The unravelling of a media empire: Antony Catalano’s darkest chapter
4/22/202633 min
This week, editor-in-chief James Chessell and media reporter Sam Buckingham-Jones on the rise and spectacular fall of Antony Catalano.
This podcast is sponsored by Woodside Energy
Catalano’s big play to take on REA and Domain to be mothballed
Staff at the businessman’s regional media empire were told on Friday that the View.com.au platform, only recently bound for the ASX, would instead close down.
The cult of Antony Catalano is coming crashing down
Accused of assaulting his wife Stefanie, the businessman – once dubbed Mr Property – has gone into rehab. The survival of his empire hangs in the balance.
Antony Catalano is losing even more money
The bottom line at Australian Community Media, which Catalano co-owns with Alex Waislitz, has gone from bad to worse.
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSpeaker 0· Soundbite0:00
[upbeat music] The Australian Financial Review.
Speaker 10:06
[suspenseful music] Prominent media owner Anthony Catalano is accused of dragging a woman by her hair and ankles, as well as swinging a clothes iron at her head.
Lisa Murray· Host0:19
Last month, this shocking news broke involving one of the country's most high-profile media executives. Anthony Catalano's wife ended up in hospital with a broken tailbone.
Speaker 3· Soundbite0:31
He was charged with assault, false imprisonment, and making threats to kill. He's now on extended leave from his role as Australian Community Media chairman.
Lisa Murray· Host0:40
Catalano has checked himself into rehab. His next court hearing is on May 11, and meanwhile, his regional media and classifieds empire is unraveling.
Sam Buckingham-Jones· Guest0:51
This is a spectacular fall from grace for a man who led the real estate platform domain, this multi-billion-dollar business, onto the public market. He built an incredible business and property empire for himself, and yet now, as a result of this, that's all really under threat.
Lisa Murray· Host1:09
In the wake of the charges, reports have reemerged of Catalano's aggressive deal-making and the boys club culture that allegedly existed under businesses he led.
Sam Buckingham-Jones· Guest1:20
It's really important not to think of him as some sort of tragic figure. He's just been caught up in a structural change that has occurred in the media industry.