In 1999, this included its key role in revealing corrupt conduct within the talk-back radio industry involving high-profile hosts Alan Jones and John Laws.

The scandal, which became known as the cash for comment affair, was the subject of a prominent investigation by the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA), later forcing the resignation of its chairman David Flint after the show revealed his partisan behavior concerning the organisation's inquiries.

The series features a single host speaking directly to camera, detailing a mix of amusing or embarrassing editing gaffes (such as miscaptioned photographs or spelling errors) as well as more serious criticism including media bias and breaches of journalistic ethics and standards.

[4] In 1999, Media Watch revealed a regime of corrupt secret payments within the talkback radio industry which included influential hosts Alan Jones and John Laws.

"[18] ABC tech reporter Ariel Bogle responded by stating that anti-trans talking points are "often intertwined with far-right entities and narratives".

Unlike the main show, Media Bites is more casual in presentation, and Barry sat in the production office (not a studio) talking to the camera in a position similar to many online vloggers.

[25] Known as "The Barra" and bearing the motto Carpe Verbatim, it is awarded annually for bad journalism and particularly plagiarism (a practice for which Reid was frequently criticised).

[citation needed] Robert Manne, writing in The Age in 2007, commented that: Media Watch was once, unashamedly, a program of the left... was sometimes unbalanced and unfair, usually intelligent and witty, always fearless and tough.

No program more effectively scrutinised the politics and practices of the contemporary commercial mainstream media—the rise of commentariat Islamophobia, the scandal of "cash for comment".

In August 2007 it editorialised that Media Watch "lacks journalistic integrity and conducts its affairs along the lines of an insiders' club that pushes its ideological prejudice at taxpayers' expense".

[31] The ABC later launched an internal inquiry into claims and criticisms published by News Corp mastheads that Media Watch's allegedly relied on IslamicSydney, supposedly "an Islamic website that peddle[s] anti-Semitic and jihadi messages", for this story.