Background Briefing
ABC Australia
Background Briefing is the ABC's flagship investigative journalism podcast. Its award-winning investigations and documentaries expose cover-ups, corruption, real-life mysteries, whistleblowing, crime, fraud and miscarriages of justice — often before these stories receive mainstream attention.
The Background Briefing podcast brings you true stories not everyone will want you to hear, told by trusted reporters across Australia.
This Australian podcast makes investigative journalism bingeable. From scams and fraud to schooling and health scandals, tech and social media digs, police exposes and various unsolved cases, each episode of the Background Briefing podcast is a must-listen.
Recent series include:
Hometown Boys exposed how a terrible crime fractured a local community around a local football club.
The Invisible Killer: a forensic investigation into unexplained deaths in aged care after a doctor makes an unusual discovery.
The Favourite: how a schoolyard secret stayed hidden for years.
Stop and Search, which uncovered the mechanics of power and police accountability.
Before and After investigated medical hype, telehealth, body image, cosmetic procedures and consumer risk.
Beef: how small feuds escalate into serious disputes.
The Background Briefing podcast brings you true stories not everyone will want you to hear, told by trusted reporters across Australia.
This Australian podcast makes investigative journalism bingeable. From scams and fraud to schooling and health scandals, tech and social media digs, police exposes and various unsolved cases, each episode of the Background Briefing podcast is a must-listen.
Recent series include:
Hometown Boys exposed how a terrible crime fractured a local community around a local football club.
The Invisible Killer: a forensic investigation into unexplained deaths in aged care after a doctor makes an unusual discovery.
The Favourite: how a schoolyard secret stayed hidden for years.
Stop and Search, which uncovered the mechanics of power and police accountability.
Before and After investigated medical hype, telehealth, body image, cosmetic procedures and consumer risk.
Beef: how small feuds escalate into serious disputes.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jan 16, 2026 • 30min
01 Hometown Boys | Welcome to Balmoral
In this one-street town of 280 residents, there’s an unspoken code: don’t rock the boat, or risk being cast out. Balmoral is a small Victorian town built on tradition, loyalty and knowing your place. For newcomers, the fastest way in is the football club. It’s where friendships are forged and status is earned.
Jan 9, 2026 • 2min
TRAILER — Introducing Hometown Boys
When a young woman accuses a talented local footballer and his friend of rape, the town reveals where its true loyalties lie. The beating heart of Balmoral, a tiny Victorian town in Australia, is the football club. It’s where children grow up, where families belong and where people learn the cost of rocking the boat. Background Briefing investigates what happens when town pride, sports club culture, and the reputation of a promising young player get in the way of a young woman seeking justice over a terrible crime.
Dec 25, 2025 • 24min
Long Read | How social media algorithms decide who you are
Prianka Srinivasan embarks on a fascinating experiment using a burner phone to unveil Instagram’s algorithm. She reveals how the platform initially learns user preferences through a blank profile and diverse content exposure. Experts discuss how location data and feedback signals shape recommendations. The conversation shifts to how small actions can drastically alter content feeds—from parenting tips to polarizing material. Ultimately, tools for regaining control over one’s feed are shared, sparking reflection on the power of algorithms in our daily lives.
Dec 6, 2025 • 35min
04 Before and After | Behind the sunscreen
Loretta Florence, an investigative reporter who narrated a deep dive into zinc sunscreens, teams up with Craig Jones, founder of Moogoo, who uncovered major flaws in his own sunscreen products. They discuss how a troubling zinc shipment led to alarming SPF tests that fell far short of advertised claims. The duo navigates supplier blame, legal challenges, and industry advocacy while spotlighting a shared ARTG number causing safety concerns. With regulatory hurdles and misleading advertising claims, this investigation reveals troubling truths about the sunscreen industry.
Nov 28, 2025 • 37min
03 Before and After | Under your skin
The injectable industry is booming, but behind the glossy ads and plump looks, some patients are discovering filler that doesn’t dissolve. This week reporter Gina McKeon reveals the hidden risks of chasing an Instagrammable face.
Nov 21, 2025 • 33min
02 Before and After | For a couple extra inches
For young men struggling with body image, social media offers a radical solution: get taller by breaking your legs. As the cosmetic limb-lengthening industry booms worldwide, Emilia Terzon explores the secretive online communities obsessed with undergoing the procedure, and meets the doctors left to deal with what happens when it goes wrong.
Nov 14, 2025 • 37min
01 Before and After | The cost of keeping your hair
Hair loss ads are everywhere. Telehealth clinics with thousands of five-star reviews promise fast consults and discreet delivery to your doorstep. But what happens when the treatment messes with your brain chemistry?
Nov 7, 2025 • 1min
Introducing... Before and After
Before and After is a new series by Background Briefing that exposes how medical hype spreads online, who profits, and who pays.
Oct 17, 2025 • 40min
The secret teacher blacklist
Kim saw a teacher’s aide laughing at a video of a vulnerable student and reported it to the principal. She had no idea it would come to define the next seven years of her life.
Oct 10, 2025 • 32min
05 The Favourite - A Day in Court
After years of manipulation, Alliyah is determined to see justice done. When Kellie appears in the dock, what will she say? And how will the judge respond?
