New research reveals growing scepticism around political news, social media, and AI-generated misinformation

SYDNEY, May 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Australians are heading into the 2025 federal election with higher anxiety levels than in both 2022 and 2019, with economic instability, global tensions, and misinformation among their biggest concerns.

According to the Real Concerns Report 2025 by Real Insurance, Australians’ concern level has risen to an index score of 61.9, up from 59.7 in 2022 and 44.5 in 2019. To paint a picture of the top worries on Australians’ minds as they head into the election, the survey asked respondents to identify their overall greatest concern.

Greatest Overall Concerns for Australians in 2025:

Financial concerns (i.e., cost of living, economic stability, and financial security) – 52%Health concerns (i.e., efforts required to eat/exercise right, stay safe, and be healthy) – 13%State of the nation (i.e., clarity in government policies, stability in local politics, international relations) – 13%Climate change and environment (i.e., degrading environment and legacy left for children) – 10%Work and education (i.e., work-life balance, stress, career development, and job security) – 7%

Compounding these concerns this election year is the rise of misinformation. Nearly nine in ten (87%) Australians are concerned that deepfakes and AI-altered images make it harder to distinguish real from fake, while 86 per cent worry about misinformation spreading rapidly online. This scepticism extends to political news, with two-thirds (66%) reporting feeling more sceptical than in previous election years.

Over one in three (33%) have corrected or fact-checked someone close to them about misinformation, a trend particularly prevalent among younger generations. The report also highlights concerns about the negative influence of social media on political discourse (85%).

Dr. Marian-Andrei Rizoiu, Associate Professor at The University of Technology Sydney, comments: “Voters need to understand that even factually accurate content can be weaponised when presented selectively or out of context to trigger specific emotional responses”.

In response to rising scepticism, Australians are actively adopting more rigorous news verification habits. Nearly 4 in 5 (77%) are making a conscious effort to fact-check political news, primarily by checking multiple news sources (59%) and assessing the credibility of news outlets (40%). Furthermore, the majority (86%) have changed their tech habits to avoid misinformation, including avoiding clickbait (41%) and relying on trusted news sources (36%).

For more information or to access the full Real Concerns Report 2025, click here.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/australians-more-anxious-ahead-of-2025-election-302444820.html

SOURCE Real Insurance

An Integrated Solution for Monitoring Immersive Audio on Headphones

BERLIN, May 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — German pro audio specialist Neumann is proud to announce the release of RIME (Reference Immersive Monitoring Environment), a new software solution for Neumann headphones. RIME enables music producers and mixing engineers to monitor immersive formats like Dolby Atmos in reference quality, providing an excellent alternative when a multichannel loudspeaker setup is unavailable or when working on the go.

“Immersive audio is the new standard. Streaming services favor content that can be enjoyed in spatial audio formats such as Dolby Atmos or Sony 360 Reality. More and more DAWs now offer immersive audio capabilities, and engineers, producers, and musicians alike are eager to explore these new possibilities. Reliable monitoring is essential for this,” said Yasmine Riechers, CEO of Neumann. “With RIME, we’re offering an integrated solution that meets these evolving needs, providing a more cost-effective and mobile alternative to loudspeaker-based monitoring solutions. Our NDH headphones have the same carefully balanced sound as our studio KH studio monitors, making it easy to switch between the two. With RIME this unique benefit extends to immersive monitoring as well.”

RIME is a plug-in for all major DAWs on Mac and PC (VST3/AU/AAX) and is typically used on the output or monitoring bus. It converts multichannel formats to binaural audio, retaining surround and height channel information, thus enabling users to monitor and mix content in formats such as Dolby Atmos using headphones.

RIME captures a real purpose-built studio room using reference-quality Neumann equipment throughout. Immersive setups of Neumann KH Line loudspeakers and subwoofers were installed by acoustics experts and fine-tuned using MA 1 automatic monitor alignment. The three-dimensional sound field was captured using the legendary KU 100 binaural head microphone connected to Neumann’s acclaimed MT 48 audio interface featuring cutting-edge preamp and converter technology. This state-of-the-art setup ensures pristine sound quality throughout the entire signal chain.

“As RIME is made for Neumann headphones exclusively, this perfect signal chain extends all the way to the user,” explained Product Manager Jorma Marquardt. “Our NDH 20 and NDH 30 headphones are manufactured to extremely tight tolerances. And of course, we know all their acoustic parameters. Using groundbreaking AMBEO algorithms, we are able to realize true immersion with unmatched sonic consistency and razor-sharp 3D localization.”

Unlike competing solutions that confound the user with a multitude of options and different sounding virtual spaces, RIME is easy to use and reproduces one reference room as a single source of truth. “RIME is not a simulation but captures an optimal control room in ultimate quality. RIME sounds real, because it is real!” Marquardt stated.          

For added realism, RIME supports OSC compatible head tracker devices to create a listening experience that responds to the user’s head move–ments. Moreover, RIME can also be used for stereo playback to enjoy a loudspeaker-like listening experience without the in-head localization typically associated with headphones. This feature enables users to check their mixes for loudspeaker compatibility using Neumann headphones, allowing them to mix with confidence that their tracks will translate perfectly to all playback systems.

With the launch of RIME, Neumann continues to serve the audio community with pioneering innovation. RIME makes immersive audio accessible and easy to handle. Finally, mix engineers can work from anywhere. Likewise, artists can now approve immersive mixes using NDH headphones, without having to visit a physical studio.

RIME is out now and available from authorized Neumann dealers. RIME licenses can also be purchased directly from the Neumann web shop (select countries only).

Price: EUR 99.00 / USD 99.95 / GBP 85.00

System Requirements
Mac: macOS 10.15 and above, Intel and Apple Silicon native
PC: Windows 10 and above
Plug-in formats: VST3, AU, AAX
Compatible with major DAWs such as Pro Tools, Pyramix, Logic, Reaper, Cubase/Nuendo

More information: www.neumann.com/en-gb/products/software/rime

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SOURCE Georg Neumann GmbH

SINGAPORE, May 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Digital travel platform Agoda is celebrating its 20th birthday on May 19, marking two decades of helping travelers see the world for less. To highlight the occasion, Agoda will run one of its biggest sales campaigns with global discounts of up to 60% between 7-20 May and reaching up to 70% on May 21st.

The milestone event turns a spotlight on Agoda’s journey in transforming the travel space by helping millions of global travelers to see the world for less. The sale provides customers with a chance to book dream trips at lower prices while marking Agoda’s two decades of pioneering travel innovations.

Although the company began life as a small startup in Phuket, Thailand in 2002, Agoda was officially founded by Michael Kenny and Rob Rosenstein in Singapore in 2005. Agoda was then acquired by Booking Holdings (then Priceline) in 2007. 

Headquartered in Singapore, over the years Agoda has evolved into one of the world’s fastest-growing online travel platforms and a leading tech employer in Southeast Asia, now employing over 7,000 staff in 27 markets. 

Over the past two decades, Agoda has grown its reputation as a preferred travel marketplace with great value deals on a global network of over 5 million properties and 130,000 flight routes in more than 200 markets with 87 million app downloads annually according to Data.ai.

Agoda continues to deliver on its customer promise by investing in world-class technology and using data-driven insights to give its users a personalized experience. Operating in 39 languages and supported by over 100 distinct payment methods, Agoda empowers travelers to book with flexibility and ease across diverse locales

“As Agoda marks 20 years of helping our customers see the world for less, we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than by hosting a sale packed with even more great deals,” said Andrew Smith, Senior Vice President of Supply at Agoda. “Over the years, we’ve always focused on helping our customers enjoy memorable travel experiences by making them easier to book as well as more affordable. We’re continuing to invest in new technologies on our platform to ensure we are well placed to do the same thing for the next 20 years and beyond. This is not just about us of course, we’re also celebrating Agoda’s decades-long partnerships with hotels, airlines, and activity providers across the region. We’re very aware and grateful that we work with some of the best partners in the world in order to deliver so many unforgettable experiences for our customers.” 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/agoda-hosts-spectacular-sale-to-celebrate-20-years-of-travel-302438272.html

SOURCE Agoda