, we look at Melbourne University Press’s decision to close one of Australia’s oldest literary journals. MUP says it’s about money, we reveal new testimony that says otherwise. So what’s it really about? Plus, we look at the saturation of media coverage following Charlie Kirk’s murder. We explore how the media should cover the far right, how “centrist media” gets it wrong and how the focus on one man distracted us from the biggest story in the world. And the Islamophobia envoy’s findings landed on a Friday - a slot reserved for news no one wants noticed but that’s not our main gripe. A Yes From Me:Zeteo News: Charlie Kirk in His Own WordsABC ‘The federal press gallery is ceding power to the Albanese government’Our earlier episode on Antisemitism envoy findingsSupport Ette Media, join the Etterati 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.
With Antoinette away this week, Jan Fran holds down the fort with former BBC journalist and presenter Karishma Patel. Karishma walked out of the BBC in October 2024 over its coverage of Gaza and has since become one of its loudest and most public critics.In this episode, she and Jan dive into life inside the BBC, what finally pushed her to resign, and why she’s now taking the organisation to task in public. They unpack the slippery word “impartiality” – how it so often doubles as a muzzle for journalists who dare to prod the status quo - and ask whether it’s more effective to stay and fight from the inside or cut loose and build something different. The pair also unpack the momentum around building a new media ecosystem.Regular programming resumes next week.You can find Karishma on Instagram You can read her piece in The Independent You can read her piece in The GuardianSupport 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.
Jan and Antoinette have been busting to share their inside Lebbo goss about Bob Katter. Also, we cover the coverage of the so-called March for Australia - a rally led by neo-Nazis and followed by limp reporting. The Herald Sun dibberdobs … again and the Canberra Midwinter Ball leaves Jan feeling icy as she watches old-school journalists and new school content creators clink glasses with the same old politicians. Plus: praise for the independent media organisation (of course) that delivered the much-needed analysis of the “anti-immigration” march, and a cartoonist whose pencil cuts straight through inequality. It’s a Yes From Me: Lamestream analysisCathy Wilcox cartoonSupport 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 Antoinette (finally!) gives her reaction to the ABC’s new Public Comment Guidelines, which Jan calls the ‘Lattouf guidelines.’ The broadcaster says the new rules aren’t due to its Federal Court loss to Antoinette but we’re not so sure. We also examine the messy, co-dependent and ever-changing relationship between journalists and the public comments they were encouraged (then discouraged) to make on social media. Elsewhere, Sky’s Sharri Markson “interviews” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a “world exclusive” but it was less interview and more stenography with a side of flattery for the wanted war criminal who’s also credibly accused of committing genocide. Plus, the Bush Summit - a billionaire–backed, media-run roadshow - rolls into town where words like “net zero ideology” and “climategate” get cooked up, and served reheated as news.Plus, some recognition for journalism-done-good, reassurance that cynicism hasn’t fully eaten our souls.It’s a Yes From Me:+972 Magazine Independent journalism from Israel-PalestineThe Guardian: Australia’s gun lobby says it’s ‘winning’ the fight against firearm controlSupport 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.
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