Warner Bros Discovery has today confirmed the arrival of streaming platform Max in Australia. The news emanated from, of all places, a resort hotel in Bali.

Mediaweek first reported the likelihood of streaming service Max launching in Australia when we spoke with Michael Brooks, GM Australia & New Zealand and managing director, Warner Bros. International Production Australia.

Brooks told us in 2023 that Max could be here soonish, adding “there is no specific timeline for the market launch in Australia however it is not in our plans for 2024”.

That market advice was updated just today at the APOS Conference in Bali. Speaking to delegates from the entertainment industry all over Asia, Singapore-based James Gibbons, president APAC for Warner Bros Discovery, had some news about Max.

“We can confirm we’ll be launching our direct service in Australia in the first half of next year…that’s definitely happening. We have had a longstanding and really important relationship with Foxtel and I think the time has come for us to expand that into the DTC [direct to consumer] space.”

What will Max look like in Australia?

We know there will be plenty of big ticket content from across the major Warner Bros Discovery brands. Including HBO of course for content that might not already be tied up in a rights deal.

Speaking to Mediaweek 12 months ago, Brooks gave us some insights into how Max would operate here.

“If Max launches here, we will also be [making] a lot of content for Max. But we won’t be the only local production company making content for Max. It will be able to access the best of the best content available. For the service to work, it has to have access to the best content.”

Brooks also commented on how keen WBD would be to support a local content quota system.

“If we launch Max we will be connected to a large streaming service and we will look at that and how we can support local production. There needs to be some sort of system in place that is not too onerous.”

Would WBD JV with a local partner for Max?

While Gibbons has asserted it’s all systems go for a Max launch with the next nine months, there is plenty of detail yet to be resolved.

His comments suggested today the business might consider a partnership here.

Gibbons did single out Foxtel for being a great partner. Could WBD and Foxtel both take a stake in Max, or maybe WBD might engage Foxtel to manage the venture, without giving up equity?

Any JV could be complicated by the fact that Foxtel is currently looking for an offer to sell the TV business. Or perhaps that might help a partnership proposal.

One model that might work here is what happened with Max in Japan. The brand actually launched in Japan today, labelled as Max on U-Next. It is available as a branded environment, with its own user interface, within the Japanese streaming platform U-Next. Could something work like that with Foxtel?

In Japan, Max on U-Next offers over 16,000 episodes of over 2,500 titles from WBD’s entertainment brands, including HBO, Harry Potter, the DC universe, Warner Bros, Cartoon Network, Discovery Channel and Animal Planet.

See also: Warner Bros. Discovery on local production plans and possible Max launch date

Mediaweek yesterday reported comments made by Singapore-based James Gibbons (pictured above), president APAC for Warner Bros Discovery (WBD), about the launch of Max in Australia.

“We can confirm we’ll be launching our direct service in Australia in the first half of next year; that’s definitely happening,” said Gibbons.

If WBD owns Max, who will own Foxtel?

Comments made by Gibbons about the partnership with Foxtel have triggered renewed speculation that Max will replace Binge in the market here. It is expected that Warner Bros. Discovery will own Max. But who will own Foxtel?

Gibbons said yesterday: “We have had a longstanding and really important relationship with Foxtel and I think the time has come for us to expand that into the DTC space.

“Partners are really important for us, and in fact, if I think across the region, the discussions we’ve either announced or the discussions that are happening, in every case we continue to work with our key partners to roll out direct-to-consumer streaming. I think that really says a lot about our view of what streaming is in today’s world, and it also says a lot about how partners and aggregators are looking at the business.”

Gibbons made the comments at the APOS conference in Bali yesterday. Also attending APOS this year is Foxtel Group chief executive Patrick Delany.

Gibbons was asked at APOS about bundling and aggregation in the region:

“There has always been a sense of when will aggregation happen, how long can you ask people to choose between so many services and tackle their billing. There is always a question of when that will happen.

“In several markets, the structure of the market makes it difficult to see how that’s going to come together – obviously the US being a great example. In the last 12 months there’s been a number of experiments.

“In the US we’ve done direct streaming bundles now with Disney and Hulu. That’s a signal that the consumer is expecting more simplicity, and whether that is done through more imaginative ways of working with our partners in distribution, or working with other streamers, it’s become clear that everyone is trying to solve the same challenge.”

Max as the Trojan Horse for building WBD consumer brand

While there is plenty of understanding among consumers about the powerful brands that sit inside Warner Bros Discovery, having them showcased on Max in Australia opens up other opportunities for the group.

Gibbons spoke about engaging with fans. “When you have a route to market and you have amazing content and IP that you’ve either built or you’ve worked with others to bring to market, and then you’ve got a fan base, those fan bases consume across a number of touch points. When you add together the value of interaction between a fan and IP, there is more value outside video.

“That means it is so important for us to build on that value. Consumer Products is one, there is an expansion and that’s a big growth area for us in many markets but especially in Japan and China where it’s products, its apparel, it’s characters and all of that.

“One really interesting area is experiences. We traditionally have not operated directly in parks or anything on the ground in that sense, however, that is changing.

Harry Potter Studio Tour in Tokyo

“We launched the Harry Potter Studio Tour in Tokyo last year, which was the first studio tour outside of London, and it’s just blown us away. It’s packed out, there are millions of people going to see the movie sets of the Harry Potter movies, and it’s added a huge dimension to our business in Japan and especially nurtured our fan base, and helped us to grow that Harry Potter fan case and serve them with something new.

“We intend to invest in that and to continue to grow that, and not only with the studio tour; we also have a Harry Potter event coming to Singapore in the fourth quarter.  Outside of Harry Potter we’ve got DC – we are doing Batman day this month, we have the DC reboot coming, and we’ve got a lot of activity in those areas as well as potentially with some of the HBO properties.

“We don’t have a lot of detail today but that is an extremely important third pillar and as our go-to-market plans are put in place it will essentially create a bigger base for us to develop a true experiences business.”

Vinyl Group has executed a binding heads of agreement to acquire Funkified Entertainment Pty Ltd, an end-to-end events and brand activations business founded in 2009.

It has served as The Brag Media’s in-house events arm since 2021 and as a brand activation agency, white-labels for some of the largest advertising and creative houses in Australia.

Vinyl Group will acquire 100% of the issued capital in Funkified Entertainment Pty Ltd in exchange for $1.8M in cash and $200K in shares valued at the 15 day Volume Weighted Average Price (VWAP) of Vinyl Group shares on the ASX for the period immediately preceding the Completion Date.

These shares will be subject to a twelve-month escrow from the date of issue. The cash portion will be paid in two equal tranches of $650K, the first at the Completion Date and the second no later than six months after the Completion Date, with a further $500K deposited into an escrow account as security for 12 months from the Completion Date.

A further $500K in Vinyl Group shares will be paid to the shareholders of Funkified, contingent on Funkified achieving a minimum Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) target of $500,000 in the twelve months following the Completion Date. These shares will also be subject to the above escrow conditions and valued at the fifteen-day Volume Weighted Average Price (VWAP) of Vinyl Group shares on the ASX for the period immediately preceding the issue.

Upon completion, Funkified founder and CEO Gus Stephenson will enter into a full-time employment agreement with Vinyl Group to lead Funkified to achieve its performance goals.

To incentivise performance, Stephenson will receive five million options upon commencing employment with Vinyl Group, vesting in four equal tranches following each subsequent anniversary of his employment and provided his ongoing employment during this Term.

These Options will have a seven-year term and will have an exercise price to be agreed between the Purchaser and Stephenson prior to issue of the Options.

Funkified unaudited revenues for the 2024 financial year amounted to $4.03M, with an EBITDA of $430K. Integrated under The Brag Media operation, Vinyl Group expects to realise immediate margin improvement as a result of this acquisition. Group operational efficiencies will include Funkified managing the Mediaweek events schedule.

Completion is dependent on certain completion deliverables including the buyer giving notice to the Seller that Due Diligence has been completed, obtaining any necessary shareholder, ASX and/or ASIC consents and approvals, and no material adverse changes occurring between now and completion. Completion is expected by no later than 31 December 2024.

Vinyl Group CEO, Josh Simons, said: “The acquisition of Funkified completes our acquisition strategy aimed at fully realising the opportunities identified in The Brag Media business, while improving group company margins, revenue and driving growth.

“Additionally, it accelerates our path to profitability. We look forward to welcoming the Funkified team and working closely together on opportunities to grow.”

Funkified founder and CEO, Stephenson, added: “Following several years of working closely with the incredible team at The Brag Media and Vinyl Group, creating some of the country’s largest and most innovative events and activations, it is an exciting step in our 15-year history to officially join Vinyl Group. We look forward to bringing our expertise and accelerating the growth and profitability of events and activations across the wider organisation.”

Bloomberg to launch new podcast tackling Australian stories: The Bloomberg Australia Podcast

Bloomberg has announced the launch of a new weekly podcast, The Bloomberg Australia Podcast.

It will provide an insider’s look at the biggest business stories affecting Australia, its people and the economy. The series premieres Thursday, September 26 and can be found everywhere podcasts are heard.

In each episode of the podcast, host Rebecca Jones, managing editor of Bloomberg News for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, will convene Bloomberg journalists to dive into one of the biggest business stories affecting Australia from the previous week.

By providing local analysis and global context, they will uncover what each story means for Australia and the world at large. The show will feature Bloomberg journalists based in Australia, including economics reporter Swati Pandey, superannuation and investment reporter Amy Bainbridge and Bloomberg TV anchor Haidi Lun, among a rotating roster of Bloomberg journalists and airs weekly on Thursdays.

“In many ways, Australia is one of the world’s most fascinating business environments – sitting at the intersection of tectonic shifts in markets and geopolitics. The Bloomberg Australia Podcast seeks to provide a new resource for people to go deeper in their understanding of the stories shaping Australian markets every week,” said Rebecca Jones, host of the new podcast.

[Listen here]

Podshape launches new podcast series Deep Fake that investigates AI scams

Last week, Podshape launched a new podcast series. Deep Fake explores how cutting-edge AI technology is being used to deceive and scam people across the globe.

One major story from January 2024 follows a finance worker in Hong Kong who unknowingly transferred over $40 million AUD to fraudsters, after being tricked by a deepfake video of his boss. This shocking scam reveals how AI is blurring the line between reality and deception, with even global companies falling victim.

Upcoming episodes of Deep Fake also ask: Just how easy is it to create a deepfake? With expert insights from Dr. Adrian McCullagh, Ph.D., the show explores the legal ramifications and how AI might rewrite history. Cybercrime investigator Ken Gamble breaks down the Arup scam and how deepfakes are used for serious financial crimes.

The podcast also highlights the disturbing rise of deepfake pornography in Australia, with advocate Noelle Martin sharing her personal fight to change the laws around digital safety and protect victims.

The Deep Fake podcast is available on all major podcast platforms.

[Listen here]

Nova Podcasts strengthens youth reach with two new podcasts

Nova Podcasts has strengthened its reach with 18 to 34-year-old listeners by adding the One Daydream Network’s Just for Girls and Where’s Your Head At? podcasts to its line-up.

Just For Girls is hosted by Australian ‘it’ girls Izzy Armitage and Sam Guggenheimer, who candidly share their experiences navigating life in their twenties, covering everything from relationship dramas and dating to TikTok trends and moving out on their own.

The podcast brings 100,000 monthly Australian downloads and an engaged audience of young listeners and social media followers to the Nova Podcast Network.

Guggenheimer said: “Izzy & I are very excited to now be part of the NOVA family! We started this podcast for girls in their twenties who are figuring out life, just like us. Nothing is sacred – we talk about navigating boys and relationships, girl drama, travelling the globe and juggling all of life’s curveballs in-between.

Where’s Your Head At? was created by Love Island favourites Anna McEvoy and Matt Zukowski after their success as finalists in the 2019 season. Focused on relationships, break-ups, reality TV, trending shows and everything in between, the podcast has become a go-to destination for young listeners seeking laughs, gossip and behind-the-scenes insights. It has roughly 70,000 monthly Australian downloads.

[Read more]

Black T-Shirts Vodcast – Mia Freedman & Nat Harvey

This week, Adam Ferrier and Brent Smart are joined by Mia Freedman, co-founder of Mamamia and Nat Harvey, CEO of Mamamia. Australia’s go-to media hub for women, Mamamia has been serving up empowering, relatable, and unfiltered content on everything from news and pop culture to parenting and personal growth.

In this episode of Black T-Shirts, Co-founder and creative force Mia Freedman leads with her passion for authentic, women-first storytelling, while CEO Nat Harvey details what it takes to run Australia’s largest independent women’s media group.

Sex toys, superannuation and the issues facing some of Australia’s traditional media outlets are discussed in this frank conversation with one of Australia’s most powerful publishing team.

[Listen here]

Malcom Connor will depart UM Australia after 20 years as part of the agency’s structural alignment across IPG Mediabrands.

Anathea Ruys, CEO of UM Australia, explained that the structural alignment is part of the centralisation of operations at an IPG Mediabrands level as the Group continues to work more closely together and as tools, processes and operations across the Group become more standardised to enable agencies to effectively and efficiently scale their business.

Ruys said in a statement: “Malcom has been part of UM’s team for more than 20 years, including leading the Government team for eight years and as MD of Sydney/Canberra for 4 years.

“He has been a wonderful colleague, offering his calm, thoughtful and insightful perspective on all number of topics that have influenced and shaped UM.

“Clients and colleagues alike respect him and he will be sorely missed. I am very sad Mal will be leaving and wish him all the very best in his next stage of his career. He will always be a friend of the agency and a friend of mine,” she added.

Connor first joined UM Australia’s Canberra office in 2004 as group director, where he led the development of media campaigns for the Australian Government.

In 2010, he was promoted to the role of managing director, Canberra and oversaw the overall leadership of the Australian Government Master Media Account.

The following year, he managing director role was expanded to include the Sydney office of UM Australia, during which time he led its transformation and repositioning as to the “creative connections agency” in 2014.

In 2015, he was appointed as chief operating officer of the IPG Mediabrands agency, leading the company through a respectful, constructive, and collaborative style.

As COO, he ensured that UM had the proper operational controls, administrative and reporting procedures, and people systems in place to drive the business’ growth and ensure its financial strength and operating efficiency.

As part of the media agency’s structural alignment, UM has appointed Brittany Crowley as head of investment, Sydney back in July.

–

Top image: Malcom Connor

OzTAM, Australia’s television measurement body has confirmed that Foxtel will no longer be reported in OzTAM datasets, including VOZ for Total TV and VPM (video player measurement), from 31st December 2024.

A statement from OzTAM said:
OzTAM in conjunction with Seven, Nine, Paramount 10, ABC and SBS, remain committed to VOZ as a currency which has also been supported and celebrated by the industry. Free-to-air TV negotiations will be based on VOZ data, commencing from September and OzTAM is also currently evaluating big data opportunities and how this could integrate with VOZ in the future.

Foxtel Media revealed at its 2025 Upfront 12 months ago it was investigating launching its own measurement platform with Kantar Media.

See also: Kaboom – Foxtel Media Upfront announcements destined to shake-up TV sector

Kantar panel progress

Earlier this month, Foxtel Media CEO Mark Frain updated Mediaweek on progress with their panel. Former Foxtel Media exec Murray Love returned to the company to build it. More recently former OzTAM boss Doug Peiffer came on board too as a special advisor.

Foxtel Media will unveil more detail about the measurement system at next month’s Upfront event. But Frain did tell Mediaweek: “We’ve been working tirelessly, primarily on the sport side, to make sure that valuable content is measured accurately and consistently. We did a lot of work with our agency partners over the months leading into the 2024 football seasons.

“It’s been a record-breaking season for both codes. It’s critically important for us to have the big-ticket items of live sport accurately measured.”

See also: Foxtel Media: New platform helping advertisers justify investment decisions

‘It’s unfortunate that Foxtel has decided to leave’

A statement from OzTAM continued:
OzTAM is disappointed by Foxtel’s decision, particularly given the industry’s calls for a collaborative approach and the need for a unified TV audience measurement system. OzTAM remains hopeful, however, that future collaborations may involve Foxtel in some capacity.

OzTAM’s Karen Halligan

OzTAM CEO, Karen Halligan, said: “Despite OzTAM’s best efforts, including presenting Foxtel with several options, it is unfortunate that Foxtel has decided to leave the primary measurement system in favour of exploring an alternative approach.

“We believe the industry as a whole is taking a step backward by not working together as a total video industry. OzTAM has made significant investments in VOZ and other leading technology to measure Total Television including streaming, to support this we have implemented a comprehensive and collaborative industry change management program and we are very pleased it will be the official media currency from 29th December 2024,” she said.

“It is regrettable that Australia will not have a single, universal and independent body able to oversee and process both free-to-air and subscription TV measurement. Additionally, it is regrettable that agencies will no longer have access to a unified data source for evaluating advertising and content performance, despite the industry’s calls for a united, cohesive and comprehensive currency.”

The OzTAM statement concluded:

OzTAM has invested considerably into delivering best practice cross screen measurement, experiencing significant business momentum as a result. It will continue the progression of several key initiatives, as well as the much-anticipated launch of VOZ as trading currency, the launch of Australia’s first solution for enhanced, multi-broadcaster – including SBS On Demand – programmatic BVOD trading in VOZ Streaming, and the progression of data partnerships and technology investments.

Rolling Stone House will open its doors at SXSW Sydney in October, taking over UTS Underground from 16 – 18 October in partnership with American Apparel, Cholula and Vinyl.com.

This year, Rolling Stone House will feature performances from some of Australia’s hottest up-and-coming acts, with the full lineup to be revealed in the coming weeks. SXSW Sydney badge holders will gain priority access to Rolling Stone House.
 
The Rolling Stone House lineup is curated by independent Australian music powerhouses LLA and UNIFIED Music Group, with Hockey Dad, The Grogans, Full Flower Moon Band, and Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers (DJ set) scheduled to perform.

Hockey Dad

Jessica Hunter, head of The Brag Media, said: “After the success of Rolling Stone Courtyard at last year’s inaugural SXSW Sydney, we can’t wait to go even bigger and bolder in 2024 with Rolling Stone House.

“We hope people will come for the incredible music and stay for the vibes across three epic nights of live performances and brand activations. We have an incredible lineup planned, which will be announced over the coming weeks.

Brag Media’s Jessica Hunter

“With the Rolling Stone brand, The Brag Media can deliver world-class activations and performances, bringing together all elements of Australia’s creative scene. Together with American Apparel, Cholula and Vinyl.com, we know that Rolling Stone House will be the party everyone wants to be at this festival.”

The Grogans

Full Moon Flower Band

Dave Hillen, director American Apparel Asia Pacific, said: “Partnering with Rolling Stone at SXSW Sydney is an exciting opportunity for American Apparel to celebrate the convergence of fashion, music and culture.

“This collaboration is a perfect fit for our shared values of creativity, individuality and self-expression. Together, we aim to bring an unforgettable experience to festival-goers, amplifying the spirit of SXSW Sydney.”
 
Megan Brabant, director consumer sales and marketing at McCormick Foods Australia, added: “Cholula Hot Sauce is excited to be part of the upcoming SXSW Sydney for the first time in 2024, exploring a world of innovation and passion linked to the brand’s fiery essence and spicy visual identity.”

Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers (DJ set)

See also: Countdown to SXSW – Commercial opportunities and preview of returning brands for 2024

Recently integrated distribution company Fred Media/Radar has announced a major new partnership with the Seven Network, in which it has acquired over 150 hours of primetime content for international distribution.

The Seven slate, which comprises 12 premium titles from in-demand genres such as reality, home and design, and food, and many with format rights available, will be officially presented to global buyers at MIPCOM next month.

Seven Network content hitting the international market

Instant Hotel is a fascinating look inside the highly competitive world of home accommodation rentals and features big characters, outrageous properties and brutal critiques as hosts swap properties for a night to judge their rivals. Australia’s Cheapest Weddings is a charming look at love on a budget, while Extreme Weddings follows couples looking to say “I do” in a variety of big and bold ways.

Entrepreneur Mark Bouris is The Mentor, helping to turn around small businesses on the brink of collapse. Yummy Mummies is an aspirational and funny reality series that follows four stunning young mums with model good looks and an enviable lifestyle throughout their pregnancies and into the chaotic world of newborn babies. Dr Harry’s Animal Encounters tracks Aussie icon Dr Harry Cooper as he travels around the world and across Australia to bring viewers experiences with some truly spectacular animals.

Johanna Griggs

In Australia’s Amazing Homes, home renovator Johanna Griggs and architect Pete Colquhoun take us into some extraordinary properties and provide insights into some incredible design innovations. The Aussie Property Flippers follows 12 couples betting everything on purchasing, renovating and then – hopefully – selling homes for a profit, while Australia’s Big Backyard, hosted by gardening gurus Jason Hodges and Graham Ross, is an accessible, hands-on series, providing simple tips and advice, plus project suggestions, for anyone interested in making the most of their green spaces.

Hosted by two of Australia’s best-loved TV chefs and food writers, Ed “Fast Ed” Halmagyi and Karen Martini, Ed and Karen’s Recipes for Success features inspiring recipes for all occasions. Zumbo’s Just Desserts sees Australia’s most celebrated pâtissier, Adriano Zumbo, together with British chef Rachel Khoo, putting passionate dessert makes to the test, while Plate of Origin, with food superstars Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan, plus Manu Feildel, challenges teams of home cooks, each representing their cultural heritage, to see whose cuisine is the best.

The set of Zumbo’s Just Desserts

Dealmakers Roger Vanderspikken and Richard Henson

Roger Vanderspikken, head of operations and acquisitions at Fred Media/Radar, said: “I first called Richard Henson at Seven a few years back to start a discussion about content distribution, and I’m delighted that we have now concluded this package that includes more than 150 hours of premium Australian content.

“Our sales team is really excited by this timely addition of so many premium titles to the growing Fred Media/Radar catalogue. Seven Network has a long-standing reputation for producing brilliant, ratings-winning primetime programming with big-name presenters, and we are now honoured to represent these 12 titles, showcasing the very best of Australian content, to international buyers in Cannes. Having format rights for many of these titles is a real bonus too. Strong, simple and compelling formats are much in demand, and we can readily see the huge potential for localised versions of shows such as Instant Hotel and Yummy Mummies.”

Seven’s Richard Henson

Richard Henson, director, distribution & content partnerships at Seven Network, said: “The Fred Media/Radar team has been licensing great Australian content around the world for a number of years and is particularly successful in many of the genres featured in this package. MIPCOM represents a great opportunity to present these titles to the market and I am excited to see the response. Much of Fred Media/Radar’s activity aligns with our strategic vision and I’m confident this new partnership will encourage a strong relationship into the future.”

This new collaboration follows a growing relationship between Seven Network and WTFN, Fred Media/Radar’s parent company. In the past few years, WTFN has produced several series for Seven, which Fred Media/Radar also distributes. These include true crime series The Hunters and Australia’s Most Dangerous Prisoners, Strike Force, an ob-doc cop show filmed by cops, and two seasons of Code 1: Minute By Minute, which dramatically breaks down the some of the biggest and most tragic news events of recent years.

See also: Fred Media signs distribution partnership with ITV Studios Australia

oOh!media is set to expand its Australian Open integration to create innovative moments for tennis fans and brands alike.

The outdoor advertising and media company is offering advertisers deeper brand integration opportunities by blending their creative with Australian Open visuals and live tournament updates with fresh creative templates for brands to integrate their messages with Australian Open content.

oOh! will keep fans up-to-date with pre-game fixtures, live score updates and final match scores, as well as highlighting the best action from the tournament, with full placement exclusivity.

The media company is also expanding the reach of the Australian Open across its digital national out of home network, allowing tennis fans to engage at more locations and touch points throughout the country, including oOh!’s Office, Fly, Street, Road, and Retail environments.

oOh! will also introduce the Australian Open to brand new commuter environments in Sydney, including key locations such as the recently launched Woollahra Council – Australia’s most affluent local government area, Sydney Metro, and the Martin Place Retail precinct.

These new placements offer brands unprecedented access to buy across multiple audiences at scale and across multiple high-traffic areas.

Chris Freel, oOh! group director, sales, said: “oOh! is excited to partner with Tennis Australia. We know that millions of Australians love the Australian Open and we can’t wait to bring more moments from this iconic event to the masses across the nation, delivering unmissable brand experiences and giving real value to tennis fans.
 
“With our new creative templates and expanded network, we’re helping brands build fame in new and innovative ways. This level of integration is a great opportunity for brands to connect with audiences at scale, for one of the world’s most popular sporting events.”
 
oOh! signed an exclusive multi-year Out of Home partnership with Tennis Australia in 2023 to serve up all the action from the Australian Open. At this year’s event more than one million fans attended the two-week tournament, injecting $482 million into the Melbourne hospitality and tourism sector, with more than 1.5 million passengers moving through Melbourne Airport over its two weeks.  

Stan has announced it has acquired the series Nautilus, starring Shazad Latif (Star Trek: Discovery) and Australian actress Georgia Flood (Apples Never Fall). Anna Torv and Noah Taylor also make guest appearances.

Disney commissioned the series in 2021, but never screened it after a change of strategy at Disney+. Disney Entertainment has got some return for the project though through deals with a number of platforms including AMC in the UK and Prime Video in the US and Canada. Nautilus premieres in the UK and Ireland at the end of October. Stan has not revealed a date for Australia yet.

The Australian cast also includes Tyrone Ngatai, Andrew Shaw, Benedict Hardie (Stan Original Film Poker Face), Jacob Collins-Levy (Stan Original Series Prosper), Luke Arnold (Stan Original Series Scrublands) and Damien Garvey.

Nautilus tells Jules Verne’s epic story Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea from Captain Nemo’s point of view: an Indian Prince robbed of his birthright and family, a prisoner of the East India Mercantile Company and a man bent on revenge against the forces that have taken everything from him.

Stan chief content officer Cailah Scobie said in a statement: “A sweeping sci-fi drama adapted from an iconic and well-loved novel, Nautilus is an exciting new addition to our content slate. As always, Stan is committed to supporting the Australian screen industry and bringing premium content to the platform, and Nautilus’ high calibre is a testament to the hundreds of talented cast and creatives who worked on the series during its production in Queensland. We thank Screen Queensland, Disney and the producers Moonriver TV and Seven Stories, and look forward to sharing Nautilus with Australian audiences when it sets sail soon.”

Moonriver TV’s Xavier Marchand and Seven Stories’ Anand Tucker said: “We had a fabulous time shooting Nautilus on the Gold Coast. The professionalism, craftsmanship and excellence of the cast and crews from Queensland and other parts of Australia were second to none. It was a pleasure working with such experienced, high spirited and hard working teams. We also had great work done by the local VFX companies and great support from Screen Queensland and The City of Gold Coast. We are thrilled that Stan is bringing the Nautilus to Australian audiences.”

Jacqui Feeney, Screen Queensland CEO added: “We welcome Stan’s acquisition of Nautilus and we are pleased that Australian audiences will be able to view this stunning series soon. Nautilus is one of the largest series to be made in Queensland and showcases the skill and artistry of hundreds of our local screen practitioners on an incredible scale.”

Nine Publishing reported during production, up to 550 cast and crew were involved and the project occupied three sound stages at Village Roadshow Studios. At a cost of $300m, Nautilus is being called the most expensive TV production ever filmed in Australia.

Nautilus production notes

The 10-part series is developed and produced by Moonriver TV’s Xavier Marchand and Seven Stories’ Anand Tucker.

Written and executive produced by James Dormer and is executive produced by Johanna Devereaux, Chris Loveall, Colleen Woodcock and Daisy Gilbert.

Cameron Welsh serves as producer and Michael Matthews is the lead director.

Nautilus is distributed by Disney Entertainment and acknowledges the support from the Australian Government’s Location Incentive and from the Queensland Government via Screen Queensland’s Production Attraction Strategy.

Digital and visual effects completed in Western Australia with support from Screenwest and the WA post-production, digital & visual effects incentive.

Nine has announced the appointment of Gareth Parker, currently 9News Perth’s director of news, to the newly created role of network news content director.

Reporting to the 9Network’s Director of News and Current Affairs, Fiona Dear, this position will see Parker relocate to Sydney and work from the Network’s headquarters, where he will oversee and help coordinate critical news coverage to Channel 9’s state-based newsrooms.

From the latest political news out of Canberra, to finance, health, tech and major event reporting, Parker will manage the quick and cohesive distribution of news content nationally across 9Network’s key platforms to better inform audiences.

Dear said: “The 9News Network desk is a critical piece of our transformation project in terms of delivering expert content for the entire network. Gareth has done an incredible job leading the team in Perth and significantly growing that audience and I can’t wait to see what he achieves with this new network project.”

Parker is proud of the achievements of the Perth team during his tenure and will continue to work closely with the local 9News division in his new role.

“We have grown audiences significantly over the past two years in Perth, and this is a testament to the hard work and commitment of the team, with more and more viewers trusting and turning to 9News.

“I can’t thank the entire Nine Perth team for their unwavering support and hard work in the service of our audiences and I look forward to getting stuck into this national role to maximise the reach and impact of our talented reporting teams right around the country.

“Thanks especially to Nine Perth managing director Clive Bingwa for his support, and to Fiona Dear for her faith in me.”

Stepping in as interim 9News Perth Director of News, is Michael Genovese. A seasoned senior reporter and presenter, having worked on the national Today show as well as overseas as US correspondent, he will lead the local team during this transitional period.

QMS has reported a reach of more than 11.5 million Australians through its Paris 2024 digital screen network, over the six weeks of the Olympic and Paralympics Games.

From the first week of the Olympic Games on 27 July to the Closing Ceremony of the Paralympic Games on 9 September, the network delivered dynamic content with immediacy, accuracy, and scale, covering the triumph and performance of the Australian team’s wins, including 116 medals, including 36 gold.

The network spanned premium national digital large-format billboards, the City of Sydney street furniture network, The Convenience Network, and Gold Coast street furniture assets to deliver an Australian-first, 100% DOOH Olympic and Paralympic Games experience. 

The QMS Paris 2024 Digital Screen Network partnered with some of Australia’s leading brands, including Allianz, Toyota Australia, Woolworths, Stan, Patties Food Group and Bupa.

QMS dynamically served an extraordinary 81,478 pieces of content-creative during that period. With 95% of the media company’s inventory being digital, the network showcased dynamic Games content in real-time as Australians moved about their day, including a countdown to the Games, team announcements, breaking news, medal-winning moments, medal tallies, world records, and other significant and exciting moments from the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Shez Ford, Allianz chief general manager, consumer, said: “The Paris 2024 Digital Screen Network helped deliver big reach and impact that drove positive brand sentiment. With the digital capabilities that QMS’ network offered, we were able to place our brand next to the latest news, medal moments, medal tally updates as well as remind Australians of what to watch to ensure they didn’t miss the big moments across the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

“From a high performance perspective these were a record-breaking Games – Australia’s most successful away Team ever,” Matt Carroll, Australian Olympic Committee CEO, said.

“Most importantly, Australians were also connected with our athletes beyond the medal tally and their incredible stories. Our thanks to QMS for the exceptional role they played in cementing that enduring connection,” he added.

Cameron Murray, Paralympics Australia interim CEO, said: “We were thrilled to work with QMS to bring the powerful stories and imagery of our Paralympic athletes to new audiences. QMS’ Digital Screen Network was the perfect conduit between events in Paris and millions of Australians as they went about their daily lives.

“The ways people interrelate with big events such as the Paralympic Games continues to develop and QMS is a frontrunner in this media evolution,” Murray added.

QMS chief sales officer, Tim Murphy, said: “QMS was honoured to be the Official Outdoor Media Partner of the Australian Olympic Team and Paralympics Australia Team for Paris 2024, and honoured to play our part in bringing all the news and big moments home to the entire country.

“The reach and impact of our Paris 2024 Digital Screen Network was remarkable. It proved itself as a powerful platform for our partners to broadcast, connect and activate their Olympic and Paralympic campaigns, tapping into the immediacy and influence of DOOH and its real-time connection with people where they live, work and play.

Murphy continued: “We clearly demonstrated how a world-class, DOOH network can deliver unparalleled immediacy and impact. What we have been able to deliver and showcase to the world is simply out of the ordinary and sets the benchmark of what is possible with DOOH as a major media channel. Thank you to our brand partners Allianz, Woolworths, Stan, Toyota Australia, Patties Food Group and Bupa for their support and engagement.”

Afterpay will launch the Afterpay Media Network in Australia in partnership with Yahoo DSP (Demand-Side Platform).

This partnership will allow brands to access its shopping insights to better connect with their target audiences across multiple online and physical shopping channels, powered through Yahoo DSP’s advanced ad technology.

With Afterpay’s shopping data, advertisers can reach shoppers across the web and in-store, seamlessly bridging physical retail and digital channels via Yahoo DSP’s omnichannel capabilities.

The result is brands can deliver personalised ads, track sales, measure campaign performance, and gain insights to refine their strategies in a much more insightful manner — while keeping customer identities private.

Australian consumers continue to embrace Afterpay as a better way to shop, giving the brand a unique understanding of Australian consumer behaviour. In 2023, alone, Afterpay Australia helped facilitate $13.4 billion in total sales, and connected 129,000 merchants with 3.5 million customers, according to Afterpay Economic Impact Report.

Complementing this, Yahoo DSP offers a powerful solution that combines market-leading and privacy-centric identity solutions, resilient to signal loss and cutting-edge AI, connecting advertisers with millions of Australians in trusted and brand-safe environments.

The Afterpay Media Network brings this deep knowledge of retail and Yahoo DSP’s advanced technology together. Brands will have new opportunities to engage with customers in more meaningful ways and across premium supply through the partnership while also providing tools to measure the impact of digital campaigns on new customer recruitment, brand loyalty and driving sales. 

With products available to use in store and online, the Afterpay Media Network seamlessly connects physical retail with the digital ecosystem, allowing advertisers to measure the total impact of their campaigns objectives across different media using Yahoo DSP‘s omnichannel capabilities.

Marni Schapiro, global general manager of advertising and revenue at Afterpay, said: “We’re expanding upon our existing onsite ads business by launching an offsite audience extension solution with Yahoo DSP in Australia, enabling advertisers to reach Afterpay’s valuable audiences.

“The Afterpay Media Network addresses industry challenges around fragmentation as advertisers will be able to seamlessly reach shoppers across multiple retailers with a single activation, and achieve closed-loop measurement, tying media exposures to sales outcomes.”

Initially, the Afterpay Media Network in Australia will focus on five key sectors: Electronics, Fashion, Travel, Entertainment and Retail. 

John McNerney, managing director of Australia and Southeast Asia at Yahoo, added: “Commerce media networks are the fastest-growing segment in the industry, and the Afterpay Media Network is the first of its kind in this market.

“Advertisers want data that helps them reach the right audiences and understand how their digital campaigns influence actual purchases. Yahoo DSP is proud to help Afterpay unlock new revenue streams by providing advertisers with precise audience targeting and in-depth campaign measurement.”

A select group of partners including IPG, GroupM, Omnicom and Dentsu will participate in the network’s initial rollout.

Jessica White, CEO Australia of Kinesso, said: “We’re passionate about what innovation in commerce can do for our clients and are invested in supporting solutions that meet consumers where they are in a frictionless and shoppable way.

“The Afterpay Media Network does just that and the Afterpay – Yahoo partnership ensures a true full-funnel solution evangelising the branding opportunity commerce presents for our clients – not just performance. We’re naturally thrilled to be a launch partner.”

B Corp agency Paper Moose has supported Convatec continence care with a multi-pronged content approach.

Looking to boost consideration and penetration in the Australian market, Convatec wanted to bring to life its Forever Caring brand platform through new digital content streams.

Convatec has pivoted to become synonymous with intermittent self-catheterisation treatments — with a focus on people living with incontinence due to spinal injury. This focus stems from the consistent and lifelong catheter use of people living with spinal injuries.

Brad Bennett, head of client success of Paper Moose said: “We applaud Convatec’s boldness to move beyond product provider to becoming a publisher of legitimately useful care resources. Working with and learning from this community has been rad, and we look forward to more projects like this.”

From blogs and relatable social content, to an original podcast and creative product platform, all content was informed by search data to deliver the Convatec in a position as a content publisher as well as care provider.

Olena Lyons, head of marketing – ANZ of Convatec said: “Paper Moose’s ability to transform raw search data into a buffet of high-quality content, and push it to the right people on the right channels, has supported our promise of Forever Caring and will continue to build our reputation as both a local and global leader in intermittent self-catheterisation.”

Listen to Convatec’s new “Stream of Continence” podcast here.

Credits

Client: Convatec
Head of marketing: Olena Lyons

Agency: Paper Moose
Executive Creative Director: Nick Hunter
Head of Client Success: Brad Bennett
Creative Director: Jeremy Willmott
Senior Creatives: Pete Saladino, Emma Frizzell
Art Director: Jess McLure
Copywriters: Feryx Hui Ming Lim, Jazz Twemlow
Design Director: Georgia Shillington
Designer: Evelyn Tran
Senior Account Manager: Hannah Maher
Podcast Producer: Olivia Jeavons
Podcast Engineer & Editor: Ricardo Skaff
Podcast Composer: Caleb Jacobs

Tuesday 24 September 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s The Block recorded a total TV national reach of 1,992,000, a total TV national audience of 1,092,000, and a BVOD audience of 156,000.

Nine’s 9News recorded a total TV national reach of 1,937,000, a total TV national audience of 1,153,000, and a BVOD audience of 95,000.

Seven’s Seven News recorded a total TV national reach of 2,174,000, a total TV national audience of 1,315,000, and a BVOD audience of 69,000.

Also on Seven, My Kitchen Rules recorded a total TV national reach of 1,841,000, a total TV national audience of 1,037,000, and a BVOD audience of 93,000.

10’s airing of Taskmaster Australia recorded a total TV national reach of 896,000, a total TV national audience of 414,000, and a BVOD audience of 23,000.

People 25-54

Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 768,000
• National Audience: 477,000
• BVOD Audience: 95,000

Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV nation reach: 588,000
• National Audience: 316,000
• BVOD Audience: 36,000

Seven’s My Kitchen Rules:
• Total TV nation reach: 587,000
• National Audience: 298,000
• BVOD Audience: 51,000

10’s Taskmaster:
• Total TV nation reach: 436,000
• National Audience: 231,000 
• BVOD Audience: 15,000

People 16-39

Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 365,000
• National Audience: 235,000
• BVOD Audience: 56,000

Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV nation reach: 216,000
• National Audience: 106,000
• BVOD Audience: 18,000

Seven’s My Kitchen Rules:
• Total TV nation reach: 241,000
• National Audience: 119,000
• BVOD Audience: 27,000

10’s Taskmaster:
• Total TV nation reach: 198,000
• National Audience: 113,000 
• BVOD Audience: 9,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+ TV Ratings

Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,537,000
• National Audience: 838,000
• BVOD Audience: 125,000

Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,750,000
• National Audience: 1,072,000
• BVOD Audience: 55,000

Seven’s My Kitchen Rules:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,451,000
• National Audience: 836,000
• BVOD Audience: 75,000

10’s Taskmaster:
• Total TV nation reach: 666,000
• National Audience: 296,000 
• BVOD Audience: 18,000

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.