Top Entertainment Journalists in Australia (2025)

Broede Carmody is an award-winning journalist and poet based in Melbourne, Australia, currently writing for The Age. With a career spanning investigative reporting and literary curation, he brings a poet’s precision to cultural journalism.

Key Coverage Areas

• Entertainment: Australian film, music, and publishing industries
• Books: Poetry collections, indie presses, literary festivals
• Media: Digital storytelling trends, journalism ethics

Achievements

• Published two poetry collections with Vagabond Press
• 2023 SEVENTH Gallery emerging writer in residence
• Board member of Express Media, supporting young writers

Pitching Insights

Carmody prioritizes stories that:

• Showcase Australian artists impacting social discourse
• Examine technology’s role in cultural preservation
• Feature data-driven analysis of media trends

This Sydney-based journalist-author hybrid brings investigative rigor to both entertainment analysis and thriller fiction. Currently self-publishing through his blog and major retailers, he maintains influence through:

• Action Genre Deconstruction: Examines how fight choreography and stakes design evolve across films/games
• Tactical Fiction: Novels emphasizing authentic combat techniques and geopolitical intrigue
• Transmedia Trends: Cross-pollination between video games, films, and novels

Pitching Preferences

• Seeking: Behind-the-scenes stories about stunt coordination, interviews with combat consultants, data-driven analyses of action tropes
• Avoid: Celebrity profiles, franchise reboot rumors, non-weaponized prop design

Recent recognition includes Action Cinema Quarterly's 2023 Critics' Choice Spotlight for bridging film criticism and fiction. His work remains essential for understanding modern action storytelling's DNA.

Jake Wilson is a multidisciplinary journalist specializing in the intersection of culture, sports, and technology. As a film critic for the Sydney Morning Herald and contributor to BBC Match of the Day Magazine, his work combines rigorous analysis with narrative flair.

Key Coverage Areas

• **Film Criticism**: Focuses on Australian cinema history and stylistic innovation in global filmmaking
• **Sports Analysis**: Explores tactical evolution in football and athlete training methodologies
• **Gaming Culture**: Investigates the societal impact of e-sports and streaming platforms

Pitching Preferences

• **Do**: Propose stories with archival research components or cross-industry implications
• **Avoid**: Celebrity profiles or event coverage without analytical depth

“The best stories reveal how systems shape creativity – whether in cinema, sports, or digital culture.”

**Recent Recognition**: 2023 Walkley Award nominee for sports journalism, 2016 Australian Screen Studies Award winner

Jessica Willard is an entertainment and media journalist at The Mercury (Hobart), Australia's oldest continuously published newspaper. Her work focuses on:

• Cultural Infrastructure: Tracking how arts initiatives impact community development
• Media Evolution: Analyzing streaming trends' effects on local production
• Creative Entrepreneurship: Profiling artists building sustainable careers

Pitching Priorities

• Local-Global Nexus: Stories connecting Tasmanian creatives to international trends
• Data-Driven Arts: Studies quantifying cultural initiatives' ROI

With over [X] years at The Mercury, Willard has become essential reading for understanding Australia's southernmost creative hub.

As Chief Entertainment Writer for The Daily Telegraph, Moran dominates Australian celebrity journalism while pioneering mental health discourse. His dual expertise makes him uniquely positioned to cover:

• Entertainment Industry Trends: Prefers stories about systemic change (diversity initiatives, mental health protocols) over individual celebrity gossip
• Psychological Resilience: Seeks case studies of public figures using evidence-based coping strategies
• Media Innovation: Interested in new formats like podcast-documentary hybrids

Avoid Pitches About:

• Speculative relationship reporting
• Music festival lineup announcements without social impact angles

Notable Achievements

“Moran’s work proves entertainment journalism can be both commercially successful and psychologically literate.” – Dr. Jodie Lowinger, The Anxiety Clinic

Australia's preeminent analyst of visual storytelling across traditional and emerging media. Currently shaping discourse through:

• The Guardian Australia: Lead film critic since 2016, publishing 3-4 weekly pieces combining academic rigor and accessible analysis
• The VR Critic: Founder of 2025's most cited spatial media review platform, bridging academia and consumer guidance
• Book Author: Miller and Max remains essential reading for Mad Max scholars and franchise filmmakers

Pitching Priorities

• Seek: Australian genre innovations, VR narrative experiments, acting craft deep dives
• Avoid: Celebrity profiles, box office reports, franchise film promotions

"The best screen stories don't just show us new worlds - they make us feel how those worlds work."

Matt Gilbertson is a multimedia journalist and podcast host specializing in cultural policy analysis for The Adelaide Advertiser and The Post. His work uniquely bridges entertainment and civic education, making him a pivotal voice for audiences aged 18–35.

Key Coverage Areas

• Arts Funding: Tracks allocation of public resources to regional creative initiatives
• Media Evolution: Analyzes digital platforms’ impact on traditional performance spaces

Pitching Preferences

• Data-Driven Stories: Prefers pitches incorporating localized statistics with national context
• Cross-Industry Angles: Seeks examples where tech policies affect arts communities

Recent projects demonstrate his commitment to innovative storytelling, particularly through podcast formats that blend humor with policy analysis. Proactive sources should emphasize South Australian case studies with clear visual or audio narrative potential.

Nui Te Koha serves as Head of Lifestyle at The Herald Sun, Australia's highest-circulation daily newspaper. With primary focus on entertainment and arts, his work bridges mainstream pop culture with niche creative movements.

Key Coverage Areas

• Music Industry Evolution: Tracks commercial trends through artist interviews and streaming analysis
• Culturally-Grounded Storytelling: Highlights creators blending tradition with contemporary forms
• Lifestyle Innovation: Reports on consumer behavior shifts in fashion, dining, and leisure

Pitching Guidelines

"Compelling pitches demonstrate understanding of Victoria's cultural ecosystem beyond surface-level trends."

• Do: Lead with unique data points about audience engagement or creative process innovations
• Avoid: Generic festival announcements without artist participation angles

Recent recognition includes the 2021 Australian Music Journalism Award for his investigative work on live music venue sustainability. Te Koha's cross-platform approach (print, radio, digital) makes him particularly valuable for campaigns seeking integrated media coverage.

Tahlia Pritchard (Chattr, Substack) has redefined reality TV criticism through her unique blend of cultural analysis and mental health advocacy. The Australian journalist’s work spans three key areas:

Core Coverage Areas

• Reality Television Analysis: Treats shows like MAFS as social experiments, employing psychological frameworks
• Digital Culture: Examines how platforms shape modern relationships and self-perception
• Creative Labor: Advocates for sustainable practices in media industries

Pitching Preferences

Successful pitches to Pritchard often:

• Combine pop culture hooks with academic methodologies
• Feature underrepresented voices in reality TV production
• Offer new frameworks for discussing digital fatigue

Achievements

• Walkley 30 Under 30 Honoree (2020)
• Developed viral "Reality Tea" podcast format (2M+ downloads)
• Authored 2023’s most-shared Australian media essay (POPSUGAR)