Peter Gee’s lucky escape. Tasmania’s ABC TV news anchor Peter Gee was off the air last night after a nasty pushbike crash left him in hospital. The long-time 7pm presenter has a spinal injury from the crash, where he came off his bike on a steep Hobart back road. He told the ABC he would make a full recovery after surgery, and would be back to work early next year.

Theroux film exploitative: review. Popular BBC documentary maker Louis Theroux has received a scathing review from Fairfax for his new film on opiate addiction. Theroux, known for his television documentaries about marginal subcultures, does not have a fan in reviewer Jake Wilson on his most recent effort, Heroin Town.

“Theroux has always been willing to make himself part of the show, getting himself into uncomfortable situations for our amusement. He looks and acts — there is no polite way to say this — like a voyeur from central casting: an uptight geek obsessed with the seamy side of life, who uses his professional status as an excuse to stare hard and ask bluntly intrusive questions.”

Canberra farewells Andrew Meares. Federal press gallery president, Fairfax photographer Andrew Meares has his last day on the job today after 27 years for the company. Yesterday, he tweeted 27 of his best pictures to mark his departure, and they’re well worth a look:

Attorney-General George Brandis paid tribute to Meares in the Senate yesterday, and The Sydney Morning Herald has also published a gallery of his photographs. Meares told ABC radio last week he would still be taking photos and be involved in the media, but he’d decided now was the time to bow out of newspapers on his own terms.

The Australian‘s rainbow columnists. With the Yes vote won, and Paul Kelly under heavy sedation in a secret location somewhere, the Oz had a bit of a party on its front page, colouring its inside story rundown with a rainbow:

 

Caroline Overington got angry red, Jennifer Oriel was blue — accurate we imagine — and Niki Savva was green for the first time in her life. David Crowe got the burnt orange, which should have gone to Bernard Salt, because he thinks that colour will be big anyday now (“tell your pet rock!”). And Greg Sheridan? He got lavender, and we don’t know why that’s perfect, but it is. Pass the smelling salts. — Guy Rundle

Auction for 21st Century Fox assets. The Murdochs seem to have succeeded in getting an auction going for some of 21st Century Fox’s assets. America’s biggest cable company and biggest telco, Comcast and Verizon, are in talks to buy some. Murmurs about a possible sale were kicked off by discussion with Disney. 21st Century Fox shares jumped more than 6% early this morning as media reports suggested that the giant Comcast was sniffing around the Murdoch company in the wake of approaches to Disney that were reported almost a fortnight ago. Dow Jones, owned by News Corp, another Murdoch media company, reported an hour or so after CNBC reported on Comcast’s interest that Verizon had joined the talks. Fox shares jumped again after the Dow Jones report to $US31 each, valuing the company at close to $US60 billion. They will rise again when trading resumes late tonight on Wall Street, and don’t be surprised if there is talk of other bidders, such as Amazon or Netflix. The Disney speculation was not discussed by Fox and the Murdochs either at the first quarter results a week ago or the annual meeting on Thursday, nor was Comcast or Verizon’s interest. Lachlan and James Murdoch told the analysts briefing post results that they would not comment on speculation.  — Glenn Dyer

Glenn Dyer’s TV ratings. Seven’s night, easily, thanks to The Good Doctor with 1.6 million national viewers — while the metro audience of 986,000 was down on last week’s 1.005 million. The regional audience jumped to 614,000 from 563,000 — so all round a winning night for Seven — both in the metros and the regionals, and a winning night in the demos. Ten’s Gogglebox Australia was the other standout with 848,000 and was the second most watched non-news program after 7pm.

The Good Doctor topped the regionals with 614,000 followed by Seven News with 529,000, Home and Away with 442,000, then Seven News/TT with 421,000 and The 5.30pm part of The Chase Australia with 353,000. — Read the rest of TV ratings on the website