Sat, 17th, Oct, 2026: Misha Ketchell, Editor & Executive Director, The Conversation, Politics Update

Macca and Kenny are in the hosting seats this big week

Editor and Executive Director of The Conversation Australia and New Zealand, an independent, non-profit news and analysis outlet where academic experts write directly for the public.

An exploration of AI voice technology and audiobooks. As synthetic, AI-generated voices become routine, researchers are analysing why listeners feel alienated when conversational disfluencies (breath pauses, hesitations, natural variations in speech) are removed.

The Story: Research examining how AI-generated deepfakes and synthetic political content are already influencing voters ahead of the Victorian state election. Which demographics are most vulnerable to synthetic media deception, and how can voters spot misinformation in state campaigns?

Analysis by housing researchers putting recent rate hikes, tax reform debates, and property price slides into national perspective—examining whether Australia’s housing market is actually stabilizing or facing deeper structural hurdles.

“What Might Turning Off the Algorithm Look Like? Chinese Social Media Provides Some Hints”

Analysis by University of Melbourne researchers (Fan Yang, Luke Heemsbergen, and Robbie Fordyce) examining WeChat in China—a platform that has operated an algorithm-free, subscription-first feed model for over a decade. As the Australian government introduces its Digital Duty of Care legislation allowing users to switch off algorithmic recommendations, this research reveals that turning off algorithms doesn’t automatically create a digital utopia. Instead, content creators adapt by flooding feeds with rapid, AI-generated clickbait during peak “golden hours” to stay visible.

Welcome back to Saturday Magazine on JOY 94.9. Joining us now to break down the week’s big research-backed stories is Misha Ketchell, Editor of The Conversation. Today we’re looking at what happens to human communication as AI voices start talking back, the impact of deepfakes on Victorian voters, and putting Australia’s housing market in perspective. Misha, welcome back to JOY 94.9!

 

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