Monday July 16, 2018

Triple M's Mark Geyer: 'The unofficial voice of the West'

When Penrith Panthers great Mark Geyer retired from playing NRL professionally in 2000, he didn’t know what he would be doing next.

By Kruti Joshi

“I started selling football jerseys from the back of a car for a sponsor,” Geyer told Mediaweek. “My whole thing was to not say no to anything that came up.”

This attitude saw him work for Campbelltown’s c91.3FM, ABC Radio, Rugby League Week, 2GB, 2UE, 2SM, and Nine. In 2008, Geyer joined Triple M Sydney’s The Grill Team, alongside Matthew Johns and Gus Worland. He hung up the headphones on the early morning shift in 2017, after nine years with the show. “I couldn’t get up at 3:30am any more. Living in Penrith still, my commute at that time of the morning got too much,” he said. “The decision was more a lifestyle change than a career change. I am still doing radio at night.”

Geyer is the host of Triple M Sydney’s 6pm show The Rush Hour with MG: “The hours are different, I see my kids more and everybody is happy – especially my wife.”

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

Crocmedia acquires 25% of NBL champions Melbourne United

Crocmedia has agreed to acquire a 25% ownership stake in 2018 NBL champions Melbourne United.

NBL owner and executive owner Larry Kestelman has agreed to sell a portion of his majority shareholding in the club to Crocmedia, now joint major shareholders of the club. Kestelman will retain a 25% share.

“After helping to build the club to what it is today, the time has come to hand over to the next generation of owners and I’m delighted that Crocmedia has come on board to help drive it forward,” Kestelman said.

“Crocmedia is a dynamic, innovative and growing media company that will open up future opportunities for Melbourne United and the National Basketball League as the game continues to grow.

“There is huge momentum behind the game and this is a great endorsement of the strength and direction of the NBL as a sports and entertainment business.

“We believe we now have the best basketball league and entertainment product in the world outside of the NBA. Five of our NBL teams will play seven games in the NBA preseason and Australian NBA star Andrew Bogut will return to play the NBL next season,” Kestelman said.

Melbourne United will play the Philadelphia 76ers featuring Australian superstar and NBA Rookie of the Year Ben Simmons in the US on September 28.

Pacific Star Network managing director and Crocmedia’s chief executive officer Craig Hutchison said the acquisition represented a unique and exciting opportunity.

“With incredibly strong participation numbers, attendances, broadcast audiences and interest in the game, there’s never been a better time to get involved,” Hutchison said.

“In just four years since it entered the NBL, Melbourne United has risen to the top of Australian basketball and is on its way to becoming one of the leading sports and entertainment franchises in the country.

“As a specialist sports media company, we are excited about generating new revenue opportunities through this unique partnership,” Hutchison added.

“It presents us an opportunity to offer our brand partners a unique end-to-end solution in the growing code, from community and grassroots, to the incredibly exciting match day environment and all the broadcast and content opportunities that sit around it.”

As part of the deal, Melbourne’s 1116 SEN will broadcast all Melbourne United home, away and finals games live and the station will become the parochial “radio” home of the club.

Melbourne United CEO Vince Crivelli welcomed Crocmedia: “This is an exciting day for Melbourne United as we look to build on our success and continue to widen our fan base.

“We’ve come off our most successful season with an NBL title and sold out games at Hisense Arena and, with Crocmedia on board, we now want to lead the club through its next exciting growth phase and build a club we can all be proud of.”

Top photo: Larry Kestelman and Craig Hutchison

Network Ten launches national campaign for biggest-ever programming slate

Network Ten has launched a multimillion-dollar national marketing campaign to promote its biggest slate of programming ever.

The multiplatform “Always On” campaign will appear across a range of media including radio, out-of-home, social, print, digital, in-venue advertising, ATN national traffic reports, retail and more. On the digital channels, the creative will change based on the programming schedule of the day.

Network Ten’s head of marketing and social media Brad Garbutt said: “The return of some of Australia’s most loved programs like The Bachelor AustraliaAustralian Survivor and The Bachlorette Australia combined with some exciting new formats including Pointless, Russell Coight’s All Aussie AdventuresStreet Smart and Blind Date – and the imminent launch of Pilot Week – makes our second half programming lineup the biggest we have ever scheduled. We want to get behind this schedule, and the brands supporting the shows, in a big way.

“With this campaign, there is a particular focus on digital out-of-home channels where we have maximised the flexibility of the formats in their high-impact environments to promote programs being broadcast that evening. Being able to reach potential viewers in the key 3pm-7pm timeslot with highly targeted media is critical to our success.

“We’ve been particularly targeted with this campaign and are also, for the first time, utilising channels like in-venue advertising, external train panels and petrol pump advertising to attract the target audiences for our new shows. We’re excited to be reaching our core 25-54 audiences in new and innovative ways.”

The campaign will run for the rest of 2018 and be updated as each of the shows is released.

New programs still to come in Network Ten’s 2018 schedule include The Secret Life of 4 Year Olds, How to Stay Married, Game of Games and Playing for Keeps.

Campaign credits:

Client: Network Ten
Co-Media Agency: Spark Foundry
Co-Media Agency: Carat

Adelaide's 57 Films producing Chinese TV drama If Time Flows Back

Big-budget Chinese television drama series If Time Flows Back featuring one of China’s biggest stars is due to wrap this week on three episodes set and shot in South Australia.

Iconic locations from North Terrace to the Barossa Valley will be showcased to an audience of more than 90 million people via Chinese television and streaming platforms.

Based at Adelaide Studios the production has an estimated spend in the state of $1 million and has created 146 jobs for local cast and crew, including seven South Australian heads of department.

If Time Flows Back is the latest Chinese production to be secured by Adelaide-based 57 Films following the first Chinese drama series shot in Australia, Speed, and 57 Films’ own ground-breaking Chef Exchange. This pipeline of production is cementing South Australia as a key partner for the multibillion dollar Chinese screen industry.

Originally from Shandong, writer/director Zhang Jiandong has written South Australia into three of the 45 episodes of the script because of its sister status with Shandong Province. The series stars some of China’s biggest stars, Jin Dong (The First Half of My Life, Ode to Joy) and Jiang Xin.

57 Films managing director Paul Ryan said the company employs a full-time producer dedicated solely to production with China and has taken an immersive approach to building these cross-cultural, productive working relationships.

“57 Films has been building good respectful relationships with our Chinese friends and partners over many years and our working together serves to deepen those ties. Respect and understanding of culture is the cornerstone to doing business with China.”

South Australian Film Corporation provided a Production Investment Grant for the SA production elements and a paid producers attachment on the series for emerging filmmaker and Flinders University Postgraduate, Yuan Wei, who speaks Mandarin.

CEO of the South Australian Film Corporation Courtney Gibson said: “57 Films has been a pioneer in Chinese production in Australia and it continues to grow this business, now delivering episodes within the biggest-budget Chinese TV series ever made. This is great for South Australia, great for our topline heads of production and our emerging female producer attachment, and fantastic to see the streets of Adelaide playing host to some of China’s biggest stars.”

See also: The Adelaide pro-co opening up China with chefs, AFL and soccer

This follows the announcement last week of Adelaide-based VFX company Rising Sun Pictures completing its first Chinese production for international release in fantasy adventure feature film Animal World.

Top photo [L-R]: Zonghan LI (Cast), Xin Jiang (Cast), Dong Jin (Cast), Jiandong Zhang (Director, in Adelaide Crows hat & scarf), Naiwen Li (Cast)

Sky News shake-up a ratings success: Paul Murray still Foxtel’s #1

Ahead of the launch of Sky News on WIN later this year, Sky News has reported its ratings for the first half of 2018 with total average viewership increasing by 9%, reaching over one million people a week through Foxtel.

A large portion of this comes from its weeknight audience, with average viewership increasing by 25% since last year, reaching over half a million people each week.

Credlin, anchored by Peta Credlin weeknights at 6pm, is the number one program in its timeslot across Foxtel, recording growth of 166% year-on-year, reaching an average weekly audience of 208,000.

The Bolt Report, anchored by Andrew Bolt weeknights at 7pm, has seen a 36% increase and an average weekly reach of 239,000.

Paul Murray LIVE, hosted by Paul Murray each Sunday-Thursday at 9pm, is the number one nightly program on Foxtel in its timeslot, reaching an average 268,000 per week. Sunday nights have delivered the biggest weekly audience increase for Paul Murray LIVE, is up 139%.

The weeknight 8pm timeslot with the Monday and Thursday editions of Outsiders, anchored by Ross Cameron and Rowan Dean, is up 84% and 105%

On Tuesdays Jones & Co, anchored by Alan Jones and Peta Credlin, is up 29% while Graham Richardson’s Wednesday program, Richo, has recorded a 54% increase.

Outsiders’ 9am Sunday program has increased audience by 24% year-on-year, while Kenny on Sunday anchored by Chris Kenny at 7pm has recorded audience growth of 158%.

Average viewing by Total People on Sundays 6pm-11pm is up 42%.

Top photo: Paul Murray

APN Outdoor wins tender for Queenstown Airport contract

APN Outdoor has won the tender for Queenstown Airport, which joins the company’s existing portfolio of Auckland and Christchurch Airports, giving advertisers and agencies improved access to three of New Zealand’s busiest airports.

APN Outdoor chief executive officer and managing director James Warburton said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with Queenstown Airport Corporation.

“As the gateway to the lower South Island, Queenstown Airport is recording strong growth and attracting a higher proportion of young passengers than other New Zealand airports.”

The new agreement with Queenstown Airport comes hard on the heels of extending its partnership with Christchurch Airport to 2026.

As part of the new agreement, APN Outdoor today flagged extensive development plans for Queenstown Airport’s advertising assets.

APN Outdoor country head New Zealand Mike Watkins said: “Our development strategy for Queenstown Airport is to create an advertising environment unlike any other airport in New Zealand.

“We aim to deliver innovative and emerging technologies that will enhance the passenger journey and create a contemporary look and feel for the advertising assets at Queenstown Airport.

“Vibrancy and engagement are key to our vision, providing advertisers with assets that will give impact, immediacy and reach and frequency – plus the ability to create a true sense of place, for one of the most beautiful regions in New Zealand,” he said.

APN Outdoor, which has worked with airports in New Zealand for more than a decade, will hire a South Island representative to service Queenstown and Christchurch Airports and local clients.

Queenstown Airport is the fourth-busiest airport in New Zealand by passenger numbers. In late 2017, it marked two million passenger movements over a 12-month period for the first time in its history.

In the six months to December 31, 2017, total passenger numbers grew 13% to 1,084,495, with international passenger numbers up 11% to 333,439 and domestic passenger numbers up 14% to 751,056 on the previous corresponding period.

More football fever! SBS announces 2018 Premier League coverage

While the FIFA World Cup on SBS wrapped up over the weekend when France defeated Croatia, football fans need not worry.

The broadcaster has announced the return of the Premier League, kicking off on August 11.

SBS’s exclusive coverage of Premier League will feature one match per week and be hosted by The World Game’s Lucy Zelić alongside SBS Chief Football Analyst Craig Foster.

SBS Director of Sport, Ken Shipp, said: “SBS is thrilled to continue bringing the best international football live to all Australians for free. We have a very proud 30-year history of broadcasting the world game to the country and we are confident football fans will continue to turn to SBS for the trusted analysis and coverage we are known for.

“The Premier League is one of the most highly regarded sporting leagues in the world, and one which speaks to SBS’s charter through its representation of the beautiful game’s ability to unite diverse communities both here in Australia and around the globe, as we have seen throughout the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.”

SBS will also livestream every SBS Premier League match free through The World Game app.

In addition, SBS’s weekly global football highlights program The World Game hosted by Lucy Zelić will return to 11pm, Monday nights from August 13 on SBS and online via The World Game website.

2018-19 Premier League Broadcast Schedule

Saturday 11 August, 9pm, SBS
• Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspurs (kick-off 9.30pm)

Saturday 18 August, 11.30pm, SBS
• Fulham v Tottenham Hotspurs (kick-off midnight)

Saturday 25 August, 9pm, SBS
• Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester City (kick-off 9.30pm)

Saturday 1 September, 9pm, SBS
•Leicester City v Liverpool (kick-off 9.30pm)

Saturday 15 September, 9pm, SBS
• Tottenham Hotspurs v Liverpool (kick-off 9.30pm)

Saturday 22 September, 11.30pm, SBS
• Manchester United v Wolverhampton Wanderers (kick-off midnight)

Saturday 29 September, 9pm, SBS
• West Ham v Manchester United (kick-off 9.30pm)

All matches broadcast on SBS will also be live streamed through The World Game app, available for iOS and Android**.

Top photo: Chelsea FC’s Álvaro Morata (credit: shutterstock)

Fairfax investigates 24-year-old cold case with Wrong Skin podcast

Fairfax Media is launching Wrong Skin, an investigative podcast series into the cold case of Julie Buck and her boyfriend, Richard Milgin, who vanished from the remote Aboriginal community of Looma in the Kimberley region of WA.

Wrong Skin is the follow-up from the award-winning team behind the Phoebes Fall podcast, which led the Victorian Government to reform to the Coroner’s Act in June 2018

Sydney Morning Herald editor Lisa Davies says this is an important story to tell.

“If this happened in Sydney, Melbourne or Perth, we’d all know about. We’d all be covering it,” Davies said, “But this is first time we’ve ever heard of this story. It’s a really important story for Australians to hear.”

Investigative reporter Richard Baker said, “What started with a phone call has opened up the biggest can of worms about ancient culture and the treatment of women. Even more than that, it’s all about power and control.

“It took a year of long phone conversations and trips to the Kimberley to gain the trust of those closest to Richard and Julie. They’re scared, but they’re brave enough to speak up.”

The first episode of Wrong Skin will be released on Sunday July 15.

ARIA Charts: 5SOS eight weeks #1, Divas rock album chart

Mediaweek editor James Manning takes a look at the ARIA Charts for the week starting July 9.

Singles

5 Seconds Of Summer set a new record again this week and are just one week away from equalling the Australian record for weeks at #1 with their single Youngblood. This week the band join other Aussie artists who have spent eight weeks at #1 – Austin Tayshus with Australiana, Savage Garden with Truly Madly Deeply and Gotye with Somebody That I Used To Know.

There was no new release that made the top 50 this week. Cracking the top 50 in its second week is Boo’d Up from UK singer Ella Mai.

Aussies making a move on the chart this week include Dean Lewis jumping from #19 to #5 with Be Alright and Peking Duk up from #24 to #12 with Reprisal.

Albums

It’s almost as if ARIA mixed up sales and streaming data this week with another week from earlier in the year.

Although Drake has held at #1 for a second week with Scorpion, The Greatest Showman soundtrack and Ed Sheeran’s Divide are both again top five after a combined 102 weeks on the chart.

P!nk is also top 10 again with her former #1 album Beautiful Trauma after 39 weeks on the chart.

Four new releases debuted in the top 50, which is a quiet week on the album chart:

#10Celine Dion with The Best So Far… 2018 Tour Edition. Ahead of Australian live dates, the release contains the #1 hits The Power Of Love, Because You Loved Me and My Heart Will Go On.

#13Odette with To A Stranger – the first album from the Sydney singer-songwriter.

#19Didirri with Measurements – an EP from the Warrnambool-born, Melbourne-based artist.

#26Years & Years with Palo Santo – second album from the British pop trio.

Meanwhile Seekers member Judith Durham’s album So Much More has cracked the top 50 at #46 on its second week on the charts.

Top 10 Games Charts: Crash Bandicoot remaster #1, Jurassic World hot on its heels

IGN editor-in-chief Cam Shea takes a look at the video games sales charts for the week ending July 9, 2018.

A year after its PS4 release, Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy – the remaster of Crash Bandicoot’s first three adventures – has made the transition to Nintendo Switch, PC and Xbox One and it’s clear that gamers of all stripes have just as much love for the marsupial as the PlayStation faithful. This is the game’s second week in the number one spot.

Hot on his heels are three more relatively new releases. Jurassic World Evolution, which offers the chance to run a dinosaur-filled theme park, slots in at number two. The game received a mixed critical response, but still succeeds in scratching an itch that Jurassic Park fans have had for years. The Crew 2, meanwhile, which lets players race cars, planes and boats across a massive re-creation of the continental United States, drops a place this week to number three, while LEGO Incredibles comes in at number four, proving that there’s life left yet in the very long-running LEGO gaming formula.

The rest of the chart illustrates the incredible mainstream staying power of gaming’s biggest names: GTA, FIFA and Call of Duty in particular. As we noted alongside the last post, however, one important factor to consider is that this chart only indicates what’s going on in retail and doesn’t factor in digital sales. Platforms like Steam and Nintendo’s eShop are a huge part of the ecosystem, selling a wide array of titles both big budget and independently produced. And then there are free-to-play games, like Fortnite – which recently launched its fifth season and is currently the biggest game on IGN (and in the world) – which are monetised in entirely different ways, so will never appear on a sales chart.

Radio Ratings 4 2018 – Brisbane: Nova holds at #1 10+ and in breakfast as 97.3 backs off

Mediaweek editor James Manning looks at the fourth GfK Radio Ratings survey for 2018 in the Brisbane market.

MORE: GfK Radio Ratings, Survey 4 2018: Highlights + full results

Nova 106.9 12.2%

Breakfast returned early from the survey break this week for Origin Game 3, but at least Ash, Kip and Luttsy with Susie O’Neill returned to good news – Nova is again clear market leader after sharing top spot with 97.3, and breakfast has edged further away from Hit breakfast – although the margin is just 0.2. Despite a small dip in drive, Kate, Tim and Marty maintain a big lead.

97.3 11.9%

All day parts except evening were down. The last survey for the breakfast combo of Bianca, Terry and Bob dipped 0.6 to 11.7%.

Hit 105 11.8%

The station is now just 0.4 behind Nova thanks largely to the strong breakfast share on 12.5%, which is only 0.2 behind Nova. Morning and afternoon were up and Hughesy and Kate closed the gap a little with Nova in drive. Share 18-24 surged 4.8 to 28.0% making them the only game in town if you want that demo.

Continued at mediaweek.com.au.

perth radio ratings
Radio Ratings 4 2018 – Perth: Shoot-out in the West sees Nova #1 overall and in breakfast

Mediaweek editor James Manning looks at the fourth GfK Radio Ratings survey for 2018 in the Perth market.

MORE: GfK Radio Ratings, Survey 4 2018: Highlights + full results 

Nova 14.7%

Surveys don’t get much better than this. The station recorded a best ever share of 14.7% and the cume audience was 607,000, which was a new record in Perth radio. In addition to the station being #1 overall, breakfast with Nathan, Nat and Shaun was also #1 with share up 2.1 to 14.8%. Nova is also the new drive champ with Kate, Tim and Marty up 2.1 to 17.6%. The station recorded one of the biggest demo share movements – 25-39 was up 6.1 to 23.9%.

Mix 94.5 13.6%

Share eased downward only 0.6 but it was enough for Mix to trail Nova by 1.1. And the loss of 1.5 in breakfast, when put beside Nova’s breakfast lift, sees Mix breakfast now 2.3 behind Nova. Mix morning and afternoon slots lifted a little while drive dipped 2.0 to 14.0% with Nova taking over timeslot leadership.

Hit 92.9 9.9%

Breakfast, morning and afternoon were down while morning and afternoon but drive had a modest rise. Share 18-24 was hammered – down 7.8 to 21.7%.

Continued at mediaweek.com.au.

Radio Ratings 4 2018 – Adelaide: Mix holds top spot, but Penbo and Will take over breakfast

Mediaweek editor James Manning looks at the fourth GfK Radio Ratings survey for 2018 in the Adelaide market.

MORE: GfK Radio Ratings, Survey 4 2018: Highlights + full results

Mix 102.3 15.4%

Share pushed even higher despite breakfast easing 0.4 to 13.9%. All other dayparts lifted with Will and Woody in drive up 1.5 to 14.6%.

Fiveaa 11.8%

Penbo and Will drove the breakfast share higher, up 1.8 to 14.4%, overtaking both Mix and ABC Adelaide in the process.

Nova 91.9 10.5%

Good improvements across the board with Lewis and Lowe in breakfast up into double figures on 10.0% while Kate, Tim and Marty lost top spot to Mix in drive.

Continued at mediaweek.com.au.

TV Ratings Analysis: Sunday July 15

• Modest growth for Ninja Warrior for second Sunday episode
• Ninja Warrior & 60 Minutes help Nine to primary channel win
• Seven #1 Sunday network with multichannels on 10% combined
• France v Croatia World Cup final first half pulls 500,000 on SBS

By James Manning

Seven

Toad and Mandy were the big stars on House Rules with a score of 29 out of 30 for the dairy farmers’ pop-up pizza joint. The episode comes ahead of three eliminations this week. The Sunday episode did 876,000 after 836,000 on Sunday last week.

Sunday Night then did 627,000 after 554,000 a week ago.

Coverage the Wimbledon men’s final on the channel last night had an average audience of 275,000 after 11pm.

Nine

Five women qualified for the semis on Ninja Warrior while one male contestant managed to blitz the course in just 40 seconds. While the year-on-year comparisons are still well down, week-on-week Ninja Warrior managed some modest growth from 929,000 to 967,000. The first week of episodes all managed to crack the top 15 shows last week. They also helped Nine hold on to win the week in primary share. That year-on-year comparison makes sobering reading though – the second Sunday of the show in 2017 was on 1.75m!

60 Minutes followed with 702,000 after 616,000 a week ago.

TEN

Entertainment reporter Maude Garrett was in Paris with Tom Cruise on The Project. She was speaking to the Hollywood star about the forthcoming new instalment in the Mission Impossible franchise. The episode was on 432,000 after 7pm.

Sashi became the first person through to finals week on the first episode in the penultimate week of MasterChef Australia. There were tears aplenty at the start of Sunday’s episode when family and best friends arrived at the MasterChef kitchen to watch the top seven in action. The Sunday episode did 745,000 after 748,000 last week.

The first episode of the new Sports Tonight hosted by Matt White launched after the cooks with 128,000, which is a fair drop from the lead-in. Co-hosts Laurie Daley and Josh Gibson were kept busy crossing to TEN reporters and special guests as they reviewed the weekend football and previewed the World Cup and Wimbledon finals.

ABC

Grand Designs New Zealand managed to find a home in the top 10 with 557,000.

The second episode of Jack Irish saw the ABC audience grow to 681,000 after the series launched with 723,000 a week ago.

The first of the three-part F*!#ing Adelaide then did 190,000.

SBS

After a marathon 64 matches since June 14, the World Cup climaxed on SBS last night with France meeting Croatia. The pre-match coverage from 11pm had an audience of 198,000.

The numbers grew quickly when the game started at 1am with an average of 484,000 watching the first-half action. (The second half from 2am onwards will be available in the Monday ratings released on Tuesday morning.)

Earlier in the night on SBS stage 9 of the Tour de France did 239,000.

Week 28-29 TV: Friday-Sunday
FRIDAY METRO
ABCSevenNineTenSBS
ABC12.8%721.3%917.2%TEN10.5%SBS One5.8%
ABC 23.0%7TWO4.7%GO!3.5%ONE3.3%VICELAND1.3%
ABC ME0.6%7mate3.9%GEM1.7%ELEVEN2.1%Food Net0.8%
ABC NEWS1.5%7flix3.6%9Life2.3%NITV0.2%
TOTAL18.0%33.5%24.5%15.9%8.1%
SATURDAY METRO
ABCSevenNineTenSBS
ABC12.3%721.8%912.7%TEN6.7%SBS One7.3%
ABC 23.2%7TWO5.3%GO!2.7%ONE2.7%VICELAND2.0%
ABC ME0.7%7mate5.5%GEM4.9%ELEVEN3.0%Food Net1.4%
ABC NEWS1.2%7flix3.5%9Life2.8%NITV0.3%
TOTAL17.3%36.1%23.0%12.5%11.0%
SUNDAY METRO
ABCSevenNineTenSBS
ABC11.2%721.1%921.5%TEN10.7%SBS One6.8%
ABC 22.2%7TWO3.5%GO!3.0%ONE2.2%VICELAND1.7%
ABC ME0.5%7mate4.5%GEM3.1%ELEVEN2.2%Food Net0.7%
ABC NEWS0.8%7flix2.0%9Life2.0%NITV0.5%
TOTAL14.7%31.1%29.6%15.1%9.6%
SUNDAY REGIONAL
ABCSeven AffiliatesNine AffiliatesTen AffiliatesSBS
ABC11.1%723.8%920.0%WIN8.0%SBS One4.6%
ABC 22.6%7TWO4.0%GO!4.1%ONE2.6%VICELAND1.1%
ABC ME0.8%7mate5.2%GEM5.3%ELEVEN1.9%Food Net0.6%
ABC NEWS1.1%7flix1.2%9Life1.8%NITV0.3%
TOTAL15.6%34.2%31.2%12.5%6.6%
SUNDAY METRO ALL TV
FTASTV
84.9%15.1%
All People Rankings

Friday Top 10

  1. Seven News Seven 919,000
  2. Nine News Nine 854,000
  3. Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 839,000
  4. Nine News 6:30 Nine 824,000
  5. A Current Affair Nine 602,000
  6. Endeavour ABC 587,000
  7. ABC News ABC 585,000
  8. The Chase Australia Seven 578,000
  9. Better Homes And Gardens Seven 566,000
  10. Hot Seat Nine 507,000

 

Saturday Top 10

  1. Seven News Seven 844,000
  2. Nine News Nine 766,000
  3. ABC News ABC 620,000
  4. Shakespeare And Hathaway ABC 522,000
  5. Seven’s AFL: Saturday Night Football Seven 445,000
  6. Poldark ABC 370,000
  7. 2018 Wimbledon-Late 12 Seven 355,000
  8. Border Security – Australia’s Front Line (R) Seven 351,000
  9. Getaway Nine 310,000
  10. Seven’s AFL: Saturday Night Football – Post Match Seven 300,000
Sunday FTA
  1. Seven News Seven 1,293,000
  2. Nine News Nine 1,065,000
  3. Australian Ninja Warrior Nine 967,000
  4. House Rules Seven 876,000
  5. MasterChef Australia Ten 745,000
  6. ABC News ABC 721,000
  7. 60 Minutes Nine 702,000
  8. Jack Irish ABC 681,000
  9. Sunday Night Seven 627,000
  10. Grand Designs New Zealand ABC 557,000
  11. 2018 Fifa World Cup Final: Fra V Cro Live SBS 484,000
  12. Seven’s AFL: Sunday Afternoon Football Seven 483,000
  13. The Sunday Project 7pm Ten 432,000
  14. Crimes That Shook The World Seven 340,000
  15. Killer Women With Piers Morgan Nine 333,000
  16. Ten Eyewitness News Ten 299,000
  17. 2018 Wimbledon-Late 13 Seven 275,000
  18. Sunday Afternoon NRL Live Nine 275,000
  19. Weekend Sunrise Seven 252,000
  20. The Sunday Project 6.30pm Ten 245,000
Sunday Multichannel
  1. M: Iron Man 2-PM 7mate 202,000
  2. Play School-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 152,000
  3. Bananas In Pyjamas-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 149,000
  4. PJ Masks-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 149,000
  5. Midsomer Murders 9Gem 147,000
  6. Wanda And The Alien-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 139,000
  7. The Hive-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 137,000
  8. The Big Bang Theory TX2 9GO! 137,000
  9. 2018 Tour De France: Stage 9 Replay SBS VICELAND 136,000
  10. The Big Bang Theory TX3 9GO! 135,000
  11. Border Security – Australia’s Front Line – PM EP2 7TWO 132,000
  12. Hey Duggee-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 132,000
  13. Border Security – Australia’s Front Line – PM EP3 7TWO 131,000
  14. Peppa Pig-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 125,000
  15. The Big Bang Theory TX4 9GO! 124,000
  16. Noddy Toyland Detective-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 122,000
  17. Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 120,000
  18. Dot.-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 120,000
  19. Peter Rabbit ABCKIDS/COMEDY 118,000
  20. Floogals ABCKIDS/COMEDY 118,000
Sunday Subscription TV
  1. Live: NRL Dragons V Wests Tigers FOX LEAGUE 232,000
  2. Live: AFL Collingwood V West Coast FOX FOOTY 201,000
  3. Live: NRL Broncos V Warriors FOX LEAGUE 191,000
  4. Live: NRL Titans V Roosters FOX LEAGUE 182,000
  5. Live: AFL North Melbourne V Sydney FOX SPORTS 503 152,000
  6. Live: AFL Fremantle V Port Adelaide FOX FOOTY 149,000
  7. Live: NRL Sunday Ticket FOX LEAGUE 136,000
  8. Live: Bounce FOX FOOTY 114,000
  9. Live: Sunday Night With Matty Johns FOX LEAGUE 97,000
  10. Live: Sunday Footy On Fox FOX FOOTY 79,000
  11. Live: NRL Sunday Ticket FOX LEAGUE 50,000
  12. NCIS TVH!TS 48,000
  13. Live: Motorsport: MotoGP FOX SPORTS 506 47,000
  14. Live: Controversy Corner FOX LEAGUE 47,000
  15. NCIS TVH!TS 47,000
  16. The Beep Test FOX FOOTY 46,000
  17. 24 Hours In Emergency LifeStyle Channel 42,000
  18. Lewis 13TH STREET 39,000
  19. Paw Patrol Nick Jr. 39,000
  20. The Mountain Between Us Foxtel Movies Premiere 38,000

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

Friends and colleagues on Sam Chisholm’s career in AFR feature

The AFR’s Andrew Clark speaks to colleagues about the career of Sam Chisholm who died last week:

From regular Friday night follies drinks at Channel Nine’s headquarters in the Sydney North Shore suburb of Willoughby to tête-à-tête lunches with one of Nine’s suite of “stars”, Sam Chisholm’s capacity to keep pace with the best and the worst, while still managing to enunciate clearly and, somehow, remain focused on the main game, was unmatchable. It helped to make him an astonishing success in running Channel Nine in Australia and Rupert Murdoch’s Sky TV in the UK.

But in a career of extraordinary highs and a few lows, what has not been revealed until now is that not long before his death in December 2005, Packer told close friends he had secretly negotiated with Murdoch for Chisholm to leave the Nine Network in Australia and take over the reins of Murdoch’s then-ailing Sky operation in the UK.

According to impeccable sources, Packer told close friends shortly before his death that he had in fact made personal advances to Murdoch, knowing his new satellite TV operation in the UK was in deep trouble, to the point where its losses were imperilling Murdoch’s global newspaper, television, magazine, book publishing and film group.

Packer offered Chisholm’s services to run Murdoch’s Sky TV in the UK, Murdoch started negotiating with Chisholm, and Chisholm accepted the offer, according to these same sources. Packer’s motives were complex. He knew Chisholm would chafe under a boss who was essentially dismantling much of what he had built, but he also knew Chisholm was a highly valuable management tool in television, and parking him offshore, and away from his domestic competition, in a challenging position, had added appeal.

Once in London, Chisholm drew on what he had learnt from Packer, turned around Sky and effectively saved Murdoch’s media empire. In the days after the two rivals, BSB and Murdoch’s Sky, merged in November 1990, an audit by Arthur Anderson revealed the combined company was losing about $40 million a week.

[Read the original]

Google’s dominance in digital advertising being investigated

Google’s dominance in digital advertising and ad-tech products is being investigated for possible anti-competitive behaviour and breach of Australian competition law following private complaints from leading media buyers, reports The Australian’s Darren Davidson.

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission is gathering information on digital media-buying, one of the most opaque and complex parts of the digital media ecosystem – specifically the role of DoubleClick.

Top media buyers said DoubleClick – a Google subsidiary that develops and provides internet advertising services for the web and mobile – has given Google too much power in the supply chain as both a vendor selling ads across the internet and a supplier of the ad tech that is used to sell ads.

[Read the original]

Details of memorial services for Sam Chisholm and Harry M Miller

The Australian’s Stephen Brook has details about two memorial services in the next couple of weeks:

Sam Chisholm’s funeral will be held this Friday at 11am at St Swithun’s Church in Pymble, Sydney. Rupert Murdoch, executive chairman of The Australian’s publisher News Corp, said last week: “Sam was one of the best executives I’ve ever worked with. He led Sky during a transformational decade that put the company on the map, changed UK television forever, and paved the way for the Sky pan-European business we know today.

Then early next month the memorial for famed celebrity agent and promoter Harry M Miller, who died aged 84 earlier this month, will be held at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney on August 3 at 10.30am. Old friend Maria Farmer is handling media inquiries, while Miller’s daughter Lauren, who took over his PR business, has asked producer Graham Burrells to oversee the memorial.

[Read the original]

Mark Day: Are the ABC and SBS on-charter or off-charter?

There is a new question being asked in the ever changing world of media: are the public broadcasters, the ABC and SBS, on-charter or off-charter? asks The Australian’s Mark Day.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that, yes, the ABC is encroaching on fields meant to be the preserve of commercial media but SBS is a serial offender – masquerading as a fourth commercial network while blatantly thumbing its nose at the rules meant to confine it to multicultural broadcasting.

The question will be answered definitively by a Turnbull government inquiry now under way. Its eye-glazing title, the Competitive Neutrality Inquiry, masks a simple question: are the public broadcasters sticking to their legislated remit?

[Read the original]

Chris Mitchell: FTA TV surviving audience drop better than publishing

Television, always a brasher industry than publishing, is weathering the storms of media fragmentation better than print, but there are signs publishers are starting to slow declines and even reverse them, reports The Australian’s Chris Mitchell.

Audience fragmentation is as big a threat to free-to-air TV as the internet was to newspapers a decade ago. Time spent online and “multiscreening” was already reducing time spent with FTA TV even before the onslaught of streaming services, such as Stan and Netflix, in the past three years.

Yet for all the challenges, FTA TV revenues in Australia held up remarkably well in the 10 years to 2017.

[Read the original]

News Brands

Veteran Sydney TV & print journalist Steve Barrett facing charges

Veteran Sydney journalist Steve Barrett and a former lawyer for the Obeid family, Sevag Chalabian, are to be charged over the Plutus Payroll tax scandal, reports The Australian’s Ben Butler.

Federal Police accuse Barrett, 60, of Frenchs Forest, of blackmail by trying to extort members of the tax fraud syndicate, and Chalabian, 48, of Rose Bay, of tax fraud.

Barrett has worked for media outlets including the Seven network and The Australian.

[Read the original]

Andrew Hornery on the weekend wedding of Ticky and Stutch

The worlds of Sydney newspapers (once unkindly described to PS as showbiz for ugly people), television and big money will converge in Oxfordshire this weekend for the wedding of Australian Financial Review editor-in-chief Michael Stutchbury and television business commentator Ticky Fullerton, who ranks as one of the few more watchable personalities among the endless parade of crackpots appearing on Sky News these days, reports Fairfax Media’s Andrew Hornery on Saturday.

Billed as the “Ticky and Stutch wedding” – though PS prefers the portmanteau “Sticky” – it will be held on Saturday in a “very old church” in a village in Oxfordshire next to where Fullerton’s father lived with her late mother.

[Read the original]

Publishing

Future Women reveals three-tier pricing starting at $7 per month

As Helen McCabe draws closer to the launch of Future Women, Nine Entertainment’s digital content director has a mixture of excitement and nervousness about her longtime passion project going out into the world, reports The AFR’s Max Mason.

Officially announced at Nine’s upfronts last year, the idea has been percolating in McCabe’s mind for some time. Future Women will launch as a premium digital subscription play for women with three areas, publishing, events and community.

There is no launch date, but all things going well, Future Women could launch imminently, with McCabe and her team going over the finer details to make sure it is pristine the moment it goes live.

“It’s like the cover of a magazine, or promo of a new TV show – you want it to be highly polished by the time it goes out into the general public,” McCabe told The Australian Financial Review.

Last week, Future Women announced to its more than 5,000 newsletter subscribers that its initial pricing will have three tiers: $7 a month for basic access; $23 per month, which will include early notification of events, discounts, and a capacity for individuals to promote themselves in the community; and a much more expensive platinum tier with VIP access, reserved seating, post-event drinks, access to speakers and the ability to become a speaker.

[Read the original]

Radio

Ratings resume with most stars jetting back after midyear break

As radio survey starts for the second half of 2018, the highest-rating metro commercial breakfast show, 3AW’s Ross and John, was broadcasting from Copenhagen.

 GfK Radio Ratings, Survey 4 2018: Highlights + full results 

The hosts flew in over the weekend separately to start organising for the special programs. Ross Stevenson said the major question they will be posing this week: Why do the Scandinavians do things so well?

Sponsoring the program’s trip are Vodafone and Singapore Airlines.

The radio show toured Copenhagen by bike on the weekend with the show revealing this morning John Burns had a stack on his transportation.

The 3AW mobile studio was set up in the basement meeting room at Copenhagen’s Absalon Hotel.

Ross and John in Copenhagen

 

At Sydney’s KIIS 106.5, #1 FM breakfast show hosts Kyle and Jackie O were back at work.

Jackie spent her traditional midyear holiday in Fiji where she got her diving certificate.

Meanwhile co-host Kyle Sandilands was in Hawaii where he too spent time in the water. However, he was snorkelling, not diving.

At Melbourne’s leading FM breakfast showFifi, Fev and ByronFifi Box returned from Greece. She spent time on Santorini and in Athens. She was very enthusiastic about her time in Athens, dismissing reports from some that it is not worth spending time in the Greek capital.

At one of Australia’s highest-rating metro FM breakfast shows – Mix 102.3’s Jodie and Soda show – the Adelaide program returned with a new show welcoming theme. The hosts both headed to the beach during their break.

Jodie Oddy went to Hawaii while Soda (Mark Soderstrom) had a break closer to home at Byron Bay.

Meanwhile Fiveaa co-host David Penberthy, returned to the airwaves a Francophile after what he called a memorable trip to the south of France. While he was away the Penbo and Will Fiveaa breakfast show jumped 1.8 in the ratings to lead the market on 14.4%.

Television

Seven’s halftime lap of honour permitted after record high share

At the halfway mark of the TV survey year, Seven has claimed victory.

As Tim Worner told Mediaweek just days ago, the channel has recorded its highest commercial share in history (since 2001 when OzTAM launched).

In addition to a leading commercial share, Seven is claiming the following trophies:

#1 total people
#1 every demo
#1 multichannel – 7mate
#1 show – The Good Doctor
#1 news
#1 breakfast
#1 primetime

Seven has always been critical of its competitors doing a lap of honour at halftime, but it is allowing a smallish indulgence this year given the historical significance of the 2018 first-half figures.

After three Logie wins, Foxtel won’t be re-commissioning Wentworth

Entertainment reporter Peter Ford has told 3AW breakfast this morning the TV drama Wentworth has been axed, just two weeks after it won numerous awards at the Logies.

“Now today I bring you the news the show’s been axed,” Pete told Ross and John, who were broadcasting from Copenhagen.

“That’s the curse of the Logies.

“Officially Foxtel won’t confirm it – not while the current series is on the air.

“But the word I’m getting from people who work on the show is that they’ve been told, this is it, you’re not returning.

“The set in Newport is currently being dismantled.”

Listen to Ford’s report here.

Ten reveals start date for new Australian Survivor series

Network Ten has revealed the battle for the title of Sole Survivor begins when Australian Survivor: Champions Versus Contenders premieres at 7.30pm on Wednesday 1 August on TEN and WIN Network.

Australian Survivor’s Robbie and Mat

Taking place for the first time on the tropical location of Savusavu, this season of Australian Survivor sees 12 everyday Australians take on 12 giants of Australian society.

In order to take out the ultimate prize of $500,000, each castaway will have to survive epic challenges and tropical elements for 50 days, running on little sleep, little food and possessing only the clothes on their back.

From an astrophysicist to a takeaway delivery rider, an Olympic medallist to a traffic police officer, the new season of competitors come from all walks of life, with only one able to claim the title of Sole Survivor.

Ten reveals start date for Pointless with Mark Humphries and Dr Andrew Rochford

Network Ten has also announced its new quiz show Pointless is set to shake things up when it premieres on Monday July 23 at 6pm on TEN and WIN Network.

Co-hosted by comedian and writer, Mark Humphries, and Dr Andrew Rochford, Pointless sees three teams compete each night in a quiz show unlike any other.

Faced with questions from a wide range of topics, players must produce the least obvious answers in order to progress towards the nightly jackpot.

A smash hit in the UK since 2009 and seen on screens all over the world, Pointless is now set to become a staple of Australian weeknight viewing, replacing Family Feud in the TEN schedule.

Report TEN has commissioned Sam and Roxy show for Pilot Week

The AFR’s Rear Window columnist Myriam Robin reports Network Ten has commissioned a pilot episode of a show with ex-Labor senator Sam Dastyari appearing alongside Roxy Jacenko, the Instagram-savvy Sydney PR queen.

New Ten owner CBS last year announced it would take a leaf out of US television in introducing a pilot week, where shows can be tested in front of a station’s regular audience before any firm programming decision about a full season is taken. The first one, of which Dastyari’s show will be a part, is airing next month.

[Read the original]

Nine denies Sophie Monk to be replaced as Love Island host

A second season of reality dating show Love Island is happening, but insiders believe it will be Sophie Monk’s last stint as host, reports News Corp’s Briana Domjen.

SEE MORE: Second season of 9Go!/9Now format Love Island expected to be commissioned

Domjen understands Nine and production company ITV are hunting for a replacement for Monk, whose appearances on the multichannel show apparently did not impress some executives and viewers.

Both Nine and her agent Titus Day denied this was the case.

“Sophie’s appearance on Love Island is exactly what we wanted and expected, and is in line with the format’s hosting duties as seen on the UK version,” a network spokesman said.

Day confirmed Monk had been signed for a second season and said he believed show executives were pleased with Monk’s appearance.

[Read the original]

Sports Media

Optus still has plans to be “home of elite football in Australia”

Fairfax Media’s Robert Moran reports on how SBS became the saviour of World Cup 2018:

“SBS has the rights for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Our focus is on delivering the best 2018 FIFA World Cup experience and it is too early to speculate what might happen in 2022 and 2026,” an SBS spokesperson said about their long-term plans, with or without Optus.

The short-term picture’s only slightly clearer: SBS revealed on Friday they’d be airing a weekly English Premier League game for the upcoming 2018-19 season, kicking off on August 11. With Optus, it is also expected to share the broadcast of the 2019 Women’s World Cup next June.

An Optus spokesperson was similarly guarded on its plans to ensure a better viewing experience in the future, simply offering: “We have a clear strategy to be the home of elite football in Australia.”

[Read the original]

How content pirates set up shop in Australia during World Cup

Content pirates have set up shop in Australia to distribute illegal streams of World Cup matches to consumers, raising question marks about the capabilities of content data network (CDN) operators like Akamai and exclusive broadcast rights holder SBS to proactively combat the threat, reports The Australian’s Supratim Adhikari.

With SBS reportedly paying a combined $40 million for the World Cup in Russia and 2022 event in Qatar, Tony Ishak, managing director of World Media International, told The Weekend Australian the public broadcaster had been complacent in blocking the illegal streams.

Meanwhile, SBS said it was working closely with FIFA, the main rights holder of the World Cup, on anti-piracy measures.

[Read the original]

Nine asking NRL for access to coaches during matches

Channel Nine wants Brad Fittler-style Origin mid-game interviews to be integrated into their coverage of regular season NRL matches with the rights holder planning to approach head coaches about the idea, reports Fairfax Media’s Adam Pengilly.

It might be a little harder to convince some of the competition’s hard-nosed clipboard carriers, but Nine’s director of sport Tom Malone is hoping to continue the trend outside of Origin.

“We thought it was terrific and we were very grateful to Freddy for allowing us to do it,” Malone said. “It’s certainly something we’d love to do in regular [season] home and away matches. It would be terrific insight for the viewers.

“It’s something we’ll try to work towards as the season progresses and into next season. You can improve the access through relationships and working with clubs and coaches to ensure they can trust you, living up to the trust and the proving it. And going forward from there you can make sure it’s a more permanent fixture.

“It’s was what I call lean-forward television. That’s what the viewers want and they want to be closer to the action.”

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