6 News Australia Explained

6 News Australia
Headquarters:Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Owner:Atelier Puglisi Pty Ltd[1]
Former Names:HMV Local News (2019−2020)
Founder:Leonardo Puglisi
Launch Date:20 March 2019

6 News Australia (also known simply as 6 News) is a streaming news channel based in Melbourne, Australia. The channel is known for a large portion of its journalists being teenagers.[2] [3]

History

6 News was founded in 2019 as HMV Local News by Leonardo Puglisi, who was 11 years old at the time. The channel changed its name to 6 News on 1 January 2020.[4]

In August 2021, the channel was suspended by YouTube for a week after uploading a video of then-MP George Christensen, which violated YouTube's policy against COVID-19 misinformation. The suspension was overturned after it was determined "there was sufficient context" to allow the video to be published.[5]

The channel gained national media attention in early 2022 during the federal election campaign, after conducting interviews with then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison and then-Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese.[6]

After Labor senator Fatima Payman crossed the floor to support recognising the State of Palestine, 6 News was the first news outlet to interview her.[7] [8]

Basil Zempilas controversy

In January 2024, Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas was captured on a hot mic apparently referring to the Australian Open women's final as a "reserve game", prior to a press conference announcing he was joining the Liberal Party. A clip of the comment was posted on X (formerly Twitter) by 6 News.[9]

Zempilas later said that he was taken out of context, and that he was referring to a "derby" between reporter Michael Genovese and his partner hosting the news on different channels, which Genovese later confirmed.[10] 6 News deleted their post and Puglisi stated that the channel's practices would be reviewed.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Review of the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code . treasury.gov.au . Public Interest Journalism Initiative.
  2. Web site: The 14-year-old political journalist covering the upcoming federal election . ABC News.
  3. Web site: How Melbourne's Leonardo, boy journalist, scooped the big guns . The Age.
  4. Web site: Scott Morrison, Bob Katter and juggling school: the story behind teen journos at 6 News . The Feed.
  5. Web site: YouTube bans another Australian news organisation . TV Blackbox.
  6. Web site: Prime Minister Scott Morrison clashed with teen reporter over lying allegations . news.com.au.
  7. Web site: Senator Fatima Payman Defends Crossing the Floor on Gaza Vote . WAMN News.
  8. Web site: Jervis-Bardy . Dan . Fatima Payman: PM expects rogue senator to toe the line as she hints at more pro-Palestine protests . The Nightly . Seven West Media . 28 June 2024 . 28 June 2024.
  9. Web site: Basil Zempilas: 6 News Australia to review practices after online storm erupts over fake news . The West Australian . https://web.archive.org/web/20240131103152/https://thewest.com.au/politics/basil-zempilas-6-news-australia-to-review-practices-after-online-storm-erupts-over-fake-news-c-13382637 . 31 January 2024 . 28 January 2024.
  10. News: Trigger . Rebecca . 2024-01-27 . Basil Zempilas defends himself after viral tweet causes outrage . ABC News.