Was Queen Charlotte the UK's first black Queen?

In 2020, at just 22 years old Hannah Ferguson launched Cheek Media Co - an independent news platform designed to break down big, complex issues and speak to people who feel alienated by traditional media. Since then, she’s built a media empire: publishing two books, launching a hit podcast, speaking at the National Press Club, interviewing the Prime Minister and even designing a vibrator - all while advocating for social change. In this chat with Sacha Barbour Gatt, Hannah unpacks why talking politics at the dinner table actually matters and the role Cheek Media played in shaping the 2025 election result. Weekend list with Helen Smith TO WATCH: Marty Supreme TO EAT: Sacha’s easy take on bruschetta TO DO: What's your best TK Maxx find? TO READ: Books by Jodi Picoult, like Mad Honey Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

16 Jan 39min

20% of Aussies with depression don't respond positively to antidepressant medication. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Co-Director of Health and Policy at The University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Centre, Professor Ian Hickie, who explains why antidepressants work well for many people — and fail badly for others. Drawing on new Australian research, involving more than 15,000 Australians, Professor Hickie unpacks the evidence that shows depression is not one condition, but many, each with distinct biological drivers. Headlines: Some of Australia’s most prominent religious leaders have urged the government to halt their hate speech reforms, Venezuela’s opposition leader has presented her Nobel Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump, and the mother of one of Elon Musk’s fourteen children is suing X. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

16 Jan 15min

Friday Headlines: Cars, caravans and tents swept out to sea as flash flooding hits Victoria, millions of accounts deactivated after world-first social media ban, British band agrees to play Adelaide Festival after apology to Randa Abdel-Fattah, astronauts splash down to earth after first medical evacuation in the International Space Station’s history and Australia’s first Trump Tower could be built in the Gold Coast.Deep Dive: A24’s Marty Supreme has become one of the most talked-about films of the awards season and is proving that buzz can be just as powerful as trophies. Starring Timothée Chalamet and directed by Josh Safdie, the film has had a chaotic, headline-grabbing PR campaign, and its limited release has already broken records for the independent studio, setting a new benchmark for how hype is built in 2026. In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by senior producer Holly Mitchell, who attended the Australian premiere, to unpack how the Marty Supreme hype has worked and when it hasn’t in the past. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

15 Jan 23min

Australia’s largest Neo-Nazi group, the National Socialist Network, has announced its disbanding ahead of the proposed overhaul of hate speech laws by the federal government. But there are concerns that this latest move will not see the extremists disappear, with some experts warning it will only fuel further hate and unify more dedicated followers. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Dr Kaz Ross, a researcher on far-right extremism, who unpacks these latest developments and shares her analysis on what may happen next. Headlines: The federal government’s hate speech bill appears to be on shaky ground, with both the Greens and the Coalition refusing to back it in its current form, there’s been another shooting by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, and authorities in Canberra are investigating after 11 explosive devices were found in the city. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

15 Jan 17min

Thursday Headlines: Coalition set to vote against new hate speech laws, Iran fast-tracks trials and possible executions, JD Vance meets with foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland, Victorian schools students’ details leaked in major hack, and Aussie amateur wins $1 million at Australian Open ‘One Point Slam’.Deep Dive: Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok is under renewed scrutiny after it emerged it could be used to digitally undress women and children and manipulate images into sexually suggestive content. While the tool stops short of generating full nudity, it has sparked concern from regulators worldwide, reigniting questions about platform responsibility, AI guardrails, and whether Musk’s push for “unsanitised” technology has gone too far. In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with The New York Times’ Silicon Valley correspondent, Mike Isaac about Grok, how it fits into Elon Musk’s wider tech empire, and why this latest scandal may be less an anomaly and more a pattern. Further listening from headlines:Trump vs Greenland explainedFollow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

14 Jan 22min

Victoria Premier, Jacinta Allan, is under increasing pressure over a funding crisis for firefighters. Firefighters and volunteers say they’ve been calling for more money for years, with their trucks and equipment out of date - putting lives and property at risk. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Peter Marshall from the United Firefighters Union, who claims Jacinta Allan is lying, warning lives will be lost as a horror bushfire season continues. Headlines: Palestinian Australian Author, Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah has threatened the South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas with legal action, Tom Silvagni has applied to appeal his rape convictions, and Bill & Hilary Clinton have refused a congressional subpoena linked to an investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

14 Jan 13min

Wednesday Headlines: New hate speech laws trigger the disbanding of neo-Nazi group, Trump says killers of protesters in Iran will ‘pay a big price,' acclaimed Australian author charged with child exploitation material offences, threatened habitats approved for land clearing in Australia hit 15-year high, and the creators of Stranger Things have been accused of using ChatGPT to write the last season.Deep Dive: Free speech has surged back into the spotlight in Australia after Palestinian Australian author and academic Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah was removed from Adelaide Writers’ Week. Her axing triggered a mass boycott by writers, culminating in the event’s collapse. And the controversy raises bigger questions about how we navigate polarising debates in Australia. In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by Dr Denis Muller from the Centre for Advancing Journalism to discuss free speech in Australia and how we regain the art of having tough discussions respectfully. Further listening from headlines:'The child experiments that inspired Stranger Things: The Montauk Project explained' is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you listen to your podcasts.Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

13 Jan 22min

Former PM Kevin Rudd has resigned as US ambassador a year early. His reign has been filled with plenty of controversy, including critical comments about US President Donald Trump. So, why did Mr Rudd leave early, who are the frontrunners to replace him, and what does this latest move mean for our fragile alliance with the US, in very uncertain international times? In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by political reporter with 7NEWS, Josh Martin, to unpack all today’s developments. Headlines: Adelaide Writers Week has been cancelled after days of controversy, Adelaide United has strongly rejected allegations from former player Joshua Cavallo that the A-League club is homophobic, and Etihad Airways has been named the world’s safest full-service airline. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

13 Jan 15min