Paul Whittaker’s Richo redemption arc
In this year’s finale, In the Background, Boris pardons an old target, succession planning fails at Guardian Towers, restrictions on misbehavior at Christmas, Seven wields the axe, and Global Roaming’s expansion continues.
Rose-coloured praise from Sky News boss
Sky News boss Paul Whittaker There is so much to be grateful for Graham Richardson for. But maybe not for the reasons you think.
In fact, the late Richo played a role in Whittaker receiving his first Walkley Award in 1995; This was only a brief period into his more than 30-year career in journalism. Boris (Whittaker) was so grateful to be one of the few to praise Labour’s former power broker on Tuesday that he said he “will forever be remembered as a giant of Australian politics”.
Whittaker had made a name for himself in Brisbane by breaking the story about Operation Wallah, an undercover investigation into allegations of corruption by then Labor Senator and Cabinet Minister Richardson. According to media reports from three decades ago, the scoops and multi-year investigation revealed an AFP investigation into corruption allegations against Richo and a major disagreement between the Federal Police and the Criminal Justice Commission (CJC) over the conduct of the operation.
Richo allegedly accepted $4000 worth of prostitution services from a Gold Coast businessman in exchange for potentially using her position to help defense contractor McDonnell Douglas sell missile technology to the Chinese government.
The two first crossed paths in the mid-1990s when Whittaker crossed paths with a young reporter. Courier Post and Richardson, a recently retired Member of Parliament riddled with scandal.
“As an intrepid journalist, these interactions were sometimes hostile but always respectful; Richo’s distinctive disarming wit and charm were always evident,” Whittaker told St James Church attendees.
As several participants hastened to point out, “hostile” is certainly one way to express this. In the Background.
Whittaker’s rumors were so serious that an investigation was launched into how he obtained the documents and who leaked them to him. Boris was sent Russell Hanson quality controlThe investigator went berserk, refusing to answer 400 questions about his sources during the state CJC investigation into the Operation Wallah leaks that directly linked Richardson to allegations of corruption.
And in December 1995, two weeks after he won his first Walkley award for his reporting on the case, the AFP raided Whittaker’s home after he refused to give up his sources.
Whittaker believed he would be sentenced to prison, which he narrowly escaped, despite Hanson’s advice that he refused to comply. Bon appetit Boris!
He was praised by one of media law and journalism’s finest wordsmiths of the day for sticking to his sources, the most basic rule of a reporter. Richard Ackland.
Ackland wrote in the Australian Press Council News: “To not make too subtle an analogy, the journalist and the source are in it more like the prostitute and the customer.”
According to the story, Boris was given a very good send-off by his wife. Courier Post As he prepares to spend time behind bars, his colleagues include a survival kit of condoms, lipstick and socks. Ah, the 90s.
Still relevant years later, Whittaker’s 1999 freedom of information requests and years of campaigning allowed Richardson to finally reveal previously suppressed details in 2001 that “a Gold Coast businessman had received sexual favors from prostitutes he had paid at least twice”.
“In short, it supports Richo’s sex romp claim.” The story jumped.
Richo began writing a column only a few years later. Australian While Boris was editor. Richo joined Sky News in 2011, Boris joined him in late 2018 and the rest is history! We asked Boris when and how the pair mended fences… but, as in 1995, he refused to answer the question. Are you going to 401 this?
His successor was anointed on: Guardian Australia?
You had to squint to see it, but white smoke was spotted in the Guardian Australia last week after news of a major promotion sent staff into overdrive. Lenore Taylor‘s successor may have been chosen.
Taylor is a member of Australia’s Guardian brand, started hiring guns in 2013 and has been editor since 2016. He’s the longest-serving editor in Australian media, so naturally there’s been speculation for some time about when he’ll get his fill.
While he said he’s still happy with the imprint this year and that “there’s still work to be done here,” the question was always about who could fill Taylor’s shoes.
Now it looks like we might have an answer. One of Taylor’s most loyal lieutenants. Bridie Jabour, He has been seconded to the Guardian’s British HQ as “multimedia transformation editor” for two years, in a move announced to staff by the London-based editor-in-chief. Katharine Viner himself last week. Great!
business inside The Guardian Team Berger is a project that aims to innovate in response to audience habits and artificial intelligence, enabling masthead output to be more visual, digital and experimental. This includes hiring more staff to focus on social media, graphics and video content. The team is based out of England but also has participation from teams from the USA and Australia.
The working theory among Guardianistas is that Jabour’s assignment, hand-picked by Viner, is an opportunity for him to see it up close, potentially setting Jabour up for a major comeback as editor of the Aussie outpost. This could also serve as a clever way to introduce Jabour upon return with minimal fuss and potentially no nose-twisting.
Jabour is head of multimedia but has held just about every job since 2013, including reporter roles, news desk editor, opinion editor and her current job. In the Background contacted everyone involved and Guard The spokesperson said the news outlet was pleased with Jabour’s appointment and the greater collaboration between the three international newsrooms that would follow.
A Very Sky Christmas
Speaking of Whittaker, this week he was on hand to warn his brave young employees not to stray too far from the straight and narrow (or repeat Richo-like behavior) while attending broadcaster News Corp’s Christmas celebrations.
After the escapes Chris Smith Boris, who gave Sky unwanted headlines in 2022 and called for his Christmas party to be canceled the following year, was sure to make clear what his expectations were in an email on Monday.
“Please remember that the event remains a workplace environment and everyone must conduct themselves in a way that promotes a positive, safe and respectful atmosphere.
“Conduct other than this, including any form of harassment, unwelcome behavior or comments that could reasonably cause offense or embarrassment about others, will not be tolerated.” From what we heard, everyone was behaving in their own way.
Worldwide roaming
just released Velid Aly-snub (details of which were announced last week), one of ABC’s most popular podcasts, Global Roamingappointed Latika Bourke As former foreign correspondent as new, third host Kylie Morris He joined as the fourth host.
Bourke is a writer in general. Kerry Stokes‘ The Nightly, while Morris was already at Radio National. The duo will participate Hamish Macdonald And Geraldine Doogue They start airing an episode every weekday in 2026.
It will likely feature a rotating cast reminiscent of the popular British podcast News Agents.
I hope there is enough news to serve such a busy schedule.
Seven Network’s early Christmas gift
After Nine’s 50 layoffs hit the headlines last month, it looks like it’s Seven’s turn to give its employees an early Christmas present in the form of 40 layoffs.
A spokesperson said the cuts are dependent on ongoing advertising market conditions; It’s a phrase that has become all too familiar to media companies.
“We sincerely thank those affected for their contribution to Seven,” the spokesperson said.
Thank you for reading In the Background in the second half of 2025. The column will return in 2026.
Calum Jaspan is a media writer for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, based in Melbourne. Reach him securely on Signal @calumjaspan.10Connect with: excitement or email.
