Wednesday September 11, 2024
Peter Charles appointed Seven Network managing director, Victoria
The Seven Network has appointed Peter Charles to the new role of managing director, Victoria, effective immediately.
In his new role, Charles will work closely with the Seven Melbourne senior leadership team. He retains his position as Victorian sales director and head of national independent agencies and direct.
Charles joined Seven in 1999 and celebrated 25 years with the network in February this year. In addition to his Seven roles, he is also a board member of Fight MND, one of the world’s biggest funders of motor neurone disease research.
Peter Charles replaces Lewis Martin who was head of sport and managing director of Seven Melbourne.
See also: Seven West Media redundancies: Three of network’s top executives exit
SWM managing director and chief executive officer, Jeff Howard, said: “With more than 30 years’ experience in the media industry, Pete is one of the best in the business and a proven builder and leader of teams.
“His deep passion for Melbourne, Seven and the Team makes him the perfect person to take on this role in one of our most important markets. His drive, enthusiasm, talent and ability to go above and beyond for our partners and our people are unmatched. Congratulations Pete.”
Peter Charles said: “As a proud Melburnian and a true believer in the power of our content and our brand, I’m honoured to take on this new position and the opportunity to represent Seven Melbourne. I love Seven and the role it plays in communities across Australia and Victoria.
“Seven Melbourne is home to so many talented people, and part of a national Team that is delivering amazing content and outstanding results for our Partners. I’m especially proud to continue my Seven story where I can share my passion for the media industry and help lead the transformation of Seven into the future.
We are so lucky to be the home of AFL, Cricket, the Good Friday Appeal, The Big Freeze, 7NEWS and many marque entertainment brands.
“The evolution of our business continues, and I’m pumped to be part of it,” he said.
Eileen Ooi appointed APAC CEO of Omnicom Media Group agency PHD
PHD has appointed Eileen Ooi as CEO, Asia Pacific.
She brings over 19 years of industry experience to the role, and was most recently CEO at OMG Malaysia. Before that, she spent four years with PHD Malaysia as its managing director.
Her appointment at the Omnicom Media Group agency is a testament to her track record for building businesses that are powered by strong client relationships and an unwavering commitment to drive growth and innovation.
With Ooi at the helm, she has successfully transformed OMG Malaysia into a formidable force to be reckoned with. This is evidenced by OMG Malaysia being named Best Performing Media Network by RECMA earlier this year, with PHD Malaysia and OMD Malaysia claiming #1 and #2 spots, respectively, in vitality.
On the back of strong new business conversions for clients including CelcomDigi, Tyson Foods, and Vinda, and impressive client retentions for HSBC, Beiersdorf, and Wipro Unza, the network also saw their strongest employee engagement scores.
In her new role, Ooi will lead PHD business operations across APAC and work with clients from many of the world’s most well-known and successful brands, including Volkswagen Group, CHANEL, Diageo and Singapore Airlines. She will report directly to Tony Harradine, CEO, Omnicom Media Group, APAC, and Guy Marks, CEO, PHD Worldwide.
With Ooi’s successor expected to be named in Q4, she will continue to oversee OMG Malaysia as CEO in the interim, ensuring a seamless transition and sustained momentum.
“Eileen has a unique ability to identify strategic opportunities and effectively converting them into tangible results,” Tony Harradine, CEO of OMG Asia Pacific, said. Under her visionary leadership, OMG Malaysia has undergone a remarkable transformation, achieving significant business growth, with client and employee confidence at an all-time high. With her cumulative experience as well as her understanding of the business needs at PHD and at the group-level, Eileen will successfully steer PHD Asia Pacific towards a new era of growth.”
“PHD promises our clients that we will help them outthink, outpace and outgrow the market,” said Guy Marks, CEO, PHD Worldwide.
“With her record of driving growth for her clients and her agency alike, Eileen is the ideal choice to ensure that PHD APAC delivers on that ambition. She’s a practitioner with an eye for detail, she moves at pace and is a fierce collaborator – all things that will make her a great partner to our clients in Asia Pacific.
“I am excited to work with Eileen to make PHD’s new proposition, ‘Intelligence. Connected.’ a reality in the region, delivering a competitive advantage for our people and our clients.”
An avid advocate of talent development, Ooi actively contributes to the broader advertising industry by participating in local and regional speaking engagements. Additionally, Ooi was recently re-elected as President for the Malaysian Digital Association (MDA).
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Top image: Eileen Ooi
Podcast Ranker August 2024: Nine’s The Ultimate Sacrifice storms up the chart
Nine’s podcast The Ultimate Sacrifice has made its mark on the August 2024 Podcast Ranker chart. The series has jumped 52 places to sit in the top 20 at #14.
In The Ultimate Sacrifice, radio recordings take listeners inside police front lines.
The highest debut on the chart for the month was Hysterical from Wondery, in at #73.
LiSTNR reported titles grew that their audience in August included Happy Hour with Lucy & Nikki, which moved up seven places, Darling, Shine! with a 16% increase of listeners, The Briefing which grew by 25,390 listeners, The Howie Games, Smartless and Triple M Footy AFL.
In addition, the award-winning audio docuseries Secrets We Keep returned to the Top 200 ranker with its third season; Secrets We Keep: Baghdad Nights.
“With more than seven million monthly listeners^ and our advanced AdTech Hub, LiSTNR provides an unparalleled audience profile and reach that is capable of delivering highly measurable advertising opportunities. This is the key to our sales revenue growth and why LiSTNR is considered the world’s best practice in terms of audience monetisation,” executive head of LiSTNR Podcasts, Grant Tothill, said.
“With a focus on premium, owned and operated original titles, and global partnerships, along with our specialised podcast sales team, LiSTNR is positioned to continually drive and educate a highly dynamic podcast market,” added Tothill.
iHeart Podcasts reported that in August’s top 10, Audioboom’s Casefile reaffirmed its status as the #1 true crime podcast and secured the #3 position overall, showcasing a 4% increase in listeners month-on-month. The Imperfects climbed one spot to #6 overall, while The Kyle and Jackie O Show came in at #7 overall, recording an impressive 18% increase in listeners month-on-month.
Life Uncut, hosted by Brittany Hockley and Laura Byrne, jumped three spots this month, coming in at #9 overall, cementing its place as the #1 relationship podcast.
Other notable iHeart performances in August included Stuff You Should Know, which improved three positions to land at #17 overall and the #1 Knowledge podcast, She’s On The Money, ranking #37 overall and maintaining its title as the #1 finance podcast, and Clubby Sports’ Dyl & Friends, which ranked at #41 overall and continues to be a must-listen podcast as Australia heads into the AFL finals season.
ARN’s head of digital audio, Corey Layton, said: “As Australia’s #1 podcast publisher, the engagement of our slate is undeniable with three out of four monthly Australian podcast listeners, listening to an iHeart podcast. Alongside our partners, we continue to provide advertisers access to an extraordinary slate of shows, upheld with four of the nation’s top ten podcasts.”
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Kayo Sports' NRL 2024 season coverage surges 30% year-on-year
With the NRL Telstra Finals Series about to kick off, Foxtel Group has revealed the 2024 NRL Telstra Premiership Season has broken records as the most watched of all time across its platforms – Foxtel, Foxtel Now, Foxtel Go and Kayo Sports. It is the seventh consecutive year of viewership growth.
Kayo Sports viewership surged 30% year on year and Foxtel states there were five billion minutes streamed across all Foxtel Group streaming platforms which was up 30% compared to 2023. 59% of the total Foxtel Group audience streamed the coverage.
See also: As AFL and NRL head towards finals, Foxtel Media reveals 2024 audience growth
Kayo Sports CEO Julian Ogrin said: “This season, we supercharged the Kayo Sports experience with the introduction of 4K for our exclusive NRL games. Combined with our ad-free during live play proposition, expert analysis and commentary and world- class Fox League coverage, this brought more fans than ever to our platforms as they discovered the incredible value we offer.”
In 2024, NRL kicked off its season in Las Vegas with the Sea Eagles v Rabbitohs game, exclusive on Fox League, followed by the Roosters v Broncos game. Both games were the two most-watched games of all time across Foxtel Group platforms. The coverage also drove the biggest single day of sign-ups on Kayo Sports.
The Broncos, Storm and Roosters were the most watched teams.
Fox Sports managing director Steve Crawley said: “2024 was record breaking season in many ways. From Las Vegas to Magic Round right to the final whistle of the regular season with the Knights v Dolphins game determining the last spot in the top 8, we have enjoyed bringing the very best of the sport to audiences nationwide. Congratulations to the NRL and teams on a successful year.”
Every game of the NRL Telstra Premiership Finals Series (excluding the Grand Final) will be broadcast live with no ads during live play on Kayo Sports and Foxtel.
The Block: The biggest show on TV just got its youngest contestants ever
There’s always plenty of bombshells that rock The Block. The 2024 season this week had a massive explosion.
After 20 seasons, Nine’s juggernaut reality format qualifies as the biggest show on TV by most measures.
Viewers saw engaged couple from WA, Jesse and Paige, make the decision to leave The Block in order to prioritise their mental health.
In a Block first, a new couple will join the show five weeks into filming to continue the build on House 1. They got the call, dropped everything, and moved to Phillip Island in a matter of days.
The youngest team to ever compete on The Block are sisters from Sydney, Maddy (24) and Charlotte (22).
“Since we can remember we’ve grown up watching The Block with our family, and as kids we dreamed about maybe one day being contestants,” the girls said. “We feel very grateful for the opportunity.”
They may be the youngest team in the history of the show, but they are also among the most experienced contestants when it comes to renovations.
Nine reports that while working in accounting and multiple odd jobs, such as babysitting, tutoring, shifts at McDonald’s, and piano teaching, the duo realised their real passion was for renovating and saved their hard-earned cash to put towards the purchase of a fixer-upper, a shack in Newcastle, when they were 21 and 19 respectively.
“It has taken a lot of sacrifices to get where we are,” Maddy said. “I think our generation believes things come easy, but there is nothing that has come easy with what we have done and achieved.”
Maddy and Charlotte
The shack in Newcastle has since been renovated, subdivided, and sold in 2022. They now have multiple builds on the go, with more planned, while still juggling their odd jobs and working in the family business.
“Our goal is to create a beautiful home that’s welcoming, warm, comfortable and a special place for families to make precious memories,” Charlotte said. “We hope to grow as individuals, push ourselves to our absolute limits, and inspire young people who may also want to pursue a dream or do something very different.”
“We are anticipating the challenges and stresses that are about to come,” Maddy said. “I have no doubt we will struggle and be pushed far out of our comfort zone.”
The girls said they owe it to watching The Block for the inspiration to become renovators, builders and entrepreneurs in their own right.
Maddy and Charlotte’s first week on The Block continues tonight at 7.30pm and Sunday at 7.00pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
The Local Project: How a chippy posting on Instagram built a media business
Nine years ago Aidan Anderson had an idea to create an Instagram page.
He was working as a chippie and a furniture maker. He started posting photos of his own work. He also started sharing images of what he thought were inspirational design and interiors images, celebrating local designers and architects.
It started to get popular. That Instagram account now has 1.5m followers. Anderson employs 60 people in his company.
The name of the business Anderson founded and runs as chief executive officer is The Local Project.
“My mates used to give me a bit of stick about the inspirational stuff getting 20 likes and my stuff getting only get two likes,” Anderson told Mediaweek about his early adventures on social media.
Aidan Anderson
“So I just followed the path of celebrating other people and interviewing architects and creatives.” He started talking through the process of how they worked. “I accidentally created a bit of a beast of a business that celebrates people in the design industry and their work.”
So where did the name come from? “My furniture business name was called The Local,” explained Anderson. “It just happened to beautifully fall in line with what we do in celebrating local projects.”
The start in social media saw Anderson later branch out into other mediums.
The Local Project has a big presence in print where it produces magazines and books. Those print poducts are bursting with photo shoots of impressive properties. Anderson’s team also film many of those properties.
That footage is shared across the social accounts, but also YouTube. The Local Project YouTube channel is also a runaway hit with close to 1.2m subscribers.
Print Projects
The Local Project produces four titles a year – the regular editions and then an annual special. There are three magazines and a hardcover book. They are hefty productions with hefty price tags.
The magazines each run to a combined 600 hundred pages with a cover price of $45. The limited editions books sell for as much as $200.
There is plenty of demand for them too.
“We sell in high-end boutiques across Australia and now the US, UK and all throughout Europe and New Zealand.
“We also have a print script subscription model as well for our magazines. We use our digital channels to push subscriptions and they are increasing at a rapid rate.”
Although the magazines cost a lot, the cost of printing so many pages, and then posting them out, doesn’t leave much of a profit, Anderson admitted. The books are a better contributor to the bottom line.
“Australia Post licks its lips when they see us,” he grinned. “It literally costs more to send the things out than it does to print them.”
There has been a global resurgence for high end, niche magazines and they find retail outlets in a variety of stores globally including specialist newsagents.
As The Local Project audience grew, so did the staff numbers to satisfy the appetite.
I asked twice to make sure I heard correctly when Anderson told Mediaweek he employs 60 people.
“It’s a big team, but we need them to write the articles for the magazines and books. On the production side of the business creating all our video and putting it across the various channels takes a lot of people. And we are still growing.
David Meagher with Aidan Anderson
Hiring a publishing specialist
Content being covered by The Local Project is broadening, explained Anderson.
“It’s a nice little mix now of lifestyle, which David Meagher has come in and introduced to our audience.”
David Meagher is the former editor of The Australian’s monthly lifestyle glossy magazine Wish. He is now The Local Project’s managing editor.
“Content we now cover includes the latest cars, fashion, design, jewellery and more. We make trips to Milan with architects and do other special things.
“Because our audience is getting so big we realised that they have a need for more lifestyle content.
“We also obviously still cover beautiful homes and also beautiful restaurants and hospitality venues. Even some commercial and education buildings.
“But at its core, The Local Project is a mix of lifestyle and beautiful homes and projects.”
Build it and they will come
Along with more readers, advertisers have been lining up too.
“Hermes is a big client of ours and lot of appliance brands and building material companies,” said Anderson.
“Also now high-end luxury car brands like Range Rover through to upscale retailer Bottega Veneta. A lot of these brands are realising how the same people spending millions of dollars on their home are buying our luxury lifestyle products as well.”
Inside a Local Project magazine
“We print 15,000 copies per issue,” said Anderson. Each edition really has three magazines in it. There’s The Local Project, which is 350 pages There’s The Commercial Project, which is 150. And then The Local Marketplace, which is 150 pages. It’s really a 600-page magazine of all three of them.”
The Local Project is still owned by Anderson alone. He enjoys the work which shines through in the product.
“I just love meeting people – interviewing and talking to architects and designers and capturing and showcasing their work.”
US Presidential Debate 2024 TV Guide: Where to watch Harris v Trump
One of the most crucial political showdowns in modern history will take place for Australian viewers on Wednesday, when the US Presidential Debate kicks off at 10:55 am across Nine, 10, ABC and SBS.
The first televised debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will see the two candidates face off on issues that shape America and have far-reaching implications for the entire world, including Australia.
David Muir and Linsey Davis will moderate the debate, which will be held at the National Constitution Centre in Philadelphia.
Debate rules
• Running time: 90 minutes, with two ad breaks.
• Speakers will have two minutes to answer each question, with a two-minute rebuttal, and an extra minute for a follow-up, clarification or response.
• No audience will be present.
• Microphones will be muted except when candidates are asked to speak.
• No opening statements, candidates will be asked to give two-minute closing statements.
Nine’s coverage
While Nine will be using ABC News’ US broadcast, Wednesday, 6 November will see the channel broadcast the US Presidential Election with the hosting team of Karl Stefanovic and Liz Hayes. Political editor Charles Croucher will join them, crunching the numbers as they come in, along with US political analysts providing up-to-the-minute results.
Nine’s US correspondents Jonathan Kearsley, Alison Plotrowski, and Lauren Tomasi, together with 60 Minutes’ Amelia Adams, will report live from key battleground states. Nine have also confirmed a partnership with CNN, with reporters to be stationed at both Democrat and Republican headquarters.
See also: 9News ramps up US Election coverage with Harris V Trump debate on Wednesday
Seven’s coverage
Angela Cox will anchor live coverage from 10.55am AEST on Channel 7 and 7plus, while 7NEWS US Bureau Chief David Woiwod will provide critical analysis throughout the debate from Philadelphia.
10’s coverage
10 will feature debate insight from its US affiliate, CBS News, who are both owned by Paramount Global. 10 News First national affairs editor Hugh Riminton, political editor Ashleigh Raper and news presenter Narelda Jacobs will also be on hand to dissect the debate.
ABC and SBS
The debate will also be available on the (Australian) ABC News Channel, ABC’s YouTube and ABC iview.
After Kamala Harris faces off with Donald Trump on the debate stage in the ABC News Presidential Debate in Philadelphia ABC News channel will carry analysis with Jeremy Fernandez, Julia Baird and guests.
The ABC has a clash with a Canberra Press Club event from 12.30pm which will be carried on the primary ABC channel.
Coverage will be available on SBS and SBS On Demand, and the broadcast will be streamed free on the platform for a week after the event.
Cable news coverage
Foxtel channels carrying the debate include Sky News Australia, Fox News, Sky News (UK), CNN and MSNBC.
America’s ABC will also stream the debate on its website and YouTube channel.
The Harris v Trump US Presidential Debate 2024 will be live from 10:55 am AEST on Wednesday, 11 September.
Lucy Formosa Morgan, Nicole Smart and Cath Brands lead Boomtown's next Masterclass
A trio of Australian female marketing experts is set to offer their insights on the value of regional media advertising as part of the next Boomtown Masterclass.
The November Masterclass will feature an expert panel of senior women in media, including Lucy Formosa Morgan, managing director for marketing agency Magna Global, Nicole Smart, general manager – group media for Woolworths Group, and Cath Brands, chief marketing & innovation officer for software platform, Flintfox International.
Registrations are now open for the spring Masterclass, which will be held online on Thursday, November 21 from 10 am AEDT.
The panel, to be moderated by The Ideas Business Founder, Wade Kingsley will focus on how brands can harness Boomtown to reach regional Australians, along with why agencies should be including regional media campaigns in their annual media budgets.
Boomtown marketing lead, Leanne Glamuzina, said: “There is significant momentum in Boomtown. Brand and agency uptake of regional advertising platforms continues to increase, in-line with the growing Boomtown audience and brand campaign successes.
“Our education program is a critical part of the growth of Boomtown. Our quarterly masterclasses play an important role in educating marketing and media professionals on the power of regional media campaigns. Participants have the opportunity to hear directly from marketing experts on their experience with Boomtown and why it’s become a non negotiable in their advertising strategies.
“Our November Masterclass is set to feature a powerhouse trio – three women who have a wealth of marketing experience. Their insights on the regional advertising landscape and results that can be achieved for brands will be incredibly valuable for any agency or advertisers considering a Boomtown campaign.”
The November Masterclass is the latest session in Boomtown’s Masterclass series, designed to explore the opportunities in regional advertising. Since its 2020 inception, the masterclasses have trained more than 2,000 Australian advertising and media professionals on the benefits of Boomtown advertising.
Michael Whiteside joins QMS as national sales director - advanced trading
QMS has appointed Michael Whiteside as national sales director – advanced trading, effective 7 October.
Based in Melbourne and reporting to QMS chief revenue officer, Alex Kerley, Whiteside will be responsible for leading QMS’ programmatic offering across Australia, ensuring there is a seamless connection and coordination across the business to deliver on agencies and clients’ requirements for integrated solutions across all the major demand-side platforms and data providers.
Whiteside joins QMS from Kinesso (part of IPG), where he was chief media activations officer leading teams across digital, tech and data services.
Before his role at Kinesso, he held senior positions at RadiumOne, Amobee/Adconion and Yahoo focused on scaling digital business and developing integrated teams.
QMS chief revenue officer, Alex Kerley said: “I’m very happy to welcome Michael to the QMS team. He is one of the best in the business and a proven business leader, experienced in developing high-functioning teams and sustained outcomes for clients. With almost two decades of publisher, adtech and agency experience, he has a proven track record of helping businesses and brands grow.”
QMS chief sales officer, Tim Murphy said: “Michael’s appointment reinforces our commitment to, and leadership in, programmatic digital out of home [DOOH], which is a key part of our total DOOH offering to continue delivering great results for our clients.”
Whiteside said: “From a holistic agency perspective, it’s clear to see the impact DOOH has on media outcomes, making the decision to help shape the out-of home evolution at QMS an obvious choice.
“In an increasingly converged trading world, DOOH provides the opportunity to connect brand establishment strategies all the way through to performance tactics. With the advancements to trading capabilities that programmatic allows, QMS will offer further optionality for brands to unlock out of the ordinary results across a distinctive asset portfolio.
“I can’t wait to support the new QMS sales function together with Tim and Alex and alongside David Pullinger, Olivia Gotch and Sean Rigby, and help push the boundaries while adding versatility to DOOH trading.”
Affinity appointed to productise, design and launch Cresco Data's MarketPlace Maximizer
Affinity has been retained by Cresco Data, a division of the US giant, Pitney Bowes, to productise, design, and launch eCommerce platform, MarketPlace Maximizer.
Mark Gray, managing director of Cresco Data, said: “Affinity immediately grasped our product vision and business objectives. They provided a robust business case that highlighted the global potential of our platform, transitioning us from concept to a world-class, highly polished marketplace SaaS platform.”
“Our reimagined platform helps eCommerce businesses of all sizes thrive. MarketPlace Maximizer facilitates their ability to sell products across 130+ online marketplaces, streamlining operations and driving growth, offering a zero-code SaaS solution.”
The business’ role as a growth accelerator is further evidenced by the impressive metrics already achieved by the MarketPlace Maximizer platform, which now processes over 200 million events each month, more than $60 million in monthly Gross Merchandise Value (GMV), 130+ integrations developed, and 1,700+ merchants utilising the platform.
Luke Brown
“Affinity’s task was to transform an engineering proof-of-concept into a market-ready SaaS platform,” Luke Brown, CEO of Affinity, said.
“This involved naming and identity creation, developing the design system, onboarding flows, product advisement, and strategically building out the feature set.”
“We’re thrilled to be working closely with Mark and his team to establish a successful go-to-market strategy. Our partnership is focused on achieving critical growth goals for both the immediate and long-term future. The success of this kind of relationship is based on Mark having a clear vision and ambition to grow, which means being open to change and looking at things differently. It’s a joy to truly collaborate on the future success of Cresco Data as a whole business,” added Brown.
“By working as trusted advisors with C-suite decision-makers, we provide comprehensive services from advisory and discovery through to implementation, enabling businesses to quickly realise their potential,” added Brown.
“This approach ensures accountability and the delivery of measurable business outcomes. We see a bright future for our model through offering adjacent professional business services, especially as traditional advertising becomes more commoditised.”
This partnership for Affinity comes after it partnered with the Experience Advocacy Taskforce (EAT) to launch a new website.
See also: Affinity launches website for Experience Advocacy Taskforce
Fortress launches retail media network to connect brands with Gen Z & Millennials
Fortress has launched Fortress for Brands, a new retail media network offering brands direct access to over 1 million Gen Z and Millennial gamers.
Fortress states their new retail network simplifies brand engagement with gamers and pop culture entertainment seekers, offering opportunities such as brand partnerships, digital signage, esports sponsorships, product placement, in-venue activations and more through Fortress’s venues and digital channels.
Gavin McDonough, director of partnerships at Fortress, says: “Fortress for Brands is a fantastic opportunity for brands looking to speak to a highly engaged Gen Z and Millennial audience where they play and socialise.
“Ours is an eclectic and diverse audience who congregate around a passion for games culture, be that on a screen or in real life through board and card games at one of our unique venues.
“This range of opportunities means our brand partners are not only unmissable for them, but build affinity and desire by aligning with something they are passionate about at a time when they are open to experiencing something new.”
With a combined audience of over 1 million across physical and digital platforms, Fortress attracts over 750,000 annual foot traffic at its Melbourne and Sydney venues, with more than 250,000 hours played in venue and a reach of 30 million organically.
With a 60% male and 40% female audience split, Fortress says its retail media network also provides brands with multiple touchpoints to engage with their target audience, from in-venue digital signage to content marketing, esports broadcast and audience insights.
“Our goal with Fortress For Brands is to provide brands with a fresh, innovative way to connect with the next generation of consumers,” added McDonough.
“By merging the excitement of gaming culture with targeted brand engagement, we’re creating a platform that’s not only effective but also resonates deeply with Gen Z and Millennials.”
Indie agency Paper Moose bolsters its team with four new hires
Paper Moose has welcomed four new hires to its team following pitch wins.
Annabelle Rogers joins the team as strategy director. She brings over 15 years of agency and media experience to the role and, most recently, headed up strategy departments at Hero, McCann and DDB.
Rogers’ work has been recognised at the Effie Awards as the winner of 30 Under 30 and as a finalist for Campaign Asia Pacificʼs Young Achiever of the Year.
Claire Sutton joins as creative lead with extensive experience after long stints at Purpose, Reset Australia, Republic of Everyone and Clemenger BBDO. Her work has appeared throughout Australia and Southeast Asia and has been recognised by D&AD, The Webbys and The Anthems.
Boosting Paper Mooseʼs media offering with over a decade of experience at the likes of Landmark Group and Isobar, Niranjana Muraleedharan assumes the role of performance and social media director.
Also formerly of Purpose, Brigitte Harbrow joins the accounts team as a senior account director with 10 years of experience from work at Re, Traffic, 303 MullenLowe and The Monkeys.
Nick Hunter, founder/CEO of Paper Moose, said: “Welcoming new Meese into our herd is always an exciting time at Paper Moose.
“These four new hires bring a diverse wealth of experience that elevates our truly integrated offering for our clients and aligns with our purpose of sparking positive change through creativity.”
The hires represent the independent agency’s continued focus on creative effectiveness and client success, which enjoyed a gear-shift with the promotion of Brad Bennett to Head of Client Success in mid-2023.
Over the past 12 months the B Corp agency has welcomed new accounts for Greenstone Financial Services, Qantas Loyalty, CSIRO, Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Cerebral Palsy Alliance and Young Henrys.
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Top image: Niranjana Muraleedharan, Annabelle Rogers, Brigitte Harbrow and Claire Sutton
Free Folk Agency launches Melbourne office
Free Folk Agency has opened the doors to its Melbourne office, marking a significant milestone in the agency’s journey, and solidifying its commitment to national growth and service delivery.
Free Folk Agency co-owners Teagan West and Grace Newman have brought their creative expertise to a new market, following significant growth over the last five years and the successful expansion of their sibling agency, Ivy Talent Co, into the Melbourne market after building on a strong presence in South East Queensland and an expanding portfolio of national clients.
West said: “Melbourne is a dynamic city with a thriving business community, and we see a huge opportunity to collaborate with local brands and businesses, whilst also offering boots-on-the-ground for our national clientele.
“This move is a critical part of our strategy to enhance our national footprint and deliver exceptional service for our clients across Australia,” Newman added.
Teagan West
The Melbourne office will be led by newly appointed senior account manager, Marnie Cohen, who has worked in communications roles across Melbourne and Perth over the past five and a half years, most recently as Senior Account Manager at effie&co.
West said: “Marnie’s local knowledge and insights will be instrumental to driving the success of our Melbourne office and her leadership will help keep us closely connected to our clients and local media from day one.”
Free Folk Agency’s current portfolio of consumer brands boasts Retail Food Group (Donut King, Crust Pizza, Gloria Jeans and Brumby’s), The Entertainment and Education Group (Time Zone and Zone Bowling), Frontier Pets, Aiper, Degani, Metagenics (Inner Health), PassportCard, Vicinity Centres and 4Planet.
Marnie Cohen
Donut King marketing manager Raquel Hine, who has been working with Free Folk Agency across PR, events and influencer marketing for over three years, said that the expansion to Melbourne has already positively impacted the performance of recent Donut King campaigns.
“As a national brand, it’s critical that we can be reactive and move quickly, while also staying across trending talent and opportunities around the country. Since opening the Melbourne office and having team members on the ground in multiple states, Free Folk Agency has unlocked several opportunities and secured positive outcomes that support our campaigns, which otherwise may not have been logistically possible.”
Among them, Donut King’s collaboration with former reality TV star and influencer Martha Kalifatidis to launch its new Donut King Occasions delivery service, one of many opportunities that has excited Cohen thus far.
“It’s been a crazy but exciting start to my Free Folk journey and I know that excitement is shared by my network! There are so many new opportunities for collaboration, exploration and connection, and I cannot wait to dive in,” she said.
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Top image: Marnie Cohen and Teagan West
TV Ratings 9 September 2024: Jesse and Paige decide to leave The Block permanently
Monday 9 September 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach
Total People TV Ratings
Nine’s 9News recorded a total TV national reach of 1,973,000, a total TV national audience of 1,214,000, and a BVOD audience of 99,000.
Nine’s The Block recorded a total TV national reach of 2,111,000, a total TV national audience of 1,153,000, and a BVOD audience of 174,000.
Seven’s My Kitchen Rules premiere recorded a total TV national reach of 1,654,000, a total TV national audience of 757,000, and a BVOD audience of 61,000.
Also on Seven, Seven News recorded a total TV national reach of 2,258,000, a total TV national audience of 1,368,000, and a BVOD audience of 73,000.
10’s The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition premiere recorded a total TV national reach of 1,435,000, a total TV national audience of 699,000, and a BVOD audience of 39,000.
People 25-54
Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 791,000
• National Audience: 489,000
• BVOD Audience: 108,000
Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV nation reach: 609,000
• National Audience: 339,000
• BVOD Audience: 38,000
Seven’s My Kitchen Rules:
• Total TV nation reach: 524,000
• National Audience: 224,000
• BVOD Audience: 33,000
10’s The Amazing Race Australia:
• Total TV nation reach: 627,000
• National Audience: 314,000
• BVOD Audience: 23,000
People 16-39
Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 377,000
• National Audience: 244,000
• BVOD Audience: 64,000
Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV nation reach: 246,000
• National Audience: 126,000
• BVOD Audience: 19,000
Seven’s My Kitchen Rules:
• Total TV nation reach: 208,000
• National Audience: 97,000
• BVOD Audience: 18,000
10’s The Amazing Race Australia:
• Total TV nation reach: 265,000
• National Audience: 127,000
• BVOD Audience: 13,000
Grocery Shoppers 18+ TV Ratings
Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,637,000
• National Audience: 898,000
• BVOD Audience: 140,000
Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,780,000
• National Audience: 1,101,000
• BVOD Audience: 58,000
Seven’s My Kitchen Rules:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,306,000
• National Audience: 601,000
• BVOD Audience: 49,000
10’s The Amazing Race Australia:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,110,000
• National Audience: 530,000
• BVOD Audience: 32,000
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.
Business of Media
Fox Corp will pursue M&A deals, CEO Lachlan Murdoch tells conference
Murdoch, asked what the next couple of years look like for his company, said that it will continue to focus on news, sports, and live content (“you won’t see us pivoting to entertainment,” he said), but he added that they also plan to find ways to expand.
Fox has very little debt, and a ton of cash, thanks to its business being built around the Fox broadcast channel and Fox News, each of which generate recurring subscriber revenue from pay-TV, as well as ad dollars. Its big streaming bets have been Tubi, the free streaming service, and Venu, the sports-focused offering currently in flux thanks to an injunction.
Murdoch argued that Venu was “pro consumer, it’s pro sports fan,” and that it would look nothing like cable TV.
The three headaches of Rupert Murdoch in his battle for control
Ground zero is a probate court in Reno, Nevada, where Murdoch’s four eldest children are set to fight over who should control the family trust when he dies. New documents filed with the court on Sunday reveal the Murdoch family’s collective fury at their media rivals.
Attempts by outlets such as The New York Times, CNN and The Washington Post to cover the upcoming case represent a danger to the Murdochs’ personal safety and are a “disingenuous effort to gain a competitive advantage,” the Murdochs argue.
News Corp shareholder rallies support to weaken Murdoch grip
On the face of it, the shareholder mounting the action – hedge fund Starboard Value – doesn’t trust the competence of Rupert Murdoch’s children to run the business properly after he’s gone. And with the two-week trial to decide who gets to control the global media empire also kicking off this week, it’s hard not to revisit the parallels between the HBO series Succession and the real-life Murdoch family drama.
The way it works is that Murdoch owns 14 per cent of News Corp’s non-voting shares but 40 per cent of its voting shares. So the media mogul has outsized control of the company relative to its economic interest. This is called a dual-class voting structure, and it is a mighty effective way of entrenching control.
GB News investor Paul Marshall seals £100m deal to buy Spectator
Marshall, the hedge fund tycoon who already owns the UnHerd website, is also in the running to buy [the UK] The Daily and Sunday Telegraph with the second round of bids by prospective buyers due by 27 September.
The tycoon, a backer of the often controversial GB News TV channel which launched three years ago, has acquired the politically conservative magazine through his Old Queen Street Ventures (OQS).
Marshall, who has been in exclusive talks to buy the world’s oldest weekly magazine for the past month, has promised to keep the Spectator an independent part of his rapidly expanding British media empire.
Fairfax once owned The Spectator. The title was acquired around 1985 for a reported $2m, and was sold some three years later with a valuation of around $11m.
News Brands
The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald launch new way to read digital newspaper
Nine Publishing tells readers of the Sydney and Melbourne publications:
The new digital replica of Australia’s leading newspapers is faster and easier to use.
Premium subscribers will be able to find their favourite sections more readily with Good Food, Traveller and Spectrum showcased separately for the first time. They will join Good Weekend, Sunday Life and Domain prestige on the landing page.
Special publications including the Good Food Guide will be available when published.
Downloading and saving editions or single pages as a PDF for later use is also now simpler.
Meet the two ABC America news anchors who will steer the Harris-Trump Debate
David Muir
Anchor, “World News Tonight”
Mr. Muir, 50, is, ratings-wise, the most popular TV news personality in the country. An average of 7.4 million people watched his nightly newscast on ABC last month, according to Nielsen, beating his counterparts at NBC and CBS and dwarfing cable stars like MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow and Fox News’s Jesse Watters.
Mr. Muir has previously interviewed both candidates and moderated four primary debates (three Democratic, one Republican). But he is not known as a political specialist. His big break came as a weather correspondent for “Good Morning America,” and he has reported from several war zones.
Linsey Davis
Sunday anchor, “World News Tonight”
Ms. Davis, 46, has a lower public profile than Mr. Muir. She moderated two Democratic primary debates during the 2020 campaign season, but like Mr. Muir, she is also a generalist anchor.
In 2019, Ms. Davis had a memorable exchange with Ms. Harris at an ABC debate in Houston. The anchor noted that Ms. Harris had tacked to the left on criminal justice issues like the legalization of marijuana and outside investigations of police. “When you had the power, why didn’t you try to effect change then?” Ms. Davis asked, to applause from the audience.
Television
ABC pursues new seasons of Austin, Ladies in Black
They are Ladies in Black from Bunya Entertainment and Austin from Northern Pictures.
Austin stars Ben Miller, Sally Phillips and Michael Theo, in the story of an unexpected neuro-divergent son from a long-forgotten dalliance. It was recently picked up by BBC.
Ladies in Black follows from the successful 2018 film of the same name and centres on the staff of Goodes Department Store as they deal with major societal shifts in the 1960s. The cast includes Debi Mazar, Miranda Otto, Jessica De Gouw, Clare Hughes and Azizi Donnelly.
Reality TV confession: Craig Mathieson can’t stop watching Nine’s The Block
Let’s cue up the relevant gif from The Godfather: Part III. “Just when I thought I was out,” laments a greying Michael Corleone, “they pull me back in.” Am I equating viewing Australia’s leading renovation reality series with maintaining a leadership role in a vast organised crime syndicate? Of course not. The Block is far more insidious and seductive.
Every year I roll my eyes and shake my head – sometimes simultaneously – when a new season of the show rolls around. I tell myself I don’t need to watch The Block, that I know its structural failings all too well. The sponsored content is blaringly overt, one or more contestants will have a sense of entitlement that makes my teeth grind, and the mid-week challenges are sometimes asinine. None of this is a mystery.
Scott Cam reduces Block contestant to tears: ‘Who’s running this show?’
Cam and fellow presenter Shelley Craft were hosting a midweek challenge at an art gallery, where contestants would learn to make a paper mache lamp in order to win much-needed funds for their renos.
But there were noticeably fewer contestants in attendance than usual, with Perth couple Jesse and Paige having quit the show in the previous episode.
Also missing: Grant, aka “Grumpy,” who sent wife Courtney along solo, insisting that he had too much work to do back at their house.
“Who’s running this show? Grumpy or me? Well, now I’m grumpy,” said Cam.
Even the eternally cheerful Craft couldn’t hide her frustrations: “You’re serious?” she asked, unable to believe a contestant simply wouldn’t turn up.
Beloved Australian entertainer Marty Morton dies aged 82
Morton leaves behind two sons, Anthony and Terry, who confirmed the devastating news on social media.
“It is with great sadness to let you know that my father, Marty passed away on Friday,” Terry wrote.
“He almost made it to 83. Love him and will miss him big time.”
The 82-year-old was widely known for his funny and enthusiastic appearances on The Super Flying Fun Show and Hey Hey It’s Saturday.
He also acted in multiple television shows, theatre shows and commercials in Australia and England.
Radio
Radio roadshow car crash: Elle Macpherson hangs up on B105’s Stav, Abby & Matt
Macpherson, 60, was on air to promote her new memoir, Elle, in which she discusses her breast cancer diagnosis and holistic treatment path.
But it wasn’t a health-related question that sent her fleeing from the conversation — it was a seemingly innocent inquiry about how she votes as an Australian citizen living in Miami one of the hosts.
Radio host Matty Acton, who initially praised Macpherson for her continued connection to Australia, innocently asked, “Do you still have to vote now in our elections and all that kind of stuff from overseas?” Macpherson’s mood immediately shifted.
Seconds later, she hung up on the trio.
The hosts were left in disbelief, with Acton quipping, “I don’t reckon she’s calling back.”
His co-host, Loren Barry, filling in for Abby Coleman even joked, “Did we just expose her for voter fraud? Is she, like, not voting and doesn’t want to be fined?”
Stav Davidson joined in the post-mortem, adding, “We just got ghosted by Elle Macpherson — that’s a career highlight!”
Hughesy’s fiery on-air clash with Greens leader on Fox breakfast show
News Corp’s Joshua Haigh writes:
Dave “Hughesy” Hughes took on Australian Greens Leader Adam Bandt in a lively debate about veganism on The Fox’s Fifi, Fev & Nick.
Before Bandt appeared on the show, a clip played of Hughesy, who is a committed vegan, calling for the leader to “quit the party” after learning the Greens leader wasn’t a vegan himself.
The radio star questioned how Bandt could advocate for climate action without adopting a plant-based lifestyle.
Hughesy has previously hailed the vegan diet as being responsible for his good health as he gets older.
Despite the lifestyle making ordering meals at restaurants a “little tricky” sometimes, he said it was “well worth it”.
Adelaide radio legend Jeremy Cordeaux again charged with drink driving
Former Fiveaa presenter Jeremy Nicholas Cordeaux did not appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court for his scheduled hearing on Tuesday morning, but his lawyer told the Magistrate he’d need more time to discuss the case with his client.
The charge is the fourth of its kind for Cordeaux, of Glen Osmond, who was previously caught drink driving in 2005, then after a Christmas party in 2016, and again in December 2019.
In 2021, the now 79-year-old was disqualified from driving for six months after pleading guilty to driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.056 on Glen Osmond Rd.