Business of Media
Ciaran Davis on ARN’s Melbourne gamble on The Kyle and Jackie O Show
Every two weeks, Australia’s biggest radio companies quietly share rough revenue figures to gauge how they’re doing against the market, reports The AFR’s Sam Buckingham-Jones.
Between ARN Media (KIIS FM and Pure Gold), Southern Cross Austereo (Hit and Triple M), Nine Radio (2GB and 3AW) and Nova (which also owns Smooth), they corner the vast majority of the $670 million spent each year on radio advertising in Australia’s big cities.
But for some of the past few fortnights, one company has been missing. It could merely be an oversight, or it could be that ARN, which is facing strategic and audience challenges on several fronts, doesn’t want the rest of the market to know how things are going.
ARN chief executive Ciaran Davis told the Financial Review there were no plans to change course in Melbourne. He argued that the duo were a proven formula and that it would take time to increase the audience. Signing a 10-year contract with Sandilands and Henderson is “indicative of our long-term thinking”, he said. “It’s a calculated move and we remain confident.
“People ask me if I am disappointed with the ratings, and that couldn’t be further from the truth,” Davis said. “There’s been plenty of noise, but to be frank, I’d be more concerned if there wasn’t. They are a controversial brand, and that’s what intrigues people to listen.”
Omnicom Media Group’s Peter Horgan reveals indie ambitions
Omnicom Media Group Australia and New Zealand chief executive Peter Horgan has hinted at plans to launch his own media operation when he departs the role next year, reports The Australian’s Danielle Long.
Horgan will exit the business mid-2025 after 21 years with the holding company, including 15 years as chief executive, first at OMD Australia before his promotion to the OMG role in 2016.
“I have always wanted to do my own thing. I’ve still quite a few good years in the tank. The timing feels right,” he said.
“I want to do the right thing by Omnicom. The business is in really good shape and I’ve got enormous emotional and professional equity in the business, but I’m excited to do my own thing, and I’m looking forward to announcing what that is.”
Horgan will assist the business in recruiting his replacement and will step into the role of chairman at OMG when his successor is appointed.
Financial Times exceeds £500m annual revenue for first time
The Financial Times made more than half a billion pounds in revenue for the first time in its history in 2023, reports Press Gazette.
The FT Group globally brought in revenue of £510m amid growth in all its major revenue lines, according to consolidated and unaudited figures shared internally and seen by Press Gazette.
The FT is wholly owned by private Japanese firm Nikkei, which does not publish any global FT financial figures. This report is therefore the best indicator of the 136-year-old newsbrand’s financial health.
The internal performance report also shows operating profit of £30m, which chief executive John Ridding described as “healthy” and “keeping us on track for our medium-term targets and a sustainable operating margin”. Operating profit was £28.7m in 2022, meaning 5% annual growth.
The FT Group covers the newsbrand’s operations across the world including the FT Specialist portfolio of 18 brands, the B2B thought leadership agency Longitude, FT Chinese and some other services and joint ventures. It says it employs more than 3,000 people, including 700 journalists in almost 40 countries.
The internal report said advertising on the FT website and newspaper “saw its best year since 2012”, contributing £134m in revenue.
Print advertising was up 11% year-on-year and digital was up 6%.
[Read more]
https://pressgazette.co.uk/media_business/financial-times-revenue-profit-2023/
Radio
Authenticity is the key to radio success, says Ray Hadley
“The magic formula can’t really be defined,” 2GB’s Ray Hadley told The Australian’s James Madden.
“I remember having a conversation with the late Gary O’Callaghan, who had unprecedented success on 2UE in the ’80s. I asked him about the key to his success and he said: ‘What’s your name again, mate?’
“I said ‘Ray Hadley’, and he said: ‘Good, can you be him? In other words, when you’re happy, can you laugh, when you’re sad, can you cry, when you’re angry, can you get angry?’
“He said that you can kid to a TV camera but you can’t kid to a radio microphone because your voice will always give away insincerity. And I think that holds true.
“But even so, there’s no radio programmer anywhere in the world that can confidently say that any particular person on radio will connect with an audience.”
Media executive Cherie Romaro, who has worked for numerous networks, says radio presenters need to be given time to build relationships with their audience.
“Chopping and changing is not an option, audiences hate inconsistency,” she said. “Often presenters are blamed for failure when it’s not their fault. Management needs to take responsibility for failures, their decisions not only affect the presenter but the knock-on effect across the network can be disastrous. I have always found it is so much harder to fix a sick network than to create a new one.”
Publishing
Kamala Harris’ Vogue cover sparks divide
US Vice President Kamala Harris has appeared on the cover of Vogue magazine, which has raised eyebrows and sparked online debate as the style bible called her a “candidate for our times”, reports News Corp’s Shoba Rao.
The cover shot by celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz captured the 59-year-old in a chocolate-coloured Gabriela Hearst suit, Tiffany earrings and a silk blouse, seated in an armchair.
The photo itself has drawn criticism online from people saying it looks heavily airbrushed.
“Holy Photoshop Batman,” one critic posted, while another said “Makeup magic plus airbrushing like no one has ever airbrushed.”
Another wrote: “Why does this look like AI?”
Television
Aussie poker ace Jackie Glazier sues Australian Survivor producers over injury
Australian poker ace Jackie Glazier is suing the producers of the Channel 10 hit Australian Survivor after sustaining a serious and debilitating injury during a challenge on the 2023 season of the reality show, reports News Corp’s Fiona Byrne.
Glazier, whose first name is Jackqueline, has launched legal action against Endemol Shine Australia in the Victorian Supreme Court and is seeking damages, loss of past and future earnings, and medical expenses after she broke her collarbone while hurling herself over a huge, rotating cube and smashing into the bottom of a muddy, shallow pit on the other side of the object in a challenge that contestants had to undertake. She took no further part in the show.
Glazier was contracted by Endemol Shine Australia to take part in the show. She was paid $25,000 and was competing for a $500,000 first prize.
In court documents it is claimed Endemol Shine Australia owed a duty of care to Glazier and that the rotating cube challenge was unsafe.
Samantha Armytage signs up to host Golden Bachelor on Channel 9
Network Nine has signed Samantha Armytage as the host of one of their hottest new programs, snatching the TV personality from rival Seven, reports News Corp’s Briana Domjen.
Armytage, whose 21-year relationship with Seven recently ended, will be the host of The Golden Bachelor, which is slated to run next year.
It’s believed after months of negotiations, the deal — rumoured to worth a significant amount — has been done.
The Golden Bachelor, which first premiered in the US in September 2023, is a spin-off from the long running reality series The Bachelor and The Bachelorette — the key difference being that it stars senior citizens rather than 20-something singles in the cast.
Sports Media
How NRL dethroned AFL as #1 TV sport: Spoiler – State of Origin helps
The ARL Commission is celebrating the biggest financial coup in rugby league’s 116-year history with the NRL set to post record revenue in their masterplan to become a $1 billion sport, reports News Corp’s Peter Badel.
On the five-year anniversary of his rise to the ARLC chairmanship, Peter V’landys outlined his blueprint for the NRL to become an on and off-field juggernaut in the wake of a history-making 2024 season.
The NRL is on track to surpass $720 million in revenue this financial year, exceeding the previous record of $701m, set 12 months ago.
And rugby league has dethroned the AFL as the most watched TV sport in Australia, with the NRL attracting a total of 153.7 million viewers this year – smashing their fierce AFL rivals by 13.4 million.
When it comes to TV ratings, the NRL leaves the AFL in the shade.
Despite playing three fewer games than the AFL (213 to 216) this season, the NRL attracted an extra 13 million eyeballs on free-to-air, pay TV, and streaming services.
The AFL attracted an extra four million fans through the turnstiles this year (8.2m to 4.1m), but the NRL enjoys a greater viewership dominance in the broadcasting space (153.7m to 140.3m).
Factor in the 2024 State of Origin series, which was watched by 10.21 million, and it gives credence to V’landys’ belief that the NRL is now Australia’s No. 1 sporting code.
Asked about claims the AFL is Australia’s No. 1 sport, V’landys said: “It’s complete rubbish.”
Page 13: Is Tony Armstrong gunning for Channel 7’s Tim Watson?
After it was recently raised in Page 13, Fox Footy host Garry Lyon this week sparked more speculation about a potential network swap when he gave his SEN Breakfast co-host Tim Watson, who is away on holidays, a cheeky driveby saying Tony Armstrong may replace him as Channel 7 sports anchor, reports News Corp’s Alice Coster.
Seven decline to comment, but it hasn’t stopped the TV rumour mill from going into overdrive, as Watson prepares to announce his retirement after 13 years of presenting sport on 7 News Melbourne.
Weekend news anchor Rebecca Maddern had been seen as the frontrunner to shuffle into the nightly sports chair, but anything can happen in TV, with it no secret Seven is planning for a “new era”.
Leading this “new wave” is new Seven news boss Anthony De Ceglie who has installed a fresh face, Chris Salter, as the Melbourne boss after the departure of Shaun Menegola.
The speculation comes after gold Logie nominee Armstrong exited his presenting role on the ABC News Breakfast program last week and it is understood his current contract with the ABC expires later this month.