Thursday August 30, 2018

Mediaweek TV

NewsMediaWorks CEO Peter Miller talks to Mediaweek editor James Manning. Tune in to Mediaweek TV at 2.30pm on Sky News Business (Foxtel 601).

 

On the show Miller will discuss his thoughts on market consolidation, the departure of Charlie Murdoch and the arrival of Simon Davies, the recent News Media Index numbers, and the upcoming emma readership numbers.

ARN’s Sue Carter on Christian O’Connell: Gold giving new show time

Gold 104.3 content director Sue Carter moved to the Melbourne station just a month before its new breakfast host Christian O’Connell arrived from the UK to start his show.

The timing was crucial for Carter to settle into the new city and be involved in the planning phase of the new breakfast show.

Carter was previously the content director of Australian Radio Network’s Adelaide stations, Mix 102.3 and Cruise 1323.

“Besides the amount of coffee everyone drinks here, the Melbourne market is far more competitive than Adelaide. There are very strong, established brands and high-profile personalities here on pretty much every station. In Adelaide, not all stations had talents with such a profile,” Carter told Mediaweek.

The Gold 104.3 brand has existed in the Victorian capital since 1991. However, Carter described it like “being the new kid in town”.

“This is in the sense that Christian has only been here for a few months now,” she said. “We have to give our listeners a reason to change across from the other shows and/or stations that they might have been locked onto for years.”

Is there more pressure for Carter to deliver a strong station performance?

“Pressure would be the wrong word,” she answered. “I am well aware that there is an expectation. We’ve taken a calculated risk.

“There are a lot of eyes on Christian… I am aware of that and the team is aware of that. But you lock all that to one side of your brain and think about, ‘What are we doing today? What’s the next thing we’re doing on the show? What’s our strategy?’”

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

 

NRL is like a cockroach, says The Sydney Morning Herald’s Andrew Webster

The Sydney Morning Herald chief sports writer Andrew Webster likened the National Rugby League to cockroaches. “You can’t kill it,” he told Mediaweek.

By Kruti Joshi

The sporting code is plagued with a number of problems that are holding it back. However, Webster said, “It is surviving despite itself.”

The ratings success of a sporting code on TV is still a big indicator of its longevity.

“NRL still rates its head off on TV,” Webster said. “TV in sport is king. As long as broadcasters are willing to spend $2 billion in broadcasting NRL, it will never die.”

As a business, AFL is kicking goals. In August 2018, the sporting body confirmed it had cracked the one million members target. In a conversation with Mediaweek in June 2018, AFL commercial boss Kylie Rogers said, “I can see our revenue tripling in the next three years.”

Asked about how NRL stacks up against the AFL, Webster said: “It loses money and still has arguments and fights. NRL gets distracted by off-field fights and is often accused of being amateurish. There are a million reasons for why that is the case.”

NRL never recovered from the Super League war that occurred in mid-1990s. A $1 billion battle took place between media heavyweights Rupert Murdoch and Kerry Packer for the control of pay TV rights to the game. “That really fractured the game,” Webster said. “A lot of the fracture and distrust caused by it is still there.”

The sporting code failed to make a number of tough decisions in its early days, which is still costing the game monetarily.

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

 

Podcast week: Sami Lukis, Jono Coleman and podcasts at ACRAs

• Sami Lukis on polyamorous dating! Plus Jane Nield’s top 5, Jono Coleman and Podcasts at the ACRAs

Sami Lukis: Romantically Challenged

Former TV and radio host Sami Lukis has jumped into the podcasting pond with her Romantically Challenged PodcastOne series.

“It’s so exciting for me,” she told Mediaweek. “I have been around in media for a couple of decades and at times I feel like I’ve seen it all and done it all. This is a new challenge. I thought that having done radio I could do podcasting.

“They are similar in so many ways, but they are also very different beats. I am so thrilled to be working with PodcastOne’s content director Jennifer Goggin, who has taught me so much.”

When we spoke with Lukis she had five episodes on the PodcastOne platform and was about to record a new batch.

The Romantically Challenged podcast sees Lukis speak one-on-one with a different guest each episode. “When I first pitched this podcast to Jen I was clear this was not a self-help podcast. It is not a dating guide or a how-to. This is just people sharing their experiences.

“I found that when I wrote the book Romantically Challenged I got so much reaction from people. Particularly the chapter about dating over 40 and how incredibly difficult and challenging it is. I speak with many people who are dating over 40.”

Mediaweek doesn’t usually ask about people’s love life when we interview them, but in the case of Sami Lukis it did seem appropriate.

Are you still single?

“I am actually dating,” revealed Lukis. “I had a massive drought for a long time. When I was writing the book last year I really put my head down and subconsciously removed myself from the scene.

I don’t think I went on one date last year. Twelve months without a date.

“But something has happened with this podcast. It is like my good luck charm. I have got my mojo back talking about it perhaps.

“I have been talking about the polyamorous dating culture, which I have learnt about while doing the podcast. Different dating apps now let people talk to different potential partners at the same time. I have dipped my toe in the water and I don’t think I am very good at it. I prefer to just find one nice fella and make that work.”

She didn’t want to give too much away, but she did let slip she was “dating up a storm”.

As to whether it is better for her brand for her to be single, she replied: “I don’t know. I have fallen into this by accident… a single 40+ year-old woman. It is certainly not where I thought I would be.”

The podcaster and author also keeps busy running her own Sami Lukis Travel business. “It was something I started as a side business eight years ago,” Lukis told Mediaweek. “I did tours of New York during my radio holidays. I have just announced my 2019 tours and they sold out within 24 hours. I have never spent a cent on advertising. It is all by word of mouth and on Facebook and Instagram.”

Lukis is branching out a little and heading to Italy next year in addition to her New York trips. The trips attract women 30+. “I originally intended it for single women but at least half of the women are in relationships.”

Lukis keeps the groups small with just 12 people. She runs the whole thing herself including hosting the trip with a walking tour every day and then drinks and dinner every night.

Listen to Romantically Challenged on PodcastOne here.

For information about Sami Lukis Travel click here.

Podcast awards arrive at the ACRAs

Three new podcast categories have been introduced for the 2018 ACRAs to celebrate the best original podcasts produced in Australia. Four awards will be presented – Best Original Podcast (Branded), Best Original Podcast (Unbranded) and Best Radio Show Podcast (Metro and Non-Metro). The winners will be announced on October 20 in Melbourne.

The nominees are:

BEST ORIGINAL PODCAST – UNBRANDED

• The Trials Of The Vampire; Adam Shand & Matt Nikolic, PodcastOne, Southern Cross Austereo
• Mum Says My Memoir Is A Lie; Rosie Waterland, PodcastOne, Southern Cross Austereo
• Sex And Life; Nikki Goldstein & Alexander Mitchell, PodcastOne, Southern Cross Austereo
• Addicted; Ash Bradnam, Nova Entertainment

BEST ORIGINAL PODCAST – BRANDED

• Origins Australia Podcast; Ben Lucas, Jamie Lechner & Ross Greenwood, Macquarie Media Limited
• Modern Babies; Nova Entertainment
• Meet Me At The Barre; The Australian Ballet, Amber Petty & the Nova Entertainment Podcast Team, Nova Entertainment
• The Broncos Podcast; The Broncos & the Nova Entertainment Podcast Team, Nova Entertainment

BEST RADIO SHOW PODCAST

• Whateley: Special Episode – The Australian Cricket Team; Gerard Whateley & Jay Mueller, Pacific Star Network
• Kate, Tim & Marty; Kate Ritchie, Tim Blackwell & Marty Sheargold, NOVA Entertainment
• Chrissie, Sam & Browny; Chrissie Swan, Sam Pang & Jonathan Brown, Nova Entertainment
• Ash, Kip & Luttsy with Susie O’Neill; David Lutteral, Kip Wightman, Ash Bradnam & Susie O’Neill, NOVA Entertainment

My podcast top 5: Jane Nield

We spoke to Don’t Shoot The Messenger podcast producer Jane Nield last week and she said she can spend up to four hours a day listening to podcasts. “Who do I want to hang out with today?” is the question she asks before choosing an episode. So what does she listen to? Here is her list of favourites.

Crime Writers On: It came about after Serial. I love the dynamic between the hosts.
HowSound: A biweekly podcast on radio storytelling produced by RobRosenthal for PRX and Transom.
The Teacher’s Pet: I have been waiting every Thursday night for each new episode to drop. Over 11m downloads shows how a reporter with support from a newspaper can change our justice system.
The Sounding Board: That is a prerequisite if you work at Crocmedia!
Chat 10 Looks 3: The podcast from Annabel Crabb and Leigh Sales. I enjoy the fact they record it themselves and the production values aren’t always high-end. I just really enjoy two very intelligent women discussing whatever the hell they like.

 Jono Coleman podcasting in the UK

Australian radio and TV legend Jono Coleman has been revisiting his UK radio mates while on leave from his Studio 10 duties. He’s been recording podcasts with some of his old colleagues at his different radio jobs from his years working in the UK. Stay tuned for details of who he spoke to and how you can listen.

News Corp’s Shine Awards: Weekly Times & Harvey Norman partner

• Partnership between The Weekly Times and Harvey Norman

News Corp Australia has kicked off the 2018 Shine Awards, a partnership between the rural and regional newspaper The Weekly Times and Harvey Norman.

Now in its second year, the Shine Awards celebrates the achievements and contribution of women across rural and regional Australia.

Penny Fowler, Herald and Weekly Times chairman and News Corp Australia Community Ambassador, said: “I am thrilled the Shine Awards will continue to recognise so many inspirational women from across Australia’s regional and rural communities.

“The awards concept originated from a conversation with Harvey Norman chief executive, Katie Page, on how we could lift the profile of rural women in this country, and last year was an exemplary start.

“We are delighted to be partnering with Harvey Norman on the Shine Awards again this year to celebrate and recognise women across rural and regional Australia who are making a real difference in their communities.

“It is through the Shine Awards we also hope to increase engagement with the Country Women’s Association, an organisation that works extremely hard to enhance the value of living in the country for women and their families, especially those in remote Australia.”

Harvey Norman CEO Katie Page said: “The Shine Awards are just getting started. The first year was an extraordinary success – so many exceptional women were nominated from every state and territory.

“We know from our work in regional and rural Australia there are so many more women whose contribution is yet to be recognised and their community story remains untold.

“The Shine Awards goes beyond delivering deserved recognition. It creates a forum, a platform to share the innovations, developments and expertise pioneered by these women. Successful leaders and entrepreneurs understand the importance of shared experience.

“If you have ever looked at your mother, sister, classmate or colleague and thought, ‘You are extraordinary,’ please nominate her for the Shine Awards.”

Shine Awards editor Camille Smith said: “The Shine Awards allows us to focus media attention on extraordinary women who are making a real difference to lives across regional and rural Australia.

“Through last year’s Shine Awards, dozens of stories emerged of female achievement, entrepreneurship, dedication, humility, leadership and triumph over adversity.

“Shine shared these women’s stories with a nationwide audience. The 18 finalists of 2017 illustrated the breadth and depth of female leadership in rural industries, community groups, sporting clubs, families and charity organisations across the country.

“Among them were a farmers’ market organiser, nurse, musician, shearer, firefighter, doctor, charity founder and plenty of farmers.

“Equally importantly, the Awards inspired readers to nominate hundreds more women who deserve to be recognised. Through this year’s Shine Awards, The Weekly Times will share as many of their stories as possible.

“We also look forward to working closely with the Country Women’s Association, to emphasise the continued strength and importance of this organisation for rural and regional communities.”

The Shine Awards run for 12 weeks in The Weekly Times and theweeklytimes.com.au, starting on Wednesday August 29 with a four-page wrap of the paper, digital execution and an extensive social media strategy.

Over the next three months, The Weekly Times, Rural Weekly and Tasmanian Country, as well as other News Corp titles across print and digital, will highlight the outstanding work being done by women on farms and off them, in rural towns across Australia, in community groups and sporting clubs, in businesses, schools and homes.

Audiences will be encouraged to share stories and nominate women through print, digital and social.

The awards will culminate with a special 32-page magazine in The Weekly Times on November 21 to announce award winners in six categories: Vision, Dedication, Spirit, Belief, Grace and Courage, plus an overall winner.

Each category winner will be awarded a $2,500 voucher from Harvey Norman. The overall Shine winner will be awarded $5,000.

Nielsen adds measurement for YouTube mobile in-app in Australia

Nielsen has introduced advertising measurement on YouTube’s mobile app with Nielsen Digital Ad Ratings in Australia.

The service, which expands Nielsen’s current measurement coverage of YouTube ads on desktop and mobile web browsers, will now provide marketers independent and comprehensive cross-device measurement of advertising audiences on YouTube across computer and mobile devices.

With this launch, Nielsen Digital Ad Ratings clients will have access to age and gender demographics for consumers viewing advertising on the YouTube mobile app as well as reach, frequency and gross rating points (GRPs). Measurement of YouTube ads uses a consistent methodology with all other mobile publishers in Digital Ad Ratings – enabling both media buyers and sellers to leverage truly comparable and de-duplicated people-based measurement across publishers in their media planning and execution.

GroupM head of digital investment and partnerships Venessa Hunt said: “This is a welcome step from Nielsen to include YouTube mobile in-app measurement within its Digital Ad Ratings and it fills a gap in previous measurements that included desktop and mobile web. This will help our agencies better plan and measure digital video and give our advertisers better visibility of who they are reaching. It brings us a step towards the goal of a complete independent measurement picture of digital video consumption with cross-device measurement, which is a positive for the industry and clients.”

Scott Gillham, director, Media Nielsen, added, “As people increasingly watch video across digital platforms and devices, Nielsen’s comprehensive measurement of YouTube through Digital Ad Ratings is crucial to provide a complete picture of media consumption and help clients quantify their digital marketing investments.”

Nielsen measurement of the YouTube mobile app is currently available in the US, Canada, Japan, UK, France, Germany, Italy and Australia with expansion into international markets planned for the future.

Facebook launches video streaming service Watch worldwide

Social media giant Facebook has rolled out its video streaming service Watch worldwide. The platform was initially launched in the US a year ago.

In this time, “we’ve made the experience more social – like making it easier to see which videos your friends have liked or shared, creating shows that have audience participation at their core, and opening Watch to videos from Pages,” Facebook’s head of video Fidji Simo wrote in a blog post.

Every month, more than 50 million people in the US watched videos in Watch for at least one minute. The social media giant reports that the total time spent watching videos on the platform has increased 14 times since the beginning of 2018.

The expansion of Watch worldwide will open the platform to creators and publishers around the world. With this, Facebook has also expanded its Ad Breaks program, which inserts ads into videos, as is done by YouTube when the platform is used without a paid membership. Facebook’s Ad Breaks feature will be open to creators and publishers who hit a certain metric.

The BBC reports, “To begin with, only videos shown to audiences in the UK, US, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand will have this facility.

“The revenue split will be 55% to the creators and 45% to Facebook.”

The rollout of the Watch feature worldwide comes after Facebook’s launch of Instagram TV (IGTV) in June 2018.

Some of the Australian and New Zealand publishers and content creators whose videos have surfaced on Facebook’s Watch are:
How To Dad
Mike Goldman
Beauticate
Optus Sport, World Surf League
CrossFit
Seven’s House Rules
ABC News
Vice Australia
Seven News 

Simon Davies replaces Charlie Murdoch as NewsMediaWorks marketing director

NewsMediaWorks has appointed Simon Davies as its marketing director, effective September 10.

Davies comes to NewsMediaWorks with more than 20 years’ industry experience with media agencies and media owners. He most recently owned a consulting business and prior to that spent four years with Bauer Media as head of brand advertising strategy and director of media solutions. Prior to that, Davies was the national trading head at OMD, where he was responsible for more than $600 million in media investment and clients including Telstra, Visa, Apple, Bose and St George.

Davies replaces Charlie Murdoch at NewsMediaWorks. Murdoch is joining News Corp as general manager of trade marketing.

“Simon brings a depth of strategic and analytical thinking to this important role. His experience in the media sector, working with OMD on some of the country’s largest advertisers and then with media owners on sales strategy and solutions, will be invaluable to NewsMediaWorks as we continue to see advertisers re-evaluating and then investing back in newspapers and news websites,” said NewsMediaWorks CEO Peter Miller.

“I would also like to acknowledge the outstanding contribution of Charlie in the role during his five years with NewsMediaWorks. He has worked relentlessly to promote the sector and has overseen many initiatives and we wish him well at News Corp where we will continue to collaborate on behalf of the industry.”

Game of Thrones and Stranger Things enter the Guinness World Records

HBO’s Game of Thrones was the most in-demand show in the world in 2017, according to Parrot Analytics. The big data TV analytics firm, specialising in audience demand measurement worldwide, has partnered with Guinness World Records to identify the most in-demand TV series and digital original series in the world.

Parrot Analytics’ global, real-time, platform-agnostic TV demand measurement system was used to determine the demand of shows in 2017.

Game of Thrones has been designated by Guinness World Records as “Officially Amazing”. Meanwhile, Netflix’s paranormal thriller Stranger Things has been identified as the most in-demand digital original series in the world in 2017.

The two series are included in the Guinness World Records 2019 edition, which will be available for purchase in book stores and online on September 6, 2018.

“It is an honour to work with the venerable Guinness World Records,” said Wared Seger, CEO, Parrot Analytics. “We were delighted that the Guinness World Records team chose to work with us to determine the most in-demand TV shows in the world and that they saw the value in relying on the industry’s established global cross-platform TV demand metric to gain a truly holistic and empirical view of what is resonating with viewers worldwide.”

Parrot Analytics captures billions of data points daily from a variety of data sources, tracing interactions the company refers to as “Demand Expressions” from the likes of social media, video streaming, photo sharing, blogging or microblogging, fan and critic ratings, file sharing and more. Filtering and weighing all these audience expressions of demand, Parrot Analytics combines viewership, activity and engagement into a single, country-specific measure of audience demand for content. Mediaweek runs the Parrot Analytics demand charts every week. To keep up with what’s popular in Australia and New Zealand, subscribe to the Mediaweek Morning Report here.

“Parrot Analytics is taking our methodology of gauging record-breaking designations to a whole new level,” said Guinness World Records editor-in-chief Craig Glenday. “Its audience demand measurement system goes far beyond the days of surveys and questionnaires and utilises big data and AI to look at the numerous ways consumers express their demand for content. This year, by adding the category for digital originals, we will really get an idea of how much the world’s video consumption has changed.”

The 2019 Guinness World Records is available for purchase in 22 languages around the world.

TV Ratings Analysis: August 30

• Reality reset: The Bachelor out-rates The Block. Karl’s fault?
• Best of the rest: Home And Away, Anh’s Brush, Michael Portillo

By James Manning

Seven

Episode three of Home And Away this week did 602,000 with each night edging lower since Monday.

Another evening of ob docs after 7.30pm with Highway Patrol on 511,000 followed by Motorbike Cops on 539,000.

9-1-1 then did 415,000.

Nine

A Current Affair had a midweek audience of 780,000 after 840,000 and 758,000 earlier in the week.

The Block had a Nine breakfast cross promotion when Today’s Georgie Gardner and Karl Stefanovic turned up on site. The Wednesday episode did 846,000 after 902,000 a week ago. It couldn’t really be something else Karl could be blamed for, could it?

Bite Club then did an improved 490,000 after 427,000 last week.

TEN

Gene Simmons and Tim Minchin were both guests on The Project with 549,000 watching after 7pm.

The Bachelor started with Nick and Sophie zooming across Sydney Harbour on a racing yacht. The bachelorettes were then stunned to learn they would be spending their group date with Nick’s father Mark, sister Bernadette and brother Jacob. At the end of the episode Nick presented Cass with the final rose of the evening, sending Blair home. The first of two episodes this week did 871,000 after 821,000 on Wednesday last week. The episode was the #1 program for the night 25-54.

The 1990 movie Pretty Woman then did 366,000.

ABC

Anh’s Brush With Fame featured Lauren Jackson with 579,000 watching.

The Weekly then featured Human Nature on Hard Chat with 575,000 watching. Tom Gleeson announced that a new season of Hard Quiz would be returning next month.

The final episode of this season of You Can’t Ask That did 477,000.

Adam Hills: The Last Leg did 226,000 and one of the last primary channel outings for Tonightly was on 100,000.

SBS

Michael Portillo took over the 7.30pm slot for a second successive night and a repeat of Great British Railway Journeys was the channel’s #1 with 239,000.

Episode two of The Employables was on 89,000.

Week 35 TV: Wednesday
WEDNESDAY METRO
ABCSevenNineTenSBS
ABC12.1%717.3%919.0%TEN16.0%SBS One3.9%
ABC 22.9%7TWO3.2%GO!3.9%ONE3.5%VICELAND1.3%
ABC ME1.0%7mate3.6%GEM3.1%ELEVEN2.1%Food Net1.1%
ABC NEWS1.6%7flix2.5%9Life1.7%NITV0.2%
TOTAL17.5%26.6%27.8%21.6%6.5%

 

WEDNESDAY REGIONAL
ABCSeven AffiliatesNine AffiliatesTen AffiliatesSBS
ABC11.7%718.5%917.8%WIN11.3%SBS One3.4%
ABC 23.4%7TWO4.7%GO!5.0%ONE4.2%VICELAND1.6%
ABC ME0.9%7mate3.7%GEM4.8%ELEVEN2.1%Food Net1.2%
ABC NEWS1.6%7flix1.8%9Life1.9%NITV0.2%
TOTAL17.6%28.7%29.5%17.6%6.4%

 

WEDNESDAY METRO ALL TV
FTASTV
85.0%15.0%

 

WEDNESDAY FTA
  1. Seven News Seven 1,018,000
  2. Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 987,000
  3. Nine News Nine 921,000
  4. Nine News 6:30 Nine 918,000
  5. The Bachelor Australia Ten 871,000
  6. The Block Nine 846,000
  7. A Current Affair Nine 780,000
  8. ABC News ABC 704,000
  9. Home And Away Seven 602,000
  10. The Chase Australia Seven 593,000
  11. Anh’s Brush With Fame ABC 579,000
  12. The Weekly With Charlie Pickering ABC 575,000
  13. The Project 7pm Ten 549,000
  14. Motorbike Cops Seven 539,000
  15. 7.30 ABC 532,000
  16. Highway Patrol Seven 511,000
  17. Bite Club Nine 490,000
  18. Hot Seat Nine 486,000
  19. You Can’t Ask That ABC 477,000
  20. 9-1-1 Seven 415,000
Demo Top Fives

16-39 Top 5

  1. The Bachelor Australia Ten 407,000
  2. The Block Nine 215,000
  3. The Project 7pm Ten 168,000
  4. A Current Affair Nine 134,000
  5. Nine News 6:30 Nine 133,000

 

18-49 Top 5

  1. The Bachelor Australia Ten 557,000
  2. The Block Nine 358,000
  3. The Project 7pm Ten 270,000
  4. Nine News 6:30 Nine 225,000
  5. A Current Affair Nine 217,000

 

25-54 Top 5

  1. The Bachelor Australia Ten 532,000
  2. The Block Nine 422,000
  3. The Project 7pm Ten 301,000
  4. Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 282,000
  5. Seven News Seven 278,000
WEDNESDAY Multichannel
  1. The Big Bang Theory TX2 9GO! 191,000
  2. Andy’s Wild Adventures ABCKIDS/COMEDY 179,000
  3. Noddy Toyland Detective-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 175,000
  4. Peter Rabbit ABCKIDS/COMEDY 172,000
  5. Peppa Pig-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 171,000
  6. The Big Bang Theory Tx3 9GO! 171,000
  7. Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom ABCKIDS/COMEDY 170,000
  8. The Big Bang Theory TX1 9GO! 168,000
  9. Little Roy-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 167,000
  10. Octonauts ABCKIDS/COMEDY 167,000
  11. Shaun The Sheep ABCKIDS/COMEDY 165,000
  12. Rusty Rivets ABCKIDS/COMEDY 164,000
  13. Peppa Pig-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 162,000
  14. Dot.-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 160,000
  15. Floogals ABCKIDS/COMEDY 155,000
  16. Hey Duggee-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 150,000
  17. Go Jetters-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 133,000
  18. Fireman Sam-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 130,000
  19. Becca’s Bunch-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 129,000
  20. Neighbours ELEVEN 128,000
WEDNESDAY Subscription TV
  1. Gogglebox Australia LifeStyle Channel 194,000
  2. Live: All Australian Awards FOX FOOTY 118,000
  3. Live: AFL 360 FOX FOOTY 79,000
  4. Paul Murray Live Sky News Live 64,000
  5. The Bolt Report Sky News Live 56,000
  6. Paw Patrol Nick Jr. 50,000
  7. Credlin Sky News Live 49,000
  8. PML Overtime Sky News Live 45,000
  9. Mrs. Brown’s Boys UKTV 44,000
  10. Paw Patrol Nick Jr. 43,000
  11. Richo Sky News Live 42,000
  12. Family Guy FOX8 41,000
  13. American Dad! FOX8 40,000
  14. Family Guy FOX8 39,000
  15. American Dad! FOX8 38,000
  16. Live: NRL 360 FOX LEAGUE 38,000
  17. Peppa Pig Nick Jr. 37,000
  18. The Simpsons FOX8 37,000
  19. AFL 360 FOX FOOTY 35,000
  20. Wentworth showcase 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

Henry Tajer rejoins the workforce: MD of Amazon Media Group AU

Fifteen months after former IPG Mediabrands global CEO Henry Tajer stood down, he has accepted the role as managing director of Amazon Media Group Australia.

Tajer was based in New York for two years in his previous role after being promoted from his position of executive chairman IPG Mediabrands Australia.

IPG Mediabrands global CEO Henry Tajer

Tajer was named the 2015 MFA Hall of Fame recipient, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the media industry.

He was an MFA board director for over 10 years including three years as chairman.

The Amazon Media Group offers advertisers an array of advertising solutions across Amazon’s ecosystem of mobile and desktop websites, proprietary devices and the Amazon advertising platform.

TPG Telecom and Vodafone in joint application for 5G spectrum

The AFR’s Street Talk reports TPG Telecom and Vodafone Hutchison Australia will lob a joint application for the all-important 5G spectrum auction in time for Friday’s deadline.

Industry sources said the pair were setting up a new joint venture – owned equally by each party.

The joint venture is expected to have a broad mandate – and making sure the two companies are in the spectrum auction is its first task.

It is understood neither telecommunications company is planning to register for the auction in its own right.

It’s a strong indicator that the two companies reckon there is a very good chance they’ll be sharing a future together and that their proposed $15 billion merger is coming together.

[Read the original]

Podcasting

Jane Caro and Catherine Fox launch Women With Clout series

Social commentator Jane Caro and journalist Catherine Fox speak to some of Australia’s most influential women in their new PodcastOne original series Women With Clout.

In the series Caro and Fox, both Walkley Award winners, meet with high-profile women in media, business and politics, including Marina Go, Ming Long, Kate McClymont, Sally McManus, Ann Sherry and Nareen Young, discussing what drives them, what has almost defeated them and their aspirations for the women of tomorrow. The two hosts also share stories of their own experiences with inequality and injustice throughout their careers.

“In recent years, we have witnessed an increasing number of brave women calling out the misogyny and abuse of power, which has been pervasive throughout society and big business for so many years,” said Caro.

“The women we speak to in Women With Clout are inspiring, tenacious and not afraid to tell it like it is,”z added Fox.

See also: Mediaweek’s new Podcast Week column today.

News Brands

Fairfax Media lifting the cover price of daily metro newspapers

Ahead of the proposed merger of Fairfax Media and Nine Entertainment Co, the publisher of The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald is increasing the cover price of its metro print products.

From Monday September 3, 2018, the cover price of each of its biggest-selling mastheads will increase by 20 cents.

The price rise will affect The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Sun-Herald across all print editions. The Saturday edition of The Sydney Morning Herald will rise to $4.20 and The Sun-Herald will now be selling for $3.70.

It seems newsagents may have been cut out of the price rise with Mark Fletcher’s newsagency blog reporting the price rise will not provide extra revenue for newsagents.

“It will be interesting to see if newsagents take action against Fairfax in retaliation against their price move since this price change announcement is a reminder to them of what they lost,” Fletcher wrote this week

The digital subscription prices of the Fairfax Media products will not be increasing.

Entertainment

Hamish Blake to guest-star in Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph sequel

Hamish Blake is set to guest-star in Disney’s upcoming Wreck-It Ralph sequel 12 months after retiring from commercial radio, reports Fairfax Media’s Broede Carmody.

The Australian comedian voices a minor character in the animated film, alongside the likes of Gal Gadot, James Corden and Jack McBrayer.

The new movie – called Ralph Breaks the Internet – is set six years after the original. It revolves around Wreck-It Ralph getting lost in the internet. Along the way, he meets a whole raft of characters from the Disney universe, including princesses and familiar faces from the Pixar films.

[Read the original]

Television

Seven West Media outsourcing TV traffic department to Manila

Seven network has confirmed it has outsourced its traffic department to a company in Manila, reports TV Tonight.

Traffic departments are responsible for booking and scheduling of advertising.

Sources suggest Seven’s Melbourne-based traffic department, which had national responsibilities, numbered around 50 staff.

A Seven spokesperson told TV Tonight, “Seven has outsourced some functions of commercial inventory to an external provider who operates in multiple locations including Manila.

“Seven has retained management and commercial inventory leaders in Melbourne and Sydney.”

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Allegations cast shadow over future of Wolf Creek TV franchise

A historic sexual assault charge against Australian actor John Jarratt has now made headlines in Hollywood, casting a shadow over the actor’s future in the Wolf Creek television franchise, reports Fairfax Media’s Lucy Cormack.

One of Stan’s most successful programs, Wolf Creek was picked up by major distributors in the US and Britain.

However, Fairfax Media understands the US deal, once described by Stan CEO Mike Sneesby “as one of the biggest international distribution deals for an Australian show”, has now been jeopardised, after news of the alleged sexual assault hit headlines in Hollywood.

Sources now say season two of the series will not be released in the US in October, as planned, until the case is resolved.

The US distributor is also a major investor in the upcoming Wolf Creek season three, which is yet to begin production.

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Outrage: Prime Minister Scott Morrison lampooned on Tonightly

ABC comedians have led the left’s insidious charge on Australia’s first Pentecostal Prime Minister Scott Morrison in a cowardly bid to link the nation’s refugee policy to his personal Christian faith, report News Corp’s Matthew Benns & Danielle Le Messurier.

Less than a week into the top job, the new Liberal PM was weathering all-out mockery for his religion on the ABC’s doomed comedy show Tonightly along with Twitter barbs from Gruen transfer panellist and Labor campaign ad consultant Dee Madigan.

On Monday night’s episode of the Tom Ballard-hosted ABC show comedians Bridie Connell and Wyatt Nixon-Lloyd aimed at Morrison’s successful stint as Immigration Minister, singing: “We love Jesus but not refugees.

“If Jesus was a refugee we would say f… off we’re full.”

When asked a number of questions, including if Scott Morrison’s treatment would have been different if he was a Muslim, an ABC spokesman defended Tonightly, saying it regularly satirised “people in positions of authority, regardless of their race, gender or religious beliefs”.

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The Daily Telegraph today also editorialises on the soon-to-disappear ABC comedy show under the headline “Bible bashing is an ABC pastime”:

The ABC, our billion-dollar tax-funded national broadcaster, has a lamentable history of downplaying or even completely avoiding certain religious motivations.

Monday night’s ABC comedy Tonightly, a $5 million tax drain that has been cancelled because it has so few viewers, squared Scott Morrison up with a series of Christian-themed gags.

Some of those gags verged on the amusing, but that is beside the point, which is that the ABC is too cowardly to direct gentle mockery towards certain faiths while lashing out at Christianity.

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Social Content TV ratings: The Bachelor and AFL lead the charts

Both episodes of last week’s The Bachelor on Network Ten have topped the Nielsen Social Content ratings for non-sports programs.

The episodes attracted more social media interactions than the Sunday night episode of The Block on Nine.

Nine’s Today and the SBS World News also made the top five.

On the sports chart, AFL took the top four spots with NRL filling the other. Little separated the top two AFL clashes, one held last Saturday and the other on Sunday. The Saturday clash was only shown on Fox Sports, while the Sunday game was available on Seven and Fox Sports’ Fox Footy channel.

TV Demand charts: The Big Bang Theory popular again

After it was announced that the next season of the US sitcom The Big Bang Theory would be its last, the series has charted in the Top 10 Overall TV Show charts in Australia and New Zealand.

Otherwise there was little change on the charts this week with Orange Is The New Black maintaining its place at #1 in both markets on the Digital Original Charts.

Another US sitcom, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, maintained its place at #1 on the Overall TV charts in both countries.

Sports Media

Network Ten now FTA home for Ultimate Fighting Championship

Network Ten will be broadcasting the Ultimate Fighting Championship including two live fights, in addition to a new season of the acclaimed reality series The Ultimate Fighter: Heavy Hitters and Countdown.

Fans can now experience more UFC action on free-to-air television than ever before when The Ultimate Fighter: Heavy Hitters returns for its 28th season on Thursday August 30 at 9.30pm on Network Ten’s ONE.

The series that launched the mixed martial arts explosion around the world in 2005 and continues to break down stereotypical boundaries and ratings records, will return when 16 up-and-coming mixed martial artists fight to stay in the competition.

Viewers will also be treated to five episodes of Countdown – an access all areas platform allowing viewers into the world of the fighters before they step into the ring.

ONE will also be home to two live UFC special events, the live finale of The Ultimate Fighter: Heavy Hitters and UFC Fight Night Adelaide from early December.

Network Ten head of sport Matt White said: “UFC is a massive sport with a huge fan base and Ten is really happy to be back in the Octagon. This deal gives UFC fans exactly what they want – a regular free-to-air home, dynamic content and access to the sport’s biggest stars. UFC is a great partner and a great fit for TEN Sport.”

All of the Ultimate Fighting Competition action will commence Thursday August 30 at 9.30pm and continue through to early December.

Photo: UFC Rob Whittaker (Getty Images: Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC)

Crocmedia secures NFL rights: Season starts September 7 on 1116 SEN

Crocmedia has secured rights with the National Football League (NFL) for the 2018 and 2019 NFL seasons following its landmark live coverage of Super Bowl LII in February on Melbourne’s 1116 SEN.

The coverage will kick off with the season opener on Friday September 7 (AEST) when Super Bowl champions Philadelphia Eagles host the Atlanta Falcons and continue with one game per week of the NFL season.

Chief sports caller, Gerard Whateley spearheaded the first Australian radio broadcast of the world’s biggest sporting event and 1116 SEN will continue to broadcast the League’s next two Super Bowls as part of the expanded rights deal.

“We understood the magnitude of mounting an Australian radio broadcast of the Super Bowl but what we couldn’t have predicted was how strongly it would resonate back home,” Whateley said.

In addition to Super Bowl LIII, the following International Series Games will be broadcast on 1116 SEN and syndicated to approved metropolitan and regional stations nationally, as well as two Wild Card playoffs and two Divisional playoff games:

• Monday October 15 – Seattle Seahawks v Oakland Raiders in London
• Sunday October 21 – Tennessee Titans v Los Angeles Chargers in London
• Sunday October 28 – Philadelphia Eagles v Jacksonville Jaguars in London
• Tuesday November 20 – Los Angeles Rams v Kansas City Chiefs in Mexico City

Sam Bingley, chief commercial officer and GM of 1116 SEN, said the success of the station’s first Super Bowl coverage was the catalyst for expanding the coverage of the NFL in Australia.

“Gerard’s maiden call of American football was lauded by many and reinforced the passion and thirst Australians have for major sporting events and the NFL in particular,” Bingley said.

“American football is a widely supported and extremely popular sport in Australia and 1116 SEN is proud and privileged to be able to broadcast more of it to Australian audiences over the next two seasons.”

Amazon suspends reviews of US Open coverage after deluge of complaints

Amazon UK has been flooded with so many complaints about its coverage of the US Open it has stopped disgruntled tennis fans from posting more bad reviews, reports The Guardian.

Amazon’s US$40m five-year deal to broadcast the US Open to UK tennis fans – its first exclusive broadcast of a sports event – was meant to showcase the Silicon Valley giant’s streaming prowess and prove it can match traditional broadcasters and become a credible home for live sport.

However, the internet giant has been inundated with complaints about a host of problems including the picture and sound quality of its streaming service and an inability to record matches. Almost 90% of the 650 reviews posted by subscribers to its £5.99 Prime Video service, home to its US Open coverage, gave Amazon just 1 or 2 stars.

A spokeswoman for Amazon.co.uk said: “We are working with customers to address specific issues – we listen to all customer feedback and are always working to improve all aspects of our service.”

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Amazon hires ESPN’s Marie Donoghue to lead sports programming

Meanwhile Amazon has hired a veteran ESPN executive in a signal that it is getting more serious about sports programming, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

The e-commerce giant has tapped Marie Donoghue as its new vice president overseeing global sports programming.

Donoghue brings nearly two decades of sports broadcast experience to Amazon, having spent 19 years at ESPN before departing in 2017. During her time there, she rose up the ranks, eventually overseeing digital verticals including FiveThirtyEight, Bill Simmons’s Grantland and The Undefeated. Donoghue was also in charge of ESPN Films, which included the 30 for 30 franchise. Her departure from ESPN came during a larger reshuffling at the company and as it largely disbanded its digital verticals business, shutting down Grantland after Simmons was fired from ESPN and ending its relationship with Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight, which is now a part of the ABC News division.

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