A raft of changes have been introduced across ABC Radio today. But there is one change that is dominating the conversation in Sydney – the axing of ABC Sydney morning announcer Sarah Macdonald.

The former host of the ABC radio evenings made the change to breakfast in 2023, the same time James Valentine turned up to host breakfast. Valentine lasted just one year in breakfast before moving back to drive.

Sarah Macdonald announces her sacking

Macdonald has lasted two years in the morning timeslot. She started her program in cheery fashion this morning with her usual weather updates before getting to the topic of the day – the Sydney train strike. She also noted at the start of the show she would have some news about herself after 9am. This is how it went:

In terms of disappointment, I’m not going to be on the radio with you next year. The ABC has decided not to renew my contract here at Mornings.

I have absolutely loved sharing the mornings with you and the evenings and the wee small hours of the nightlife. 702 listeners, you just rock. You are so wise. You are so savvy. You are so thoughtful. You are so interesting. You are surprising. You are funny.

You have taught me something every day in this job. You have made me laugh. You have made me cry. You have changed my perspective on things and expanded my mind. It has been such an honour and such a privilege to share your stories and your lives. I will miss telling the stories of Sydney, but as Dorothy said before she clicked her ruby slippers I will miss you most of all scarecrows. Along with my brillianr mornings munchins Mikala, Lyndall and recently Hanna and all of my 702 friends here – we are a family. Now, I’m going to leave in a few weeks.

Sarah Macdonald

I am proud of what I’ve done. The ratings are up. I’ve broken lots of stories. Had the first interview with the new Governor-General. I got the Premier of New South Wales to regularly take your calls, led the election coverage, led the move to our Parramatta studios.

I feel chuffed that the Fonz told me I was cool. I’m wearing the pink jumpsuit again today for Henry.

I’ve been called Sydney’s Jennifer Aniston that was a highlight and I got the Prime Minister to fanboy Debbie Harry live on the radio. Where else do you get to do that?

I’m going be around till mid-December so there’s lots of time to share with you until then as Bill Shorten says, everyone gets replaced.

The new person will be announced very soon they’re very lucky because they get to be with you and I wish them all the best.

ABC revolving door – who’s out the exit next?

Regular listeners of ABC Sydney must be getting dizzy as they try to keep up with the changes at the radio station. In the past two years, there have been weekday changes to breakfast, mornings, afternoon, drive and evenings.

The changes today came just hours before Richard Glover revealed his drive replacement would be Chris Bath.

ABC Sydney’s longest-serving hosts are on the weekend. Should Simon Marnie or Ian “Macca” McNamara be worried about their futures? [Update: Daily Telegraph reporting Marnie is departing the broadcaster too!]

Management backlash

The ABC executives making the decisions about Sydney radio hosts have copped a hammering today.

Outgoing Media Watch host Paul Barry said: “I can’t believe this. I’m hearing that ABC has dumped Sarah Macdonald from ABC Sydney. IMHO she’s brilliant, one of the best things on radio. WTAF?”

Australian Story producer Lisa McGregor added, “In shock that @ABCaustralia has not renewed Sarah Macdonald’s contract on @ABC Radio Sydney. She’s lively, warm, informed, an excellent interviewer. She can do hard and soft news, pop culture & human stories. What on earth is the reason ABC? Bad decision.”

Author Nikki Gemmell said, “An appalling decision by #abcradio to not renew the contract of Sarah Macdonald. Why do so many of the old men of radio at the ABC seem to stay, and stay, and stay … but its blazingly capable, whip smart women are sidelined?”

Outgoing drive host Richard Glover said it is a great loss. “I don’t understand,” he said on his drive show. He noted how strong her ratings were. “Everyone goes on about Ray Hadley, but Sarah wasn’t far behind.” Glover also noted Macdonald got a standing ovation from staff who had gathered outside the studio when she finished her program this morning.

Every summer is critical for Fox Sports. This one even more so. For the first time, viewers have the choice of being able to stream coverage of Test cricket without having to pay extra.

Now 7plus is lining up against Kayo Sports as an option for viewers wanting to stream cricket. Test cricket.

Fox Sports packages the cricket for viewers under the Fox Cricket banner and distributes that content via Foxtel and Kayo Sports subscriptions. Fox Sports managing director Steve Crawley told Mediaweek this is the biggest summer ever for the business. He also reckons they cover cricket better than anyone.

“We’ve been waiting for this summer. We’ve got India, England, then India. Three summers in a row … that’s massive,” said Crawley.

“We’ve been getting this commentary team together for a number of years now and we’re happy with that.”

Some of the Fox Cricket team at the season launch in Melbourne: Alan Border, Ravi Shastri, Harsha Bhogle, Michael Vaughan, Sarah Jones, Brett Lee, Dave Warner and Mark Howard

‘We’ve got our team together’

He explained to Mediaweek that when people watch Test cricket it’s usually a day-long commitment.

“When you go into someone’s house people need to be comfortable with you coming in. We didn’t have a dedicated cricket channel until 2016. We’ve got our team together now and I’m confident we’re ready.”

In terms of a global audience, Crawley said this will be the biggest ever watching Fox Cricket. Broadcasters taking the feed elsewhere decide whether to use the Fox Cricket commentary feed or provide their own.

“India will have their own commentary team they’re trying to pinch some of our commentators. We’re being awkward on that because we want them to be exclusive to us and heard only through us.”

While the commentary team is important, the main game is who’s on the ground.

“You’ve got the number one and two cricket nations in the Test arena and we’ve got four bowlers that have all bowled more than 250 Test wickets,” said Crawley. “Steve Smith’s level with Steve Waugh at number two in batting. They’ve got Kohli and they’ve got Sharma and an incredible team.”

Mark Howard interviews Michael Vaughan, Harsha Bhogle and Ravi Shastri

Fox Cricket’s team this year has plenty of attractions too. “We’ve got Dave Warner in our team, Usman Khawaja is working with us and we’ve got Ravi Shastri and Harsha Bhogle and Shane Watson is back. It just feels right. We’ve done the preparation and now we’re ready for the party.”

Despite all the commentators understanding their roles on match days, Crawley said his team likes to spend time with them at the start of the summer.

“We don’t have to be as a group all the time. We have meetings and we spend time together and we break bread together. We know who works well with who – you don’t necessarily mix everyone up as you’ve got certain people that work better with other people.

“You’ve got to pick the right storytellers to work together.

“Mark Twain, the great American author came out here in 1897 and he went to the MCG and covered a game. In his intro he said he knew cricket was exciting because every 20 minutes someone screams. I remember we had a meeting with Rupert Murdoch once and I mentioned that and he thought it was very funny.

“When that magic moment comes every 20 minutes you’ve got to handle it right. We’ve grown up listening to Richie Benaud and Tony Greig and Bill Lawrie and Ian Chappell. Now we’ve got a new crew of people out the front and Adam Gilchrist is the captain of that crew and they work for Fox Cricket. We’ve got the 2024-25 version of those great commentators and we’ve worked hard to get them together.”

Michael Vaughan at the Fox Cricket launch

Getting the graphics right

A feature of the Fox Cricket coverage this summer is sure to be the graphics. There has been a change behind the scenes with that. Crawley explained.

“We’ve now done what the NRL did. We’ve taken it in-house and I’m really proud of the job that they’re doing and that they’ve done.

“It’s not a case of saving money. We spend the same amount of money but we get more for our buck because they work for us.”

Fox Cricket also handles its own stats. “They’re all our people, the stats people. We’ve always had that and it’s unique in Australian television and we cover all sports.”

See also: Kayo Sports unveils new tech innovations for Its biggest ‘Summer of Cricket’

LiSTNR’s AdTech Hub is revolutionising digital audio advertising. It stands out with its world-first capabilities, which deliver unmatched ROI for brands. By blending efficiency with effectiveness, the Hub continues to set the benchmark for personalised and data-driven audio campaigns.

Launched in March, the AdTech Hub introduced pioneering initiatives, including expanded Dynamic Creative Optimisation (DCO) capabilities that incorporate factors such as age, gender, fuel prices, and live contest updates. Additional advancements include audience targeting via LiSTNR’s proprietary conversational tool and Advertiser Data Matching using clean room solutions, which drive exceptional brand outcomes.

Success stories in action

One standout campaign utilised LiSTNR’s fuel price DCO, enabling brands to align messaging with real-time price updates. In a campaign promoting a money-saving app, the fuel price trigger API dynamically adapted ad creative 56 times throughout a one-month campaign, delivering over 1.9 million impressions to 314,000 unique individuals across five metro areas. Results included a 125% increase in unprompted recall and significant action from 90% of listeners, with 37% downloading the app directly.

Another groundbreaking campaign saw Berocca harness LiSTNR’s live context dynamic triggers, pairing them with time-of-day data to deliver personalised messages. By aligning product benefits with listeners’ real-time activities, Berocca created meaningful connections. Jodie Lynch, head of marketing consumer health Australia, said: “A product like Berocca Energy has many benefits and uses that don’t fit into a single 30-second ad. This innovative campaign allowed us to reach our target audiences in relevant, personalised ways, showing how Berocca Energy can support Australians throughout their day.”

What’s next for LiSTNR’s adtech hub?

Looking ahead, LiSTNR is expanding its suite of APIs, aiming to unlock even greater personalisation for advertisers.

Kim Loasby, head of digital ad product and operations at LiSTNR, said: “Our world-first DCO API uniquely combines live behaviour and time to deliver customised messages in real time. This capability has already driven outstanding results, as demonstrated by the Berocca campaign, and we’re just getting started.

“We’re actively developing 14 new triggers, prioritised based on market feedback, to meet our clients’ evolving needs. These innovations will open up extensive opportunities for brands to achieve their objectives across more categories.”

As LiSTNR continues to redefine digital audio advertising, its AdTech Hub is proving to be an indispensable tool for brands seeking data-driven, personalised, and high-impact campaigns.

Get ready to embark on a transformative journey of creativity and resilience when Budget Battlers premieres on Wednesday, December 4, at 8.30 pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.

Hosted by former Block favourites, Jess Eva and Norm Hogan, this new series tackles full-blown makeovers with an unprecedented challenge: transforming four different Aussie homes in four weeks on the tightest budget yet seen on Australian television.

As inflation, soaring living costs and interest rate increases keep the idea of home renovation out of reach for many, Budget Battlers arrives to prove that dreams can still come true – on a budget.

The Budget Battlers team gears up with just $10,000 per home, a group of selfless volunteers and only five working days, to inspire viewers with jaw-dropping transformations, changing the lives of those who need it the most.

In the season premiere, Jess and Norm meet Tim, a father of four who is always ready to lend a hand, expecting nothing in return. Despite his selfless nature and long hours on the farm, Tim has neglected the most important thing – his own home. Now is the time for the Budget Battlers team to step in.

As the series unfolds, viewers will meet Sandra, a resilient single mother of three. In February, 2024, Sandra’s world was turned upside down when hail lashed the small Gippsland town of Mirboo North, destroying houses and tearing down trees, leaving a trail of destruction.

The Budget Battlers team heads to the coastal suburb of Yorkeys Knob, outside Cairns, where Gordon and Tricia lost everything when ex-tropical cyclone Jasper made landfall on December 13, 2023. They get a much-needed helping hand as Jess and Norm take on the monumental challenge of restoring their home for good.

The season culminates in an emotional finale, where the team rallies around Jack and Shae, who also lost their home in the 2023 cyclone. Among the many challenges the team faces as the days tick down to the final reveal are tight deadlines and the need for last-minute supplies to transform the damaged house into a welcoming family home.

With a new house to renovate each episode, Budget Battlers highlights the heart and determination of struggling everyday Australians, who deserve a helping hand. At its core is the unshakeable belief that, with tenacious spirit, even the most ambitious renovation goals can be achieved with a willing attitude – and with a little help.

Budget Battlers is produced by Northlight Productions and the 9Network.

Nine has implemented key leadership changes in its Melbourne operations, with Matt James moving into a strategic role across the wider Nine Group and Andrea Salmon taking on an expanded position as director of sales and managing director of Nine Melbourne.

Nine CEO Matt Stanton acknowledged James’s significant contributions in an internal email to staff on Thursday.

“Matt has been a driving force in uniting our TV, radio, and publishing assets. His leadership has created opportunities for our people, delivered outstanding content to audiences, and provided integrated advertising solutions,” Stanton wrote. “With his extensive global experience, he’s ideally positioned to support the strategic growth of our business in this new role.”

Pictured: Matt James

James, who has over 35 years of global media experience, will now collaborate with Stanton and Dave Ash as part of the Transformation Team, focusing on strategic initiatives to drive growth and innovation across Nine.

Andrea Salmon takes leadership in Melbourne

Andrea Salmon, who brings more than 20 years of senior media experience, will now oversee Nine Melbourne’s operations. Reporting to chief sales officer Michael Stephenson, Salmon will lead efforts to strengthen collaboration across Nine’s Melbourne assets, including Channel 9, 3AW, The Age, and the AFR bureau.

“Andrea’s deep understanding of the industry and Melbourne market makes her the perfect leader to ensure Nine’s local operations remain cohesive and connected,” Stanton wrote. “We’re confident she will continue to build strong partnerships with our clients and audiences in Melbourne.”

Pictured: Andrea Salmon

Clear division of responsibilities

As part of the changes, Nine Melbourne’s leadership structure will align with its Perth and Adelaide teams:

• Radio: Tom Malone
• Publishing: Tory Maguire
• Television: Michael Healy
• Sales: Michael Stephenson

Salmon’s expanded role will focus on maintaining a unified approach across Nine’s platforms, while ensuring a seamless transition from James’s responsibilities.

News Corp Australia has launched a 16-page shopping guide highlighting the best deals for consumers ahead of next week’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend.

The guide is supported by Australian retailers, including The Good Guys, JB Hi-Fi, Chemist Warehouse, Dan Murphy’s and Inspiring Vacations, will be available in The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, The Courier-Mail and The Advertiser.

Jessica Gilby, News Corp Australia’s national head of retail and digital growth, said: “We know the Black Friday and Cyber Monday period is now the biggest shopping event of the year with consumers shifting their December spending to November instead.

“This 16-page shopping guide demonstrates how News is creating bespoke inventory and solutions for our clients as well as assisting consumers by spotlighting the best deals so they can spend smart and save big as Australia goes on sale.”

The special deals have been curated by the team at flagship e-commerce destination news.com.au checkout and cover all leading categories, including electronics, household appliances, beauty, entertainment and travel.

Jessica Gilby

The guide also contains QR codes, linking consumers to live coverage of the latest deals, allowing them to see what offers are still available and what has sold out.

The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, The Courier-Mail and The Advertiser homepages also include a live ticker, highlighting trending deals in real-time as well as shoppable videos with editors spotlighting the best deals, allowing readers to click and shop.

The launch of the consumer shopping guide comes after News Corp Australia recently celebrated its own at the News Corp Australia’s 20th News Awards celebration dinner.

Yoni Bashan from The Australian has been named 2024 Sir Keith Murdoch Journalist of the Year at the dinner. News Corp chair Lachlan Murdoch presented Bashan with the award at the special event last night, recognising the journalist’s coverage following the October 7 attack on Israel.

See also: The Australian’s Yoni Bashan named 2024 Sir Keith Murdoch Journalist of the Year

Naming the new host of Media Watch was one of the first items at the ABC TV 2025 Upfront underway today.

Taking over the role from the outgoing host Paul Barry is award-winning investigative journalist Linton Besser.

Besser is a former foreign correspondent who has reported from around the world for Four Corners, Foreign Correspondent and 7.30. His work has also appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Bulletin.

Besser has won four Walkley Awards, two Kennedy Awards and a George Munster Award. His work has prompted public inquiries, including a Royal Commission, corruption findings and criminal prosecutions against business figures, politicians and other public officials.

Media Watch Hall of Fame

Besser follows in the footsteps of Paul Barry, Jonathon Holmes, Richard Ackland, David Marr, Liz Jackson, Monica Attard and Stuart Littlemore, who have all hosted Media Watch since the show began in 1989.

His first show as host is on Monday 3 February 2025.

Linton Besser said: “I’m thrilled and sobered to be given the opportunity to host this important television program and hope to continue its great tradition. The media is big business and hugely influential. Its mission may be to hold others to account — but it too deserves the blowtorch.

“For years, members of the public have described to me a fundamental distrust of the media. They lump us together, the good and the bad. Rather than despairing at this uncomfortable reality, I’m going to try in my own small way to do something about it. Media Watch remains Australia’s best public guardrail against bad behaviour by the press.”

Chief content officer Chris Oliver-Taylor added: “Media Watch plays a unique role working on behalf of the public and its mission has remained unchanged during its incredible 35-year history. Each week it holds the media industry’s most powerful outlets and personalities to account with uncompromising scrutiny. In an increasingly fragmented and tech-savvy media landscape this has never been more important.”

Besser replaces Paul Barry who announced earlier this year that 2024 will be his last season in the presenter chair. His final show will be on Monday 2 December.

ABC investigative journalist heading to Media Watch – Linton Besser

Other new Media Watch team members

Joining Besser at Media Watch next year as executive producer is investigative reporter and Gold Walkley winner Mario Christodoulou. He replaces Tim Latham, who is also stepping down at the end of the year.

Christodoulou has worked as a journalist with The Sydney Morning Herald’s Investigations unit, Four Corners and Background Briefing.

About Linton Besser

Linton Besser is an investigative journalist, former foreign correspondent, newspaper reporter and television documentary maker of more than two decades experience.

His first full-time job in the media was as a producer for Nine’s Today program in 2003, before he moved into country and regional newspapers, first in Dubbo and then in Wollongong.

In 2007 he joined The Sydney Morning Herald where he wrote about planning, transport and state politics, before moving to the paper’s investigations desk.

Besser joined the ABC in 2013, and Four Corners the following year, where he was a reporter for five years. Among his groundbreaking reports, he was the first journalist to identify the infiltration of Crown’s Macau properties by Chinese triads, and his investigation into the $13 billion Murray Darling Basin Plan led to a Royal Commission and a string of criminal prosecutions.

In 2018, he was appointed the ABC’s Europe Correspondent, covering major international stories including Brexit and the outbreak of early Covid outbreaks in Italy.

Since 2021 Besser has been an investigative reporter and editor with ABC News. This year, his work has focused on Australia’s high rates of recidivism, including a fly-on-the-wall documentary on the realities of life after prison in NSW. His investigation into the strata industry has run across 7.30, Four Corners and AM and prompted changes to the industry and to the law which governs it.

Reaching four in five online Australians with an audience of 17.185 million, News Corp Australia is the top Australian news and information publisher in the Organisation category, according to Ipsos iris October 2024 rankings released today.

In the News category, News Corp Australia is the number one news and video publisher with an audience of 13.835 million and 510 million browser page views – an engaged reach of 36.87 browser page views per person. In video, the company has the largest audience for news consumption at 2.146 million, with 53 million video views for the month.

News also leads across the following categories:

● Entertainment – audience of 4.594 million and 41 million page views
● Lifestyle – audience of 8.084 million and 145 million page views
● Sport – audience of 5.705 million and 60 million page views
● Travel – audience of 3.103 million and 15 million page views

Managing director and publisher free news and lifestyle Pippa Leary said: “In the News category, we have an engaged reach of almost 37 page views per person which is more than 50 percent higher than our nearest competitor. Our engaged reach is stronger than ever and means better outcomes for our clients. Having a highly engaged audience who seek out our trusted brands, visit multiple pages and spend real time on our sites is critical to our success and the success of our clients.”

In the News category, five of News Corp Australia’s brands feature in the top 25 sites: news.com.au with an audience of 11.132 million, and subscription led sites Herald Sun with an audience of 3.389 million, The Australian with an audience of 3.337 million, The Courier-Mail with an audience of 3.020 million and The Daily Telegraph with an audience of 2.984 million.

In the Lifestyle category, News Corp Australia has the top two sites, taste.com.au with an audience of 4.483 million followed by news.com.au – Lifestyle with an audience of 3.400 million.

In the Sports news category, news.com.au – Sports is number one with an audience of 3.179 million, with CODE Sports remaining in the top 10 with an audience of 1.118 million.

In the Travel news category, news.com.au – Travel has an audience of 2.222 million, followed by Escape.com.au with an audience of 1.385 million, the top two sites in the category.

Marketers are embracing messiness after years of cultural sanitisation and emotional suppression and taking risks, according to We Are Social’s Think Forward 2025: The Liveable Web report.

Compiled by the creative agency’s Cultural Insights team and supported by a survey of 500 global marketing decision-makers, it predicts the key trends shaping social media over the next year.

The report identifies backlash against a treadmill of micro-trends, notifications and noise online. It describes how people are pushing back against the prevailing culture of “more” – more content, faster trend cycles, ever higher, more unattainable goals – to find new modes of joy online.

The five key trends playing out across The Liveable Web:

Primal Renaissance

After years of cultural sanitisation and emotional suppression, 2024 saw a return to rawness, gore, sleaze and hedonism – the social landscape is embracing messiness again.

Think Forward states that 59% of marketers took risks in the last year such as partnering with an unusual or divisive creator or making content that was anticipated to provoke backlash; 98% of these reported a successful or neutral outcome. In an example of leaning into indie sleaze and celebrating the messiness of rave culture, H&M collaborated on a collection with queen of the primal renaissance, Charlie XCX.

Charli XCX at her livestreamed listening party for the BRAT remix album

Low-stakes social

Online spaces have been reclaimed as a place for escape and release. A new, more relaxed internet is emerging, with an emphasis on levity and kindness of the internet’s perceived early ‘00s “peak.” Take the less-is-more approach on Marc Jacobs’ TikTok – the fashion lynchpin has ceded creative control, allowing creators and micro-influencers to pepper their feed with fun, small-scale content.

@marcjacobs We told @gabbriette ♬ original sound – marcjacobs

Intentional consumerism

Social status used to be linked to how much money someone could spend. Now, though, a new wave of social users who value sustainability over splashing the cash are offering up a counter-narrative. Brands recognise this, and 66% of marketers have increased ethical and/or sustainability messaging in their social content in 2024 vs last year. E.l.f. Cosmetics have eased off pressurising consumers to buy in favour of content, and instead refocused on the happiness their cosmetics offer, leaning into joy-giving behaviours and rituals associated with their products.

Modern mythmaking

Creator-led content now leads the way in responding to and shaping popular culture. The result is an Easter egg web in which audiences are digging deeper into entertainment. For their AW drop, clothing brand Peachy Den worked with influencer Olivia Neill and director Jake Erland to meticulously recreate a scene from the iconic film The Devil Wears Prada, with fans quick to decode the video’s references and praise its attention to detail.

@peachyden Peachy for Autumn? Ground breaking. Starring @olivia neill ♬ original sound – Peachy Den

New intimacies

People are participating in fandoms like never before, and research shows they’re doing so for the communal element of feeling part of something bigger than them. Marketers are responding by creating intimate experiences – 61% of global marketers use gate-keeping around their content, such as customer-only groups or closed social channels. REFY – creators of Vegan & Cruelty-Free Makeup – have stopped running influencer trips to promote their brand, offering community bonding trips for friends instead.

The survey also identified a learning gap for marketers when it comes to understanding internet culture; despite shitposting, sludge and slop content becoming increasingly prolific online in 2024, the majority of those questioned – 83% for sludge and slop and 67% for shitposting – have no idea what the terms mean.

‘Separating joy from progress and prioritising slower consumption’

“We know that a lot of people feel overwhelmed by their online experiences today; even spending time on social can be exhausting at times,” Mobbie Nazir, We Are Social’s global chief strategy officer said.

“That’s why it’s been so encouraging to see the emergence of ‘The Liveable Web’ as a theme this year – separating joy from progress and prioritising slower consumption. We also see more audiences actively seeking out more raw emotion and less sanitisation; this in itself is a creative gift to marketers everywhere – particularly those willing to take a few risks.”

Suzie Shaw, CEO of We Are Social Australia, said: “The social media landscape is at a pivotal moment, where people are increasingly seeking authenticity, levity, and genuine connection amid rising concerns about its impact. Our Think Forward 2025 report delves into these cultural shifts, from the raw energy of the Primal Renaissance to the emergence of low-stakes social spaces that embrace kindness and creativity.

“These trends reveal not just the challenges but the profound opportunities for brands to step up. By championing intentional consumerism, fostering meaningful communities, and embracing cultural nuances, brands can be part of creating a healthier, more human digital world—something Australians are clearly craving.”

More than 20.6 million people visited a news website or app in October, reaching 96.2% of online Australians aged 14+, according to Ipsos iris data.

Among the local news events and entertainment that fuelled interest and attracted audiences were King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Australian visit, the finales of The Block and The Voice Australia, and Queensland election results.

Global news that piqued the interest of Australians were the US election results, Hurricane Milton hitting Florida and the tragic death of former One Direction star Liam Payne.

ABC News led the charge in audience numbers with over 11,000, followed by News.com.au. Nine’s online news website trailed behind in third, followed by 7News.com.au, while Daily Mail Australia rounded out the top five.

The chart below shows the News brands’ ranking during October 2024 by online audience size.

Music festival and events season see Events and Attractions category rise

As summer approaches and the live music festival season ready to get into swing, there has been a 2% month on month increase in online audiences, or 292,000 Australians aged, 14+, in the Events and Attractions category, to reach a 13.9 million-strong audience in total. This represents an 11% year on year increase.

This increase was predominantly driven by the Music Events sub-category, which jumped by 30%, or  650,000 more visitors month on month, as Oasis, Laneway and Knotfest tickets all went on sale.

The increases were driven by people aged 14 to 24, with a huge 97% month on month, or 348,000, jump in online audiences. The 40 to 54 ‘Oasis generation’ swelled by 28%, or an additional 162,000 people, month on month in the category.

A range of conferences, including the high-profile SXSW Australia, saw the Business Expos and Conferences sub-category rise by 29%, or 57,000 people, month on month to reach an audience of 255,000.

The chart below shows the Events and Attractions brands’ ranking during October 2024 by online audience size.

Other industry categories record peak audience numbers and time spent online

Ipsos iris reported a number of increases in other categories, including a 11%, or 967,000, online audience rise in the Energy and Utilities category year on year.

The Homes & Property category, buoyed by the Spring selling season, rose by 8%, or 1  million year on year.

The Social Networking and Finance categories hit record audiences in October, at 21.4 million and 20.7 million respectively – and the highest since the launch of Ipsos iris in January 2023.

The Automotive category hit a peak for time spent online per person, up 8% to  21.21 minutes on average, while Health also peaked at 60.27 minutes on average, up by 20%, in October – and both the highest since Ipsos iris’s launch.

More than 21 million Australians used the internet in October

Ipsos iris, Australia’s digital audience measurement currency endorsed by IAB Australia, showed that more than 21.4 million Australians aged 14+ used the internet in October and spent on average 4.6 hours per day, or almost 141 hours for the month, online.

The most consumed website and app categories in September were social networking (21.4 million), search engines (21.3 million), technology (21.3 million), retail and commerce (21.1 million) and entertainment (21 million).

Ipsos iris, which officially launched in March 2023, provides accurate data about the 21.4 million Australians aged 14+ who access a wide variety of digital content and services across smartphone, PC/laptop and tablet devices.

Audience Precision has promoted Jessica Bray and James Porter as it expands its technology-led insights and communications strategy offering.

Bray moves into the newly created head of strategy and product role as former senior media manager Porter steps into the role of media team lead.

Bray will lead strategy and product development and implementation for the business and clients as the independent media agency extends its services beyond media to focus on its insights and communications strategy, harnessing its proprietary Precise360 technology platform. Audience Precision’s media unit continues to report to Bray under this new structure.

Under his new remit, Porter will report to Bray within Audience Precision’s media unit, managing local Australian campaigns and supporting the agency’s offshore teams and partners for international campaigns.

Both Porter and Bray have been with Audience Precision for several years. Porter joined the business in 2022 from a senior media planner role at Discovery Inc, while Bray came to Audience Precision in 2016, joining as one of the foundation members of the business.

Jessica Bray

The structural changes are part of the agency’s global expansion as it extends its insights and communication strategy offering, including its Precise360 technology platform.

Precise360’s comprehensive data analysis technology provides brands with a deep understanding of their target audiences and markets, enabling them to make data-driven decisions and execute precise marketing strategies.

Since its 2022 launch, the platform has delivered more effective campaigns for dozens of brands, including Warner Music, R.M.Williams, Lyre’s Spirits and a number of international brands under a white labelled service generating media strategy at warp speed.

“Our Precise360 technology platform continues to drive our business as an end-to-end strategy guidance system, delivering significant advantages for our clients and allowing us to create match-winning strategies and media plans worldwide,” Haydon Bray, Audience Precision global CEO, said.

“From consumer behavioural research, identification of high-propensity audiences, insights that lead to connections planning and strategy, through to media planning and execution, the platform is designed to drive strategy to meet any client objective.  Importantly, the inbuilt automation processes within Precise360 brings a single source of truth, delivering data-led, consumer-centric, human-proofed campaign strategies in just days.

“The growth of Precise360 has necessitated a shift in our structure to focus on delivering communications strategy and product development for our clients. We now have a number of clients based in various countries who use our strategy services to deliver more effective campaigns to connect and engage with their high-propensity audiences.

James Porter

“Jess has been a critical part of Audience Precision’s global growth over the past few years and is well-positioned to take on this new role. Our media function has also continued to grow, as we welcome new clients and strengthen our current client offering. James has demonstrated his ability to be a consistent, motivated performer, with an innate ability to deliver results. I am confident he will take our media unit to new heights in his new role,” Bray added.

Jessica Bray said of her promotion: ‘After nearly a decade at Audience Precision, I’ve witnessed the incredible growth of the business, particularly in the insights and technology space. I’ve seen the results from our Precise360 platform – it has been a game changer for our clients, allowing them to connect and engage with their highest propensity audiences whilst reducing media wastage and improving the effectiveness of their campaigns.

“I’m looking forward to doubling down on this technology in my new role, finding new opportunities to enhance and improve on strategy and insights across the business.”

Porter said: “Working as part of the team over the past two years, I’ve had a front-row seat to the business’ significant growth globally and the media unit’s ability to go above and beyond for its clients. I’m excited to be taking on this new challenge and focusing my efforts on continuing to grow the media division of the business while servicing our current clients.”

–

Top image: Jessica Bray and James Porter

Abano Healthcare’s (Abano) has appointed Orange Line as its marketing partner of record.

The independent digital marketing agency’s remit is to focus on comprehensive digital marketing solutions, including paid media, SEO, CRO, data & analytics, and organic social media, for Abano’s leading brands, including Lumino The Dentists, Maven Dental, and 1300SMILES Dentists.

The dental support organisation provides services to over 250 locations and 700+ clinical partners across Australia and New Zealand.

The partnership marks a significant milestone for Orange Line as the agency continues to expand its reach into international markets while delivering marketing strategies from its Sydney headquarters.

“Our experience crafting tailored digital marketing strategies for dental and healthcare practices allows us to bring a wealth of industry insights to Abano and drive measurable growth across their brands,” David Einstein, co-founder of Orange Line, said.

“Our appointment is testament to the agency’s ability to handle international clients and execute high-impact campaigns across multiple markets and regions. We’re excited to work closely with Abano throughout the next stage of the brand’s evolutionary growth journey.”

Duncan Armour, chief marketing officer, Abano, said: “Orange Line’s expertise perfectly aligns with Abano’s growth ambitions, and we trust them to elevate our brands across the network and further strengthen our presence in the dental space across Australia and New Zealand.”

This win highlights Orange Line’s growing momentum, following the recent addition of Skyscanner and Fantastic Furniture to an impressive client portfolio that already includes their global work with AWS, Jackson Hole, Berkshire Hathaway and others.

The announcement is further bolstered by Orange Line’s recent recognition at the 2024 Google Agency Excellence Awards, where the agency won the Online Sales award for its outstanding achievements in lead generation, measurement, and online sales.

Orange Line also recently strengthened its team with eight new strategic hires and several promotions following the addition of several clients, including Fantastic Furniture, Skyscanner, and Jackson Hole, to its roster.

See also: Orange Line welcomes eight new strategic appointments and promotions

New Zealand’s Trade Me Property has teamed up with Because ANZ to launch the inaugural People’s Choicest Awards, which celebrates how Kiwis live and crown the country’s best.

The auction and classifieds site and brand activation agency developed the competition featuring its seven categories – Choicest Suburb, Playground, Bush (shrub or tree), Dairy, Public Toilet, Landmark and Local Legend – recognising Aotearoa’s hidden gems, quirky and fun local landmarks and unique characters that make local neighbourhoods special.

Gavin Lloyd, Trade Me Property customer director, said: “The People’s Choicest isn’t about the poshest suburb, fanciest school or best cafe – it’s about the magic and joy that can be found right outside our front door, all around the motu (island).

“At Trade Me Property, we know that home isn’t just about where you sleep; it’s about how you live. By highlighting some of our most-loved local icons, we hope to inspire Kiwi to imagine new possibilities for how they could live, with every street, suburb and region having potential.”

Corinna Homer

As part of the multi-phased campaign, Because secured actors, comedians and popular influencers Harrison Keefe and Nepia Vaeau Takuira-Mita, known for their viral ‘come vibe with us’ dance videos, to embark on a nationwide tour in January, where they will visit finalists and create hilarious and engaging content to drive online voting.

The agency we are also leading the content creation, talent management and logistics, culminating in a surprise and delight event for the winning category – and bringing the community together to celebrate.

“This campaign has been an absolute joy to bring to life because it’s all about celebrating the quirks and charms of Kiwi living,” Corinna Homer, business director NZ at Because, said.

“From the best bush to the top public loo, The People’s Choicest Awards are as uniquely Aotearoa as it gets. We’re thrilled to partner with Trade Me Property to highlight what makes our communities special, and we can’t wait to see the nation get behind their local legends and hidden treasures.”

Shelley Smith, Trade Me Property, head of marketing added: “We know from recent research that after a tough year, amid all the economic doom and gloom, people are ready for brands to be playful and have a bit of fun. The People’s Choicest aims to provide a glimpse of how Kiwi live through discovery of the charm in their own backyards.

“We understand for many Kiwi home ownership is part of a longer-term plan, so we hope to inspire that journey by celebrating how we live in Aotearoa and encourage them to dream-scroll Trade Me Property.

“From curating the categories to managing the tour and final celebration, every detail has been crafted to engage, entertain, and bring people and their towns together. Working alongside Because, we have built a campaign that will highlight some of our most-loved local icons, inspiring Kiwi to imagine new possibilities for where and how they could live.”

Nominations for Trade Me Property’s People’s Choicest awards are open now until 29 December. Voting will begin in mid January with winners and celebrations will start from February.

Home and Away will return for 2025 on Monday, 13 January, picking up right where last night’s nail-biting season final left off on Channel 7 and 7plus.

The drama-fuelled, feature-length season final left multiple lives hanging in the balance, with Harper (Jessica Redmayne) about to undergo a rare and complex surgery to try and save her unborn baby, and Constable Cash Newman (Nicholas Cartwright) caught red-handed, covered in blood, kneeling over Tim’s (George Pullar) seemingly lifeless body.

Cash has been discovered by Justin (James Stewart) at the scene of a violent crime after an intense late-night altercation between Cash and Eden’s (Stephanie Panozzo) new boyfriend, Tim. But as day breaks, Cash is seen waking up on the ground, crawling over to an unresponsive and bloodied Tim.

With the evidence stacking up against him, the question on everyone’s lips will soon be: is Cash responsible for the brutal attack on Tim? With a new detective on the case and more questions than answers, is the Bay’s resident cop looking at a life behind bars?

Also, will Dr Levi Fowler’s (Tristan Gorey) risky surgery on Harper and her unborn baby boy end in success or devastation?

The new year also promises fresh faces in the Bay, new romances, an emotional goodbye, and the highly anticipated return of Ziggy (Sophie Dillman) and Dean (Patrick O’Connor) for an exciting storyline set in the Whitsunday Region of tropical north Queensland.

Home and Away returns 7:00 pm Monday, 13 January 2025 on Seven and 7plus.

UnLtd, in partnership with Carat and Tag, have launched a new campaign with Raise the Age NSW to call on the NSW government to raise the age of criminal responsibility.

The campaign aims to educate the public that the age of criminal responsibility in NSW is 10 and that is too young.

Emily Mayo, campaign manager for Raise the Age NSW said: “It’s wonderful to have the media and advertising industry supporting this important campaign. Many people don’t know that children as young as ten are being arrested and locked up every day. This harms kids – and doesn’t prevent crime. We can do better for children and our community. We hope this campaign starts a conversation about how we can make NSW communities safer by investing in services that work and raising the age of criminal responsibility.”

The campaign, created by Tag, asks the government to give children a happier tenth birthday.

Caitlin Gregory-Layman, executive manager people & culture at Tag commented:

“When we initially met with Raise the Age NSW and UnLtd, and saw the evidence, we immediately knew we could align our incredible creative talent with a cause that struck a deep emotional chord while making a massive impact. During creative development, we kept returning to that critical and vulnerable age of 10, and the ‘gift’ we are giving our ten-year-olds in NSW. With this campaign, we saw the opportunity to show there is a better way, and a better gift, for the children of NSW. We hope people are just as emotionally affected as we have been by this issue and turn that emotional investment into real action to Raise the Age here in NSW.”

Raise the Age NSW is a coalition of more than 130 First Nations, legal, human rights and civil society organisations and community services, charities, peak bodies, and unions. The campaign, created by Tag and with media by Carat, is supported by over 30 media organisations.

Frank Carlino, head of investment NSW at Carat added: “We are especially proud to partner with UnLtd this year on the ‘Raise the Age NSW’ campaign. Not only did the campaign hit hard especially for those of us with children but our MD, Harry, also spent a night in a former Youth Incarceration Centre for Bail Out (an UnLtd initiative), where she got a taster of the harrowing ordeal children undergo. Carat has worked closely with UnLtd over the past few years to deliver pro-bono inventory for campaigns such as ‘MOOD Tea’ and ‘Youth Off the Streets’. UnLtd are an absolute force for good and have a team we love working with. We’d like to thank our media partners who have helped us deliver over $2.3M in pro-bono inventory across TV, Cinema, Digital, Audio and OOH to raise awareness for this important cause.”

To ensure the campaign message is as effective as possible, FiftyFive5 research came on board to run qualitative creative testing through a focus group.

Estelle Gohil, partner, head of qualitative at Fiftyfive5, part of Accenture Song said:

“A great demonstration of tight collaboration between qualitative research and creative to land true effectiveness. The Tag team created a powerful and emotive platform, however the call to action was initially unclear. A simple and quick bit of qualitative research – deployed with moderator sensitivity due to the difficult nature of the topic – was all it took to sharpen and tighten the comms, so the great campaign Tag created lands powerfully in the hearts and minds of people across NSW.”

The campaign is UnLtd’s first large-scale collaboration campaign focusing on addressing the root causes of youth disadvantage.

Jade Harley, director of partnerships at UnLtd said: “The advertising industry is uniquely positioned to shine a light on injustice, tell stories that need to be told, and advocate on behalf of our most vulnerable children and young people. It’s a disgrace that right here in NSW we are ignoring the evidence from doctors, lawyers, and mental health experts to detain children as young as ten, removing them from their families and their communities. At UnLtd, we work with many of the front-line charities providing early intervention, wrap-around support and programs that are proven to result in better outcomes for kids and communities. It’s been incredible to see so many people and organisations across the industry stand behind this important issue.”

Over $2.3M worth of pro-bono media has been donated to the campaign so far by Alliance, ARN, ATN, Brandspace, Cartology, GumGum, JCDecaux, JOLT, Mamamia, Motio, NewsCorp, Nine Entertainment, Nova, OA Collective, Ogury, oOh!media, Paramount, QMS, SBS, SCA Radio, Seven, Snapchat, Teads, Tonic, Uber Ads, Val Morgan Group and Yahoo.

Credits:

Creative:

Creative Director: Adam Ibrahim
Art Director: Josella Bray, Morgan Wood
Cinematographer: Joshua Dwyer
First AC: Justin O’Donnell
Photographer: Brendan Jones
Editor: Joshua Dwyer
Design: Chris Vetrisano, Halan Susak
Producer: Elleni MacMillan, Zara Stuut
Account Management: Caitlin Gregory-Layman

Media – Carat:
Managing Director: Harry Jayaweera
Head of Investment: Frank Carlino
Senior Client Director: Jason Brearly
Client Director: Nicholas Noel
Client Executive: Alessandra Arena
Client Associate: Amy Chau

Research – Fiftyfive5:
Estelle Gohil
Rebecca Hitchmough
Bec Biddle
Roger Neyland
Alex Luksich

Wednesday 20 November 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s 2024 ARIA Awards recorded a total TV national reach of 1,209,000, a total TV national audience of 243,000, and a BVOD audience of 23,000.

Nine’s 9News recorded a total TV national reach of 1,770,000, a total TV national audience of 1,054,000, and a BVOD audience of 87,000.

Seven’s Seven News recorded a total TV national reach of 1,931,000, a total TV national audience of 1,183,000, and a BVOD audience of 64,000.

Also on Seven, Home and Away recorded a total TV national reach of 1,420,000, a total TV national audience of 792,000, and a BVOD audience of 104,000.

10’s airing of Shark Tank recorded a total TV national reach of 774,000, a total TV national audience of 318,000, and a BVOD audience of 15,000.

People 25-54

Nine’s 9News:
• Total TV nation reach: 508,000
• National Audience: 279,000
• BVOD Audience: 44,000

Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV nation reach: 492,000
• National Audience: 274,000
• BVOD Audience: 33,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 446,000
• National Audience: 252,000
• BVOD Audience: 56,000

10’s Shark Tank:
• Total TV nation reach: 284,000
• National Audience: 123,000
• BVOD Audience: 9,000

People 16-39

Nine’s 9News:
• Total TV nation reach: 196,000
• National Audience: 110,000
• BVOD Audience: 22,000

Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV nation reach: 184,000
• National Audience: 97,000
• BVOD Audience: 16,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 174,000
• National Audience: 107,000
• BVOD Audience: 33,000

10’s Shark Tank:
• Total TV nation reach: 122,000
• National Audience: 62,000
• BVOD Audience: 5,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+ TV Ratings

Nine’s 9News:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,385,000
• National Audience: 834,000
• BVOD Audience: 70,000

Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,563,000
• National Audience: 964,000
• BVOD Audience: 51,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,134,000
• National Audience: 638,000
• BVOD Audience: 83,000

10’s Shark Tank:
• Total TV nation reach: 602,000
• National Audience: 243,000
• BVOD Audience: 12,000

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