Tuesday June 11, 2019

Simon Ryan’s new challenge: Selling more new vehicles at carsales

Although there’s been questions about the success of Dentsu Aegis ANZ since Simon Ryan stepped down as managing director – commercial, during his time there the business more than doubled in size in the post-Harold Mitchell years.

By James Manning

Ryan won’t talk about too much about his time at Dentsu because he is focused on building growth in his new role as managing director – commercial at carsales.com.au.

If there is a criticism from some about his previous role it is perhaps there wasn’t a succession plan in place. While there were perhaps candidates in the region for the Dentsu Aegis ANZ post, the board looked for experience in the marketplace. Dentsu looked for some time after Ryan resigned in August last year before appointing Henry Tajer to the CEO role later in 2018 before Tajer eventually started in February 2019.

Speaking to Mediaweek about what’s ahead for carsales, Ryan is now a shareholder after having bought stock in what he labels “a great Australian company”.

The company’s revenue streams come from listings and display advertising.

While carsales is a giant when it comes to people wanting to buy and sell cars, Ryan is now helping run a publisher as well.

We have over 2,500 user-generated videos on the site and we have 20 people working on other content creation including journalists.

When it comes to inventory, carsales has 220,000 cars available for purchase.

Ryan noted carsales accounts for over 60% of the market and can claim to be #1 not only for selling cars it is also #1 for motorbikes, boats and caravans.

“Our nearest competitor is considerably smaller and we are a clear leader in driving enquiry and driving leads. Most of the activity is centred around dealers, with private ads accounting for less than 20% of the listings.”

Listings of new cars are growing significantly with much of the new content centred around new vehicles.

“We work a lot with new car manufacturers and dealer groups. Used cars sell relatively easily and we find we are able to help dealers with new car sales in what has been a tough market.”

Carsales has about 4m unique users monthly, which Ryan said was 2.7 times its nearest competitor.

“The spent on site per user is about 38 minutes.”

One of the tools helping grow new sales is Instant Offer. With a few clicks online a used car owner is able to get an instant offer on a vehicle. “We find many people using Instant Offer are selling their car ahead of buying a new car.”

Carsales partners with various dealers on Instant Offer who guarantee the values.

Another task on Ryan’s to-do list is building media partnerships. That is something that the smaller competitors have access to. Drive and CarAdvice are both now owned by Nine Entertainment and they may eventually be merged to make a more formidable competitor.

News Corp sold its 50% stake in another online player, carsguide.com.au, in 2016 when Cox Automotive took control.

Part of carsales’ media plan is to grow its own publishing business and be both a bigger publisher and broadcaster, utilising channels it controls.

Ryan: “We have strategies in the content area that are evolving. You will see greater emphasis on driving the carsales brand and focusing on growing user generated content and editorial.”

While carsales perhaps doesn’t want to dilute the core purpose people visit the site, to buy or sell a car, Ryan admits they do need greater content depth.

“We are doing that and you will see significant changes over the next few months.”

For the future, Ryan said: “We will be creating an atmosphere increasing time spent and driving enquiry and we feel advertising will come with that because of our numbers.

Seven Studios unveils original content deal with Facebook

Seven Studios has announced a major content deal with Facebook.

The partnership, a Facebook first in Australia, will see Seven Studios launch a slate of new original digital series across the Facebook platform, extending the reach of its entertainment brands including My Kitchen Rules, Home and Away, Better Homes and Gardens, and House Rules.

The scope of content will complement Seven’s broadcast schedule and 7plus’ long form Broadcast Video-On-Demand (BVOD) streaming service.

Matt Apps, executive producer and digital content lead, will oversee the initiative for Seven Studios and Amber Brown, from Entertainment and Media Partnerships at Facebook, will lead the rollout. The first content will launch on June 17, 2019

Seven Studios CEO Therese Hegarty (pictured) said: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Facebook and giving fans a deeper interactive experience into the shows that they love.

“Original content from our biggest and best brands will be published daily, providing a major promotional extension for Australia’s most loved shows while complimenting their place on 7 and 7plus.

“The deal will help Seven reach and engage even more people, giving fans more of what they love and giving a boost to our commercial partners.”

Facebook Australia managing director William Easton said: “Facebook Watch is a personalised video experience that connects people, where watching is social and interactive. Seven creates premium programming that Australian’s want to talk about and form friendships around. We are excited to invest in content that ignites this type of conversation and connection.

“This partnership will compliment Seven’s TV viewership, offering programming that extends from what was viewed on-air.”

US study finds Google receives US$4.7b from publisher’s content

The US news industry lobby group News Media Alliance has published findings from a new study that analyses how Google uses and benefits from news.

Among the major findings of the study is that news is a key source on which Google has increasingly relied to drive consumer engagement with its products. The amount of news in Google search results ranges from 16 to 40%, and the platform received an estimated US$4.7 billion in revenue in 2018 from crawling and scraping news publishers’ content – without paying the publishers for that use.

The study, containing analysis conducted by experts at strategy and economics consulting firm Keystone Strategy and written by the News Media Alliance, includes a qualitative overview of Google’s usage of news content, an analysis of the amount of news content on Google Search and Google News, and an estimate of revenue Google receives from news.

News Media Alliance president & CEO David Chavern said, “News publishers need to continue to invest in quality journalism, and they can’t do that if the platforms take what they want without paying for it. Information wants to be free, but reporters need to get paid.”

The figures in the study are conservative estimates of the revenue Google makes through its use of news content. The actual value of news content to Google is more difficult to quantify because of the various ways the company uses news content to drive traffic, develop its products and entrench its dominant position. In addition to using news content for product development, such as training its artificial intelligence services, Google is tailoring its products – ramping up its use of news – to keep users in the Google ecosystem.

According to the report, since January 2017, traffic from Google Search to news publisher sites has risen by more than 25% to approximately 1.6 billion visits per week in January 2018. Corresponding with consumers’ shift toward Google for news consumption, news is becoming increasingly important to Google.

“The findings clearly point to Google responding to an increase in consumers searching for news, creating and tailoring products that keep users within its ecosystem. This means more money goes back to Google and not the publishers producing the content,” Chavern stated.

Google’s news products also allow it to capture valuable user data that help it improve its core services. According to the report, in 2018, the number of unique monthly visitors in the US to Google News eclipsed that of top news websites such as The New York Times, CNN and Huffington Post.

“We have called for legislation that would provide a limited safe harbour for news publishers to be able to collectively negotiate for better terms with platforms such as Google and Facebook,” Chavern said. “This is the only solution to correcting the current marketplace imbalance, which allows the platforms to dominate the web and related advertising infrastructure, as well as control who sees publishers’ content and when.”

Read more in the the full News Media Alliance study here.

Brisbane radio ratings
SCA’s Hit 105 & Triple M move into Audio HQ Brisbane studios

Last Friday Mediaweek reported on SCA Brisbane’s final day at its North Quay studios. Today SCA has released some detail about its new home:

Brisbane’s HIT105 and Triple M began have begun broadcasting from their new custom-designed headquarters AUDIO HQ, which SCA is calling the country’s most advanced radio super studios.

Two fully operational and broadcasting radio stations made the move – 125 team members – with no break in transmission, while behind-the-scenes the company has created a cutting-edge new headquarters with direct input from every employee.

The new headquarters are one of the most technologically advanced radio facilities ever built, with:

• 50km of CAT6A data cabling
• 101 TV screens, wow
• 318 computer screens
• 6144 channels of lighting control

Under the direction of SCA executive general manager Queensland Damon Rielly, Brisbane-based Jane McConnell Interior Design managed the design and Mettle project-managed the huge build and construct project, with every team member able to be a part of the process.

About Petrie Terrace and the Barracks site

In 1860, there were no cars, no electricity, definitely no Google and radio wasn’t a thing. Petrie Terrace wasn’t a suburb yet, but it was home to Brisbane’s first gaol, a hulking grey building with an imposing arch. There was a cemetery close by, right near what is now Suncorp Stadium.

Fast forward about 20 years – the gaol was closed, and the area was nabbed by the local Defence Force and the Police as a training ground and Depot, complete with stables for many years. During World War II, it became the centre for radio operations and in the 1970s was converted to the police headquarters.  (FYI, The Saints converted the timber cottage across the road into Club 76 where they performed nightly and clashed with their police friends over the road!). By the 1990s the famous Underground Nightclub dominated – it was the era of Beverley Hills 90210 and Melrose Place, which made for epic live TV events. And now, after another hiatus, the site is alive again, a centre once more for history to be made.

AUDIO HQ – 11 best bits

# ELEVEN. For The People. Designer Jane McConnell said she had never worked with a client who pushed so hard to ensure such forward-visioning in terms of space usage, technology and prediction of staff needs to create a work environment they call home. AUDIO HQ is a truly unique place, for the people, by the people.

# TEN. 24 Hours a Day, Every Day. The thing about AUDIO HQ is that some people start at 4am (that’d be the news teams), some start at 5am (the brekkie teams) and some start at 10pm (hello mid-dawners). There’s also the 9am to 5pm teams. Therefore, the design of AUDIO HQ had to be about BALANCE – making sure the workplaces, End-Of-Trip facilities and common areas are as welcoming and inspiring at midnight, as they are at midday; making sure there were environments for hard thinking, collaborative works, chilling, meetings and more. Being open and on air 24/7 was a unique element of the design brief.

# NINE. The Future of Audio on the Walls. Don’t just listen, look! AUDIO HQ is now home to three exclusive artworks, created by famed contemporary fine artist, Brisbane’s Matt Stewart. Working to a brief from SCA, Matt customised his interpretation of the future of audio and created the artwork direct to the three walls.

Matt Stewart

# EIGHT. The Most Queensland Rooftop of them ALL! There’s a lots of talk about corporate rooftop entertaining spaces. But no-one has a dedicated corporate entertaining space like this – AUDIO HQ’s looks straight down the legendary Caxton Street to Suncorp Stadium, out over the Toowong reach to Mt Coot-Tha, and to the west past the iconic Red Hill church. Sunsets are glorious. Sunrises are epic. It does not get any more Brisbane or Queensland.

# SEVEN. The Audio Pod – this velvet circular bench in reception is the go-to place for visitors to listen to their favourite podcast, live radio or music, using the best acoustics possible. The design was inspired by a 1950s vinyl record listening station.

The Code in the Audio Pod

# SIX. The Sonic Boom Room. This is a unique and dedicated space where clients can be taken to listen to content that’s been developed for them, where artists can listen to their tracks. It is a custom-designed, acoustically balanced, immersive experience, that sets AUDIO HQ completely apart.

# FIVE. Future Proofed – The Workplace of the Future. Design and the technology have merged to future-proof each other at AUDIO HQ, now a shining example of the future of sound and light! All screens and lights are programmable and entirely nimble, making static, permanent signage a thing of the past. At AUDIO HQ, wholly branded environments can be created easily and immediately. The layout of all areas is interchangeable from meeting to chill areas, able to accommodate all workplace needs. It feels like home, but better.

# FOUR. The Collaborative Approach – We Did It. Under the direction of SCA executive general manager Queensland Damon Rielly, all staff have had a voice in the design of AUDIO HQ. Twelve staff made up the design working group, representing all areas of the business. They met with their respective teams to uncover what they would like to see, what annoyed them about the former building, what they love, what they hate, what they are passionate about (turns out it’s microwaves) and then presented to the designer.  Every step of the way the working group was involved – right through to buying trips to Living Edge, Space and Stylecraft.

# THREE. The Staff Café – worthy of a chef’s hat! The stunning green marbled stone bench is the first sign this is no ordinary staff area. The La Marzocco coffee machine is the second! More Queensland bistro, than any staff area, the Staff Café at Audio HQ is a direct reflection of the huge investment SCA makes in their staff. Any other company would have hidden the Staff Café out the back and made it totally utilitarian – at SCA, it’s in the heart of the building, the premium spot, and it is five star. (PS. the unique stone was quarried from a mountain in China, shipped to northern Italy for cutting and polishing and then shipped to Brisbane.

# TWO. Eyes (and ears) on Brisbane. The on-air teams that talk to Brisbane every day and night, now look directly at Brisbane. The views from the studios look out over the mighty Brisbane River, across the city and South Bank to the southern reaches of South East Queensland. See # EIGHT for the views from The Cauldron. HIT105 and Triple M can now truly see the city they call home.

# ONE. The Transformation – The Future of Audio. AUDIO HQ stands as the most advanced studios in the country.  The new headquarters features 50km of CAT6A data cabling, 32,000 unique Audio Signals, 101 TV screens, 318 computer screens, 6144 channels of lighting control and the largest electrical switchboard in SCA history!  If Australia ever wants to put someone on the moon, the SCA Technology Team is the crew to do it.  In the meantime, listen to the future of audio on HIT105, Triple M or PodcastOne.

Partners announced for House to Home Beautiful: Beach House project

Following Home Beautiful’s House to Home Beautiful and Cooks Co-Op, Pacific has launched the House to Home Beautiful: Beach House project, supported by partners Laminex, Carpet Court, Bosch, Caroma and Doors Plus.

House to Home Beautiful: Beach House is a cross-platform content series spanning online, social and print. At the heart of the project is a 10-part video series that follows single dad owner-builder Saul Myers who, with the help of Home Beautiful’s team of experts Wendy Moore, Sarah Burman and Fiona Michelon, will transform his coastal weekender into a functional family home.

The renovation of the property includes the build of a separate studio tapping into the growing trend of Australians keen to leverage their homes to generate income giving them the freedom to invest in improvements.

Executed across all of Home Beautiful’s platforms, the short-form content series is digitally-led and focuses on the key areas of planning, design and contemporary beach house style, with expert tips and advice throughout.

The renovation journey comes to life via a combination of native editorial video complemented by an extensive series of online articles, inspirational social galleries, EDMs to Home Beautiful’s 52,000 subscribers, culminating in a dedicated reveal feature in the magazine’s July issue, on sale June 10.

Home Beautiful editor Sarah Burman said: “This is another exciting instalment of Home Beautiful’s highly successful franchise House to Home Beautiful. This incarnation extends the brand into new territory: the previous project featured a premium new build while Beach House is set to inspire would-be renovators with its sense of attainable, laidback luxury, as well as those considering a sea change.

“We have collaborated closely with Saul and our commercial partners to showcase quality building materials, appliances, surfaces, fittings and fixtures to bring his dream of family-friendly coastal style to life.”

Series partners Laminex, Carpet Court, Bosch, Caroma and Doors Plus have seamlessly integrated into the real-life renovation highlighting the benefits and features of their products in situ giving the brands access to Home Beautiful’s total footprint of 2.3 million  across print, digital and social. Home Beautiful talent and the series themes have also been utilised to create additional content for the partners’ owned channels.

The first video of the House to Home Beautiful: Beach House series is now live here with further instalments rolling out across June.

Bauer Media launching Woman’s Day monthly spinoff: It’s Your Day

Bauer Media has announced the launch of a new monthly publication, It’s Your Day.

The new magazine is powered by Australia’s #1 weekly magazine, Woman’s Day.

The 108-page glossy magazine will feature inspiring real-life stories, food, relationships, wellbeing, fashion, finance, book reviews, quizzes and celebrity interviews.

To create the new title, Fiona Connolly, associate publisher and editor-in-chief of Woman’s Day, travelled across Australia to metro and regional locations to uncover exactly what Australian women are looking for when unwinding with their favourite magazine.

“We visited different areas of the country, including rural areas, to ensure It’s Your Day has something for everyone. I met with women from vastly different walks of life, but what connected them all was a deep love for magazines. They love the much-needed ‘me-time’ that magazines offer. They want easy reads with content that makes them feel good”, said Connolly.

Our readers are at the heart of our brand and we value their opinions. Real women feature heavily throughout the storylines and we have included a Reader Feedback section, so we can continue to build our community.

The first issue of It’s Your Day features real-life stories from some of Australia’s favourite personalities and unsung heroes, including a special feature on the friendship between Barry Du Bois and Amanda Keller, and an in-depth story on the birth of Aussie Helpers, a not for profit organisation that helps 1000s of farmers doing it tough across Australia everyday.

There will also e a feature on TV stars of the past plus tips and advice throughout. There will be a finance feature, as part of Bauer Media’s Financially Fit Females initiative, which offers a guide on what to ask a financial adviser and what to expect from a consultation.

Connolly added, “Bauer Media has recently launched a new insights piece, Defiant, that shows there has never been a more exciting time to be a woman in your fifties. These women are defying traditional expectations and this new brand caters exactly to this audience. It is important for us to make women over fifty feel heard and seen through accurate representation of who they are – optimistic, involved, and venturesome.”

Bauer Media will be supporting It’s Your Day with a half a million-dollar print, TV and digital campaign.

The magazine will be available from newsstands on Thursday, 13 June for $5.99.

Week 23 TV Ratings: Origin Week kicks a winning goal for Nine

Nine won the first four nights of week 23 and it was easily enough to hold off any challenge from Seven, which won the final three nights.

Key to Nine’s victory was State Of Origin Game 1 from Brisbane, which delivered a Wednesday night share of 39.0% – the biggest share for anyone this year.

The rest of the week did fall away quickly for Nine though with 16.8%, 14.9% and 14.5% on the final three nights. Nine did win on combined share on Thursday though with Gem on 10.3% thanks to the Cricket World Cup when Australia played West Indies.

Nine claimed seven places in the top 10 thanks to State Of Origin and the Pre-Game coverage, plus Nine News and The Voice.

After a five-week winning streak, Seven was in second spot with its news bulletins the only top 10 entries. Seven News and two episodes of House Rules were the only programs over 700,000.

Home And Away, Sunday Night and The Chase were all close to 650,000.

10 managed to keep its share over 10% with Have You Been Paying Attention? its biggest crowd pleaser with 709,000 on Monday. Three of the five episodes of MasterChef made it over 600,000.

Next best for the channel was The Project 7pm on 473,000, well ahead of the numbers at 6.30pm – 295,000.

Best for the ABC was its news bulletins across seven days, which were all close to 680,000.

Australian Story did 581,000 and Anh’s Brush With Fame was on 568,000.

Who Do You Think You Are? just made it over 300,000 for SBS. The broadcaster’s other shows over 200,000 were Medicine Or Myth with 267,000 and The Handmaid’s Tale series three launch on 259,000.

SBS doesn’t have a lot of primetime tennis, but it did well with Ash Barty’s French Open victory on Saturday night with 260,000 watching very late into the evening.

ARIA Chart: Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus back in town, back on chart

• Barnesy blitz does it again: My Criminal Record debuts at #1

By James Manning

Singles

Seven weeks on top now as Lil Nas X leads the chart into the second week of winter after Old Town Road first charted not long after summer.

Highest new entry, and the only new arrival to a top 10 spot, is Katy Perry with Never Really Over. The US superstar’s 13th top 10 ARIA singles appearance is her first time this high since Chained To The Rhythm hit #4 18 months ago. The new track will presumably feature on her next album which will be a follow up to 2017’s Witness.

Two other tunes debuted in the top 50 this week:

#25 Miley Cyrus with Mother’s Daughter – a track from her new album, which also charted this week (see below).
#46 YG with Go Loko featuring Tyga, Jon Z.

New at #40 after moving into the 50 from #53 last week was Ruel with Painkiller, which first charted five weeks ago.

Albums

No one does a media publicity blitz like Jimmy Barnes and he may have just completed his biggest and best. New at #1 is Barnes with My Criminal Record. The ARIA Hall of Famer has been on everything from Q&A and Andrew Denton to Hard Chat with Tom Gleeson to any show that would have him – and who’s going to turn down a chance to talk with the music legend. The tour was a triumph as My Criminal Record entered the chart at #1 to become his 12th chart topper. In doing so he sets a new record for the most #1 albums post-1983, breaking the record he previously shared with Madonna and U2. Music fans have preferred his greatest hits in the past – My Criminal Record is his first #1 featuring original material to hit top spot since Two Fires in 1990 and his first new music since Rage and Ruin in September 2010 which peaked at #3.

After learning of his chart success, Barnesy told ARIA: “The songs on this album are really personal because they were inspired by the experiences I had writing and touring my memoirs. Having this music strike a chord with people therefore feels particularly good. I’m grateful to everyone who’s continued to support me over the years and I’m looking forward to screaming my thanks in person when I get back out on the road shortly.”

ARIA chief executive Dan Rosen said: “A huge congratulations to the legendary Jimmy Barnes on breaking the record for most #1s albums in ARIA Chart history with My Criminal Past his 12th chart-topper. To have so much chart success over so many years is a testament to Jimmy’s enduring appeal to Australian music fans from all walks of life and across multiple generations. He is truly a legend of our industry and of our country.”

ARIA also chronicled his past chart solo success: Jimmy Barnes has hit #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart with Bodyswerve (1984, 2 weeks), For The Working Class Man (1985, 7 weeks), Freight Train Heart (1987, 5 weeks), Barnestorming (1988, 3 weeks), Two Fires (1990, 5 weeks), Soul Deep (1991, 3 weeks), Hits (1996, 1 week), Double Happiness (2005, 3 weeks), The Rhythm And The Blues (2009, 2 weeks), 30:30 Hindsight (2014, 1 week), Soul Searchin’ (2016, 1 week) and My Criminal Record (2019).

My Criminal Record is the fourth Australian #1 on the ARIA albums chart in 2019.

Love for Elton John continues to be a chart feature as people continue to flock to his music biopic Rocketman. The Elton John compilation Diamonds has jumped from #8 to #3 after 52 weeks on the chart. The Rocketman soundtrack spends a second week on the chart at again at #6 and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road spends s second consecutive week at #40.

With some help from Tracy Grimshaw and A Current Affair, Susan Boyle’s first album in three years, TEN, has debuted at #5. Boyle’s first two albums peaked at #1 in 2009 and 2001 while a third made it to #14 in2016.

Also new to the top 10 this week is a younger chart regular – Miley Cyrus – with he EP She Is Coming new at #10. The new music will feature on her forthcoming seventh album She Is Miley Cyrus.

Three other albums debuted inside the top 50 this week:

#15 Skepta with Ignorance Is Bliss – second time on the chart for the UK rapper after first appearing with his album Konnichiwa three years ago.
#18 Denzel Curry with Zuu. The US rapper had a song on Triple J’s Like A Version earlier this year. Now he is charting with his fourth album.
#24 Thomas Rhett with Center Point Road. A fourth album from the son of country music singer Rhett Atkins. His second and third album both made the top 30 in Australia.

TV Demand: Good Omens and Black Mirror surge up the charts

Another week and once again Game of Thrones sits atop of the Overall TV charts in Australia and New Zealand although its average demand expressions continue to decline as it continues to drop back closer to the field after its series finale.

By Trent Thomas

Although while last week was fairly static, this week sees some big movers emerge thanks to some new releases and finales in the Digital Original charts.

The biggest leap this week was by the Amazon six part mini-series Good Omens featuring the ensemble cast of  David Tennant, Michael Sheen, Adria Arjona, Miranda Richardson, Jack Whitehall, Jon Hamm, and Frances McDormand. The series is set in 2018 and follows the demon Crowley (David Tennant) and the angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen), as they seek to prevent the coming of the Antichrist and Armageddon, after having grown fond of living on earth. This is the first time this year that an Amazon series has topped the Digital Original charts (Aus), thanks in part to the series airing its final episode last week. After not even charting last week, it not only finds itself at number one on the Digital Original charts but also in third place on the Overall TV charts in Australia.

Miley Cyrus in Black Mirror

Black Mirror also had a big week after Netflix released season five moving up to number one on the Digital Original charts in NZ, and third spot on the NZ Overall TV charts. Based on anthology series such as The Twilight Zone, the series examines modern society and the consequences of new technologies. Season five produced three more standalone episodes and featured actors such as Anthony Mackie, Miley Cyrus, and Topher Grace.

The other noteworthy new entry to the Digital Original charts in both Aus and NZ in sixth spot is Netflix’s When They See Us which was released on May 28. The four-part miniseries is inspired by the 1989 Central Park jogger case and the lives of the suspects who were prosecuted and their families.  

In a repeat of last week, the only Australian show to make the charts is The Voice which slid down to eight spot on the Overall TV Chart in Australia.

Top 10 Game Charts: Howzat! Cricket 19 bats at #1 in first week

This week, Cricket 19: Official Game of the Ashes has come in at the top of the retail charts.

By IGN, editor in chief, Came Shea

It’s not at all surprising given Australia’s natural affiliation with the sport, not to mention the fact that the World Cup is on right now, but it’s no doubt heartening for its Australian developer, Big Ant, who has been honing its premiere cricket offering for years at this point. (With a small detour via last year’s light-on-features Big Bash Boom.) Cricket 19 is another earnest simulation of the sport, and it’s the best cricket game yet, albeit with a few rough edges.

The rest of the top 10 is an interesting mix. Mortal Kombat 11 continues to sell well, holding its number two spot, while Days Gone, the high profile but critically poorly received PS4 exclusive, continues to sell, coming in at number three. The recently released Team Sonic Racing has dropped a few spots but remains in the running, as does Rage 2, but the rest of the charts are made up of much older titles: Black Ops 4, Grand Theft Auto V, Mario Kart 8, FIFA 19.

What will the rest of the year look like? We’re going to know a lot more once E3, the biggest event on the gaming calendar is over. It’s happening this week and you can follow it all here.

TV Ratings Analysis: June 11

• First of The Voice Knockout Rounds keeps audience above 1m
• Big Freeze Monday clash helps Seven News audience to 1.3m
• Have You Been Paying Attention?, MasterChef keep 10 competitive

Monday Week 24 2019

By James Manning

• Seven News 1,297,000/1,182,000
• Nine News 1,021,000/1,026,000
• A Current Affair 899,000
• ABC News 739,000
• 7.30 573,000
• The Project 323,000/533,000
• 10 News First 394,000
• The Drum 191,000
• SBS World News 142,000

Breakfast TV

• Sunrise 246,000
• Today 171,000

Seven

The afternoon AFL helped Seven to a record 2019 news audience with 1.297m watching at 6pm. The Collingwood-Melbourne game has been known as the Queen’s Birthday clash, although it is now better known as the Big Freeze match thanks to Neale Daniher and his Fight MND work. That news audience might have even been better if it was a better game – Melbourne again capitulated early and was never in the hunt. The football audience was 554,000 with 403,000 in Melbourne.

Home And Away was on 701,000 after a week 23 average of 665,000, down on the previous week of 684,000.

House Rules then did 761,000 after 679,000 on Sunday. Last week’s Monday episode did 743,000.

The season final of 9-1-1 was on 414,000 after 255,000 a week prior.

Nine

A Current Affair started its new week with a big audience just on 900,000. It’s week 23 average was 754,000, close to the previous week’s 763,000.

The first of the Knockout rounds started on The Voice as the contestants are quickly culled. The audience was 1.01m, which was up marginally on the 1.0m a week ago.

Nine then screened Motown 60: A Grammy Celebration with 394,000 watching the recent US special.

10

Both Have You Been Paying Attention? and MasterChef kept 10 competitive. Both shows were just under 700,000 and they were both top 5 all people, only trailing The Voice in entertainment rankings. However the shows ranked #1 and #2 with viewers 16-39.

Tony Martin was one of the guests on HYBPA? while on MasterChef, Walleed Rasheed was the 12th contestant eliminated, meaning we now have the top 12 in action. Well not quite. Tim then won his way back into the series.

Earlier in the night Carrie Bickmore was a guest on The Project from London, celebrating her Queen’s Birthday Honour plus explaining spending time with her new baby has been the reason behind her prolonged absence from the show. She didn’t indicate how long it would be until her return. The Project was on 533,000 after 7pm. The week 23 average was 473,000, up from 444,000 the previous week.

Later in the evening, the third episode of Kinne Tonight did 232,000 after the previous eps had audiences of 392,000 and 279,000. The 10pm starting time isn’t helping those numbers.

ABC

Australian Story was on 591,000 with Julie Bishop introducing a story about four members of the one family who died on MH17.

Four Corners was on 580,000 with a Louise Milligan report on the Bourke Street murderer.

Media Watch did 537,000 with a special episode on last week’s media raids and Q&A was on 339,000.

SBS

Medicine Or Myth was on 288,000.

Earlier in the night the first of the three-party 63 Up doco did 292,000.

Week 23-24 TV: Friday-Monday
FRIDAY METRO
ABCSevenNine10SBS
ABC13.5%722.8%914.9%10 10.2%SBS One6.6%
ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY2.8%7TWO3.2%GO!3.7%10 Bold2.3%VICELAND2.1%
ABC ME0.7%7mate5.7%GEM2.0%10 Peach2.4%Food Net1.0%
ABC NEWS1.5%7flix2.3%9Life1.9%  NITV0.2%
  7Food0.5%      
TOTAL18.4% 34.4% 22.5% 14.8% 9.9%

 

SATURDAY METRO
ABCSevenNine10SBS
ABC12.6%721.9%914.5%10 7.5%SBS One7.5%
ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY2.7%7TWO3.3%GO!3.9%10 Bold2.8%VICELAND1.0%
ABC ME0.7%7mate5.7%GEM4.4%10 Peach2.4%Food Net0.9%
ABC NEWS1.7%7flix3.1%9Life2.5%  NITV0.4%
  7Food0.5%      
TOTAL17.7% 34.5% 25.3% 12.6% 9.8%

 

SUNDAY METRO
ABCSevenNine10SBS
ABC10.4%717.5%920.9%10 9.1%SBS One8.5%
ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY2.5%7TWO2.4%GO!3.1%10 Bold2.9%VICELAND1.3%
ABC ME0.5%7mate4.4%GEM8.7%10 Peach1.5%Food Net1.1%
ABC NEWS1.4%7flix1.6%9Life1.7%  NITV0.2%
  7Food0.3%      
TOTAL14.8% 26.2% 34.4% 13.5% 11.1%

 

MONDAY METRO
ABCSevenNine10SBS
ABC12.6%719.6%921.7%10 14.0%SBS One5.7%
ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY2.1%7TWO2.9%GO!3.0%10 Bold3.1%VICELAND1.3%
ABC ME0.6%7mate3.8%GEM2.5%10 Peach2.2%Food Net0.7%
ABC NEWS1.0%7flix1.4%9Life1.4%  NITV0.1%
  7Food0.4%      
TOTAL16.3% 28.0% 28.6% 19.3% 7.8%

 

MONDAY REGIONAL
ABCSeven AffiliatesNine Affiliates10 AffiliatesSBS
ABC12.5%722.7%916.9%WIN10.1%SBS One4.4%
ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY1.9%7TWO3.5%GO!3.6%WIN Bold3.5%VICELAND1.3%
ABC ME1.1%7mate5.5%GEM4.5%WIN Peach2.5%Food Net0.8%
ABC NEWS0.6%7flix (Excl. Tas/WA)1.5%9Life1.5%Sky News  on WIN1.3%NITV0.1%
  7food (QLD only)0.4%      
TOTAL16.1% 33.5% 26.4% 17.4% 6.6%

 

MONDAY METRO ALL TV
FTASTV
87.8%12.2%
All People Ratings

Friday Top 10

  1. Seven News  Seven    892,000
  2. Seven News / Today Tonight  Seven    842,000
  3. Nine News  Nine  796,000
  4. Nine News 6:30  Nine  758,000
  5. Seven’s AFL: Friday Night Football  Seven    570,000
  6. A Current Affair  Nine  568,000
  7. The Chase Australia  Seven    564,000
  8. ABC News   ABC  562,000
  9. Endeavour   ABC  524,000
  10. Better Homes And Gardens  Seven    515,000

 

Saturday Top 10

  1. Seven News – Sat  Seven    826,000
  2. Nine News Saturday  Nine  747,000
  3. ABC News-Sa  ABC  685,000
  4. Shakespeare And Hathaway   ABC  485,000
  5. Seven’s AFL: Saturday Night Football  Seven    474,000
  6. Father Brown   ABC  466,000
  7. The Secret Life Of Pets  Nine  383,000
  8. Seven’s AFL: Saturday Night Football – Pre Match  Seven    368,000
  9. Getaway  Nine  340,000
  10. 10 News First Sat    10  324,000

 

Sunday Top 10

  1. Seven News   Seven    1,004,000
  2. Nine News Sunday  Nine  951,000
  3. The Voice    Nine  887,000
  4. House Rules   Seven    679,000
  5. 60 Minutes  Nine  645,000
  6. ABC News Sunday   ABC  606,000
  7. Masterchef Australia    10  489,000
  8. Shetland   ABC  486,000
  9. Harrow   ABC  446,000
  10. 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup: Aus V Ita Live  SBS    421,000
Monday FTA
  1. Seven News  Seven    1,297,000
  2. Seven News / Today Tonight  Seven    1,182,000
  3. Nine News 6:30  Nine  1,026,000
  4. Nine News  Nine  1,021,000
  5. The Voice    Nine  1,019,000
  6. A Current Affair  Nine  899,000
  7. House Rules    Seven    761,000
  8. ABC News   ABC  739,000
  9. Home And Away  Seven    701,000
  10. Have You Been Paying Attention?    10  675,000
  11. Masterchef Australia Mon    10  674,000
  12. Australian Story   ABC  591,000
  13. Four Corners   ABC  580,000
  14. 7.30   ABC  573,000
  15. Seven’s AFL: Monday Afternoon Football  Seven    554,000
  16. Media Watch   ABC  537,000
  17. The Project 7pm    10  533,000
  18. Hot Seat  Nine  521,000
  19. The Chase Australia  Seven    485,000
  20. 9-1-1  Seven    414,000
Monday Multichannel
  1. Bluey AM  ABCKIDS/COMEDY  199,000
  2. Rusty Rivets   ABCKIDS/COMEDY  161,000
  3. Octonauts   ABCKIDS/COMEDY  161,000
  4. Peter Rabbit   ABCKIDS/COMEDY  160,000
  5. Molly And Mack PM  ABCKIDS/COMEDY  157,000
  6. Peppa Pig PM  ABCKIDS/COMEDY  153,000
  7. Peppa Pig AM  ABCKIDS/COMEDY  153,000
  8. School Of Roars PM  ABCKIDS/COMEDY  152,000
  9. PJ Masks AM  ABCKIDS/COMEDY  146,000
  10. Floogals   ABCKIDS/COMEDY  143,000
  11. Dino Dana   ABCKIDS/COMEDY  142,000
  12. Hey Duggee AM  ABCKIDS/COMEDY  142,000
  13. Bondi Rescue Ep 2  (R)  10 Bold  141,000
  14. Fireman Sam PM  ABCKIDS/COMEDY  141,000
  15. Bob The Builder PM  ABCKIDS/COMEDY  140,000
  16. M- The Accountant PM (R)  7mate  138,000
  17. Bluey   ABCKIDS/COMEDY  136,000
  18. NCIS  (R)  10 Bold  136,000
  19. Neighbours  10 Peach  132,000
  20. Nella The Princess Knight AM  ABCKIDS/COMEDY  131,000
Monday STV
  1. Live: AFL Collingwood V Melbourne  FOX FOOTY  222,000
  2. Live: NRL Bulldogs V Dragons  FOX LEAGUE  208,000
  3. Live: Monday Footy On Fox  FOX FOOTY  106,000
  4. Live: Motorsport: F1: Canada Race  FOX SPORTS 506  102,000
  5. Big Little Lies  FOX SHOWCASE 82,000
  6. Live: Rugby League: NRL Pre Game  FOX LEAGUE  72,000
  7. Live: NRL Post Game  FOX LEAGUE  68,000
  8. Live: AFL 360  FOX FOOTY  67,000
  9. Live: Monday Footy On Fox  FOX FOOTY  60,000
  10. Live: On The Couch  FOX FOOTY  59,000
  11. Paul Murray Live  Sky News Live  57,000
  12. Live: NRL 360  FOX LEAGUE  48,000
  13. Big Little Lies  FOX SHOWCASE  47,000
  14. The Bolt Report  Sky News Live  46,000
  15. The Simpsons  FOX8  43,000
  16. Sunday Night With Matty Johns  FOX LEAGUE  42,000
  17. Live: World Cup: Australia V India  FOX CRICKET  40,000
  18. Escape To The Country  Lifestyle Channel  39,000
  19. Credlin  Sky News Live  36,000
  20. Live: World Cup: RSA V Wi  FOX CRICKET  35,000

Shares all people, 6pm-midnight, Overnight (Live and AsLive), Audience numbers FTA metro, Sub TV national
Source: OzTAM and Regional TAM 2018. The Data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) without the prior written consent of OzTAM

Media News Roundup

Business of Media

Freeview CEO Liz Ross resigns after eight years at the helm

Freeview, Australia’s free-to-air aggregated television platform, has announced CEO Liz Ross has decided to step down from the role after close to eight years of service.

Freeview was established in 2008 by ABC, Nine, Seven, SBS and 10 to market, at that time, the new digital free-to-air channels and help Australians transition from analogue to digital broadcast. Liz Ross came in to Freeview in 2011 to build a world-leading aggregated brand, products and platform.

Over the last decade Freeview has introduced a number of aggregated free-to air-products including hybrid Broadband Broadcast platform HbbTV and Freeview’s digital platforms on Apple TV, Chromecast, mobile and web. Freeview has also been recognised internationally through a range of prestigious awards including Best Enhanced TV Service at the International Interactive TV Awards for Freeview Plus; and the International Grand Prix and Winner, Best TV/Video Service at the Connie Awards.

Ross said: “I am very proud of the achievements, innovations and the strategic evolution of Freeview over the last eight years under my leadership.  We’ve worked hard to ensure that every Freeview product is providing aggregated live and catch-up services for all Australian consumers. I am happy to say that Freeview now leads the world with a product suite unmatched by any other FTA industry.”

Freeview’s chair, ABC chief digital & information officer Helen Clifton said: “On behalf of the board of Freeview we would like to thank Liz for her commitment to and passion for our industry. Liz has built Freeview into a well-recognised Australian entertainment brand. She has shown great leadership in bringing free-to-air broadcasters together to create a go-to platform for viewers looking for the best Australian and international content across our channels. Freeview will shortly begin a search for a new CEO to drive the next phase of growth for Freeview, continue to provide great access for viewers, and further unlock the value of the Freeview brand and HbbTV in this market.

“Former Free TV CEO Julie Flynn has kindly agreed to step in to an acting role to ensure it is business as usual while the board conducts a search for a replacement for Liz. Julie was involved at the outset of Freeview so we will be in safe hands.”

Netflix opening Australian office as streaming battle intensifies

US tech giant Netflix is establishing an on the ground presence in Sydney and has started hiring local staff as it fights to maintain its dominant position in the Australian streaming video market, report The Sydney Morning Herald’s Jennifer Duke and John McDuling.

The $US175 billion ($224 billion) valued global behemoth is in the process of setting up a “small Sydney office” for the first time, media sources said, in a move that could signal the business has plans to back more original Australian content.

The new presence marks the first time Netflix will have permanent local staff, with former LinkedIn director of public policy for Asia Pacific and Japan Nick O’Donnell hired as its local director of public policy.

Former Twentieth Century Fox head of publicity Sarah Haines has taken on a new role as head of Netflix’s Australia and New Zealand publicity for originals.

A local team of as many as 10 people will initially be based out of a Sydney co-working space, sources said, which is believed to be WeWork.

Netflix has 18 office locations around the world, including six in Asia Pacific, and is registered locally with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission using the address of its Netherlands, Amsterdam headquarters.

[Read the original]

Vice Media loses HBO show as former News Corp exec joins

There were significant changes at Vice Media on Monday as the company takes shape under new leadership, reports The New York Times.

First came the news that HBO was cancelling the nightly program Vice News Tonight and that the executive who oversaw the show, Josh Tyrangiel, would be leaving the company.

Vice Media quickly followed that report, which appeared in The Hollywood Reporter, with an announcement that Jesse Angelo, the former publisher of The New York Post, would become the company’s president of global news and entertainment.

The changes occurred on the watch of Nancy Dubuc, a former head of the A&E cable network who joined Vice Media as chief executive last year and has been charged with the task of stanching the flow of red ink at the company.

Angelo, the executive who is scheduled to start at Vice Media this month, left The Post in January after working for two decades in various roles at the tabloid, which is part of Rupert Murdoch’s shrinking media empire. He departed soon after Murdoch’s younger son, James, left the family fold.

The Murdoch company, 21st Century Fox, owned a piece of Vice Media for a time; James Murdoch is still on the Vice board as an independent member. He and Angelo have known each other since they were children, and Angelo was the best man at his wedding.

[Read the original]

News Brands

Major parties consider parliamentary inquiry into press freedom

The Coalition has flagged action on press freedom after the government came under fire for police raids on the ABC’s Sydney headquarters and the home of a senior News Corp journalist, report The Australian’s Olivia Caisley and Richard Ferguson.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann yesterday opened the door to a parliamentary inquiry, telling reporters in Perth the government would publicly address the AFP probes in coming days.

“There are obviously a range of issues to be considered here and we’ll make statements in relation to this later in the week,” Senator Cormann said.

A spokesman for opposition home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally said an inquiry was something the party was “still considering”.

“There are quirks and oddities that could be explored through a broad Senate inquiry,” the spokesman said. “It’s an option Labor is still considering.”

Growing support for an inquiry comes as ABC chair­woman Ita Buttrose announced she would meet the Prime Minister to discuss the raid, in which police seized 9214 documents relating to a 7.30 story regarding clandestine operations by Australia’s special forces in Afghanistan.

[Read the original]

The ABC to mount a court challenge over last week’s AFP raids

The ABC is set to mount a court challenge over last week’s AFP raids on its headquarters in a case that could test the Constitution’s implied right of political communication, reports The Australian’s Leo Shanahan.

The ABC has retained media barrister Matt Collins QC in a bid to fight for the return of information taken from the ABC.

Former deputy editor of The Australian and former editor-in-chief of The Sydney Morning Herald, Peter Fray, said the raids had the capacity to unite media organisations.

“The raids are potentially a watershed for press freedom in this country,’’ said Fray, who is now a professor of journalism at the University of Technology Sydney.

“I say potentially because it is one thing to raise awareness – as they absolutely have done – but quite another to see that awareness turned into change.”

[Read the original]

Private Media’s Crikey appoints former Project exec to lead INQ

Private Media’s Crikey has announced its 12-person INQ team ahead of a launch on June 24 when it will publish the first reports from the inquiry journalism initiative.

Eric Beecher, Private Media chairman and editor-in-chief, announced the plans for INQ in February this year.

The initiative, which originally aimed to launch in April, is the culmination of a long-running collaborative project between the team at Crikey and two of Private Media’s largest investors, John B Fairfax and Cameron O’Reilly, who together have a long association with the media.

See also:
Eric Beecher’s Private Media invests in Crikey editorial expansion

Former The Project chief-of-staff Lauren Molan heads the INQ team, six-time Walkley Award-winner Suzanne Smith is consulting editor and among the reporters is former 7.30 and The Checkout reporter Kirsten Drysdale.

In announcing the launch, INQ last detailed its principles:

Endlessly Questioning

Our Inquiry Journalism model is built on questions. We don’t just look for the big stories, we look for the side-stories, the stories under the surface that reveal where the real power lies, and who is influencing it.

Fiercely independent

We’re not part of any establishment, we’re here to scrutinise the establishment and call bullshit when we need to. And unlike so much of Australia’s “local” media, we are actually owned and controlled here, not a mere cog in someone’s global network.

Freely transparent

We often take our readers behind the curtain and under the hood, because how the story happens is sometimes just as important as the story itself. Our journalists reveal the side details so our members get the inside running.

Unshackled from convention

We’re not interested in filling columns, or baiting clicks. Our membership model requires us only to tell important stories, and to live up to the high expectations of our members. Story length, team structure, format, everything is open for discussion. The truth is the only thing that matters.

Follow the money

How investigative journalism is paid for is one of the biggest questions facing the media at the moment. We can’t speak for everyone else, but we can share how INQ is funded. INQ is part of Crikey, which over nearly 20 years has avoided industry trends and remained a subscriber-only email supported by a pay-walled site. This reluctance to follow trends has insulated us from industry changes. It seems like every time an algorithm flaps its wings, a news site dies.

News Corp’s The Messenger enters era of expanded digital coverage

Messenger Community News has announced it will expand both its geographical and digital coverage with new products reaching out to some of Adelaide’s fastest-growing regions in the north and a renewed focus on digital delivery.

Drawing on more than 50 years of publication, all mastheads will be rebranded as The Messenger, and a renewed publication covering the northern and north-eastern Adelaide suburbs will now cover the fast-growing areas of Gawler and Virginia.

Messenger Community News editor Nadja Fleet said the renewed northern and north-eastern publication would now reach an estimated audience of 115,000 readers – a boost of 39% – with a new delivery model across 200-plus retail outlets, digital and selected editions of The Advertiser.

“The new title will be inserted in The Advertiser every Tuesday in retail and home delivery copies within the new distribution, plus copies will be available for free pick-up at more than 200 retail outlets, including councils, libraries, petrol stations and supermarkets, across the new footprint,’’ Fleet said.

In the eastern suburbs, the Eastern Courier Messenger will be replaced by a new The Messenger masthead, which will also expand to take in suburbs from the city fringe and foothills.

The existing The City print publication will become a digital product, in response to demand from readers across the metropolitan area for up-to-date content about the CBD and the business and cultural life of the city.

“This is a true celebration of our digital future and strengthens our credentials as Adelaide’s most trusted community brand and number one source for local news,” Fleet said.

News Corp Australia’s SA managing director Ish Davies said The Messenger would now reach areas it had not covered before, with the metro region’s peri-urban fringe primed for growth in the next few years due to investment in the wine sector, a revitalised manufacturing market, and a huge boost soon to flow through from the multibillion-dollar defence contracts underpinning a generation of employment.

“The Messenger is a longstanding brand with a powerful connection to our community, with local news media regarded as the most trustworthy of all media,” he said.

Top Photo: The Messenger’s editor-in-chief Nadja Fleet and digital editor Kara Jung. Source: News Corp/Naomi Jellicoe

Radio

Nine CEO Hugh Marks downplays Macquarie Media radio deal

Nine Entertainment Co chief executive Hugh Marks has talked down the possibility of an imminent deal with Macquarie Media, despite the owner of radio stations including Sydney’s 2GB and Melbourne’s 3AW renewing its contact with top-rating presenter Alan Jones, reports The Sydney Morning Herald’s Jennifer Duke.

Marks signalled last year he could look to purchase the shares in Macquarie Media that Nine doesn’t yet own since its $4 billion merger with Fairfax Media last year. Nine is the owner of this masthead.

Last month, Macquarie Media re-signed star host Alan Jones for two more years ending months of negotiations. Some media industry observers believed Nine was unsure about progressing with a deal while the contract was unresolved.

“I think it’s important [the contract was signed] for the certainty of that business. I think it was important from that perspective,” Marks said in his first public comments on Macquarie Media since Jones was re-signed.

Despite this, he said the successful outcome after the extensive negotiations was “not a reason to – or not to – do a deal with Macquarie”.

“That will depend on what the business looks like, its profitability, its viability and what a deal might look like,” he said.

[Read the original]

Television

Young Sheldon cast coming to the Goldie for TV Week Logie Awards

The stars of American TV comedy series Young Sheldon will walk the red carpet at this year’s TV Week Logie Award on Sunday June 30.

Alongside 10-year-old Iain Armitage, who plays comical child prodigy Sheldon Cooper, will be Zoe Perry (his patient on-screen mum, Mary), Lance Barber (his loveable dad George) and mischievous siblings 16-year-old Montana Jordan (George Jnr) and 11-year-old Raegan Revord (Missy).

Young Sheldon was created as a prequel to award-winning US sitcom The Big Bang Theory, both of which air on Nine Network in Australia. After two successful seasons, Young Sheldon has recently been renewed for a third and fourth season.

TV Week editor Thomas Woodgate said: “This is such wonderful news for this year’s TV Week Logie Awards. I’m so excited to welcome the cast of Young Sheldon to TV’s night of nights at The Star Gold Coast on Queensland’s gorgeous Gold Coast. They’ll bring a lot of star power to TV’s biggest and best awards show. I can’t wait to see them all strut the red carpet on June 30.”

Sports Media

Sports rights: NRL planning to get jump on AFL in TV cash grab

The ARL Commission is weighing up whether to go early on its next broadcasting deal, a move that would allow rugby league to get the jump on the AFL but which could also have massive ramifications for the game’s existing clubs, reports The Australian’s Brent Read.

Club chairs and chief executives will meet the ARL Commission and the NRL tomorrow to discuss a range of issues, among them player behaviour, integrity and, significantly, the broadcasting future.

It is understood a discussion paper has been circulated to the clubs raising the prospect of opening talks over the next broadcasting deal as early as next year. The existing arrangement runs until the end of 2022.

The ARL Commission is in the second year of a landmark $1.8 billion deal with Fox Sports and the Nine Network. That deal was the biggest in the code’s history and seemingly allowed the commission to consolidate the future of its clubs by providing them with more money than ever before.

However, despite receiving about $13 million a year from the central administration, most NRL clubs still run at a loss. Hence the need to ensure the next deal at least matches the existing arrangement.

[Read the original]

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