Michael Janda is a Business Editor at ABC News Australia, specializing in labor law, economic policy, and creative industry dynamics. With a background spanning agency ownership and corporate leadership, his reporting combines analytical rigor with real-world insights.
“Success in creative industries isn’t about talent—it’s about understanding the rules of the game and knowing when to rewrite them.”
Michael Janda’s career spans over two decades, blending creative entrepreneurship with incisive business journalism. After founding the award-winning agency Riser in 2002, which served clients like Disney and Google, he transitioned to media analysis, leveraging his firsthand experience in corporate dynamics and regulatory challenges. His work at ABC News Australia since 2015 has established him as a authoritative voice on labor laws, economic policy, and business strategy.
This analysis of Australia’s proposed labor reforms highlights Janda’s ability to decode complex policy shifts for a broad audience. The article dissects the economic implications of non-compete clauses, citing interviews with economists and small-business owners. Janda emphasizes how these clauses stifle innovation, particularly in tech and creative sectors, while advocating for balanced reforms. His reporting influenced public discourse ahead of parliamentary debates, earning recognition from industry groups and unions.
In this candid reflection, Janda recounts a contractual dispute during his agency days, underscoring the importance of clear legal frameworks in creative projects. The piece serves as a case study for freelancers, detailing how misaligned expectations and vague scoping led to a costly resolution. By sharing this personal experience, Janda bridges journalism and mentorship, offering actionable advice for avoiding similar pitfalls.
This critique of traditional design education challenges institutions to prioritize real-world business skills over technical prowess. Janda argues that portfolios often fail to reflect a designer’s ability to navigate client relationships or profitability, drawing parallels to broader systemic issues in creative industries. The article has been cited in academic curricula and industry workshops, cementing its relevance.
Janda prioritizes stories that examine how legislation impacts SMEs and creative industries. For example, his coverage of non-compete clauses linked labor laws to startup innovation, using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Pitches should include regulatory analysis, stakeholder interviews, and case studies demonstrating tangible economic effects.
With his agency background, Janda explores how creative businesses balance artistic integrity with profitability. A successful pitch might analyze subscription models for design firms or the ROI of AI tools in branding, referencing his book Burn Your Portfolio.
Janda rarely covers personal finance or stock market trends. Instead, he investigates systemic issues like wage stagnation in creative sectors or funding gaps for freelance platforms. Proposals should avoid “how-to” angles and emphasize structural challenges or policy solutions.
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