Ten-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic has accepted an apology from Nine’s Tony Jones after feeling “disrespected” by comments made during a live TV interaction with Serbian fans on Friday night.

“Novak acknowledges the apology has been given in public as requested, and is now moving on and focusing on his next match,” a statement released by Tennis Australia said.

The controversy arose after Djokovic bypassed the traditional post-match on-court interview with Jim Courier following his fourth-round win against Jiri Lehecka. Instead, he made a brief statement to the crowd before leaving the court, later explaining his decision during a press conference.

Djokovic explains his decision

Speaking to the media, Djokovic revealed that remarks made by Jones on Nine News had offended him and Serbian fans. He clarified that his decision to skip the interview was not personal towards Courier or the Australian public but a response to the network.

“Couple days ago the famous sports journalist (Tony Jones) who works for official broadcaster, Channel 9 here in Australia, made a mockery of Serbian fans and also made insulting and offensive comments towards me,” Djokovic said. “Since then, he chose not to issue any public apology. Neither did Channel 9. So since they’re official broadcasters, I chose not to give interviews for Channel 9.”

Djokovic admitted it was a difficult situation to address on-court, saying, “It was a very awkward situation for me to face. It’s unfortunate I chose to say something to the crowd, but obviously wasn’t the time and space to explain fully.”

Tony Jones issues public apology

On Monday morning, Tony Jones used Channel 9’s The Today Show to publicly apologise, acknowledging that his comments had been misinterpreted.

“Unfortunately, my ‘humour’ the other night was misinterpreted as an attack on Novak. That was certainly not the case,” Jones said. “I’ve been joking with Serbian fans throughout the tournament, and this – at least I thought so – was a continuation of that. At no point did I mean to show any disrespect to Novak, and I apologise. There was certainly no intention to offend him.”

Jones also revealed that he had privately apologised to Djokovic’s camp 48 hours before the tennis star’s on-court boycott, after being informed by Tennis Australia that his comments had caused upset.

“I immediately contacted the Djokovic camp and issued an apology for any disrespect Novak felt,” Jones said. “The comments were made as banter, but I now understand they were perceived differently.”

The incident has ignited debate about the importance of cultural sensitivity and the role of humour in sports broadcasting. Djokovic, who has faced strained relations with sections of the Australian media in the past, was praised by fans for standing up for his values and his community.

“Tennis is about bringing people together, not dividing them,” Djokovic said in his press conference, reiterating his desire to move forward from the situation.

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Former Marks & Spencer and Asda boss Lord Rose has taken aim at remote work, blaming it for a “20-year regression” in UK productivity and workplace standards.

Speaking to BBC Panorama, Lord Rose said working from home is fostering a generation “not doing proper work” and contributing to the economy’s broader decline.

His remarks follow a growing trend of companies ditching remote setups. Big names like Amazon, Boots, and JP Morgan are now requiring head office staff back on-site full-time.

“Productivity, working practices, even the country’s wellbeing have taken a massive hit,” Lord Rose said, as calls to bring workers back to their desks gain momentum.

This latest criticism on the WFH culture comes after WPP CEO Mark Read responded to criticism from employees who were unhappy with the introduction of a global mandate to return to the office four days a week.

He told PRWeek UK: “I know for some people this is going to be a change, but we are going to introduce this new policy cooperatively. It doesn’t come in until April, and we’ll use that time to talk to our people about how to implement it carefully and pragmatically.

“We appreciate that many people have responsibilities such as dropping their kids at school or caring for an elderly relative, and we’re going to continue much of the flexibility we’ve experienced over the last few years,” Read said.

“That said, with many of our clients in the office three, four and increasingly five days a week, we think this is the right move for the long-term success of the company and people’s careers.”

Internal memo

An internal memo of the global mandate was sent to staff last week in which Read addressed the focus on the culture of WPP.

He said: “I believe that we do our best work when we are together in person. It’s easier to learn from each other, it’s a better way to mentor colleagues starting out in the industry, and it helps us win pitches as a truly integrated team.”

Read said that data from across the WPP agencies indicated higher levels of office attendance were associated with stronger employee engagement, improved client survey scores and better financial performance.

“For all these reasons, spending more time together is important to all of us, and we are making a change to help that happen. From the beginning of April this year, the expectation across WPP will be that most of us spend an average of four days a week in the office.”

He added that flexibility and trust will be maintained while approaching the transition to four days in office with “pragmatism and an understanding of people’s different circumstances.”

In response, concerned employees launched a Change.org petition against the global directive. Since its launch on 9 January, the petition, which is open for people outside the organisation to sign, has garnered more than 16,000 signatures.

The petition also included a short and anonymous survey asking responders about the effectiveness of returning to the office, the impact on growth and employee engagement.

Petition results

Results from the survey, which had 1,300 responders, found 98% agreed that the four-day return-to-office mandate should be revoked. The survey also found that 76% strongly disagreed the mandate will support the long-term growth of WPP, while 77% associated extreme negativity with the impact of mandate across the WPP employee network and engagement levels.

Crucially, 58% strongly disagree and do not believe in Read’s vision and effectiveness, indicating a sense of waning confidence in the CEO among those who answered the survey.

See also: 

WPP enforces global return to office policy: Staff required on-site 4 days a week
WPP staff fight back: 10,000 sign petition against mandatory office return
WPP addresses staff backlash over office return policy
Holding companies not following WPP’s four-day work week mandate

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Top image: Lord Rose

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The 9News US bureau has been at the forefront of providing coverage for its viewers in Australia, from the devastating California Wildfires to the upcoming inauguration.

Mediaweek spoke to correspondents Lauren Tomasi and Jonathan Kearsley about coping with the fatigue from the coverage, the key to successful teamwork and preparing for the inauguration.

‘The responsibility of sharing these stories is an important one’

Both Tomasi and Kearsley noted a deep feeling of appreciation and privilege for being able to cover the human impact of the narrative.

For Tomasi, it was a tough experience speaking to the survivors and picking up the pieces, particularly a meeting with an Altadena resident named Suzanne.

“(She) was brave enough to share her story with me: her partner had passed away from cancer a few years earlier, and now she had lost their house and all their memories.

“Suzanne told me she was grateful to be alive. People and communities have extraordinary resilience in the face of adversity – as journalists, we are lucky enough to bear witness to that, and the responsibility of sharing these stories is an important one.”

Kearsley said that as journalists, their job also involves highlighting emotional and powerful stories.

“Of course, it impacts you on a personal level. These are people’s lives. But at the height of it, we focus on the job at hand. At some point, for us, it all sinks in. We are not fighting fires or losing everything, but we are human.”

Kearsley said water, sleep and discussing the stories have been key mechanisms to coping with providing rolling coverage.

For Tomasi, leaning on her team during a tough time has been beneficial. “When you’re lucky enough to have a home to go back to, you take a moment to appreciate that and decompress,” she added.

Balancing news narrative with the human impact

Balancing the news narrative of the wildfires with the human impact and loss is a challenge. Kearsley said: “It’s about finding and reporting something new each day. Whether it’s a survival tale or an incredible show of community spirit. In a disaster zone like this, the people’s stories speak for themselves.

“The human narrative tells the story of a disaster of this magnitude, and in instances like this, you’re dealing with communication dropouts, but it’s connecting with people on a personal level that helps these stories to be told.

“In this instance, there are obviously issues around what happened with the firefight and specifically around what happened with water supply. That’s part of the narrative that we also explore and explain.”

As a journalist, Kearsley said the key is to balance information from the ground, providing up-to-date and accurate information while negotiating technological challenges from fires.

Communication was a technological issue that the reports had to work around while on the ground in Los Angeles with telephone towers and communication infrastructure.

Tomasi said: “Tech is an evolving beast. During these fires, our bureau chief Rich Moran rolled out a star link at one point to use in conjunction with our other tech to get reports to air.”

Kearsley said he has had to find people on the ground or contact sources before heading into the disaster zone. He added: “When we could get service, we would update colleagues and our team and compare what we have on the ground to what has come from elsewhere.”

Meanwhile, drones have been banned because of high winds and conditions, meaning footage has been filmed on the ground or sourced from people they’ve interviewed.

Teamwork

9News’ teamwork, communication, collaborative thinking, and storytelling have been the most important aspects of its LA Wildfire coverage, both with the LA-based US bureau and Australian editorial team.

“The coverage doesn’t happen without it. There’s a really good understanding across our foreign editors in Australia, Shellie Doyle and Amber Cunneen and us on the ground in LA starting with guidance and leadership of Rich Moran, one of the greatest television cameramen Australia has seen,” Kearsley said.

He also credited the US team, comprising Tomasi, Jimmy Phillips, Paul Peric and Reid Butler, for having each other’s backs.

From an on-the-ground perspective, Tomasi added that a strong partnership between the reporter and camera operator is paramount. “We talk through where we are going, the tech challenges we have, and we make a plan to keep safe while bringing our viewers the most in-depth reports we can provide.”

‘Australians know the devastating consequences of bushfires all too well’

Meanwhile back home, Australian audiences have resonated and empathised with the stories coming out of the wildfire coverage and its impact on people and communities.

“This is a devastating disaster that will last long beyond emergency crews leaving. The stories will continue to be there and will continue to be told,” Kearsley said.

Viewers have also connected with stories of Australians living in Los Angeles who have lost homes. Tomasi said: “LA is home to more than 40 thousand Aussies – and our audience has wanted updates and ways to support those Australians – and Angelinos – who are going through this disaster.”

From wildfires to the inauguration

As Kearsley and Tomasi prepare to change scenery to cover Donald Trump’s inauguration in Washington, the duo has been balancing downtime and research.

“I’ll spend some time with my family. My wife Gemma and our three kids William, Pippa and Ben are everything.”

Meanwhile, Tomasi shared she’ll be packing her thermals: “It feels like the temperature will be around -15 degrees in Washington DC.’

“Our US Bureau team has lived and breathed American politics and followed the President-Elect through what was an extraordinary 2024. Research, research, research – and on US Monday/ Aus Tuesday, we will bring you the very latest as President 45 is sworn in as President 47. “

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Top image: Laura Tomasi and Jonathan Kearsley

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TikTok is back less than 24 hours after going dark ahead of the US ban. Let’s face it – my kid has been in time out as a toddler longer than this ban. The reversal comes after President Trump pledged to ByteDance’s deadline to sell the app. What does this mean for your business? Wil you stick or switch? What will be the go-to platform are just some of the questions we have had to answer in the past day.

Brands and influencers were back on in minutes – almost preempted this “ban” we know it’s all to do with this being the first day in office. Everyone has thrown money at the platform with ad spend in the past six hours, more than brands spent in a month from an insider in the US.

Brands should take the necessary steps to future-proof a real ban in 60 or 90 days time by taking the steps to move their content to other platforms.

What is actually happening and why?

ByteDance must sell TikTok or shut down operations and this will reshape how companies reach customers online, with over TikTok users making purchases after watching content, and the platform driving over $1 billion in monthly small business revenue. So many desperate creators, brands and businesses are now urging consumers to find a way around the ban with VPN options and more.

For business owners active on TikTok, posting content and connecting with buyers, this ban means more than lost sales. It strikes at the heart of their marketing strategy.

Why is it an outstanding performer in the market?

TikTok is the only social media platform that works differently from other social media. Each new video gets shown to 300-500 random users, making actions that determine its fate. A brand-new account could reach millions with its first post. No paid ads needed; no years spent building a following. With each user opening it an average of 19 times to check what’s new. This creates real opportunities for businesses to find TikTok success through volume and speed. The brands that win are the ones who show up every single day. When you slow down, the algorithm slows with you.

TikTok’s algorithm works by analyzing thousands of signals by a user to determine what kind of content they most want to see. These are things like likes, comments, follows, and how long they spend on a particular video, rewatching it or coming back to it will determine what videos appear on their ‘For You’ page and in what order.  Your FYP ( for you page ) unlike YouTube and Instagram will serve you a mix if content from brands and creators based on your “signals” which makes sure its tailored to your preferences making it addictive and fresh each time you open to check. There is no secret behind the algorithm, they simply have done a better job than the other social platforms.

Smart brands are not sitting around waiting, they are moving to Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and Snapchat, testing what works while TikTok is still in play. Each platform offers different advantages for reaching customers. Instagram Reels connects with established audiences. YouTube Shorts helps businesses appear in search while Snapchat keeps them relevant with younger audiences.

These brands are ready to double down on another channel to replace the TikTok traffic and keep sales flowing regardless on their booming new deadline of another shut down.

Beyond platform switches, companies who handle this change well will focus on owning their customer relationships. They’re building their email lists and strengthening direct connections and saving their best content to repurpose for other channels. These moves protect their business no matter what happens with the ban, because the platform the show up on may change but the connection with their customer will remain consistent. Consistency is key – and will be the downfall of those clients and or brands who haven’t taken action to test and build presence on other channels.

Thoughts about moving to Red Note

Red Note is a highly advanced platform for China and has been for a long while, with many savvy brands or businesses starting to utilise this platform for the past year in preparation for this transition. There is no English version of this platform making it difficult and time consuming for the slightest consideration. The platform, similar to Instagram, is particularly popular with women and skews towards a young, affluent audience. Brands that cant afford that additional translation or help to adapt to this platform will miss out… With the majority of Chinese Australians making more purchases and spending more time here than other social media platforms.

Users are finding creative ways to transcend language barriers, navigate cultural differences, and co-exist. Am I jumping on for my current client portfolio – not at this stage.

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Top image: Diane Markovski

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Are Media, Australia’s omnichannel content company for women, today announced the appointment of Jessica Bailey as Editor of ELLE Australia, the country’s #1 prestige fashion and beauty brand for young, savvy women.

ELLE is the largest, most powerful fashion brand in the world, with 50 editions globally, 37 million social media followers and 70 million unique browsers.

A highly respected and experienced fashion and lifestyle editor and journalist, Jessica will join ELLE Australia on 10 February to oversee the brand’s content direction and steer and grow ELLE to become an omnichannel fashion and beauty powerhouse for Gen Z and young millennial women.

Bailey’s previous decade-long role as editorial director of Grazia Australia will hold her in good stead for an exciting year ahead for ELLE Australia, with four issues being published as well as staging multiple ELLE initiatives, including the Next Gen Awards, styling masterclasses and the return of its top-rating podcast, What The ELLE?.

Are Media general manager of fashion and beauty, Nicky Briger, said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Jessica to Are Media to lead the exciting growth of ELLE Australia after last year’s highly successful print relaunch.

“Over the past 10 years, ELLE.com.au has become one of Australia’s premium digital destinations for smart, savvy Gen Z and Y women, reaching a total Australian audience of over 1.5 million across all touch points. ELLE Australia is a social powerhouse, with 753,000 followers on Facebook, 302,000 on Instagram and the fastest-growing TikTok channel in the market, up 1,000% last year.

Bailey said: “Sixteen years ago, I started my career at 54 Park Street so this is a full-circle moment for me. For years, ELLE’s spirit, style and distinct point of view has remained unparalleled and has made it the leading fashion brand for young women across the world.

“ELLE Australia’s 2024 print relaunch was the most exciting masthead revivals of the year, and I’m thrilled and honoured to return to Park Street to lead this big, beautiful brand into its future. This year, the ELLE masthead will celebrate its 80th birthday, and the significance of becoming ELLE Australia’s Editor in this milestone year is not lost on me. I’m beyond excited about this opportunity and can’t wait to get started.”

Last year’s re-launch of ELLE Australia magazine strengthened Are Media’s luxury portfolio, which also includes marie claire, Gourmet Traveller, Beauty Crew, Beauty Heaven and Girlfriend.

Source: Ipsos Iris Online Audience Measurement Service, average monthly UA and PV Jan24-Nov24, AP14+ Source: Are Media Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok followers as at December 2024.

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SunRice has appointed Nunn Media as its strategic media partner across Australia and New Zealand.

The media agency will take the lead role in managing media planning and buying for the brand from incumbent James Phillip Design in a bid to help achieve the company’s ambitious growth goals across the region.

“Nunn Media stood out during the pitch process for their strategic insight, creative thinking, and commitment to delivering results,” Tamara Howe, chief marketing officer at SunRice, said.

“Their innovative approach and deep knowledge of the Australian and New Zealand markets will be invaluable in helping us elevate our brand and connect with consumers in meaningful ways.”

The SunRice Group is a global FMCG business and one of Australia’s leading branded food exporters that operates across 10 countries and has 35 major brands that are sold in close to 50 global markets.

“We are really looking forward to working with SunRice and help propel their business forward,” Chris Walton, managing director of Nunn Media Sydney, added.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for us to demonstrate our media expertise and deliver measurable results for a brand that has such a strong legacy in both Australia and New Zealand and look forward to a long and successful partnership. We are on an exciting trajectory, growing not only in scale but also in recognition due to the quality of the work being done and the results that work is achieving.”

SunRice is Nunn Media’s latest win, following its appointments for  Baker’s Delight, and Melbourne Airport. Last year, the media agency also won the Spotlight Retail Group media account, managing its integrated digital, online, and broadcast media buying campaigns for brands such as Spotlight, Anaconda and Harris Scarfe.

The independent agency won the account, which is reported to be worth $90 million, following a three-way pitch against incumbent agency PHD and Stratosphere. At the time, Matt Nunn, managing director of Nunn Media, told Mediaweek the win was a “testament to the product” they have in market.

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Diversified Communications has sold Mumbrella to Mumbrella Media, a new venture backed by The Intermedia Group. As part of the deal, The Intermedia Group’s trade media publication, Unmade, will join Mumbrella Media, with Unmade’s founders taking a minority stake in the new company.

The Intermedia Group, own a diverse portfolio of 30 digital mastheads, 20 events, and 19 print magazines, including National Liquor News, Retailbiz, Australian Hotelier, and Hospitality.

In a post on Mumbrella’s website, the owner of Unmade, Tim Burrowes, announced he will be the new publisher of Mumbrella.

Writing on Mumbrella he confirmed the news saying, “One of the challenges of returning to Mumbrella is the changed landscape. In its first decade, Mumbrella was the exciting new thing.”

Burrows created Mumbrella back in 2008 and then sold the title at the end of 2017.

David Longman, CEO of Diversified Communications Australia also added: “The Intermedia Group approached Diversified with a vision for Mumbrella’s future, and after thoughtful consideration, Diversified recognised this as the ideal time to transition ownership.

“This move ensures Mumbrella will continue to thrive and grow under new leadership, further cementing its place as a cornerstone of Australia’s marketing and media landscape.”

As for what he’s got planned for the future, Burrows admitted that “It’s too early to share our plans for Mumbrella and Unmade, not least because they are a work in progress; this all came together quite quickly.”

Mumbrella Media will be based at Intermedia’s Glebe headquarters.

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Snap Inc. has appointed Chris Lewis as its first talent partnerships lead for Australia and New Zealand.

Lewis will lead strategy, outreach, and onboarding efforts with local creators and develop innovative and high-impact partnerships. He will also oversee relationships with Australian and Kiwi public figures and content creators, inspiring and motivating them to use Snapchat in ways that help unlock their creativity and optimise opportunities for brand partnerships and monetisation.

He will report to Snap’s director of global content partnerships, Jim Shepherd, and also work closely with the global content partnerships team to help hone its editorial perspective for local content.

Lewis has been the senior creative producer for APAC at the technology company for the last five years, where he was responsible for managing all production for Snap across the region, from Augmented Reality to sponsored video campaigns, as well as talent and influencer integration.

With his appointment to the newly created talent partnerships lead role, Lewis will draw from over 15 years of industry experience in branded content production, campaign management, media partnerships, and talent management to help local creators build their communities and careers and unlock more opportunities for advertisers to reach Snapchat’s more than 9.5 million-strong audience in Australia and New Zealand.

Ryan Ferguson, managing director for Snap Inc. in Australia and New Zealand, said: “The appointment of Chris as our first talent partnerships Lead for ANZ is just one example of how we’re investing further in the growth of our creator community across the Tasman. And I’m really excited about the new opportunities that building out this team will offer advertisers in Australia and New Zealand to connect authentically with our highly engaged Snapchat community via local creators.”

Lewis added of his new role: “As we kick off 2025, I’m really looking forward to connecting with and supporting our growing, thriving and talented local community of Snap Stars. I’m also passionate about helping Aussie and Kiwi creators who may not have engaged with Snapchat or haven’t yet found their footing on the platform to feel confident about maximising all of the creative content creation tools and monetisation opportunities Snapchat has to offer.”

In December last year, Snapchat announced a new, unified Monetisation Program that places ads within a creator’s Stories and longer Spotlight videos. Beginning February 1, 2025, eligible creators will be able to monetise Spotlight videos longer than 1 minute.

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Top image: Chris Lewis

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After 17 years, beloved 9News Queensland presenter Andrew ‘Lofty’ Lofthouse has announced his retirement to focus on his health.

Joining Nine in 2007, Lofthouse quickly became a familiar face, spending 16 of those years alongside his trusted on-air partner, Melissa Downes. Together, they brought Queenslanders unforgettable coverage of major events, including the devastating floods of 2011 and 2022, Cyclone Yasi, and live reports from Christchurch and Paris.

News director Brendan Hockings paid tribute, calling Lofthouse “a rare gem” and “the gold standard” of journalism, admired for his humility and team spirit. Downes echoed the sentiment, describing him as “one of the true gentlemen of TV news” and a cherished friend.

Reflecting on his career, Lofthouse said, “It’s been an incredible privilege. I’ve loved every moment, but now is the right time to slow down and focus on my health. Thanks for watching!”

Melissa Downes will continue at the desk, with a new co-presenter to be announced. Lofthouse’s extraordinary career will be honoured at the end of tonight’s 6pm bulletin.

Pictured: Andrew ‘Lofty’ Lofthouse

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The I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! crew may have just begun settling into their new home, but Bondi Rescue’s Harrison Reid wasted no time diving straight into the action- literally. Paired with scream queen Tina Provis, Harrison got a frosty welcome in his first trial.

The lifeguard arrived to find Tina suspended over a freezing tank, tasked with grabbing keys while being repeatedly dunked. His job? Brave four icy storage rooms packed with creepy jungle surprises to hunt for stars.

But the real challenge came when one not-so-friendly python decided Harrison’s hand looked like lunch, delivering a proper jungle welcome. Unfazed by the snake bite, roaches, crabs, and frogs, Harrison powered through.

Together, the duo scored 11 stars, ensuring happy campers all around.

Ahead of the new season, Mediaweek caught up this month with hosts Robert Irwin and Julia Morris to get an insight into what viewers can expect from the new season and how the show has evolved over the years.

“Over the years, it’s become more and more appointment TV for families,” Morris said.

“There’s so few shows where multiple generations can sit down together and have a laugh, and certainly, as a parent of teenagers, I am constantly trying to find things that we can actually sit down together and enjoy.

“This is the one time where I can actually get all the kids and the grandparents and everyone to sit down and watch it and laugh.”

Irwin’s role as a conservationist he says gives his place on the show a unique perspective because his whole life has been about wildlife conservation, and the show already had such a priority for wildlife before he even joined.

“My whole life has been about wildlife conservation and trying to spread that message to as many people as possible in a really universal way that doesn’t feel like you’re getting lectured on the taxonomy of a species of animal, it feels like you’re accidentally learning something,” he said.

“At the end of the day, that’s what I’m A Celebrity does so well, it’s about having fun, it’s about having a laugh and it’s about the entertainment.”

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm and Sundays at 7.00pm on 10 and 10 Play. 

Pictured: Harrison Reid

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Australian Community Media (ACM), the nation’s largest independent publisher, has promoted Jarrah Petzold to chief marketing officer.

Since joining ACM 18 months ago as director of marketing, Petzold has driven double-digit growth in regional and agricultural subscriptions and spearheaded innovative projects like the transformation of ACM’s Western NSW brands to a “digital + weekend” model. He also led the launches of Farmers Finance Australia and ViewJobs, further cementing ACM’s role in regional communities.

In his expanded role, Petzold will oversee ACM’s commercial strategy, uniting research, creative, trade, and consumer marketing to strengthen connections between businesses and regional audiences.

ACM managing director Tony Kendall praised Petzold as a “transformative leader” whose strategic vision positions the company for continued success.

Petzold said he’s excited to take on greater responsibilities in driving ACM’s mission of supporting regional communities and connecting businesses with consumers.

ACM says Petzhold’s appointment underscores its commitment to innovation and its focus on empowering regional Australia.

Pictured: Jarrah Petzold

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Channel Nine’s Tony Jones has issued a public apology to Novak Djokovic after comments he made on-air led to the tennis star refusing to participate in the network’s Australian Open coverage.

Jones drew backlash for mocking Djokovic and Serbian fans, calling him “overrated” and a “has-been” in a live segment.

Djokovic clarified that his protest wasn’t aimed at fans, despite some jeers during his match against Jiří Lehečka.

The incident saw the 24-time grand slam champion skip the customary post-match chat with Jim Courier after his fourth-round win, instead addressing the crowd briefly before exiting to scattered boos.

At a press conference, Djokovic criticised Nine’s silence on the issue, stating, “Since neither Jones nor Channel Nine apologised, I won’t engage with their coverage.”

Jones today addressed the issue on Today, admitting he had reached out to Djokovic’s camp over the weekend to apologise. “I intended it as humour, which is typical of my style,” Jones said. “But Tennis Australia informed me on Saturday that the Djokovic camp was very upset.”

He continued: “If I could just give you a bit of a timeline here – the comments were made on the news on the Friday night, which I considered to be banter. I considered it to be humour. Which is consistent with most things I do, whether it be the Sunday Footy Show or on the morning show or here.

“Any disrespect that Novak felt that I caused and as I stand here now I stand by that apology to Novak if he felt any disrespect, which clearly he does.”

Jones also went on to apologise to Serbian fans: “I should also say the disrespect was extended, I guess in many ways, to the Serbian fans”.

He then went on to reveal the three words that pushed Djokovic to boycott Nine’s coverage: “Kick him out.”

“I overstepped the mark,” Jones admitted. “That comment, tied to the crowd banter, could only be seen as a reference to Djokovic’s deportation during the Covid years. I now understand why that upset him so deeply.”

Jones’s comments have put Nine’s coverage in a tricky spot as the tournament reaches its climax.

Pictured: Tony Jones

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oOh!media and its creative and innovation hub, POLY, have launched a campaign for ANZ Falcon technology that delivers an interactive and personalised Out of Home experience at scale.

This latest iteration of the ANZ Falcon campaign blends physical and digital to transform OOH into a dynamic and engaging platform.

Users can scan a QR code on selected oOh!media digital panels across its Retail, Street and Rail network and take a selfie via the ANZ Falcon Lens website. With AI technology, the selfie is then automatically transformed into a unique, personal falcon and automatically displayed on the screen in the next display loop, creating a direct and personalised connection with the user and the campaign in real-time.

ANZ is a principal sponsor of oOh!’s expanded Out of Home coverage of this year’s Australian Open which will bring all the key match scores and highlights from the tournament to more Australians than ever before across oOh!’s Office, Fly, Street, Road, and Retail digital networks. To further enhance its impact, panels near Rod Laver Arena will feature tennis-themed Falcon creatives to deliver a contextual and relevant message during the first Grand Slam in 2025.

“This activation pushes the limits of OOH by adapting mobile device-centric concepts to amplify interactivity and reach,” Josh Gurgiel, head of POLY, said. “ANZ’s decision to collaborate with oOh! further highlights OOH as a transformative and innovative medium that drives brand fame and audience engagement.”

ANZ and POLY partnered with creative agency Special, media agency PHD and T&DA, ANZ’s development team, to conceptualise this technology-driven campaign.

Sian Chadwick, general manager marketing, Australia, ANZ said: “We’re excited to bring ANZ Falcon to life in such an innovative way in Out of Home. By combining technology and creativity, we’re connecting with audiences on a personal level, while reinforcing ANZ’s fraud detection and prevention technology.”

This latest work by oOh! and POLY for ANZ follows the launch of Australia’s largest ever 3D OOH campaign for ANZ Falcon last October, that ran across more than 2,100 full motion digital oOh! screens – the first time any advertiser has delivered a mass reach, scalable 3D OOH campaign, anywhere in Australia.

Falcon is a registered trademark of Fair Isaac Corporation.

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TFM Digital is welcoming seven new clients to its roster this year.

Joining the independent agency’s expanding portfolio are Price Attack, Ausbuild (with Media Logic QLD remaining responsible for its traditional media), MS Queensland, Fish n Flips, MetLife, Plumbing Bros and the Australian Institute of Accreditation (AIA).

The agency, now in its fourth year, already has Poolwerx, Eureka Furniture, and Goodstart Early Learning on its client roster.

TFM Digital’s work with haircare specialist Price Attack will include overseeing its B2C National campaigns because of its niche experience in franchise development and unique Local Area Marketing (LAM) approach. The SEO agency will also support store launches, VIP nights and search.

“It was clear from the first meeting that TFM has a passionate and agile team, which understands our space. And this has shown in our early relationship,” Aimee Madson, CMO at Price Attack said.

“Using a data-backed approach to digital, Taylor and the team’s multi-location experience was a large part of why we selected them – the tailored LAM offering was unlike anything else we’ve seen. His experience in franchise development will prove highly valuable to our brand moving forward.”

Price Attack has recently launched its new loyalty program, Hair Points. TFM will support this and a new major campaign for the inaugural Hair Awards which will be coming soon.

Taylor Fielding, TFM CEO, said: “We’ve proven over our relatively short history, that we’ve become the go-to agency for franchising and local area marketing needs. We’ve got a strong background in this area, while our trading agreements reduce barriers to entry for clients looking to make the most of their digital and wider media budgets.

“These wins are a testament to the team’s effort, both in the pitch process, but also our portfolio of helping clients build stronger connections with their audience to achieve their business goals. Our quick start to the new financial year has set the platform for further growth for TFM, as we set our sights on new markets.

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The Shift 20 initiative has unveiled the networked and independent partners committed to creating work that is more inclusive and representative of disability.

Alongside founding agency Special, 14 agencies have committed to joining a community of best practices, helping create advertising and communications that are more inclusive, leading conversations with brands, and sharing key learnings and progress.

Agencies including 72andSunny, Bread Agency, BMF, Cummins&Partners, TBWA, 303 MullenLowe, Today the Brave, Droga5 ANZ, part of Accenture Song, Paper Moose, Akcelo, Apparent, Dentsu, DDB and Ogilvy

The group, alongside Shift 20’s brand partners, will consider how to be more inclusive of people with disability across concept development, casting, production, and digital accessibility. All agencies engaged have access to educational resources that give them the tools to challenge attitudes around disability representation and play a role in driving broader societal change, as well as ongoing access to the Shift 20 team.

Agencies will also partner with Shift 20 in centrally tracking disability representation through brand and agency work, helping to quantify the impact the collective is making.

Agencies will report back quarterly on key measures such as the number of productions that include talent and crew with disability and assets with closed captions and audio descriptors to create meaningful benchmarks for following years.

“Whilst the launch of the Shift 20 Initiative showed significant demand for higher levels of disability representation, it also highlighted the incredibly important role that agencies can play in shaping the landscape of advertising for the better,” Priya Addams Williams, Shift 20 Initiative lead, Dylan Alcott Foundation, said.

“There was a huge desire from creatives, copywriters, casting agents and beyond to ensure the positive inclusion of people with disability was a conscious and considered step in the creative process; and we couldn’t be more excited to continue welcoming agencies into the fold throughout the rest of the year.”

Lindsey Evans, partner and CEO at Special and board director at Advertising Council Australia, said: “We feel an incredible sense of pride and gratitude to have partnered with the Dylan Alcott Foundation on the creation of the Shift 20 Initiative.

“From the very beginning we were sure that what we saw as an incredibly important area for development, other agencies would quickly see too. It’s been a wonderful journey in the last year seeing this ethos make its way through every touchpoint of our agency with disability representation becoming a norm, not a ‘nice to have’.”

Matt Michael, CEO at Droga5 ANZ, part of Accenture Song, said: “Inclusive advertising reflects the true diversity of our world — vibrant, varied, and full of possibility. By partnering with Shift 20, we ensure we’re staying true to this belief. We’re proud to join the growing movement of agencies advocating and accountable for representation.”

72andSunny’s CCO Wez Hawes added: “I’ve had the pleasure of working on various productions with Dylan Alcott and seeing the Shift 20 Initiative in action on set. It really makes a tangible impact on people’s lives and we feel it is a must for a modern and progressive agency like ourselves. It’s one thing to say it, it’s another to act.”

In 2023 the Dylan Alcott Foundation set out to shift the needle on disability representation across Australia with the launch of the Shift 20 Initiative. The initiative aimed to bring the poor rates of disability representation on-screen (1%) much closer to the 20% of Australians living with disability.

The campaign launched with a collective of the country’s leading brands and has seen significant success with a rise of over 10% overall recall of disability representation in advertising post launch. Most recently, Shift 20 also unveiled a world-first TikTok channel, Shift 20 Casting Call, for casting people with disability.

Agencies looking for more information on how to join Shift 20 as an agency partner, or brands keen to get involved can reach out to Priya Addams Williams directly

Tapestry, the parent company behind brands such as Coach, Kate Spade New York, and Stuart Weitzman, has embraced the generative AI through Adobe Firefly as the digital twin trend grows.

The concept of a digital twin, a virtual replica of a physical product such as outerwear or accessories, is becoming popular as a way to enhance the product development cycle.

Teams can experiment with new concepts while bringing in direct consumer feedback, created through a mix of photoshoots and CAD technical drawings.

To meet this growing demand, Tapestry uses generative AI through Adobe Firefly—a commercially-safe family of creative generative AI models—by training Firefly with their proprietary assets and creating a custom model. This means that when text prompts are used to generate a new image with Firefly, the generation will match the brand’s identity.

The team had a breakthrough moment when an initial test of their Firefly Custom Model produced tailored digital twins that accurately mirrored products already seen on store shelves. It was a major unlock for the company that provided them a way to scale a critical internal service—allowing teams to better ideate and deliver products that resonate with customers.

Adobe Firefly Custom Models enable brands to create content that is unique to their campaign and brand style. By design, Firefly is strictly trained to exclude any asset that touches a brand’s proprietary IP. With Custom Models, brands can fine-tune the Firefly models by training it with their own IP.

The Tapestry team gathered a set of images of existing Coach handbags and used them for training single-concept models for each bag, object, and style. It allowed Adobe Firefly to ingest different “Coach Codes,” which are design components such as the iconic hang tag or nuances around materials and hardware.

In the early test mentioned previously, the team used the prompt “tabby handbag made of shearling fluffy material” (the Coach Tabby bag, launched in 2019, has become one of the most popular handbags for the company). Firefly generated an image that stunned the team: the custom model was able to produce a virtual replica that looked nearly identical to a Tabby bag variation that was currently in the market.

Digital twins are widely used across teams at Tapestry. For instance, they are shown in focus groups to gather direct consumer feedback that informs the product. The Strategy and Global Visual Experience teams also use digital twins to scale content for everything from social media campaigns to in-store merchandising.

When their data science is enhanced with digital twins, teams can extract knowledge and insights that can be used to inform decisions and predictions on how they create, make, and sell products. By tapping customised models, the team will be better equipped to fulfil the insatiable demand, without any sacrifice to quality or consistency.

The rollout of Firefly Custom Models will enable new opportunities in the design process as well. Generative AI allows product designers to experiment with new concepts or to take advantage of cultural trends. And with customised models, designers can create variations while maintaining the core creative vision. They simply put their ideas into a text prompt and generate new images that become a starting point in the production process. It opens new creative avenues and allows the team to design at the speed of their imaginations.

Building support and managing change

“At Tapestry DPC, we understood the potential for generative AI to alleviate the bottlenecks that were preventing us from scaling our digital twins, but we needed a trusted partner that was reliable and ethical in their approach to the technology,” said J.J. Camara, senior director of digital product creation, Tapestry.

“We have a long relationship with Adobe, and our teams love their design tools. We felt confident in what Adobe Firefly could generate, and the result from our customised model will dramatically change how we support our brands from concept to consumer.”

The generative AI space has advanced rapidly, and as it makes its way through different industries, change management has become an important piece of the puzzle. The Tapestry team made a deliberate effort in the beginning to understand both the needs of stakeholders, as well as any hesitation individuals may have had about the technology.

This informed what was presented back to the organisation, including the selection of a trusted technology partner that many were already familiar with. And once people saw the quality of output (with the Tabby handbag), the team was able to seal the deal and rally the company around a new approach.

With the internal validation, Tapestry is now embracing Firefly Services as well—a collection of creative and generative APIs and services for enterprises—to augment other processes including automating the manual steps that are involved in creating images for internal merchandising portals.

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Melbourne Park’s tram stops the gateway to Rod Laver Arena, have been reimagined by ANZ and JCDecaux in a standout activation for the Australian Open.

The takeover spans 12 tram shelters with nine striking themes. Features include ANZ’s signature blue neon lights, fully wrapped shelters, custom seat decals, and a 70-metre tennis court floor decal – the first of its kind in Australia.

Sian Chadwick, ANZ’s General Manager of Marketing, said the initiative brings the ANZ Falcon® to life in a way that connects with fans. “It combines the excitement of the Open with ANZ Falcon’s® commitment to security, leaving a memorable impression on locals and visitors.”

JCDecaux’s Victorian Sales Director, Kristian Muhllechner, praised the activation as a Melbourne-first. “It’s a perfect example of how creativity and scale can make brands stand out. ANZ has nailed the arrival experience with an unforgettable presence.”

Positioned at the only tram entry to the tournament, the campaign links Melbourne’s vibrant streets to one of its biggest events.

Running from January 13 to 28, it ensures fans are immersed in the action from the moment they arrive.

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The Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) is teaming up with ABC, BBC Studios, Endemol Shine, Eureka, ITV Studios Australia, WildBear, and SBS for the 2025 graduate program.

The graduate program offers AFTRS graduates from 2024 a 13-week paid industry internship at some of Australia’s most respected production companies and broadcasters. It aims to create valuable employment pathways for creative, multi-skilled graduates of the Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production course.

This year, 10 AFTRS graduates have been awarded places in the graduate program. Riti Ramanujachari and Casey McCosh will join the ABC with Ramanujachari in the Children and Family department and McCosh in ABC Factual. Apoorv Jaiswal will join BBC Studios’ Unscripted department and Jonathan Zhang BBC Studios’ Scripted department.

Lauren McConnell and Sean Cheng will join WildBear, Ella Richards will join Endemol Shine Australia, Belinda Tyldsley will join Eureka Productions, Lucie Spencer will join ITV Studios Australia, and Tavi Sharma will join SBS.

“The Graduate Program is such a fantastic and effective partnership between AFTRS and industry,” Dr Nell Greenwood, AFTRS CEO, said.

“Following 3 years of hands-on training, student productions and industry placements in the BA, our students are perfectly placed to make the most of this exceptional opportunity – and most progress from the program into ongoing employment in the sector.  We owe this success to the generous commitment and support of our industry partners, and the faith they place in AFTRS to train multi-skilled, job-ready graduates.”

Chris Oliver-Taylor, ABC chief content officer, said: “The ABC is proud to have partnered with the AFTRS graduate program since 2022. Nurturing the next generation of talented creatives is crucial for the ABC and the broader screen industry.

“I’m thrilled to welcome our graduates for 2025, Casey McCosh who will be placed with our Documentary and Specialist team and Riti Ramanujachari who joins our Children’s and Family team. The graduate program is a wonderful initiative that gives young creatives an opportunity to gain experience alongside some of Australia’s most outstanding content creators and kickstart their careers in the sector.”

Kylie Washington, general manager and creative director, BBC Studios Productions Australia, said: “This is our fourth year of being involved with this program and we continue to be big supporters of AFTRS and their graduate students as they take their next steps into the television industry.”

Deb Spinocchia, head of unscripted, BBC Studios Productions Australia, said: “We have always found the AFTRS graduate program to a great source of new and rising talent. It is wonderful to facilitate and support these impressive story tellers on their path into unscripted content.”

Peter Newman, CEO, Endemol Shine Australia, said: “In an industry that is changing at such a rapid pace, it’s more important than ever to support the next generation of creatives in the television production space. The AFTRS Graduate Program is integral for emerging talent. We are so pleased to continue in our support and we are honoured to welcome Ella Richards to ESA. Congratulations and well done to all of the incredible graduates for this year.”

David Mott, ITV Studios Australia CEO and managing director, said: “We are again thrilled to participate in the AFTRS Graduate Program for 2024. This is our fourth year as part of the program and we have had enormous success retaining our previous graduates within the business working across some of our biggest brands. We were overwhelmed by the sheer talent and calibre of the applications this year and it is a real honour to support these young creatives as they embark on their careers in the industry. We have no doubt that Lucie will fit into the ITV family seamlessly as she gains experience on one of the largest entertainment programs in Australia – The Voice Australia”.

John Godfrey, SBS head of commissioning, said: “As part of our ongoing commitment to fostering meaningful career pathways for emerging talent, SBS is thrilled to continue supporting the exceptional talent pipeline of the AFTRS Graduate Program. Each year, we are impressed by the ambition, talent, and drive that AFTRS graduates bring to the internship. We extend a very warm welcome to Tavi and look forward to supporting his growth through hands-on learning opportunities within the SBS Commissioning team.”

Matt Nightingale, WildBear Entertainment head of production, said: “WildBear Entertainment is excited to continue its ongoing relationship with the AFTRS Graduate Program. The calibre of the graduates we met was outstanding and we are honoured to have been given the opportunity to meet these amazing people. We’re really looking forward to having Lauren and Sean on the team in Canberra, and to help nurture their skills and develop the next generation of talented content makers. Many thanks to the AFTRS team for their continued hard work on this excellent program.”

Paul Franklin, CO-CEO Eureka Productions said: “We’ve enjoyed another successful year partnered with AFTRS and our 2024 Production Interns, Sarah Wilson and Charlie Peiffer. We welcomed Sarah and Charlie to Eureka in January this year and we’re so pleased to still have them both working with us today, within our Edit Assist teams, across productions such as The Amazing Race Australia, The Floor USA and Farmer Wants a Wife USA. We’re looking forward to seeing what 2025 has in store for us, and can’t wait to welcome our newest AFTRS Intern, Belinda Tyldsley, to our team.”

Organisations interested in being part of AFTRS’ 2024 Graduate Program are encouraged to contact AFTRS Internships.

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Top image: Top (L-R) – Jonathan Zhang, Tavi Sharma, Riti Ramanujachari, Lucie Spencer, Ella Richards
Bottom (L-R) – Belinda Tyldsley, Casey McCosh, Lauren McConnell, Sean Cheng, Apoorv Jaiswal

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Blobfish International has again partnered with classic Italian aperitif Aperol to deliver the Yarra River boating experience during the Australian Open.

For the third consecutive year, and as a key part of Aperol’s sponsorship of the tennis tournament, the activation and sampling network has brought a taste of Italy’s Amalfi Coast to Melbourne, allowing VIPs and patrons to take their own gondola-style ride along the Yarra River.

The launch of the unique summer activation again coincides with Melbourne’s peak tourist season, which includes the 2025 Australian Open.

The partnership between Blobfish, Campari Australia, and media agency Mindshare leverages Aperol’s position as the spritz of choice with a unique activation that has attracted millions of visitors and Melbourne locals alike.

Blobfish has again worked closely with Melbourne boat company On A Boat for the branded activation, which features fresh creative. On A Boat’s vessels have been wrapped in Aperol’s iconic bright orange branding and the theme “Serve Up Summer”, making it the brightest – and best! – way to travel to the tennis. VIP customers will be treated to luxury picnics, stunning city views and Aperol’s signature spritz cocktail.

The WTC Dock in Docklands, where the boats launch, has again been transformed into a mini-Italian Riveria, complete with Aperol-branded umbrellas and seating.

“The annual Aperol Yarra River experience has become a beloved part of the summer tourist season in Melbourne and the best way to travel to the Open,” Jake Kerr, Blobfish International campaign manager, said.

“It’s the perfect way to celebrate the vibe of January in Melbourne – a relaxing boat ride on the river, as you take in those breathtaking city views and sip on an Aperol cocktail – what could be better? Every year, the response to the activation just gets better and better. From selfies shared from the boats, to that now iconic sea of orange across the Yarra – we’re honoured to have become a staple part of the excitement of summer in Melbourne.”

Paolo Marinoni, Campari group marketing director, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed with the success of our partnership with Blobfish International and Mindshare for the Aperol gondola experience. To see our idea of creating our own Italian Rivera in Melbourne now in its third year, is simply incredible. This activation really brings our Australian Open sponsorship to life, and who wouldn’t want to travel to the Open in style on an Aperol boat sipping an Aperol spritz? We love that this experience has become part of the annual tourism calendar, and we hope Melburnians continue to embrace it – just as they do the Australian Open.”

Oliver Hallstrom, Mindshare head of partnerships, said: “We are thrilled to see the continuation of our partnership with Blobfish and Campari. To see this activation continue to grow every year is a testament to the success of the collaboration, and its ability to tap into the vibe and festival feeling of summer in Melbourne and a unique link to the Australian Open for Aperol.”

The Aperol Boats activation will run in Melbourne until end of February 2025.

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