Fourth Estate

Episoade

• 
  Profile: In Conversation with Caroline Baum (Part 3) 13.08.2026 1h 3min

  Walking away from Between the Lines in 1997 meant leaving behind what Caroline Baum considered the high point of her career. But her story was far from over. In the third and final part of our special Fourth Estate profile, we pick up with Caroline back at the ABC, where a hoped-for return to the national broadcaster as Executive Producer of Radio National’s Arts Today instead became another difficult chapter in her career. But what followed was also a period of reinvention. Caroline reflects on becoming the founding editor of Good Reading magazine, her return to television, her time as Editorial Director at Booktopia, and the twists and turns of building a successful freelance career across print, radio and television. Then came perhaps her most personal piece of work: Only: A Singular Memoir. For the first time, Caroline put into print the truth of her complicated childhood and her turbulent relationships with both her parents, confronting memories she had carried with her for decades. And now, with Life Sentences, Caroline has returned to what she has always done best: conversation. The podcast sees her speaking with biographers about the lives they spend years trying to understand—and, in a fitting full-circle moment, it is now coming to the ABC Listen app. Caroline Baum joins Tina Quinn for the third and final part of a wide-ranging conversation about journalism, ambition, disappointment, reinvention, family—and what it takes to build a life and career on your own terms. Catch up on parts one and two in the Fourth Estate podcast feed. We’d love to hear from you. Email us at fourthestate@2ser.com or follow us at @fourthestateau. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• 
  Profile: In Conversation with Caroline Baum (Part 2) 07.08.2026 1h 51min

  In part one of our special profile series, Caroline Baum took us from her unconventional London childhood to the offices of British Vogue, the BBC and eventually Australia—before jumping ahead to reveal publicly for the first time why she walked away from her dream job at the ABC's Between the Lines. Now, we turn the clock back. By the late 1980s, Baum was beginning to make her mark on Australia's cultural landscape. What followed was a career spanning newspapers, magazines and television: from becoming Features Editor at Vogue Australia to becoming a television presenter alongside the late James Valentine on TVTV. Then came Between the Lines. As host of the ABC's landmark books program, Baum established herself as one of Australia's finest arts and literary interviewers, sitting down with some of the most celebrated—and occasionally controversial—writers of the era. In part two, Caroline joins Tina Quinn to reflect on her encounters with Oliver Sacks, Frank McCourt, Shirley Hazzard and Helen Demidenko, whose literary success became engulfed in controversy over her fabricated Ukrainian identity. Some interviews ended when the cameras stopped. Margaret Atwood's ended with dinner at Caroline's house. This is part two of our special three-part conversation with Caroline Baum. For more on Caroline, pick up a copy of her memoir, Only: A Singular Memoir. We'd love to hear from you! Email us at fourthestate@2ser.com or follow us at @fourthestateau. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• 
  Profile: In Conversation with Caroline Baum (Part 1) 30.07.2026 1h 46min

  When Caroline Baum walked through the doors of British Vogue as a young editorial assistant in the mid-1970s, London was at the centre of the fashion, literary and cultural worlds. It was there she encountered some of the era's biggest names—from photographer Helmut Newton to Antony Armstrong-Jones, the Earl of Snowdon—while discovering both the craft of storytelling that would define her career and the feminism she says underpinned it. From there, Baum found herself working behind the scenes on the television programs of Michael Parkinson and Melvyn Bragg, two of Britain's most celebrated interviewers—and two famously mercurial personalities—witnessing firsthand the pressures, egos and power dynamics of British television. Her career would eventually bring her to Australia, where she became one of the country's finest arts and literary interviewers. Across television, radio and print, Baum sat down with some of the world's greatest writers and thinkers, earning a reputation for conversations that were thoughtful, searching and deeply human. As part of our ongoing profile series, Caroline Baum joins Tina Quinn to reflect on those formative years, the lessons that shaped her approach to interviewing, and the experiences that laid the foundations for a remarkable career in journalism. She also shares, for the first time publicly, the deeply personal story behind her departure from the ABC's Between the Lines in 1997. This is part one of a special multi-part conversation. To learn more about Caroline's remarkable life, pick up a copy of her memoir, ⁠Only⁠. We'd love to hear from you! Email us at fourthestate@2ser.com or follow us at @fourthestateau. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• 
  AI, Nepo Babies & Barking Barnaby 23.07.2026 56min

  Hannah Ferguson (Cheek Media), Scott Mitchell (Lamestream Media) and Daanyal Saeed (Crikey) join Tina Quinn to unpack another big week in Australian media. This week, the panel examines the future of journalism in the age of artificial intelligence following the Andrew Olle Media Lecture, where Reuters editor-in-chief Alessandra Galloni argued AI companies should pay for the journalism that powers their products. But with Nine announcing another round of newsroom redundancies on the same day—despite recently signing an AI licensing deal with Microsoft—we ask the question many journalists are now asking: if AI is creating new revenue for publishers, why are newsrooms still getting smaller? The panel also debates Mamamia's appointment of founder Mia Freedman's 28-year-old son, Luca Lavigne, as chief executive, and what it says about nepotism, merit and leadership in an industry still criticised for being overwhelmingly white, middle class and dominated by familiar networks. Plus, Sarah Ferguson's now infamous interview with Barnaby Joyce, the spectacle that followed, Pauline Hanson's latest comments on domestic violence, and Karl Stefanovic's next possible podcast guest —shock surprise or completely expected? 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
• 
  The Final Chapter of Virginia Giuffre | Remembering Derryn Hinch 16.07.2026 48min

  After surviving Jeffrey Epstein and helping expose one of the biggest sexual abuse scandals in modern history, Virginia Giuffre became a global symbol of courage. But her story didn't end there. Award-winning Good Weekend senior writer Melissa Fyfe joins Fourth Estate to discuss her extraordinary investigation into the final months of Giuffre's life — examining allegations of domestic violence, coercive control and institutional failures, and what her story reveals about trauma, violence against women and the media's reporting of survivors. We also pay tribute to one of Australian journalism's most influential and polarising figures, Derryn Hinch. Journalist and media historian Andrew Dodd reflects on Hinch's remarkable career, his battles with the courts, his move into politics, and the complicated legacy of a broadcaster who forever blurred the lines between reporting, advocacy and activism. Further reading and listening: Good Weekend: "Isolated, scared, forlorn: The heartbreaking final months of Virginia Giuffre's life" by Melissa Fyfe and Carla Hildebrandt. Virginia: Melissa Fyfe and Carla Hildebrandt's four-part investigative podcast from The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and Good Weekend. The Conversation: "Derryn Hinch was a bombastic journalist fuelled by imperfect principles and righteous outrage" by Andrew Dodd. This episode contains discussions of sexual assault, domestic and family violence, and suicide. If you or someone you know needs support, contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or Lifeline on 13 11 14. 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
• 
  The Week in Media: Royal Commissions, Big Tech & THAT Podcast 09.07.2026 38min

  This week on Fourth Estate, we unpack the biggest stories shaping Australian media, politics and journalism. As the Royal Commission into Antisemitism turns its attention to the media, we examine the recommendations aimed at the ABC and SBS, including calls for greater oversight and more "positive" coverage of Israel. What could this mean for editorial independence, public trust and press freedom? We also discuss the federal government's tougher social media laws, whether multi-million dollar fines can really force Big Tech companies to protect young Australians, and why tech platforms continue to escape the level of scrutiny often directed at public broadcasters. Plus, Australia's long-running battle over gambling advertising returns. As new reforms take shape, we ask whether broadcasters have become too dependent on gambling revenue, and whether streaming platforms are poised to become the industry's next frontier. And finally, Anthony Albanese's appearance on Nikki Osborne's Bush Deep podcast sparked days of headlines over some very awkward exchanges. We ask whether the controversy was overblown, whether politicians are increasingly choosing entertainment podcasts over rigorous journalism, and if the media's fixation on viral moments is distracting from the questions that really matter. Is "relatability" replacing scrutiny in Australian political coverage? Joining host ⁠Tina Quinn⁠ are ⁠Mark Kenny⁠, political analyst for The Canberra Times and Professor at the Australian National University's Australian Studies Institute, and columnist for The Monthly, ⁠Karen Middleton⁠. 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
• 
  The Free Speech and Free Fall of Karl Stefanovic 02.07.2026 38min

  Karl Stefanovic's dramatic exit from Nine has become one of the biggest Australian media stories of the year. But is this simply the downfall of a television star, or a sign that the media landscape itself is changing? After his podcast interview with far-right activist Tommy Robinson sparked widespread backlash, Nine ended its three-decade relationship with one of its biggest names. Now, as Stefanovic embraces podcasting and the language of "free speech", bigger questions are emerging. Can Australia support a Joe Rogan-style media model? Is controversy a viable business strategy? And where is the line between journalism, platforming and personality-driven media? Joining Tina Quinn to unpack the saga are The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age columnist Jacqueline Maley, whose sharp analysis of the affair has sparked national debate, and Crikey Readers' Editor and Cut Through host Crystal Andrews. 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
• 
  Profile: In Conversation with Barrie Cassidy (Part 2) 28.06.2026 1h 14min

  After serving as Prime Minister Bob Hawke's press secretary, Barrie Cassidy returned to journalism with a new perspective on politics and power. Following several years as a correspondent based in the United States with The Australian, an unexpected approach from Network Ten persuaded him to return to Australia to host Meet the Press. In Part Two of our special profile series, Barrie reflects on that decision, his eventual return to the ABC, and the creation of Insiders — the Sunday morning political program that would become one of the country's most influential current affairs shows. Joining Tina Quinn, Cassidy also reflects on the changing relationship between politicians and the press, the evolution of political journalism, and the lessons learned over more than four decades covering Australian politics. We'd love to hear from you! Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fourthestate@2ser.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or tweet us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@fourthestateau. Episode artwork photographed by Matthew Smeal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• 
  Please Explain: Pauline Hanson, One Nation and the Media's 30-Year Dilemma 19.06.2026 1h 4min

  Thirty years ago, Pauline Hanson exposed a fault line in Australian politics that never really went away. This week, following Hanson's first National Press Club address and amid signs One Nation is enjoying its strongest political moment in years, Fourth Estate asks what the media got right, what it got wrong, and whether we've ever truly understood the Australia that keeps bringing Hanson back. Joining Tina Quinn are broadcaster Raf Epstein, award-winning journalist David Leser, whose landmark Good Weekend profile Pauline Hanson's Bitter Harvest remains one of the defining accounts of Hanson's rise, and veteran political reporter Margo Kingston, author of Off The Rails: The Pauline Hanson Trip, one of the most influential books written about the One Nation phenomenon. Together they revisit the journalism that shaped Australia's understanding of Hanson — from Tracey Curro's famous "Please Explain" interview to Maxine McKew's forensic Lateline interrogation — and ask what those moments can tell us about her resurgence today. We also hear from Crikey's Charlie Lewis and Nine Political Editor Charles Croucher, who were both in the room for Hanson's National Press Club appearance. Why has Hanson endured? What does her resurgence tell us about Australian politics, the media, and the voters journalists still struggle to understand? And three decades on, how the hell do we cover her going forward? 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
• 
  Profile: In Conversation with Barrie Cassidy (Part 1) 14.06.2026 1h 48min

  When Barrie Cassidy arrived in Canberra in 1979, Malcolm Fraser was Prime Minister, the political shockwaves of the 1975 dismissal were still reverberating through Australian politics, and Fraser was already fending off the leadership ambitions of a rising Andrew Peacock. The press gallery was smaller, the media landscape less fragmented, and for a young reporter who had discovered a passion for politics while covering Victoria's state parliament, Canberra offered a front-row seat to power. What followed was a career that would take Cassidy from the corridors of Parliament House to the Prime Minister's office itself, before carrying him overseas to report on some of the defining political stories of the late twentieth century. As part of our ongoing profile series, Barrie Cassidy joins Tina Quinn to reflect on those formative years, his time working for Bob Hawke, and the experiences that shaped one of Australia's most respected political journalists. This is part one of a special two-part conversation. 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
• 
  The Stories We Tell Ourselves: China, America and Australian Self-Reliance 05.06.2026 1h 8min

  For decades, China was seen in Australia as an opportunity. Today, it's more often described as a threat. But how much of Australia's understanding of China reflects reality — and how much is shaped by the stories we tell ourselves? As Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks of an "ideological disagreement" with the United States, and as global tensions expose vulnerabilities in supply chains and energy security, a broader question is emerging: is Australia prepared to think more independently about its place in the world? This week, Fourth Estate examines the media narratives, strategic assumptions and political debates that have come to define Australia's relationship with its largest trading partner. Host Tina Quinn speaks with former Labor leader and University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Bill Shorten about Australia's fuel security, sovereign capabilities and what self-reliance might look like in an increasingly uncertain world. Then, a panel featuring Professor Wanning Sun (University of Technology Sydney and a frequent contributor to Crikey), Peter Hartcher (Political and International Editor, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age) and Ben Doherty (Senior Reporter, Guardian Australia) explores how China is framed in Australian media, the influence of the United States on Australian foreign policy, and whether Australia's assumptions about alliances, security and sovereignty need rethinking. Are we seeing China clearly — or through the lens of geopolitics, fear and strategic rivalry? And as the balance of global power shifts, what does Australian self-reliance actually look like? Get in touch, we'd love to hear from you! Tell us your thoughts and email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fourthestate@2ser.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You can also tweet us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@fourthestateau⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• 
  Sarah Wilson on Complexity, Collapse and Making Art in the Apocalypse 28.05.2026 1h 7min

  Sarah Wilson has lived through almost every era of modern media — from becoming a newspaper columnist in her early 20s, to editing Cosmopolitan magazine and hosting MasterChef Australia, writing bestselling books, podcasting and independent publishing. But in recent years, her focus has shifted toward much bigger questions: how do we live meaningfully in an age of ecological crisis, political instability, information overload and growing civilisational anxiety? In this conversation with Tina Quinn, Sarah discusses her new book, I Eat the Stars, why she believes our resistance to societal collapse needs to evolve, and why making art, finding beauty and embracing uncertainty may be more important than ever. They also discuss why Australian media often struggles to grapple with complexity, the pressures of the modern attention economy, and how Sarah’s own long and unconventional career has shaped the way she now thinks about journalism, culture and the path forward. Get in touch, we'd love to hear from you and 2SER needs you! Head to ⁠⁠love2SER.com⁠⁠ and tell us your thoughts, or email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fourthestate@2ser.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You can also tweet us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@fourthestateau⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• 
  One From the Archives: Sophie McNeill and We Can't Say We Didn't Know 21.05.2026 42min

  As the war in Gaza continues — and journalists covering the conflict are being killed at unprecedented rates — we return to the Fourth Estate archives for a conversation that now feels more urgent than ever. In this 2020 interview, former ABC Middle East correspondent Sophie McNeill joins then-Fourth Estate host Sharon Davis to discuss McNeill’s book We Can’t Say We Didn’t Know: Dispatches From An Age Of Impunity and the years she spent reporting from Gaza, Yemen, Syria and Iraq. Together, Sophie and Sharon unpack the realities of frontline journalism: documenting war crimes, navigating questions of objectivity and advocacy, and bearing witness to immense human suffering in an era increasingly defined by impunity. The conversation also revisits the extraordinary case of Rahaf Mohammed, the young Saudi woman whose plea for asylum led Sophie to fly to Bangkok — sparking an international story that blurred the lines between reporting and intervention. Listening back now, the interview is striking not only for how sharply it anticipated many of today’s debates around war reporting and press freedom, but also for the insight it offers into the convictions that would later draw Sophie away from journalism and toward international human rights advocacy and a career in politics. This episode was originally broadcast in March, 2020. Get in touch, we'd love to hear from you and 2SER needs you! Head to ⁠love2SER.com⁠ and tell us your thoughts, or email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fourthestate@2ser.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You can also tweet us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@fourthestateau⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• 
  Red Scares: The Budget and the Backlash 14.05.2026 1h 4min

  From accusations of “broken promises” to cries of socialism, class warfare and even communism, the media reaction to the Albanese Government’s federal budget has been fierce. But how radical are the reforms actually being proposed? This week, Tina Quinn examines the political and media framing surrounding the budget — from the rhetoric around debt, aspiration and intergenerational burden, to the backlash over modest changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions. First, Tina speaks with Ben English, editor of The Daily Telegraph, whose paper branded Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ budget a “big-taxing communist manifesto.” Then, a panel featuring Phil Coorey (Political Editor, Australian Financial Review), Shalailah Medhora from (Political Reporter for Hack, Triple J), Jason Koutsoukis (Special Correspondent, The Saturday Paper), and Kalila Welch (Cheek Media), unpack the politics, economics, lobbyists, scare campaigns and media narratives shaping the national debate. Is this meaningful reform — or moral panic? And if even soft changes provoke this level of outrage, what does that say about the future of economic reform in Australia? Get in touch, we'd love to hear from you and 2SER needs you! Head to ⁠⁠love2SER.com⁠⁠ and tell us your thoughts, or email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fourthestate@2ser.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You can also tweet us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@fourthestateau⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• 
  Blunt Tools: Rate Rises and Media Tropes 07.05.2026 1h

  Are we asking enough questions about the way Australia manages inflation, and the way the media reports on it? Every Reserve Bank decision is treated like a national event. Interest rates rise, borrowers brace, and economists debate whether inflation expectations remain “anchored”. But has economic journalism become too narrowly framed around the logic of the Reserve Bank? And are governments escaping scrutiny as economic management is increasingly outsourced to unelected technocrats? Host Tina Quinn is joined by Stephen Long, Emilia Terzon and Hugh Riminton to discuss fiscal policy, media narratives around inflation, and who really bears the cost of fighting it. The panel also examines the proposed Seven West Media–Southern Cross Austereo merger, tensions surrounding Kerry Stokes’ influence over the company, looming restructures and job cuts at Nine News, and the fallout from the Kyle and Jackie O controversy at ARN. Plus, a reflection on the death of Ted Turner — the CNN founder who transformed television news through the advent of the 24-hour news cycle. We'd love to hear from you and 2SER needs you! Head to ⁠love2SER.com⁠ and tell us your thoughts, or email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fourthestate@2ser.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You can also tweet us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@fourthestateau⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• 
  A Woman Who Won: Antoinette Lattouf on Taking on the ABC — and Winning 30.04.2026 49min

  In December 2023, Australia’s national broadcaster made the decision to dismiss one of its radio presenters, claiming she had brought the Australian Broadcasting Corporation into disrepute after sharing a social media post from Human Rights Watch highlighting atrocities in Gaza. Within hours, The Australian had reported on her removal. But it was her decision to challenge the dismissal in court that turned the story into a national flashpoint. In June 2025, Antoinette Lattouf won that battle — with the Federal Court finding she had been unlawfully dismissed and ordering the ABC to pay compensation. On this episode of Fourth Estate, Lattouf sits down with Tina Quinn to discuss her new book Women Who Win. She reflects on the women who inspired it, her own experience taking on one of the country’s most powerful media institutions, and what her case reveals about journalism, power, and the limits of speaking out. We'd love to hear from you and 2SER needs you! Head to ⁠love2SER.com⁠ and tell us your thoughts, or email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fourthestate@2ser.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You can also tweet us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@fourthestateau⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• 
  2SER on the Brink and Remembering James Valentine 23.04.2026 38min

  Community radio station 2SER could be off the air within months, after the withdrawal of long-standing university funding. In this episode of Fourth Estate, we examine how the station reached this point — from the timeline of key decisions to growing concerns from staff, volunteers and alumni about transparency and leadership. Former 2SER Program Director and Fourth Estate host Anthony Dockrill joins us to unpack what’s gone wrong — and whether the station can still be saved. We also pay tribute to beloved broadcaster James Valentine, who has died aged 64. We reflect on his remarkable career across radio, television and music, and the legacy he leaves behind, with former colleagues Sarah Macdonald and Mark Humphries. We'd love to hear from you and 2SER needs you! Head to love2SER.com and tell us your thoughts, or email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fourthestate@2ser.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You can also tweet us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@fourthestateau⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• 
  Ben Roberts-Smith: How Journalism Took on a War Hero 09.04.2026 54min

  This week, one of Australia’s most decorated soldiers, Ben Roberts-Smith, was arrested and charged with multiple counts of war crime murder. The charges follow years of investigative reporting by journalists at The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald — and a landmark defamation case that tested that reporting in court. In this episode of Fourth Estate, Tina Quinn speaks with two of the journalists behind the story, Nick McKenzie and Michael Bachelard about how the investigation was built — from sourcing and verification, to editorial decisions and legal risk. What does it take to report allegations of war crimes? And what does this case reveal about the power — and limits — of journalism in holding institutions to account? 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
• 
  Dispatches from the Picket Line: Behind the ABC Strike 03.04.2026 44min

  More than 2,000 ABC staff walked off the job in the broadcaster’s first strike in 20 years. While the dispute centred on pay, progression and job security, it also exposed deeper concerns about culture, leadership and editorial independence. In this episode of Fourth Estate, Tina Quinn speaks with current and former ABC journalists, including Michael Slezak, Fran Kelly, Quentin Dempster, Emma Field and Scott Mitchell, to unpack what led to the strike — and what it reveals about the future of the organisation. 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
• 
  Profile: In Conversation with Virginia Trioli (Part 2) 29.03.2026 1h 59min

  "She seems unaware of just how inexperienced she is," was how one media commentator described Virginia Trioli when she first took her place behind the microphone of the Drive program on 774 ABC Radio Melbourne. She had by that point more than a decade of experience as a journalist — but was still relatively new to the art of broadcasting. But Trioli was a quick study, and in the 25 years that followed, would establish herself as one of Australia’s most incisive and instinctive broadcasters, from the interview with Peter Reith that would earn her a Walkley Award, to her expansion into television, presenting Lateline, and her role as the foundation host of the now long-running ABC News Breakfast. As part of our ongoing profile series, the two-time Walkley Award winner joins Tina Quinn to reflect on those years in broadcasting — the interviews that defined her career, the evolution from radio to television, and the pressures that would ultimately lead her to step away from daily broadcasting. Virginia's 2024 memoir, A Bit on the Side: Reflections On What Makes Life Delicious, is published by Pan Macmillan. 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