Thursday April 19, 2018

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Mediaweek TV

Macquarie Media CEO Adam Lang joins Mediaweek’s James Manning and Sky News Business’ Nadine Blayney live from 2.30pm today.

Although FM radio and its breakfast stars attract much of the attention when it comes to radio ratings days, it is Macquarie Media’s 2GB and 3AW stations that are the unassailable leaders in the Sydney and Melbourne markets. The breakfast shows at both stations have led their respective markets for over 10 years.
The broadcaster has recently launched the Macquarie Sports Radio network on AM stations that formerly played music. Adam Lang joins the show to talk about the new initiative.
Inside Grant Broadcasters: Meet one of Australia’s biggest radio networks

• “Our point of difference is that we choose to be intensely local”

When it comes to the radio industry, one of Australia’s biggest players regularly flies under the radar.

However, the listeners and the advertisers to the company’s 47 radio stations (plus five more in a JV) have a pretty good grip on what attracts them to the different audio assets.

Although radio generates most of the revenue, Grant Broadcasters dabbles in other areas too.

“Our idea with those other investments is to be a local regional media company,” Grant Broadcasters CEO Grant Cameron explained to Mediaweek.

Grant Cameron

Cameron’s mother Janet Cameron has been running the business for 40 years as managing director, while her other children Alison and Dugald are also involved as board members.

Janet is also chairman and received an Order of Australia Medal earlier this year. Alison is COO and a director while Dugald is CEO of property and investments and a director.

The other media investments include a number of regional print products, a digital agency and a regional online ticketing business.

“The management structure sees four regional general managers based across Australia,” said Grant Cameron. “There is one for the five markets in Tasmania, another for the Victoria and South Australia markets, one for NSW and another for Queensland.

“It is a very decentralised organisation. Some of the finance staff are based on the Sunshine Coast and Geelong.”

Top Photo: Tom and Sarah Maree from K rock in Geelong

This is an excerpt from the full article, which appears on Mediaweek Premium. Read the full article hereor subscribe to Mediaweek Premium here.

Australia's last NRL magazine Big League: 'We have a greater responsibility to stick around'

Ever since Rugby League Week closed down in 2017, there has been more pressure on Big League to honour the game of NRL in print.

By Kruti Joshi

The two brands had been each other’s biggest competition in the print landscape. One would think the editor of Big League is happy about having the market monopoly but this is not the case.

Big League’s acting editor Pamela Whaley

“We did have a spike in subscribers,” Big League’s acting editor Pamela Whaley told Mediaweek. “It was a sad day for us when they closed. We have been archrivals for such a long time. We have a greater responsibility to stick around and keep producing quality rugby league coverage.

“We are the only ones doing it in print magazine form at the moment.”

This is an excerpt from the full article, which appears on Mediaweek Premium. Read the full article hereor subscribe to Mediaweek Premium here.

QMS surfing a digital wave on the GC with The Beachley & The Fanning

• The Beachely and The Fanning latest additions on the Gold Coast Highway

QMS has further bolstered its digital outdoor portfolio, launching three new digital billboards across the Gold Coast.

Situated at the gateway to Surfers Paradise and named after Australian surfing icons, The Beachely and The Fanning are QMS’s latest additions to the Gold Coast Highway. As a double-sided portrait billboard, it has been strategically positioned on this major arterial to maximise uninterrupted viewing for traffic travelling in both directions.

The Beachely and The Fanning’s proximity to major tourist precincts, shopping hubs and the Gold Coast’s famous beaches provides advertisers with the opportunity to reach a diverse transient audience and delivers significant impact to those travelling to and from surrounding key coastal suburbs such as Southport and Broadbeach.

A third new landmark digital to be switched on this month is located in the heart of Carrara’s major sporting precinct. Situated adjacent to Metricon Stadium and the Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre, this key billboard targets heavy traffic travelling along Nerang-Broadbeach Road as it flows onto the nearby Pacific Motorway.

Delivering a combined 1.4 million contacts per month, the launch of these three new digitals has been integral in delivering major brand campaigns in the lead-up to and during this month’s Commonwealth Games.

QMS CEO John O’Neill said: “We are so proud to have been able to expand our digital footprint on the Gold Coast as the world and Australia descended on the city for the Commonwealth Games. Our dominant digital billboard and street furniture portfolio across the region ensures our clients’ brands engage with more than 90% of consumers in this highly sought-after market.”

German-owned nextmedia succession plan with Hamish Bayliss new MD

nextmedia has announced company founder David Gardiner is stepping back from his role as chief executive officer, appointing Hamish Bayliss as managing director.

Gardiner will move to the role of executive chairman to focus on strategy, further merger and acquisition opportunities and ensuring the smooth transition of the company under the nextmedia executive team.

Hamish Bayliss

Gardiner together with commercial director Bruce Duncan and the backing of Wolseley Private Equity established nextmedia in 2008 with the aggregation of four independent publishers and have grown the business into one of Australia’s leading specialist media companies.

nextmedia is a wholly owned subsidiary of German-owned global publisher Forum Media Group.

Duncan is also stepping back to enjoy the fruits of a long and successful career in retirement.

“It’s been a fabulous 10 years for Bruce and me creating and building nextmedia into a strong and sustainable media company, which continually reinvents itself and now boasts over 40 media brands and 130 dedicated and amazing employees – very proud of them all”, said Gardiner. “Under Forum Media Group’s ownership nextmedia can continue to grow and prosper.”

nextmedia said the appointment of Hamish Bayliss as managing director will ensure a smooth transition and focus on growth.

Bayliss has been with nextmedia for over 10 years, developing his management and media skills in a number of roles including group advertising director and associate publisher.

“Hamish has made a terrific contribution to nextmedia. It has been a pleasure to watch him develop into a fine executive and I have every confidence the company will be in good hands with the support of his leadership team,” said Gardiner.

Bayliss said: “I am excited by the opportunity to lead this robust and diverse business across print, digital, events and custom, and especially continuing to work with the people that have made nextmedia so successful.”

nextmedia publishes over 40 leading special interest publications plus websites, digital media, forums, social media, books and events including titles such as Gardening Australia, Healthy Food Guide, Australian Mountain Bike, Inside Sport, Golf Australia, Tracks, Australian Muscle Car, PC PowerPlay, TV Soap, Sound & Image, Camera, iTnews, PC & Tech Authority and a range of kids’ titles including KZone, Total Girl and Shopkins.

Top photo: David Gardiner and Bruce Duncan

TV Ratings Analysis: Wednesday April 18

• Fried! Horror contestants booted off TV’s #1 cooking show after insults
• Contestant calamity returns MKR to glory days with 1.62m metro
• TEN’s Bachelor In Paradise overtakes Nine’s Elton Salute in 7.30pm slot

By James Manning

Seven

Home and Away has been batting in the 700,000s this week. After two nights of 784,000 and 746,000, the midweek episode did 735,000.

A scandal that shocked the nation! Not quite everybody, but a giant audience of 1.62m, which is easily the best this year. All hell broke loose as horror competitors Sonya and Hadil refused to play nice, launching an attack on their fellow contestants. As threats were made to many of their opponents, the judges were left with no choice but to excuse the Jordanian friends from the table. A delay in service did not deter mums Kim and Suong, who delivered a strong enough meal to keep them safe from elimination and secure them a place in the MKR finals.

The first episode of the new Back With The Ex followed with 430,000 tuning into the format developed in-house and produced by Seven Studios. It was a disappointing debut after Interview did over 500,000 in the slot the day prior with a smaller lead-in.

The 10th season of Hell’s Kitchen USA then launched with a two-hour episode and 162,000.

Nine

A Current Affair was on 770,000 with stories about a mysterious death in Bali and rogue doctors botching cosmetic surgery.

No episode of The Voice, but Nine stayed with pop culture via two music specials.

The first was the Grammy Salute to Elton John called I’m Still Standing. The two hours featured a diverse array of talent who did great work showcasing some of Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s greatest tunes. There were a few bum notes, including Gayle King’s dramatic reading of some Taupin lyrics. The producers, however, saved the very best to last with Elton John performing “Bennie and the Jets,” “Philadelphia Freedom” and “I’m Still Standing”. Given the history of pop music in primetime, including last year’s The Nation’s Favourite Elton John Songs TV special, Nine might have been bracing for a small turnout. They got it – 542,000 is short of expectations for the 7.30pm slot.

Later in the night the network screened the 2016 Ron Howard doco The Beatles: Eight Days A Week – The Touring Years with 336,000 watching. When originally released, the movie was way overhyped with footage many Beatle fans would have been very familiar with. Among a sea of good reviews it was the Herald Sun’s Leigh Paatsch again who got it right telling his readers it wasn’t really all that remarkable a piece of filmmaking.

TEN

Comedian Paul Chowdhry was the star performer on The Project, but the big news is that Rebel Wilson is co-hosting the Thursday edition. The Wednesday audience was on 505,000.

More drama for the cast of Bachelor In Paradise with 630,000 watching episode 12. The series is certainly doing its job – giving TEN competitive and much bigger audiences in the weeks before the launch of MasterChef Australia. Using last night as an example, TEN’s numbers are up 70% for the night year-on-year in key demos. The broadcaster is also reporting record growth in BVOD viewing numbers for the reality format.

The Graham Norton Show had another midweek slot with guests including The Rock, Martin Freeman and Roger Daltrey. The program did 326,000 after 397,000 a week ago.

This Is Us then did 151,000.

ABC

A Black Sabbath expert was among the contestants on Hard Quiz with 557,000 watching.

Episode 12 of Mad As Hell did 525,000 in the week that Nine is flooding the airwaves promoting Shaun Micallef’s return as host of Nine’s Talkin’ ’Bout Your Generation.

Sando was on 246,000 at 9pm while the midweek big channel outing for Tonightly was on 84,000.

SBS

Michael Portillo’s Abandoned Britain doesn’t have the same sort of magic as his Railway Journeys yet it pulled a very strong audience of 289,000.

The Ganges with Sue Perkins then debuted with 181,000.

Week 16 TV: Wednesday
WEDNESDAY METRO
ABCSevenNineTenSBS
ABC10.2%727.2%918.8%TEN11.6%SBS One4.9%
ABC 22.5%7TWO3.9%GO!3.4%ONE1.7%VICELAND1.0%
ABC ME0.5%7mate3.4%GEM1.6%ELEVEN2.2%Food Net0.6%
ABC News1.5%7flix2.3%9Life2.5%NITV0.3%
TOTAL14.6%36.8%26.3%15.5%6.8%
WEDNESDAY REGIONAL
ABCSeven AffiliatesNine AffiliatesTen AffiliatesSBS
ABC10.8%727.4%915.8%WIN9.0%SBS One3.7%
ABC 23.5%7TWO5.9%GO!4.5%ONE2.3%VICELAND0.7%
ABC ME1.0%7mate3.5%GEM2.9%ELEVEN2.6%Food Net0.7%
NEWS 241.2%7flix1.9%9Life2.6%NITV0.2%
TOTAL16.5%38.7%25.8%13.9%5.3%
WEDNESDAY METRO ALL TV
FTASTV
86.2%13.8%
Wednesday FTA
  1. My Kitchen Rules Seven 1,623,000
  2. Seven News Seven 988,000
  3. Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 964,000
  4. Nine News 6:30 Nine 931,000
  5. Nine News Nine 923,000
  6. A Current Affair Nine 770,000
  7. Home And Away Seven 735,000
  8. ABC News ABC 691,000
  9. Bachelor In Paradise Ten 630,000
  10. The Chase Australia Seven 582,000
  11. Hard Quiz ABC 557,000
  12. Elton John: I’m Still Standing – A Grammy Salute Nine 542,000
  13. Shaun Micallef’s Mad As Hell ABC 525,000
  14. The Project 7pm Ten 505,000
  15. 7.30 ABC 504,000
  16. Hot Seat Nine 472,000
  17. Back With The Ex Seven 449,000
  18. Ten Eyewitness News First At Five Ten 430,000
  19. The Chase Australia-5pm Seven 349,000
  20. The Project 6.30pm Ten 336,000
Demo Top Fives

16-39 Top 5

  1. My Kitchen Rules Seven 374,000
  2. Bachelor In Paradise Ten 297,000
  3. Home And Away Seven 159,000
  4. The Project 7pm Ten 142,000
  5. Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 137,000

 

18-49 Top 5

  1. My Kitchen Rules Seven 602,000
  2. Bachelor In Paradise Ten 400,000
  3. Home And Away Seven 250,000
  4. Nine News 6:30 Nine 234,000
  5. Nine News Nine 230,000

 

25-54 Top 5

  1. My Kitchen Rules Seven 689,000
  2. Bachelor In Paradise Ten 404,000
  3. Nine News 6:30 Nine 293,000
  4. Nine News Nine 289,000
  5. Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 288,000
Wednesday Multichannel
  1. Thomas And Friends-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 185,000
  2. Hey Duggee-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 182,000
  3. Dinosaur Train-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 181,000
  4. Floogals ABCKIDS/COMEDY 173,000
  5. Peter Rabbit ABCKIDS/COMEDY 171,000
  6. Fireman Sam-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 168,000
  7. Peppa Pig-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 168,000
  8. Peppa Pig-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 166,000
  9. A Touch Of Frost-PM 7TWO 165,000
  10. Play School Celebrity Covers ABCKIDS/COMEDY 163,000
  11. PJ Masks-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 162,000
  12. Andy’s Baby Animals ABCKIDS/COMEDY 153,000
  13. Octonauts ABCKIDS/COMEDY 151,000
  14. The Justine Clarke Show! ABCKIDS/COMEDY 151,000
  15. The Simpsons-New Pm 7mate 150,000
  16. The Hive-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 145,000
  17. Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 145,000
  18. Kazoops!-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 143,000
  19. Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom ABCKIDS/COMEDY 143,000
  20. Neighbours ELEVEN 138,000
Wednesday Subscription TV
  1. Selling Houses Australia LifeStyle Channel 152,000
  2. American Dad! FOX8 59,000
  3. Live: AFL 360 FOX FOOTY 58,000
  4. Family Guy FOX8 55,000
  5. Family Guy FOX8 53,000
  6. DIY SOS The Big Build LifeStyle Channel46,000
  7. Live: NRL 360 FOX LEAGUE 45,000
  8. Grand Designs LifeStyle Channel43,000
  9. The Bolt Report SKY NEWS LIVE 43,000
  10. Paul Murray Live SKY NEWS LIVE 43,000
  11. The Flash FOX8 42,000
  12. NCIS TVH!TS 41,000
  13. The Simpsons FOX8 40,000
  14. The Vicar Of Dibley UKTV 39,000
  15. Credlin SKY NEWS LIVE 39,000
  16. Play Along With Sam Nick Jr. 36,000
  17. New Tricks UKTV 35,000
  18. Criminal Minds TVH!TS 34,000
  19. Midsomer Murders UKTV 31,000
  20. The Young & The Restless ARENA 31,000

Media News Roundup

Business of Media

Apple planning to turn Apple News into its own premium subscription offering

Apple plans to integrate recently acquired magazine app Texture into Apple News and debut its own premium subscription offering, according to people familiar with the matter, reports Bloomberg.

Apple agreed last month to buy Texture, which lets users subscribe to more than 200 magazines for $9.99 a month.

Apple used to have an app called Newsstand that combined several magazines and newspapers, but the publications were only provided on an individual subscription basis. When Apple News started in 2015, it took a similar approach.

A new, simplified subscription service covering multiple publications could spur Apple News usage and generate new revenue in a similar manner to the $9.99 per month Apple Music offering.

[Read the original]

The Australian reports Seven West Media and Fairfax Media in merger talks

Seven West Media and Fairfax are said to be in fresh talks about embarking on a $2.3 billion-plus merger between the broadcaster and publisher, reports The Australian’s Data Room column.

However, the hurdle that needs to be overcome is Seven West Media’s share price volatility, according to sources, with chairman Kerry Stokes hoping for the company’s value to lift before proceeding.

UBS is believed to be close to SWM and Fairfax to Macquarie Capital.

Talks apparently occurred between Nine Entertainment and Fairfax last year after TPG Capital walked away as a suitor of Fairfax, publisher of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review, where Fairfax would control 35% of the entity that was merged with Nine.

[Read the original]

News Brands

For the first time ever, more staff in US TV newsrooms than at newspapers

The latest RTDNA/Hofstra University Survey has found that total local US TV news employment has surpassed total newspaper employment for the first time in more than 20 years of research, reports RTDNA.

2017 saw a slight decrease in the number of US TV news jobs, with two fewer newsrooms and a decrease in the median newsroom size, but the average local TV newsroom employment remains just below its all-time high.

Nearly 90% of news directors expect their staffing to increase or remain the same in the coming year.

The average TV newsroom has had more staffers than the average daily newspaper for a few years. Now, for the first time in the history of this survey, total local TV newsroom employment appears to have surpassed total daily newspaper employment.

[Read the original]

Publishing

Rebel Wilson confident legal team will defeat appeal against her record payout

Actress Rebel Wilson says she feels confident her legal team will defeat an appeal against her record payout for defamation, reports ABC News’s Liz Hobday.

Wilson was awarded $4.5 million in damages last year after a jury found that Bauer Media magazines had defamed her in a series of articles that said she had lied about her age, real name and childhood.

The Hollywood star arrived at the Court of Appeal in Melbourne on Wednesday flanked by her lawyers.

“Obviously we are feeling very confident going into this today,” she said.

“It’s just part of the process, so I’ve got to do it.”

Bauer Media argued before a panel of three judges that Wilson’s damages payout was excessive, and should be set aside due to errors in fact and law.

[Read the original]

Bauer reminds how major media organisations united to support legal appeal

Bauer Media released this short statement yesterday:

Bauer Media General Counsel Adrian Goss said, “It is important for us today to revisit this decision on the quantum of damages, which also has broader implications for the media industry.

“In the lead-up to today, major media organisations united in an unprecedented way to support a key point in Bauer’s appeal.

“From here, the legal process will run its due course and we will await the final judgment on this matter.”

Television

Australian TV pioneer Ron Blaskett dies aged 96: Nine News pays tribute

Nine News reporter Tony Jones has reported on the death of pioneering Australian ventriloquist Ron Blaskett.

Jones reported that Blaskett, who was 96, and his puppet Gerry Gee were nearly as big stars as Graham Kennedy in his heyday.

Jones noted the duo were at home working on kids programming like The Tarax Show, or more adult entertainment like TV tonight shows.

The partnership between Blaskett and Gee started in 1956

Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield hosting four-part fishing special on Seven

Geelong AFL star Patrick Dangerfield has hooked his own TV fishing show, reports News Corp’s Peter Rolfe.

The Brownlow Medallist will go from midfield maestro to star of the small screen in a Channel Seven series The Last Cast to debut this weekend.

Dangerfield said the four-part fishing special had whet his appetite for more on-screen adventures.

“But maybe once footy has finished,’’ he said.

He said the show, to air at 11.30am Sunday on Seven, added another dimension to his busy life.

[Read the original]

Sports Media

News Corp’s latest cricket coup as BBC loses radio rights for UK tours

The BBC has lost the rights to cover England’s upcoming cricket tours of Sri Lanka and the West Indies on radio to commercial broadcaster TalkSport, reports BBC News.

It is the first time since 2005 that the BBC’s Test Match Special has lost the rights to an England overseas tour.

“I know our loyal @bbctms listeners will be very disappointed,” wrote BBC commentator Jonathan Agnew on Twitter.

Scott Taunton, CEO of TalkSport owner Wireless Group, said winning the rights was “a great victory” for the station.

“I’m delighted that we will be with England fans for every ball of the day throughout these winter tours,” he added.

TalkSport’s cricket coup follows News Corp’s 2016 purchase of its parent company in a £220m deal.

[Read the original]

21st Century Fox, AMC Networks and Sky invest in FuboTV

21st Century Fox Inc., AMC Networks Inc. and Sky Plc are among the media companies investing US$75 million in FuboTV Inc., a US sports-oriented online video service that offers subscribers a less-expensive alternative to cable and satellite packages, reports Bloomberg.

The basic package costs $45 a month, while additional services devoted to specific sports and premium channels cost more.

[Read the original]

Nick Riewoldt joins Triple M’s all-star AFL team starting this weekend

Nick Riewoldt will officially join the Triple M AFL team from round five this weekend and will make regular appearances on Triple M Melbourne’s The Rush Hour, The Hot Breakfast and Dead Set Legends, plus Triple M Adelaide.

Nick Riewoldt

“I’ve been a fan of Triple M and appeared on many of its shows since my early playing days, so it’s great to officially break my way into the Triple M lineup this year,” Riewoldt said.

“I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences, insight and passion for the game with the loyal listeners, while enjoying a laugh.”

Riewoldt’s former teammate, Leigh “Joey” Montagna, has also become a full-time member of the award-winning Triple M commentary team and also hosts Dead Set Legends alongside Jay “Jay-Z” Clark on Saturday mornings.

Other new arrivals on weekend AFL coverage this year include Billy Brownless, Barry Hall and AFLW player Kate McCarthy.

Triple M’s head of content Mike Fitzpatrick said, “With AFL reaching more people and becoming more popular each season, it’s important that Triple M continues to invest in top-shelf talent to bring the insight and entertainment that our brand is famous for. Nick is about as good as it gets.”

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