Monday April 1, 2019
News readership grows in January: SMH now 8m, The Age over 4m
Across print and digital, news media is read by 17.4 million people, or 94% of the population.
Digital news media is read by 15.7 million Australians, or 85% of the population and in print, newspapers are read by 11.9 million people, or 64% of the population.
Regional and community newspapers are read by 5.5 million people, or almost a third of the population (30%).
NewsMediaWorks CEO, Peter Miller, said: “News media continues to command large audiences across platforms. Readers of news media are clearly putting their faith in journalism that appears in trusted news brands.
“Independent research conducted by Ipsos Connect shows that news media is the nation’s most trusted media channel for both content and advertising4 and advertisers are responding with our latest quarterly News Media Index showing continued improvements in advertising revenue for news media.”
The Sydney Morning Herald is Australia’s highest-reaching title across all platforms with 8.08 million readers. The Daily Telegraph followed, reaching 4.24 million readers and the Herald Sun with 4.15 million (see table below).
All publishers saw their audiences up from the December data.
The only change in the top five ranking was The West Australian jumping from #7 to #5 with its audience up from 2.35m to 3.57m.
New to the top 10 this month is Canberra Times with readership on 843,000.
BBC Studios ANZ appoints head of content sales and co-production
Tod has been acting in the leadership role since January 2019, following the departure of Irene Read, former director of content sales, and while Jon Penn reviewed the scope of the role.
In this new role Tod will be responsible for the strategic and team leadership of BBC Studios’ content sales and co-productions in Australia and New Zealand.
BBC Studios said the role will ensure maximum impact and exploitation of BBC Studios’ content, servicing broadcast and digital clients in the region.
As part of the international sales team, Tod will input into global deals, content partnerships and co-productions on behalf of Australia and New Zealand. She will also be a core member of the ANZ regional executive leadership team.
Jon Penn said: “Deb is a highly experienced and effective sales leader with strong relationships in the industry. I’m delighted that she will be bringing her passion and knowledge for BBC Studios’ content to the role, combined with her proven ability to think laterally and deliver results.”
Deb Tod commented: “It’s an incredible privilege to represent such an iconic catalogue, working together with the team to bring bold and creative British content to our valued partners across Australia and New Zealand.
During her time at BBC Studios since 2014, Tod has secured a number of key sales including the current first look agreement with Foxtel Lifestyle channels, landmark natural history deals with the Nine Network and TVNZ, substantial catalogue packages with Netflix and Stan, as well as managed the first and second look deal with the ABC.
With over 15 years’ experience in television and media, Tod has worked across all genres and media. She began her career at MGM, followed by a first stint at BBC Worldwide before returning to MGM, where she managed and negotiated sales throughout the Asia Pacific region.
Tod will be supported by the content sales team: Stephen O’Hanlon, sales manager for ANZ; Bruno Liporoni, sales executive for ANZ; Mel Caracatsanis, sales executive for digital; Donna Meaker, sales planning and support manager and Katie Rorison and Anna Douglas, sales support executives.
In recent changes, television format sales comes under the director of production Kylie Washington, who started in September 2018, while the development of new customer relationships and business opportunities comes under COO Fiona Lang, who leads the newly formed business development team.
House & Garden and Belle bid farewell to editor-in-chief Lisa Green
Replacing Green is Tanya Buchannan, previously editor at Belle, who has been appointed editor of Australian House & Garden. Buchannan has spent more than 11 years at Belle and has more than 20 years’ experience in the publishing industry.
Bauer Media has appointed Gavin Kirk as editor of Belle. Kirk joins the publisher after close to eight years at Pacific Magazines, most recently as the associate editor of Home Beautiful.
With a degree in interior architecture and significant cross platform publishing experience, Bauer said Kirk brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience in the homes, luxury and lifestyle media sectors.
Paul Dykzeul, CEO, Bauer Media said, “Bauer Media remains committed to bolstering its team with exceptional talent to further propel the growth of all of our brands. I am thrilled to welcome Gavin Kirk to the fold as the new editor of Belle.”
Commenting on Buchannan’s promotion, Dykzeul said, “Tanya has been a very successful editor and has made a significant contribution to the success of Belle. I am excited to see Tanya take the helm of Australian House & Garden and take her passion and love of the Australian homes category to the magazine.”
Bauer Media will bid farewell to Lisa Green at the end of April.
Throughout a 14-year career at Bauer Media, Green has made significant contributions to a number of titles within the homes category.
Australian House & Garden is the fourth most-read monthly magazine in Australia and has won numerous industry awards.
Dykzeul said: “It has been a pleasure to work with Lisa Green on Australian House & Garden. We thank her for her contribution to Bauer and wish her all the success in her future endeavours.”
Sports Week
James Manning
AFLW delivers massive Grand Final TV audience
AFLW was the big sports media story of the weekend with 53,034 fans filling Adelaide Oval watching the home team Adelaide Crowes kick their way to victory in the AFLW Grand Final. The TV audience was up 71% YOY with a national FTA audience of 409,000 and a metro audience of 321,000. The streaming numbers were up 59%, but Seven didn’t supply a number.
Eddie McGuire steps aside from commentary duties
Eddie McGuire stepped aside from his commentary duties for Saturday’s AFL clash between Essendon and St Kilda out of respect for double amputee Cynthia Banham after his criticism of her coin toss, reported the Herald Sun on the weekend.
But people hoping this might lead to disciplinary action the broadcaster, or maybe even worse, might be disappointed.
Prior to Sydney’s round 2 clash against Adelaide at the SCG, McGuire made what the newspaper labelled one of the biggest gaffes of his career and was subsequently slammed by the Swans and many AFL fans before issuing an on-air apology.
“Out of respect for Cynthia Banham and the Sydney Swans, I have requested not to call today’s game between Essendon and St Kilda,” McGuire said in a statement.
McGuire’s employer Fox Sports expressed its regret over the incident.
“Following comments Eddie McGuire made about coin tossing during last night’s coverage of the Sydney v Adelaide game, Eddie has requested not to call today’s game. We support this decision,” said head of Fox Sports Peter Campbell.
“We are disappointed with the comments made and we deeply apologise to Cynthia, her family and the Sydney Football Club.”
The debate about the size of McGuire’s gaffe raged all weekend in media and on social media.
Such was media interest this morning that Seven had a reporter outside the Triple M studios with live crosses at regular intervals.
On his Triple M show on Monday morning, McGuire delayed discussing the slip up until 7am when Wil Anderson joined the team.
There was brief a brief discussion about the incident with McGuire again explaining he was completely devastated and he again offered “sincere apologies”. He added he is solely to blame with no one else responsible for what he saw and then commented on during the Friday pre-game coverage on Fox Footy.
Wil Anderson asked McGuire this morning if he had thought about stopping something like this happening again. “Yes I have,” McGuire replied.
The Masters next week on Fox Sports
Fox Sports is promising Australian golf fans the most comprehensive coverage of the year’s first major tournament The Masters with live, ad-break free coverage on a dedicated channel.
The Masters will be staged at the Augusta National Golf Club from April 12 to 15 and will feature the world’s best golfers vying for the coveted Green Jacket.
Fox Sports will air all four tournament rounds of The Masters live and ad-break free.
Fox Sports 505 will become a dedicated 24 hour channel from Monday, April 8 creating a one stop destination to immerse fans in the historic tournament.
The Masters Channel will feature the Masters Films, a series of documentaries which look back on some of the biggest wins from across Masters history including Tiger Woods’ four victories, Phil Mickelson’s three triumphs and Aussie Adam Scott’s historic maiden win in 2013.
Masters – On The Range also returns in 2019 providing fans with analysis, interviews and previews from the practice range of Augusta National, including live analysis after each competition round.
The Masters Channel will also air the traditional Par 3 competition on Thursday morning, April 11, which brings out the greats in the game as well as some special guests, and will also air replays of each competition round.
Fox Sports’ golf expert and former professional Paul Gow will be on the ground to provide daily news reports from the event for Fox Sports News.
Fox Sports’ digital channels will continue to deliver multi-camera coverage of the tournament with fans able to watch Featured Groups, Amen Corner (holes 11, 12 and 13) and the 15th and 16th holes via the Fox Sports App or at Foxsports.com.au.
Sweet 16: TV will decide NRL’s future
Writing in Nine’s The Sun-Herald yesterday, reporter Danny Weidler said television networks will determine the optimum number of NRL teams in the competition, and they believe that number is 16:
The NRL has already been forced to squeeze the eighth game of each round into the unpopular 6pm Friday slot when most people aren’t even home from work. Where they would put a ninth game if the competition was expanded to 18 teams is anyone’s guess. People are suggesting games in Perth would be a good idea.
The free-to-air networks would not support a game on Sunday night when they are airing premium shows.
And here is the kicker: the NRL would also have to come up with an additional $26 million a year to fund two teams, money that simply won’t be forthcoming in the next television deal. Many within the NRL fear the next TV deal will be smaller than the present one.
The expansion furphy was thrown up by Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter Beattie, who initially supported it, then said it was too hard, then put it back on the agenda.
Commissioners have confided that expansion has not been on their radar and are bemused by the public discussion. If it’s being pushed from within the NRL to get a reaction, it has worked. It has also stopped us talking about the tsunami of off-field drama.
TV Week 13: Nine almost unstoppable, Seven again closes the gap
Also unchanged week-on-week were ABC on 12.0% and 10 on 9.2%. Seven was up from 20.7% to 20.9% while SBS edged higher from 4.3% to 4.4%. 7mate ranked #1 multi again on 4.0%, up from 3.9%.
Nine
Nine ranked #1 in primary channel primetime commercial shares 25-54 (32.9%), 16-39 (32.5%) and shopper with child (34.1%). Nine also won total people (30.6%), extending its winning streak to 11 weeks.
In the combined primetime commercial channel share comparisons, Nine was #1 25-54 (43.8%), 16-39 (43.4%) and shopper with child (44.8%). Nine also won total people (41.7%).
The Week 13 Sunday MAFS commitment ceremony episode posted a series high with an average audience of 2.27m nationally (metro 1.686m regional 585,000) and won the key demographics 25-54, 16-39 and grocery shopper + child.
Nine had 7 of the top 10 spots of the week all people on the back of MAFS, Travel Guides and Nine News:
MAFS continues to dominate the digital/9Now space. The show holds 16 spots across the rolling 28 days VPM reports and the first dinner party episode now has a VPM of 476,000+.
Travel Guides hit an all-time high this week. The show drew an average national audience of 1.189m (metro 915,000 regional 274,000).
Seven
Three nights of live primetime AFL again boosted Seven, improving its weekly share. After four nights of week 13 it trailed Nine by 6.6 points in primary channel share, but that gap closed to 2.6 points at the end of the week.
The gap in combined channel share was closer at the end of the week though with Seven on 30.6% to Nine’s 32.0%.
For the week Seven was able to boast #1 multi with 7mate, #1 sport with AFL, #1 news, #1 breakfast and #1 daytime with The Chase. (A show that also manages to outrate most primetime programs too.)
10
Gogglebox continues to be the channel’s standout performer with the program ranking #1 under 50 on Thursday.
The Project had a much better week with the combo of the Jacinda Ardern interview plus a chat with Egg Boy delivering the biggest audience since July 2018. The NZ PM also delivered a bigger audience than the Aussie PM the week prior.
Ambulance Australia also had its best audience for the year, although the numbers are down on its first series last year.
The Living Room returned with a metro audience of 411,000 on Friday.
ARIA Chart Report
Singles
The Jonas Brothers have extended their run at #1 with Sucker to three weeks.
The only new entry on the top 10 this week was a track from the new Dean Lewis album, 7 Minutes, rising #10 from #17 after 10 weeks on the chart. Lewis also saw his previous #1 single Be Alright climb back into the top 20 at #17 after 39 weeks on the chart. A third track from the Lewis album, Stay Awake, is new on the chart at #26.
Slipping into the 50 at #29 after three weeks lower down the chart is So Am I from US singer Ava Max.
New at #47 is Old Town Road from Lil Nas X which has been causing some confusion in the US where Billboard had it leaping up the Hot Country chart before the publisher decided it was not country enough and pulled it from that chart. The song, first released in 2018, not sits low down on the Billboard Hot 100.
Albums
Dean Lewis has ended Ariana Grande’s run at the top with Thank U, Next which has moved to #2 after five weeks at #1.
A Place We Knew gives Lewis a chart double after Be Alright ranked #1 during the second half of 2018. Lewis this week received ARPA Award nominations for Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year and Pop Work of the Year.
A Place We Knew is the second Australian #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart in 2019 after The Hilltop Hoods with The Great Expanse in early March.
There were two other new arrivals in the top 10 this week:
#7 Bryan Adams with Shine A Light up from #76 in its third week after initially entering the chart at #21.
#10 Mötley Cruüe with The Dirt Soundtrack from their new Netflix biopic. The album features hits from the their dramatised story plus four new songs including a cover of Madonna’s Like A Virgin. This is the Crüe’s first time on the ARIA chart since 2011 with Greatest Hits. The movie is no Bohemian Rhapsody, it’s far more outrageous yet as entertaining for hard rock fans. Scenes featuring Tony Cavalero as Ozzy Osbourne are memorable and Billions’ David Costabile is brilliant as legendary rock band manager Doc McGhee.
Just missing a top 10 debut was Flume with his mixtape Hi This Is Flume at #11. Flume previously topped the ARIA chart with his albums Flume in 2012 and Skin in 2016.
Two other albums debuted in the top 50 this week:
#16 The Murlocs with Manic Candid Episode – The fourth album from the Melbourne band after their third album Old Locomotive peaked at #15.
#33 Rich The Kid with The World Is Yours 2. Although he’s had 18 solo and collaborative mixtapes, this is the US rapper’s second album after The World Is Yours released 12 months ago.
Top 10 Game Charts: Top Spot Rotation Continues with Sekiro
By Cam Shea, editor-in-chief, IGN Australia
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is the latest title from acclaimed Japanese studio FromSoftware. From is best known for its brutally challenging Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls games, and Sekiro certainly retains the focus on punishing combat that demands mastery of its systems. It’s a very different game in other respects, however, taking players to a feudal Japan with heavy supernatural elements, where stealth is key and a grappling hook allows them to zip from point to point and get the jump on enemies. Regardless, it’s another first rate game from the studio.
Last week’s top title, Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, has dropped down to second spot, while Far Cry New Dawn continues its strong sales. Where the rest of the charts are usually filled by Nintendo Switch classics and the biggest games of the last six months – such as Red Dead Redemption 2 and FIFA 19 – this week tells a different story, with a number of old PS4 games making the list, no doubt due to fresh discounts within the Australian retail environment. The New Zealand top ten, for instance, is much as you’d expect.
And lastly this week, we also have a very Australian first starter – PharLap Horse Racing Challenge. Will it be a stayer? I canter wait to find out.
TV Ratings Analysis: March 31
Sunday: Week 14 2019
By James Manning
• Seven News 1,109,000
• Nine News 971,000
• ABC News 638,000
• Insiders 304,000
• The Project 228,000/293,000
• 10 News First 191,000
• Offsiders 167,000
• SBS World News 133,000
Breakfast TV
• Sunrise 275,000
• Today 182,000
Seven
On My Kitchen Rules Matt and Luke were showcasing their improved cooking skills, yet there was something else brewing amongst the contestants at the dining table on what have ben branded “super dinner parties”. “Sex scandal rocks MKR dinner table” was a News Corp headline Monday morning, although the details aren’t quite that lurid with the revelation expected tonight of a relationship between contestants on different teams. But back to the cooking, 800,000 watched Manu award the boys 10 and then 9 for the first two courses, while Pete was more generous with dessert with a 7 out of 10.
Sunday Night featured reporter Steve Pennells covering a holiday cruise from hell. The audience of 472,000 was well up on last week’s 347,000.
Nine
Married At First Sight could be confusing to some casual viewers. Jules and Cam were married at the start of the series and now they are getting engaged! It was a good news night dominating the storylines at the start of a new week. The series again delivered the four most-watched programs last week and that should happen again this week after 1.485m last night.
On 60 Minutes Tara Brown secured an interview with Charles Manson’s former lover Catherine Share. The audience of 842,000 was up from 767,000 a week ago.
Lots of archival footage from the Nine library got a workout during the latest Australian Crime Story. Narrator Mark Burrows and host Adam Shand introduced underworld figure and Painter & Docker Billy Longley. “Don’t mess with the Texan” was the advice not everyone heeded. The comprehensive coverage left no stone unturned with archival footage of western movie shootouts and an interview with columnist Phillip Adams too. The episode did 336,000 after 318,000 last week.
10
The Sunday Project featured special panellist Magda Szubanski with guests including Bachelorette Angie Kent and former jockey Michelle Payne.
Chris & Julia’s Sunday Night Takeaway dipped even lower last night with 218,000 after 246,000 a week ago.
Comedian Nath Valvo was on two channels last night – he was a guest of Hughesy, We Have A Problem in addition to performing at the Comedy Festival Gala on ABC. The new Hughesy episode did 219,000.
ABC
South Frankston was the destination on Restoration Australia with a transformation of a long-neglected gem. The episode had 498,000 watching after 539,000 last week.
Tom Gleeson got another screen gig as host of ABC’s broadcast of the Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala. The gig came on the final night of voting for the TV Week Logie Awards where Gleeson is firming as a favourite for the Gold Logie. The audience for the comedy special was 376,000.
SBS
The final episode of the three-part Five Billion Pound Super Sewer went to air with 153,000.
A repeat of the 2015 doco Scientology: Going Clear followed with 131,000.
Week 13-14 TV: Friday-Monday
| FRIDAY METRO | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Seven | Nine | 10 | SBS | |||||
| ABC | 8.9% | 7 | 25.5% | 9 | 17.7% | 10 | 10.5% | SBS One | 4.0% |
| ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY | 2.8% | 7TWO | 3.4% | GO! | 3.8% | 10 Bold | 3.7% | VICELAND | 1.2% |
| ABC ME | 0.5% | 7mate | 5.6% | GEM | 2.4% | 10 Peach | 1.8% | Food Net | 0.9% |
| ABC NEWS | 1.7% | 7flix | 2.6% | 9Life | 2.7% | NITV | 0.1% | ||
| 7Food | 0.4% | ||||||||
| TOTAL | 13.9% | 37.5% | 26.6% | 16.0% | 6.1% | ||||
| SATURDAY METRO | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Seven | Nine | 10 | SBS | |||||
| ABC | 10.4% | 7 | 21.3% | 9 | 19.2% | 10 | 6.9% | SBS One | 4.5% |
| ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY | 3.8% | 7TWO | 4.3% | GO! | 5.0% | 10 Bold | 1.7% | VICELAND | 1.1% |
| ABC ME | 0.7% | 7mate | 5.8% | GEM | 4.6% | 10 Peach | 1.9% | Food Net | 1.3% |
| ABC NEWS | 1.7% | 7flix | 2.5% | 9Life | 2.7% | NITV | 0.2% | ||
| 7Food | 0.5% | ||||||||
| TOTAL | 16.6% | 34.3% | 31.4% | 10.5% | 7.1% | ||||
| SUNDAY METRO | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Seven | Nine | 10 | SBS | |||||
| ABC | 11.4% | 7 | 19.5% | 9 | 29.2% | 10 | 6.7% | SBS One | 4.3% |
| ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY | 2.5% | 7TWO | 2.7% | GO! | 4.1% | 10 Bold | 1.5% | VICELAND | 1.3% |
| ABC ME | 0.5% | 7mate | 4.0% | GEM | 3.0% | 10 Peach | 1.9% | Food Net | 1.2% |
| ABC NEWS | 1.2% | 7flix | 1.6% | 9Life | 2.7% | NITV | 0.1% | ||
| 7Food | 0.6% | ||||||||
| TOTAL | 15.6% | 28.4% | 39.0% | 10.1% | 6.9% | ||||
| SUNDAY REGIONAL | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Seven Affiliates | Nine Affiliates | 10 Affiliates | SBS | |||||
| ABC | 10.9% | 7 | 18.8% | 9 | 26.1% | WIN | 6.2% | SBS One | 4.5% |
| ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY | 2.9% | 7TWO | 3.3% | GO! | 4.0% | WIN Bold | 1.5% | VICELAND | 1.6% |
| ABC ME | 0.8% | 7mate | 4.2% | GEM | 5.5% | WIN Peach | 1.7% | Food Net | 0.8% |
| ABC NEWS | 1.4% | 7flix | 2.4% | 9Life | 2.6% | Sky News on WIN | 0.6% | NITV | 0.1% |
| TOTAL | 16.0% | 28.7% | 38.2% | 10.0% | 6.9% | ||||
| SUNDAY METRO ALL TV | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTA | STV | ||||||||
| 85.5% | 14.5% | ||||||||
All People Rankings
Friday Top 10
- Seven News Seven 848,000
- Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 782,000
- Nine News 6:30 Nine 760,000
- Nine News Nine 753,000
- Seven’s AFL: Friday Night Football Seven 631,000
- ABC News ABC 558,000
- The Chase Australia Seven 515,000
- Better Homes And Gardens Seven 468,000
- A Current Affair Nine 456,000
- The Living Room 10 411,000
Saturday Top 10
- Seven News – Sat Seven 721,000
- Nine News Saturday Nine 688,000
- ABC News-Sa ABC 577,000
- Seven’s AFL: Saturday Night Football Seven 555,000
- The Bletchley Circle: San Francisco ABC 513,000
- Beauty And The Beast Nine 509,000
- Seven’s AFL: Saturday Night Football – Post Mat Seven 425,000
- Delicious ABC 316,000
- Weekend Sunrise – Sat Seven 280,000
- Seven’s AFL: Saturday Night Football – Pre Match Seven 273,000
Sunday FTA
- Married At First Sight Nine 1,485,000
- Seven News Seven 1,109,000
- Nine News Sunday Nine 971,000
- 60 Minutes Nine 842,000
- My Kitchen Rules Seven 800,000
- ABC News Sunday ABC 638,000
- Restoration Australia ABC 498,000
- Sunday Night Seven 472,000
- Seven’s AFL: Sunday Afternoon Football Seven 428,000
- Melbourne Comedy Festival ABC 376,000
- Australian Crime Stories Nine 336,000
- Women’s AFL: Grand Final Football Seven 321,000
- Melbourne Comedy Festival-Le ABC 309,000
- Insiders AM ABC 304,000
- The Sunday Project 7pm 10 293,000
- Weekend Sunrise Seven 275,000
- Sunday Afternoon NRL Live Nine 262,000
- The Sunday Project 6.30pm 10 228,000
- Hughesy, We Have A Problem 10 219,000
- The Babes In The Wood Murder Seven 218,000
Sunday Multichannel
- M- Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallo 7mate 179,000
- Little Princess AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 167,000
- Dot. AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 156,000
- Hey Duggee AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 153,000
- Quantum Of Solace 9GO! 147,000
- Olobob Top AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 146,000
- Midsomer Murders 9Gem 141,000
- Insiders AM ABC NEWS 139,000
- Bananas In Pyjamas AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 136,000
- Peppa Pig AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 135,000
- Fixer Upper 9Life 128,000
- Play School AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 120,000
- School Of Roars AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 119,000
- Monsters Inc 9GO! 118,000
- Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom ABCKIDS/COMEDY 117,000
- Border Security – Australia’s Front Line 7TWO 116,000
- Home Town 9Life 110,000
- Rusty Rivets PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 105,000
- Octonauts ABCKIDS/COMEDY 104,000
- Peter Rabbit ABCKIDS/COMEDY 104,000
Sunday STV
- Live: NRL Rabbitohs V Titans FOX LEAGUE 242,000
- Live: NRL Tigers V Bulldogs FOX LEAGUE 218,000
- Live: AFL Hawthorn V Western Bulldogs FOX SPORTS 503 170,000
- Live: AFL North Melbourne V Brisbane FOX FOOTY 152,000
- Live: AFL Gold Coast V Fremantle FOX FOOTY 150,000
- Live: Sunday Night With Matty Johns FOX LEAGUE 90,000
- Live: Bounce FOX FOOTY 84,000
- Live: Sunday Footy On Fox FOX FOOTY 79,000
- Live: AFLW: GF, Adelaide V Carlton FOX SPORTS 503 73,000
- Live: NRL Pre Game Sunday Ticket FOX LEAGUE 57,000
- Live: Motorsport: F1: Bahrain Qualifying FOX SPORTS 506 46,000
- Live: Controversy Corner FOX LEAGUE 45,000
- Live: ODI Pakistan V Australia Game 5 FOX CRICKET 44,000
- Paul Murray Live Sky News Live 43,000
- Selling Houses Australia Lifestyle Channel 38,000
- NCIS TVH!TS 38,000
- Paw Patrol Nick Jr. 37,000
- Outsiders Sky News Live 37,000
- Live: JLT Sheffield Shield Tea Break FOX CRICKET 36,000
- Les Miserables BBC First 34,000
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
Fetch TV to hit first-ever profit, 1 million subscribers on back of NBN
The maiden profit it will report this year has been a long time coming for the company, which began offering subscription TV services over the internet in 2010.
It has accumulated losses totalling more than $96 million since then, according to accounts lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). This includes a loss of $5.8 million last year on sales revenues of $153.6 million.
“Fetch is very well positioned strategically, we are now enjoying strong profitability, and are entering our key growth window,” said chief executive Scott Lorson.
The company says its growth is highly correlated to the NBN rollout as new broadband customers consider the services on offer.
“After a modest 2018, we anticipate record growth in 2019 and 2020 on the back of the accelerated rollout of the NBN and HFC network, in particular,” Lorson said.
Social giants face regulatory backlash with jail time in new laws
The companies met with the Morrison government last week in response to the Christchurch attacks and were lashed for a “thoroughly underwhelming” response, particularly Facebook.
The Morrison government is expected to introduce new legislation to parliament this week that would impose three-year jail terms on social media executives and fine companies hundreds of millions of dollars if their platforms are used to broadcast “abhorrent violence” and removal is not swift.
Telstra and JCDecaux’s digital billboard rollout faces backlash
The issue could have a major impact on the telecommunications giant’s joint bid to secure the City of Sydney advertising tender with JCDecaux.
Sources said a move by the City of Melbourne to take Telstra and JCDecaux to a tribunal to stop further installation of large advertising panels with payphones is being closely monitored by councillors at the City of Sydney, who have been in dispute with the pair over a loophole being exploited to upgrade the old payphone network, as revealed by The Australian Financial Review in January.
Radio
Save the date: Billie Eilish live in Nova’s Red Room May 2
Eilish broke into the music scene with the hit singles Ocean Eyes and Lovely, featuring Khalid, from her 2017 debut EP Don’t Smile At Me. Since then, Eilish has reached over 1 billion combined streams worldwide and has sold out concerts in minutes all over the world.
With the release on Friday of her debut studio album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? the 17-year-old American singer/songwriter is on track to become one of the biggest stars of 2019.
Eilish will hit the festival circuit starting at Coachella, before heading back to Australia for Groovin The Moo on April 26. Then it will be onto the UK where she’s on the line-up for BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend on May 25. In addition, Eilish has solo dates planned across Canada and the US, before returning to the UK for Glastonbury 2019 and Lollapalooza in Sweden.
Listeners will have the chance to attend the Nova’s Red Room with Billie Eilish by listening to Nova’s Smallzy’s Surgery and heading to novafm.com.au.
The Nova Red Rooms finished 2018 with a memorable four date onslaught in late November in Sydney during ARIA Week with performances from Keith Urban, Amy Shark, Vance Joy and Vera Blue.
There have been over 200 Nova Red Room performances so far and already this year music fans have attended a number of gigs including a show by The Chainsmokers in Melbourne.
96FM loses another content director as Rob McCasker quits
She reports 96FM Perth content director Rob McCasker resigned from his position on Wednesday, about three months into his role.
Junior breakfast producer Cameron Hutchings transferred to Melbourne just before breakfast duo Lisa “Lise” Fernandez and Paul Hogan started in January last year. The breakfast show’s assistant producer Ben Carney quit in February, only two months into his role.
Breakfast content producer Brock Walter took redundancy last May, only five months into the new show. He was followed by breakfast panel operator Matt Carr, who transferred to Melbourne. Then Geoff Watts resigned as the station’s content director last December, to study outside of radio and pursue new work opportunities.
And his replacement Rob McCasker quit last week.
Staff split over Ray Hadley bullying allegations at 2GB
Now his personal brand of staff management is facing a reckoning in the most public way for Hadley’s employer, 2GB, as a wave of complaints emerge about his alleged bullying and verbal abuse of colleagues dating back two decades.
Hadley himself is in hospital, once again dealing with the shockingly painful intestinal ailment that has plagued him for several years.
Station chief executive Adam Lang emailed radio staff on Friday to thank them for supporting Hadley during a “remarkable week” of “challenges” in which the company had become a “spectacle”.
The Sunday Telegraph has spoken to a number of Hadley’s former colleagues who claim Hadley has a history of demoralising verbal attacks and outbursts that went virtually unchecked by 2GB management from 2001 – the year Hadley joined the radio station after it was bought by businessman John Singleton.
Earlier this week Hadley apologised to former panel operator Chris Bowen, who had accused Hadley of bullying, but implied Bowen’s own personal struggles were the cause of their clashes, describing Bowen as “a young bloke, full of cheek and full of ability, through our years together we became very close – probably more like a father and son relationship”.
Bowen is understood to be among a group of Hadley’s former colleagues who have participated in a story for ABC TV’s 7.30 program, expected to air this week.
2GB radio host Alan Jones ready for other job offers, friends claim
Or so say friends of the breakfast show star that claim Jones no longer cares if the offer of a new contract materialises from long-time boss John Singleton, the media boss he once publicly acknowledged as a mate.
“It’s not as though he doesn’t have options,” sources close to Jones said last week.
“He has contracts with Sky and Seven, and Seven owner Kerry Stokes has talked of buying a radio frequency and building a station around him,” they claimed.
“Alan would love to go head-to-head against the man expected to take over from him in the 2GB breakfast slot, Ray Hadley. He would relish it.”
A spokesman for Seven chairman Stokes denied the businessman was preparing to buy a radio frequency.
“That’s bullshit,” he said.
April 1 Publishing Special
Magazine initiative: Major Bauer Media launch for bird brains
Take 5 Budgies & Puzzles will cater to the growing crossword-loving bird keepers market, a sector ignored by many major publishers.
The publication claims to have more feathers than any other mag and retails at the “cheep” price of $4.80. Readers will get the chance to “wing big” and read beauty tips on how to get a fuller beak and hide those unsightly batwings.
The recipe section offers delicious “tweets” such as perch casserole and seedy suppers.
Take 5 deputy editor Kate Kirsten said: “We’ve had to be cagey about hatching our plans in case anyone else swooped in. It’s a magazine with many tails to tell.”
Bauer Media is supporting the April 1st launch with a comprehensive Twitter campaign.
Television
10 appoints reality TV regular Angie Kent as the next Bachelorette
10 has announced Kent is Australia’s next Bachelorette:
Sweet yet sassy, this 29-year-old Bachelorette is wide open to falling in love, but also isn’t afraid to tell Mr Wrong to hit the road.
Known for being one half of the hilarious screen critic duo with Yvie Jones, Kent’s infectious smile, sharp wit and courageous attitude recently carried her far in the most recent series of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!
Across the series, Kent became a pillar of the jungle family, where she formed a very close bond with 2019’s King of the Jungle Richard Reid and cemented herself as a firm fan favourite.
On becoming the Bachelorette, Kent said: “I’ve always been the girl who loves to make everyone laugh, but now I reckon it’s time to have someone to laugh with me, rather than at me.
“I’m at a place now where I have loads of self-love, but I’m also open to all of life’s amazing possibilities. So, if 20 or so fellas want to join me, have a laugh and potentially be my perfect partner in life and love – I say – let’s give it a red hot go!”
Network 10 executive producer of The Bachelorette Australia, Hilary Innes, said: “Angie is the perfect Bachelorette. She’s genuine, funny, loveable and naturally gorgeous. I am so excited to see Angie’s love story unfold.”
Hosted by Osher Günsberg, The Bachelorette Australia is made for Network 10 by Warner Bros. International Television Production.
Remembering Geoff Harvey: The ‘Maestro of Midday’ dies aged 83
Harvey was known as the Maestro of Midday, leading the live TV show’s band for more than 21 years while simultaneously the witty foil for host and guests alike.
But his influence on Australian television history reaches far beyond sharp repartee at high noon, touching almost its genesis, then stretching into the 21st Century.
“I’m sure anyone who knew him he was as everybody did, thinks kindly of him tonight, he was, he was a one-off character, he was amazing,” Midday show host Ray Martin told 9News.
He would join the Nine Network in 1961, first with Bob Rogers Tonight Show, then quickly assuming the title of musical director for stars such as Dave Allen, John Laws, Barry Crocker and Don Lane. Harvey began growing his signature beard after losing a football bet with Lane in 1965.
“He was just a barrel of laughs, and he treated life as fun and if there’s a face of television, it probably isn’t Bert or Graham, it, it’s Geoff Harvey,” Martin said.
But his profile would become a national weekday presence with the eight-year run of the Mike Walsh Show and then the 14-year roll of Midday, both shows one-and-a-half hours of live TV punctuated with three big musical numbers every show.
Master chefs serve up a new season with recipe for success
Matt Preston, George Calombaris and Gary Mehigan embraced eventual season one winner Julie Goodwin and it turned them from grumpy judges into mentors.
“When you look at the first photos we did we just look grumpy. We look like a couple of bouncers on King St,” Mehigan said.
“When they started editing, the first interaction you see is between us and Julie Goodwin,” Preston said. “She made lamb and we all gave her a hug and that moment redefined us.”
As the 11th season of MasterChef prepares to launch the trio have reflected on the show’s success.
Julie Goodwin transformed the grumpy MasterChef judges into mentors.
Preston said there were three reasons why they made such a good team.
“We have prior history with each other, we filmed the show for four years in Sydney and outside Melbourne which made us into this little triangle where we all realised what our strengths are, and we all respect and celebrate each other’s successes,” he said. “Also we are united by one fundamental thing, which is we like to eat cake.”