Tuesday June 26, 2018

'My little head is spinning,' says Nine’s Tracy Grimshaw in Logies week

• It’s all happening, Gold Logie nomination and her own TV Week cover
ACA host reveals how Nine stopped her from accepting jobs at Seven & TEN
• Despite 37 years in commercial media, Grimshaw is a huge ABC fan

By James Manning

“I am still getting my head around being in contention for a Gold Logie,” Nine’s Tracy Grimshaw told Mediaweek on the morning live voting opened again for the 2018 TV Week Gold Logie nominees.

“It’s been a 37-year career and it hasn’t happened yet… and now suddenly it has happened,” she said with a laugh.

“I am immensely honoured and flattered,” she added in a more serious tone. “I am also a bit baffled. It is nice and I am enjoying the ride.”

TV Week 2018 Gold Logie nominees Tracy Grimshaw, Rodger Corser, Andrew Winter, Jessica Marais, Grant Denyer and Amanda Keller

Grimshaw admitted she hadn’t followed Logies voting closely in years gone by, but she was aware this is the first year a week of voting takes place up until moments before the announcement of the winners.

She started to chuckle again when she said, “There is still another week of lobbying to be done.”

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

Interactive gaming sector thriving despite no investment incentives and poor broadband

To coincide with the launch of weekly video games charts from the Interactive Games Entertainment Association (IGEA), Mediaweek spoke with the CEO of the industry body, Ron Curry, this week.

By James Manning

The video game charts measure what is sold in traditional retail outlets for the previous week – ranked by unit value, not dollar value.

The organisation has been running for 12 years and represents the gaming sector in Australia and New Zealand. “We are the peak advocacy and lobbying body and our membership covers most of the large publishers, distributors and many developers across both territories,” Curry told Mediaweek.

The value of the retail gaming market was over $3b in calendar 2017

Household names in the market in Australia include Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft, who are the platform holders. They are also publishers along with the likes of Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Activision, Warner Bros, Take-Two and Rockstar.

Most of these businesses are global players, with IGEA representing them in the ANZ markets.

The value of the retail gaming market was over $3b in calendar 2017, a figure that includes consoles and software.

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

International service ABC Plus rebranding as ABC Australia

The ABC has relaunched its international television service under the new brand ABC Australia for audiences across Asia and the Pacific.

From July 1, the Australia Plus channel (formerly known as Australia Network) will be rebranded ABC Australia to clearly align it with the ABC.

The channel will continue to offer Australian news, current affairs, entertainment and cultural enrichment programs for audiences across 40 countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

The rebranding follows the lifting of the geo-block on the ABC NEWS live streaming video on the ABC website and YouTube channels, allowing audiences to watch more of the ABC’s high-quality Australian content from wherever they are in the world.

ABC Australia content includes:

• Coverage of national events, such as Anzac Day, Stargazing Live and Tropfest.

• An Australian perspective on key global events, such as the meeting between United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

• Live coverage of AFL men’s and women’s matches.

• Australian news, information, entertainment and drama.

• New programs, such as Matter of Fact With Stan Grant and The National Wrap with Patricia Karvelas.

• Current affairs programs The World, The Drum and The Business.

• “Slice-of-home” shows offering insights into Australian attitudes and interests, such as Gardening Australia, Landline, Catalyst and Behind The News.

Matter of Fact With Stan Grant

The ABC Australia TV channel is part of a suite of services the ABC provides to international audiences, including ABC Radio Australia and digital services. ABC Radio Australia is not affected by the changes.

ABC head of international strategy David Hua said: “The ABC is Australia’s most trusted and independent source of conversations, culture, and stories. The rebranding of the international television service makes sense to our audiences overseas, who want distinctive Australian content from a highly respected media organisation.”

media agency market
Adshel working with IAS and OmniComm on improving outdoor measurement

Adshel and IAS have announced a successful pixel-based verification solution across digital out-of-home campaigns as part of a beta measurement project aimed at improving measurement.

It is the first time this type of verification has been deployed in Australia and while it is still in a beta the initial results have demonstrated the usefulness of the IAS verification solution in DOOH to capture plays and, more importantly, exposure time.

Adshel head of platform sales Steve Geelan said:

“We have a long-held belief that measurement and transparency play an important role in enhancing confidence and investment in the OOH industry and, via our work with IAS and OMG, we are proud to have led the charge on that front.

“Measurement, in our view, needs to be at an individual play level. Measurement should be universal, constant and independent.”

Head of partnerships, outdoor and audio at OmniCom Jo Dick said:

“At OMG we are constantly looking to improve the way we buy media for our clients and we have been advocating for better verification in the OOH market for a long time. We have worked with IAS to measure our online campaigns for years and so it made sense to see if its technology and expertise could be deployed to bring independent verification to the OOH market.

“It is still early days, but the work Adshel and IAS have done on this proof of concept has laid a great foundation for us to build on. We want our clients to have complete confidence that they got what they paid for and we believe that independent verification is key to achieve that. For the benefit of our clients, we will continue to push IAS to enhance its verification technology so that the industry has a robust solution for verification.

“The Adshel team deserve recognition for their willingness to engage in this process. It is never easy being the first to run technology like this, but they were incredibly open and helpful as we worked through the process. It sets a great example for other media owners to be open to verification from an independent third party provider such as IAS.”

Continued at mediaweek.com.au.

After Aussie chart history on the weekend, 5SOS now takes over US charts

Youngblood (Capitol / EMI Music Australia), the new album from 5 Seconds of Summer, has taken top spot on the Billboard 200, with over 142,000 equivalent album units for the week ending June 21.

5SOS is now the only band (not vocal group) in chart history to see its first three full-length studio albums enter the Billboard 200 at No. 1.

Youngblood was released in the US on June 15 via One Mode/Capitol Records.

Billboard noted Youngblood gives 5 Seconds of Summer its third straight US chart-topper, following the Australian band’s first two full-length studio sets: 2015’s Sounds Good Feels Good (which debuted with 192,000 units, with 179,000 in album sales) and its 2014 self-titled album (259,000 in album sales, before the chart transitioned to a consumption units-ranked list).

5 Seconds of Summer also becomes the first Australian act with three No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200.

5 Seconds of Summer further extends its record as the only band (not vocal group) to debut at No. 1 with its first three full-length studio albums – it was already the first band to bow on top of the list with its first two full-length studio sets. In addition to the three full-length studio efforts, the band has also charted with a live album (LIVESOS, #13 in 2015) and an introductory EP (She Looks So Perfect, #2 in 2014).

The band celebrated the album’s release with a performance on the Plaza in NYC, which was broadcast on NBC’s Today show as part of the 2018 Citi Concert Series.

Reviews of the new album have been favourable:

Rolling Stone said, “5SOS could be on track to let this new sound carry them into a whole new era of their career.”

Billboard noted, “Youngblood is the perfect example of what can happen when you jump of out of box and see what’s happening outside – in this case, swaggering tight-grooved pop with EDM inflections.”

Nylon declares, “(Youngblood) is… great. Like, really, really great” and Alternative Press calls the song “stunning”.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the US based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). The new June 30-dated chart (where 5 Seconds of Summer debuts at #1) will be posted in full on Billboard’s websites on Tuesday June 26.

Of Youngblood’s overall first week in release of 142,000 units, 117,000 were in album sales, 3,000 were in TEA units and 23,000 were in SEA units.

Billboard explained Youngblood bows at #1 in the US after a full seven days of tracking activity. It was available across all streaming services, and for sale on CD, digital download, vinyl LP and cassette. The album was also assisted by sales generated by merchandise/album bundles sold via the group’s official site, as well as a concert ticket/album sale redemption offer with its 2018 US tour.

Youngblood was announced on April 9, and slated for a June 22 release. By June 1, that release date was pushed up to June 15. Youngblood was introduced by the single Want You Back, which was released on February 22. The tune reached No. 25 on the US Pop Songs airplay chart, and was followed by the album’s title track, which has so far climbed to No. 31 (on the most recently compiled chart, dated June 23).

Top photo: 5 Seconds of Summer at the 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards (credit: Dfree / Shutterstock)

Box Office: Dinosaurs run wild as Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom scares up $10m

Mediaweek editor James Manning looks at the weekend box office for June 21-24, 2018.

The weekend box office returned $21.25m for the top 20 movies. That is up 13% on the previous weekend, which makes it the second-best weekend since mid-January – and it’s not quite school holidays yet.

There was only one new release on the weekend, which drove the revenue lift.

There hasn’t been a weekend like this so far in 2018 with two hit movies both taking over $6m – one of them over $10m.

#1 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom $10.27m

There have now been five Jurassic Park movies in the franchise with the latest the second in a Jurassic World trilogy that started with Jurassic World in 2015. The movie opened on 734 screens – the most since Solo: A Star Wars Story opened on 780. Jurassic World 2, however, had a much better screen average with $13,995, which means the last four weekends have seen the #1 movie with a screen average over $10,000. Solo was the last one that didn’t with $8,478.

#2 The Incredibles 2 $6.54m

The animated hit sequel has had the best second weekend since Avengers: Infinity War did $10.20m. Incredibles 2 was down 38% from its launch weekend, which is better than most recent major openings. The movie shed only 34 screens to 536 while the screen average was a very healthy $12,206. The movie has now taken $19.76m in total.

#3 Ocean’s 8 $1.54m

The all-women heist movie was still holding on 300 screens for its third weekend. The screen average was a touch over $5,000 with the film’s total to-date just over $13m.

#4 Tag $611,000

The buddy comedy that also stars Isla Fisher was down 45% on its second weekend with 234 screens in action for a screen average of $2,614 with a total earn to-date of $2.06m.

#5 Deadpool 2 $405,000

Still in the top five after six weekends, the film has taken $35.20m in that time and it remained on 171 screens across the weekend with a screen average of $2,369.

TV Ratings Analysis: Monday June 25

• House Rules continues to edge closer to 1m as eliminations bite
• MasterChef and Have You Been Paying Attention? top key demos
• Good news for HYBPA’s Urzila Carlson, not-so-good for MasterChef’s Gina

By James Manning

Seven

Home and Away is nearly halfway through its 30th year. After a week 25 average of 693,000, the new week started on 716,000.

A homeowner reveal on the last of the makeovers on House Rules. The team at the bottom of the leader board, Leigh & Kristie, were eliminated from the show. While they return to their children and enjoy their renovated home, Kristie’s parting words were a warning to the remaining competitors: “Do not trust Mel and Dave. They are as sneaky as it comes.” The episode did 953,000 for a new season high after 890,000 on Monday last week and comes after the former season high of 948,000 on Monday.

First Dates then did 449,000, followed by Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares on 177,000.

Nine

Complex regional pain syndrome was a medical mystery Brady Halls was trying to unravel on A Current Affair. Then on the day host and Gold Logie nominee Tracy Grimshaw told Mediaweek about brave ACA reporters, two of them confronted people trying to avoid their cameras last night, including one former NRL footballer who pushed reporter Steve Marshall out of the way. The program had an average of 775,000 in week 25 as week 26 started on 847,000.

Guests on Talkin’ ’Bout Your Generation were Claudia Karvan, comedian Rhys Nicholson and actress Liv Hewson. The show did 578,000 after 566,000 last week.

Robyn Butler and Claudia Karvan on Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation

Two episodes of The Big Bang Theory followed with 501,000 and 450,000.

Hutchy and Caroline Wilson were both back on Footy Classified, which did 102,000 in Melbourne.

The future of the Women’s State Of Origin was one of the topics on 100% Footy with just 44,000 in Sydney and 34,000 in Brisbane.

TEN

The Project ended with stars from WWE – Carmella and AJ Styles. The episode did 600,000 after an average of 510,000 after 7pm last week.

MasterChef Sweet Week continued with Gina being sent home after she delivered the poorest attempt at a cake from Instagram cake maker Katherine Sabbath. There was no Sashi competing last night as he used one of his two immunity pins to escape the pressure test. The episode did 889,000 after 833,000 a week ago. Although it trailed House Rules all people, MasterChef was well ahead 25-54.

Urzila Carlson was the winner of Have You Been Paying Attention? as she defeated her colleagues Ed Kavalee, Sam Pang, Anne Edmonds and, for the first time this year, Tony Martin. Guest quizmasters included TEN Gold Logie nominee Grant Denyer. The show was well over 800,000 again and was #1 Monday for people 25-54.

Katherine Sabbath on MasterChef

ABC

Guest presenter Paul West was at work on Back Roads with a visit to the Victorian town of Natimuk with 629,000 watching.

Four Corners delivered a US special on second chances for teen offenders made for PBS. The episode did 523,000 after 563,000 a week ago.

Media Watch featured a special edition on the future of the ABC, which did 503,000.

Q&A followed on 399,000.

Paul West visits Natimuk, Victoria on last nights ABC’s Back Roads

SBS

The World Cup didn’t get under way until midnight with the two final games from group A running simultaneously at midnight – one on SBS and the other on SBS Viceland.

Uruguay v Russia did 154,000 at midnight on SBS.
Japan v Senegal did 73,000 (2am Monday second half).
Poland v Colombia did 58,000 (4am Monday).

The Saudi Arabia v Egypt on Viceland at midnight didn’t register on our data, which means the audience was under 50,000.

Earlier in the night the lineup included The Great Fire Of London (202,000), Running Wild With Bear Grylls (114,000) and 24 Hours In Emergency (156,000).

Week 26 TV: Monday
MONDAY METRO
ABCSeven AffiliatesNine AffiliatesTen AffiliatesSBS
ABC12.9%719.9%916.4%WIN16.6%SBS One5.2%
ABC 22.2%7TWO4.3%GO!3.5%ONE3.2%VICELAND0.7%
ABC ME0.8%7mate3.9%GEM3.0%ELEVEN1.7%Food Net0.9%
ABC NEWS1.0%7flix1.8%9Life2.1%NITV0.1%
TOTAL16.9%29.8%24.9%21.5%6.9%
MONDAY REGIONAL
ABCSevenNineTenSBS
ABC12.9%723.9%914.1%TEN12.4%SBS One3.6%
ABC 22.4%7TWO5.3%GO!3.7%ONE3.5%VICELAND1.0%
ABC ME0.7%7mate5.0%GEM4.5%ELEVEN1.6%Food Net0.8%
ABC NEWS1.1%7flix1.3%9Life2.1%NITV0.1%
TOTAL17.1%35.5%24.4%17.5%5.5%
MONDAY METRO ALL TV
FTASTV
86.7%13.3%
Monday FTA
  1. Seven News Seven 1,129,000
  2. Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 1,061,000
  3. Nine News Nine 1,060,000
  4. Nine News 6:30 Nine 1,045,000
  5. House Rules Seven 953,000
  6. MasterChef Australia Ten 889,000
  7. Have You Been Paying Attention? Ten 854,000
  8. A Current Affair Nine 847,000
  9. ABC News ABC 717,000
  10. The Chase Australia Seven 716,000
  11. Home And Away Seven 716,000
  12. Back Roads S4 ABC 629,000
  13. The Project 7pm Ten 600,000
  14. 7.30 ABC 597,000
  15. Hot Seat Nine 591,000
  16. Talkin Bout Your Generation Nine 578,000
  17. Four Corners ABC 523,000
  18. Media Watch ABC 503,000
  19. The Big Bang Theory Nine 501,000
  20. Ten Eyewitness News First At Five Ten 454,000
Demo Top Fives

16-39 Top 5

  1. Have You Been Paying Attention? Ten 304,000
  2. MasterChef Australia Ten 288,000
  3. House Rules Seven 190,000
  4. Nine News 6:30 Nine 168,000
  5. Talkin Bout Your Generation Nine 168,000

 

18-49 Top 5

  1. Have You Been Paying Attention? Ten 475,000
  2. MasterChef Australia Ten 448,000
  3. House Rules Seven 347,000
  4. Nine News 6:30 Nine 303,000
  5. Nine News Nine 288,000

 

25-54 Top 5

  1. Have You Been Paying Attention? Ten 506,000
  2. MasterChef Australia Ten 480,000
  3. House Rules Seven 402,000
  4. Nine News Nine 366,000
  5. Nine News 6:30 Nine 359,000
Monday Multichannel
  1. Peppa Pig-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 208,000
  2. PJ Masks-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 203,000
  3. Peppa Pig-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 199,000
  4. Floogals ABCKIDS/COMEDY 198,000
  5. Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 196,000
  6. Peter Rabbit ABCKIDS/COMEDY 191,000
  7. Dinosaur Train ABCKIDS/COMEDY 189,000
  8. Fireman Sam-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 189,000
  9. Teacup Travels-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 185,000
  10. Kazoops!-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 185,000
  11. Foyle’s War-PM 7TWO 180,000
  12. Go Jetters-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 175,000
  13. Octonauts ABCKIDS/COMEDY 175,000
  14. Love Island Australia 9GO! 174,000
  15. Hey Duggee-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 173,000
  16. Luo Bao Bei-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 172,000
  17. Shaun The Sheep ABCKIDS/COMEDY 171,000
  18. Doc Martin-PM 7TWO 168,000
  19. Sarah & Duck-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 167,000
  20. Andy’s Baby Animals ABCKIDS/COMEDY 166,000
Monday Subscription TV
  1. Live: AFL 360 FOX FOOTY 107,000
  2. Live: On The Couch FOX FOOTY 70,000
  3. Live: NRL 360 FOX LEAGUE 69,000
  4. Westworld showcase 67,000
  5. Paul Murray Live SKY NEWS LIVE 67,000
  6. Family Guy FOX8 58,000
  7. Family Guy FOX8 54,000
  8. American Dad! FOX8 52,000
  9. Live: Motorsport: F1: France Race FOX SPORTS 506 50,000
  10. The Bolt Report SKY NEWS LIVE 48,000
  11. Criminal Minds TVH!TS 45,000
  12. American Dad! FOX8 45,000
  13. Jeopardy! FOX Classics 43,000
  14. Outsiders SKY NEWS LIVE 42,000
  15. Live: Big League Wrap FOX LEAGUE 41,000
  16. AFL Tonight FOX FOOTY 40,000
  17. NCIS TVH!TS 40,000
  18. Criminal Minds TVH!TS 40,000
  19. Credlin SKY NEWS LIVE 39,000
  20. The Simpsons FOX8 37,000

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

After Adshel sale, HT&E reveals ARN could be for sale “at the right price”

Following the sale of Adshel, HT&E shareholders will still have radio business Australian Radio Network as a standalone company, reports The AFR’s Max Mason.

MORE: oOh!media to acquire Adshel from HT&E and launch capital raising

Over the 2017 financial year, it had earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of $83.1 million, from $218.7 million in revenue.

“I think, in its own right, it is a very profitable, well-performing business that is absolutely relevant in media today,” HT&E CEO Ciaran Davis said.

“As a standalone business, it’s incredibly attractive for shareholders. It’s in a relatively stable market, it still has growth in its core and it has growth in the digital environment.”

However, Davis said HT&E would be open to a sale of its remaining radio and eSports businesses at the right price if a suitor materialised.

[Read the original]

The AFR also reports:

Here, There & Everywhere will return $275 million of the $570 million of proceeds from its sale of Adshel to oOh!media for a special dividend and share buyback.

HT&E said it would use $275 million for a fully franked special dividend and an on-market buyback. About $220 million will be used on the dividend, at 89¢ a share, with the remainder going to the buyback.

[Read the original]

Make It Australian: Actors, producers & writers lobbying today in Canberra

Key creatives from Australia’s film and TV industry in front of and behind the camera will today urge federal politicians from all parties to act to ensure Australian stories continue to be told on Australian screens.

A group of actors, directors, producers, writers and crew will be in Parliament House for a series of meetings about the threats to the Australian industry’s future as part of the Make It Australian campaign.

Actors Judy Davis, Richard Roxburgh and Deborah Mailman, directors Phillip Noyce and Gillian Armstrong, screenwriters Andrew Knight and Ellie Beaumont, and producers Jo Porter, Anita Jacoby and Michael Tear as well as production designer Fiona Donovan are among those taking the fight to save Australian screen stories directly to the politicians who have the power to do so.

Their visit to Parliament is part of the Make It Australian campaign spearheaded by the Australian Directors’ Guild, the Australian Writers’ Guild, the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance and Screen Producers Australia to ensure government support for the sector. It follows an open letter published in March calling for urgent action by many of the biggest names in the industry such as Cate Blanchett and Chris Hemsworth.

“There is momentum building around the Make it Australian campaign and in particular, extending local content obligations to the new media and streaming services. This momentum comes from industry, the public and today we’re asking the Parliament to join us.” said Matthew Deaner, chief executive officer of Screen Producers Australia.

After Time Warner success, AT&T acquiring ad tech company AppNexus

AT&T has announced it is acquiring AppNexus, which will become a part of AT&T advertising & analytics, led by Brian Lesser, CEO.

AppNexus is a technology company that operates a global advertising marketplace and provides enterprise products for digital advertising – serving publishers, agencies and marketers.

With its proposed acquisition of AppNexus, AT&T is investing to accelerate the growth of its advertising platform and strengthen its leadership in advanced TV advertising.

The US telco, which has just acquired Time Warner, said AppNexus has an experienced management team and employee base that includes more than 400 software engineers and product managers. This team brings leadership and vertical expertise in machine learning and predictive analytics, advertising technology and video.

AT&T will continue to invest in and build on AppNexus’s foundational technology as it integrates with AT&T’s first-party data, premium video content and distribution. AT&T has more than 170 million direct to consumer relationships across its wireless, video and broadband businesses.

AppNexus extends AT&T advertising and analytics footprint globally, expanding into Asia-Pacific, Australia, Europe, and Latin America.

AFR: Sydney-based firm Allegro Funds makes offer for News Corp regional titles

With the deal carousel almost complete in the outdoor advertising sector, attention has turned to regional media where News Corporation’s outfit looms as the next bit of hot property, reports The AFR’s Street Talk.

Sydney-based firm Allegro Funds was among parties to show their hand when first round offers were submitted to adviser Citi late last week. Fellow turnaround specialist Anchorage Capital Partners is believed to have swerved the indicative offer deadline.

Regional papers have proved to be a happy hunting ground for private equity firms in the United States, which have extracted costs by centralising newsrooms and boosted revenue through the increased frequency of sponsored content.

[Read the original]

Entertainment

Universal Music launches Project: Aloft Star Asia-Pacific 2018 music competition

Marriott International’s Aloft Hotels, in partnership with Universal Music Group & Brands (UMBG), the brand strategy division of Universal Music Group (UMG), has launched the Project: Aloft Star Asia-Pacific 2018 music competition.

Former triple j breakfast presenter Alex Dyson leads the local campaign and will host the September grand finale event in South Korea

From June 25 to July 31, 2018, artists, bands and songwriters are invited to submit up to two original songs in video or audio format in any language.

The competition is open to entrants from Australia and countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The countries are in five clusters spanning 11 markets: Australia, Greater China, India, South-East Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand) and South Korea.

From the entries submitted, UMG will select five finalists (one from each cluster) for an all-expenses paid trip to Seoul, South Korea, to battle it out in the grand finale to be held at Aloft Seoul Myeongdong on September 20, 2018. Each finalist will also receive 100,000 Rewards points redeemable for stays at participating Marriott International hotels around the world and other rewards.

This year’s Project: Aloft Star Asia-Pacific mentors include UMG recording artist, Indian singer and composer Salim Merchant, whose scores have appeared in 100 Bollywood films; award-winning Greater China singer and actress Rachel Liang; Australian presenter Alex Dyson and Korean R&B performing artist SAAY.

Dyson said: “I’m so pumped to be helping a new Australian act play the show of a lifetime in South Korea. Whether that means giving solid advice, carrying the bags, or just giving a well-earned foot massage, I’ll go the extra mile.”

Music fans will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite artists or bands via a public vote at projectaloftstarasia.com from September 3 to September 19, 2018.

TV and radio superstars ready for Red Nose Day this week

Media personalities will be showing their support for Red Nose Day on June 29. The charity event celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

The day raises awareness and funds for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Deaths from SIDS have decreased by 80% in the last three decades. However, nine children in Australia still pass away suddenly and unexpectedly every day.

Qantas has signed on as a major corporate sponsor.

Some of the media personalities who will be showing their support for Red Nose Day are Nine’s Rebecca Maddern, Ten’s Joe Hildebrand and Sarah Harris, as well as Australian Radio Network’s on-air talent such as KIIS FM’s Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson, Will McMahon and Woody Whitelaw, Jason Hawkins and Polly Harding, Monty Dimond, Bec Judd and Yumi Stynes, Zoe Marshall, John “JC” Caldwell, WSFM’s BrendanJonesyJones and Amanda Keller, GOLD 104.3’s Christian O’Connell, 97.3FM’s Bianca Dye, Terry Hansen and Bob Gallagher, 4KQ’s Mark Hine, Laurel Edwards and Gary Clare, Mix 102.3’s Jodie Oddy and Mark “Soda” Soderstrom, CRUISE 1323’s John Dean, 96FM’s Paul Hogan and Lisa Fernandez and The Edge 96.ONE’s Michael “Mike E” Etheridge and Emma Chow.

Australian Radio Network’s iHeartRadio will supply a dedicated radio station for families and schools to host their own Little Rockers Red Nose Disco fundraiser, using this station as the soundtrack. Television breakfast and morning shows on Seven, Nine and Ten will be running segments in support of the charity event.

Television

Karl Stefanovic tells TV Tonight: “I’ve been broken”, wanted to quit Today

During a week of broadcasts from Melbourne, Today show co-host Karl Stefanovic speaks with TV Tonight:

Nine’s Livinia Nixon, Richard Wilkins, Peter Hitchener and Karl Stefanovic in Melbourne this week

Karl Stefanovic’s name is also synonymous with clickbait. His marriage breakup has made headlines and sold magazines for the past two years. A phone call overheard in an Uber car added fuel to the fire. Paparazzi follow him with regularity. Online journos have him in the cross-hairs on a daily basis, waiting for another foot-in-mouth moment.

“If I was in any way a bad person, you would have found out in the last two years,” he tells TV Tonight. “Over the weekend I had four sets of paparazzi, and I’ve got my kids. I don’t know why. It’s complete bullshit. Why am I of interest? I’m the world’s most boring f***ing man.

“I go to work, I go home, I go for walks.

“I have my ugg boots on, my track suit pants, my AC/ DC shirt and I’m watching Stan in front of the fire. That’s as exciting as I get.

“I know there has been interest in my private life and I guess that comes with the territory. It’s a reality for anyone in the public eye. But it’s only going to get more intense for people and you have to decide if you want to stick it out in the job.”

Stefanovic says there have been times when he has considered throwing in his Today role.

“I’ve been broken in the last two years, but you still have to come to work and do a breakfast show,” before adding, “There are a lot more people in this world going through hardship than Karl Stefanovic.”

[Read the original]

Sam Perry too fails to make a noise after winning Nine’s The Voice Australia

To the long list of singers who have failed to make a noise after winning The Voice, add the name of Sam Perry, reports News Corp’s Kris Crane.

The 2018 season winner has bombed out with his first single Trust Myself limply entering the ARIA chart at No. 78 with just 2,414 sales and dropping to No. 97 on the iTunes chart.

Channel 9 was criticised for not allowing Perry to perform his winner’s single on the finale.

[Read the original]

Grant Denyer reveals apology to Ten executives after Family Feud comments

Grant Denyer has revealed that he apologised to Network Ten executives for comments he made on radio about Family Feud being rested, reports news.com.au’s Andrew Bucklow.

Denyer confirmed on 2DayFM Breakfast with Em, Grant & Ed in May that Family Feud was coming to an end and suggested the TV network was partly to blame for airing the game show too often.

“We’re probably guilty, if anything, of driving it into the ground a little bit too early,” Denyer said on radio.

“Six days a week, twice a day, plus All Star episodes, we might have squeezed that lemon a little bit too much.”

Speaking to news.com.au ahead of this weekend’s Logies where he’s up for the Gold Logie, Denyer explained he rang his bosses at Network Ten to say sorry for his comments about the show.

Denyer will next host Game Of Games when it kicks off on Network Ten later in the year.

ABC radio personality Chris Bath was reportedly set to host the quiz show but had to pull out when the ABC banned her from accepting the gig.

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Russell Crowe to star in Showtime series about Fox News founder Roger Ailes

The CBS-owned US premium cable network Showtime has tapped Oscar winner Russell Crowe to star in an eight-episode limited series about Fox News founder Roger Ailes, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

The miniseries is based on Gabriel Sherman’s extensive reporting and best-selling book, The Loudest Voice in the Room.

Sherman, who interviewed more than 600 people for his book, co-wrote the pilot alongside Tom McCarthy, who is no stranger to exploring journalism on screen after winning an Oscar for Spotlight. The series is exec produced by Emmy winner Jason Blum and is a co-production between Showtime and the latter’s Blumhouse Television.

“In many ways, the collision between the media and politics has come to define the world we live in today,” Showtime CEO David Nevins said Monday, comparing the series to Orson Welles’s exploration of William Randolph Hearst in 1941’s Citizen Kane. “We’ve seen this phenomenon depicted on screen as far back as the story of Charles Foster Kane, and it finds contemporary embodiment in the rise and fall of Roger Ailes. With Russell Crowe in the lead role, this limited series promises to be a defining story for this era.”

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Toni Collette to play a detective in Netflix’s An Unbelievable Story of Rape

Netflix has announced Toni Collette, Merritt Wever and Kaitlyn Dever have been cast in Unbelievable, a series based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning article by The Marshall Project and ProPublica, An Unbelievable Story of Rape.

Collette and Wever will play detectives whose lives become intertwined in their mutual pursuit of a possible serial rapist.

Lisa Cholodenko is set to direct the first three episodes.

Executive producers are Susannah Grant, Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly, Lisa Cholodenko, Katie Couric, Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman.

Sports Media

Nine’s Tom Malone says Wednesday is preferred night for Origin in future

Channel 9 is likely to urge the NRL to drop its Sunday experiment with State Of Origin, after the series decider saw a ratings dive of 12% on its Wednesday night staging of Game 1, reports News Corp’s Holly Byrnes.

Nine’s head of sport Tom Malone said while the ratings for all weekend games, including Origin were strong, “We would prefer it to be a Wednesday night to get its biggest possible audience share.”

An NRL spokesman said the game was prepared to discuss timeslot options for State of Origin 2 with Channel 9.

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SBS reveals broadcast schedule for 2018 Tour de France, starting July 7

SBS’s coverage of the 2018 Tour de France will begin on July 7. The start times for each stage of the competition vary, with most beginning at 8.30pm AEST.

Chris Froome Tour de France 2017 (credit: Radu Razvan / Shutterstock)

The tournament will be available in full on SBS’s digital platforms, streaming on SBS On Demand, Cycling Central website and the ŠKODA Tour Tracker app. The Cycling Central website offers news, opinion, stats, highlights and video on demand. The ŠKODA Tour Tracker app features streaming live pictures, real-time data, stage profiles and catch-up video.

SBS will have a morning update show called Daily Update at 7am, as well as stage replays from 1pm and 3pm on SBS Viceland. The evening highlights program will begin at 5.30pm.

SBS cycling host Michael Tomalaris will lead the team in France. Matthew Keenan and Robbie McEwen will call every stage from start to finish. Cycling journalist Sophie Smith will report the latest news from the race as well as feature stories. David McKenzie will deliver in-depth analysis, and will be getting close to the stars for all the reactions from the day’s race.

French chef Gabriel Gaté will be back for the 14th consecutive year to present his delicious serve of Taste Le Tour, a gastronomic feast that follows the route of the Tour de France.

SBS French Radio’s Christophe Mallet and David McKenzie will host the broadcaster’s Tour de France podcast, The Zwift. It will feature special guest interviews recorded on-the-ground in France. The daily podcast will have updates on the race.

The 105th edition of the Tour de France departs from Île de Noirmoutier, a small island off the west coast of France, before hitting the mainland. Except for a short venture into Spain, the Tour this year is 100% French, with no stages outside the borders of France.

Richie Porte will represent Australia at the race. He is coming into the Tour de France fresh from his recent win at the Tour de Suisse.

The 2018 Tour de France will run from July 7-29.

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