Transcript

Good day, everyone! This is Erika from Just a Moment News, bringing you the latest headlines for today, September 15, 2023.

Let’s start with the world of rugby. In a challenging match, a significantly altered French rugby team narrowly defeated Uruguay 27-12. This victory raised questions about France’s discipline and cohesiveness, as they made 12 changes from their previous win against New Zealand. France scored tries through Antoine Hastoy, Peato Mauvaka, and Louis Bielle-Biarrey, while Uruguay countered with impressive tries from Nicolas Freitas and Baltazar Amaya. Despite the defeat, Uruguay displayed remarkable tenacity and skill, signaling their potential in the tournament. Both teams’ future performances are worth keeping an eye on, considering the surprising outcomes and key learnings from this match.

Moving on to South Africa, Communications Minister Mondli Gungubele is accusing Postbank’s former board of breaking public finance laws. They allegedly paid R140 million to a software provider without following proper procedures. This accusation comes after software issues left numerous social grant recipients without money. An initial KPMG investigation found irregularities and possible criminal activity, supporting Gungubele’s claims. Five out of eight Postbank directors have resigned, criticizing the minister’s treatment. The bank’s tech infrastructure has faced issues, causing significant delays in grant disbursement and affecting about 600,000 people recently. The former board members and the current Postbank CEO are working on resolving the situation, although they cannot guarantee that such failures won’t occur again.

Now, let’s shift our attention to the podcast world. Kast Media, a podcast network, is currently involved in a financial scandal. Multiple creators have alleged that the company owes them unpaid advertising revenue, ranging from six to seven digits. Kast CEO Colin Thomson attributes the lack of payments to a soft ad market. In an attempt to rectify the situation, Thomson offered creators a deal involving a partial cash payment and shares in PodcastOne, a separate company, on the condition that they migrate their podcasts. High-profile podcasters, including Whitney Cummings and Theo Von, have publicly expressed their grievances. Von claims that Kast Media owes him and others over $4 million, which has generated substantial social media traction. This coincided with a drop in PodcastOne’s share value after its Nasdaq debut. LiveOne CEO Rob Ellin acknowledged Kast’s distressed condition and dismissed any plans to bring Thomson onboard following a proposed IP acquisition deal. Thomson denies fraud but admits regret over some business decisions.

In the world of entertainment, despite rumors of cancellation due to Jeremy Clarkson’s controversial remarks about Meghan Markle, Amazon Prime Video is actively negotiating to renew “Clarkson’s Farm” for a Season 4. The show is one of Amazon’s best-performing UK originals, and production for Season 3 is already underway, with a scheduled premiere in 2024. While there have been bumps along the way, improved relations and strong viewer ratings have likely influenced the ongoing negotiations. Previous reports had indicated that Amazon would part ways with Clarkson, but it seems both parties are keen to continue the series.

Lastly, an upcoming NFL game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Atlanta Falcons will be broadcast as a real-time animated event set in the Toy Story universe. Titled “Toy Story Funday Football,” the game will stream live on October 1 at 9:30 a.m. ET on Disney+ and ESPN+. This innovative initiative combines real-time animation with live sports, targeting younger viewers. The game will take place in “Andy’s Room,” featuring Toy Story characters like Woody and Buzz Lightyear interacting in non-gameplay elements. Produced in collaboration with ESPN, Disney, the NFL, Pixar, and other partners, the game will be available in more than 95 international markets. This event follows a growing trend of alternative telecasts in sports, offering unique and entertaining experiences to fans.

That’s all for today’s headlines. Stay tuned for more news updates. This is Erika from Just a Moment News, signing off.

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