Monday April 7, 2025
Endemol Shine launches YouTube channel RESAY
Endemol Shine Australia, the production powerhouse behind Married at First Sight and Big Brother, is stepping off the traditional broadcast grid and into creator territory with the launch of its new YouTube channel, RESAY with Tilly & Marley.
Hosted by Big Brother 2021 winner Marley Biyendolo and fan favourite Tilly Whitfeld, the channel leans into viral culture, Gen Z humour, and offbeat formats designed for digital natives.
The pair’s playful dynamic has already won over a fast-growing audience, and now RESAY is levelling up with a slate of original, attention-grabbing content.
Content that clicks (and bites)
RESAY’s programming flips the script on standard formats and is promising to be cheeky, irreverent, and made for the swipe-happy crowd.
In Squirm Sessions, guests will get to control the chaos: if the questions get too personal, they can hit a button to trigger surprise punishments.
In Spicy Dates, potential lovers test their chemistry over increasingly fiery meals, while Glow Ups sees everyday Aussies undergo bold, two-hour transformations with the help of style experts.
“This is the way of the world now, everyone’s on YouTube,” said Marley. “It’s quick, easy, engaging content that’s exciting to consume. It’s the future, and with RESAY on YouTube, I’ve got high hopes people will love what we’re doing.”
A digital-first move for ESA
The launch of RESAY marks a bold step for Endemol Shine Australia into direct-to-consumer content, with a focus on building new IP outside the constraints of network formats.
Endemol Shine Australia’s director of content, Amelia Fisk, said the move reflects broader shifts in how audiences are consuming entertainment.
“We’ve seen the impact YouTube has had on the industry, and we believe there’s a huge future in creating fun and bold content for the platform,” said Fisk.
“We brought Marley and Tilly together on Big Brother, and we always knew we could do more. Now we’ve set them loose in the RESAY world, and we think audiences will love it.”
Pictured: Marley Biyendolo and Tilly Whitfeld
Mediaweek’s Next of the Best Awards: Entries are now open
Mediaweek has opened entries for Next of the Best Awards 2025, which celebrates the trailblazers and emerging leaders in advertising, media, and marketing.
These prestigious awards are dedicated to honouring the talented leaders of today and tomorrow who are shaping the future of Australia’s media landscape.
Next Of The Best recognises the industry’s rising stars based on their impact, success and contribution to their company, sector or the wider industry in the last 12 months.
These are not age-based awards, but open to anyone who has been working in their current field or role for 15 years or less.
Enter Mediaweek’s Next of the Best 2025 here
A distinguished panel of judges will select the winning candidates from a shortlist, and we will honour these trailblazers with a night they will never forget, on Friday 13 June, 2025 at W Sydney, celebrating the next wave of industry leaders, change-makers and creative forces.
Jimmy and Nath from 2DayFM won Best Audio Talent at last year’s awards.
This year, there are 15 awards with new categories to reflect the ever-changing media and advertising landscape.
The Mediaweek Next of the Best Awards are:
Audio Talent (Host, Producer, Creator)
Recognising professionals who drive growth, innovation, and engagement in the audio and podcasting industries.
Marketing Talent
For professionals making waves in marketing through successful campaigns and innovative thinking.
Journalist (Print, Radio, TV, Digital)
Celebrating journalistic excellence with a focus on audience impact and storytelling.
Advertising Creative
Recognising creative talent shaping advertising through originality, campaign success, and audience engagement.
Marketing Strategist
For those excelling in strategic marketing, data-driven decision-making, and audience segmentation.
Digital/Social Content Creator or Influencer
Honouring digital creators who have demonstrated growth, creativity, and monetisation success.
Publicist (Agency/In-House)
Recognising rising publicists who have successfully shaped media narratives and public perception.
AdTech Specialist
Honouring professionals leveraging AdTech innovations to enhance digital advertising effectiveness.
Media Salesperson
Recognising media sales professionals driving revenue growth through strategic thinking and strong client relationships.
Media Planner & Buyer
Celebrating planners and buyers who excel through innovative thinking, data-driven decision-making, and impactful campaign execution.
Publishing Innovator
Recognising emerging talents in publishing who are redefining the industry through editorial excellence, and audience growth across print and online platforms.
TV & Film Production
Recognising the talent behind the camera of on-screen content production from the big to the small screen through creativity and commercial success.
Leadership
For exceptional leadership and impact at senior or executive level.
Changemaker
Recognising individuals who have made a significant impact in driving change, innovation, or transformation.
Nominate yourself or someone else for a Mediaweek Next of the Best Award now.
From trust to transformation: How Thomson Reuters is reimagining professional work with AI
David Carrel may be thousands of kilometres from his Seattle base, but the global CMO of Thomson Reuters feels right at home in Australia. “I actually did a semester of college here,” he laughs from a conference room in Melbourne, adding that this is his first time back in years. “It’s been a really good week, great customers, and great conversations.”
And that’s fitting because listening to customers is exactly how Thomson Reuters, a company steeped in a 170-year legacy of trusted journalism and professional tools, is forging its future. Under Carrel’s stewardship, the global brand is undergoing a notable transformation from a reliable information provider to a content-driven technology powerhouse.
“We didn’t change our name or walk away from our history,” Carrel says. “But we had to modernise. We’d already changed a lot internally, systems, products, and even culture, but the market didn’t always see that. We needed to retell our story.”
From legacy to leadership
That retelling began in 2024 with the company’s first brand refresh in 16 years. The process was grounded in global customer insights, including feedback from legal and tax professionals in Australia, across more than 300 conversations. The result was a sharpened brand promise: “To clarify the complex,” a nod to both the information overload professionals face and the increasingly sophisticated tools needed to navigate it.
“Trust has always been at the core of our brand,” Carrel says. “It’s not just a buzzword for us, we’re literally built on the Reuters Trust Principles, established in 1941. But our customers told us they wanted more. They wanted innovation, tech-forward thinking, tools that help them work smarter.”
And it worked. Unaided brand awareness rose by 40% in the year following the refresh. Those who had seen the campaign were significantly more likely to associate Thomson Reuters with innovation (up 3 percentage points) and forward-thinking leadership (up 9 points). Even more compelling? “Our 28,000 employees loved it,” Carrel shares. “They felt seen. They said, ‘This reflects who we are now.’ That internal resonance matters just as much as the external impact.”
AU Infographic – Future of Professionals 2024
AI with a human touch
At the heart of that evolution is artificial intelligence, and not just the hype, but decades of applied experience. “We’ve been working with AI since before it was trendy,” Carrel says. “Machine learning, semantic search, smart automation, we’ve had that embedded in our tools for years. Generative AI just accelerated the journey.”
That acceleration is most evident in CoCounsel, Thomson Reuters’ flagship AI assistant for legal professionals, which entered its second generation this year and launched locally in Q1. Designed to streamline legal workflows, from research to document review, it combines cutting-edge AI with proprietary content no other provider can match, according to Carrel.
“What sets us apart is that we own both sides of the equation,” he explains. “We’ve got the world’s best content, decades of legal, tax, regulatory, and financial data, and we’ve got 4,500 technologists building world-class software. That’s a combination no one else can offer.”
Local firms are already seeing the benefits. At Henry William Lawyers, Partner John Nash says the tool is reshaping daily operations. “We’re saving countless hours on what used to be painstaking junior legal work,” Nash says. “Westlaw Precision and CoCounsel together mean we can solve client problems faster, and it’s becoming a drawcard for new hires who want to work with the best AI tech in market.”
Australia’s AI appetite
Carrel’s visit to Australia wasn’t just for optics, it was a strategic opportunity to embed the voice of the region deeper into global planning. “Asia Pacific is huge and diverse, and Australia is a key market for us,” he says. “When we designed the brand refresh, Australia’s voice was in the room.”
That feedback loop continues through initiatives like the AI Skills Challenge, a hands-on workshop series that gives local professionals the chance to test and shape new tools. “We’ve spoken to nearly 200 lawyers across Asia and Australia about how they’re adopting AI,” Carrel says. “That feedback directly informs how we go to market and how we design the experience.”
Those conversations are backed by solid data. According to the Future of Professionals 2024 report, 78% of Australian professionals believe AI will have a transformational impact on their industry. Perhaps more tellingly, 87% believe AI will create more jobs, not fewer, a sign that sentiment is shifting from fear to opportunity.
“People want to spend less time on admin and more time on strategy, on creativity, on work that matters,” Carrel says. “And AI is the assistant that gets them there.”
A culture of experimentation
The adoption of AI isn’t limited to product development, it’s reshaping the company culture itself. Every Thomson Reuters employee now has an AI adoption goal, and internal champions are driving experimentation across departments.
“For marketers, generative AI is a natural fit, we’re creators,” Carrel says. “We’ve done some really exciting things, from campaign copy to cinematic video content. It’s fun, yes, but it’s also powerful. It lets us do more, faster.”
Even more interesting, Carrel says, is the correlation between AI use and job satisfaction. “We don’t have hard data on it yet, but anecdotally, the more our team uses AI, the more satisfied they are with their work. It removes the repetitive tasks and gives them more time to innovate.”
So, what’s next?
Asked to define his five-year vision for the brand, Carrel doesn’t hesitate. “To be the number one content-driven technology company in the world. Trusted. Innovative. Tech-forward. And for customers to know exactly how we can help them, not just today, but tomorrow.”
That future is already being built. Thomson Reuters is investing over $200 million annually into AI R&D, has launched a second AI-focused venture fund worth $150 million, and has acquired more than $1.6 billion in capabilities in the past two years alone.
“It’s not just talk. It’s investment. It’s strategy. And it’s execution,” Carrel says. “We’re not chasing trends, we’re setting the standard.”
ABC boss Kim Williams on Aunty’s future, Joe Rogan, Elon Musk and Kanye West
ABC chair Kim Williams has opened up about the fallout from his blunt assessment of the podcast The Joe Rogan Experience, revealing he received a torrent of messages, some from tech titan Elon Musk and controversial rapper Kanye West.
Williams’s comments, which were made late last year, saw him suggest the popular podcaster “preyed on people’s vulnerabilities” in a way that was “deeply repulsive”.
The remarks were then picked up by both Rogan and Musk, who voiced their anger on X:
Speaking at the Melbourne Press Club, Williams said his comments sparked a global backlash.
“I learnt a lot about pile-ons,” he said. “Within minutes, I had every device in my life consumed with thousands of messages of varying vocabulary. It took over my life.”
While he didn’t share what Musk or West had to say, Williams said some responses were so vile they “paralysed my phone.”
“It took over my life.”
Backing the ABC in a pre-election media moment
Williams also addressed the Coalition’s pre-election pledge to scrutinise ABC funding, after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton floated a review to cut “wasteful government spending.”
Williams welcomed the challenge: “Game on. The ABC is an accountable institution, and I have no doubt it will perform well in any such review.”
He went on to spruik the ABC’s planned Election 2025 coverage, saying it will be “unprecedented” in its “scope and quality”.
“The ABC will harness our network of reporters and radio programs in 67 locations across Australia to find out what really matters to voters,” he said.
Photo: Emily Jagot Kulich/Melbourne Press Club
Williams said the broadcaster is also looking ahead with plans to “support and strengthen Australia’s democratic understanding”, with a major new project launching later this year.
Hosted by Annabel Crabb, the as-yet unnamed three-part documentary series will aim to explain the workings of the nation’s electoral system.
“Few countries in the world can boast an organisation as well run and as trusted as the Australian Electoral Commission,” Williams explained.
“Its old-fashioned use of paper ballots and old-fashioned sense of ethics and integrity make it the best. We all need our people to understand it and to feel proud of it. Because it is genuinely free from even the possibility of political interference,” he said.
Williams then wrapped up his address by highlighting the ABC’s role in safeguarding democracy in the age of disinformation.
“It is foolish in the extreme to believe we will be immune to this global trend,” he said. “We need to flood the zone with truth to prevent others flooding it with lies.”
Havas Media Network wins Perfetti Van Melle media account
Havas Media Network has been appointed to the media account of global confectionary and gum manufacturer, Perfetti Van Melle.
“Havas Media will begin work immediately on helping to create impactful innovative campaigns with a renewed customer centric strategy, defining new audiences to help drive brand consideration,” Michael Puglisi, Perfetti Van Melle country manager for Australia and New Zealand, said.
Virginia Hyland, CEO Havas Media Network ANZ said: “Perfetti Van Melle has been a valued client for the past four years. It can be extra challenging as the incumbent however to know that we have pitched against the leading indies and global networks and delivered a more compelling, competitive way of working where we are converging data smarts with the ability to activate at pace in channel to deliver greater impact and retail growth, is a huge boost for our talented agency team. We’re a very different and exceptionally strong offering, with the firepower of the globals coupled with our entrepreneurial spirit.”
“The Perfetti Van Melle marketing team are highly ambitious and continually committed to propelling their business forward, always challenging the status quo. This is exactly the type of marketing team that brings out the best thinking from Havas.”
Havas Media will help turn new audiences across Australia and New Zealand into fans while keeping the brands front-of-mind for existing customers of Perfetti Van Melle’s most loved brands including Chupa Chups, Mentos, AirHeads, and Smint.
Part of the brief is to drive planning efficiencies and reduce wastage by installing renewed rigor to the media strategy and by unlocking new value from existing media investments.
Perfetti Van Melle will harness Havas Media’s suite of data, technology, and analytics tools to reach these audiences, including its engagement solution, Converged.
Converged is powered by the most sophisticated dataset in the market, integrating over 35,000 audience insights drawn from geographic, demographic, attitudinal, behavioural, purchasing, and consumption data of more than half a million individuals.
If you’re wondering who dies on ‘The White Lotus’ then you’re missing the point
With The White Lotus season three finale now just hours away, fans and gawkers seem consumed by one question: Who dies?
Honestly, who cares?
The obsession with the mystery has bred armchair Poirots everywhere. But Mike White is no Agatha Christie. And that’s the point.
Listen, I’m not discounting the narrative purpose of the season-opening death. It absolutely sets the tone and creates tension, providing much-needed structure. It gives the show propulsion, especially when character dynamics alone might not carry the weight. Without it, the experience could feel flat, less urgent, and ultimately less engaging.
But White’s real artistry doesn’t lie in the world of Knives Out, rather, its skill is in the mundane, everyday, and uncomfortably relatable interactions where he exposes the ugliness of beautiful people.
He cracks open the golden cogs that run society, only to show them as hollow, soulless, and, in the end, rotten. If you missed the allegory, it’s because White has embedded it so seamlessly: This is water. Only, unlike the David Foster Wallace poem, this water is polluted.
Look, I don’t want to turn this into some kind of literary-slash-sociological exegesis of the show (jokes, I do, but it’s my editor who reins me in). But we, the viewers, owe it to White to dig deeper.
Murray Bartlett as Armond in ‘The White Lotus’ season one.
Ego maniacs
Hints at the fragility of the ego in affluent society have been there from the start. In season one, hotel manager Armond (played by Murray Bartlett) quotes Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem The Lotos-Eaters:
“Hateful is the dark-blue sky, vaulted o’er the dark-blue sea. Death is the end of life. Ah, why should life all labor be?”
In Greek mythology, the lotus-eaters lived on an island where the narcotic lotus flower erased memory and dulled ambition. Trapped in blissful apathy, they had no desire to return home. They were empty and soulless, yet never yearning for more, prisoners of a paradoxical paradise.
Season one introduced us to Rachel (played by Alexandra Daddario), an aspiring journalist who marries the wealthy, controlling Shane (played by Jake Lacy). Her choice hints at a longing for stability, even if it means shelving her career and identity in favour of financial security.
Rachel embodies the potential so many of us believe we harbour on the inside, only to one day wake up and realise we’ve sacrificed it all for comfort, for our place in society.
Did she die? No.
Did it matter? Also no.
Her sentence is her apathy and ultimate acceptance of her situation.
Alexandra Daddario as Rachel and Jake Lacy as Shane in ‘The White Lotus’ season one.
Adjusting the narrative
White shifts gears in season three, giving us Piper Ratliffe, who wants to walk away from her family’s wealth to join a monastery.
Sweet, prairie-dress-wearing Piper is initially seen as dull, but her moral clarity comes into focus as those around her implode: Her brothers’ chaos, her father’s greed, and her mother’s vanity. The deeper the indulgence, the greater the disconnect from self.
Many have likened Piper to Buddhist monk Pema Chödrön, whom White has openly admired.
In a 2011 interview with The New York Times, White discussed how his earlier show Enlightened was shaped by yoga, meditation, and Chödrön’s teachings. Like Piper, Chödrön came from privilege before renouncing it in search of something more meaningful.
(L-R) Buddhist monk Pema Chödrön and ‘The White Lotus’ season three character Piper Ratliffe (played by Sarah Catherine Hook).
Then there’s White’s ongoing fascination with mimetic desire, a theme running through all three seasons. French theorist René Girard argued that desire is not original, we want what others want. Sound familiar?
Season one gave us Olivia and her “best friend” Paula. Season two, Ethan and Cameron. Season three? Jacalyn and Laurie. Each character is so disconnected from self that they mimic others’ wants, incapable of articulating their own.
It’s an exaggerated reflection of modern culture, a toxic remix of Keeping Up with the Joneses for the social media age.
In the end, maybe White knew audiences would react this way, fixated on the shiny object (the death), rather than the murky, everyday banality shaping these characters’ lives.
So, who are the lotus eaters now?
Stream the final episode of The White Lotus season three on either BINGE or Max.
72andSunny expands creative team with new hires
72andSunny has welcomed the appointments of Hayley Noble, Madi Chan, and creative director, V. Wassim Kanaan following a flurry of recent new business wins including AFL, Cadillac and Deputy.
Noble, Chan and Kanaan will work across the creative agency’s portfolio of existing, new clients – including Google and RealEstate.com.au. They will report to CCO ANZ Wez Hawes.
Noble and Chan join 72andSunny from Host/Havas. Noble is a copywriter whose ‘Tiny Love Stories: True Tales of Love in 100 Words or Less’, was published by the New York Times. Chan is a D&AD New Blood Award Yellow Pencil and DIA Australian Graduate Designer of the Year.
New creative leadership to support agency momentum
Kanaan joins the agency as a creative director. He is known for championing progressive ideas for brands, passion for the craft, mentoring creative talent and being a contributor to the gender equality movement in the broader industry, recently creating the FillThisPage.com initiative. He’s helped build some of Australia’s most iconic brands locally and globally during his time at Dentsu, Saatchi & Saatchi, The Monkeys and Innocean.
Kanaan said of his appointment: “It’s an incredible opportunity to join an agency with such a legacy globally and momentum locally, as well as a proven ability to create progressive ideas that go well beyond advertising. Many creative agencies say they want to play in culture, 72andSunny actually does.”
Noble and Chan said: “Continuing to grow as creatives under the guidance of Wez and Wassim is an exciting opportunity for us. We are pumped for this next challenge to work on great brands with great people.”
Hawes added: “Hayley, Madi and Wassim all embody the 72andSunny values. Their collective energy, optimism and passion for ideas is infectious. I can’t wait to see what we do together with the rest of the talented 72 crew and our growing list of client partners.”
Top image: Madi Chan, V. Wassim Kanaan and Hayley Nobel
QMS acquires Oaktree's stake in MediaWorks, cementing Trans-Tasman media powerhouse
Digital out-of-home (OOH) media leader QMS has announced it will acquire 100% of Oaktree Capital Management’s stake in MediaWorks, one of New Zealand’s largest media companies. The move strengthens QMS’ footprint in the region and marks a major milestone in its long-standing relationship with MediaWorks.
The combined business now represents one of the largest diversified media operators in the Asia-Pacific, with significant reach across radio, digital, and OOH platforms in both Australia and New Zealand.
Trans-Tasman expansion and audience scale
MediaWorks boasts more than 600 staff across 25 offices, 10 market-leading radio stations, 92 digital billboards, and over 200 static sites nationwide. It reaches up to 3.5 million New Zealanders each week, or 85% of the population.
QMS CEO John O’Neill said the acquisition presents new growth opportunities and streamlined planning for clients looking to activate campaigns across the Tasman.
“With market-leading media platforms on both sides of the Tasman, we see immense opportunity for growth, including new trans-Tasman trading opportunities for our agency partners and clients,” O’Neill said.
MediaWorks CEO Wendy Palmer welcomed the news, calling it a natural evolution of the companies’ partnership since 2019:
“Together, we are bigger, stronger, and better positioned to deliver market-leading audiences to clients across the region.”
Growth investment and future outlook
The transaction is expected to close in Q2 CY2025, pending regulatory approvals. As part of the deal, fresh funding lines will be established for MediaWorks, providing greater flexibility for investment and innovation across its media platforms.
Barclay Nettlefold, chairman of QMS and MediaWorks, said the acquisition aligns with upcoming OOH tender opportunities in New Zealand:
“This deal allows us to build on QMS’ reputation in digital OOH and MediaWorks’ strength in radio and digital, delivering stronger outcomes for clients and accelerating growth.”
The Iconic to leverage in-package advertising strategy with Source Partnerships
The Iconic has partnered with retail media and in-package advertiser Source Partnerships, overseeing the online fashion retailer’s in-package advertising strategy, including product samples, promotional inserts and integration with its retail media assets.
This collaboration strengthens The Iconic’s ability to offer brands highly targeted and innovative marketing opportunities. Through in-package advertising, brands can now place high-impact marketing materials directly into the hands of the retailer’s customers, reaching shoppers at the peak moment of interaction – when they receive and unbox their orders.
From beauty boxes to broader reach
Source Partnerships has already played a pivotal role in shaping The Iconic’s customer acquisition strategy, having successfully developed and produced the retailer’s sought-after beauty boxes since 2022. These curated packages provide brands with a compelling platform to introduce their products directly to consumers.
The expanded partnership will unlock further opportunities for both endemic and non-endemic brands to engage with Australia’s largest online fashion and lifestyle audience.
“We’re proud to deepen our relationship with The Iconic’s and bring innovative, results-driven retail media solutions to brands looking to engage customers in a more personal and impactful way,” said Andy Mulrenan, founder at Source Partnerships. “Having collaborated on The Iconic’s beauty boxes, we’ve seen firsthand the power of The Iconic’s brand and its rich first party data. This next phase of our partnership will allow brands to tap into even more strategic, high-value marketing channels.”
By combining The Iconic’s large online audience and Source Partnerships’ expertise in retail media, this partnership will help brands reach shoppers at key moments in their buying journey, making it easier for them to discover new products and take action.
“The Iconic’s is committed to continuously enhancing the shopping experience for our customers while providing new ways for brands to connect with them,” said Josh Nunan, General Manager Marketing Partnerships & Lifestyle Categories at The Iconic. “Through this expanded partnership with Source Partnerships, we’re excited to introduce more innovative advertising solutions that add value to both our customers and our brand partners.”
“This collaboration will help brands connect with customers in a way that feels organic and creates genuine connections between brands and consumers,” added Mulrenan. “We look forward to working closely with The Iconic and its partners to unlock new possibilities in retail media.”
Otago Daily Times signs exclusive six-year renewal with Taboola in ANZ first
Performance advertising platform Taboola has inked a six-year exclusive agreement with the Otago Daily Times (ODT), extending its commercial partnership with Allied Press until 2030.
The deal marks the longest renewal signed by Taboola in the Australia-New Zealand market, and brings the relationship with ODT to a total of 11 years.
Taboola will continue powering content recommendations and digital advertising across ODT.co.nz, which now attracts close to eight million monthly page views.
The agreement ensures Allied Press will retain access to Taboola’s full suite of publisher tools, including Taboola Feed, Newsroom analytics, push notifications, and personalisation products like Explore More and Next Up, all geared towards increasing audience engagement and growing revenue.
Boosting reach through tech and trust
“We have enjoyed a long and successful partnership with Taboola, which has helped drive traffic to our site and improve reader engagement through content recommendations,” said Allied Press commercial manager, Matthew Holdridge.
“ODT.co.nz is the independent voice of the South, and we look forward to working with Taboola to lift our reader engagement and revenue growth even further.”
Taboola founder and CEO Adam Singolda described the renewed deal as a milestone: “Our renewed partnership, the longest-ever signed in the ANZ market, is a testament to the strength of our working relationship and the potential of our audience tools.”
Taboola’s growth engine keeps turning
The announcement comes hot on the heels of Taboola’s launch of Realize, a new performance-focused platform designed to drive outcomes beyond search and social by leveraging proprietary data, AI, and creative formats.
As publishers seek diversified revenue streams and scalable engagement, long-term tech partnerships like Taboola’s with the Otago Daily Times are becoming central to the future of media monetisation.
The renewed partnership is effective immediately.
Pictured: Adam Singolda
Convo Media expands network and makes senior leadership hires
Convo Media has welcomed the appointments of Marissa Williamson and Emma Yexley to the agency, as it expands its network.
The digital advertising company, formerly know as Convo Ink, has had significant demand for its services, leading to key strategic moves that enhance both its leadership and its premium publisher network.
Williamson joins as strategy lead and brings her extensive experience in advertising agency leadership roles at Joy, Havas, and Urban List.
Convo Media has promoted Yexley to the position of commercial director. She will work closely with CEO Monique Harris to oversee business development, client relations, and further enhance Convo Media’s innovative content amplification solutions.
“Building a strong and capable leadership team is crucial to our growth,” Harris said. “I’m thrilled to welcome Marissa, whose expertise will be instrumental as we scale, and I’m incredibly proud to promote Emma, whose dedication to Convo has been a key factor in our success thus far.”
Alongside these leadership changes, Convo Media has significantly broadened the company’s reach, with the ability to now reach a combined 66 million unique Australians every month across the Convo Media Network, solidifying its position as a leader in the content amplification advertising space. Convo has expanded its premium publisher network from Nine, News, and Dail Mail to be able to run campaigns across US, Canada, UK and New Zealand premium publishers.
“Convo Media has always prided itself on amplifying content through high-impact content ad solutions across premium publishers,” said Harris.
“With the addition of more global top-tier publishers, we’re now able to provide even more robust targeting and engagement opportunities for our clients. We’re excited about the future as we continue to innovate and grow our presence across the Australian digital landscape.
“It’s especially rewarding to see the increase in results for clients who benefit from delivering their content directly in front of users where they’re already consuming it.”
Top image: Emma Yexley, Monique Harris, Marissa Williamson
Meeting of the Minds: Bridget and Emma Schmidt from Spark Foundry
This week’s Meeting of the Minds brings together Bridget and Emma Schmidt, sisters from Publicis Groupe’s Spark Foundry. The siblings reveal their leadership heroes, current streaming binge, and career goals.
This special edition of the Mediaweek series showcases diverse perspectives, thoughts and opinions by bringing together two different points of view from an industry rookie and an experienced expert.
Emma Schmidt, client partner and Bridget Schmidt, client manager – Spark Foundry
Bridget and Emma Schmidt
Favourite memory of your sister:
Bridget: Standing by her side on her wedding day. Also, our work Christmas parties together! It’s always fun to be able to go together and enjoy celebrating the year we all had at Spark. We have both made so many friends at Spark Foundry over the years, so all being together really makes it such a fantastic experience.
Emma: Our first Media Hall of Fame event together when I moved back from the UK was pretty fun! It was quite amusing, because we’d never been at a media event together before. Plus, after being away from the Australian market for four years, it was the perfect reintroduction!
Also, watching her become an aunty and my daughter Matilda’s favourite person. The relationship they share is extremely special, and one that I admire.
Why did you join the industry and what role did your sister play in that?
Emma: I studied journalism and communications at university, and I saw a job advertisement in a trade publication for my first agency job 12 years ago. I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into, but I haven’t looked back! Being the oldest sibling in my family, both Bridget and our brother James ended up following suite, and now we all happen to be in the media industry.
Bridget: I studied public relations at university and as I went into my last semester, I was ready to start working full-time in the industry. Emma was living in London at the time but had previously worked at Spark Foundry in Melbourne. She recommended I see if there was a role available, and now I’ve been here for six years!
Who’s the more ‘corporate’ sister, and who’s the creative rebel?
Emma and Bridget: Although we can be opposites outside of work, we both have a professional/corporate side to us as well as a creative side.
Do you ever team up on projects? What’s that dynamic like?
Emma and Bridget: We don’t actually, which has been something we were sure to communicate from the start. We love each other, but it’s probably a good thing!
What’s the biggest perk — or challenge — of working with your sister?
Emma: Having someone to commute to and from work with is pretty handy!
Bridget: I do enjoy being the passenger!
Do you talk about work when you’re off the clock, or do you have a ‘no work talk’ rule at family dinners?
Emma and Bridget: We try not to, but we don’t have any set rules around this. When you spend so much time together, it can be hard not to sometimes.
Misconception about your role:
Bridget: With all three children working in media over the past 10 years or so, you would think our parents would understand that we aren’t the ones that made the ad creative…
Emma: Yes! No, Mum and Dad, we don’t create the ads, we place them!
How has the industry changed/evolved?
Bridget: I would say the biggest change in the industry is the continuing shift towards digital platforms. Although above the line still plays a key role, the way we can activate in the digital space continues to evolve rapidly.
Emma: Indeed, television is very much still alive, though now part of a broader ‘total screens’ landscape. Advancements in data and technology have enabled far more personalised communication. While the social landscape continues to be a cluttered environment, with both brand advertisements and influencer content competing for attention, making it more challenging than ever to engage younger audiences effectively.
Best career advice:
Bridget: ‘If you can’t change your situation, change your attitude’. Working in media can be unpredictable at times. You might not be able to change what’s happening around you, but shifting your mindset and perspective can help you make the most of it
Emma: Always say yes, even when challenges may push you beyond your comfort zone. Growth comes from embracing discomfort, and every opportunity leads to even more open doors.
Leadership hero:
Bridget: Spark Foundry has so many amazing people to look up too across the business, but I think what makes Spark Melbourne such a joy to work for is the culture Peter Butler has built. To quote Pete himself, “It’s the vibe” that makes Spark such a great agency to work for.
Emma: Pete has done a great job of building the Melbourne office from the ground up. I’ve watched the agency grow in size at a rapid pace, and it can be hard to maintain the soul of an agency and culture when that happens. Yet you still get the same welcoming feeling walking into the agency today as you did nine years ago, which is testament to Pete’s leadership.
What’s your hot take on the industry?
Emma: AI is not going to steal jobs – but it’s also not going anywhere. That means we need to learn how to leverage it effectively and safely. Those who embrace it correctly will enhance their roles, not lose them. We need to adapt or get left behind.
Bridget: It’s about working alongside AI to enhance our processes, improve efficiency, and build stronger relationships with audiences.
Career goal for 2025:
Bridget: Continue to grow and develop within Spark while maintaining a strong work/life balance.
Emma: Continue growing and learning professionally, while balancing the demands of being a working mum and prioritising what matters.
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To take part in future editions of Meeting of the Minds, please email: [email protected]
Past editions of Meeting of the Minds.
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Top image: Bridget and Emma Schmidt
Media Movers: Barbara Humphries, Damon Stapleton, Tara Ford, David Morgan and Lillian Sor
Mediaweek’s Media Movers charts the biggest people moves in the industry over the past week.
Barbara Humphries, Matt Michael and Damon Stapleton.
Droga5 has made a major move in its global creative leadership, with Barbara Humphries and Damon Stapleton announced as co-chief creative officers for Australia and New Zealand, while Tara Ford takes the reins as chief creative officer of Droga5 London.
The appointments signal a new phase of evolution for the Accenture Song agency, which has undergone a period of rapid international expansion and restructuring over the past year.
Humphries, formerly executive creative director at Droga5 (formerly The Monkeys), and Stapleton, chief creative officer of Droga5 Aotearoa, will now jointly lead the agency’s creative direction across Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland. They will work in close partnership with Droga5 ANZ CEO Matt Michael.
Tara Ford
The Association for Data-Driven Marketing and Advertising (ADMA) has appointed veteran marketer David Morgan as the new chair of its advisory board, ushering in a leadership shift as the industry body doubles down on upskilling marketers and navigating regulatory change.
Morgan – who has served on ADMA’s board since 2021 – brings over 35 years of global experience, including senior marketing roles at Samsung, Citibank, Procter & Gamble and Nestlé, and a stint as global CMO of Standard Chartered Bank. He is also the founder of consultancy MacMorgan and an educator who has trained over 10,000 marketers worldwide.
He succeeds Steve Brennen, co-founder and CEO of Archie, who is stepping aside after a decade as chair to become ADMA’s vice chair. On his appointment, Morgan paid tribute to his predecessor’s legacy of navigating “ever-changing challenges and opportunities” – from CEO transitions and a merger with the Australian Computer Society (ACS) to the upheavals of COVID and the rise of AI.
Lilian Sor
Lilian Sor has joined Howatson+Company as chief strategy officer after nearly three years with Clemenger BBDO.
“I have known Lil for many years and admired her for just as many. She’s a strategist obsessed by effectiveness,” Chris Howatson, founder and CEO of Howatson+Company.
“Her energy lifts the room and her values steer all to the right thing, not the popular thing. She cares fiercely. All these qualities make her the perfect person to lead strategy.”
Sor said of joining the independent agency: “Howie and the team continue to set the industry bar high, with their trademark combination of speed, modernity, intelligence, craft and passion. Their restless energy is contagious, and I can’t wait to help shepherd and champion the formidable strat team at H+Co.”
Kate Amphlett and Brittany Stack
The Seven Network has refreshed its communications division, strengthening its leadership across key pillars of the business: entertainment, news, sport and digital. The changes are part of a broader strategy to align communications with audience growth, content leadership and commercial priorities.
The appointments follow the elevation of Kate Amphlett to director of communications, a move the network believes reinforces its focus on integrated messaging across its traditional and digital platform.
Brittany Stack will lead news, public affairs, partnerships and community. She has been promoted to head of communications – news & public affairs, partnerships and community, reflecting the growing importance of reputation, trust, and local connection in Seven’s news strategy.
Broader promotions across communications team include:
• Alison Booth becomes head of communications – entertainment and 7plus, leading strategy and teams working on titles including Australian Idol, The Voice, The 1% Club, Home and Away, and the growing 7plus First slate of international titles. Booth’s remit also includes Seven’s digital AVOD platform, 7plus, critical to the network’s streaming-led growth ambitions.
• Emma Francis is promoted to head of communications – sport, overseeing brand and publicity strategy across Seven’s extensive sports portfolio, including the AFL, cricket, Supercars, horse racing, and international properties such as the NFL.
Rounding out the Seven Network’s communications team are:
• Callum Griffin, Senior Communications Specialist – News & Public Affairs
• Kristina Echols, Senior Communications Specialist
• Navjot Kaur, Senior Communications Specialist
• Jane Macleod, Communications Specialist
• Jason Antill, Communications Specialist
• Jono Lister, Communications Specialist
• Laura Allen-Ducat, Communications and Marketing Manager, QLD
• Sarah Peatling, Senior Communications Specialist – Sport (Acting)
Philippa Moig
UnLtd, the media, marketing and creative industry’s social purpose organisation, has appointed Philippa Moig as its new CEO, effective 2 June 2025.
Moig joins UnLtd from Google, where she served as media leader ANZ since 2024. She brings a wealth of experience from senior roles across top media agencies, including PHD, OMD, Carat and Mediacom. Well-regarded in the industry for her leadership and commitment to driving meaningful change, Moig’s appointment signals a bold new chapter for UnLtd.
In addition to her impressive resume, Moig is a committed advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion. She sits on the MFA’s DE&I Advisory Council, mentors through The Marketing Academy, and has been an active volunteer for several UnLtd charity partners.
Harry Parsons, Man of Many’s Head of Branded Content
Independent men’s lifestyle publisher Man of Many has promoted Harry Parsons to head of branded content, recognising his creative leadership and instrumental role in shaping the brand’s commercial storytelling and campaign delivery.
The internal promotion reflects Man of Many’s ongoing commitment to developing its team and investing in future leadership. Parsons previously served as senior branded content manager, where he played a key role in driving revenue growth, campaign performance, and client partnerships.
In his new role, Parsons will lead the strategic direction and execution of all branded content initiatives. He’ll head the team responsible for creative development, campaign delivery, and cross-functional stakeholder collaboration, with a focus on driving ROI for clients while engaging the platform’s 2 million+ monthly readers.
Wes Hamburger
Fourteen10 has appointed Wesley Hamburger as head of engineering as the agency invests in make engineering and product part of its DNA.
Hamburger will lead the engineering practice with the aim of leveraging AI and software to scale and uplift the capabilities of the independent agency.
“We are committed to inverting the typical media agency model by building a technology system that amplifies the capability of great talent,” said Duncan Allan, co-founder at Fourteen10.
Yahoo has appointed industry heavyweight Josh Line as its new chief marketing officer, in a move that signals a renewed global push for brand relevance and user growth. Line will report directly to CEO Jim Lanzone and oversee Yahoo’s global marketing strategies, including brand positioning, user acquisition, and customer engagement.
Line brings with him a formidable track record, most recently serving as chief brand officer at Paramount Global. He played a pivotal role in launching Paramount+, growing its direct-to-consumer streaming footprint, and leading the company’s transformation from ViacomCBS to Paramount Global.
He also chaired the company’s marketing council and established cross-functional centres of excellence in media, marketing technology, and social strategy—consolidating creative forces across a portfolio that included CBS, MTV, Pluto TV, and Paramount Pictures.
Julie Dormand, former managing director of The Works, part of Capgemini, has launched her consultancy, Dormand – The Culture Creator, aimed to transforming workplace culture.
“In a time where businesses are obsessed with productivity, leaders often forget to pay enough attention to the key element in achieving that – its people,” Dormand said.
The venture is dedicated to enhancing employee experience that drives growth as businesses increasingly recognise that continued prosperity depends on engaged and empowered teams, and Commonwealth work health and safety laws mean employers must identify and manage risks to workers’ psychological health.
Pictured left to right: Sian Whitaker, Michila Macleod, Christina Voss
Broadsheet has made two key leadership appointments, which reflect the culture guide’s ongoing investment in leadership and its vision for the future.
Christina Voss has been promoted to commercial director, as Gemma Crisp joins as head of audience growth.
After more than seven years with Broadsheet, Voss will step up to the role of commercial director, having held a series of senior commercial roles, including national sales director and, most recently, national studio and strategy director. In her new role, Voss will oversee sales ,studio, design, and marketing, and will report directly to managing director Sian Whitaker.
TV Ratings Thursday 3 April 2025: Collingwood vs. Carlton clash draws massive audience
Total People TV Ratings
Seven’s Seven News recorded a total TV national reach of 2,042,000, a total TV national audience of 1,292,000 and a BVOD audience of 79,000.
Seven’s AFL: Thursday Night Football recorded a total TV national reach of 1,894,000, a total TV national audience of 706,000 and a BVOD audience of 52,000.
Nine’s 9News recorded a total TV national reach of 1,859,000, a total TV national audience of 1,113,000 and a BVOD audience of 104,000.
Nine’s Thursday Night NRL Live recorded a total TV national reach of 1,383,000, a total TV national audience of 575,000 and a BVOD audience of 82,000.
Nine’s Tipping Point Australia recorded a total TV national reach of 1,282,000, a total TV national audience of 698,000 and a BVOD audience of 59,000.
Total People 3 April 2025.
People 25-54
Seven’s AFL: Thursday Night Football:
• Total TV national reach: 649,000
• National Audience: 258,000
• BVOD Audience: 30,000
Nine’s 9News:
• Total TV national reach: 550,000
• National Audience: 324,000
• BVOD Audience: 53,000
Nine’s Thursday Night NRL Live:
• Total TV national reach: 507,000
• National Audience: 220,000
• BVOD Audience: 49,000
Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV national reach: 500,000
• National Audience: 288,000
• BVOD Audience: 40,000
10’s Gogglebox:
• Total TV national reach: 435,000
• National Audience: 252,000
• BVOD Audience: 21,000
People 25-54 3 April 2025.
People 16-39
Seven’s AFL: Thursday Night Football:
• Total TV national reach: 296,000
• National Audience: 118,000
• BVOD Audience: 21,000
Nine’s Thursday Night NRL Live:
• Total TV national reach: 231,000
• National Audience: 100,000
• BVOD Audience: 31,000
Nine’s 9News:
• Total TV national reach: 216,000
• National Audience: 121,000
• BVOD Audience: 26,000
Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV national reach: 173,000
• National Audience: 98,000
• BVOD Audience: 20,000
10’s Gogglebox:
• Total TV national reach: 173,000
• National Audience: 90,000
• BVOD Audience: 10,000
People 16-39 3 April 2025.
Grocery Shoppers 18+ TV Ratings
Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV national reach: 1,633,000
• National Audience: 1,040,000
• BVOD Audience: 64,000
Nine’s 9News:
• Total TV national reach: 1,464,000
• National Audience: 905,000
• BVOD Audience: 85,000
Seven’s AFL: Thursday Night Football:
• Total TV national reach: 1,420,000
• National Audience: 520,000
• BVOD Audience: 39,000
Nine’s Tipping Point Australia:
• Total TV national reach: 1,041,000
• National Audience: 575,000
• BVOD Audience: 49,000
Nine’s Thursday Night NRL Live:
• Total TV national reach: 1,040,000
• National Audience: 437,000
• BVOD Audience: 64,000
Grocery Shoppers (18+) 3 April 2025.
Data © OzTAM and Regional TAM 2025. 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.
Trump Tariffs
TikTok US spin-off stalls as China pushes back
As ABC News reports, The proposed restructure would have seen ByteDance offload its American arm of the app to a new, majority US-owned entity.
The deal was nearly locked in, with backing from ByteDance, current and incoming investors, and a green light from Washington.
ASX faces $115 billion hit as Trump tariffs spark global market turmoil
The ASX 200 is expected to plunge more than 4% at open, tracking international losses triggered by what experts are calling a “systemic shock” to global trade, reports news.com.au’s Natalie Brown.
SPI Asset Management’s Stephen Innes warned the fallout will touch every Australian, from household budgets to job security, while economists say the nation’s China-reliant economy and federal budget are especially exposed.
Tech
Cannon-Brookes to Canberra: skip the subsidies and clear the runway
As Jared Lynch reports in The Australian, Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes says the local sector doesn’t need subsidies, it needs government to step aside and let the industry compete globally on its own terms.
Despite a federal budget that largely ignored artificial intelligence and left the tech sector out in the cold, the government has launched a review into R&D incentives, led by Tesla chair Robyn Denholm.
Television
Endemol Shine tests YouTube waters with direct-to-consumer reality push
Endemol Shine Australia, the Banijay-owned studio behind blockbuster formats like Survivor, Married at First Sight and Lego Masters, is trialling a direct-to-consumer model with original reality shows made specifically for YouTube.
As James Manning writes in The Australian, the new venture, called Resay, is led by ESA’s Sydney-based content director Amelia Fisk, who’s assembled a cross-network creative team to develop fresh IP designed purely for the platform.
TV industry pays tribute to Gai Reid, a quiet force behind beloved local content
As Kyle Laidlaw writes in TV Blackbox, Gai was best known for her long stint at 10’s Mt Coot-tha studios in Queensland, Reid spent nearly 20 years crafting stories for Totally Wild, a staple of Australian kids’ TV.
Radio
Radio’s pitch at NAB: drive reach now, build demand for later
While social platforms dominate digital attention, Bouvard argued they often miss swathes of the target market, and radio is the bridge to fill those gaps.
As Radio Today reports, Bouvard told the crowd that “radio gets the people Facebook, Instagram and TikTok don’t” encouraging advertisers to think beyond digital-only buys.
Retail
Target rewrites its fashion playbook as Wesfarmers doubles down on dual-brand retail
That’s by design, as Target’s merchandising boss Carrie Kirkman pushes to reposition the retailer as a destination for affordable fashion and elevated homewares.
As Carrie LaFrenz write in The Australian Financial Review, long overshadowed by Kmart’s unstoppable rise and the success of its Anko range, Target is carving out a distinct space within the Wesfarmers portfolio.