Peter Wiltshire

Wiltshire, also an investor in Medical Media, has spent the past 18 months advising Medical Media on commercialising its platform as a non-executive director and, prior to that, as an external consultant.

Wiltshire’s appointment as CEO is effective immediately. He is a former chief revenue officer for the Nine Entertainment Co.

In April of last year he founded an independent media representation and consulting company, WeThinkMedia. The business has grown rapidly and is now Australia’s largest independent media representation agency, with clients including The New York Times, MediaWorks New Zealand, 20FOUR and LUMO. Wiltshire will maintain an active role as a director of WeThinkMedia while head of sales Jane Stucci manages day-to-day operations.

Nazar Musa flagged his plans to step down to the board earlier in the year, having achieved the objectives he and the board had set, and in light of his wish to move overseas to be closer to his extended family.

Read more at mediaweek.com.au.

James Marsh

Marsh joins Foxtel and Fox Sports from Vodafone Hutchison Australia, where he has been chief financial officer since 2013.

Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany said Marsh is a highly credentialled, experienced and energetic leader who will help steer the growth and expansion of the Foxtel and Fox Sports business.

Delany said: “James’s knowledge of the telecommunications landscape combined with his astute financial leadership and vision will ensure we transform our company for future success. It was imperative that our new CFO came with experience and expertise in large-scale customer-focused organisation and in James we have found an exceptional candidate.”

Marsh said: “I’m delighted to be joining the Foxtel and Fox Sports team and look forward to further developing the ways finance can partner with and influence the wider business to drive customer satisfaction, revenues and total company performance.”

Marsh joined Vodafone in early 2000 and has had two stints in different roles in the central group functions in the UK and three roles in operating companies in Spain, New Zealand and Australia. He was CFO of Vodafone New Zealand for six years from 2006 before moving to Vodafone in Australia in 2013.

He will commence his new role in August.

Mark Johnson

The news follows the resignation of Geraldine McDonagh, who was the chief digital officer of the company. She will leave the agency on June 28. Her role will not be replaced.

“It’s now time for me to build on the great experience I have gained at Zenith and look for a new challenge within the media and marketing industry,” McDonagh said.

Prior to joining Zenith, Johnson was group director of digital at MediaCom Australia for three years. He has also worked as performance director and senior search manager for MediaCom, as well as digital insight consultant at Latitude.

Johnson said: “Zenith has a strong digital team and a great offering for clients. With the agency’s focus on ROI and marketing-led growth, we are well placed and I’m excited to lead the team in Sydney to deliver results for our clients.”

Zenith Australia CEO Nickie Scriven said: “Mark came to Zenith earlier this year with a wealth of digital experience. In just six months he has made exceptional inroads into our digital performance structure, people, product and processes.

“With Geraldine’s departure we have an opportunity to recognise this great work and allow Mark to lead the entire digital team in Zenith Sydney and ensure we are well prepared for the future in this constantly evolving media landscape. I’d like to thank Geraldine for all of her hard work and commitment to Zenith. She will be missed by the executive team and the broader agency and we wish her all the best in her future endeavours.”

Sports and digital OOH technology company Techfront Australia and OOH media sales specialists MediaSeed have unveiled a state-of-the-art 40 square metre supersite.

The new high-resolution audiovisual asset has multiple display uses for advertisers including brand messaging, to be run in the form of a TVC, animation or static slide into the busy square.

Techfront chief commercial officer Nick Ebbeck said: “Brisbane’s KGS supersite is a testament to our commitment towards creating unforgettable and bespoke solutions for all the stakeholders.

“This incredible asset will provide consumers with engaging and enriching content, allow for councils to build and activate community initiatives, along with providing brands to seamlessly connect with their consumers for deeper, effective communication and engagement.

“Techfront prides itself on transforming the DOOH ecosystem.”

King George Square is Brisbane’s premier public square located in front of Brisbane City Hall and is in the heart of the CBD’s retail destination. It has more than 3,000 square metres of useable space.

The large format supersite can be used to amplify and complement consumer campaigns across all mediums, as well as live events held in the square. The screen can be networked to reach millions of consumers across the CBD every month, with nearby assets managed by MediaSeed – including the prominent Queen Street Mall location and Queensland’s Royal show, the Ekka.

Along with advertising, other day-to-day screen content includes council-generated content, topical and community programming and updates, live sporting and cultural events and syndicated news, weather and entertainment.

And to prove their seriousness, it is understood both are trying to put together bids where they would assume competition risk. Sources said both sides were working overtime on competition analysis, looking at where their businesses cross over with Adshel and what the concerns may be.

It means HT&E’s board could sign a deal and not worry about it falling over should Rod Sims and his team at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission look unfavourably on the mooted tie-up.

Adshel is expected to be worth about $500 million. APN Outdoor already has an indicative and non-binding bid at that mark, while oOh!media made an indicative bid at $470 million. oOh!’s bid was subject to exclusive due diligence, although that condition has also since been waived.

[Read the original]

Michael Brealey

Brealey has over 20 years of experience in the media sector, having worked at Vodafone and the ABC, and for government at both federal and state levels. He joins Screen Australia after founding COO Fiona Cameron joined ACMA as a full-time member.

“Few people have screen, arts, telco, broadcaster, federal government and state government experience, all of which we touch, so I am thrilled that Michael is joining Screen Australia at this time of rapid change within our industry,” said CEO Graeme Mason. “Everyone at Screen Australia is keenly aware of the responsibility we have to the industry, and our culture has at its heart a love of Australian screen stories and the talented people who make them. Michael’s energy and drive is infectious and I look forward to the contribution he will make to the sector while at Screen Australia.”

On accepting the COO position at Screen Australia, Michael Brealey said, “I am very excited to be taking up this role. Screen Australia is highly regarded in the industry, and plays a crucial part in supporting local talent and bringing Australian stories to our screens, something which is more important now than ever.”

Brealey joins Screen Australia having most recently been the first chief executive of Create NSW, the organisation formed from the merger of Screen NSW and Arts NSW. Prior to this, Brealey was acting executive director at Arts NSW and had earlier been Arts NSW director of policy, strategy and communications.

Bianca, Terry & Bob

He made the announcement this morning on the Bianca, Terry & Bob show, which was also streamed on Facebook Live. “I am pulling the plug because of my health,” Hansen said. “The news pretty fresh in the building.”

Hansen has been with 97.3FM breakfast since 2004.

“Increasingly over the last three or four years, once the job is done each day, I have suffered from constant and debilitating fatigue.”

“My family have been adamant that they want me well first and foremost, and had seen me like this for too long.

“Therefore, a little while ago, I approached 97.3FM management and asked to be released from my contract and leave radio. They were immediately supportive, offering reduced hours and anything that might help me stay if I wanted to. But I can’t half do anything. It would not be fair to Bianca [Dye] and Bob [Gallagher] and the new energy that has come into this show.

Dye joined the program 18 months ago, after Robin Bailey’s sudden exit from the station.

SEE MORE: Bianca Dye’s radio odyssey

“It is a very draining gig,” Dye said. “It’s a first world problem and we love what we do, but it does take its toll.”

There was no date announced about Hansen’s last day on air. He said he will be leaving “fairly soon”.

“I’m going to enjoy it for a little while longer while we look for someone new for Bianca to torment.”

To the listeners, Hansen said: “97.3FM Brisbane audience is the best audience in Australia. It is because of your willingness to share your loves, frustrations, dreams and passion to build the sort of lives for ourselves and our families that other cities can no longer squeeze out of their hustle and bustle.”

Long time listeners of the show responded immediately to the news, with many calling in this morning to express their sorrow and show their support for Hansen’s decision.

97.3FM content director Barry Drinkwater said: “All at 97.3FM are saddened that Terry will be leaving the breakfast show, however, we fully support him to spend more time on his health and family.

“Terry has been an integral part of Brisbane, helping to wake up audiences across the city on 97.3FM since 2004. There are so many great achievements for Terry, the breakfast team, and the station over the years, not least most recently with Bianca and Bob.

“We will have an exciting announcement in the coming weeks regarding Terry’s replacement to join Bianca and Bob, and we’ll be focusing over the next month on celebrating his fabulous contribution of the last 14 years.”

Sunday Night journalist Alex Cullen has hit back at criticism that he went “soft” on former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce and his partner Vikki Campion during their much-hyped $150,000 tell-all interview, reports News Corp’s Alison Stephenson.

Alex Cullen with Vikki Campion and Barnaby Joyce

“I’d like to make it clear that [questions] about Joyce’s alleged taxpayer-funded travel rorts and claims of sexual misconduct were asked in our @sundaynighton7 [interview],” Cullen tweeted after intense criticism.

“The response to these (questions) was the same as we’ve heard time and time again. Vehemently denied, hence nothing new.”

Tasked with the biggest political story of the year, the interview should have been a defining moment in Cullen’s career, but instead left viewers asking if he’ll ever be given such a high-profile interview again.

[Read the original]

—

After taking a serve on A Current Affair last night for the Susan Hannaford story on Sunday Night, Matt Doran put this on social media:

That would have been pathetic if it weren’t so funny @ACurrentAffair9. Mum’s alive? Any danger of meeting her? Video from a bloke motivated to stay in Susan’s good books? And rubbish claims from her daughter, who is under investigation for being a fake lawyer.

—

Seven’s Samantha Armytage was also active on the weekend on social media. She responded via Instagram to a story claiming she her Stellar magazine column this week defended Donald Trump:

I said NOTHING of the sort @dailymailau… anyone who read my @stellarmag column today knows that.

I’m getting really fed up with you using my image & name & misleading headlines in an attempt to get clicks on your crappy website. Desist.

Again, I ask all you smart people out there NOT to read the Daily Mail. It really is the worst.

The live broadcast took place on June 3 on Twitch. It had more than 500,000 views and over two million minutes watched.

The first match of the weekend featured Brisbane Deceptors facing Melbourne Order. Brisbane’s Konii became the first female player to compete in the sport nationally.

The first round of the series was played at the Hoyts Cinema Complex at Sydney’s Entertainment Quarter.

Gfinity and Network Ten last week announced a partnership that saw the live broadcast of Sunday’s Rocket League match on multichannel ONE.

HT&E Events and Gfinity Plc established Gfinity Esports Australia in August 2017 to launch Australia’s first city-based league, the Elite Series presented by Alienware.

The 12-year relationship, to begin in 2019 and carry through 2030, would include global multiplatform live rights, outside the United States and including Australia, to all PGA Tour media properties totalling approximately 2,000 hours of content per year, including the six Tours operating under the PGA Tour umbrella and nearly 150 tournaments annually, including The Players Championship, the FedExCup Playoffs and the Presidents Cup.

In addition to live linear rights in 220 markets and territories, the alliance will include the creation of a dedicated, PGA Tour-branded, OTT video streaming service that will capitalise on Discovery’s direct-to-consumer product and platform expertise as home to the Eurosport Player. Discovery expects to invest more than US$2 billion over the course of the alliance, including licensing of the PGA Tour’s international media rights and building a global OTT platform available outside the United States, with a gradual increase of annual investment during the term.

[L-R]: Paul Marsh, CEO AFL Players’ Association; Joe Pollard, Group Executive Media and Chief Marketing Officer, Telstra; Gill McLachlan, CEO AFL; Sam Docherty, Carlton player and Vice President AFL Players’ Association

The new deal, believed to be the first of its kind involving a sports league, players’ association and commercial partner, covers the entire AFL playing group and forms part of the AFL and Telstra’s digital rights agreement, which runs to 2022.

Telstra and the AFL will work with the players to generate digital content and facilitate player appearances to give fans more insight and access to their favourite players. This will include hosting AFL player content onto the combined, official AFL and Telstra digital network.

Every AFL player is available to create digital content that will be shared with footy fans.

Fifty star players from all AFL clubs across Australia will be selected, based on their profile and influence, to become Telstra Ambassadors. The 50 players will appear throughout the year at new, local Telstra store openings and participate in community events, such as coaching clinics, and exclusive meet and greet opportunities with fans.

A financial benefit of the partnership means greater contributions into the AFL player retirement scheme.

According to the latest April 2018 Nielsen Digital Ratings, the AFL network has set a new record for unique audience (UA) reach. The network audience is up 11% on March 2018 to 4.24 million UAs. April’s result is also up 4% on the 2017 season and 2% greater than the previous record set back in August 2017.

TEG is aiming for the Melbourne Esports Open to become Australia’s biggest celebration of local esports, promoted by TEG Live in partnership with ESL, the world’s largest independent esports company.

With the AFL season having a bye weekend, the Melbourne Esports Open has secured a prominent place on the Victorian Major Events calendar. The MEO is presented in conjunction with Visit Victoria.

TEG CEO Geoff Jones commented: “We are committed to creating an unforgettable experience across the Melbourne Park precinct for gamer fans from all over Australia and overseas.

“On our projected attendances, the number of matches and the sheer scale of activity, the MEO will be the biggest local esports event staged in the Oceania region. Better still, we aim to make this a celebration of the very best in esports competition.

“Tim McGregor, the Managing Director of TEG Live, is the architect of this tournament and our esports strategy. I want to commend him on the vision, thought leadership and hard work to make this happen.”

The show will run from June 4-July 11, 7pm-8pm each evening, and be co-hosted by 1116 SEN all-rounder Jack Heverin.

The radio duo will provide listeners with in-depth analysis of the world’s biggest celebration of football. The show will include insights and interviews with past and present players, expert commentators and influential figures to discuss and dissect all the key elements of the prestigious sporting event.

“The World Cup is the pinnacle of sporting events globally and is consistently the most followed sporting event worldwide. Road to Russia will place our Australian listeners at the forefront of all the action,” Kennedy said.

The Road to Russia program will be supplemented by tournament updates across 1116 SEN’s morning, drive and afternoon programs.