“2024 has been the start of a new beginning for us, and I feel very optimistic about where we’re going,” Jane Huxley, CEO of Are Media, told Mediaweek following the presentation of the media company’s offerings in 2025.

Are Media Ignite, held in Sydney on Thursday, outlined a roadmap for the company’s products, events, awards, and competitions in the new year.

“It’s been a challenging year for everybody, whether it be things that were outside our control or, in our case, completing that last step of our transformation,” she said.

Part of Are Media’s three-year-long transformation included a foundation of the business culture, people and technology — a process she noted was completed in August.

Are Media’s director of sales, Andrew Cook, also called 2024 challenging and transformative but highlighted green shoots of opportunity and developments in the business that will be “momentum builders” for 2025.

‘We feel very bullish about Elle magazine’

Among those opportunities he highlighted was the surge of magazines in the market, which saw Elle return to newsstands. “It did much better than we ever thought it would regarding our financials. We knocked that out of the park,” Cook said.

“In this world of people wanting to get off screens, those magazines are very stable.” He also welcomed other publishers bringing magazines back and launching their brands and added that it’s “great for the industry,”

“The fact that we’ve got those brands in print and the other connections to amplify in a trusted environment are things that nobody else has.“

Huxley noted that while the magazine category “is in decline, it is proving more resilient than we thought possible with our readership numbers continuing to increase.”

Are Media’s magazine offerings include The Australian Women’s Weekly, Girlfriend magazine, Who, TV Week and Gourmet Traveller. Huxley stressed that, despite an eventual decline in magazine readership, print will remain part of their format mix.

Huxley said that magazines will continue to be part of the formats available to readers despite the eventual decline in people reading magazines over time.

“There will still be a place for them to go to consume the brand and to read the content,” she said. “So we feel very bullish about a magazine.”

She added: “I am unapologetically in love with magazines. Maybe because I’m so busy and tired, like our readers, to sit down and read the magazines is a real moment. While people are still looking for ‘me time’, we’ll still do magazines.

“We’ll keep writing and printing as long as people keep buying.“

ELLE Australia cover

‘We can bring the brand to life’

As the market for magazines grows, Are Media is also expanding its digital content strategy. Huxley shared that the company has launched a four-week training curriculum, Digital Academy, to upskill its creators, editors, and writers. This initiative helps staff understand new formats and how to reach audiences effectively.

“For us, it was crucial to bring our people along because they know and love the brands better than anyone,” she said. “Ensuring our brands truly become omnichannel is key to our future.”

Cook highlighted Elle as an example of this omnichannel approach, with the brand successfully expanding onto platforms like TikTok, which now has over 117,000 followers. “Clients are keen to connect with that audience on these platforms,” he added.

Huxley also noted that sectors like automotive and finance are “finally recognising” the value of Are Media’s majority-women audience and are increasingly partnering with the company.

In the event space, Are Media’s offerings are growing, with initiatives like the Masterclass Styling Sessions, marie claire’s International Women’s Day event, and the Gourmet Traveller Hotel and Travel Awards. Recently, they hosted their first Australian Women’s Weekly health summit, which featured panels on health and wellness.

Jane Huxley

“It’s a reminder of the power of brand association,” Cook said. “Yes, people read the pages, but they also want to engage with the brand in real life. That’s why we’re expanding our events.”

Are Media Ignite also showcased insights from its Heart of Influence study with Pollinate, exploring how the shopping journey has evolved. The study identified three key elements for effective word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing: clout, curation, and confidence.

Cook said Are Media’s ambition is to be seen as a “thought leader” in understanding consumer behaviour. “With our various verticals, we can offer broad insights and drill down into specifics for clients and agencies.”

Huxley concluded by underscoring the company’s focus on thoughtful and mindful strategies for 2025. “Our connection with Australian women is our most valuable asset, built on trusted, quality content. Nobody in Australia creates content for women like we do, whether it’s in a magazine, on a website, or across social media.”

See also: Are Media Ignite 2025: Heart of Influence research study reveals insights into the shopping journey

Andrew Cook

Huxley on Are Media’s “thoughtful and mindful“ strategy for 2025

Armed with insights from the Pollinate research, Huxley emphasised that Are Media’s strategy for 2025 centres on its unique connection with Australian women, built on the strength of its trusted brands.

“Our focus is on the quality of our content, which we deeply treasure,” Huxley said.

She highlighted that Are Media’s brands are the company’s most valuable assets and are guided by a “thoughtful and mindful” approach in how they engage clients and partners.

“No one creates the breadth of content for Australian women that we do — whether in a magazine, on a website, through social posts, EDMs, or even books,” she said. “We hold a unique place in the market, and that’s something we truly value.”

See also:
Are Media Ignite 2025: New content commerce initiatives revealed
Are Media Ignite 2025: Everything new announced

–

Top image: Jane Huxley and Andrew Cook

British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and major publisher Penguin Random House have withdrawn Oliver’s latest children’s book, Billy And The Epic Escape, from Australian shelves following backlash over its portrayal of Indigenous Australians. The Guardian first reported the decision, revealing the criticisms raised by the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation about the book’s content.

Indigenous campaigners were outraged that neither Oliver nor Penguin Random House consulted with Indigenous communities before the novel was published. The lack of engagement was seen as a significant oversight, particularly given the book’s sensitive themes.

Criticism focused on the book’s use of stereotypes related to Indigenous connections to nature and spirituality, with a subplot involving an Indigenous girl in foster care flagged as especially problematic. Critics argued that this storyline contributed to the “erasure, trivialisation, and stereotyping of First Nations peoples and experiences.”

In response, Oliver issued a public apology, stating, “It was never my intention to misinterpret this deeply painful issue.” He confirmed that, together with his publisher, they would withdraw the book from circulation.

The incident highlights the need for careful consultation with Indigenous communities to ensure their stories are represented respectfully, especially when addressing sensitive cultural and historical topics.

News Corp announced last week that Susan Panuccio will step down from her role as chief financial officer on January 1, 2025.

She will be succeeded in the role by Lavanya Chandrashekar. Panuccio will continue in an advisory capacity for six months to help ensure a smooth transition and to support Chandrashekar.

Panuccio has been a key leader during a period of rapid expansion and transformation for News Corp since becoming chief financial officer in March 2017.

The company reported during her tenure, News Corp has achieved record results, and transitioned into a diversified digital and subscription-first business. The company has generated healthy free cash flows, successfully completed two debt offerings at attractive rates and boosted capital returns through its $1 billion repurchase program.

Under Panuccio’s leadership, News Corp made several strategic investments within the company’s key growth pillars, including expansion of B2B at Dow Jones, while streamlining costs and adding high margin, content licensing revenues from tech platforms.  During her time at News Corp, the company’s share price has risen over 140% since March 1, 2017, materially outpacing sector performance during that period.

Prior to moving to New York as CFO, Panuccio was CFO for News Corp Australia for three years. Before that she held the same position for News International UK.

Panuccio hails from regional Victoria and was a graduate of Ballarat University.

Robert Thomson: ‘We will mis Susan deeply’

“Susan’s steadfast leadership, sharp instincts and strategic mindset have helped guide News Corp through a remarkable period of growth. We will miss Susan deeply, and I am personally grateful for her partnership over the years,” said News Corp chief executive Robert Thomson. “Susan’s work not just here in New York, but in leadership roles in Australia and the United Kingdom, has been transformational for News Corp, and her impact cannot be understated. Her thoughtfulness and care for the company have continued through the succession process, and I am pleased to have her continued support for the remainder of this fiscal year.”

Spending time with family

“After nearly eight years in this role and over two decades at News Corp, I am going to take some much-desired time off to spend with my family,” said Panuccio. “It has been a privilege to help Robert lead News Corp’s transformation into the global news and information powerhouse it is today, and I truly believe that the company has an incredibly bright future ahead. I have been so fortunate over the years to have had the support of both Rupert and Lachlan, together with our board of directors, and I would like to sincerely thank them all.”

Lavanya Chandrashekar

Lavanya Chandrashekar has nearly 30 years of experience in international finance and investor relations, and has held senior positions at blue chip consumer facing companies, including Procter & Gamble, Mondelēz and Diageo, where she was chief financial officer from 2021 to September of 2024. During her tenure at Diageo, Chandrashekar led the company through a period of profitable and accelerated growth, with the company growing at a 10.5% CAGR. Chandrashekar spearheaded and launched a multi-faceted global digital transformation program for Diageo.

“I am thrilled to welcome Lavanya to News Corp, and look forward to her joining our leadership team,” said Thomson. “Lavanya’s mix of financial acumen, global experience and proven integrity were compelling characteristics of her professional personality. Lavanya has meaningful experience leading transformation initiatives, and her support will be welcome as News Corp continues its ambitious journey.”

“I have tremendous respect for News Corp and its leadership team, and am honored to join them,” said Chandrashekar. “I am fortunate to be joining this company during an exciting period of growth and transformation, and look forward to taking on the challenge of helping to shepherd News Corp into the future.”

After 51 episodes across 12 weeks, it was finally time for The Block auctions. The holiday home builds at Phillip Island kept viewers checking out the progress across the three months on Nine and 9Now.

Before the auctions got underway, the biggest show on Australian TV had to first share the reserve prices and then the auction order. Not everybody wanted their reserves revealed and there was plenty of debate before an auction order was finally agreed.

The final episode of the season got underway at 7pm on NIne, with the hammer falling on the final property auction at close to 9.30pm.

This year’s auctions for The Block culminated in a record-breaking day – with all five houses sold to one buyer and securing the highest total winnings in the 20-year history of the show. 

The auctions kicked off with House 2, renovated by Courtney and Grant, and purchased by property investor and well-known figure on The Block, Adrian Portelli for $3.3 million. Their reserve was set at $1.95 million, earning the couple a $1.35 million profit.

Next in line was House 4, renovated by Kylie and Brad, which sold to Adrian for $2.6 million.

House 5, finished by Kristian and Mimi, had a $50,000 advantage for winning the final Clubhouse challenge, reducing their reserve to $1.9 million. They sold their house for $2.93 million to a buyer’s agent, later revealed as bidding for Adrian, resulting in a $1.03 million profit.

House 3, by Ricky and Haydn, went for $2.7 million, once again to Adrian.

Finally, House 1, renovated by Maddy and Charlotte, achieved the highest price of the day at $3.5 million, with a single knock-out bid from Adrian. With their reserve set at $1.95 million, Maddy and Charlotte walk away with an incredible $1.55 million profit, plus the $100,000 grand prize.

“We are just so grateful, and it’s a very surreal feeling,” said Maddy. “You can’t anticipate how something like The Block will end, but it is the perfect ending for us. I think there is such a special relationship with sisters, and I’m so proud of both of us and how hard we worked.”

Charlotte added, “To end The Block on such a high note is so special. We never thought it would go like this. I could not have had this experience with anyone else but Maddy. We have been in this from the beginning, so it’s an incredible feeling for both of us now.”

Maddy and Charlotte concluded: “This has been the experience of a lifetime. Winning this much money is life-changing for us. We can’t believe Adrian loved our house as much as we do!”

“It’s a fantastic result,” said host Scott Cam. “I’m so pleased for the girls to win it, and they deserve it. All of the houses have sold, and it’s a fantastic way to finish the 20th season of the show, with all five couples making some decent coin.”

Julian Cress, The Block’s Executive Producer, added: “I’m so excited for all of our contestants who have worked so hard and I’m incredibly proud of Maddy and Charlotte, our youngest team ever to appear on the show. They didn’t arrive until week 5 and they’ve taken out the win. It’s a great Block story, a fairytale ending and they are an inspiration to all young women.”

In a first for The Block, Adrian Portelli secured all five properties. Portelli stunned the crowd when he revealed, post-auction, that he had bought every home on the show, directly or through his buyer’s agent. Following the extraordinary reveal, Portelli then confirmed that he would not be returning next season, making this his grand finale on the show and added that he wanted to go out with a bang.

With a combined total of $5.43 million in winnings, this year’s contestants secured the highest amount in the history of The Block. Over its 20 seasons, the show has now awarded an incredible $39,627,139.63 in total winnings.

Phillip Island Block auctions on Saturday, November 9, 2024.

See also: TV’s ratings giant: How co-creator David Barbour makes The Block auctions sparkle

What happened last year? The Block 2023 – Auction Results

Order House Reserve Sold for / highest bid Profit
1 – House 4 $3.350 mil $5.000 mil $1,650,000
2 – House 5 $3.250 mil $4.300 mil $1,050,000
3 – House 3 $2.970 mil $3.035 mil $65,000
4 – House 1 $2.970 mil $3.100 mill $130,000
5 – House 2 $2.970 mil PASSED IN

Previous Block Winners and their pots of gold

2003 – BONDI – Adam & Fiona, $256,000
2004 – MANLY – Jamie & Andrew, $178,000
2010 – VAUCLUSE – John & Neisha, $305,000
2011 – RICHMOND – Polly & Waz, $115,000
2012 – SOUTH MELBOURNE – Brad & Lara, $606,000
2013 – ALL STARS (BONDI) – Phil & Amity, $395,000
2013 – SKY HIGH (SOUTH MELBOURNE) – Alisa & Lysandra, $395,000
2014 – FANS v FAVES (ALBERT PARK) – Steve & Chantelle, $736,000
2014 – GLASSHOUSE (PRAHRAN) – Shannon & Simon, $435,000
2015 – TRIPLE THREAT (SOUTH YARRA) – Darren & Deanne, $935,000
2015 – THE BLOCKTAGON (SOUTH YARRA) – Dean & Shay, $755,000
2016 – PORT MELBOURNE – Will & Karlie, $815,000
2017 – ELSTERNWICK – Josh & Elyse, $547,000
2018 – GATWICK (ST KILDA) – Hayden & Sara, $645,000
2019 – OSLO (ST KILDA) – Tess & Luke, $730,000
2020 – BRIGHTON – Jimmy & Tam, $1,066,000
2021 – FANS v FAVES (HAMPTON) – Mitch & Mark , $744,444
2022 – TREE CHANGE (GISBORNE) – Omar & Oz, $1,686,666.66

Maddy and Charlotte take home $1.65m at Phillip Island Block auctions on Saturday, November 9, 2024.

Telstra has unveiled the next chapter of the brand’s new platform – Wherever we go – in its new Christmas campaign.

The campaign, directed by Steve Rogers, focuses on the real magic of Christmas – spending time with those most important to us. The film tells the story of an accidental singing superstar – Little Donkey – who goes on a whirlwind journey across the world before realising he misses his family at Christmas time.

Brent Smart, Telstra’s chief marketing officer, said: “This is a second chapter for us. Our second big Christmas ad, following on from last years that was a business success and picked up a couple of Effies. And more importantly, the second chapter in our Wherever We Go brand platform, reminding us that no matter where we go in life, Christmas is about getting back to those who matter most.”

“We wanted to tell a Christmas story without falling into the holiday cliches,” Bear Meets Eagle On Fire’s Micah Walker said. “Hopefully the heart of this rings true and people get a bit of giggle along the way.”

Blake Crosbie, managing director of +61, said: “It’s a charming story that is so true of Christmas and so naturally adds to our brand idea ‘wherever we go’.”

“We are excited to bring Telstra’s magical Christmas story to life,” said Helen Guard, managing partner of OMD Australia. “From the big screen to the small screen, the streets to the stores, Little Donkey should be unmissable during this festive season.”

The integrated campaign extends into retail through two trading campaigns for Black Friday and Christmas Sale – which focus on elevating the in-store experience and making the telco the gifting destination of choice this Christmas.

Campaign Credits
Creative Agency: Bear Meets Eagle On Fire with +61

Media Agency: OMD Australia

Client: Telstra
Chief Marketing Officer: Brent Smart
Head of Brand and Sponsorship: Alita McMenamin
Head of Creative Excellence: Anna Jackson
Brand Manager: Dene Mackenzie
Senior Marketing Specialist: Stephanie Fredericks
Marketing Specialist: Annabel Hudson
Senior Retail Marketing Specialist: Candice Neels
Retail Marketing Specialist : Tamara Saleh

Media & Marketing Operations Lead: Paula Marreiros
Senior Media Specialist: Robert Aoukar

David Yung: Senior Marketing Specialist
Lucy Surace: Senior Media Specialist

FILM
Production Company: Revolver
Director: Steve Rogers
Managing Director/Co-Owner: Michael Ritchie
Executive Producer/Partner + Producer: Pip Smart
DOP: Nicolas Karakatsanis
Production Designer: Steven Jones-Evans
Costume: Margot Wilson
Casting: Peta Einberg Casting

Editorial: The Editors
Managing Partner/EP: Nicoletta Rousianos
Editor: Jack Hutchings

Post Production: Blockhead VFX

Sound House: Rumble Studios
Lead Sound Designer: Tone Aston
Sound Designers: Renee Park / Daniel William
Music Production / Arranging: Jeremy Richmond
Executive Producer:  Michael Gie

Music Supervision: Trailer Media
Music Supervisor: Anton Trailer

OOH
Photography: Derek Henderson
Retouching: Capturelab

As Australia’s media landscape continues to evolve, Mediaweek is again at the forefront, celebrating the industry’s brightest stars with its prestigious annual awards. The Mediaweek Entertainment 50 Awards are back, and this year, they promise to be more significant than ever.

The awards focus on recognising excellence across various facets of the entertainment sector and highlight the incredible achievements of Australia’s content creators, broadcasters, and platforms. Nominations are now open, but time is running out. Industry professionals are encouraged to submit their entries before nominations close on Friday, 22 November, by COB.

You can nominate here.

Criteria for nominations

The Mediaweek Entertainment 50 Awards are judged across five key categories:

Recognition: Honouring individuals or entities whose work has garnered widespread acclaim and acknowledgement within the industry.

Commercial: Assessing projects that have demonstrated strong commercial success, reflecting the financial impact on the industry.

Viewership: Celebrating content that has captivated audiences, achieving impressive ratings and engagement metrics.

Volume: Highlighting the prolific output of creators who consistently deliver high-quality content, adding to the richness of the Australian entertainment landscape.

Cultural/Social Impact: Acknowledging the transformative power of media in shaping societal conversations, driving change, and leaving a lasting cultural imprint.

These categories ensure a well-rounded assessment of nominees, focusing not only on commercial success but also on the broader influence content has on Australian culture.

You can buy your tickets here.

The grand announcements

The winners of the Entertainment 50 Awards will be unveiled at our lunch event on Tuesday, 22 November, 2024, at the luxurious Pearl Ballroom, Crown Sydney. The event has become a fixture on the industry calendar, attracting the most influential names in media to celebrate and recognise excellence across the nation.

The annual luncheon will also see the announcement of two other prestigious lists:

• The Mediaweek Agency 50 List, which honours the exceptional leaders and teams driving success across Australia’s leading media agencies. It acknowledges those who have made substantial contributions to the industry, setting benchmarks for growth and innovation.
• The Mediaweek 100 List, which shines a spotlight on the individuals and companies making significant strides in Australia’s media ecosystem.

This event isn’t just about awards — it’s a convergence of industry leaders, visionaries, and innovators who have shaped the entertainment landscape. Attendees can look forward to an afternoon of networking, celebration, and reflection on the achievements that have defined Australian media in the past year.

Mediaweek’s Entertainment 50 Awards is more than just a recognition of talent — it’s a testament to the power of media to inform, entertain, and inspire. So, if you believe your work or your colleagues’ efforts deserve to be acknowledged, don’t miss the nomination deadline this Friday.

Be sure to secure your nominations and mark your calendars for the celebration of a year of outstanding achievements in Australian entertainment and media.

Schwartz Media has promoted Erik Jensen to chief executive officer, replacing Ben Shepherd in the role. The company explained Shepherd has resigned to pursue other opportunities, having worked effectively to bring new processes and thinking to the company.

“I have appreciated the opportunity to lead a business that is committed to the sustainability and support of independent public interest journalism,” Shepherd said.

“I am proud of the progress made this year and have full confidence Erik Jensen will continue to increase the positive impact Schwartz Media and its brands have on Australian readers and listeners. He has been an exemplary editor and journalist for over a decade and will make an equally strong chief executive.”

Shepherd joined Scwatz Media 10 months ago. During that time he has also built his a three-minute LinkedIn weekly media and advertising newsletter called Signal.

Erik Jensen

Jensen has worked as part of Schwartz Media’s senior leadership team for the past 12 years, as founding editor of both The Saturday Paper and the daily news podcast 7am and as editor-in-chief across the group. He will work closely with proprietor Morry Schwartz to build the next phase of the company’s growth.

Morry Schwartz said: “Erik and I started talking about him taking over as chief executive when we began looking to fill the role last year. He has a natural feel for the company and intimately understands what makes it a success. He brings to business the same qualities he brings to journalism: huge drive and ambition, immense clarity in dealing with complex problems, and the ability to cut through to the centre of an issue. I thank Ben for his work with the company and look forward to working with Erik as we steward Schwartz Media to even greater heights.”

Erik Jensen said: “Schwartz Media produces some of the strongest journalism in this country. It is an honour to run the company that supports that journalism. I’ve worked in newspapers and magazines since I was 15 and I’ve seen good decisions and bad ones. I’m firm in the belief that strong journalism needs to be backed by a strong business – and that the success of a company such as Schwartz Media lies in its commitment to quality.”

Schwartz Media publishes The Monthly, The Saturday Paper, 7am and Australian Foreign Affairs. Erik Jensen will continue as editor-in-chief as well as taking on the chief executive role.

Schwartz Media: About Eric Jensen

Erik Jensen is an award-winning journalist, biographer, screenwriter and poet. He is the founding editor of The Saturday Paper and 7am and editor-in-chief of Schwartz Media. He is the author of several books, including Acute Misfortune: The Life and Death of Adam Cullen, On Kate Jennings and a collection of political writing titled Angry at Breakfast. His writing has won the Nib Prize for Literature, the Walkley Award for Young Print Journalist of the Year and the Keith Dunstan Quill for Commentary.

ALDI Australia is encouraging Aussies to ‘Go A Little Extra’ in their festive celebrations without spending extra in its latest campaign with creative agency BMF.

The campaign centres on an overexcited couple prepared to go a little too extra in preparation for Christmas lunch. The pair are tasked with simply bringing the turkey and the gravy boat, and go overboard in their pursuit to create the best Christmas spread.

Jenny Melhuish, marketing director, ALDI Australia said: “Every Christmas, even those of us who plan to keep it low key can’t help but splash out on little indulgences, festive flair, and the finishing touches that make Christmas feel like Christmas. It’s the time of year when everyone ups their game, and ALDI is no exception.”

From Thursday 14 November, ALDI Australia will launch the ultimate Christmas recipe generator – the ‘Festive Extra-nator’ to help Aussies prepare for the big day.

The ‘Festive Extra-nator’ will feature over 30 bespoke recipes to let shoppers dial up or down the extraness of their feasts. The generator will be housed on the ALDI website, meaning keen Aussies won’t have to look too hard for their dose of extra this holiday period.

David Fraser, co-ECD, BMF, added: “Christmas plans tend to escalate pretty quickly. So, it’s great that ALDI is making sure everyone can still bring something extra to the table this year, whether it’s a big ol’ turkey or just a little gravy boat.”

Created in partnership with BMF, Zenith Media, and Ogilvy PR, the integrated campaign will air across TV, cinema, radio, OOH, social, owned channels, and earned media.

CREDITS

Client: ALDI Australia
Creative Agency: BMF
Content Production: Bantam Productions
Production Company: Good Oil
Director: Hamish Rothwell
Editor: Lucas Baynes – ARC
Post Production: Blockhead VFX
Sound Production: Rumble Studios
Music Supervision: Level Two
Photographer Hellene Algie
Retoucher: Electric Art
Digital Build: Nakatomi
Media Agency: Zenith Media
PR Agency: Ogilvy PR

Reborn has been appointed to lead the brand development and creative strategy for Artline, part of ACCO Brands Australia.

The partnership between the independent creative agency and the pen brand signals a new chapter in Artline’s brand evolution within the Australian market.

The collaboration will focus on elevating Artline’s market presence and strengthening consumer connections, with a major campaign planned for 2025.

Reborn’s selection was based on its strategic brand-building expertise and creative capabilities. In addition to creative development, Reborn will also be responsible for planning and buying the media for the upcoming campaign, ensuring a seamless integration of messaging across multiple channels.

“Working with Artline represents an exciting opportunity for genuine creative impact,” David Easton, CEO and founder of Reborn, said. “Our focus will be on building upon their legacy while creating meaningful work that resonates with both existing and new audiences.”

Lisa Baker, brand manager for Artline, said: “Reborn strategic approach to brand building aligned perfectly with our vision. We’re confident this partnership will help reinforce Artline.”

This win for Reborn comes after the independent creative agency secured the creative and media account for Australian tax and accounting firm, ITP Accounting Professionals.

The agency’s roles has been to enhance the firm’s brand presence through campaigns for the EOFY and the upcoming Paris Olympics. ITP, which has been in business for over 50 years, handles over 200,000 tax returns annually and claims $1 billion in deductions.

Reborn’s remit will also include both media and creative services for ITP. The agency will manage the execution of integrated campaigns for the national office and provide marketing support for all franchisees.

The initial campaign will be launched across BVOD, Radio, DOOH, and Digital, aimed at reaching a diverse range of Australian businesses and individuals that will benefit from ITP’s tax services.

See also: Reborn wins ITP’s creative and media account

News Corp has released its financial results for Q1 FY2025 – a three-month period ending September 30, 2024.

Performance headlines

• First quarter revenues were the highest for a first quarter since separation at $2.58 billion, a 3% increase compared to $2.50 billion [all amounts US$] in the prior year, driven by growth at the Digital Real Estate Services, Book Publishing and Dow Jones segments

• Net income in the quarter was $144 million, an improvement compared to net income of $58 million in the prior year

• REA Group posted record revenues for the quarter of $318 million, a 22% increase compared to the prior year, primarily driven by robust Australian residential performance

• Dow Jones’ growth continued to be underpinned by robust performance in its professional information business, where revenue increased 8%, driven by growth of 16% at Risk & Compliance and 11% at Dow Jones Energy

• Book Publishing revenues grew 4% in the quarter, while Segment EBITDA increased 25%, driven by record digital book sales, which grew 15%, and strong backlist performance

Commenting on the results, News Corp chief executive Robert Thomson said: “We have begun fiscal 2025 robustly, with record first-quarter revenue, strong net income and record first-quarter profitability. Revenue rose three per cent year-over-year to $2.58 billion, while our net income jumped 148 per cent to $144 million. Total Segment EBITDA surged 14 percent to $415 million, and our EPS were 21 cents compared to 5 cents in same quarter last year. That we have achieved these record first quarter results in macro-conditions which are far from auspicious is compelling evidence of the successful transformation of News Corp over the past decade.

“Meanwhile, the just-completed election has highlighted the importance of trusted journalism in a media maelstrom in which some journalists mistake virtue signalling for virtue. Artificial intelligence recycles informational infelicities and it is critical that journalistic inputs have integrity, which is why our partnership with OpenAI is so crucial and why we intend to sue AI companies abusing and misusing our trusted journalism.

“Dow Jones and the New York Post have started proceedings against the perplexing Perplexity, which is selling products based on our journalism, and we are diligently preparing for further action against other companies that have ingested our archives and are synthesizing our intellectual property.”

News Corp CEO Robert Thomson

Dow Jones

Revenues in the quarter increased $15 million, or 3%, compared to the prior year, driven by continued growth in the professional information business, as well as higher content licensing revenue. Digital revenues at Dow Jones in the quarter represented 82% of total revenues compared to 81% in the prior year. Adjusted Revenues increased 2%.

Circulation and subscription revenues increased $23 million, or 5%, primarily driven by an 8% increase in professional information business revenues, led by 16% growth in Risk & Compliance revenues to $81 million and 11% growth in Dow Jones Energy revenues to $68 million. Circulation revenues increased 1% compared to the prior year, as the continued growth in digital-only subscriptions was mostly offset by lower print volume. Digital circulation revenues accounted for 72% of circulation revenues for the quarter, compared to 70% in the prior year.

During the first quarter, total average subscriptions to Dow Jones’ consumer products were over 5.9 million, an 11% increase compared to the prior year. Digital-only subscriptions to Dow Jones’ consumer products grew 15% to over 5.3 million. Total subscriptions to The Wall Street Journal grew 7% compared to the prior year, to nearly 4.3 million average subscriptions in the quarter. Digital-only subscriptions to The Wall Street Journal grew 10% to over 3.8 million average subscriptions in the quarter, and represented 90% of total Wall Street Journal subscriptions.

Advertising revenues decreased $6 million, or 7%, primarily due to a 10% decline in print advertising revenues and a 5% decline in digital advertising revenues driven by lower advertising spend in the technology and finance sectors. Digital advertising accounted for 67% of total advertising revenues in the quarter, compared to 66% in the prior year.

Segment EBITDA for the quarter increased $7 million, or 6%, primarily as a result of the higher revenues discussed above and lower newsprint, production and distribution costs, partially offset by higher marketing and employee costs. Adjusted Segment EBITDA increased 5%.

Digital Real Estate Services

Revenues in the quarter increased $54 million, or 13%, compared to the prior year, driven by strong performance at REA Group. Segment EBITDA in the quarter increased $18 million, or 15%, compared to the prior year, due to higher contribution from REA Group, despite $12 million of deal costs related to the withdrawn offer to acquire Rightmove, and included a $3 million, or 3%, positive impact from foreign currency fluctuations. The increase was partly offset by modestly lower contribution from Move. Adjusted Revenues and Adjusted Segment EBITDA (as defined in Note 2) increased 11% and 13%, respectively.

Book Publishing

Revenues in the quarter increased $21 million, or 4%, compared to the prior year, primarily driven by higher digital and backlist book sales and improved returns. Key titles in the quarter included Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance, A Death in Cornwall by Daniel Silva and The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey. Bible sales were also strong. Adjusted Revenues increased 3%.

Subscription Video Services

Revenues of $501 million in the quarter increased $15 million, or 3%, compared with the prior year, primarily driven by higher revenues from Kayo and Binge from increases in both volume and pricing, and an $11 million, or 2%, positive impact from foreign currency fluctuations, partly offset by the impact from fewer residential broadcast subscribers. Adjusted Revenues of $490 million increased 1% compared to the prior year. Foxtel Group streaming subscription revenues represented 34% of total segment circulation and subscription revenues in the quarter, as compared to 30% in the prior year.
See also: Foxtel reveals latest Kayo Sports, Binge subscriber numbers, no reveal of how many Hubbl devices have been sold

News Media

Revenues in the quarter decreased $27 million, or 5%, as compared to the prior year, including a positive $12 million, or 2%, impact from foreign currency fluctuations, primarily driven by lower other revenues from the transfer of third-party printing revenue contracts to News UK’s joint venture with DMG Media and lower advertising revenues. Adjusted Revenues for the segment decreased 7% compared to the prior year.

Circulation and subscription revenues decreased $4 million, or 1%, compared to the prior year, primarily due to lower print volumes, partially offset by cover price increases and the $6 million, or 3%, positive impact from foreign currency fluctuations.

Advertising revenues decreased $10 million, or 5%, compared to the prior year, primarily due to lower print advertising revenues at News Corp Australia and lower digital advertising revenues at News UK mainly driven by a decline in traffic at some mastheads due to algorithm changes at certain platforms, partially offset by a $5 million, or 2%, positive impact from foreign currency fluctuations.

In the quarter, Segment EBITDA increased $2 million, or 14%, compared to the prior year, driven by cost savings at News UK as a result of the combination of its printing operations with those of DMG Media and other cost savings initiatives, including lower Talk costs, largely offset by the lower revenues discussed above. Adjusted Segment EBITDA increased 7%.

Digital revenues represented 39% of News Media segment revenues in the quarter, compared to 37% in the prior year, and represented 37% of the combined revenues of the newspaper mastheads. Digital subscribers and users across key properties within the News Media segment are summarised below:

• Closing digital subscribers at News Corp Australia as of September 30, 2024 were 1,127,000 (979,000 for news mastheads), compared to 1,049,000 (937,000 for news mastheads) in the prior year (Source: Internal data)

• The Times and Sunday Times closing digital subscribers, including the Times Literary Supplement, as of September 30, 2024 were 600,000, compared to 572,000 in the prior year (Source: Internal data).

• The Sun’s digital offering reached 80 million global monthly unique users in September 2024, compared to 134 million in the prior year (Source: Meta Pixel)

The sixteenth SA Press Club Awards night was held on Friday 8 November. See the entries for each of the winners here.

Gold Award
Sean Fewster, Gemma Jones and Kathryn Bermingham

Best News Report in Print or Digital
Sean Fewster, Gemma Jones & Kathryn Bermingham, News Corp
“On the Nose – David Speirs Video”

Best Feature in Print or Digital
Lauren Novak, News Corp
“Emma’s Story”

Best Sports Story in Any Medium
Vicki Schwarz, Nine Network
“Mum’s Crusade”

Best News Photograph in Print or Digital
Mark Brake, Getty Images / News Corp
“Season Ending Bump”

Best Television News Report
Ben Avery, Nine Network
“Charlie Stevens Tragedy”

Best Long Form Television Report or Extended Coverage
9 News Adelaide
“Marion Lockdown”

Best News Camera Coverage
Andrew Foote, Seven Network
“Pkg Cultana Army”

Best Broadcaster Television, Radio or Online
JOINT WINNERS
Ben Avery, Nine Network
“Various stories”

Stephanie Richards, ABC
“Body of work”

Best Radio Report or Coverage
Jonathan Edwards, FIVEAA
“Marion Shopping Centre Lockdown – Rolling Coverage”

Best Podcast Series or Episode
Ben Avery, Nine Network
“Just Married: The Anthea Bradshaw Mystery”

Best Coverage of an Issue or Event via Social Media
Alex Breda, 10 Network
“Crowdstrike outage”

Best Community Report in Any Medium
Evelyn Leckie and Brant Cumming, ABC
“Water Spat”

Best Regional or Rural Report in Any Medium
Daniel Clarke, Freelance
“Dozens of koalas killed or injured”

Best Graphics (including interactive) Illustration or Cartoon) in Any Medium
Iris Canda-van de Kreeke, Nine Network
“101, so much more”

Best Columnist/Blogger in Print or Online Digital
Stephanie Richards, ABC
“The Voice, Robin Hood and the kitchen sink“

Best Investigative Coverage of an Issue or Event in Any Medium
Kelly Hughes, Diana Hayward, Piper Denholm, Jason Abbott and Matthew Pilling-Milne, Nine Network
“9 News Presents: Behind Closed Doors”

Best Scoop of the Year
Sean Fewster, Gemma Jones and Kathryn Bermingham, News Corp
“On the Nose – David Speirs Video“

Young Journalist of the Year
Kelly Hughes, Nine Network

Student Journalism Award
William Hunter

Lifetime Achievement Award
Rob Brown, ACS

Top photo: The Advertiser’s state political editor Kathryn Bermingham, editor Gemma Jones and chief court reporter Sean Fewster at the 2024 SA Press Club Awards. Picture: News Corp Australia/Kelly Barnes

The Mediaweek Agency 50 list celebrates the leaders and teams driving success across Australia’s biggest media agencies.

The annual event to announce the names attracts the industry’s most influential people as Mediaweek celebrates the immense talent across the country.

This year’s lunch to announce the names on the list will take place on Tuesday, 22 November, 2024 at the Pearl Ballroom, Crown Sydney.

You can buy your tickets here. 

Last year, CEO of GroupM Australia & New Zealand Aimee Buchanan took the #1 spot on the Agency 50 list, and in 2022, she came in at #2 place, just losing to OMG CEO Peter Horgan, who departed from the role this month.

Coming in #2 on last year’s list was Melissa Fein, who at the time was CEO of Initiative. Fein is now managing director, media at Accenture Song APAC alongside Sam Geer.

Included in the top 10 of 2023’s Agency 50 were Atomic 212°’s Claire Fenner (who also departed from the role this month), Zenith’s Jason Tonelli, Magna’s Lucy Formosa Morgan, Wavemaker’s Peter Vogel, OMD’s Laura Nice and Sian Whitnall, Mindshare’s Maria Grivas, IPG Mediabrand’s Mark Coad and Spark Foundry’s Imogen Hewitt.

See 2023’s full Agency 50 here.

CEO of GroupM Australia & New Zealand, Aimee Buchanan

You can view the full criteria and enter the Media Agency 50 here.

While you don’t have to be nominated to make the list, our application portal is open to encourage submissions.

KEY DATES

Submissions close: Tuesday, 12 November 2024 (11.59pm AEST)

Event Date: Friday, 22 November, 2024 (12pm AEST)
Location: Pearl Ballroom, Crown Sydney

Tickets are available here.

Emotive has appointed Alice Tschuchnigg, former executive head thinker at Thinkerbell, as business & culture director.

Alice will take the reins on a portfolio of high-profile accounts including Wotif, Mount Franklin and HelloFresh. Beyond her responsibilities in account management, Alice will play a pivotal leadership role in overseeing the People & Culture program, helping to deliver on the agency’s vision, ‘the best place to work to do the best work of your life’.

Prior to her role at Thinkerbell, Alice was at BMF, leading the ALDI account, where she and her team secured multiple EFFIEs and D&AD awards. Before returning to Australia, Alice spent three years at Droga5 New York, where she worked on global accounts.

Tschuchnigg said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Emotive at such an exciting time in its journey. The energy, ambition, and creativity here are contagious, and I’m eager to dive into the brilliant work being done for some of Australia’s most iconic brands. I look forward to contributing to both client success and the agency’s fun and ambitious culture.”

Simon Joyce, CEO of Emotive, added: “2024 is shaping up to be our best year yet  the work, the people, the momentum! We’ve been investing heavily in building out our team across the business and have never been more focused on delivering on our purpose: creating ideas that change how people feel.”

He continued: “But at the heart of this growth is our culture — one built on the best talent and an additive mindset. Alice is an award-winning marketing specialist with over 15 years of global experience in advertising, media, and PR. I know she will bring a fresh energy and passion to the team, and I can’t wait to see the impact she will have on the work and the culture.”

Tschuchnigg will be based out of Emotive’s Coogee HQ and officially starts on the 18th of November 2024.

Sue Brenchley and Sam Hall are stepping down from their roles with Fetch TV in December.

Brenchley, who has been marketing director for 15 years, will leave the company, which reaches over 710,000 households and 1.8 million Australians. She was an integral member of the Fetch TV executive team and built the business from an ambitious start-up to a key player in the Australian in-home entertainment landscape.

Hall, who joined Fetch over eight years ago as chief content and commercial officer, will also bid farewell to the company, having made a huge contribution as a member of the executive team and as the face of Fetch in the international content community.

The platform is entering a new phase of growth following the recent completion of the migration of Telstra TV customers onto the platform, and both Sam and Sue wish the company and the Fetch team all the very best for its next phase.

Dominic Arena

Dominic Arena, Fetch CEO, will announce a refreshed Fetch executive team and organisation structure aligned to its Fetch 2.0 strategy in coming weeks.

Arena said: “Sue and Sam have been strong leaders on the front line of Fetch, and I thank them both for their contributions and dedication to Fetch TV over many years.

“Sam is a talented executive who has been truly integral to the core business delivering our customers the huge breadth of quality digital entertainment on our platform today. Sue is a hugely well respected and long-tenured founding member of the Fetch Executive team, and has truly put her all into Fetch from when it was an unknown IPTV start-up to now, as a great brand servicing 1.8 million Australians. I genuinely wish Sam and Sue all the best for their futures.”

Sue Brenchley

Brenchley said: “I joined Fetch when it was a scrappy start up determined to disrupt the Australian media landscape by creating a world class entertainment service. Over the past 15 years Fetch has led the way with our technology and aggregation proposition, and delivered great value to our customers. I am proud of the product, brand and business we have built, and feel so fortunate that I was able to be part of something so extraordinary from the start.

“I am especially proud of the culture we created under the leadership of Scott Lorson, and I am thankful to the whole Fetch team, and for the ongoing support of our many media, content and distribution partners without whom we wouldn’t have been able to make Fetch happen. It’s now time for me to step down and hand over to the new team, and I wish Dominic and everyone at Fetch all the very best for the future.”

Sam Hall

Hall said: “I feel honoured to have built out Fetch’s extensive content offering, negotiating complex deals with global SVOD partners, major Hollywood studios and local content owners.  As a team we have delivered a market leading product that has now reached great heights, and with the migration of Telstra TV customers nearing completion it is time to pass the baton to the next generation of Fetchers.”

See also: Fetch launches DAZN app featuring NFL Games Pass and Pay-per-View boxing, and Fetch and ESPN extend current channel distribution agreement

–

Top image: Sue Brenchley and Sam Hall

News Corp has released its Fiscal 2025 (FY25) First Quarter (Q1) Earnings for the period ending 30 September 2024, including subscriber highlights for the Foxtel Group and financial results for the Subscription Video Services segment.

Commenting on the Foxtel Group at News Corp’s FY25 Q1 Investor Briefing this morning, News Corp Chief Executive Robert Thomson said: “At Subscription Video Services, revenue increased 3%, as growth in streaming more than offset declines in linear revenues. While this quarter was impacted by Hubbl costs as is normal with any product launch, those costs have come down sequentially, and we expect them to continue to fall.”

Speaking at the FY25 Q1 investor briefing, Thomson added: “Foxtel’s strength is reflected in its successful transition to streaming, which now accounts for nearly 70% of paid subscribers, while ARPU has continued to rise. Advertising on our streaming platforms rose over 45% and accounted for over 40% of Foxtel’s advertising revenues, with notable strength at Kayo, our sports streaming service. Meanwhile, broadcast churn of 11% fell 70 basis points sequentially, and broadcast ARPU rose 4% on prior year to A$89 (US$60).

“Sports are the cornerstone of Foxtel’s success, with record rugby league and Australian rules audience for the just-completed season, and a fascinating summer of sports looming. These trends drove strong free cash flow in the quarter and enabled the further repayment of shareholder loans.”

News Corp CFO Susan Panuccio added: “Revenues for the quarter were $501m, up 3% compared to the prior year. On an adjusted basis, revenues rose 1% versus the prior year.
“Streaming revenues accounted for 34% of circulation and subscription revenues, versus 30% in the prior year and growth again outpaced declines in broadcast revenues.

“Segment EBITDA in the quarter was $92m, down just $1m versus last year despite the inclusion of $11m of costs related to Hubbl for devices and marketing. Excluding the Hubbl investment, Foxtel’s profitability would have been higher for the quarter. For the quarter adjusted Segment EBITDA fell 3%.”

On outlook, Panuccio said: “At Subscription Video Services, the strategy remains to scale streaming products while retaining high-value broadcast customers through improved ARPU and churn measures and we continue to anticipate the rate of investment at Hubbl to be lower during the remainder of Fiscal 2025.”

See also: Foxtel Upfront 2025: Foxtel Group showcases 2025 content slate

Thursday 7 November 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s A Current Affair recorded a total TV national reach of 1,394,000, a total TV national audience of 874,000, and a BVOD audience of 67,000.

Nine’s 9News recorded a total TV national reach of 1,693,000, a total TV national audience of 1,024,000, and a BVOD audience of 85,000.

Seven’s Seven News recorded a total TV national reach of 2,098,000, a total TV national audience of 1,284,000, and a BVOD audience of 66,000.

Also on Seven, Home and Away recorded a total TV national reach of 1,185,000, a total TV national audience of 816,000, and a BVOD audience of 115,000.

10’s airing of Top Gear Australia recorded a total TV national reach of 792,000, a total TV national audience of 269,000, and a BVOD audience of 10,000.

People 25-54

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 399,000
• National Audience: 229,000
• BVOD Audience: 35,000

Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV nation reach: 565,000
• National Audience: 313,000
• BVOD Audience: 34,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 380,000
• National Audience: 258,000
• BVOD Audience: 63,000

10’s Top Gear Australia:
• Total TV nation reach: 333,000
• National Audience: 126,000
• BVOD Audience: 6,000

People 16-39

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 162,000
• National Audience: 89,000
• BVOD Audience: 18,000

Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV nation reach: 218,000
• National Audience: 116,000
• BVOD Audience: 17,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 161,000
• National Audience: 109,000
• BVOD Audience: 37,000

10’s Top Gear Australia:
• Total TV nation reach: 123,000
• National Audience: 37,000
• BVOD Audience: 3,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+ TV Ratings

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,077,000
• National Audience: 686,000
• BVOD Audience: 54,000

Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,675,000
• National Audience: 1,043,000
• BVOD Audience: 53,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 934,000
• National Audience: 651,000
• BVOD Audience: 92,000

10’s Top Gear Australia:
• Total TV nation reach: 616,000
• National Audience: 207,000
• BVOD Audience: 8,000

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.