Friday March 1, 2019
Podcast Week: Health Hacker Adam MacDougall, Reporter Gary Adshead
Podcast One’s Health Hacker Adam MacDougall
By James Manning
The pressures of work, family and life mean people don’t always get to look after themselves as well as they should – choices around food, exercise, sleep and mental health all start to slip.
Former footballer Adam MacDougall is a fitness economist, trained with a Bachelor of Economics, MBA and certification in the fields of strength and conditioning, psychology, nutrition and exercise.
It has become a passion for him and his PodcastOne series shares his learnings. For MacDougall, hacking life isn’t just about being smart with time, it’s about being smart and practical with food, exercise, money and headspace.
MacDougall was one of the originals when PodcastOne launched and he came to the platform after publishing a number of books. Consumers will also know MacDougall from his regular columns in News Corp’s The Sunday Telegraph. In the columns he helps celebrities and sports people find health hacks in their busy lives.
He told Mediaweek he has a team of researchers who help him keep on top of the mountain of medical research continually released. “We then break down that information into digestible and useful content for the average person.
“My true passion is motivating, inspiring and educating people how to live their best, healthy and productive lives.”
MacDougall also runs a food business that manufactures health shakes and bars for adults and kids. “We want to provide healthy food options for people on the go. We try to fight against the corporate beast. Some of the bigger companies marketing what is supposed to be healthy alternatives are just driven by profit. Our first concern is producing something of quality.”
Topics covered so far in the podcast series includes episodes on belly fat, fasting, dieting and health trends plus one-on-one interviews with people like University of Sydney’s Dr Nick Fuller to finance guru Mark Bouris on business and boxing.
Shane Crawford & James Hird looking at TV footy project
I’m A Celebrity star Shane Crawford wants to launch a TV footy show with former AFL player and coach James Hird after the two had success hosting a podcast, News Corp’s Fiona Byrne reported earlier this week.
The pair front the Crawf & Hirdy podcast, along with TV and radio producer Ralph Horowitz, and Crawford revealed that they were seriously toying with the idea of creating a late-night “round in review” TV project.
“I’d really love to do a footy show with James Hird,” Crawford said.
“Out of everything I would love to be a part of, I would love to do a review-style footy show of some sort on a Sunday night with James.
“We did the podcast last year and I think we have each other’s backs. We both love our footy.
“That is the one thing I would really love to do this year and hopefully we can get this happening.”
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New podcast series from The West Australian investigates serial killings
Claremont Serial Killings is the name of a new podcast from The West Australian.
The series is hosted by Gary Adshead, a journalist since 1984 and currently The West’s state political editor.
In his introduction to the series this week, Adshead wrote:
Cops and crime reporters have many conversations when there’s a killer on the loose.
Most of them are on background, but old-school journalists always keep notes. And the really old school scribblers never throw the notes away.
I have been in this game for 35 years and have a row of filing cabinets in a garage crammed with shabby manila folders to prove it.
Murders, mysteries, corruption. It’s all there and you’d be surprised how often the ragtag collection comes in handy when a slice of history comes out of hibernation.
About a fortnight ago I was asked to pull together a series of scene-setting podcasts about the most compelling criminal case Western Australia has ever experienced.
The podcast begins today.
Finding the old file for that one, which is now more than two decades old, was easy.
It’s marked “Serial Killer”.
Paul Anderson on the new 10 and the new TV
We are all living in a new era for television with change happening in front of us. This is especially true for 10 given recent events, and it is an era that we are very excited about.
We are of course now part of CBS Corporation, a marriage made in heaven perhaps, and definitely one that we are very happy with.
CBS’s new role in Australian media is not only a good thing for 10 but I genuinely believe it is also a very good thing for media in Australia.
The past 18 months has seen significant change. Some of it has happened to us, but most of the change been the start of a deliberate long-term plan.
A new strategy, a new brand and unprecedented investment in technology, data and content.
A refresh, rebrand – re-anything – must always begin with a clear and open understanding of where you stand, what your customers love about you, what they may not love about you, and, above all, what sets you apart.
The decline in linear TV viewing also continues to be overstated using outdated overnight audience metrics.
It’s like measuring the retail industry by counting the footfall in stores. Consumers will shop the way want to, when they want to.
We’re not really seeing the whole picture yet. This year we will see for the first time the real size of the audience with Total TV ratings and VOZ.
Yes, there is some drop in casual viewing – people do not watch a second repeat of NCIS like they use to – but prime viewing, big noisy event television is going strong.
Fragmentation of our audience’s viewing habits is sometimes framed as a bad thing. On the contrary, this is making TV stronger by propelling our content across more screens and channels.
This fragmentation allows us, if we are clever, to grow and evolve our presence beyond a linear broadcast, turning the viewer experience into a virtual water cooler as the conversation and interaction with formats continues well beyond a timeslot.
This means much deeper engagement than we could have ever achieved in the past.
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Top Photo: Rod Prosser and Paul Anderson
Optus hire: Clive Dickens takes third role after six years in Australia
Since then however Clive Dickens has jumped up the ladder with a swag of senior corporate roles plus a number of equity positions in successful businesses. The latter included co-founder and COO of Absolute Radio in the UK as well as being part of the launch team at Shazam, which gave him a piece of the action.
Dickens arrived in Australia six years ago, first as director of digital and innovation at Southern Cross Austereo and then as chief digital officer at Seven West Media.
Dickens is believed to have been in talks with Optus for some time, and confirmation of his new role as VP, television content and product development on the same day as Kelly Bayer Rosmarin was announced as deputy Optus CEO was probably no coincidence.
As Mediaweek noted elsewhere today, Bayer Rosmarin had many years with CBA. One of CBA’s customers is Seven West Media.
Dickens said of his years with Seven: “It’s been a blast – rewarding, challenging, exhilarating, and mostly a lot of fun.
“I’m particularly proud of all that we have achieved with 7plus, and our streaming platforms across two Olympics, three Australian Opens and four Melbourne Cups. But most of all I’m so proud of my team – they are some of the very best and most talented digital professionals in Australia and it’s been a pleasure working alongside them.”
Optus has yet to confirm his start date. Dickens will depart Seven West Media in April and take a short break before settling into his new challenge.
Seven team changes: Dickens out, new roles for Bayes, Hall, Kerry
Clive Dickens has resigned his position as Chief Digital Officer to take up an external role at Optus.
Darren Kerry, current Digital Director, Technology and OTT, has been appointed Director of Digital Product and Technology.
Darren Kerry
James Bayes, current Digital Sales Director OTT Video, has been appointed Network Digital Sales Director.
James Bayes
Brook Hall, currently Seven Network’s Head of Scheduling, has been appointed Director of Content Scheduling.
Brook Hal
Will Hedberg, current Commercial Manager, Digital, has been appointed Head of Digital Finance.
Will Hedberg
SWM CEO Tim Worner said: “Clive has had a huge impact on our company and been one of the key members of the team driving our transformation. We have a lot to thank him for.
“Seven is now a very different company from when Clive joined. We have built a world class digital product and technology capability with market-leading consumer products, which five million Australians use each month. Digital revenues and EBIT are growing rapidly across the group.
“SWM WA owns and operates two of the fastest growing digital news brands in Australia in TheWest.com.au and PerthNow.com.au. Pacific has for some time been Australia’s leading and fastest growing female lifestyle digital publisher, and 7plus reached the number one share of commercial free-to-air OTT viewing nine months after launch.
“To get to this point we’ve invested a lot of time and money in recruiting and building our digital capabilities, right across the company. Our long-established succession planning means we have an incredibly talented team of highly experienced executives ready to seamlessly take the lead and aggressively keep up the pace.
“We have a lot to look forward to, with the ongoing success of 7plus, the launch of 7NEWS.com.au and next year’s Tokyo Olympics for which we are currently building the best digital sporting product and platform ever seen in Australia,” Worner said.
As Director of Product and Technology, Kerry will be responsible for designing and implementing SWM’s digital product road map across the group. He will report to new CTIO Rainer Rhedey.
Kerry first joined SWM as Pacific’s Head of Digital & Innovation in early 2015. At the end of 2016 he moved to the role of SWM’s Director of New Digital Products, before being promoted to Director, Technology and OTT in early 2017.
As Network Digital Sales Director, Bayes will be responsible for driving digital revenue across the group. He will report to SWM’s Chief Revenue Officer Kurt Burnette.
Bayes joined SWM in 2017 as Digital Sales Director OTT, leading the company’s digital commercial operations. Prior to joining SWM, Bayes was Senior Vice President – International Business Development at Unlockd, and before that spent a decade with Southern Cross Austereo in a number of roles, eventually becoming Head of Digital Sales & Operations.
As Director of Content Scheduling, Hall will have responsibility for content, promotion and marketing strategy across Seven’s digital platforms including 7plus. He retains responsibility for program scheduling across Seven’s broadcast network and will continue to report to Seven’s programming chief Angus Ross.
Hall joined Seven Network in 2010 as a Programming Executive, rising to become Head of Scheduling, with responsibility for scheduling across the Network’s family of channels – Channel Seven, 7TWO, 7mate, 7flix and 7food. Prior to joining Seven, Hall worked in Programming Research at Foxtel.
As Head of Digital Finance Hedberg will be responsible for ensuring SWM achieves its digital financial and commercial targets. He will report to SWM Chief Financial Officer Warwick Lynch.
Hedberg joined SWM in 2015 as Commercial Manager – Digital, and has played a key role in developing and executing SWM’s Digital Strategy, in particular Seven’s OTT products. Before joining SWM he worked at Telstra in a Finance and Strategy role across the group’s media assets including sport and OTT Video products. Prior to this, he worked as a consultant at PwC working across a range of media businesses.
Pacific to Foxtel: Wendy Moore takes the helm of Lifestyle brands
Moore will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of Foxtel’s iconic Lifestyle brand including Lifestyle, Lifestyle HOME and Lifestyle FOOD and will guide the current and future direction and commercialisation of the brands across streaming, broadcast and digital.
In addition to Foxtel Original Lifestyle programs, which include Selling Houses Australia, Grand Designs Australia, Love it Or List it, Great Australian Bake Off and the TV Week Logie-Award winning Gogglebox Australia, Moore will also be responsible for new and continuing international acquisitions set to stream on Foxtel.
Moore arrives at Foxtel following a 12 year tenure with Pacific Magazines where she led the growth and development of key Australian brands, such as Home Beautiful and Better Homes and Gardens, across the lifestyle category in her role as general manager of Homes & Food.
Brian Walsh, Foxtel’s executive director of television, said, “Foxtel is delighted to welcome a media executive of Wendy’s calibre and experience to the team to lead one of our most venerable and time-honoured brands, Lifestyle.
“We waited to get the leader we wanted to take the brand forward and Wendy is key to that ambition. I know that she will bring to the table an incredible wealth of lifestyle insight and knowledge, making her the ideal person to breathe new life into our Lifestyle group while maintaining the unique qualities that makes Lifestyle so loved by our viewers. I can’t wait for her to get started.”
Wendy Moore added, “Lifestyle content is my passion, and the opportunity to build on such a strong portfolio of Lifestyle brands is incredibly exciting. To join Foxtel as they are entering such an innovative period is a dream come true.”
More will join Foxtel from April 29, 2019 and report to Stephen Baldwin, director of Foxtel Networks and On Demand.
Stellar’s IWD edition features superstar women, and a couple of blokes
Julie Bishop is a guest columnist; and interviews inside include Deborra-lee Furness, Jenny Kee and Robyn Lawley.
Sarrah Le Marquand, editor-in-chief of Stellar, said: “It’s that time of year again, International Women’s Day, and for those wondering if such an occasion is still warranted in 2019, I’ll leave that to the eloquent likes of Stellar guest columnist Julie Bishop, cover star Danielle Cormack and Q&A subject Deborra-lee Furness to answer.
“Meanwhile, until we reach a time when the need for IWD is rendered truly obsolete, we will continue to celebrate it at Stellar, and this year we have chosen to do so by featuring an all-female issue including writers and photographers – with the exception of our regular columnists and IWD allies, Matt Preston and Neale Whitaker.”
Style director of Stellar, Kelly Hume, said: “For a long time our industry looked to male photographers to shoot covers and celebrity fashion stories. Slowly, both locally and internationally that is beginning to change.
“In my experience, I’ve found female photographers are able to capture other women’s vulnerability, strength and sexuality in a way that men can’t.
“At Stellar we work with the very best in the industry and in terms of hair and makeup – that more often than not ends up being a woman. From Naomi McFadden, the incredible makeup artist that worked on our cover with Danielle Cormack to Nadine Monley who weaved her magic on the powerhouse that is Robyn Lawley, their talent is boundless.”
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Top Photo: Sarrah Le Marquand
Optus has another go at a football World Cup: This time FIFA Women
The telco released these details this week:
With 100 days to go until the first ball is kicked at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, Optus Sport has announced its broadcasting plans for the tournament.
Optus Sport will be the only place to watch all 52 matches live; with 40 of these matches exclusive. The live coverage will be complemented each day by a live preview and review show plus every match available on demand.
Optus Sport will have three crews in France during the tournament, one which will be dedicated to covering the Matildas, in addition to a main hosting studio.
“Optus is committed to taking the investment in women’s sport to a new level for Australian broadcasters when the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup gets underway in June,” Optus’ Head of TV and Content, Corin Dimopoulos said.
“There will be more than 100 live programs on Optus Sport, plus we anticipate adding over 1000 pieces of content, including the popular mini matches, news updates, feature stories and behind the scene moments from France.
“We are committed to showcasing not only a high-quality production but delivering the best Women’s World Cup broadcast experience for all of our customers.”
Customers with an Optus Sport subscription will be able to access:
• All 52 games of the FIFA Women’s World Cup live and on demand
• 40 matches exclusively
• Preview show and review show produced and delivered live by Optus Sport
• Mini matches from every match
• All games available on the big screen or on-the-go
• Optus Sport’s broadcast team will be announced in the lead up to the tournament.
2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup
The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup commences on June 7, when France take on Korea Republic in Paris, and concludes on July 7.
The Matildas, under new Head Coach Ante Milicic, have drawn Group C alongside Italy, Brazil and debutant Jamaica and will play their first match on June 9 against Italy.
Key matches exclusive to Optus Sport include:
England v Scotland – Monday June 10 at 2am AEST. These countries have a steeped sporting history. This will be Scotland’s first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup appearance, and they face a tough ask against the world’s fourth ranked side. Expect plenty of passion and noise as border neighbours renew hostilities.
New Zealand v Netherlands – Tuesday June 11 at 11pm AEST. New Zealand qualified France 2019 without conceding a goal, however their first match against European Champions the Netherlands will be a big step up in class. The Football Ferns are coached by Tom Sermanni, the former Matildas coach who is embarking on his fourth FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Germany v Spain – Thursday June 13 at 2am AEST.
European powerhouses collide in a match that could prove decisive in Group B. Germany are two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup Champions, and many expect them to go all the way this year, however Spain will prove a stern test, having qualified for France 2019 without dropping a single point.
Japan v England – Thursday June 20 at 5am AEST.
The final match of Group D is a re-match of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup Semi-Final, which Japan won thanks to a stoppage time winner. Fast forward four years and Japan are Asian Champions, while the weight of expectation is on an England side coached by Manchester United great Phil Neville.
Netherlands v Canada – Friday June 21 at 2am AEST.
Featuring two teams ranked in the world’s top 10, this match should decide top spot in Group E. Netherlands are the European Champions, while Canada boast Christine Sinclair, the second most prolific scorer in women’s international football with 178 goals.
USA v Sweden – Friday June 21 at 5am AEST.
These teams have played a record five times at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, ensuring a healthy rivalry between two genuine title contenders. USA are the reigning champions and the most successful nation at the event, having won the title three times.
Mercado on TV: Julia, Doc and Denyer to Foxtel’s Secret City
By Andrew Mercado
Despite these credentials though, Sunday Night Takeaway did not get off to a good start and maybe that’s because 10 stuck so ruthlessly to the UK format they were adapting. This is not the first time an overseas format has struggled because Aussie audiences do not respond the same as international audiences do. Seriously, did 10 learn nothing from the debacle that was Game Of Games?
Compared to the toxic nastiness pouring out of MAFS and MKR, who wouldn’t want a feel good family format to work for 10? But rather than slavishly copy the original, which locals are not familiar with, why not adapt it more for Chris and Julia? Why make them awkwardly stumble from one side of the giant set to the other when even the cameramen and lighting crew struggle to keep up? Just do whatever it takes to replicate their chemistry from I’m A Celebrity. And please, enough of the endless plugs for other 10 shows and personalities. Seriously, does Grant Denyer have to be on everything?
At least Grant Denyer will never host an awards show, because such hosts are now officially an endangered species. Was it our own TV Week Logie Awards, in abandoning the host some years back, that inspired the Academy Awards to go without a host too? This week’s Oscars seemed faster paced without one so let’s never waste time again picking potential hosts with a history of homophobic humour. Just get someone to do a great opening monologue, then keep rolling out those star presenters.
So that’s 10 and awards shows sorted, but how does one give advice to those media organisations allowing certain opinion writers to defend Cardinal George Pell? Is this the first time News Corp Australia newspapers and Sky News Australia have supported a convicted paedophile, and how many subscriptions may be cancelled because of it? Coming up next, let’s see what advice they dish out to new ABC boss Ita Buttrose, given she is now running the organisation they hate with such a passion.
The second series of Secret City begins on Foxtel next Tuesday and it’s still slick but getting slightly silly, with Jacki Weaver dominating the first episode (which all becomes clearer when it ends). Don Hany plays the Prime Minister and he is a much more attractive prospect than what we get in real life. But given former Prime Minister John Howard wrote a glowing character reference about George Pell for being a “great conversationalist”, perhaps the conversation at Foxtel should be now be about making another series of Devil’s Playground.
TV Ratings Analysis: February 28
Thursday: Week 9 2019
By James Manning
FTA TV news/current affairs
• Seven News 909,000/864,000
• Nine News 808,000/798,000
• A Current Affair 649,000
• ABC News 682,000
• 7.30 576,000
• The Project 208,000/380,000
• 10 News First 350,000
• SBS World News 108,000
Breakfast TV
• Sunrise 277,000
• Today 183,000
Seven
Home And Away ended its week on 524,000, which was down on the 600,000+ audiences on the first three nights this week.
Thursday is drama night on Seven, for now, and the second of the four Ms Fisher Modern Murder Mysteries then did 333,000, well below the 463,000 from a week ago.
Nine
A Current Affair dropped to 649,000 after a previous low this week just over 750,000.
A Young Sheldon double featured a new episode and then a repeat with audiences of 467,000 and 400,000.
The second episode of Australian Crime Stories was a fascinating look at the Kerry Packer gold heist. The audience of 337,000 was up on 278,000 a week ago.
10
Gogglebox drew a big crowd for the channel, lifting the primary share to a week high of 13.2%. The TV reviews got stuck into Nine’s new Bad Mothers with 647,000 watching, close to last week’s Gogglebox audience of 651,000.
At 7.30pm Peter Helliar and Luke McGregor were among the guests on Show Me The Movie, which did 341,000 after 290,000 last week.
ABC
Escape From The City was on Norfolk Island with 510,000 watching.
Grand Designs Australia then did 396,000.
SBS
Henry IX: The Lost King did 221,000 at 7.30pm.
Secrets Of Harrods Department Store then did 212,000.
SBS has been trying to innovate later in the evening where it has been screening some cracking programs. The latest is the drama Trust Me, which started with 122,000.
Week 9 TV: Thursday
| THURSDAY METRO | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Seven | Nine | 10 | SBS | |||||
| ABC | 13.6% | 7 | 18.4% | 9 | 15.9% | 10 | 13.2% | SBS One | 5.4% |
| ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY | 3.1% | 7TWO | 3.0% | GO! | 3.7% | 10 Bold | 3.8% | VICELAND | 1.6% |
| ABC ME | 0.6% | 7mate | 3.8% | GEM | 2.6% | 10 Peach | 2.2% | Food Net | 1.4% |
| ABC NEWS | 2.1% | 7flix | 2.0% | 9Life | 2.2% | NITV | 0.2% | ||
| 7Food | 1.3% | ||||||||
| TOTAL | 19.4% | 28.6% | 24.4% | 19.1% | 8.5% | ||||
| THURSDAY REGIONAL | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Seven Affiliates | Nine Affiliates | 10 Affiliates | SBS | |||||
| ABC | 12.6% | 7 | 19.7% | 9 | 13.0% | WIN | 12.0% | SBS One | 4.3% |
| ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY | 3.6% | 7TWO | 4.8% | GO! | 3.3% | WIN Bold | 3.7% | VICELAND | 1.4% |
| ABC ME | 0.7% | 7mate | 4.5% | GEM | 4.9% | WIN Peach | 2.2% | Food Net | 1.4% |
| ABC NEWS | 1.7% | 7flix | 2.7% | 9Life | 1.9% | Sky News on WIN | 1.2% | NITV | 0.2% |
| TOTAL | 18.6% | 31.7% | 23.1% | 19.1% | 7.1% | ||||
| THURSDAY METRO ALL TV | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTA | STV | ||||||||
| 83.6% | 16.4% | ||||||||
THURSDAY FTA
- Seven News Seven 909,000
- Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 864,000
- Nine News Nine 808,000
- Nine News 6:30 Nine 798,000
- ABC News ABC 682,000
- A Current Affair Nine 649,000
- Gogglebox 10 647,000
- 7.30 ABC 576,000
- Home And Away Seven 524,000
- Escape From The City ABC 510,000
- Young Sheldon Nine 467,000
- The Chase Australia Seven 462,000
- Hot Seat Nine 414,000
- Young Sheldon – (R) Nine 400,000
- Grand Designs Australia ABC 396,000
- The Project 7pm 10 380,000
- 10 News First 10 350,000
- Show Me The Movie! 10 341,000
- Australian Crime Stories Nine 337,000
- Ms Fisher Modern Murder Mysteries Seven 333,000
Demo Top 5
16-39 Top Five
- Gogglebox 10 190,000
- Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 114,000
- Seven News Seven 103,000
- Home And Away Seven 103,000
- Show Me The Movie! 10 100,000
18-49 Top Five
- Gogglebox 10 319,000
- Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 186,000
- Nine News Nine 185,000
- Nine News 6:30 Nine 183,000
- Seven News Seven 177,000
25-54 Top Five
- Gogglebox 10 363,000
- Nine News 6:30 Nine 231,000
- Nine News Nine 231,000
- Seven News Seven 226,000
- Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 220,000
THURSDAY Multichannel
- Bluey PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 180,000
- Go Jetters PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 159,000
- Peppa Pig PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 154,000
- Rusty Rivets ABCKIDS/COMEDY 151,000
- Dino Dana ABCKIDS/COMEDY 151,000
- Peter Rabbit ABCKIDS/COMEDY 150,000
- Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom ABCKIDS/COMEDY 150,000
- Andy’s Wild Adventures ABCKIDS/COMEDY 144,000
- Pj Masks PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 142,000
- Peppa Pig AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 139,000
- Octonauts ABCKIDS/COMEDY 135,000
- The Big Bang Theory 9GO! 130,000
- Shaun The Sheep ABCKIDS/COMEDY 130,000
- NCIS (R) 10 Bold 129,000
- School Of Roars AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 124,000
- Bondi Rescue Ep 2 (R) 10 Bold 120,000
- Hawaii Five-O (R) 10 Bold 120,000
- Father Brown PM 7TWO 114,000
- M- X2: X-Men United PM 7mate 111,000
- Noddy Toyland Detective PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 111,000
THURSDAY STV
- Live: JLT Series: Carlton V Essendon FOX FOOTY 103,000
- Live: Supercars Adelaide FOX SPORTS 506 67,000
- Paul Murray Live Sky News Live 59,000
- Live: Motorsport: Supercars Live FOX SPORTS 506 54,000
- Outback Opal Hunters Discovery Channel 52,000
- Family Guy FOX8 49,000
- Ron Iddles: The Good Cop crime + investigation 47,000
- Twenty20: India V Australia Game 2 FOX CRICKET 44,000
- Call The Midwife BBC First 43,000
- Family Guy FOX8 43,000
- Live: Dunlop Super2 Series Adelaide FOX SPORTS 506 42,000
- The Simpsons FOX8 42,000
- The Bolt Report Sky News Live 41,000
- Paw Patrol Nick Jr. 37,000
- Gold Rush Discovery Channel 37,000
- Shimmer And Shine Nick Jr. 35,000
- Criminal Minds TVH!TS 35,000
- Live: Football: Women’s Cup Of Nations FOX SPORTS 505 34,000
- Live: Twenty20: India V Australia Game 2 FOX CRICKET 33,000
- The Simpsons FOX8 32,000
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
Optus appoints Kelly Bayer Rosmarin new deputy CEO
Reporting directly to Lew, the former CBA Group Executive will be responsible for focusing Optus’ consumer business units on delivering continued improvements in customer experience, business and market share growth.
Rosmarin is not the only new recruit at Optus, also joining is former Seven head of digital Clive Dickens. [See separate item.]
Commenting on her appointment, Rosmarin said she was thrilled by the opportunities facing the sector.
“I’m very excited to be joining the Optus team. With 5G on the horizon and the rapid digitisation of the Australian economy, Optus is determined to lead the market in harnessing these changes to the benefit of customers. I look forward to working with the team to adopt a customer-centric approach that delivers great customer experience and compelling value-led services.”
Lew said: “Kelly is recognised for leveraging technology, data and analytics to develop leading customer services and experiences, and her appointment is a coup for Optus.”
Bayer Rosmarin was most recently the group executive of the Institutional Banking and Markets division at Commonwealth Bank of Australia. She has held had a number of roles at CBA since 2003.
Bayer Rosmarin brings to Optus blend of technology, commercial and management expertise from a career spanning financial services, management consulting and the Silicon Valley technology sector.
She was named in the Top 10 Businesswomen in Australia and the Top 25 Women in Asia Pacific Finance, and holds a variety of board and advisory roles, including the Football Federation of Australia (FFA) and the New South Wales Government Digital Advisory Panel.
Bayer Rosmarin commences with Optus on 1 March 2019.
ARN closes Lost At E Minor, Techly sites, focussing on The Roar
ARN CEO Ciaran Davis said: “It was always our intention to better integrate the content offering of ARN and Conversant Media and by the end of Q1, the final phase of ARN’s integration of Conversant Media’s assets into its business will be complete.
“As part of the integration, there will be a greater focus on The Roar, Australia’s leading sports opinion website, lifting our ability to engage with sports fans and leverage this content across our broader network of assets.
“We have made the decision to cease publication of the Lost At E Minor and Techly websites and will roll in their unique content position across the broader ARN digital publishing and social offering, which currently attracts an unique Australian monthly audience of over 2.4 million.
“There will be no job losses as part of the integration and the existing team have been redeployed across ARN.”
Twitter and SBS partner to live stream 2019 Mardi Gras Parade
In partnership with Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (@sydneymardigras), Twitter has launched a special edition emoji to celebrate the 41st Mardi Gras Parade. The emoji can be triggered using the hashtags #SydneyMardiGras, #MardiGrasParty and #MardiGras2019.
In addition to the live broadcast, a range of video highlights from the festival and behind the scenes footage will also be shared on Twitter. Both the live and highlights videos will be sponsored by ANZ Australia (@ANZ_AU).
“We’re excited to get on board and partner with SBS once again to broadcast Sydney’s Mardi Gras Parade live on Twitter,” said Angus Keene, head of revenue partnerships, Twitter Australia.
“Every year, the city lights up in support of the LGBTIA+ community and we’re proud to be able to share the parade with our global Twitter community.
“Broadcasting on Twitter will bring the content and conversation into one place, giving people all around the world a connective and immersive viewing experience. For SBS, we’re able to help extend the content’s reach.”
Adam Sadler, director, SBS Media said, “SBS has long broadcast the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade, and each year it’s an event that really connects Australia’s diverse communities. We’re always looking for innovative ways to connect our audiences to a range of content on the devices and platforms they use most. The parade helps share love and joy and this partnership with Twitter enables everyone to share in the excitement no matter where they are in the world.”
KKR, Tencent eyeing bids for Vivendi’s Universal Music
French tycoon Vincent Bollore, who controls Vivendi with a 25% stake, is in the process of selecting banks to oversee a partial sale of Universal Music Group (UMG), two sources familiar with matter said.
Sell-side banks are expected to be appointed in March, with a process likely to kick off in the second quarter, they said.
UMG is the world’s biggest music label ahead of Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music, and is home to artists like Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Drake and Kendrick Lamar.
Tencent Music, a subsidiary of China’s biggest gaming and social media company, has an existing licensing agreement with Universal and wants to strengthen its collaboration with a partial acquisition, the sources said, cautioning that no deal was certain.
For the love of Ita: Can the Buttrose factor save the ABC?
After her role as ABC chairman was confirmed on Thursday, Buttrose said her most important role was to “restore stability to the management of the organisation” and “reassure the staff that life will go on as usual”.
“It’s time to get the ABC functioning again with proper stable management and good frank discussion between the chair and whoever is the managing director. If there’s not a close relationship between the chair and the managing director, you cannot make an organisation work efficiently and well,” she said.
According to Trevor Kennedy, a former managing director at Kerry Packer’s Australian Consolidated Press, and a highly successful editor of the (now defunct) Bulletin magazine, Buttrose did not operate at what he calls “the pointy end of journalism. It was once over lightly and she was a huge, fantastic promoter of herself”.
“I’ll get into trouble for saying this but when it comes to TV and digital uptake” – two significant challenges facing the ABC – “you’d have to have some doubt.”
Tough Ita as at home in the boardroom as she is in newsroom
The broadly positive reaction to her appointment as the national broadcaster’s new chairwoman reflects her stature in a catty industry where the big names come and go, but rarely make the transition from one heavy-hitting job to another.
Ita needs no introduction. She has been a gently lisping fixture in Australian public life for nearly half a century as a magazine boss, newspaper editor, health campaigner, TV personality and businesswoman.
Government’s brief to Ita: Deliver the ABC back to the people
The Prime Minister told The Australian he believed the ABC’s primary purpose was to “look after the people that the ABC serves”, and the media pioneer and former Australian of the Year was the perfect person to uphold that principle.
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield told The Australian last night: “I want all Australians to have a real sense of ownership of the ABC. It doesn’t belong to any cohort within or without.
“The public are the shareholders and the organisation is there to serve them. And a billion dollars of community shareholder money each year means the ABC has greater funding certainty than any other media organisation and is well placed to discharge its charter responsibilities.”
News Brands
The Sydney Power 100: The 100 most powerful people, numbers 20-1
There is plenty of media business and creative talent in the top 20 including:
#13 Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness Furness – Actors
The ultimate Aussie acting power couple Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness have come a long way since he was the sexiest man in tights as Gaston in Beauty and The Beast in Sydney’s theatreland and she was a jobbing actor.
The couple scored much higher on the list than Nicole Kidman who we noted earlier this week was in the 80s on the list.
# 11 James Packer, Gretel and Ros – Businessman and Philanthropists
Four generations of Packers have Sydney in their DNA. And Sydney would simply not be the same without the indelible impact of Sir Frank, his son Kerry, his wife Ros and the couple’s children James and Gretel.
Sir Frank began the Packer’s media dynasty with Australian Consolidated Press and the Nine Network, Kerry extended it and James ended it, tethering the family fortune instead to what his father did for fun — gaming and casinos through the Crown empire.
#10 Talkback titans – 2GB announcers
Veteran broadcaster Alan Jones has been a kingmaker of Australian politics and set the daily news agenda for the past 18 years.
When combined with fellow 2GB broadcasters Ray Hadley and Ben Fordham, Jones and 2GB own and influence the radio audience throughout the day.
Together they smash the ratings in their respective timeslots month after month – owning a whopping 14.1% of the available audience.
It is power and reach that keeps politicians coming back for more no matter how badly they are insulted. Love them or loathe them it is hard not to listen.
#8 Michael Miller – News Corp Australia Executive Chairman Australasia
Michael Miller is Rupert Murdoch’s most powerful executive in Australia.
As executive chairman Australasia of News Corp Australia, Miller presides over more than 140 mastheads, including Sydney’s leading metropolitan The Daily Telegraph, prestige publications such as Vogue and GQ and the No. 1 online Australian news site, news.com.au.
In the chair since 2015, Miller has expanded the company’s growth operations into gaming, acquiring punters.com.au and racenet.com.au and boosted its stake in the content marketing agency and publisher Medium Rare, which produces the Qantas magazine.
The bosses of Foxtel and Sky News report to Miller and he sits on the boards of REA, Foxtel, Fox Sports, Unruly and Sky News.
#7 Denis Handlin – Sony Music Entertainment Chairman & CEO, ANZ & President, Asia
Almost 50 years after his first music gig, Handlin is now one of Australia’s most powerful and influential tastemakers as the chairman & CEO of Sony Music Entertainment for ANZ and president of the label’s Asia divisions.
Since he took the reins of the multinational label, it has changed its name five times and LP records became CDs, then digital downloads and now streams and videos.
Publishing
Mamamia reports biggest-ever audience, but not using Nielsen DCR
Based on historical data on device duplication, this represents a combined domestic monthly reach of at least 6.2m UAs.
Holly Wainwright, head of content, said: “What makes us so proud of this result is the diversity of the topics women came to Mamamia for. We had expected success with our trademark irreverent stories, but our most-consumed pieces have spanned subjects as varied as the Australian Open, religion’s relationship to the contraceptive pill, and dating as a single parent. What women are talking about is…everything, and at Mamamia we keep it candid, whether it’s editorial or branded content.”
Mamamia has confirmed it will be continuing to use GA and third party platform analytics, rather than re-engage with Nielsen’s DCR metric. Mamamia said this follows Facebook’s recent reversal and announcement that it would not be participating in DCR’s 2 second time qualifier for social video; DCR will not, therefore, be accounting for the same video metric on-site and off-site, something Mamamia has long advocated for.
Jason Lavigne, CEO of Mamamia, said: “In January, our content reached the significant majority of Australian Gen X and Y women, a remarkable achievement by our enormously talented content teams across written, video and podcasts.
Jason Lavigne
“Regarding measurement, it’s unfortunate that as an industry we still can’t accurately measure cross-platform content and advertising audience reach through one endorsed measurement system.
“Our position is that the current IAB endorsed system (which it bears remembering only began to accurately measure mobile audiences in 2018) remains materially incomplete, in terms of accounting for all commercialisable content environments of modern media brands.”
Television
ABC Commercial sells Canada’s TVO trio of ABC ME children’s series
The three series will also be available to stream in Canada at TVOkids.com and the TVOkids YouTube Channel.
“ABC Commercial is excited to be working with the TVOkids team to bring these fun and imaginative children’s series to families in Ontario,” said Jessica Ellis, head of content sales & distribution at ABC Commercial. “ABC ME has had such great success with these programmes locally in Australia and we’re certain they’ll be just as eagerly received in Canada.”
Busy comedian Ronny Chieng puts series International Student on hold
The series, based on his own experience as a Malaysian student at an Australian university, first aired on the ABC in 2017 and has since been picked up by Netflix and Comedy Central in the US, where Chieng works as a senior correspondent on news satire The Daily Show.
Chieng also made his American film debut in Crazy Rich Asians last year, with a sequel reportedly in the works.
“It looks like right now, I’m too busy,” the 33-year-old New York-based comedian said of continuing International Student. “But, never say never.”
Chieng is in Brisbane to perform his new comedy show, Tone Issues, at Brisbane Powerhouse tonight and tomorrow as part of the Brisbane Comedy Festival.
Sports Media
Lawrence Mooney to host new Friday night footy show on Fox Footy
Mooney will helm the footy comedy show, an extension of Friday night footy, with a live studio audience.
His sidekick is fellow comedian and Nova breakfast anchor Dean Thomas with a revolving third guest – an ex player, footy loving celebrity or a comedian.
Mooney said the name of the half hour show would be revealed at the Fox Footy season launch on March 18. He is doing breakfast radio on Triple M in Sydney and will commute between cities.
He said there was some interest from Channel 9 to be part of its new footy show.
“I was mentioned in dispatches but for me it never got further than being in the mix and never more than one phone call,’’ he said.
Fox Sports star Matty Johns hints at return of Australian TV icon
Fox Sports star Matty Johns, who hosts The Late Show with Matty Johns and Sunday Night with Matty Johns, gave news.com.au a hint viewers are going to see the biff again this year.
The retired rugby league player created his rough, beer connoisseur alter ego Reg Reagan in 1999 before making him a household name on Channel 9’s now defunct The Footy Show.
Now Johns, 47, has hinted at plans for Reagan’s big return, this time to the Fox League channel on Foxtel.
“There could be something coming up on a Thursday where Reg comes back and he and Tim Sheridan do a special on a man trying to seek redemption,” Johns told news.com.au.