Claire Fenner has resigned from her role as national chief executive officer of Atomic 212°, with her final day at the independent media agency on 31 October
A new national chief executive officer of Atomic 212° will be announced shortly.
She joined the independent media agency in 2014 as media director and later became Sydney general manager. Fenner was appointed Melbourne managing director in 2018 and national chief executive officer in February 2023.
Fenner said of her time at the agency: “After an amazing 10 years at Atomic 212°, I’ve achieved so many goals and had so much success. I’m looking forward to having more time to focus on my family in my next adventure. It’s a decision that doesn’t come lightly, as I have come to consider many members of the Atomic 212° team family.
“We’ve had a phenomenal journey together and achieved unmatched success. I’m incredibly proud to be leaving Atomic 212° as the number one independent media agency.
“Thank you to all the brilliant, talented people in the business and, in particular, the incredible senior leadership team who have all played an instrumental role in the success of Atomic 212° and the success of our client partnerships.
“Thank you to our partners, our clients. We have been so fortunate to attract and work with such valued partners who truly understand what partnership is and are a pleasure to work with every day, working together towards a common goal. We have thrived off the success of your businesses,” she said.
“Thank you to the media partners who backed us and supported us in the early days and continue to support us to this day. You have been true partners and helped us drive meaningful outcomes for our clients.
“Thank you to Rory Heffernan. We have had a lot of success together over the years and it’s been a pleasure to work alongside you and watch you grow as a leader. I’m grateful for our friendship and your support over the years,” Fenner said.
“I’m forever grateful for the incredible partnership that Barry, James and I have enjoyed over the past 10 years. It’s truly unique to find two business partners who you respect, can trust and consider friends. Thank you for an exceptional journey and all of your support over the years.
“I wish all of you every success in the future and I’m excited to see what the future brings for Atomic 212°,” Fenner added.
Barry O’Brien OAM, Atomic 212° chairman, said: “I’m sad to farewell Claire, but I respect her decision to step down and focus on other interests. In the almost 11 years she has been part of Atomic 212°, Claire has built an incredible team and done a remarkable job in producing strong results for our clients, developing our people and helping make us the most successful independent media agency in Australia.
“It’s been a true pleasure to work with Claire over the years. She leaves Atomic 212° with everyone’s sincere thanks and all the very, very best wishes for the future.”
James Dixon, Atomic 212° chief data officer and partner, said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Claire for more than 10 years. She is an incredible, person partner and friend whose legacy is leaving us as the #1 indie.”
Fenner has accured an impressive list of industry and trade media accolades to her name, among them being ranked in the top 10 on Mediaweek’s Agency Power List.
Atomic 212° has grown strongly over the past year with a series of client wins and retentions including BlueScope, Great Wall Motor, BMW Australia and New Zealand, Bupa, the Northern Territory Government, Tourism Northern Territory, Northern Territory Major Events Company, Darrell Lea, Victoria University, My Muscle Chef, Vet Partners, Adyen and UKG.
Atomic 212° won Global Independent Agency of the Year (Media) and Global Digital Innovation Agency of the Year in Campaign’s Global Agency of the Year Awards announced in June 2024, and won Best Agency Culture and Talent (more than 100 awards) at the 2024 MFA Awards in September.
It also ranked #1 among independent agencies in Australia in new business wins, including client retentions, according to the FY 2023 report from COMvergence.
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Top image: Claire Fenner
Vogue Australia is a glossy example of how a publisher can work a brand to continually engage with its existing and potential audiences.
The brand never rests from connecting with readers in multiple ways and in the last seven days in Sydney alone its was represented at SXSW Sydney, staged the annual Vogue American Express Fashion’s Night Out and then staged a Q&A with Kate Winslet.
Mediaweek covered the Vogue Australia session at SXSW Sydney here.
The following day it took over the Sydney CBD with Vogue American Express Fashion’s Night Out 2024.
The Thursday, October 17 event featured shoppable runways, live entertainment, fashion masterclasses and in-store experiences.
The Vogue American Express Runway took over Pitt Street Mall featuring the spring/summer collections of local and international retailers including bassike, Aje, Bianca Spender and Rebecca Vallance. The Vogue Australia and American Express teams together with Lord Mayor Clover Moore, special guest performer Meg Mac, this year’s Vogue Insider actress Miah Madden and industry guests celebrated the15th year of VAEFNO in Australia.
VIP guests included executive editor of Vogue Australia Jessica Montague, Lord Mayor Clover Moore, American Express vice president of brand, marketing and member experience Naysla Edwards, actors Mia Healey, Courtney Clarke, Millie Ford, Edyll Ismail and Alyla Browne, models Bella Thomas, Cameron Stephens Jordan and Zac Stenmark and Noah Tumataroa.
Vogue Cafe Sydney provided snack packs for the front-row guests of the runway show. Supporting partner Toblerone created the golden prism in Pitt Street Mall, where they offered shoppers their pralines.
Over the course of the day, the crowd also enjoyed presentations from Vogue Australia staff and special guests discussing summer beauty and summer styling.
Mediaweek recently reported on Kate Winslet as the latest Vogue Australia cover star. This week that relationship stepped up a notch when the actor visited Sydney and took part in a Vogue Q&A about her role in the new movie Lee.
The location for the Q&A was the InterContinental Hotel’s Aster rooftop bar.
Lee is Winslet’s latest project that charts the story of photographer and wartime journalist Lee Miller.
Joining the British actor on the panel was Vogue Australia’s Edwina McCann, Miller’s son Antony Penrose (today’s custodian of the Lee Miller archives), and producer Kate Solomon.
During the Q&A, the guests discussed the highs and lows of the decade-long project, including the roles of the myriad women working behind the scenes to bring it to life. Penrose, who had spoken with Vogue Australia in 2022, detailed his journey through the project.
Guests at the event included Australian actors Mia Wasikowska, Maia Mitchell, Sarah Ellen and Damon Herriman, to rising Australian talents Annabel Wolfe and Hoa Xuande.
Blis has rolled out its omnichannel measurement solution, Smart Holdout Groups, which aims to address the potential complexities and inaccuracies associated with traditional multi-channel campaign measurement.
The omnichannel advertising platform’s patent-pending technology allows advertisers to gauge the total effectiveness of their multi-channel campaigns in detail without needing cookies or IDs, allowing brands to uncover the true impact of their marketing.
Smart Holdout Groups will let advertisers measure campaigns across multiple channels, regardless of whether the activity is activated through Blis’ omnichannel suite of display, CTV, DOOH, audio, video, or run externally – with scope to also include social, TV and other channels within the measurement.
Elias Psarologos, regional director of Blis ANZ said: “In a world where multi-channel campaigns are now the norm, our ambition of delivering outstanding results for advertisers has always centred on letting the audience come first, not channel. That’s why we’re so excited to finally release Blis Smart Holdouts here in Australia and New Zealand because we can now help our clients truly understand the real impact of their marketing activity across any channel.”
Rather than blocking out entire markets to run an analysis, Blis’ Smart Holdouts technology uncovers granular, bespoke holdout groups that compare statistically similar and balanced target and control (A/B) groups based on demographic, household, income and even custom criteria.
From there, the marketing outcomes that can be measured can be as bespoke as required, ranging from standard brand and footfall lift, to custom views such as sales, subscriptions.
Jeremy Matchett, MD APAC of Konversa, said his agency has “long benefitted” from working with Blis and their ability to reach audiences across multiple channels.
“(But) in many ways, closing the loop for omnichannel measurement has been the final frontier: compiling the true impact and story of our campaigns across disparate channels has long been massively challenging.
“That’s why Blis’ Smart Holdout Group measurement solution is such a real game changer not only for us, but the industry as a whole.”
Matchett added: “With Blis, we can finally close the loop and measure the marketing outcome of any omnichannel activity in its entirety, with groundbreaking technology that ensures statistical accuracy, and with metrics our clients actually care about.”
Mediaweek in partnership with Blis
Get ready to peel back the layers and meet the real Peter Horgan, or as he likes to be called, Horgs.
He’s been navigating the media scene with a cool mix of supportive leadership and a fierce drive for results. In this episode, he shares his thoughts on finding that sweet spot between backing your team and keeping them accountable—a tricky balance that can easily tip into entitlement if not handled right.
Peter opens up to Rowena Millward about some intense moments when the future looked a bit shaky. He and his crew faced the rapid changes of a competitive market and had to pivot fast to stay ahead. It’s a raw look at the pressures of keeping clients happy, the need for open conversations, and the strength of a united leadership team.
Listeners will be hooked on Peter’s journey from facing potential setbacks to bouncing back and reclaiming their spot as industry leaders. It’s all about taking those tough moments and turning them into powerful opportunities for change.
If you’re into agency leadership, client relationships, or just curious about where media is headed, this episode is packed with gems. Peter’s experience reminds us that uncomfortable growth isn’t just something to endure—it’s a chance to redefine what success means in this fast-paced world.
So tune in and discover how Peter Horgan transformed a challenging time into a standout chapter for Omnicom Media Group. You might just find a spark of inspiration for your own journey in the ever-evolving business and media landscape!
Rowena’s three favourite quotes from Horg’s story are:
“Never waste a crisis.”
“We’re all hardwired for confrontation avoidance.”
“High performers are working and seeing low performers tolerated – well, that’s cultural cyanide.”
As Horg’s just recently announced he will be leaving OMG mid next year, you won’t want to miss his wisdom and insights!
New episodes of Uncomfortable Growth® Uncut drop weekly and are available to stream across all major audio networks.
Coming next on Uncomfortable Growth® Uncut
Next week’s episode:
Episode 5: Embracing Discomfort: Kurt Burnett’s journey to success.
In this episode, we peel back the layers to reveal ‘The Person Behind the Profile’ with Kurt Burnette – ex-Chief Revenue Officer of Seven West Media.
Kurt – a natural introvert, first embraced his lifelong theme of being “comfortable with uncomfortable” when he started a job cold calling strangers and getting constantly rejected. His move to the UK to play rugby, and then back to Brisbane and eventually Sydney landed him at Seven West Media, where he has been for the last 34 years. His story is a testament to constantly pushing through internal challenges to find growth in unexpected places.
Learn more about Uncomfortable Growth here.
The world doesn’t need more stories of success; it needs real conversations about resilience, vulnerability, and the human spirit’s incredible capacity to turn trials into triumphs.
That’s why the Uncomfortable Growth Uncut podcast was born. It’s a reminder that struggle and success are intrinsically linked, that growth is rarely easy, and that the moments we feel most uncomfortable are often where our greatest breakthroughs lie.
On October 11-13, gamers of all ages descended into the Melbourne Convention Centre for PAX 2024, a yearly gathering of all things gaming, tech and pop culture.
This year on the banks of the Yarra River, PAX celebrated 20 years of gaming goodness, alongside non-endemic brands looking to get a piece of the gaming pie, a pie that is projected to be worth more than $212 billion globally by 2026.
While endemic brands such as Samsung, MSI and LG all have a presence at the convention, it’s the non-endemic brands that seemed to be doing the most interesting activations in a bid to break through to a younger, tech-savvy and big-spending demographic.
You couldn’t walk 10 steps around the convention without strolling past some sort of line. The biggest lines were where people lined up to spend money. Whether it be convention merch, gaming merch or tabletop card/board games, money was well and truly flowing across the three days.
But lines weren’t just limited to the capitalistic needs of gamers, lines also appeared at two brand activations that aren’t traditionally associated with gaming.
First up was Garnier, the cosmetics brand that set up a gaming activation at PAX in collaboration with gaming agency You Know Media.
Titled “PWR UP with Garnier”, the activation aimed to not only get gamers gaming but featured multiple engagement points above the gameplay and talent that featured at the booth throughout the weekend.
This included a claw machine, photo booth, spin wheel, limited edition merch, and live streams that kept the booth packed and drove gamers to spend time with the Garnier brand and its products.
Ryan Cunningham, founder & CEO of You Know Media told Mediaweek that PAX was the final step of a yearlong strategy the agency created.
“At the start of the year, we formed the gaming super-team PWR (using content creators) under the ‘PWR Up with Garnier’ banner. This multi-burst campaign engaged leading female gaming talent and their fans and partnered them with a member of PWR to “PWR Up” their game and skincare routines, through live streams, games, and video content as they completed a series of blackout (a core Garnier product concept) challenges, which fans loved,” he said.
“This was a multichannel/platform execution, with PAX acting as the perfect final playground for us to bring the digital fun in person to tens of thousands of fans who got to play the challenges themselves, meet talent and get their hands on Garnier products + limited edition co-branded merch.
“Essentially, we built the Garnier product into the world of gaming, giving gamers a reason to learn about Garnier and skincare in a fun way through a national activation, which built excitement all year long and enabled them to go from engaged viewers to participating customers at PAX.
“For the PAX execution, we brought in multiple partners to help us bring our vision to life, a vision backed by over 10 years in the space that ensured we cracked the code of what they like vs will just ignore. We wanted them to see Garnier as right at home with them.
“Every angle was covered, including using staff who are actual gamers. We ensured we had multiple engagement points above the gameplay and talent that kept the booth packed and drove gamers to come spend quality time with the Garnier and their products, as well as line control for the high demand.”
Cunningham says it was important to make the space not just a showcase.
“By making the space interactive, it brought fans in, who were happy to line up for their turn, and brought a host of other creators who came to create content and talk about how Garnier got what both PAX and gamers were about.”
Attendees were also treated to Red Bull Gameball Royale, a makeshift dodgeball arena that was executed by gaming agency, Game Day Collective.
Red Bull Gameball Royale combined sophisticated ‘Battle Royale’ elements from games like Fortnite with an interactive LED playing field that allowed popular Australian content creators Loserfruit, Lachlan, IAMFALLFROMGRACE, and Muselk compete with their self-assembled teams for the title.
While the content creator clash was the main draw at the arena on Saturday afternoon, attendees could sign up at any time across the weekend to participate in the arena and battle for glory.
James Lai, co-founder & CMO at Game Day Collective told Mediaweek that Red Bull Gameball Royale was first introduced by Red Bull Germany in 2023, and seeing the excitement and knowing how much the PAX crowd would love such an event, the team decided to bring it down under.
“It’s a pretty intense process getting a live dodgeball event played on a massive LED court into the middle of an expo, but we managed to get it done!” he said.
The arena featured a dynamic 100+ square metre LED floor, introducing gamified elements including a shrinking zone and power-up items available to players to activate in game.
Lai said activations like Red Bull Gameball Royale allow brands to connect with gamers through participatory, shareable moments that leave a lasting impression.
“Brands can effectively tap into gaming activations by prioritizing authentic engagement and building immersive experiences that naturally integrate their messaging.
“Rather than disrupting gameplay, brands should enhance it, making their presence feel like a natural part of the event.
“By aligning with the core values of gaming – competition, creativity, and community – brands can create genuine connections, fostering loyalty and expanding their reach in this ever-evolving space.”
The Paris Olympics might be done, but sport, specifically the AFL and NRL grand finals, continued to dominate Australia’s news consumption, according to Ipsos iris data for September.
In addition to the footy finals, other local news events such as the AFL’s Brownlow Medal winners, the Melbourne anti-war protests, and TV shows The Amazing Race Australia, MKR and The Block also attracted online news audiences.
Global news events, including the ongoing conflict in Israel, Gaza and Lebanon, rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ arrest, and the presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, also drew audiences.
More than 20.7 million people used a news website or app in September, reaching 96.7% of online Australians aged 14+. ABC News was the top news brand for the month, followed by news.com.au, nine.com.au, 7NEWS.com.au and Daily Mail Australia rounding out the top five.
The automotive category increased by 5%, or 557,000 people, month-on-month, reaching 12.3 million Australians aged 14+. This represents the largest audience for the auto category since Ipsos iris’s inception in 2023
The automotive category is made up of websites and apps across automotive search, content and manufacturers, along with state-based motorist associations. The motorist association websites and apps increased significantly month on month, with NRMA jumping by 36%, RAC up 29%, RACQ up 26% and RAA up 20% in their respective audiences.
The month-on-month increase is likely due to the school holiday period with many families looking to travel and seeking information, roadside assistance and fuel finder tools to stretch holiday dollars further from their state-based motorist associations.
The September category result has just eclipsed the previous peak for the automotive category in June 2024 (12.2 million) which was driven by EOFY sales.
Other industry categories that saw increases in online audiences during September included energy suppliers/utilities, which rose 3%, or 265,000 people, month on month to reach 9.6 million Australians. The technology, directories and travel categories also hit peak audience numbers in September since Ipsos iris’s inception, to 21.3 million, 20.8 million and 18.2 million respectively.
In terms of online audience engagement, the business category rose by 4% month on month, to 37.08 minutes per person spent in the category, a new record for 2024. The telco and ISP category also recorded a significant month on month engagement increase, jumping by 9% in average time spent in the category and equating to 24.38 minutes per person during September.
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 September and spent on average 4.6 hours per day, or almost 139 hours for the month, online.
The most consumed website and app categories in September were social networking (21.3 million), search engines (21.3 million), technology (21.3 million), retail and commerce (21.2 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.
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Top image: Liam Martin, Penrith Panthers, NRL 2024 grand finals
According to Ipsos iris September 2024 rankings released today, News Corp Australia reaches four in five online Australians with an audience of 17.833 million.
News Corp is the top Australian news and information publisher in the Organisation category. In video, the company has the largest audience at 5.75 million up 14.3 per cent, with 66 million video views for the month.
In the News category, News Corp Australia is the number one news, information and video publisher with an audience of 14.265 million and 488 million page views – a reach of 34.3 page views per person. In video, the company has the largest audience for news consumption at 2.4 million, with 46 million video views for the month.
News also leads across the following categories:
• Entertainment – audience of 4.848 million and 36 million page views
• Lifestyle – audience of 8.954 million and 136 million page views
• Sport – audience of 6.573 million and 74 million page views
• Travel – audience of 3.108 million and 12 million page views
Managing director and publisher free news and lifestyle Pippa Leary said: “Our network of trusted news and lifestyle sites has extended its reach this month, and importantly we continue to deliver strong engaged reach that drives real results for our advertisers. News Corp Australia’s engagement at scale ensures that campaigns achieve not just brand exposure but deep audience interaction, resulting in real client ROI.”
In the News category, four of News Corp Australia’s brands feature in the top 25 sites. news.com.au has an audience of 11.793 million, and subscription-led sites Herald Sun with an audience of 3.5 million, The Daily Telegraph with an audience of 3.435 million and The Australian with an audience of 2.768 million.
In the Lifestyle category, it has the top two sites, taste.com.au with an audience of 4.452 million followed by news.com.au – Lifestyle with an audience of 4.072 million.
In the Travel news category, news.com.au – Travel has an audience of 2.468 million, followed by Escape.com.au with an audience of 1.176 million, the top two sites in the category.
dentsu has released its 2025 Media Trends report, titled The Year of Impact. This edition, crafted by specialists across Carat, dentsu X, and iProspect, explores the profound changes driven by algorithms, artificial intelligence, and the new dimensions of consumer engagement, expected to shape the media landscape in the upcoming year.
The report details how 2025 will drive toward a fully addressable, shoppable, and accountable media ecosystem, marking a shift into what dentsu defines as the “Algorithmic Era of Media.” With over 40 pages of in-depth insights, the report outlines how brands can harness this new media environment to drive tangible impact and growth.
“The rapid integration of AI across the media value chain has transformed how brands interact with consumers, marking the beginning of The Algorithmic Era, where real world value creation moves beyond experimentation,” says Will Swayne, global practice president, media, dentsu.
“The 2025 report is a toolkit for brands seeking to thrive in this new era, offering strategic guidance on leveraging niche communities, connected television, and next-level retail media.”
According to the 2025 Media Trends report, the key themes poised to drive the industry forward include:
1. “AI Moves From Potential to Actual Impact. AI has evolved from a nascent trend to a transformative force, embedding itself in daily life and revolutionizing media planning, content creation, and consumer interaction. AI-generated micro-moments and the rise of dynamic personalization are opening new doors for brands to build deep, meaningful connections with consumers.”
2. “Storytelling Breaks Through the Algorithmic Bubble. Niche interests and deep fandoms are becoming invaluable assets for brands looking to stand out. Storytelling will be the primary tool for brands to navigate the increasingly algorithm-driven media space, creating impactful narratives across connected television and digital platforms.”
3. “Retail Reshapes Media. Retail media continues to grow at a double-digit rate, offering advertisers access to unparalleled shopper data. With key players like Amazon, Walmart, and even the finance industry expanding their ad capabilities, the retail-media fusion is set to become a cornerstone of media strategies.”
4. “The Quest for Quality. As media investments increase, so does the demand for higher- quality engagement. Brands must prioritize strategic partnerships and premium content to cut through the noise, ensuring their media dollars drive both immediate results and long-term brand equity.”
5. “Unevenly Distributed Future. As technology and media consumption habits evolve unevenly across regions, brands will need to adopt hyper-localized strategies. Regulatory, economic, and technological divides are reshaping the global media landscape, and brands must be prepared to navigate these complexities.”
Leo Burnett has been appointed by ANZ as its new lead creative agency partner in Australia.
Incumbent agency Special Australia withdrew from the bank’s creative agency pitch in August, which left Leo Burnett to beat other shortlisted agencies including dentsu, The Monkeys, and BMF.
ANZ said the partnership with the creative agency represents “a pivotal moment” in the ongoing evolution of its agency ecosystem, as it “works to enhance its brand presence and drive strategic growth through innovative marketing initiatives.”
ANZ general manager, marketing, Sian Chadwick said: “We are delighted to partner with Leo Burnett. Their previous track record in developing outstanding work and deep understanding of our industry make them an ideal partner to help us achieve our growth objectives.”
She continued: “Leo Burnett’s exceptional strategic and creative capabilities, as well as their collaborative approach stood out to ANZ through the tender process. The agency’s alignment with ANZ’s vision underscores the bank’s commitment to delivering compelling marketing initiatives that resonate with a diverse customer base in an increasingly competitive environment.”
The partnership will commence immediately.
Leo Burnett CEO, Clare Pickens said: “It’s a privilege to be selected as ANZ’s creative agency partner, which represents a new chapter for Leo Burnett in Australia. This collaboration provides a unique opportunity to leverage our strategic and creative expertise and support ANZ’s brand evolution. We are excited to work closely with ANZ to develop innovative and impactful work.”
ANZ thanked The Special Group for their “dedication and high-quality work since 2021” and all agencies involved in the tender for their “professionalism, engagement, time and effort.”
Special originally won the ANZ account in 2021 after a four-way shoot-out against CHEP, Hero, and incumbent TBWA\Melbourne.TBWA had held the ANZ account for 10 years, producing work like the Cannes-winning GAYTMs.
TBWA\Melbourne went on to win the creative account for another big four bank, NAB.
Val Morgan Digital has announced a strategic partnership with Vudoo, an award-winning commerce media platform.
This partnership empowers Val Morgan Digital to enhance its content and media assets, enabling advertisers with advanced commerce media capabilities that power instream shoppable experiences for consumers and measurable outcomes for brands.
Val Morgan Digital’s brands, including BuzzFeed, LADbible Group, POPSUGAR, The Latch and Fandom, reach 9.1 million in total audience.
By leveraging Vudoo’s commerce-driven technology, which allows consumers to transact directly at the point of inspiration without leaving the site, advertisers can capitalise on this audience’s intent to shop, driving higher conversion and improved outcomes.
Additionally, Vudoo captures powerful intent signals and provides closed-loop attribution, enabling Val Morgan Digital to understand deeper consumer interactions to inform and optimise future campaigns and business strategies.
“We are thrilled to partner with Vudoo to bring interactive video advertising to our clients,” said Brian Florido, managing director at Val Morgan Digital.
“Our audience is highly engaged and ready to shop, with 3 in 4 users looking to our brands for product recommendations, making them the ideal target for Vudoo’s conversion-driven solutions.”
Nick Morgan, founder and CEO of Vudoo, said the partnership reflects the growing momentum in the commerce media space.
“As consumers demand more interactive, transactional experiences, Val Morgan Digital is perfectly positioned to capitalise on these trends with Vudoo’s technology.
“Together, Val Morgan Digital and Vudoo can deliver more effective and impactful campaigns that drive tangible results while also capturing invaluable intent signals, helping advertisers optimise their strategies and enhance future actions,” Morgan said.
“We’re excited to partner with Val Morgan Digital, one of Australia’s most innovative and forward- thinking digital content publishers. Their authority in addressing diverse passion points is undeniable. By integrating Vudoo’s commerce-driven ad products, designed to elevate consumer engagement and deliver measurable outcomes for brands, Val Morgan Digital can deliver deeper storytelling that convert engagement into action, especially among their primary audience,” said Drew Perry, managing director at Vudoo Asia Pacific.
iD Collective (iD), the communications, PR, influencer and events agency, is merging with creative, media and digital agency Noisy Beast Group.
This merger makes the group one of the largest independently owned communications agencies in Australia and New Zealand, with offices across Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Singapore and experienced staff in all other states.
The group will boast a team of more than 100 staff and billings of more than $120M.
Both iD Collective and Noisy Beast are experiencing a fast growth trajectory each attributes to the focus they put on maximising client investment. The unique symbiotic model ensures that the client’s dollar is always invested in the areas that deliver maximum return.
Both businesses bring extensive experience across categories, including automotive, financial services, education, property, retail, fashion, beauty, lifestyle, sport, travel and FMCG, with an underlying philosophy of ‘Doing the right things for the right reasons together,
David Brown, group managing director, said: “Amanda and I have known each other for many years after both working client side in marketing together. Having both come from marketing backgrounds, we know that the primary focus must always be about finding creative ways to deliver ROI for our clients. I am really excited about this merge of skill sets as it enables us to deliver a truly unique and holistic experience to our clients and helps us find even more ways of Giving Brands a Bigger Voice
“Our unique model ensures our clients get all the strategic thinking across all the communications channels, without having to or manage it. It’s the starting point, the pivot point for our recommendations, managed seamlessly through a single point of contact. Adding the communications disciplines of iD will be incredibly powerful,” he added.
Amanda Booth, co-founder and director of iD, said: “The highly anticipated and exciting merge between the two agencies presents an incredible opportunity to bring the success of both our passions under one roof. Being an Independent agency gives us the advantage of continuing to have that agility and speed to market, ensuring we are both efficient and effective.
“Importantly our clients will now be able to tap into all that amazing creative thinking and media power that a large multinational agency offers, without having to pay the higher agency fees associated with those agency models.”
The merge will bring together a formidable and experienced team – Ben Lynch, Murray Bransgrove, Mary Morton, Amanda Booth and David Brown.
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Top image: iD and Noisy Beast teams
Bench Media has unveiled its comprehensive commerce and retail media offering.
The independent media agency’s new offering includes advanced tools to connect online and offline activities as much as technology and data compliance allow, ensuring a cohesive and seamless brand experience for customers.
Anthony Fargeot, VP of growth at Bench Media, said: “We’ve seen retail brands struggling to unify their marketing efforts, especially across different Retail Media Networks and other marketing activities. The fragmentation, coupled with data privacy hurdles, often leaves brands without a clear picture of what’s working.
“Our new offering addresses this, providing access to Retail Media Networks and advertising channels that support every phase of the customer journey, from awareness to purchase—whether online or in-store.”
Fargeot continued: “Tracking an individual’s entire customer journey may not yet be fully achievable. However, brands can now leverage tools such as brand lift studies, closed-loop attribution, and path-to-conversion analysis to make more informed decisions.
“Retail Media doesn’t have to operate in isolation, and brands that integrate these insights will definitely gain a competitive advantage,” he concluded.
Australian juice brand nudie has partnered with Bench has seen great results thanks to the omnichannel approach in combination with attention-grabbing creative from Lionize.
Through integrating digital channels like social media with precision-targeted out-of-home advertising near key supermarket locations, nudie has effectively engaged shoppers at pivotal moments. This omnichannel strategy has further solidified nudie’s position in the competitive retail landscape.
Emilie Durand, head of brand marketing (Juice) at nudie said: “nudie is a much-loved Aussie brand, but we always want to remind people what the brand offers. Bench’s omnichannel approach has helped us transform our marketing efforts into a seamless customer experience.
“By connecting digital and physical touchpoints, we’re not just reaching our audience—we’re guiding them from awareness to action, turning everyday moments into brand opportunities and our customer’s grocery run into a nudie run.”
The new offering follows the recent promotions of Sebastian Diaz to head of media innovation and Nate Vella to brand strategy lead, both pivotal roles designed to strengthen Bench’s media and strategy service capabilities and reflect the agency’s commitment to delivering tailored, cutting-edge solutions for its expanding client portfolio.
See also: Bench Media promotes Sebastian Diaz and Nate Vella
Loan Morris has launched ABL Digital Media, a new independent media agency focused on removing the complexity from digital marketing, making it fair, transparent and simple, to help businesses understand and optimise their media campaigns and achieve sustainable growth.
ABL Digital Media is the result of a restructure of Morris’s previous Australian agency, 27 Degrees Media. ABL will sit alongside and work in tandem with 27 Degrees Media in France, offering clients services in both the Australian and European markets. Although the Australian and French agencies are two separate entities, some services are shared.
Led by Morris as founder and CEO, the agency’s initial clients include Allen & Unwin Australia and New Zealand, Collins Booksellers, Anglicare SA, and Anytime Fitness (seven franchisees).
ABL Digital Media has appointed an experienced team of digital specialists, including Rena Allain as head of operations and client services director, Kristy Paredes as digital media manager, and Hemanth Madappa as analytics and reporting specialist. In addition to the Australian-based team, the agency also has an extensive team based in Europe to assist on global campaigns including a head of web development and AI services.
The name ABL Digital Media demonstrates that the agency is ‘ABL’ to achieve anything, as well as representing a clear, straightforward approach, aligning with the agency’s emphasis on transparency.
The agency offers a full-funnel marketing approach, including media planning, content creation, SEO, SEM, social media management, and reporting. A consultative process is applied to ensure campaigns are tailored to each client’s unique needs, with a focus on delivering return on investment.
Morris said: “ABL Digital Media is our new brand for the Australian market with the ability to offer cross-market expertise with our extensive experience in handling multi-country campaigns, particularly in Europe and Australia. Our key focus is on transparency and client collaboration, providing impressive ROI and clear communication throughout a campaign’s lifecycle.”
“I’m really proud to say we are one of the only indie boutique agencies with a global footprint and on the ground support in the European market. We are able to take an Australian business with ecommerce opportunities to the huge European market, while still utilising a local team and a unified approach. We have advanced knowledge in European data and privacy regulations giving us an edge in Australia and are passionate about delivering growth for our clients.”
Kristen Deane, Anglicare SA head of marketing and communications, said: “We are excited to partner with Loan and the team at ABL Digital Media. Their innovative approach and expertise will help us to elevate our brand and engage our audience in meaningful ways.
“The team not only understands the digital landscape but also knows how to translate complex ideas into impactful solutions for all of Anglicare’s business units. We are already benefiting from this partnership and look forward to continuing to work together in the future.”
After moving to Australia from her native France in 2006, Morris has enjoyed a successful 17-year career in media and was previously CEO of inc. Digital Media. Morris was also CEO of Impulse Screen Media, which acquired inc. Digital Media in 2020 where she led the growth strategy and commercial operations for the agency before becoming their CEO. She has also worked with ARN as Commercial Director.
Morris divides her time between France and Australia working closely with clients. She said: “I believe in running the business collaboratively. While I manage the daily business operations, I make it a point to empower my team and give them the trust and autonomy they need to grow alongside the agency. It’s important to me that each person feels acknowledged, rewarded, and as deeply invested in our mission as I am.
“Our clients value the unique advantage we bring through our global insights from Europe and Australia. Managing teams across different time zones is no challenge but we’ve proven it works seamlessly. You just need mutual trust, great communication tools and collaborative systems.
“As a working mother who balances multiple roles, I’ve learned to approach challenges with efficiency and a positive attitude, showing that anything is possible with the right mindset.”
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Top image: Loan Morris
Uber Australia has collected over 80,000kgs of clothes were donated across the country in six hours, across Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane, following its 2024 Red Cross Clothing Drive campaign across earned and social media channels over the weekend.
The campaign, lead by Poem, featured Selling Sunset star Chrishell Stause as a ‘Professional Selling Expert’ to encourage Aussies to donate, not sell their unused quality outfits this year.
The creative was particularly poignant given Stause and her castmates are renowned for donning iconic – yet highly impractical – fashion looks when selling properties on their reality TV show. In the social-led campaign assets, Stause admitted her on screen looks are not suitable for everyday life and usually end up being donated to avoid taking up valuable wardrobe real estate.
Local research commissioned as part of the campaign reveals Stause is no different to 84% of Australians, who currently have over $20 billion worth of perfectly good quality clothing sitting untouched in their wardrobes that could be collected from doorsteps for free this Saturday by Uber.
“In it’s sixth year now, Uber’s annual Clothing Drive for Australian Red Cross has a strong legacy, and the quantity of donations this campaign drives every year is just phenomenal,” Nicole Bardsley, head of marketing for Uber ANZ, said.
“We’re proud to be able to use our tech for good, but this year we wanted to take things a step further by encouraging Australians not just to donate quantity – but quality too.”
“People often sell their quality clothes, which means charities like Red Cross are left with lower quality, harder-to-resell donations. Chrishell was the perfect ambassador to communicate that message for us – she has an authentic connection to the cause and a wardrobe filled with high quality clothes ready to be donated. Plus her rising cultural cachet in Australia has earned this campaign the attention it deserves.”
Kira Reed, director of marketing and communications at Australian Red Cross, said: “The success of this Clothing Drive goes beyond the numbers; it signifies a collective commitment to supporting communities in need.”
“We are grateful for the multi-year partnership with Uber that has allowed us to reach new heights and make a significant difference. The Australian community is a generous one, and despite cost of living placing constraints on some people’s ability to financially donate, they’ve dug deep and their pre-loved clothes will now contribute to successfully helping those in need.”
The integrated campaign was led by Poem driving strategy, creative and publicity, alongside Hello Social leading an influencer program and Essence MediaCom supporting with paid media.
“We recognised the importance of this legacy campaign, we needed a strategic concept that would not just capture the attention of Australia, but more importantly, change the way Aussies donate to the Red Cross,” Katie Raleigh, managing partner at Poem said.
“Uber is synonymous with choosing culturally-relevant talent and approached us with an ambitious goal to repeat success again, but with an earned-first approach at the heart of the idea. Our team was dedicated to uncover a talent that was connected to Australian culture but also related to a ‘donate better’ attitude and had their own authentic story to tell which allowed us to leverage across earned, owned and paid channels effectively.”
As part of the initiative, Chrishell is donating – not selling – some of her own iconic looks from the show, which are now available in Red Cross boutiques around Australia. She says giving back is important to her, as she was supported by Red Cross as a child growing up in the United States. The funds raised from sales of Chrishell’s donations, alongside the rest of Australia’s, will support vulnerable Australian communities impacted by the cost of living and natural disasters.
CREDITS:
Client: Uber
Director of Marketing, APAC: Andy Morley
Head of Marketing, ANZ: Nicole Bardsley
Marketing Manager, ANZ: Sally Luff
PR & Communications Lead, ANZ: Claire McAdam
Project Manager: Anna Viney
Social Media Lead, ANZ: Chanelle Murray
Social Media Associate ANZ: Haley Evirgen
Creative Director, APAC: Adam Ledbury
Marketing Manager – Influencers, Dan Greenberg
Client: Australian Red Cross
Director of Marketing & Communications: Kira Reed
Marketing Manager, Catherine Frohlich
Head of Marketing, Partnerships and Philanthropy: Natalia Meyer
Senior Manager, Social, Media & External Engagement: Lilly Ward
Strategy, Creative & Publicity: Poem
Founder: Rob Lowe
Managing Partner: Katie Raleigh
General Manager: Rhania Farah
Creative Director: Jessica Cluff
Executive Director, Strategy & Social: Alex Watts
Senior Account Director: Chelsea Wright
Senior Account Manager: Robbie Purcell
Account Manager: Vanessa Chamoun
Senior Account Executive: Georgia Tiernan
Account Executive: Lauren Duncan
Media agency: EssenceMediacom
Cordelia Ong – Marketplace Coordinator
Noelle Wang – Marketplace Associate Manager
Indy Duane – Marketplace Executive
Aly Rodrigo – Marketplace Associate Director
Alice Johnson – Planning Director
Lucy Woodland – Associate Strategy Director
Matt Leahy – Digital Director
Nathaniel Thompson – Client Partner
Influencer: Hello Social
Director of Client Experience: Madeline Marovino
Account Director: Nathan Bramley
Senior Account Manager: Charlotte Shackley
Senior Account Director for Talent & PR, Jessica Campion
Production:
Director: Jessica Cluff (Poem)
Producer: Hattie Morgan (Poem)
Producer: Saba Abraha
Co-Director/DOP: Olivia McCary
First Assistant Camera: Jennifer Hook
Sound: Joshua Reyes
Lighting: Weiland Kurt
Stills Photographer: Jason Kent
Talent lead: Sarah Kennedy
Stylist: Elizabeth Meredith
Hair: Brandin Palestino
Makeup: Nova Kaplan
Editors: Nick Sullivan and Nic Venettacci
Grade: Scott Maclean (More Better)
Online: Carve & Stitch
Audio post:
Sound Designer: Electric Sheep Music
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Top image: Chrishell Stause
Thinkerbell has unveiled Aware Super’s latest work, ‘Super Helpful’, which aims to connect with Australians approaching retirement.
The campaign shines a light on the evolving nature of retirement – a shift from what it once was to people having to find a new rhythm of living as they approach retiring.
Sally Gross, Aware Super’s head of brand, said: “Aware Super, is the Super Helpful retirement fund. This new work puts a focus on people approaching retirement and highlights the fact that they can keep earning even when retired with Aware Super.”
“Not many Aussie’s are aware of this, so we’re keen to help as many as we can, have their best possible retirement. We’re really proud of this work and how it represents and reimagines retirement for this cohort,” Jo Elford, senior manager brand at Aware Super, added.
Belle Thompson, head thinker at Thinkerbell, said: “We’ve developed a strong platform in ‘Super Helpful’, and we’re really proud of this new work we’ve created together with the team at Aware Super. Building off the platform, and staying true to our use of distinctive brand assets, or Sam as we like to call them, the new work helps people navigate their new retirement needs.”
The Rhythm of Retirement work rolls out across TV, OOH, radio and more.
The launch of Thinkerbell’s Super Helpful campaign with Aware Super comes after the creative agency and Australian Avocados (Hort Innovation) teamed up to mark King Charles III tour of Australia to launch a commemorative avocado spoon and holder.
Australian Avocados and Thinkerbell has created a limited edition commemorative avocado spoon and holder to mark King Charles III visit to Australia. The campaign launch comes in light of the recent revelation that His Majesty enjoys half an avocado for lunch every day to stay fit for his royal duties.
Credits
Client: Aware Super
Agency: Thinkerbell
Media: Atomic 212
Production Partner: MOFA
Sound & Music: Rumble Studios
Edit: ARC Edit
Animation: Cadre Pictures
Last Wednesday, on World Bread Day, Bread (a Social Commerce agency) gathered 60+ people, including clients, journalists, partners, and friends, to celebrate its second birthday.
The business, co-founded by Mary Proulx and Amaury Treguer, has experienced notable growth in the past couple of years with a roster of client partners including P&O Cruises, Zambrero, Modibodi, Peter Lehmann Wines, Connect Hearing…and a team that continues to expand. The celebrations were a way of thanking the many people who have supported Bread since its inception.
In June, Bread agency made four new hires, bolstering the existing team of three at the time
Former creative content lead at Havas Red Talya Kaplan joined as content lead. With over 10 years of experience in design and content creation, Kaplan’s portfolio of brands includes Toyota, Nikon, NIVEA, Sunrice, Roche, Abbvie and UCB.
After a year of freelancing for multiple agencies and clients, Katie Moon joined the team from Aruga as social creative. She has over 10 years of agency and in-house experience. Moon has led campaigns for clients including Aspen, Beko, Caravanning Queensland, Brisbane City Council, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services, and University of Queensland.
Carla Woodhouse comes from Mamamia’s content and influencer agency SQUAD, where she was social media manager. Woodhouse has worked with brands such as Amazon Prime Video, CommBank, Donut King, Campari Group, Coles, Johnson & Johnson, Google, Optus, Samsung, and Tourism Whitsundays.
Scarlett Govey joined the agency in July as senior account director.
GM Specialty Vehicles (GMSV) have partnered with MIK Studio and MBCS for the new Corvette campaign, which pays tribute to the car brand’s driver-centric experience, blending nostalgia with the innovative spirit that defines the brand.
The campaign aims to captivate Corvette enthusiasts and new customers alike, turning the excitement around this iconic vehicle range up to 11. It spotlights the all-new Corvette E-Ray and its integration into GM Specialty Vehicles existing lineup of Stingray and Z06 models.
It features a reimagined version of the iconic ’90s track “Love Is All Around”—this time reinvented as “Vette Vette Vette”, an obvious play on the vehicles’ name. The song underscores the intimate connection between driver and machine, capturing the emotional bond shared behind the wheel and in the cockpit. Set against the backdrop of Corvette’s three models—the E-Ray, Stingray, and Z06—the music elevates the experience of performance, precision, and passion that each Corvette brings to life, both on the road and the track.
MIK Studio collaborated with local artist; Taras Hrubyj-Piper, to create a fresh yet nostalgic version of the iconic song, amplifying the emotional connection between the Corvette and its drivers. Because, after all, no great show is complete without the perfect soundtrack and sound effects.
“We wanted to capture that instant connection between driver and machine – the moment your fingers grip the wheel and the surge that flows through to your toes as your foot hits the accelerator. It’s more than just driving; it’s a love story between driver and machine,” Shanan Goldring, creative director at MBCS, said.
Trent Peppercorn, head of Melbourne, said: “The Corvette lineup brought to you by GMSV is more than just the next generation – it’s next level. This is the first time we’ve advertised Corvette in Australia and New Zealand, and we wanted to both give a nod to our loyal Corvette fan base and send an invitation to new drivers; giving them permission to share their love of the drive through this digital first campaign. Loyalists love their supercar, like really love them, it’s visceral.
“Our strategy was to demonstrate the juxtaposition between raucous power and refined innovative performance that puts a song in the hearts of every driver. It’s a feeling that grows stronger every time they’re behind the wheel.
“Filmed at the Lang Lang proving ground and in suburban Melbourne, the spot showcases both the ultimate track experience and the versatility of inner-city driving, balancing personality and performance while spotlighting the entire Corvette lineup,” Peppercorn added.
Ty Linegar, executive producer of MIK Studio, said: “Working with the MBCS team is always a pleasure. Their unique creative vision paired with the visceral raw power of the new Corvette range meant our team had an incredibly fun brief to work with.
“Great car films are always about that rhythm and flow. We had a great opportunity here to play with a music video style, capturing the fluid dance of an incredible star vehicle with a magnetic performance from our cast,” Jolyon Watkins, director, added.
Credits
Creative Agency: MBCS
Managing Director – Olivia Warren
General Manager – Marshall Campbell
Creative Director – Shanan Goldring
Creative – Jacob Abi-Arrage
Head of Melbourne – Trent Peppercorn
Head of Strategy – Toby Maclachlan
Senior Account Manager – Kylie Searle
Senior Designer – Plinio Nitzsche
Designer – Dylan Watt
Client: General Motors ANZ
General Manager Marketing & Communications, GM Specialty Vehicles – Jodie Lennon
Marketing Specialist – GM Specialty Vehicles – Emily Asta
Marketing Director, GM ANZ- Heath Walker
Digital Marketing Manager, GM ANZ – Cameron Farrant
Product Marketing Manager, GM ANZ – Gervee Sarmiento
Production Partner – MIK Studio
Director – Jolyon Watkins
Executive Producer – Ty Linegar
Senior Producer – Alan Robinson
Producer – Lauren Cooper
Production Manager – Juliet Smith
Cinematographer – Richard Kendall
Composer – Dylan Adams/ Taras Hrubyj-Piper
Sound Design – Bang Bang Studios
Edit – Mr Fox
The In-House Agency Council (IHAC) has opened entries for the 2025 IHAC Awards, celebrating the best of in-house creative work across Australia and New Zealand, and introduced two new categories.
This year’s new categories are; Award for Good, recognising impactful work in sustainability and social causes, and Rising Star Award, designed to spotlight emerging talent with less than five years’ experience.
Abby Blackmore, former Head of DuluxGroup’s in-house team and now head of IHAC, said: “Having spent years running in-house teams, I’ve seen first hand the incredible creativity and impact they can deliver.
“Since launching in 2022, the IHAC Awards have gained significant momentum and this year’s new categories really showcase the diversity of work in-house teams are producing.
Blackmore added: “I’m particularly excited to see submissions that make a positive impact on their communities as well as those highlighting fresh, emerging talent. It’s an exciting time for in-house agencies and the 2025 Awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate these achievements.”
The growth in the awards program reflects IHAC’s broader expansion, as the shift towards in-house creative setups gains momentum. Recent IHAC data reveals that 78% of marketers now operate some form of in-house agency, with in-house teams managing on average 70% of creative work—a significant reversal from two years ago, when external agencies held the majority share. The awards are now open to New Zealand in-house teams as IHAC continues to look at the broader Australasian landscape.
IHAC has recently welcomed major brands such as Foxtel, Kraft Heinz, Bupa, ANZ, Reflections Holiday Parks, Movember, and Nutra Organics to its expanding network, in line with this trend.
Blackmore added: “The data shows us that in-house agencies are truly at the forefront of creativity and are becoming the go-to for brands wanting greater control and alignment. As we continue to grow, the 2025 IHAC Awards will showcase the outstanding work these teams are achieving across Australia and New Zealand. Leading IHAC through this period of growth is an exciting opportunity and I look forward to supporting and celebrating this evolution.”
See also: ‘Real thought leadership’: A day of insights and ideas from the 2024 In-House Agency Council summit
Nine’s 9News recorded a total TV national reach of 1,952,000, a total TV national audience of 1,207,000, and a BVOD audience of 98,000.
Nine’s The Block recorded a total TV national reach of 2,033,000, a total TV national audience of 1,102,000, and a BVOD audience of 167,000.
Seven’s My Kitchen Rules recorded a total TV national reach of 1,642,000, a total TV national audience of 874,000, and a BVOD audience of 77,000.
Also on Seven, Seven News recorded a total TV national reach of 2,145,000, a total TV national audience of 1,334,000, and a BVOD audience of 66,000.
10’s Have You Been Paying Attention? recorded a total TV national reach of 1,205,000, a total TV national audience of 729,000, and a BVOD audience of 30,000.
Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 785,000
• National Audience: 491,000
• BVOD Audience: 102,000
Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV nation reach: 571,000
• National Audience: 333,000
• BVOD Audience: 35,000
Seven’s My Kitchen Rules:
• Total TV nation reach: 514,000
• National Audience: 260,000
• BVOD Audience: 42,000
10’s Have You Been Paying Attention?:
• Total TV nation reach: 544,000
• National Audience: 342,000
• BVOD Audience: 18,000
Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 336,000
• National Audience: 209,000
• BVOD Audience: 59,000
Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV nation reach: 218,000
• National Audience: 118,000
• BVOD Audience: 18,000
Seven’s My Kitchen Rules:
• Total TV nation reach: 240,000
• National Audience: 110,000
• BVOD Audience: 23,000
10’s Have You Been Paying Attention?:
• Total TV nation reach: 210,000
• National Audience: 131,000
• BVOD Audience: 9,000
Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,587,000
• National Audience: 869,000
• BVOD Audience: 135,000
Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,720,000
• National Audience: 1,086,000
• BVOD Audience: 53,000
Seven’s My Kitchen Rules:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,312,000
• National Audience: 713,000
• BVOD Audience: 61,000
10’s Have You Been Paying Attention?:
• Total TV nation reach: 944,000
• National Audience: 577,000
• BVOD Audience: 24,000
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.
Earlier this year, Meta said it would not renew the agreements it reached with publishers (including Nine Entertainment Co, publisher of The Australian Financial Review) in 2021, after the government introduced a bargaining code to force the tech giants to financially support journalism. Meta and Google have paid more than $200 million a year to publishers over the past three years.
But the Labor-backed committee said Meta’s refusal to renegotiate its deals showed the code “is broken and should be replaced with alternative revenue mechanisms, such as a levy system, on the broader operations of the digital platforms”. The Greens and the Coalition were even more strident in their criticism of the tech giants.
Meta responded predictably, declaring the committee’s recommendations “ignore the realities of how our platforms work, the preferences of the people who use them, and the value we provide news publishers who choose to post their content on our platforms”.
A Labor-controlled committee into social media released a second interim report late on Monday, focusing on Meta’s decision to abandon deals struck under Australia’s landmark News Media Bargaining Code.
The committee found the law, which was introduced by the Coalition government in 2021 and has transferred $600 million into local media companies over that time, is “broken” and should be supplemented by an alternative, like a levy. A spokeswoman for Meta insisted its platforms deliver value for news outlets without any further payment.
Former Morgan Stanley boss James Gorman will take charge as chairman of media major Disney next year and his first job will be to find a replacement for two-time chief executive Bob Iger.
The Morgan Stanley boss delivered a textbook succession when he retired from his former bank last year.
Gorman had been in the role for 14 years and had rebuilt the Wall Street bank from a lender which was reeling from crisis during the GFC to a safer, confident bank of scale.
The obsessive Collingwood fan left Melbourne in the 1980s to make it in New York and quickly found his way in banking.
Gorman grew up in Glen Iris and studied law at Melbourne University. He recalled, during a speech last year, how he financed a career change by borrowing $40,000 at an interest rate of 24 per cent to study business at Columbia University in New York.
The Investigation of the Year award went to The Australian’s media team – led by James Madden, Sophie Elsworth and Liam Mendes – for their groundbreaking coverage of sexual harassment and abuse allegations at Nine.
Madden singled out for thanks the many unnamed sources at Nine who worked with the team to bring the story to light. Since that toxic culture was exposed by The Australian, many of the most senior figures at Nine have left the company, not least chairman Peter Costello, who shoved Mendes and knocked him to the ground at Canberra airport as he was being questioned about the scandal. For that encounter, and for a series of video reports from as far afield as Ukraine and Israel to the back streets of Alice Springs, Mendes also won the Visual Journalism of the Year award.
The Australian itself won the award for News Brand of the Year, capping off a remarkable 60th anniversary year for the newspaper. Editor-in-chief Michelle Gunn highlighted the energy and excitement the paper’s younger journalists brought to the newsroom.
Dear, who took over from former news boss Darren Wick in May, sent the email at 8.29pm AEDT on Monday. In the three days prior, The Australian had repeatedly asked her – with no response – as to why she had failed to address the news division about the report’s devastating findings, nor sought to discuss ongoing concerns with her staff.
The independent review was originally set up to focus on Nine’s news and current affairs division but was later expanded to include the entire company and found there was widespread misconduct.
Dear is yet to schedule an all-staff meeting to discuss the findings of the independent report compiled by workplace consulting firm Intersection.
She told Nine’s broadcast division on Monday night: “I wanted to say how proud I have been at the professionalism you’ve all displayed in the telling of this incredibly painful story last week and how you’ve handled yourselves since the release of the report.
“You have continued to deliver high-quality journalism despite what we are going through as a team and a broader business.”
See also: Fiona Dear says 9News looking to extend longest winning streak in a decade
Attica in Ripponlea will host reviewers from The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy on Tuesday night, part of a tour around the country showcasing Australia’s food scene.
It comes after Shewry called such lists “oppressive” in his memoir, Uses For Obsession.
Tourism Australia has organised the itinerary, which was supposed to include Melbourne’s Reine & La Rue, part of Nomad Group, before it was dropped following its owner Alan Yazbek’s arrest for holding a Nazi sign at a pro-Palestinian protest this month.
Instead, the group will dine at Attica, just hours after visiting Andrew McConnell’s Gimlet in the CBD.
The critics were flown to Australia on business class flights, paid for by Tourism Australia. The itinerary was carefully crafted and developed to showcase Australia’s food, drink and produce across Melbourne, Sydney and Hobart, this masthead was told.
Stanley, 51, largely enjoyed her time in commercial radio. But she acknowledges that the diverse team of women she has assembled have had their fair share of frustrations.
“I think all of us come from the same experience of feeling like we didn’t matter,” says Stanley, when we meet at St Kilda’s Hotel Esplanade. “We felt we’d been made invisible, or disappeared in ways both small and large.”
Sitting beside her is Tracee Hutchison, 62, one of Australia’s most respected broadcasters and music experts.
“I had the great fortune of starting my career as a very young woman in community radio and then the Sydney version of Triple J, at a time when women had already smashed a lot of those barriers,” says Hutchison, who serves as Broad’s music director and host of its Friday drive show, Fierce. “I was raised in radio by incredible women, but I’ve also experienced a long period of time where that hasn’t existed for me. Had it not been for Jo, I didn’t think I’d ever have worked at this level again.”
The former Home and Away star honed her horse riding skills, brushed up on her fitness and learnt to fight ahead of taking on the role of Susie in new Aussie TV show, Territory.
“I wanted to learn all of the skills that Susie needed to have and wanted to be on location in the outback filming, I wanted to be on the horses, I wanted to be in the cars, I wanted to be in the fights,” Northeast told The Daily Telegraph.
Territory will premiere on Netflix tomorrow (Thursday), telling the story of the Lawson family cattle empire based on fictional Marianne Station.
Northeast and her fellow cast lived on Tipperary Station in the Northern Territory for four weeks during filming, followed by two weeks at Kakadu National Park and the final shoot period in South Australia.
Speaking on The Fox’s Fifi, Fev & Nick on Tuesday, the 50-year-old comedian set the record straight after the Herald Sun reported he’ll be taking on the role of a DS team member.
‘A few people have asked me, but this is the first time I’ve spoken to the media about it because the media didn’t bother to ask me about it at all,’ he said on radio.
‘They just went and wrote it, and I read it, and I was like, “That’s interesting, I didn’t know that.” So that’s news to me.
‘So look, I mean, I’m just waiting for the call now from Channel Seven to tell me that I’ve got the job. But other than that, I don’t have the job. It’s not true.’
Co-host Fifi Box asked Watts if the position ‘was even an option’, to which he replied: ‘No. Not only have I not been spoken to about it, no one has been spoken to about it. It’s never come up.’
‘I don’t know how this came about. Somebody’s obviously had a bit of a laugh,’ he added.
‘It’s unfounded, untrue. I won’t be returning to SAS Australia.’
The NRL has trumpeted remarkable international television ratings for week one of the Pacific Championships, which has provided a massive boost for expansion hopes.
The headline event of the weekend, the Australia v Tonga game, attracted a national reach of 1.54 million on free-to-air, and a total national average of 698,000, as per Voz Data.
But it was the ratings from two rugby league minnows that stunned rugby league executives.
Papua New Guinea’s 22-10 upset win over Fiji at Suva’s HFC Bank Stadium achieved a reach of 839,000 on free-to-air.
It outperformed the second Test between the Wallabies and South Africa in Perth in August and the second Bledisloe Cup match in Wellington.
The second Bledisloe Cup match had a national average of just 283,000. The two-Test Bledisloe national average was 380,000. These figures are based on reach and national average audience and do not include subscription Fox or Stan.
Australia versus Tonga surpassed one million total viewers on free-to-air and subscription, a sharp increase of 49 per cent on the corresponding game last year between the Kangaroos and Samoa.