By Ellie Angell, business director at TrinityP3

About three months ago, I made the decision to affirm my gender to my professional network. It was, as you can probably imagine, a difficult thing for me to do. A heart in the mouth moment. It was also one of the final steps in my social transition.

I’ve been reflecting on the last three months; about what it means to be trans in our industry, and what my hopes are for the future. Below are some reflections, but I’d like to say upfront that this article is purely about my professional experience. There is a lifelong personal story that sits behind the last three months. None of that is appropriate for here.

Acceptance and freedom: The first days

Unsurprisingly, the last three months have been emotional. They’ve also been liberating. They’ve been fascinating, as I’ve talked to so many people kind enough to reach out to me. And they’ve been eye-opening, as I’ve engaged with a number of organisations keen to just have a conversation about how they incorporate gender diversity (in the context of trans people or people identifying as non-binary) in a positive way, to the relevant parts of their DE&I or people policies and approaches.

Both within the organisation I work with (TrinityP3) and across the wider community, I’ve been largely met with beautiful acceptance. Affirmation brings acceptance, which leads to greater affirmation: it’s a virtuous circle which brings a freedom of thought and expression in the workplace that I’ve simply never had before, and that I’m still getting the hang of.

Learning and sharing: The next weeks

Acceptance and freedom are wonderfully affirming feelings, but in practical terms, they’ve opened a lot of conversations with professional contacts that I’d never have had.

In the process of these communications, I’ve learnt a lot.

I’ve realised just how much willingness there is in our industry to embrace diversity. This isn’t a huge surprise to me, knowing the industry as I do, but I want to congratulate us. We beat ourselves up a lot as an industry, we talk a lot about what’s wrong, but I want to take a moment and recognise something that’s so right.

Trust me when I tell you that professional acceptance, to a trans person, is absolutely not a given. Stories abound about trans people in other professions forced out of careers, actively discriminated against, compelled to take desperate measures in order to live.

I had to take this risk. I truly feel blessed by the reaction I’ve received.

The trans knowledge base is low, but there are no stupid questions

I’ve also learnt how low the knowledge base regarding trans people actually is. And this is absolutely on me. Being trans myself means I naturally have a high level of understanding, and I had to quickly burst my own bubble, let my assumptions evaporate, and remember that the large majority of people don’t actively think about the topic until they’re confronted with it.

What’s worse, when people are confronted with it, it is often via the media – which focuses on polarised rhetoric to generate clickbait.

Therefore, in the news, trans issues are so often negative, so often extremist, so often charged, in any number of directions, pro or anti. I am, theoretically, a member of a minority and threatened group of people, although I try not to think or feel like that.

But to any reasonable person looking for sensible opinions, the news can be next to useless, and part of my experience in outreach has been fielding questions from intelligent, well-meaning people that truly surprised me in a ‘didn’t you know that?’ kind of way (and that, as I say, is on me, not them). It has been so useful – to me, and hopefully to the people asking.

And in the kind and lovely people I’ve spoken with, there is such willingness to learn.

It’s okay that this feels complex – we’re all learning

Understanding the nuances and complexities of what it is to be trans in life and how it applies to the workplace – the social and medical logistics involved, the steps that need to be taken, the differences in individual journeys, the spectrum of what diverse gender identity represents, the sensitive areas of communication, unconscious bias, and more – is an area which, I believe based on what I’ve seen, needs some attention. Not for lack of trying, simply for lack of experience and knowledge.

One of the best things that TrinityP3 did was to ask me for a one-pager on ‘How We Roll With Ellie’. In doing so, they set me up as a stakeholder in my own individual journey as a trans woman in the professional world, they acknowledged their own lack of exposure and willingness to learn, they allowed me to immediately bust some myths and put people at ease with me, rather than treading on eggshells, and they didn’t wholly rest on me fitting myself into detailed policies (as important as such policies are).

In this way, I was able to suggest that we practice ‘sensitive sharing’ – talking about me with others outside of the company when it comes up, but not to sensationalise or for gossip.

I was able to say that ‘common sense rules’ – I am open to lots of questions or none at all, and nothing is stupid. Simply use the same common sense as for anyone else when considering what is appropriate or inappropriate to ask.

I was able to set the ‘expectation that I expect mistakes’, especially from people who’ve known me 10 years – mistakes in pronouns, my name, how I’m referred to or things I’m asked – and that there’s no need for anyone to beat themselves up or be uncomfortable with that, as we all get used to each other.

I was able to talk a bit about clients – essentially, it’s business as usual and while we don’t anticipate issues, the internal no-arsehole rule applies in the same way as with anything else.

And finally, perhaps most importantly, I was able to state my wish that things are normalised over time. I don’t want or need to be a constant topic of conversation. We’ll all still agree and disagree and kiss and punch and get great shit done for our clients and each other, as we always have.

Having everyone read this plain English, simple one-pager has been so useful in short-circuiting many of the anticipated challenges of acclimatisation, for them and for me.

It’s super-important for me to say that I’m not here to constantly wave a flag. Or to say that trans issues should dominate anyone’s agenda. There are lots of other equally important things to work through. And I am well aware that DE&I is a much, much bigger topic.

Having said that, I’m here to tell you that there is a high likelihood – actually a near-certainty – that there will be trans or gender-diverse people in our industry right now, who have not revealed themselves. Who are having to mask their identity and live double lives. Who are struggling with themselves, as I did. It is for these people that I write this article, that I talk with organisations, that I am, at least for now, on a little platform.

The numbers say there are others struggling out there

Reliable data is hard to come by, but different sources I’ve seen claim that the general trans population tends to sit between 1-3% (I am talking about trans men and women, and people identifying as non-binary; I am excluding children).

Nowhere near that proportion of people in our industry are outwardly affirmed. It stands to reason that you’ve probably met a trans or gender-diverse person in the workplace, either yours or in others, without knowing it. Hell, before three months ago, many of you met me.

I would love for organisations to be as conscious as possible – even more than they already are – to become more attuned to the nuances, to have those hidden individuals feel truly enabled to free themselves, or confide in someone, or think again about the possibility of affirming themselves, if that’s what they dream of doing.

And ultimately, I would love for things to be affirmed to the point where there is literally no issue left. Where no-one is fazed. Where articles like this are redundant.

To all organisations, I say – if you want to talk to someone with lived experience, my door is open.

To those people struggling, I say – leaving personal challenges aside (which are, of course, a separate thing entirely) it is possible, in our industry, to affirm yourself in your own gender. It truly is. And we should all celebrate that.

Daniel Monaghan, senior vice president of content and programming at Paramount AUNZ, says the sunsetting of The Bachelor and The Masked Singer is due to a volatile TV market and low ratings not justifying expensive productions.

Speaking to Mediaweek, Monaghan revealed that after two seasons of trying new things, The Bachelor “frankly wasn’t rating anymore.”

“There were elements of The Bachelor that we were trying to reinvent and reinvigorate for that format because it was such a success for us in the early years, but it wasn’t showing the right trajectory,” he said.

“To be honest, we just need to walk away sometimes.

“If it’s still there when we’re ready to revisit it, great, but at the moment, no ratings, no revenue, means no show.”

The Bachelor and The Masked Singer

Monaghan said that while The Masked Singer wasn’t at the end of its ratings run, it had dipped considerably from season one. 

“I believe there’s still value in the program, it’s just such an extraordinarily expensive show to make.

“I’d love to revisit that show one year, but in the current environment, it does not make any sense for us to do that this year. There’s also just not any space for it in the back half of our year.”

The host of both shows, Osher Günsberg, said he “had a fairly decent idea that this was going to happen.”

10’s second half of 2024 will be headlined by season three of Hunted and a new season of The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition. 

Hunted will feature contestants receiving a mission to rob a fake bank at the start of the season. Whatever they can take and carry on their backs is their individual prize money if they make it to the end.

The Amazing Race Australia is in the middle of filming for a launch later this year. The cast is currently filming in Argentina with returning host Beau Ryan. Some of the cast announced include Ian Thorpe, Pete Helliar, Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Tai “Bam Bam” Tuivasa.

The Amazing Race: Celebrity Edition 2024 Cast

See also: Ian Thorpe, Pete Helliar, and Tai Tuivasa join The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition

10 staples such as Thank God You’re Here, Gogglebox Australia, Dessert Masters and Taskmaster are also on the release schedule, as well as Shark Tank, which Monaghan confirmed would be returning for a second season.

“While Shark Tank wasn’t a massive hit by anyone’s imagination, it was really successful in the demos that we targeted and the advertisers were so happy with it last year that we couldn’t not bring it back.

Monaghan couldn’t confirm if the same sharks from last year’s season would be returning.

Last week, Mildura Digital Television announced it would be shutting down on 30 June, meaning that people living in the regional Victorian town will lose access to Channel 10, 10 BOLD, and 10 Peach on free-to-air.

Monaghan expressed his disappointment in the decision.

“From a content perspective, every regional market is important to us, and we hope that the people of Mildura have access to our BVOD platform to watch our content,” he told Mediaweek. 

A Channel 10 spokesperson said the team as a whole was “bitterly disappointed that regional TV operators are being put in a position that they need to take this action.

“It’s the people of Mildura and the surrounding region that will be hurt by this decision and it’s unacceptable that tens of thousands of Australians will see some of their favourite free-to-air broadcast channels go to black.

“The federal government must act urgently to ensure the Network 10 affiliated channels can continue to be available via broadcast transmission.”

Anchorage Partners cited a weak regional TV market as the reason for pulling out of a consortium with ARN to acquire SCA.

All’s well that ends well in the recent, robust debate between industry heavyweights Mat Baxter and Darren Woolley.

Last week’s disagreement centred on a TikTok promo video featuring US media agency leaders. Baxter called it “wholly inappropriate,” while Trinity P3 founder and CEO Woolley wondered whether Baxter took issue with it “either because he’s just really bored, scared of being irrelevant or forgotten, or he’s overly sensitive because of what’s happening in the US [the government taking steps to ban TikTok].”

Baxter jokes to Mediaweek that he is “still licking my wounds” from the debate. He says he and Woolley have texted each other since and are on good terms.

Baxter adds his point was about the perception of bias and ensuring the industry is respectable and objective.

“Does it make clients feel as though you might not be as objective as you could be? Yes. And that’s all I was trying to say. I know it has been well-trodden in the past. I’m not saying that history doesn’t exist.

“What I’m saying is, if our industry wants to move forward and improve and become more respectable and become more like BCG, Accenture, and whoever, we have to start maturing.

“Turning up in TikTok videos like that and doing that sort of stuff does not present our industry as an industry that is in control of billions of dollars.

Baxter adds that he is “unapologetic” about his point of view, but understands Woolley’s perspective.

“I thought he was a little crude when he said, ‘you’re not very relevant anymore, you’re bored, are you?’ I was like, oh that’s a bit harsh.

“But my point is still well made, which is I think we have to grow up.

“I’m not interested in what we’ve done before. I’m not interested in the history. I’m interested in the future. If we want to move our industry forward, if we want to become credible, if we want to be seen as objective advisors and strategic allies to our clients, we have to start to grow up.

“I love Darren. He’s still on my Christmas card list, but we agree to disagree.”

Woolley believes such conversations about the industry are extremely important.

“I think it’s really important that people are willing to not just disagree or have alternative opinions, but really trying to get to the heart of why people have those opinions and understand those opinions before they reject them,” he tells Mediaweek.

Woolley says he and Baxter disagree “on a very small point” about the wider industry. The pair fundamentally agree that media agencies have an ongoing transparency issue, he explains. The disagreement centred on whether Baxter’s TikTok example was the most compelling.

“What he raised was one example of potentially unethical behaviour in his mind. My point is there are bigger unethical issues facing media agencies than that one.

“I was a bit shocked that he chose that one. But yeah, we agreed to disagree. He thinks that that’s a big issue, and I think it’s probably, in the scale of all the issues facing media agencies, probably one of the smaller ones.”

Last week, Woolley argued that the more “insidious” issue was accepting gifts and benefits without making clients aware. “Incentives like that have a greater impact than publicly appearing in a video.”

While the duo’s LinkedIn debate, and Mediaweek‘s reporting, received plenty of attention, Woolley applauds Baxter for expressing his point of view.

“I’d rather someone that’s willing to put their point of view than most people [who] quietly sit on their hands. These issues only get resolved or looked at if people are talking about it.”

Woolley adds that, as the industry continues to evolve, robust conversations are a must.

“Some people will argue that these conversations are made in private. The trouble is that there are a lot of stakeholders in the industry, and having a few private conversations doesn’t embrace the diversity of opinions that exist and come, and that’s where you get the best solutions.”

Woolley says he hopes people who followed the debate feel encouraged, and are willing to share their real opinions, even if others disagree with them.

“One of the great things about Mat is that he’s very open to alternative points of view, and we need more of those conversations.”

–

Top image: Baxter and Woolley

One day after ARN recommitted to pursuing an alternative acquisition deal with SCA – after Anchorage Capital Partners pulled the pin on its involvement in a proposed $250 million acquisition – SCA has said it “does not consider it to be in its shareholders’ interests to engage further” on ARN’s plan.

At ARN’s AGM yesterday, chair Hamish McLennan said “we are focused on progressing the proposal with SCA,” and CEO Ciaran Davis confirmed its revised proposal would involve ARN becoming “a focused metro radio network with 10 quality stations across five capital cities, anchored by the KIIS and Triple M brands in each location.

“NewSCA would own a national network of 44 radio stations … It would be ASX listed with an independent board and management.”

But SCA told the ASX this afternoon that while it “remains open to considering proposals that would deliver fair value and be in the best interests of all SCA shareholders,” ARN’s latest proposal “does not satisfy either of these requirements.”

SCA added it has “determined not to engage on any future proposal which may be provided by ARN in terms consistent with the Alternative Indicative Proposal.” The radio business had not received a “formal proposal” from ARN, despite the rival’s comments at the AGM, it told investors via the ASX announcement.

“Over seven months of engagement, the Consortium [ARN and Anchorage] was unable to deliver its original proposal in an executable form,” SCA chair Heith Mackay-Cruise said. “The SCA Board does not believe transferring that complexity, value, and execution risk to SCA shareholders is in their best interests.”

SCA flagged the “significant costs” involved with breaking up SCA’s networked audio platform. SCA argued ARN’s proposal would reduce its shareholders’ exposure to that platform while maintaining their exposure to regional television – which the company “has identified as non-core”. Anchorage Capital cited regional TV’s decline as the primary reason for withdrawing from the deal.

SCA shareholders would be left with interests in two competing media businesses under ARN’s plan, the ASX statement continued, “one of which would have a market capitalisation of $100 million, which SCA considers would be sub-scale and less liquid than SCA today.”

The proposed deal would also require SCA to transfer its LiSTNR platform and digital audio assets to ARN. The company argued that shareholders’ exposure to digital audio would shrink from 100% to roughly 36% – calculated using SCA’s implied ownership in ARN assuming an 0.87 exchange ratio. “SCA believes that retaining 100% exposure to LiSTNR is in the best interests of its shareholders.”

“Upon receiving the Consortium’s original proposal, SCA highlighted the significant structural, technical, and other separation challenges,” the business said.

“As of last week, despite the significant time, costs, and resources dedicated to engagement with the Consortium over the last seven months, the Consortium had not yet been able to advise a deliverable solution to resolve those fundamental structural challenges.

“The Consortium had not responded to the first draft of key transaction documentation provided by SCA over a month ago.

“SCA believes that the Alternative Indicative Proposal is not currently actionable and considers that there are significant execution risks to its implementation.”

Russel Howcroft was missing from 3AW’s breakfast show Ross and Russ this week.

His bout with Covid meant he also couldn’t be part of the launch episode of Gruen for 2024.

While his seat was left vacant on the ABC TV show, his chair at 3AW was adequately filled by stand-in breakfast co-host Mark Allen.

3AW boasts the strongest start to any radio day in Melbourne thanks to breakfast with Ross and Russ.

Ross Stevenson and Russel Howcroft came together close to four years ago after former co-host John Burns was replaced.

The already-strong breakfast ratings soared even higher during the Covid years. 3AW continues to post the single biggest breakfast share of any metro radio station. It’s even more of an achievement when you realise they do that in Australia’s most competitive radio market with 16 stations in the GfK survey.

Stevenson and Howcroft on air

Stevenson has been winning breakfast ratings since the 1990s at the station. The teaming with Howcroft successfully refreshed the program.

Despite his decades in the role, Stevenson told Mediaweek he’s happier than ever about the show. The current rating of 18.6% (7.8 points ahead of their nearest rival) indicates the audience continues to be pleased too.

See also: Melbourne radio ratings – Ross and Russ remain on top, Jase and Lauren climb in first Nova survey, Fox grabs back #1 FM breakfast from Gold.

“The radio station is great and I get to come and have fun with this bloke [pointing to Howcroft] and we have a great team,” said Stevenson.

The most notable thing about their 3AW studio set-up is the door into the studio is propped open during the show. There is no flashing red “on-air” sign or warnings about being quiet. Producers talk in the background and people wander in and out.

“I don’t know why you would be blocked off from everyone else,” he continued. “If the mics pick up a bit of extraneous noise, who cares?”

Ross and Russ: Howcroft’s early days

Stevenson recalled how they often broadcast from home for a time early in the Ross and Russ partnership. “We could all work from home. No one wants to. Why would you work from home when you want to come in? It’s good for the soul. As

Damian Tardo famously said one day, ‘The 3AW breakfast program is a democracy.’ One person one vote.”

Howcroft: “We were lucky in that we had the permit to come in. Many others didn’t have that freedom.”

Howcroft recalled how his first day on air at 3AW was the first day of the second Melbourne lockdown.

Russ before 3AW: After spending time as executive general manager at Network 10, Howcroft was the first ever chief creative officer and a partner at PwC.

During his five years at PwC he was also on air at Gruen as one of the founding regular guests.

Howcroft also did some guest spots on 3AW. He was heard too with Virginia Trioli on ABC Melbourne where one of her other ad industry regulars was Harold Mitchell. Andrew Denton heard Howcroft on ABC Radio which led to the offer of a spot on Gruen. (But that’s part of another story one day!)

Ross and Russ did know each other previously. They both had children attending the same school. Howcroft took part in a trivia night at the school. He made sure he got Stephenson on his team. “Can you believe we came second?” he said shaking his head.

Ross and Russ: Early morning pre-show routine

When the breakfast offer came, Howcroft received some advice: “A very experienced media person said to me before you say yes, set your alarm for 4am for at least a week. Then decide whether you’d like that or not. I never did it though. Who wants to get up at 4am in the morning when you don’t have to?”

Both announcers rise a little after 4am. Howcroft doesn’t have a back-up alarm. If he’s not out front of the house at a certain time though, Sam the taxi man will be banging on the door.

“By the time he’s picked me up, I’ve actually done a lot of work. I’ve read the first paragraph of every main story from the four daily newspapers. I can do that because our production team have forwarded me a document with them all in it.”

There’s no meeting before the studio goes live about 5.37am. The hosts don’t talk before they go on air. “Most times at 5.37am, we don’t really know what we’re going to say.”

It helps keep everything fresh. It works. Look at the ratings.

Howcroft is in no doubt about the key to the show’s success.

“Think of Ross as the composer, conductor, first violin, that’s what he is. Every single day there is a composition. A creative composition.

“Every day it’s very interesting because every day is unique. It’s unique and it’s creative content. It’s an incredibly creative enterprise.”

The hosts with the breakfast team at Melbourne’s #1 (more on them tomorrow)

The ideas factory

Howcroft: “One of the great things about radio is ideas are disposable. In my old world, the advertising world, you treat ideas as very precious things and you work very hard to get an idea made. And it might take months.

“It might take millions of dollars. In radio, you just chuck an idea out there. You burn through a lot.

“You burn through a truckload, I love that.”

Don’t waste time in meetings

Stevenson doesn’t like meetings and he doesn’t want to waste time.

The no talk before the show is something Howcroft also learnt from Wil Anderson. He recalled how when he arrived at Gruen, Anderson wouldn’t talk to him before a show. It puzzled him at first. “But if you talk when you’re off air, you might say something that would be better on air. And so you’ve used it up.”

Politicians are rare on air

Howcroft: “It’s rare that a politician will be on air on the show. There might be something political happening. Soon there’s the budget. You should make sure that you’re talking about that, but we would never talk to a politician about the budget. You’ll talk to an economist or someone who’s got a neutral, objective point of view.”

Howcroft and Nine sales team

Nine Entertainment takes advantage of having Howcroft on the team.

“I love talking to the Nine salespeople whenever they want me involved. I love meeting clients. I’ve always loved meeting clients and talking to them about how advertising can help them.”

Howcroft does occasional speaking work. He is signed with Profile Talent, with Mark Klemens and Kate Loder looking after him.

Tomorrow: Who’s who on the #1 3AW breakfast team

See also: Inside 3AW – Tom Elliott on moving timeslots and pressure in mornings

When Pippa Leary, News Corp Australia’s managing director of client product, tells Mediaweek about the context for D_Coded 2024, she laughs. “We know in digital, there’s a tonne of people selling snake oil.”

“What we try and do with D_Coded is hit on a theme each year, which really zeroes in on the key marketing challenges our clients are facing,” she explains. “At D_Coded, we try and bring solutions to those marketing challenges.”

This year, the biggest challenges the team identified are centred around signal loss, with two overarching changes coming – Leary calls them “the two horsemen on the horizon.”

“The first horseman is the end of third-party cookies in Chrome – it really matters in Chrome because they’re 60% of the market. So the day they turn it off, everything changes. 

“Number two is privacy regulations. We now know that they’re going to table them in parliament in the August setting, so the starting gun has sounded. Whether we like it or not, data-driven marketing as we know it in Australia has to change, you’re simply not going to be able to do what you used to do.”

If marketers realise one thing after leaving D_Coded 2024, Leary hopes it’s that signal loss “is coming and it’s inevitable.”

“As a marketer, if I want to survive in the new world, I have to start thinking seriously about the data partnerships that I’m going to set up. And I need to give myself enough time to test before the cookie apocalypse actually takes place.”

The evolution of shoppable video

For those who have attended multiple D_Coded events, the evolution of previous announcements will be clear to see. Previous shoppable video innovations have evolved to Shoppable ScrollX and enhancements to Targeted Time in View, with Pippa Leary saying, “we’ve had shoppable video, but we’ve never had it in a mobile ad format.”

For example, shoppers reading one of News Corp’s Met Gala stories could see a ScrollX come through for Mecca, with lipstick in a trending shade. The shoppable ScrollX allows them to buy that within the ad format, without leaving the content and without leaving News Corp’s site to navigate to the retailer’s site.

“We love the ScrollX. 70% of our audience now accesses us on mobiles, and when you’re on that mobile site, and that ScrollX comes up, we will be the first people in the world who actually turn to ScrollX shoppable.”

It’s a similar story with the launch of in-article News Shorts and a new agreement with LiveRamp’s Safe Haven.

News Shorts are mobile-first vertical videos, and the expansion of Shorts into in-article placements means vertical video ads will find even more audiences directly within the articles they’re reading.

“Once upon a time, we would be running our News Shorts and recording maybe 500 million vertical video views on our site, but maybe three and a half billion off-platform, because they’re really popular off-platform,” Leary says.

“Now with Safe Haven, we can actually track our audiences who are looking at our content off-platform really accurately, which puts us in a completely different position.”

Bringing AI to Intent Connect

AI is a hot-button topic, and D_Coded saw the announcement that Intent Connect – the platform unveiled at last year’s event – would be boosted using artificial intelligence technologies. 

“As a platform for agencies and clients to use, it was getting pretty clunky. So the team has spent the last six months doing a total revamp on it, and what they’ve done is they’ve made a very slick user interface,” Leary explains.

One of the most obvious improvements to the platform is the creation of an AI chatbot, called CAI – or Connect AI.

Leary says CAI means clients can head to the chatbot and say “I’m looking to build a target audience of grocery buyers in the market for midsize SUVs”, and CAI will do it.

“You don’t need to be able to do all the kinds of complex searching that once upon a time you had to be able to do, so it’s really widening the scope for who can use Intent Connect – not only within our own business, but for all of our partner businesses who use it.”

See also: Lou Barrett: D_Coded all about creating better outcomes for News Australia clients

–

Top Image: Pippa Leary

Compiled by Tess Connery

This Is Not A Game: How the legend of Ong’s Hat foretold the modern internet

In his newest podcast, This Is Not A Game, award-winning journalist and documentary maker Marc Fennell explores the internet’s first conspiracy theory – the legend of Ong’s Hat.

The six-episode documentary podcast investigates the unexplored world of tech hippies, eccentric web subcultures, and simmering paranoia, and follows Fennell as he uncovers how this tongue-in-cheek artistic experiment backfired on its creator and went on to influence much of what’s wrong with the internet today. 

Podcast Week’s Tess Connery caught up with Fennell ahead of the Audible podcast’s launch.

What was it about the legend of Ong’s Hat that caught your attention? How did this whole project come about?

Fennell: “I’ve spent more than a decade covering the internet and technology through my other work, and it occurred to me that when it comes to technology, we often talk about the present and the future. We very rarely talk about how it is that we got here.

“It’s a bloody weird story. The basic gist of it is that in the early days of the Internet, you’ve got this engineer who starts a joke amongst nerds that in the middle of the woods is a shack where a bunch of renegade scientists attempt to build a portal to another world in the shape of an egg. It’s objectively crazy, but the thing is, everyone who was online at that point kind of got it.

“The thing that stood out to me is that it is a cautionary tale. You and I both know that the internet today is a complete trash fire – it’s never been easier to distrust each other. And it struck me that this was a cautionary tale, because everything bad about the incident today, we were warned with this story. This tale is absolutely a parable from the past that could have warned us about how we got here.”

How did you approach the research on this project? The early internet is a whole other beast, how much of it was still around for you to find?

Fennell: “One of the reasons this conspiracy theory was so intoxicating for people is that the puppet master, Joe, would put out little breadcrumbs of real and fake, and people who got sucked into it really felt like they had to investigate, they had to engage. They had to do a bit of work. 

“That means they have a sense of engagement, they’re like, I discovered this, I did my own research, which meant that there was a sense of pride. So people kept a lot of stuff, people kept their memorabilia and the bits of pieces of information they’d acquired. That made it a little bit easier to keep track of.”

You have a few podcasts under your belt now. What is it that keeps you coming back to audio projects?

Fennell: “The really interesting thing with audio is that the listener is an active participant, because they are using their imagination to create the world. We’ve gone harder with sound design on This Is Not A Game than any other project I’ve ever been involved in. It’s easily the trippiest, most enveloping audio experience of anything I’ve ever made – the whole idea was to pull people into the rabbit hole. 

“What was super important for this series more than any was to create that that sense of getting lost in the woods with you and your imagination. That’s one of those moments, one of those ways in which audio is just so powerful, because it employs your own imagination as a listener.”

What do you hope people take away from This Is Not A Game?

Fennell: “We all share responsibility for the internet, because it’s now so big and so ubiquitous, and it connects us all. It was built as a reflection of certain human tastes and certain human ideas about how we should interact, but now it belongs to all of us. If we want the internet to be less of a trash fire, if we want the internet to be a more trustworthy place, it is now it is no longer just the responsibility of tech companies and government – although they play a role. 

“We also have to change how we behave and we treat other people online. There is a transference that’s occurred on our watch from theirs to ours. I think we all have a responsibility to cultivate the web that we want.”

[Listen to This Is Not A Game here]

Do I Want Kids? KICPOD’s Laura Henshaw announces limited series podcast

It’s a question rarely posed in public: do I want kids? It’s also one that Laura Henshaw from the LiSTNR podcast KICPOD, co-hosted with Steph Claire Smith, is pondering.

After raising the subject on a recent KICPOD episode to support from people across the world, Henshaw has recorded a limited series podcast with people from all walks of life – from parenthood mentors to child-free advocates, career-driven professionals, stay-at-home mums, young and older parents, relationship experts, medical specialists and her own husband, BULLFROG CEO Dalton Henshaw, about this sensitive decision.

Do I Want Kids? discusses the question in a safe and honest space and begins on Wednesday 15 May 2024 with episodes every Wednesday and Friday for seven episodes.

[Listen to Do I Want Kids? here]

Concealed with Art Simone returns for season three

ARN’s iHeart has announced the return of Concealed with Art Simone for its third season. Hosted by Art Simone, acclaimed drag queen and performer, the podcast delves into the world of secret lives, uncovering the fascinating stories of everyday Australians.

Drawing from her own experience of leading a double life as a drag queen and performer, Art Simone guides listeners through conversations and revelations that shed light on hidden facets of her guests’ lives.

In the upcoming season, listeners can expect a line-up of guests with their own secrets waiting to be unveiled. From a private investigator with a penchant for breaking and entering, to the voice of the Melbourne landmark Flinders Street Station, whose towering presence is matched only by the allure of his voice.

[Listen to Concealed With Art Simone here]

MID: Holly Wainwright rebrands the mid-life experience for Australian women

MID is a new podcast working to redefine mid-life for Australian women. Hosted by author and podcast personality Holly Wainwright, MID offers the grown-up conversations women want, busting ageist beliefs and proving that life in mid-life is anything but ‘mid.’

Season one guests range from chefs and broadcasters to authors and advocates, including Julie Goodwin, Shanna Whan, Cath Mahoney, Jacinta Parsons, Bryony Gordon, Katherine May, and Jane McCann.

[Listen to MID here]

Get The Real Story with Joe Hildebrand

Launching on Thursday, the latest NOVA Original podcast The Real Story with Joe Hildebrand breaks down the biggest news stories of the week with journalist and broadcaster Joe Hildebrand at the helm.

In The Real Story, Joe takes a closer look at the major news headlines of the week and unpacks the real stories behind them.

Ahead of the launch, Hildebrand said: “I live news and politics and I love news and politics. But these days both are so crowded, twisted and driven by competing agendas that people can’t even agree on what’s true anymore.

“I’m going to be pulling apart all the biggest stories and issues so people can see who the big players are, how the sausage is made and discover for themselves what’s bollocks and what’s real.”

[Listen to The Real Story here]

KFC’s Look on the Fried Side of Life by Ogilvy is the country’s favourite ad campaign, with Telstra’s This is Footy Country by The Monkeys and ALDI’s Good different by BMF taking second and third spot respectively.

The latest edition of the AU/NZ Top 10 Favourite Ads Survey by independent research and insights agency TRA has revealed the top 10 ads as voted on by Australians and New Zealanders. It is Australia’s inaugural Favourite Ads Survey conducted by TRA.

The Favourite Ads Survey gathers responses from over 1,250 people from Australia and New Zealand, aged 18 to 60, who are asked a number of open-ended questions geared at eliciting candid feedback including: “What’s your favourite TV ad right now?” and “Why do you like it?”

According to Alex Forrester, TRA’s business director, “the common theme across the Aussie ad winners was the ads were remembered and resonated because the brands strongly linked their brand to the creative idea. KFC’s Look on the Fried side of Life is a textbook example, a perfect combination of great human insight and brand truth.

“The human insight is so familiar, that sometimes we do feel defeated by life, and the brand truth works perfectly – KFC is good because it’s bad. It’s also a great example of category disruption, food can be unhealthy sometimes! This combination of novel and surprising elements makes the execution of the ad more remarkable and rewarding.

“In comparison, consider Telstra’s Footy Country ad, remembered because the brand is not obvious throughout the ad. That’s a bold decision which demonstrates that attribution – being ‘remembered’ – is more complicated than just repetition of a brand’s logo. When executed expertly, the use of deliberate subtlety can work.”

In New Zealand, ASB’s Ben & Amy nabbed top spot for the fourth year in a row, with ANZ’s We Do How in second, and Turners’ Tina from Turners in third place.

Forrester, along with Carl Sarney, TRA’s head of strategy, used TRA’s Creative Edge framework to evaluate the strength of ads’ creative execution and to explain why certain ads perform better than others.

The framework is based around the ‘three Rs’ – how likely an ad is to grab people’s attention (Remarkable), entertain (Rewarding), and how strongly the brand is linked to the creative idea (Remembered) – the analysis of which revealed some key differences between the two nations:

Character focus: In Australia, ads more frequently focus on branded storytelling and situational humour, such as Cadbury’s generosity theme and Toyota’s humorous take on a messy divorce, versus an identifiable, staple “character”. While in New Zealand, ads tended to be more character-driven and appeared to leverage familiar characters and ongoing stories, such as ASB’s Ben & Amy and ANZ’s Sharma family.

National Identity: While both countries presented their share of culture-wars and social polarisation – New Zealand ads appear more settled with the idea of “Kiwi-ness”, whereas in Australia, the idea of “Aussie-ness” is only approached indirectly by brands, for example through themes of sport or weather.

TRA suggested this may be a reflection of comparative unease among Australians regarding their national identity, versus versus the pride New Zealanders feel about being Kiwi. 

In March, TRA made six hires to its teams in Sydney and Melbourne to support growth and new business across both markets.

Account lead Nana Kawaura, consultant Sam Stalley, and senior consultant Charlotte Saunders joined the Sydney team. Melbourne’s new hires included account lead Alexandra Fulton, qualitative lead Jemimah Gray, and senior qualitative consultant Claire Timmons.

Australia’s top 10 ads
1. KFC – Look on Fried Side of Life [and related ads]
2. Telstra – This is Footy Country
3. ALDI – Good Different 
4. Cadbury – There’s a glass & a half in everyone (garage)
5. Woolworths – Packed with Pride
6. Toyota –  HiLux ‘In the Middle’
7. AAMI –When Australia Happens
8. HBF – Quokka Series (example)
9. McDonalds – The Original Mouthful
10. Kia – Kia’s Getting a Ute

New Zealand’s top 10 ads
1. ASB – Ben and Amy
2. ANZ – We Do How
3. Turners – Tina from Turners
4. PAK’nSAVE – Stickman
5. Genesis – George and her family  [+3 places]
6. New World – Find Your Wonderful [new to list]
7. McDonalds – It’s Good to be the Driver [-2 places]
8. KFC – General retail  [-1 places]
9. Vogels – Neighbours [New to list]
10. Lotto – House Hunt returns to list

See also:
TRA makes six hires across Sydney and Melbourne
Ogilvy Health unveils latest for Bowel Cancer Australia

Ryvalmedia Sydney has been appointed the full media remit for the Australian online marketplace, RedBalloon. 

Ryvalmedia was engaged to plan and buy the RedBalloon Christmas and Mother’s Day campaigns and following that collaboration, RedBalloon has committed to continue the partnership. The appointment is effective immediately. 

“The continuation of our partnership is a testament to the strength of our collaboration and shared vision for RedBalloon, and as we move into the next stage of our partnership, we are excited to have the opportunity to spearhead these key campaigns and leverage our expertise and resources to drive real business outcomes,” Bianca Falloon, GM at Ryvalmedia Sydney, said.

The scope of work includes holistic media strategy, planning, and buying to grow top-of-mind brand awareness, drive associations with gifting, and convert customers to purchase. The brand’s next large-scale campaign will be Father’s Day.

Part of Big Red Group, RedBalloon is an Australian online marketplace for curated experiences and gifts. 

David Anderson, CEO of Big Red Group, said: “The future of our partnership with Ryvalmedia is bright as we continue to create impactful campaigns that resonate with our audience, to strengthen our brand and drive tangible results for RedBalloon.”

Ryvalmedia’s appointment comes as Melbourne managing director Joseph Pardillo said the company is in a “unique position to grow and optimise our clients’ revenue”.

Affiliate marketing presents an opportunity for brands to expand their online presence, reach new customers, and drive sales with a cost-effective strategy to maximise return on investment (ROI), Pardillo told Mediaweek earlier this week.

”This is only going to expand as more Australians are turning to shopping online,” Pardillo said.

Ryvalmedia is a digital-first marketing and media specialist with a particular focus on performance, data, and analytics. Founded and led by former dentsu boss Simon Ryan, the business has offices across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.

See also: A track record and plan for growth: Ryvalmedia on tapping into affiliate marketing’s meteoric rise

Frozen ready-meal brand On The Menu, part of Patties Food Group, has launched a reinvigorated brand strategy and national campaign via TBWA\Melbourne in an effort to combat the freezer shame that surrounds the brand and category.

The media execution for the new platform, Blame it On the Menu, is being delivered by United, also part of Omnicom Media Group. United is primarily OMG’s bespoke agency for Nissan, but is housed within the TBWA\Melbourne office and services other clients.

When TBWA\Melbourne and United clinched the Patties Food Group account in August last year, they formed an integrated full-service agency model, they said.

On The Menu OOH

On The Menu’s portfolio of ready-to-eat-meals has been a staple of the freezer aisle for 15 years, and is one of the largest players in the category. The revamp aims to redefine the category, and combat misconceptions surrounding frozen food.

Anand Surujpal, chief marketing and growth officer of Patties Food Group, explained that in order to grow On The Menu, the brand needed “to appeal to existing and new buyers to purchase pre-prepared meals and enjoy without feeling judged.”

The campaign is running across broadcast TV, BVOD, YouTube, social, radio and OOH.

According to Zac Martin, planning director at TBWA\Melbourne, Australia can be a very judgement nation, “especially about what people eat. There is a stereotype that if you eat frozen meals, you’re lazy or a loner. In reality, you’re anything but.”

Market research firm YouGov cites frozen meal eaters are 40% more likely to exercise four times a week, and 61% are in a relationship.

In one of the three playful spots, a scene unfolds in a dentist’s chair where a patient is left mouth agape against a bite block, as the dentist is nowhere to be found. Cut to the staff kitchen and it is revealed that the dentist has been shamelessly engrossed in devouring her crispy chicken parmie.

Paul Reardon, TBWA\Melbourne’s chief creative officer, described that the agency “were after a storytelling approach with a dead simple structure, the product at its core, and a great tone of voice. This new platform offers us that. And! It’s really fun to write for. That’s a good sign for longevity. We’re looking forward to doing a lot more of OTM’s stories.” 

The work comes as another Patties Food Group owned brand, Four’N Twenty pies – the ‘official pie’ of the AFL – announced its collaboration with Red Rooster for a limited edition chicken and gravy pie ahead of the Australian footy final season, via a fully integrated creative campaign by Leo Burnett Australia.

See also: Red Rooster and Four’N Twenty launch collab via Leo Burnett

Credits:

Agency: TBWA\Melbourne
Paul Reardon: Chief creative officer
Pat Sofra: Head of art and design
Mark Jones: Senior creative
Rob Hibbert: Senior creative
Virginia Pracht: Co-head of planning
Zac Martin: Planning director
Kimberlee Wells: Chief executive officer
Ricci Meldrum: Managing director
Amy McKay: Senior business director
Kate Steven: Project director
Melina Flood: Senior producer
Tony McKay: Precision marketing and media lead, United
Evelyn Hamlett: Planning & Investment Director, United

Client: Patties Food Group
Anand Surujpal: Chief marketing and growth officer
Debra Barrow: Head of marketing – pre-prepared meals 
Pierre Meneaud: Head of digital
Rachael Kirby: Head of insights

Production company: Hooves
Director: Jason Perini
Post production: Crayon

Jawing has appointed Fran Martin as senior brand strategist, a newly-created role to plan solutions for Jaywing’s performance and creative clients.

Martin will work cross-functionally with the agency’s client services, creative, and paid media teams to develop creative campaigns and plans for optimisation. 

Based at its Melbourne office, she will work alongside brands including Online Education Services (OES), New Balance, and Crocs to help generate, analyse, and distil insights. 

Martin arrives from the UK, transferring from the agency’s parent company, Jaywing UK, where she was a senior brand planner for more than five years. 

“Jaywing in Australia has seen significant growth over the past 18 months and I’m thrilled to be joining the team to share my experience in brand strategy and planning with the strong roster of clients we have,” Martin said.

“It’s a great opportunity for me personally and the entire team has already been so welcoming.”

She specialises in brand positioning, quantitative and qualitative consumer research, and campaign comms planning. She has also worked with Speedo, Berghaus and Canterbury New Zealand, HSBC, KPMG, Hallmark, and Lacoste. 

Tom Geekie, Jaywing Australia CEO, said: “In today’s data-driven world, where creativity intersects with analytics, brand strategy is an increasingly important component to drive success for our partners. Fran’s expertise will not only enhance our ability to generate compelling insights, but also empower us to craft impactful campaigns that resonate with audiences. No stranger to the Jaywing family, we’re delighted she’s made the move to Australia.”

The Sydney-headquartered agency was named Performance Agency of the Year in November and Best Large Integrated Agency in January at the APAC Search Awards.

It works with clients including Myer, New Balance, Cashrewards, Athena Home Loans, Employment Hero, Noble Oak, Royal Doulton, Waterford Crystal, and Lyres.

See also: Crocs Inc. appoints Jaywing to manage paid search and social in Australia and Singapore

Australia Explained, SBS’ flagship service for new migrants, has launched a multi-platform marketing campaign.

The Australia Explained campaign works to reflect the faces of contemporary Australia,  and “features real stories from real people,” according to Jane Palfreyman, SBS’ chief marketing and commercial officer. 

“The creative empowers and celebrates diverse migrant and refugee experiences – from mental health and language barriers to raising bilingual kids and job hunting – which collectively contribute to contemporary Australia today,” she said 

The campaign was filmed in English and other languages with sub-titles for use across owned and paid platforms. It features a 30” hero film for paid social, as well as 30” packages showcasing stories about starting life in Australia, including: Ahmadullah Fazli, a cricketer who fled Afghanistan in 2021 and is currently pursuing his dreams as a player for Charlestown District Cricket Club; Ariel Xue, an occupational therapist turned entrepreneur from China who works towards migrant visibility in leadership and innovation; Hanish Chopra, a man from India who talks about mental health for new migrants; Claire Lee, who arrived as a working holidaymaker from South Korea and shares her experiences on language barriers and reflections on her journey; and Barry Duremdes, a Filipino father of two with a career in Australia who creates content to help other Filipino migrants.

“We want audiences to form a human connection with these stories, and whenever they think of new migrants or multicultural communities to think of SBS and our services,” Palfreyman added.

Pamela Cook, acting director of SBS Audio, said the network is “committed to helping everyone feel welcome, connected and part of society, no matter where you come from or what language you speak.”

“Australia Explained bridges the cultural gap for recently arrived migrants – or new locals – by providing practical and engaging information in more than 30 languages to help everyone fully participate in society and feel they belong,” she said. 

Every month, Australia Explained receives 100,000 audio plays and 66,000 page views, with its multilingual videos in 2024 receiving 1 million plays on social media. 

See also: Alone S2 drives SBS On Demand growth and ‘tremendous ROI’ for advertisers

Netball Western Australia has appointed 303 MullenLowe as its brand strategy partner, effective immediately.

303 MullenLowe’s team of brand strategists will develop a comprehensive brand definition for the sporting organisation, as well as a value proposition for its brand portfolio.

The strategy aims to shape the future direction of all Netball WA brand expressions and stakeholder communications. It will look to implement a consistent brand position for all aspects of the organisation including West Coast Fever, WA’s representative in the domestic netball competition, Suncorp Super Netball, and its charity partner, Shooting Stars.

303 MullenLowe Perth’s chief strategy officer, Matt Oakley, said the appointment reflected a need to take a more holistic view of the brand.

“What started out as a conversation regarding a refreshed commercial and consumer strategy, quickly turned into the desire to redefine a broader strategy that would ultimately underpin all of the decisions that would be made in that space.

“Having a clear vision for, and an understanding of how your brand connects with its target audience is the foundation for any organisation. And the development of a clearly defined Masterbrand is an important way for any business to make more informed decisions when it comes to everything, whether that’s future partnerships, how a brand expresses itself or even the people they hire.

“Netball WA in its many forms makes an impact across the state, and we want to galvanise the organisation behind a common understanding of just what that is.”

Netball WA’s general manager of commercial, media, marketing and events, Stu Gilsenan, added: “Everyone at Netball WA, West Coast Fever and Shooting Stars is really looking forward to working with the team at 303 MullenLowe to develop our master brand strategy.

“We’ve identified the need to develop a cohesive strategy which links our three growing brands and we cannot wait to see what 303 MullenLowe can develop to help us inspire and grow the next generation of netballers and netball fans across the state.”

The appointment follows 303 MullenLowe Perth’s latest work for ambulance and first aid service St John Western and Safety Commission (RSC) Australia, Anyone Can Save a Life, – a first-responders campaign which highlights the critical first four minutes after a crash.

See also: 303 MullenLowe Perth shows ‘Anyone Can Save a Life’ for St John WA

Broadsheet has exclusively partnered with Tourism Tasmania for its Off Season campaign.

This is the third consecutive year that the pair have collaborated to drive visitation to Tasmania, but for the first time, the culture guide and Tourism Tasmania have turned the Tasmania content vertical on the site ‘dark’.

In this change, Tourism Tasmania’s Off Season campaign branding and messaging are reflected in the all-black background. The Broadsheet Tasmania vertical will remain dark for the campaign period before returning to Broadsheet’s original white background.

Broadsheet has also created a bespoke content hub for Off Season, featuring all that the island state has to offer, including where to eat, drink, shop, and stay.

“We’re delighted to once again partner with Broadsheet, one of Australia’s most popular publications in travel, food and culture, to share a glimpse of the diverse offerings Tasmania’s Off Season presents, the stories of the people and communities behind them, and the essence of what makes our state so special at this time of year,” Sarah Clark, CEO of Tourism Tasmania said.

“Broadsheet is a fantastic platform to showcase Tasmania’s rich culinary and cultural scene as well as natural beauty. We are delighted to have partnered with Broadsheet once again to capture the essence of Tasmania’s Off Season, inspiring Australians to become winter people with a holiday in Tasmania.”

Further innovation this year also includes Broadsheet and Tourism Tasmania’s branded content extended across out-of-home via oOh!media’s Fly network. Targeting travellers, the recommendations highlight events, experiences, and festivals to enjoy during the Off Season.

Claire Booth, Broadsheet national sales and partnerships director, said: “Our partnership with Tourism Tasmania epitomises our dedication to delivering meaningful innovation for our partners. With Broadsheet’s bold move to turn our Tasmania content vertical ‘dark’ for the first time, we’re not just promoting, we’re embodying the essence of Tasmania’s Off Season.

“Extending these recommendations into the out-of-home space, thanks to our strategic partnership with oOh!media, further maximises the value of our content, effectively targeting travelers at every step of their journey.”

The Off Season platform was created by creative agency BMF and is now in its fourth year. It positions Tasmania as a must-visit winter destination, aiming to boost tourism during the traditionally quieter travel period between May and August.

See also: BMF leads Tourism Tasmania’s biggest Off Season campaign yet

Young Australians are increasingly reallocating their savings towards music, fashion, and travel as both Gen Z and millennials look to enrich their lives.

Val Morgan Digital has released the findings of a research study conducted in April via Conjointly, which delved into the spending and saving habits of over 1,000 Gen Z and millennial Australians.

The study uncovered the impact of a growing phenomenon called ‘money dysmorphia’, a distorted view of a person’s financial health which can lead to harmful financial behaviours.

The research was also undertaken with a readership sample from Val Morgan Digital’s stable of brands including LADbible, BuzzFeed, Fandom, and POPSUGAR.

The study found that both Gen Z and millennials are prioritising experiences and personal fulfilment over traditional markers of financial success. Both demographics reported spending up to $1,500 a month on interests such as music, fashion, and travel.

Gen Z has lower knowledge of financial concepts compared to millennials, but claim to know more about debt. 61% of respondents claimed to be familiar or very familiar with the concept. However, Gen Z is battling the highest rates of HELP debt and Buy Now Pay Later services.

Val Morgan Digital director of growth and partnerships, Julia Willing, said the research “highlights why the need for improved and regulated financial education for young Australians has never been more important — particularly as we know that social media is their top source for financial guidance, which is rife with misinformation.”

43% of Gen Z respondents reported to be saving for a home, but 37% believed it is an unattainable goal.

“We have a number of money-focused launches slated across our brands in H2 that will engage our passionate audiences and we’re looking for partners to help bring these to life,” Willing added.

Commonwealth Bank has been named a presenting partner of Vogue Australia’s Vogue Codes 2024, alongside supporting partners Audi Australia, Billy Blue College of Design at Torrens University, and Net-A-Porter.

The event partner is Dress for Success.

Vogue Codes, established by News Corp Australia‘s Vogue Australia in 2016 to advocate for the growth of women studying STEM subjects in Australia, will return for 2024 from 20 June.

This year’s program includes the ninth annual Vogue Codes Summit, an In Conversation breakfast series, and the introduction of Vogue Codes Con, which is designed for university students pursuing careers in fashion and technology.

The event’s 2024 theme is Technotopia: Designing the World of Tomorrow.

Through this theme, the event will explore the possibilities of AI, the future of food, what the medical field could look like in decades to come, and how love and relationships will work in a digital-first era. 

Vogue Australia editorial director Edwina McCann said the Vogue Codes campaign is “helping change perceptions and we’ve seen real progress over the last nine years.”

“While this is to be celebrated, we still have a way to go to true equal and fair female representation in the world of STEM, especially in senior leadership positions,” she said.

“This year, we’re feeling more inspired than ever by the pursuits of Australia’s greatest young innovators influencing technology both locally and abroad.”

Commonwealth Bank executive general manager human resources technology Jane Adams added that to increase the number of women pursuing careers in technology, the next generation needs to be inspired. 

“CommBank is pleased to partner with Vogue Australia to showcase some of the dynamic careers and pathways on offer in STEM through Vogue Codes, and help encourage more women to consider a career in technology.

“Technology is central to everything we do for our customers and we’re committed to building a skilled, future-ready workforce – including female technologists – and ultimately building a brighter future for all.”

Antony Catalano‘s ACM has partnered with Flint on the launch of Farmers’ Finance Australia, working to provide primary producers with deals for financing property, agribusiness, equipment, and machinery. 

Farmers’ Finance Australia will give clients access to a panel of banks, lenders, and private funders in Australia.

Lending specialist and co-founder of Flint, Christian Stevens, will lead as Farmers’ Finance Australia as CEO, and said: “I am excited to be working together with the ACM Agri team on something that will genuinely make a difference to so many farmers across the country.”

Stevens said lending in the agricultural finance market exceeded $120 billion, a figure that rises if you add the rural residential, commercial, and asset loans. 

“Farmers’ Finance Australia will provide regional families, investors, and businesses with the best in-market finance solutions to help them grow. We will enable hard working Australians to unlock their farms’ potential, while accessing savings on their existing facilities too,” Stevens said. 

Finally, Stevens added that the team’s brokers have lodged more than $10 billion in loans to date and have over 100 years of broking experience. 

“With the most banks and lenders available in the country, Farmers’ Finance Australia is the largest Agribusiness Brokerage in Australia.”

ACM managing director Tony Kendall said the joint venture was an intuitive fit for the ACM Agri division.

“ACM Agri puts farmers at the heart of everything we do and we understand that finance is a critical part of every farming business,” he said.

“Farmers’ Finance Australia enables ACM Agri to offer leading financial solutions and specialised expertise to the 78 per cent of farmers who turn to ACM Agri brands to keep them informed about their sector.“

ACM Agri will take Farmers’ Finance Australia to market with an integrated marketing campaign across print, digital, social media, and rural event platforms.

See also: ACM and Play HQ extend partnership to cover local football

TV Report 15 May 2024:

Nine TV Report

Ski Rescue Downunder

Nine aired Ski Rescue Downunder, as the start of the season brought thousands of guests to Mt Hutt. Opening day celebrations were cut short by a series of high-drama mishaps on the ski slopes. 

A Current Affair

Over on A Current Affair, the program spoke to big Aussie names calling on the nation’s wealthy to donate $300 for energy rebate and met with a little girl in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant to save her life. 

Seven TV Report

The Front Bar

The Front Bar welcomed Michael McLean as they shared a laugh about the world of AFL and caught up with stars of yesteryear and today, ahead of the tenth round of the AFL 2024 season.

Home & Away

Earlier in the night was Home & Away as Remi and Bree navigated new loves and John encountered stage fright before his TV debut.

10 TV Report

The Project

The Project on 10 spoke to Treasurer Jim Chalmers as he explained the budget for viewers and also chatted to Comedian Ari Shaffir and stars of the new film IF, Ryan Reynolds & Cailey Fleming. 

MasterChef Australia

On 10’s MasterChef Australia, it was time for the chaotic, colourful and feared race that is the Team Relay. Teams of four cooks tag-teamed their way to plate a cohesive dish and win immunity.

NCIS: Sydney

NCIS: Sydney also made its free-to-air debut last night, originally premiering on Paramount + in 2023.

ABC

7:30

On 7:30, critics questioned the Victoria government’s decision to invest millions in a US stratospheric exploration company as the state’s debt levels grow. 

Gruen

Gruen returned last night to discuss the Hubbl campaign featuring Hamish & Andy. Wil Anderson was joined by Todd Sampson, Camey O’Keefe and Karen Ferry.

SBS

Alone Australia

A dangerous storm hit the contestants, testing their resilience and shelter. 

The Titan Sub Disaster: Minute by Minute

The Titan Sub Disaster concluded last night as the program revealed the fate of the passengers on board the Titan submersible.

Tuesday 14 May 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s The Summit recorded a total TV national reach of 1,500,000, a total TV national audience of 523,000, and a BVOD audience of 51,000.

Nine’s A Current Affair recorded a total TV national reach of 1,520,000, a total TV national audience of 987,000, and a BVOD audience of 63,000.

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife recorded a total TV national reach of 1,742,000, a total TV national audience of 1,039,000, and a BVOD audience of 106,000.

Also on Seven, Home & Away recorded a total TV national reach of 1,548,000, a total TV national audience of 885,000, and a BVOD audience of 97,000.

10’s airing of MasterChef Australia recorded a total TV national reach of 1,189,000, a total TV national audience of 632,000, and a BVOD audience of 51,000.

10’s airing of The Cheap Seats recorded a total TV national reach of 1,215,000, a total TV national audience of 508,000, and a BVOD audience of 19,000.

See Also: TV Report 14 May 2024: Farmer Bert drops devastating bombshell during Farmer Wants A Wife

People 25-54

Nine’s The Summit:
• Total TV nation reach: 526,000
• National Audience: 224,000
• BVOD Audience: 29,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 469,000
• National Audience: 278,000
• BVOD Audience: 35,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 463,000
• National Audience: 242,000 
• BVOD Audience: 30,000

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife:
• Total TV nation reach: 536,000
• National Audience: 300,000
• BVOD Audience: 58,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 456,000
• National Audience: 281,000
• BVOD Audience: 56,000

10’s The Cheap Seats:
• Total TV nation reach: 513,000
• National Audience: 259,000 
• BVOD Audience: 12,000

People 16-39

Nine’s The Summit:
• Total TV nation reach: 179,000
• National Audience: 72,000
• BVOD Audience: 14,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 177,000
• National Audience: 100,000
• BVOD Audience: 18,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 205,000
• National Audience: 106,000 
• BVOD Audience: 17,000

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife:
• Total TV nation reach: 212,000
• National Audience: 119,000
• BVOD Audience: 31,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 188,000
• National Audience: 118,000
• BVOD Audience: 33,000

10’s The Cheap Seats:
• Total TV nation reach: 211,000
• National Audience: 107,000 
• BVOD Audience: 6,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+ TV Ratings

Nine’s The Summit:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,129,000
• National Audience: 373,000
• BVOD Audience: 41,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,181,000
• National Audience: 777,000
• BVOD Audience: 51,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 927,000
• National Audience: 504,000 
• BVOD Audience: 41,000

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,386,000
• National Audience: 835,000
• BVOD Audience: 85,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,216,000
• National Audience: 696,000
• BVOD Audience: 77,000

10’s The Cheap Seats:
• Total TV nation reach: 955,000
• National Audience: 402,000 
• BVOD Audience: 15,000

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