Behind the Media

Mark Schoofs heads a global team of investigative reporters for BuzzFeed News. He set up the team that has prosecuted important investigations into tennis match fixing, Russian collusion in US elections and Russian assassinations in Britain. Schoofs has one a Pulitzer for reporting on the AIDS crisis in Africa for The Village Voice, and since making the move from ProPublica to Buzzfeed five years ago the listicles site has been a Pulitzer finalist twice on his watch.

Stephen Brook interviews Les Hinton, who for decades was Rupert Murdoch's right-hand man. He left News International in 2011 after the News of the World phone hacking scandal but says he was in ignorance of it. Les says what Rupert Murdoch is really like, why Bill Clinton and Tony Blair were so charismatic and remembers the time Princess Diana called. They discuss Les' book The Bootle Boy, the future of newspapers and how the tabloid agenda has won.

The Sydney Morning Herald's investigative reporter discusses getting more death threats than awards, being sued by Eddie Obeid and her reporting landing him in jail, her book getting pulped over a slight mistake and she plays a game of true or false.

Actor, comedian and author Shaun Micallef adds "promiscuity" to his list of abilities after successfully working with every major Australian tv channel. After this year's Logie Awards, Shaun told BTM he's not overtly political or dirty and will kill a sketch if he thinks the audience is too partisan. He runs through the Adelaide Mafia of prominent media personalities and reveals how a Maltese boy became star of Talkin' Bout Your Generation and Mad As Hell.

Poolside the morning after the Logies at The Star Gold Coast, Hamish and Andy talk about their enduring partnership, Bert Newton's clanger, the difficulty in getting a new show up and selling their True Stories format around the world.

The legendary former anchor of 7:30 Report and Four Corners discusses the "punishment" behind the governments ABC cuts, how the public broadcaster must mobilise, the trick to getting a good interview, why he admires John Howard and his forthcoming book.

International guest Richard Lloyd Parry is the Asia Editor of The Times newspaper.He's the author of Ghosts Of The Tsunami, a book about how that disaster devastated a community in northern Japan in 2011, and People Who Eat Darkness about the disappearance of a British woman in Tokyo and the attempts by her killer to sue him for libel. Lloyd Parry has worked for The Independent and The Times and reported from most of Asia's trouble spots including Indonesia and Afghanistan. He speaks about about whether foreign correspondents have a future, how to use a pseudonym to sneak into Burma, and where he keeps Osama Bin Laden's underwear.

Zemiro is the host with the most; she's the face of Home Delivery on ABC, RocKwiz on SBS and calls herself the midwife of Eurovision in Australia. And she's about to present All Together Now, a big budget singing show on Channel 7.Born in France, Julia went to a French school in Bondi, studied drama and did improv and was an actress before becoming a TV host and interviewer. She talks about why she won't present Eurovision again, if RocKwiz will ever come back, plus her talents in getting showbusiness veterans to open up in interviews.

At 34, the indefatigable Markson is the national political editor for The Daily Telegraph.She broke the news that Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce was having a love child with a former staffer, which cost him his job, and explains how the Canberra Press Gallery works.Sharri spent a year editing Cleo magazine, was media editor of The Australian, won a Walkley award at Seven news, convinced a wealthy businessman to let her have her wedding on his private country estate despite his initial refusal. And recounts how she got access to a survivor of the 2005 London Bombing Victim when no one else could or would.  And there's the time the ABC baked her a birthday cake.

A senior presence at the Nine Network's 60 Minutes, investigative journalist Ross Coulthart talks about why he is departing, and what he might to do next.  The former lawyer who has worked at the ABC, Seven and Nine, is discouraged about the state of television to investigate stories, he says it lacks the sufficient budgets and attracting audiences are a problem. US start-ups such as The Intercept might be able to fix the formula.  Coulthart accuses the ABC of mishandling the return of the Cabinet Files and recalls the ABC's different approach during his days on Four Corners. And if you want to leak him a story, don't call him on your mobile. It'll only end badly, due to the chilling effect of metadata laws. Write a letter instead.

Kochie discusses being a finance nerd, his career trajectory from being a junior auditor to a cadetship at The Australian and creating the format of relatable breakfast TV for Sunrise. Building things is important to the number one morning show host; being the Port Adelaide chairman, The Koch Centre for Youth and Learning in Macquarie Fields and his involvement with an orphanage in East Timor. Kochie also discusses his lowest moment of the dot com crash, the satisfaction of dedicated coverage to fix Australia's organ transplant system, offending former Prime Minister John Howard, and Sunrise's role in making Kevin Rudd PM.

Blunden looks back over more than 40 years in journalism, including editing the Herald Sun and Adelaide Advertiser.  The newspaper veteran has mellowed but still admits he can drive his staff mad over stories. A recent bout of open heart surgery led to his longest period away from work in his career, nearly two months.  Being an editor and executive is all about getting to know readers and making decisions in their interest

PK is the host of ABC Radio National Drive,  National Wrap on ABC News 24 and The Party Room podcast. She previously hosted her own program on Sky News, was the Victorian Bureau Chief for The Australian newspaper and the political correspondent in the Canberra press gallery. 

The actress, producer, comedian, cook book author, tv presenter and radio broadcaster wears many hats. Perhaps best known for her role as Brooke Vandenberg on Frontline, Jane is about to return to her rock chick roots co-hosting the drive slot on Triple M with Mick Molloy.

Bolt talks about retirement plans, political plans, loyalty to readers outweighing his friendship with politicians including Tony Abbott. He reveals the influence his late father-in- law had on his journalism, and also delves into losing a racial vilification court case in 2011.