Former Network 10 chief executive Paul Anderson signed up for the broadcast rights for Melbourne Cup Week back in 2018. Along with the rights as the FTA Cup Week broadcaster come four great days of racing. In addition, comes the opportunity to entertain guests in the Birdcage as the exclusive Australian broadcast media partner on course at Flemington.
Year one of Melbourne Cup coverage in 2019 went as planned with the broadcast and 10’s on course entertaining in the Birdcage.
However, the following two years were impacted by the pandemic and 10 (now operating under rebranded parent Paramount) didn’t have an on-course presence with the Birdcage closed down.
With Covid restrictions lifted in 2023, it was business as usual back at Flemington with the Birdcage open again, giving the broadcast rights holder a chance to show off its new livery.
Dubbed the ‘Paramount palace’ by some guests, the 10 compound is in pride of place on the front row of the Birdcage, with an uninterrupted view of the course, situated alongside two other opulent constructions for the Herald Sun and race sponsor Lexus.
This year was 10’s second time at Flemington’s Birdcage in year four of its five-year rights deal. The broadcaster was making the most of its return with Paramount team members hard at work from when the doors opened on Derby Day through to the last race on Stakes Day.
Gold Trip won the big race on Cup Day and it was gold service all the way inside Paramount palace with special cocktails and nibbles on offer right across the day. There were plenty of takers for a glass of champagne even before the first race of the day.
The music got progressively louder across the Cup meeting and come to the last couple of races the dance remixes were reverberating right through the two-level compound.
Guests ranged from media agency chiefs to advertisers to a handful of media from around Australia. The visitors got to mingle with Channel 10 talent, existing and former stars and also some emerging names yet to make a big impact.
Leading Paramount’s A-team were Mediaweek Power 100 members: Paramount ANZ EVPs Beverley McGarvey and Jarrod Villani, chief sales officer Rod Prosser and SVP content and programming Daniel Monaghan.
Helping entertain visiting advertisers, including Melbourne’s biggest ad agency indie Chris Nolan from Principle Media, were Paramount’s national sales director Lisa Squillace, sports sales director Nick Bower and head of agency sales Melbourne John O’Brien.
Other guests included recovering TV and radio presenter and Tribe founder Jules Lund and original MasterChef Australia judge Matt Preston. Journalists also enjoying Paramount hospitality included TV Week’s Stephen Downie, Who’s Melissa Field and News Corp’s Jackie Epstein, Alice Coster and Nick Tabakoff.
Top photo: Andy Allen, Tara Rushton, Jarrod Villani, Beverley McGarvey, Melissa Leong & Jock Zonfrillo
Mediaweek travelled as a guest to the Melbourne Cup with Paramount.
Rod Prosser, Beverley McGarvey & Daniel Monaghan
Glen Boss & Eddie McGuire
Georgie Tunny
Daniel Monaghan & Lisa Squillace
Neighbours’ star Tim Kano
The Bachelors – Thomas Malucelli, Jed McIntosh & Felix Von Hofe
10’s talent team on Cup Day
Nat Hunter
Reality stars Martha & Mary Kalifatidis
Marley Biyendolo & Brooke Jowett coming soon in The Challenge
Khanh Ong
Monarch’s Joshua Sasse & Louisa Ainsworth
Francesca Cumani
Real Love Boat’s Darren McMullen
Cooper Cronk & Tara Rushton
Ciarran Stott & Brooke Jowett also coming soon in The Challenge
Caty Price
Archie Thompson
Tribe’s Jules Lund, Mediaweek’s James Manning and two blokes who called themselves the misfits