Staff at Nine Entertainment have passed a motion of no confidence in CEO Mike Sneesby and the Board following Friday’s announcement that the company will be cutting “around 200 jobs.”

Members of Nine’s publishing arm – which includes The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial Review, WAtoday, and the Brisbane Times – met with officials from the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance on Friday afternoon. 

“This motion was passed due to a lack of progress in the current enterprise bargaining agreement negotiations and because of the job cuts that have been announced,” a statement reads.

“We consider the announcement of the job cuts during negotiations particularly poor and question whether the unionised part of the workforce at Nine has particularly been targeted.”

The statement also points out that “we express our dismay that senior editors appear to have been kept in the dark until the last moment about the planned job cuts, despite the end of Meta funding being known for months.”

The reason given for Friday’s job cuts was to “offset the loss of revenue from the Meta deal and challenges in the advertising market,” with Sneesby saying at the time that “In order for us to be able to keep investing in digital growth opportunities across Nine, we must continue to responsibly manage costs through the cycle.”

The news comes less than a month before the Paris Olympics kick-off.

The job cuts at Nine follow major rounds of redundancies at Seven and News Corp.

At Seven, the announcement of a new operating model came alongside major names exiting the business – including chief revenue officer, Kurt Burnette, chief marketing officer, Melissa Hopkins, and head of sport and managing director of Seven Melbourne, Lewis Martin.

News Corp’s executive chairman Michael Miller told the National Press Club that News Corp’s ongoing restructuring is to ensure the business “rightsize[s] through the advertising downturn to be in a position for growth.”

High-profile exits at News Corp include news.com.au’s editor-in-chief, Lisa Muxworthy, and Editorial Innovation Centre’s group director, John McGourty.

MEAA media acting director Michelle Rae said the union acknowledged the cuts were in part a result of Meta’s decision not to renew deals under the News Media Bargaining Code, but urged Nine, Seven, and News Corp to look elsewhere for savings.

“Any cuts to editorial will mean reduced coverage of a range of matters and result in a less informed Australian public,” she said.

“They bring into question how committed Nine, Seven and News Corp are to quality, public interest journalism.”

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Top image: Mike Sneesby

Nine CEO Mike Sneesby has announced to staff that the company will be cutting “around 200 jobs” in its publishing business to “offset the loss of revenue from the Meta deal and challenges in the advertising market.”

In a note sent out to staff this morning, Sneesby said Nine was not immune to the “economic headwinds which are impacting many businesses globally.”

“In order for us to be able to keep investing in digital growth opportunities across Nine, we must continue to responsibly manage costs through the cycle,” he said.

“Last financial year we were able to improve the efficiency of our operations but in light of recent market events we are reviewing key parts of our business to identify further potential savings.

“Today we will announce measures in our Publishing business to offset the loss of revenue from the Meta deal and challenges in the advertising market. Unfortunately, this will result in some of our colleagues leaving us in the coming months.

“It is not something we want to do but it is something we need to do to continue to build on a successful platform of high-quality journalism and digital subscription growth.”

Sneesby also said Nine is in the process of identifying further savings measures in its digital and broadcast businesses. 

“An operational review of these businesses is underway and we will update you with further details about what this means for you and your teams in the coming weeks.”

Where possible, Nine states it will look for opportunities to redeploy team members who are impacted. 

“We will support them throughout the process,” Sneesby wrote.

“These are tough decisions and I acknowledge it will be an uncertain period for some of you.

“It’s important to reiterate that Nine remains in a strong position. All of our business units are either completely digital or have rapidly growing digital revenues – and each one maintains a leading position in their respective markets.”

Nine’s managing director – publishing, Tory Maguire wrote in a note to staff it was “clear Nine need to evolve its operating model and reset the publishing business to create a sustainable future for the masthead.”

“Over coming weeks the leadership team, including the editors, will be working on a plan to reduce staff costs, including in the newsrooms,” he wrote.

“This is the first time we have had to take headcount out of editorial since 2017, which is an extraordinary anomaly when you look at other news publishers around the country and the rest of the world.

“We will be focused on finding efficiencies where we can, and making prudent decisions so we can continue to invest in growth areas that are driving subs. We are looking at reducing the publishing division headcount by between 70 and 90 staff over coming months.

“I expect the planning for this to be completed over the next few weeks and in mid-July I will explain how we’re going to proceed. I appreciate this will be an uncertain time for everyone as we work through the details, and that some much loved colleagues will leave the business as a result. We will act with care throughout.”

The latest development adds to a number of departures from the network. Earlier this month, Peter Costello stepped down as Nine Entertainment chairman and resigned as a director, three days after an altercation with a News Corp journalist.

Nine Entertainment is currently investigating its TV newsroom culture after multiple allegations of inappropriate behaviour were made against former national director of news and current affairs, Darren Wick. In March it was announced Wick, Nine’s ex-national director of news and current affairs, was leaving the network after 29 years at the company, 13 years in the position, and more than a month away from the office.

He announced his departure in a staff email seen by Mediaweek, writing: “After many long beach walks and even longer conversations, I know in my heart that this is the right time for me to step down and leave Nine.”

Wick held multiple roles over the course of his career at Nine, including executive producer of The Today Show and A Current Affair.

The allegations have put pressure on CEO Mike Sneesby, with questions raised about who – if anyone – in management knew of the complaints before Wick’s departure.

This past Wednesday it was confirmed that the role of chief information and technology officer, held by Memo Hayek, had been made redundant following a merger between the network’s product engineering and product management teams

After 16 years with the business and five years in the chief marketing officer role, Nikki Clarkson is exiting SCA.

Clarkson’s departure was confirmed by CEO John Kelly, who said she had “made an extraordinary contribution to SCA over her highly successful career journey.”

“She is a fiercely passionate leader, a highly respected member of the SLT and an exceptional strategic and creative marketer who has played a pivotal role in building our brands to be highly recognisable and loved in Australian households,” Kelly added.

Clarkson said of her time with the broadcaster, “It has been a privilege to lead the marketing of mighty brands such as Triple M and The Fox and to see the team transform in the way it has to build LiSTNR from scratch, to the success it is today, is inspiring.”

There has been no confirmation about whether or not Clarkson’s exit was part of a round of redundancies.

Before taking on the role of SCA’s chief marketing officer role for in 2020, Clarkson was the company’s head of marketing and communications from 2008. Prior to that held senior executive positions in creative advertising agencies, including Clemenger Harvie Edge.

In 2022, Clarkson was recognised as one of Australia’s top 50 marketers on the 2022 CMO50 list.

The announcement comes as the wider industry grapples with redundancies and exits from senior members of staff. On Friday, Nine CEO Mike Sneesby announced to staff that the company will be cutting “around 200 jobs” in its publishing business to “offset the loss of revenue from the Meta deal and challenges in the advertising market.”

In a note sent out to staff, Sneesby said Nine was not immune to the “economic headwinds which are impacting many businesses globally.”

See also: Nine to cut 200 jobs after Meta pulls the pin on Media Code deals

Earlier this week, Seven confirmed the departure of three of its senior executives and a new operating model. Under the new model, SWM will have three divisions: Television, Digital, and Western Australia.

Chief revenue officer, Kurt Burnette – who Nichols reported into – has exited the business as well as chief marketing officer, Melissa Hopkins, and head of sport and managing director of Seven Melbourne, Lewis Martin.

See also: Seven West Media: New divisions and leadership roles in wake of redundancies

In his Press Club Address this month, News Corp’s executive chairman Michael Miller said that the company’s ongoing restructure is to ensure the business “rightsize[s] through the advertising downturn to be in a position for growth.”

See also: Michael Miller addresses News Corp redundancies: ‘Looking to rightsize through the advertising downturn’

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Top image: Nikki Clarkson

Lucio Ribeiro is set to depart Seven West Media, taking a voluntary redundancy for his role as director of digital marketing and innovation in a series of large-scale redundancies. Ribeiro had just marked his one-year anniversary with the network.

The news comes on the heels of Georgie Nichols, Seven’s national sales director, resigning from her post at the network. Nichols will remain to help with a handover before officially leaving in August.

Earlier this week, Seven announced it would make up to 150 job redundancies, after cost-cutting measures were flagged in February by then-CFO Jeff Howard and former CEO James Warburton.

Howard assumed the role of CEO at Seven after Warburton’s departure on April 18.

Before the redundancies made on Tuesday, Seven lost three of its senior executives: chief revenue officer, Kurt Burnette, chief marketing officer, Melissa Hopkins, and head of sport and managing director of Seven Melbourne, Lewis Martin. 

Seven confirmed these departures alongside a number of new appointments and a new operating model that will see SWM operate under three divisions: Television, Digital, and Western Australia.

Howard commented that he “sincerely thank[s] Kurt, Lewis, and Mel for their contributions to Seven and they leave with our best wishes for the future.”

He added, “Combined they represent more than 65 years of experience at Seven and it is always very disappointing when such changes have to be made. Our focus, however, is on ensuring Seven West Media’s structure matches our strategy to optimise television, deliver our digital future, find new revenue streams and manage our costs responsibly.”

Yesterday, Seven’s YouTube accounts were reportedly hijacked in an alleged attempt by online criminals to fleece Australian viewers with a live-streamed crypto scam, using the likeness of controversial tech entrepreneur Elon Musk.

The stream reportedly ran for five hours, amassing over 45,000 concurrent viewers, and topping YouTube’s Live Now recommendations.

See also: 
‘One of the best leaders I’ve dealt with’: Industry reacts to the changes at Seven
Seven’s Lucio Ribeiro on the power of vulnerability, curiosity and resilience for leadership

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Top Image: Lucio Ribeiro

On Thursday, 27 June, Yasmar Training Facility in Haberfield was home to 80 Adland leaders who changed into prison overalls and handed over their mobile phones to experience what it’s like being incarcerated in a juvenile detention facility in NSW.

Held for the first time since 2019, UnLtd’s Bail Out 2024 saw inmates interrogated and fingerprinted before getting locked in cells to spend the night on the hard floors of the youth detention centre. The goal of the event was to raise funds for UnLtd’s charity programs, specifically focused on breaking the cycle of youth incarceration. 

Australia is one of the only developed countries that imprison children as young as 10, and currently, 8,982 young people aged 10-17 are under youth justice supervision.

85% of young people aged 10-17 released from sentenced detention return within 12 months.

Whilst First Nations people represent only 4% of the Australian population, 57% of young people in detention are First Nations young people.

As Adlanders walked into the front courtyard of Yasmar, they were greeted by security guards and the warden himself shouting for everyone to put their bags down and get into two lines. 

From there, inmates were interrogated, made to sing, dance, and do starjumps if anyone dared to crack a smile or even fix their hair.

As fingerprints were collected and prison overalls were put on, inmates heard emotional stories from young people with lived experience of incarceration and learnt about better alternatives to prison. The ‘inmates’ then slept the night on the hard floors of the cells in the former detention centre.

In total, the event raised over $125,000 which will go towards UnLtd charity partners’ programs to break the cycle of youth incarceration. The five biggest fundraisers were Justin ‘Curly’ Ladmore, Cathy O’Connor, Nick Bower, Yasmin ‘Yazzimoto’ Sanders, and Paul ‘Siggy’ Sigaloff.

Yasmin Sanders, managing director of Samba TV said: “What an emotional rollercoaster! From the moment we entered the detention centre, it didn’t take long before we felt institutionalised, after experiencing what it feels like to lose all control of your own life, be shouted at and made feel like you’re worth nothing.

“We only spent a night so I can only imagine the impact it would have on young people, some as young as 10 years old, spending years in these facilities. It was eye-opening to hear about the misconceptions around youth incarceration and uplifting to hear that there are better alternatives around that focus on prevention.”

The event also included some cameos from previous ‘inmates’ who returned to the event as Guards. Mark Watt, co-founder of Whitelion ruled the inmates as Chief Warden with Fiona Roberts, Paul Kent, Alexander Sandwith, Chris Freel, and Ricky Chanana bossing the inmates around as Guards.

Stephen Hunt, CEO of UnLtd said the experience was emotional, uncomfortable and exceeded all his expectations.

“The team and I are so grateful to everyone who braved the cold cells, listened generously to those with lived experience and helped raise much-needed funds to keep kids out of jail,” he said.

“I’m confident that everyone who participated will have left the experience with a far deeper understanding of the issue and a desire to do more. There is a lot of work to be done to change the horrendous statistics around youth incarceration.

“Our industry has the potential to make a huge difference by changing perspectives and raising awareness about this important issue. That’s exactly what we plan to do from here!”

Calling this short six-minute interview with the late Dr Michael Mosley a “lost tape” might be overhyping it. There hadn’t been too many people out searching for it…until now.

The original went out on the Sky News Business Channel in 2016. For a decade from 2008 Mediaweek provided content for a 30-minute weekly media show which was anchored by a series of talented TV presenters. And Mediaweek’s James Manning!

Across the years we had many great guests from all parts of the media and advertising sectors. One thing they all had in common was a desire to speak frankly about their industry and share their insights.

That’s certainly what Michael Mosley came armed with during a short interview in 2016. Mosley was in Australia on a promo tour for the BBC. One of those engagements was at the annual ASTRA conference which is where he spoke to Mediaweek co-host James Manning.

Don’t forget SBS on Wednesday 3 July at 7.35pm when the channel will broadcast the BBC tribute program Michael Mosley: The Doctor Who Changed Britain.

Interview highlights: Mosley’s media journey

I actually spent 10 years as a director, then 10 years as an executive producer, and then now it’s been 10 years as a presenter. [Remember, these are timelines for 2016.]

Did you ever think about being the ‘star’, building a brand?

Not in the slightest, no. It was completely random. I had this idea that I wanted to do the history of medicine told through self-experimenters, and so I was pitching that for about 14 years.

Eventually I got in front of the controller of BBC4 at the time, and she said, who’s going to present this series? And I said, no idea. She said, why don’t you do it? And that was 10 years ago.

I’ve been lucky and I’ve continued doing things since.

How BBC Worldwide [now BBC Studios] made it all possible

[At the time we spoke with Mosley, the Top Gear trio of Clarkson, Hammond and May had just exited BBC Worldwide. We asked Mosley if he might have moved up the ladder a little at the broadcaster.]

To be honest, I have absolutely not a clue what I am worth to BBC Worldwide at all. The relationship is a very much sort of mutual one, because Worldwide make my films possible.

They put the money into it. They make it possible for them to be distributed around the world. So it’s a very mutually beneficial arrangement.

Mosley indicated he enjoyed meeting his global broadcast partners

I absolutely love it. Really, really interesting. You get a completely different perspective on things, and you also learn a lot coming to conferences like this.

You find out what other people are doing, and that is incredibly energising, because the risk is obviously if you stay at home, you just get sort of domestic worries. And it is really, really thrilling, I have to say. People come and talk about your programs. You also see a lot of other programs.

Watch Mediaweek’s Michael Mosley interview

Programs that resonate globally with audiences

Certainly one of the programs I did, Eat, Fast, Live Longer, led to the 5:2 Diet. The Fast Diet was a book I wrote. So that as a single program really resonated.

I also do a series called Trust Me, I’m a Doctor, which is shown here, which has been sold to PBS, and is also popular in Scandinavian countries. I’m very popular in Sweden. I was actually surprised.

I was in the loo yesterday here, and somebody came up to me and said, I really like your shoes. I looked down at my feet, and he was saying, your shoes.

So yeah, it’s really good fun. New Zealand as well, I was in recently. I was surprised to discover a lot of people watch BBC Knowledge there, and therefore they’re very aware of what I do. People like the fact that I embrace it very wholeheartedly.

I do the experiments on myself and throw myself into it with a great deal of enthusiasm. I guess that stretches out the production time for some of these projects, because we sit down and consume it in an hour or something.

Spending time getting it right

Typically a production can last anywhere from three months to a year, depending what they are. I do quite a lot of programs simultaneously as well.

Some of the things, like the Horizon special I did, entailed my losing around 10 kilos. That actually took about three months, but part of that was just being in the edit. Sometimes what they do is they build it into the edit.

Editing is typically, say, two months. What you do is you get to a certain point. The thing about these programs is also we almost never know how they’re going to turn out.

Until pretty much the last day of the edit, you don’t quite know what the conclusion of this film is going to be, which is a little bit hair-raising. I did one, for example, which involved swallowing tapeworm cysts. And really right to the end, I didn’t know if I was infected or not.

It was only when I swallowed a pill camera, and you could actually see the little tapeworm down there. And this was actually in an Indian restaurant. I’m there, I’ve got my iPad out, which the pill camera is broadcasting live to there.

And suddenly I go, hey! The producer is completely thrilled, because as I said, until that point, we could have done the whole thing and nothing happened. That would have been something of a downer.

Global bestselling author too

The 5:2 Diet became an international bestseller. It became a New York Times bestseller.

It has sold very well here. I’ve written another book recently called The 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet, which is also doing extremely well over here. I seem to translate well.

The thing I’m kind of banging on about at the moment is diabetes and pre-diabetes, because those are a major health risk in places like Australia, but also throughout the world.

Frankly, particularly in Asia, because Asians, Indians, for whatever reason, are at much greater risk of diabetes. And it is reversible.

It is treatable. And that’s kind of one of the messages I want to get out there.

See also:
The doctor down under: Artemis Media’s Celia Tait on working with Michael Mosley for SBS

Michael Mosley and Celia Tate

AI has revolutionised advertising by enhancing targeting precision through data analysis, and making it earlier than ever to personalise ad experiences.

Through automated ad creation and the optimisation of content based on performance data, AI streamlines media buying and generates content at scale. Insights from AI analytics improve campaign strategies, refining approaches for better ROI, and AI-driven chatbots provide immediate customer interaction and recommendations.

Overall, AI has made advertising more efficient, personalised, and data-driven, transforming how brands connect with consumers. Leading the charge with this technology is Microsoft Advertising. 

Cynthia Gutierrez, senior associate, paid search at dentsu said Microsoft Advertising’s AI assistant, Copilot, “seamlessly combines convenience and knowledge, offering swift and insightful responses.”

As Microsoft Advertising continues to evolve its business to meet the needs of the market, it distinguishes itself through its use of AI. This technology underpins features and capabilities designed to enhance advertising effectiveness and efficiency for SMBs.

“Its depth of information and unwavering reliability converge to create an experience that transcends mere utility, making it an invaluable digital companion. Whether unravelling complex queries or providing insights, Copilot stands as a testament to efficient problem-solving,” Gutierrez added.

Listen to the latest episode of Mediaweek Heavy Hitters: How AI will transform business performance

Copilot is an AI assistant created by combining large language models and data sourced from Microsoft 365, creating high-quality marketing easily and efficiently, while guiding you through campaign creation and answering questions along the way. 

The AI enables predictive targeting, allowing SMBs to reach target audiences more effectively, making targeting smarter and keyword-free.

Sarah Koroma, senior associate, paid search at dentsu said: “I appreciate Microsoft’s innovative AI-powered conversational chat in their advertising platform. This feature not only answers daily queries but also guides through tasks such as creating campaigns, increasing efficiency.

“Copilot in Microsoft Advertising really helped to enhance the user experience and productivity in the platform.” 

Automation and Optimisation

AI automates and optimises ad targeting, providing insights and detecting fraud, ensuring ads reach the right audience effectively while maximizing ROI. As well as the Copilot tool, Microsoft Advertising leverages AI to automate and optimise various aspects of ad campaigns. 

Performance Max campaigns automate the creation and distribution of ads across multiple channels within the Microsoft Advertising Network. AI-driven algorithms continuously optimise bidding and targeting strategies, working to maximise conversions and ROI. 

Display+ campaigns help find audiences audience as they browse online and drive brand awareness by creating display, native, and video ads in one workflow. 

This automation not only saves time but also ensures that ad spend is directed towards the most promising opportunities for SMBs.

Enhanced User Experience

For consumers, AI makes for a more engaging user experience through personalised recommendations, interactive chatbots for instant customer support, and tailored ad content.

AI also ensures smoother interactions and faster resolutions, enhancing overall satisfaction. As Microsoft Advertising responds to the needs of the market, the platform has undergone a refresh that has seen it built from the ground up.

Key features of the updated platforms have been simpler navigation and a streamlined signup process, with Copilot embedded throughout. The updates have also seen the introduction of a more intuitive, goal-based campaign creation flow for creating a campaign from scratch, as well as an easier way to import campaigns from Google.

In addition, the Budget Center helps businesses consolidate and visualise ad spend to help make more informed decisions.

Personalisation and Insights

AI boosts advertising personalisation by analysing consumer data and tailoring ads in real-time based on individual user interactions and historical data, optimising content and delivery to resonate with specific audiences.

AI lets Microsoft Advertising deliver personalised insights and recommendations to SMBs as algorithms analyse campaign performance data, audience behaviour patterns, and market trends to provide actionable insights. 

As well as the automated tools, Microsoft Advertising employs a skilled team of specialists ready to provide guidance and personalised support. 

This team works closely with advertisers providing assistance through strategic insights and data-driven recommendations, working to make the most of campaigns and boost a business’ growth.  

Microsoft’s ecosystem currently connects brands with over one billion people through sites that they engage with daily. Microsoft Advertising is “in the business of empowering yours”, a position built on a base of trust and personalised support, helping SMBs looking to maximise advertising effectiveness and sustainable business growth.

Meltwater and Microsoft have teamed up to change how communications and marketing professionals interact with data through Meltwater Copilot as part of the latest innovations unveiled at its annual mid-year release.

Meltwater Copilot is the next-generation communications assistant built on Microsoft’s technology stack – including Microsoft, Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, Microsoft 365, and Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365.

It allows users to surface real-time insights such as brand mentions, sentiment analysis, key issues, and competitive benchmarking, all within their Teams environments.

The collaboration, which debuts with a Meltwater Copilot App for Teams and extension for Copilot for Microsoft 365, leverages leading AI technology from both Microsoft and Meltwater to unlock the power of Meltwater’s leading global data set, which processes more than a billion pieces of information each day.

Meltwater Copilot aims to bridge the gap between data and insight. It allows users to interact with Meltwater data using conversational language, meaning the correct insight can be easily requested and presented in an easy-to-action format. This aims to democratise access to insights, saving time and streamlining workflows.

The innovations in the mid-year release is powered by Meltwater’s AI engine and developments in Generative AI, such as simplifying search creation in Meltwater Explore with ChatGPT APIs and fully integrated AI Assistant in every workflow to eliminate repetitive tasks and focus on the most strategic work.

Also included are Daily Digest AI overviews to summarise the most important news and coverage every day and AI-Powered Influencer Discovery, which fast tracks influencer discovery with AI-powered suggested influencers.

Chris Hackney, Meltwater’s chief product officer, said: “At Meltwater, our goal is to ensure technology serves the needs of our users. We don’t just add features for the sake of novelty or to ride the latest tech trend. Our focus is on empowering our customers to achieve remarkable outcomes with solutions that truly simplify their workflows and effort levels.”

“The work Microsoft and Meltwater are doing will help reinvent the communications industry with the power of AI,” Steve Clayton, vice president of communications strategy at Microsoft said.

“Together we are putting tools in the hands of the practitioners that combine the art and science of communications and delivering this capability in a more natural, intuitive way where people are already getting things done – in Microsoft Teams.”

Leo Burnett Australia has promoted associate creative director Stacey Karayannis to the position of creative director in Melbourne.

Karayannis joined the ad industry after graduating from AWARD School, becoming part of the Publicis-owned creative agency in 2015 as an art director. Since then, she has worked with clients including Diageo, HBF, and Vitasoy.

During her tenure in the industry, she has earned recognition for her work as a One Club Next Creative Leader and at awards such as the Clios, One Show, and Spikes.

“We’re thrilled to give Stacey this well-deserved promotion to creative director,” said Leo Burnett Australia chief creative officer, Andy Fergusson.

“Over many years, she’s proven to be extremely talented and creatively ambitious. And perhaps more importantly, she really cares about the people and culture of the agency. I’m excited to see her grow as she moves into this new role.”

Speaking of her new role, Karayannis commented: “I have been lucky to have worked with some brilliant humans during my time at Leo Burnett. Going full circle, I hope I can pass some of that brilliance on. I look forward to creating more great work with the team.”

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Top Image: Stacey Karayannis

Kinky History host Esmé Louise James told Mediaweek that there is a “significant place for historical narratives in modern media” and a need to “continue pushing the boundaries of how we understand and present history.”

She was recently recognised at Mediaweek’s Next of The Best awards as the winner of the Digital Video – Talent category.

Mediaweek caught up with James on the success of Kinky History, breaking down misconceptions about her content and what comes next.

The awards have been judged by an all-star line-up, what does it mean to you to be recognised by this group?

Being recognised by such an esteemed panel is incredibly validating and humbling. I think it shows that there’s a significant place for historical narratives in modern media, and a need to continue pushing the boundaries of how we understand and present history. Edu-Tainment is on the rise, especially for younger generations, so it’s wonderful to see it valued and recognised by these awards. 

What is it about Kinky History that you think audiences resonate with?

Kinky History is a blend of education and entertainment. By exploring the often overlooked or taboo aspects of history, it opens up conversations that are both enlightening and engaging. This has resonated with a truly wonderful and diverse community from all around the globe. I think people appreciate learning about the past in a way that’s relatable and, at times, surprisingly humorous. The human stories and the way they reflect contemporary issues create a powerful connection with viewers.

How do you approach bringing often quite dense historical topics to short-form video?

Often, I tackle quite dense historical and cultural topics. My approach is to distil the core elements into engaging, bite-sized narratives – focusing on storytelling and relatable analogies to make the content accessible. The art is never to assume someone’s expertise in a subject area, but also to never underestimate their intelligence and ability to understand that topic. Honestly, I wish academia had the same approach! Visual aids, humour, and a conversational tone also play crucial roles in breaking down complex ideas into something that sparks curiosity in people. 

What is the most common misconception about what you do?

The most common misconception is that my work is purely for entertainment or shock value. While Kinky History is undoubtedly entertaining, it is deeply rooted in rigorous research and academic scholarship – otherwise, I could have saved myself a decade at the university! Each video is carefully crafted to provide accurate historical insights while also being engaging. It’s not just about the sensational aspects; it’s about understanding the cultural and social contexts that shaped these stories.

Being Next of The Best – what can the industry expect next from you?

My core mission is to continue making education accessible – and I’m expanding that into some exciting new formats in the coming year. I’ve got plans to continue the work I’ve done in the past with my mum, who is an incredible statistician – we’re coming back bigger and better than we’ve seen before. The next year will also see some more collaborative work with other creators and educators around the world – a sense of community that is so important to me. 

This month, I have also launched Let’s Get Explicit – a financial year calendar, featuring 14 prominent Australian figures, which is raising funds for GIVIT’s Family and Domestic Violence Appeal. This is set to land on doorsteps next month, with all of the profits going towards women who are escaping violence. If learning from the past has taught me anything, it’s that everyone has the chance to change the future – and I really hope this fundraising and awareness campaign can be part of my contribution to that mission this year. 

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Top image: Esmé Louise James

oOh!media has won West Gate Freeway large-format digital site in Melbourne, increasing its large-format digital portfolio in Melbourne by more than 50% over the past 12 months. 

The West Gate Bridge in Port Melbourne is a high-impact double-sided digital billboard at 1 West Gate Freeway that can capture the attention of commuters travelling between the inner west and inner city at scale.

The location delivers visibility along the critical road link connecting Geelong and Melbourne’s burgeoning western suburbs to the city. The road sees upwards of 200,000 vehicles daily, making it one of Australia’s busiest roads.  

The acquisition of the new large-format digital is part of oOh!’s Signature Series, a collection of the most premium and sought-after digital and classic locations across Australia. 

The outdoor media company also has an additional eight large-format digital sites in Footscray, Sunshine West, Burwood and Ringwood and two double-sided sites in Broadmeadows and South Morang.

oOh! has significantly extended its presence in Melbourne over the last year with 23 digital and four classic large-format sites, which combined represent a 53% increase in oOh!’s large-format digital portfolio in the Victorian capital city.   

Robbie Dery, chief commercial operating officer at oOh!, said: “Acquiring the premium West Gate Freeway large format digital site, along with eight additional digital sites, reflects our ongoing investment to deliver unparalleled visibility for advertisers across Melbourne.

“Strategically located on a major arterial road, the West Gate Bridge site, together with the other sites, ensures that brands achieve maximum exposure and presence, reinforcing our dedication to making brands unmissable,” he added.

The outdoor media company’s presence in the Melbourne CBD leverages a unique network of large format assets with key sites. oOh! sites include the six-storey ‘The Bourke’, Galleria, the Flinders Street Wonderwall, Melbourne Central Retail, and prime rail dominations at Flinders Street Station and Melbourne Central.  

Travel marketing is evolving as Australians seek more personalised experiences, according to The Growth Distillery’s second chapter of its research and insights program, The Influence Codes. Produced in collaboration with Ogilvy and Kantar, this chapter focuses on the travel industry.

The Influence Codes is based on six months of research by The Growth Distillery, the independent think-tank and commercial research arm powered by News Corp’s Growth Intelligence Centre, and looks into shifts in technology, society, and globalisation that impact what influence means, and covers how brands can navigate these changes.

In The Influence Codes: Travel explores how travel brands can better serve consumers by understanding critical sources of influence and adopting strategic approaches to stand out in a crowded market.

“For Aussie travellers affinity and authenticity are the superpowers of Influence,” explained The Growth Distillery’s head of research, James Taylor.

“This research shows marketers can help Australians to get more out of life with their travel experiences by being less focused on helping people get away from life, and being more focused on helping people get more from life.”

According to the findings of this second research report, there is a clear need for travel experiences to resonate personally, with 64% of Australians stating that a holiday is about living their true authentic self.

Furthermore, 39% of consumers find travel brands to be too generic, indicating an opportunity for brands to differentiate themselves by offering more personalised and tailored travel options.

Finally, the report reveals the importance of clear and trustworthy guidance in helping consumers make decisions, with 45% of respondents currently feeling overwhelmed by the abundance of travel choices.

The Influence Codes: Travel chapter follows the inaugural release of The Influence Codes: The New Rules of Influence, which revealed 71% of Australians feel the world around them as increasingly complex and less trustworthy.

The research further found affinity (a blend of character, proximity, and relatability) to be the new foundation of influence.

See also: Growth Distillery, Ogilvy, and Kantar partner for influence research

Innocean Group has won the brand strategy, creative, and media account for fleet management solutions and connected transportation company Geotab. 

Lowercase, the group’s consultative company, has also been selected to lead Geotab’s research to measure and bridge the gap between the ANZ and Southeast Asia B2B strategies.

The win underscores the agency’s end-to-end solution that combines consultancy, AI research product TBX, strategy, creative, and media. This strategic collaboration will leverage these strengths to enhance Geotab’s market presence and drive growth across the Asia-Pacific region.

Geotab, headquartered in Canada, provides connected vehicle and asset solutions, leveraging advanced data analytics and AI to enhance fleet performance, safety, and sustainability while optimising costs

The Canadian-based company has more than 50,000 customers across 160 countries, processing billions of data points hourly from more than 4 million vehicles.

Jasmin Bedir, CEO of Innocean, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Geotab and bring our expertise in brand strategy, creative, and media to support the company’s growth ambitions in the fleet telematics sector. Creating impactful and innovative messaging that resonates with diverse audiences across APAC is something we’re passionate about.”

Kathryn Furnari, head of media at Innocean, noted that the win was significant: “We are excited to be leading the media strategy and buying for Geotab across the ANZ and Southeast Asian markets. Our true end-to-end thinking, supported by rich, AI-enabled research and consulting, will ensure we deliver targeted B2B media solutions that drive measurable growth and brand impact.”

Matt Morgan, managing director of lowercase, said it was important to start with a true understanding of the customer and the B2B fleet telematics industry.

“Our TBX tool will provide the depth of one-on-one interviews with the scale and speed of quantitative research, offering Geotab detailed and actionable insights that measure the gap between markets, business and customers. This research will be crucial in understanding the distinct needs and opportunities within the APAC market, ensuring that Geotab’s strategies are precisely tailored to each region,” he said.

Lia Geraissate, APAC marketing lead at Geotab, said: “We are excited to work with Innocean and lowercase to elevate our brand and optimise our strategies. The combined expertise of both agencies will help us better understand our markets and deliver superior value to our customers. This partnership is a significant step forward in our mission to lead the fleet telematics industry in innovation and customer satisfaction.”

This partnership marks a significant milestone for Geotab as it continues to expand its footprint and enhance its service offerings in the fleet telematics industry.

–

Top image: Jasmin Bedir

Creative agency TBWA\Sydney has launched its latest campaign for mycar Tyre & Auto (previously Kmart Tyre and Auto) under the brand platform, Get the care you deserve at mycar.

The campaign strategy aims to position the auto specialists as a benchmark for care. Rolling out across TV, radio, BVOD, OOH, social, and digital display, it centres around a series of 30-second hero films that see a discerning bride, a considered son and a misunderstood husband all demanding a “mycar level” of care from their confused counterparts.  

“Our People First platform continues to evolve, and this campaign delivers the message that it’s more than reasonable for people to expect, in differing life scenarios, the same level of value, are and service that they have come to expect from mycar,” said head of marketing at mycar, Cynthia Fernandez.

TBWA creative director Simon Hayes explained, “We challenged ourselves to get the offer construct across in a fresh, funny and memorable way. And we’re proud to say it doesn’t get much more retail than this – in fact every punchline hangs on the offer delivery.” 

The work for mycar follows TBWA’s recent campaign for AFL, Break the Aussie Rules, launched last month with the AFL’s national media agency of record, PHD. The campaign was further developed in partnership with the Brisbane Lions, Gold Coast Suns, GWS Giants, and Sydney Swans.

Last month, TBWA\Melbourne and the National Australia Bank (NAB) teamed up to launch a new bookkeeping tool, NAB Bookkeeper – the latest iteration of its Wrangle Your Money platform.

See also:
AFL launches ‘Break the Aussie Rules’ via TBWA
NAB and TBWA\Melbourne launch bookkeeper tool

Credits:
Client: mycar Tyre & Auto 
Chief customer officer: Adele Coswello
Head of marketing: Cynthia Fernandez

Creative Agency: TBWA\Sydney 
Chief creative officer: Evan Roberts 
Creative director: Simon Hayes 
Creative director: Archie Murugaser  
Head client partner: Vanessa Di Blasio 
Head of strategy: Sebastian Revell 
Senior dtrategist: Callum James 
Senior nusiness manager: Madie Finch 
Head producer: Jonathan Pitcher 
Group director, production and creative services: Lisa Brown 

Media agency: Hearts & Science 

PR & social agency: Eleven 

Film Production: Scoundrel 
Director: Ric Cantor 
Editor: Adam Wills 
Photographer: Ingvar Kenne, The Pool Collective

Adobe’s Content Hub with Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) Assets is now available for users across its applications.

AEM Assets is the digital asset management system (DAM) used by brands to manage their entire library of images, videos and other content that drives the creation of marketing campaigns and digital experiences. It is used by the majority of the Fortune 50 and brands such as ASICS, Cisco, The Coca-Cola Company, Henkel, Prudential Financial, T-Mobile and Volkswagen.

The content hub will allow brands to reimagine how creative assets are used across their organisation and with external partners, driving major efficiency gains.

With a new interface, teams have every brand-approved asset at their fingertips while being able to access an all-in-one design tool through Adobe Express and Firefly generative AI—directly in the existing flow of work. It also removes inefficiencies by ensuring proper asset reuse and resolving any inconsistencies while providing usage analytics and governance controls for sensitive launches.

Content Hub will let brands optimise a key component of their content supply chain, the end-to-end business process every company needs to deliver content required for marketing campaigns and personalised customer experiences. For most organisations, it is a web of disconnected workflows, teams and systems that often break down.

Loni Stark, vice president of strategy and product, Adobe Experience Cloud, said: “Marketers are under increasing pressure to meet content demands that are expected to surge in the next few years, making it critical for brands to effectively manage the assets that anchor a healthy content supply chain.

“Adobe Content Hub jumpstarts this process by providing a user-friendly interface for any individual to find and remix brand relevant assets, boosting the production of fresh content for fast-moving channels like social media and delivering proven productivity gains.”

Adobe Content Hub will allow brands to easily find brand-approved assets with a browser search that can drive both efficient reuse and creative ideation for users. With any variety of search parameters, users can find assets based on individual terms with smart tags, assets are automatically tagged with key terms to make them more searchable.

Adobe Express with Firefly generative AI can be leveraged in Content Hub, and will allow user to remix assets directly in the flow of work and transform them into new digital experiences. Express editor can be used to make quick adjustments from adding copy to resizing. Firefly generative AI in Express takes this a step further by allowing users to create new variations through replacing backgrounds, adding objects, creating different visual styles and more.

Content Hub will allow administrators to manage permissions for sensitive assets, with governance controls to ensure AI-generated content also aligns with brand standards. Firefly-powered features will automatically attach Content Credentials to the content to provide transparency around the use of AI within Adobe’s applications like a nutrition label for digital content. Content Credentials are tamper-evident metadata that can provide more information about the content, including whether AI was used in the creation or editing process.

Adobe Content Hub will also provide robust analytics around the usage of assets, with detailed breakdowns that help brands better understand how assets are being used across their organisation. These insights aim to enable teams to improve how assets are created in the first place, such as resourcing a certain type of file or visual style that is heavily used.

News Corp Australia and TikTok held discussions over a content deal that would have seen TikTok pay News its videos.

According to Capital Brief, the talks involved senior local executives from each company and were held before Meta’s announcement on 1 March that it would not renew deals with Australian news publishers.

Capital Brief reports that while the discussions didn’t produce any formal agreements, the talks shone light on News Corp’s willingness to secure payments from big tech for content.

News Corp has been contacted for comment.

At a parliamentary inquiry into social media held last month, Seven West Media CEO Jeff Howard, alongside Nine CEO Mike Sneesby and News Corp Australia executive chair Michael Miller, warned the parliamentary committee of job cuts across newsrooms if Meta fails to renew the deals made with publishers under the media bargaining code. 

The parliamentary committee was called in May after Meta said it would not renew its commercial agreements with local publishers. Meta signed the agreements in 2021, and are due to expire this year.

Before the parliamentary inquiry, several News Corp roles were made redundant in June including head of national trading and NSW consortium agencies, Alexandra Bliekast.

Bliekast’s exit comes as The Sydney Morning Herald reported News Corp Australia will “make up to 80 roles in its sales workforce redundant” as part of its ongoing restructure. A News Corp spokesperson told the Nine masthead that the claims of a 40% reduction in sales staff was “wildly inaccurate”.

A News Corp Australia spokesman told Mediaweek: “Like most companies we do not provide commentary on employment matters but the story that first appeared in the Nine Entertainment tabloids, The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, contained multiple errors, including the egregiously false claim 40 percent of sales staff were to lose their jobs. 

“The published story still contains significant errors and we would appreciate having the opportunity to consider and respond to questions rather than media outlets automatically assuming these reports are correct.”

Other exits so far include Michael Wilkins, managing director of national sport brands, Marcus Hooke, general manager of print production, and Michael Desiere, head of sales – NSW independent agencies and major direct.

Two of the first high-profile exits were Lisa Muxworthy, the editor-in-chief of news.com.au – the most popular news website in the country – and John McGourty, the Editorial Innovation Centre’s group director.

The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) have celebrated Our Soundtrack Our Ads and marked the one-month countdown until entries are open for the Awards’ category, Best Use of an Australian Recording in an Advertisement.

Hosted at Sony Music Entertainment Australia’s offices in Sydney, the event was attended by over 120 leaders of the Australian advertising and music industries, including the Hon. John Graham and representatives from new music bodies Sound NSW and Music Australia.

For the second year, ARIA Awards for Best Use of an Australian Recording in an Advertisement will be handed out in two categories: up to and over two minutes in duration. This year, the winners will be determined by an expanded judging academy, which will function similar to those that select other ARIA Awards. Entries open on 27 July at Our Soundtrack Our Ads – ARIA.

Annabelle Herd and the Hon John Graham

The Best Use of an Australian Recording in an Advertisement category was launched in 2022, as part of Our Soundtrack Our Ads: a joint initiative between Our Soundtrack Our Stories and M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment. It is an extension of the existing Our Soundtrack Our Stories, launched in 2021 to promote the use of Australian music across the local business and media landscape. 

Annabelle Herd, ARIA CEO, opened the evening with welcoming remarks and moderated a panel discussion with Hannah Marsh, director of licensing at Sony Music Australia, 72 & Sunny’s head of brand Laura Popa; and Ricky Simandjuntak, creative director and brand strategist at Plate it Forward. 

ARIA winner Amy Shark and Josh Hannan, from Australian Idol 2023, also took to the stage to perform for attendees.

Josh Hannan

Speaking on the opportunity afforded by the use of Australian music in advertising, Simandjuntak said: “It really helps me teach the artist that they can operate as a business, with multiple revenue streams and ways of making music.
 
“It’s a way to say to them here’s a way to think of how you can work with brands via a syncing agency and develop new ways to fund the project.
 
“But looking back, using Australian music isn’t just about using the artist, there’s a whole ecosystem around the artist and it has a knock-on effect for all sorts of jobs like art directors, creative directors, designers and videographers as well, it opens all these opportunities that may otherwise not happen.”

Ricky Simandjuntak, Laura Popa and Hannah Marsh

Last year’s winners were Innocean Australia and Australian Marine Conservation Society, for their Voice of the Sea campaign featuring music by John Williamson in the over two minute category; while 72andSunny with Campfire X took under two minutes, for Google Helping You Help Others with music from Baker Boy.
 
Herd said: “Advertising forms a critical part of Australian culture that is too often overlooked when we consider who is telling our nation’s stories, we are proud to continue celebrating the relationship between musicians and advertisers, as well as the significant opportunity to continue soundtracking Australian stories with Australian music.”

–

Top image: Amy Shark

Last week, Universal Music Australia hosted the second annual IGNITE showcase in Sydney.

Good Neighbours, Towa Bird, and ROLE MODEL made their debut in Australia’s industry and the event was followed up with an afterparty.

Upcoming projects from this year’s lineup of artists include Towa Bird releasing her debut album American Hero this week; Good Neighbours releasing their new single Daisies July 4; and ROLE MODEL releasing his sophomore album Kansas Anymore on July 19.

Good Neighbours are a band born out of small towns and spare time. Scott and Oli have neighbouring studios at their building in East London and first began making music for the project together out of the desire to make something positive and unpolished in a scene where most music felt quite mellow and intimate.

Since taking up electric guitar aged 12, Towa Bird has come to rely on her chosen instrument as something of a second voice – a vessel for raw self-expression, often manifested in the form of frenetic yet sublimely executed guitar solos, a sound that strikes a balance of boldness with sensitivity.

Pondering life, love, and everything between over an ever-evolving sonic palette of pop, alternative, hip-hop and punk, ROLE MODEL initially made waves during 2017. He gained traction with early independent singles and received co-signs from Benny Blanco and the late legend Mac Miller.

TV Report 30 June 2024:

Nine TV Report

Travel Guides

Nine’s evening began with Travel Guides.

The guides have grabbed sun hats for a Pacific island escape to the Cook Islands. 

NRL – Tigers v Raiders

The Pathers v Cowboys game on Nine saw the Cowboys dominate, winning the game 16-6 at BlueBet Stadium in Penrith.

Seven TV Report

Dream Home

On Seven, after riding high on the leaderboard all season, sisters Taeler and Elle finally take a tumble when the judges go cold on their stone-laden kitchen.

7NEWS Spotlight

The program conducted an investigation into what Australia got right and wrong in the response to the pandemic with former Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. 

10 TV Report

The Sunday Project

The Sunday Project looked into the cop on the search for a missing doomsday cult family, how MDMA is being used to treat PTSD and spoke to Andrew Farriss.

MasterChef Australia

On 10’s MasterChef Australia, contestants bid against one another, trading time for ingredients. Four contestants competed to cook a dish that helps them avoid elimination and secure their place in the top 6.

ABC

Spicks and Specks

Adam Hills turns into the Riddler as he taunts Alan, Myf, Bec Charlwood, Dilruk Jayasinha, Elise McCann and Oli Leimbach with tough clues.

Austin

Julian’s documentary capturing his growing relationship with Austin is now out in the open and Julian engages an award-winning filmmaker to finish the job. Is bringing Austin to London the perfect treat for him or for Julian?

SBS

Eiffel Tower: Building the Impossible

Mornings of parades, afternoons of riots and evenings of jubilation. At the heart of one of the most beautiful urban perspectives in the world, it attracts as much as it repels. And when it is ransacked, it’s France as a whole that is attacked – The Arc de Triomphe.

Thursday 27 June 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s Women’s State of Origin – Game III recorded a total TV national reach of 2,282,000, a total TV national audience of 1,074,000, and a BVOD audience of 174,000.

Seven’s The Chase Australia recorded a total TV national reach of 1,346,000, a total TV national audience of 673,000.

Also on Seven, Home & Away recorded a total TV national reach of 1,729,000, a total TV national audience of 689,000, and a BVOD audience of 86,000.

10’s airing of Taskmaster Australia recorded a total TV national reach of 840,000, a total TV national audience of 385,000, and a BVOD audience of 20,000.

10’s airing of The Project recorded a total TV national reach of 788,000, a total TV national audience of 299,000, and a BVOD audience of 17,000.

See also: TV Report 27 June 2024: Maroons defeat Sky Blues to win the Women’s State of Origin 2024 series

People 25-54

Nine’s Women’s State of Origin:
• Total TV nation reach: 863,000
• National Audience: 429,000
• BVOD Audience: 110,000

Seven’s The Chase Australia:
• Total TV nation reach: 303,000
• National Audience: 143,000
• BVOD Audience: 16,000

10’s Taskmaster:
• Total TV nation reach: 377,000
• National Audience: 196,000 
• BVOD Audience: 13,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 516,000
• National Audience: 214,000
• BVOD Audience: 47,000

People 16-39

Nine’s Women’s State of Origin:
• Total TV nation reach: 424,000
• National Audience: 218,000
• BVOD Audience: 74,000

Seven’s The Chase Australia:
• Total TV nation reach: 112,000
• National Audience: 53,000
• BVOD Audience: 8,000

10’s Taskmaster:
• Total TV nation reach: 173,000
• National Audience: 99,000 
• BVOD Audience: 8,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 230,000
• National Audience: 90,000
• BVOD Audience: 28,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+

Nine’s Women’s State of Origin:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,679,000
• National Audience: 781,000
• BVOD Audience: 134,000

Seven’s The Chase Australia:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,070,000
• National Audience: 542,000
• BVOD Audience: 26,000

10’s Taskmaster:
• Total TV nation reach: 655,000
• National Audience: 300,000 
• BVOD Audience: 16,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,351,000
• National Audience: 550,000
• BVOD Audience: 68,000

Data © OzTAM and Regional TAM 2024. Not to be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) in whole or in part, without prior written consent of OzTAM and Regional TAM.