This month, Mediaweek and Samsung Ads are launching a new video series called Behind the Screens.

The five-part shortform series presents interviews conducted by Mediaweek editor-in-chief James Manning.

Each episode features a key player in the TV sector who shares insights about the latest trends in the sector from changing viewing habits to advertising business models. The guests have been brought together to discuss challenges, opportunities and the transformation that of the TV landscape.

Behind the Screens is launching with Cathy Oh from Samsung Ads.

Guests across the rest of the series also feature executives from Nine, Seven, Paramount ANZ, Foxtel Media, the IAB and GroupM.

Samsung Ads is Advanced TV advertising. Its smart TV advertising solutions are built on data from millions of Smart TVs in Australia.

In this first episode Cathy Oh, VP & global head of marketing, Samsung Ads speaks about how technology is driving viewing behaviours, the future of connected TV advertising and key questions for marketers.

Here are some highlights from her interview with James Manning:

What is Samsung Ads?

CO: “Samsung ads is built upon the idea that we are redefining the events TV landscape. When we first started, we were excited about the data that we get from millions of TVs that we have in the US alone.

“We are able to now see the user behavior that’s happening on those screens. We recently announced that we are reimagining what a screen can do. When you think about that statement, it’s not just about the TVs alone. It is also about the billions of phones out there, and about the streaming that we’re doing across gaming, as well as our fast or free ad supported streaming TV platforms. It’s really exciting to see what we can offer not just to consumers alone, but to advertisers as well.”

TV consumers have been changing habits in recent years. Where are they currently on the journey?

CO: “Streaming has been surging, but now we are seeing a shift from ad-free platforms to fast or free ad supported streaming TV platforms. One of the things that we’re really excited about is that on Samsung TV Plus, which is our number one fast platform, we have seen over 3 billion hours viewed.

“That’s not based on just the ability of being able to access content easily and for free. It’s also because there’s premium content that’s now being served on different services. I do see that there is more of a welcome from consumers to have that trade off for ads that are going to be in a streaming platform for the content that they’re viewing. Because of that brands have an opportunity now to reach users beyond linear channels.”

Are marketers seeing the opportunity in connected TV?

CO: “I would say absolutely, yes. But I think there’s a lot more for us to do in terms of providing education, as well as proof points in terms of what marketers can do to drive performance through CTV.

“There’s this misconception that CTV is only used for a subset of audience and the fact we hear at Samsung Ads can serve not just scale, but also precision.

“One of the things that marketers can look at is how to maximise. Imagine, for example, you have a linear ad that’s running. There’s a lot of folks who may have missed that ad. So now you have an opportunity through Connected TV to be able to identify those viewers who have not seen it, and be able to serve them in a different exposure in a different space.

“What I find really interesting now is that across 13 additional verticals such as auto, retail CPG, we’re finding that outcome based or performance-based solutions are absolutely doable in the CTP space.”

Are there any myths about Connected TV?

CO: “There’s two that really come to mind. First is that CTV ads are the same as linear. In fact they are not, they’re actually more innovative. They’re more creative, and more dynamic. Another one is that Total TV is actually just linear and BVOD really. When you think about the growth of streaming, you are missing an entire audience if your dollars are only going to be spent in linear TV. Thinking about how to capture a streaming audience, not only throughout the day, but also based on programming and different types of lifestyle, is critically important.”

What is the Connected TV audience?

CO: “We are seeing that on our number one FAST service Samsung TV Plus, it’s not actually the younger demographics you’d expect. We’re talking about adults 30 to 55+. We are seeing that not only is it reaching a mid to older generation, but the time spent on our Samsung TV Plus platform, whether it’s some of their favorite channels or news or premium content, is several hours throughout the day. That is showing that it’s a preferred platform of choice.”

What are your priorities for the remainder of 2023?

CO: “I am personally very excited by digital out of home. It’s an opportunity for us to reach consumers that are outside of the living room. We’re looking at it as not only the home TV, the mobile, which is in the hand but also beyond the home itself. Reaching audiences as they’re shopping, as they are in retail, in stores, and being able to promote different brands. That is going to be positive and supportive for the consumer process.”

Compiled by Jasper Baumann and Tess Connery

Cutting through the politics on Blak Matters

LiSTNR’s new original podcast Blak Matters is an exploration of First Nations issues, and why they matter. Published weekly, each episode provides an honest conversation between 104.1 2DayFM’s Michael ‘MC’ Christian, and lawyer, essayist, storyteller, and Wiradjuri and Wailwan woman, Teela Reid. 

With the nation celebrating NAIDOC Week, Podcast Week’s Tess Connery caught up with the pair to chat about the podcast, the upcoming referendum, and what they hope people get from Blak Matters.

Whilst the podcast only launched recently, behind the scenes it has been a long time coming for Christian and Reid. 

Christian: “We both grew up together in the same country town in Central Western New South Wales, and we were out at our local NAIDOC Week celebrations. Teela was giving a speech and I was hosting the awards night, and after the awards wrapped up, we were all back at Teela’s auntie’s place having a big yarn. It became this really heated political discussion about where things are at in this nation, and where they can possibly go. I texted Teela a couple of weeks later and said, ‘Hey, do you want to do a podcast where we can chat about this stuff?’

“COVID got in the way, everything got delayed, and I’m the most unorganised person in the world – but at the end of last year I texted Teela again and she said ‘let’s do it’. We spoke to the guys here at LiSTNR, they said ‘let’s do it’. And here we are.”

Reid: “This was born out of a couple of mates talking about stuff that really matters to us and our community. The local paper just came out today – the Gilgandra Weekly – and my Nan is on it as the oldest Aboriginal elder in the town, on the front cover. I think that’s pretty momentous this week, and it really is an extension of these conversations that we’re having on this podcast, and why those things matter.”

Thursday will see the pair put out their NAIDOC Week episode, one which both hosts are particularly proud of.

Christian: “We spoke to a Wiradjuri Elder based in Sydney, Millie Ingram, she’s originally from the Cowra area. We spoke to her about what it means to be an Elder, the things that she’s seen in her lifetime, her hopes for the future, and this referendum that’s going to happen later on this year.”

Reid: “It’s honestly the best episode, this episode we have coming out this week brings tears to my eyes – so shout out to our producer Simon as well. It’s so moving. It’s so special. We have a Wiradjuri matriarch who really speaks truth to power, I am so excited to get our episode out.”

It’s a big year for Australians – Indigenous and non-Indigenous – as the country prepares to head to the polls for the Voice to Parliament referendum. When it comes to covering the lead-up to the referendum, there is one clear thing the pair want to do: cut through the politics.

Christian: “The only game plan that we have is to try and sift through the politicising, from both sides, on what this voice could be and what it could do. We want to just have honest and simple conversations, because there are a lot of people that probably still aren’t quite sure of what they’re even voting on and what the voice will be.”

Reid: “We bring it down into plain English so that people can really digest the information and make an informed choice when they get to the ballot box. We also want people to feel really empowered in having conversations about the voice once they do listen to Blak Matters. It’s going to be an enormous year, and first and foremost as a Wiradjuri and Wailwan woman and secondly, as a lawyer, it’s crucial that I play an important role in making sure that we have this conversation based on the facts.”

Christian: “What I would hope is that when everyone is at that ballot box, and they’re ticking their box, they know exactly what they’re voting for. It’s not for us to tell people to vote yes or vote no, that’s everyone’s prerogative to vote whichever way they feel they need to vote. But we want to make sure that when you’re doing it, it’s an informed decision.”

Ultimately, the two hosts say that if people can leave their time with Blak Matters with a little bit more knowledge than they came to the episode with, they’ve done their job.  

Christian: “There might be people that listen, that live in big cities who might not even have met a First Nations person in their life. A lot of these issues would seem so far away to them. A lot of the things we talk about – this referendum and the voice to Parliament – it’s not just a First Nations issue, it’s an Australian issue. Hopefully, people listening to this podcast can see that there is a path forward for this country, and if we do it all together, it’s going to be, hopefully, a positive path forward.”

Reid: “I just hope that people feel like they can engage in the conversation more broadly and feel empowered to continue the conversation. So many people from different facets of my life – celebrities, or everyday Australians, or my own family back in my community – are really thankful that they’ve been able to rely on a resource like this that makes the information really digestible and simple within around 20 minutes.”

[Listen to Blak Matters here]

Bendigo Bank and The Peers Project partner to launch NAIDOC Week podcast series

Bendigo Bank has partnered with Australia’s only BIPOC, female-led podcast agency, The Peers Project to launch NAIDOC week podcast short-series ‘A Yarn with our Elders’.

The new podcast aims to teach listeners to listen more intently and understand more deeply the ways of the world’s oldest living culture. Led by Munanjali Woman, Simone Sexton, the show also aims to instill respect for our Elders and deepen knowledge of First Nations culture, to inspire a fully reconciled Australia. 

Simone Sexton, Inclusion specialist at Bendigo and Adelaide Bank and Munanjali Woman said: “It is said in our culture that when an Elder passes away we lose an entire library of knowledge and wisdom, the telling of our “Songlines” is transferred verbally by Elders. Podcasting is a modern way of telling and sharing these traditional stories, and a fantastic step forward as we continue to walk together on our journey to reconciliation. As custodians of the oldest continuing culture in the world, the knowledge and wisdom of our Elders is invaluable.”

[Listen to A Yarn with our Elders here]

Australian true crime podcast One Minute Remaining hits two million downloads in nine months since launching 

In One Minute Remaining, Jack Laurence speaks with inmates serving lengthy sentences in the United States about their convictions for a range of different serious crimes from arson, robbery, attempted murder and murder itself.

One Minute Remaining has not only been hitting big download numbers but has also been featured at the top of the major charts across Spotify and Apple. It reached number one on Apple’s Australian podcast charts, as well as the number one true crime show on both Apple and Spotify simultaneously at the beginning of this year.

One Minute Remaining has released over 60 episodes and allows numerous incarcerated men and women to tell their stories. Jack looks at the case against them and allows the inmates to tell their accounts of the events that lead up to their incarceration until there’s one minute remaining. 

Jack Laurence said: “It’s honestly mind blowing what the show has managed to achieve in the last nine months and I couldn’t be more proud. We’ve not only created a product that people seem to be really enjoying but also a really strong loyal brand following with over 4,000 people interacting with the show in our Facebook group each week.”

[Listen to One Minute Remaining here]

Dua Lipa announces the third season of At Your Service podcast with BBC

Season Three of Dua Lipa: At Your Service will feature conversations with internationally renowned artists, thought leaders and cultural icons.

Episode one launched on June 30th with Amelia Dimoldenberg, the red-carpet interviewer and host of the viral internet show Chicken Shop Date. 

Season three of the podcast invites listeners to explore the vast landscape of human experiences, and celebrates the power in sharing stories and insights into the world around us. 

Season three’s lineup of guests includes BLACKPINK’s Jennie Kim, relationship expert Esther Perel, star of Netflix’s You and podcaster Penn Badgley, drag icon Sasha Velour and superstar Billie Eilish. 

[Listen to At Your Service here]

Josiah Shala and Renee Buckingham see if they can meet In The Middle on their new podcast

Radio anchor Josiah Shala and vegan entrepreneur and radio producer Renee Buckingham will be unwrapping some of the most controversial thought starters to see if they can meet In The Middle on views on relationships, pop culture, politics, lifestyle and everything else in between. 

Each week, Josiah and Renee will be exploring and debating topics that society is putting down. In the podcast, they discuss, debate and talk about their opinions on things that are impacting both their worlds and the lives around them. 

Renee said: “Josiah and I saw an opportunity to explore our unique dynamic in the form of a podcast. We would laugh about how rare it is to have two mates that are incredibly different with quite opposite world views.

Josiah said: “It’s so refreshing to have a friend like Renee, we have such polar opposite world views, but our love and respect comes from the same place. We’re taking our chats from the streets to the microphones and hope we can start some interesting conversations. I’m hoping my conspiracies aren’t too much for my green, vegan friend!”

[Listen to In The Middle here]

SBS Audio podcast call-out invites pitches for new and distinctive content

SBS has announced a call out for podcast ideas that feature diverse Australian voices with original storytelling for multicultural, multilingual and First Nations audiences. 

Submissions are now open to the public to pitch an idea for a podcast in the categories of news, information or entertainment categories and in any language including English. 

Last year’s call-out generated 175 pitches from across Australia, eight pilot episodes and six commissioned projects including BLA.C.K. Medicine, SEEN and The Idiom.

Shortlisted submissions will be invited to work with the award-winning SBS Audio podcast team to further develop their ideas.

Submissions close on Monday, July 31.

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has wrapped up for 2023, with the event having brought together those that work in creative communications and advertising from every corner of the planet. 

Mediaweek has been on location in the South of France, and spoke to some of the most influential people in both Australian and global media. Today is Lauren Wetzel, COO at InfoSum.

With so much going on in the data realm, Wetzel says that the elevator pitch for InfoSum is all about keeping that data private and secure.

“First-party data has proven to be incredibly effective to drive insights and understanding of your customer. Better advertising, better feedback loop to R&D, it makes your company better. 

“We as an industry have gotten really careless with how that data is passed around, just to drive that effective advertising. You should never put that at risk, you should have control over your own infrastructure that protects the data, that still allows you to work with partners to have a better understanding of your data, where you have gaps in your understanding, and how to fill those gaps. You want to understand your audience, however, you never want to risk leakage or misuse of that data. With this technology, you are in control.”

One of the major pieces of regulation that works towards this goal is GDPR – or General Data Protection Regulation. 

“It’s about ensuring that there are transparency controls in place, so that you, as a consumer always know what is happening to data,” says Wetzel. “It’s ensuring that there’s responsibility and onus on the controller of the data. 

“How do you hold a company accountable for the fact that once upon a time you agreed to hand your data over, but you had an understanding of exactly what was happening to your data? It’s about more awareness, it’s about clarifying what a company is able to do with that data, and then it’s enforcing it when it’s not being followed.”

Also working towards this future are data clean rooms – secure, neutral environments where multiple data sources can be shared with complete data privacy – no personal information or IP identifiers involved.

Wetzel says that the response from the market has been positive, with the main hurdle in InfoSum’s eyes being getting everyone on board at once. 

“Everyone’s interested in having meetings on it, I think those who are really taking protection of their first-party data are moving the fastest. That’s a lot of retailers, broadcasters, and publishers who have more access to first-party data. That’s companies who have been in the headlines, who have risked their data in the past and are on the recovery tour. 

“The biggest challenge we face is that this is a collaboration. It takes two to tango, so the biggest challenge we have is aligning everyone’s timelines at the same time.”

Clean rooms are on the rise, however, with Wetzel saying that there has been a lot of progress made even within the last 12 months.

“In comparison to last year, everyone was running around saying they needed a data clean room – and they really didn’t know what it was. What I’m seeing now is better examples out in the market of how it can drive value and better examples of innovation.”

Of course, no discussion about the big topics of today would be complete without mentioning AI. 

“I just think this industry loves to just harp on about the next thing,” says Wetzel. “AI can be incredibly important –  I heard this from Lou Paskalis, who’s ex-Bank of America, he’s been on a bunch of panels this week – he was talking about how people need to stop over debating whether it’s right or wrong, and just start preparing for the fact that it’s a reality that AI is here.”

As progress marches on, the old tech is phased out in favour of the new. When it comes to the cookieless future, Wetzel points out that “the cookie was never destined to do what the cookie was able to do for that long, that was never sustainable.” 

“I joke sometimes that talking about cookies in today’s world of advertising is the equivalent of talking at a climate conference about plastic straws. It’s not going to be the number one driver, it’s been known to be fairly irrelevant for a while, and you have all of these major technology companies who have acknowledged that. Many innovative companies have moved away from it long before, in Australia, specifically, it’s like 50%. 

“It’s been coming for a while. It was never meant to be this way of connecting across audiences so that partners can understand and then pass that off. I think it’s been a forcing function for everyone to get their first party data shipped together.”

When considering how Australia is placed in the global landscape, Wetzel says that Down Under is a “well-positioned” market. 

“I think they’re well-positioned because of a few different things. Because of privacy and regulation coming, everyone has been a little bit more proactive in terms of the cookies going away, and asking ‘What do we do about that?’ 

“It’s a little bit of a later market to data collaboration infrastructure, but I think that’s a good thing. Now we ask ‘how do you approach that market? How do you make it really compelling?’”

Looking ahead, Wetzel says that no matter how times and tech change, her work with InfoSum will continue to focus on one thing: getting the best results for consumers. 

“I’m excited about innovation and advertising, I’m passionate. Every day I wake up thinking, ‘we have to do better by consumers’ – and we’re not a B2C company, but my job is arming businesses with the technology to do better by their consumers. So I feel that connection. 

“Consumers don’t think about all GDPR all the time, they don’t think about accept cookies, don’t accept cookies, they don’t think all the time about that quick email exchange for 10% off. But we have to do better, we have to have better controls, and greater transparency. That’s what I’m passionate about.”

See Also: News Corp Australia becomes first Australian publisher to partner with InfoSum

–

Top Image: InfoSum’s Lauren Wetzel

By Asier Carazo, national head of strategy at Atomic 212º

As the buzz, congratulations, and (let’s be honest) hangovers finally subside from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, I wanted to reflect on what was a particularly special aspect of this year’s event for me – having the honour of being part of the jury for the Young Lions Media Competition.

Our younger colleagues bring an energy, enthusiasm, and perspective to work every day that is totally unique, so it was probably no surprise to learn that this is very much the case the world over. Based on what I saw at Cannes, I can assure you the future of our industry is in good hands across the globe.

A competition for creatives aged 30 or under, this year’s Young Lions Media Competition had entries from incredible talent representing 28 countries, including the US, India, Nigeria, and Australia.

My fellow judging panel was also made up of an array of the world’s media leaders, and I had the pleasure of sitting alongside the likes of Karine Ysebrant de Lendonck from Belgium, Ami Qian from China, and Stephen Onaivi from Ghana.

So, we had a broad spectrum of countries, backgrounds and expertise in terms of what people do in media, making for a perfectly on-point cast, with everyone bringing a different perspective.

As to the competition itself, NGO Net Zero World was the “client”, giving our teams a brief about sustainability and how people power can generate impact on carbon emissions. The teams then had just 24 hours to put together a five-minute presentation for the panel, followed by a five-minute Q&A session where we peppered them with curly questions.

It was advertising taken to the extreme and a lot of the entrants didn’t sleep across the 24 hours. When it was time to present, some were shaking with nervous energy – I know I would have been!

Yet the amount of work – and how professionally and creatively it was presented – was so exciting and impressive. The presentations looked amazing. More than ideas on a page, I was blown away by the design work. It was incredible. While all entrants can hold their heads high, our podium places are worth a quick recap.

Cannes Young Lions Media Competition judges

Bronze Lion: “Adivism” from Switzerland

The plan was to create the largest climate protest in history at the World Economic Forum in Davos. However, the logistics of having millions of people travel to the small Swiss town would leave a huge carbon footprint, so people would show their protest by putting their faces on stickers that would be plastered all over the town.

It would be the world’s first media-driven protest, using advertising to deliver activism – hence adivisim. Brilliant.

Silver Lion: “The Stone Movement” from Colombia

There is a saying in Spanish, “Una piedra en tu zapato”, which roughly translates to “A stone in your shoes” which shows how you don’t feel discomfort until you feel it in your own shoes.

The aim here was to tap into sneaker culture; specifically, to partner with the world’s largest shoe brands to put a tiny stone into the insoles of new shoes, reminding consumers of the issues in the world that should make them uncomfortable, like we will all be if we don’t resolve the climate crisis.

This campaign was all about maximum attention, and how media is delivering less and less attention in this day and age. But something as small as a pebble in your shoe will take up all your attention!

Finally, to our winners. Drum roll, please…

Gold Lion: “The Lower, The Better” from South Korea

No one thinks about their carbon emissions while chilling out and watching a movie, but the higher the resolution of the content you’re watching, the greater your footprint.

This campaign utilised the insight that consumers can reduce their streaming emissions by as much as 80% by simply taking their viewing experiences down from 4K to standard.

By partnering with Netflix, the team from Daehong would create “A Net O Series”, a clever play on “A Netflix Original Series”, to encourage users to watch in lower-quality video, thus reducing their emissions, with the aim of creating a global movement that would put pressure on all streaming services and social media companies to default low-quality video settings.

Because lower resolution leads to lower emissions. The Lower, The Better. Genius.

The winners of the three top awards were all from non-English speaking countries, so these teams were creating campaigns, presenting, and then answering questions about them in their second language. It may seem small, but being a non-native English speaker myself, I assure you it’s not something to be taken for granted, especially when you factor in a 24-hour deadline.

It was also a reminder that great ideas and insights know no language. Different people from different backgrounds, speaking different languages, coming together to share amazing ideas is about as strong an example as you’ll get for why diversity isn’t just a box-ticking exercise; it drives great outcomes.

More broadly, the three winners were delivering real-world impact with campaigns that were tangible. They didn’t just make people aware; it drove us to participate. It was media building that bridge between the online and offline worlds, all while maximising attention.

It was so refreshing to see them going beyond the standard servings of, say, a simple social campaign. They brought us unexpected touchpoints and partnerships.

It was a reflection of what we see in the “major” awards at Cannes, because while there are so many great ideas in advertising, those that deliver opportunities for real-world impact were the standouts this year.

Finally, I encourage all Australians in the industry to enter a Young Lions competition next year, be it in media, print, PR, digital, design, or film. It’s not just a trip to Cannes, although you can win a free trip to this incredible festival. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do a piece of work you get to present to senior media people from around the world. Hope I see you at Cannes in 2024!

See Also: Atomic 212° CEO Claire Fenner reveals why the agency joined the Mutinex Platinum Partnership Program

–

Top Image: Asier Carazo

Alley Group unveiled its new repositioning earlier this year, with its core services to help brands’ do more with less’.

Part of the company’s relaunch included its merger with Innovate Online, a Nunn Media-owned digital agency, bringing new capabilities and skills to the talent roster.

The combined Alley Group provides clients a unique suite of capabilities and services beyond media to drive greater campaign efficiencies and ensure each marketing dollar is well-spent in achieving heightened conversion.

Nick Lavidge, Alley Group CEO, spoke to Mediaweek about expanding the agency’s offering, being a precision agency and the outlook for the year ahead.

The next step to the next phase of growth

With the new positioning in play, Lavidge shared that his role and what he oversees has largely stayed the same. However, he highlighted that the offering for people and clients has drastically increased.

“Alley is proud to offer full-funnel services beyond media to maximise customer conversion and retention. We offer expanded SEO capabilities as a result of combining with Innovate Online, and we now have a team of more than 100 marketing experts globally,” he said.

“As an agency, it’s a natural next step for Alley, and it’s personally exciting for me as CEO to lead our next phase of growth,” he added.

Alley’s expanded offering and ‘doing more with less’

Lavidge noted that commercial outcomes have always been a core focus of their campaigns.

“In 2014, I founded Alley on the premise that when brands spend money on marketing, they should make money on marketing,” he said.

Lavidge noted that challenging economic conditions have shifted marketing priorities toward driving efficiencies and maximising customer conversions.

“This is a big change from last year, where Australian brands focused on fast growth at any cost, which unfortunately led to many brands misspending their media investment,” he said.

“Alley’s new offering is about ‘doing more with less’,” he said.

Lavidge explained that their full-funnel suite of services is designed to be precise, minimise waste and ensure every marketing dollar contributes to conversion.

“It’s the approach brands have always needed, but even more so in today’s environment,” he said.

Alley Group’s new position brings two elements for existing and interested clients: a greater breadth of capabilities and more marketing specialists.

“Our capabilities have expanded to cover all stages of customer acquisition and retention campaigns, from profitability planning and mapping the customer journey through to media planning, conversion optimisation and attribution,” he said.

Lavidge explained that the agency now offers expanded Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and diversified digital and traditional media capabilities.

“We believe this comprehensive offering will drive efficiencies for our client campaigns,” he said.

Lavidge noted that structurally, Alley had gained 25 talented staff from Innovate Online, which will provide invaluable expertise to our U.S. and Australian clients.

Meanwhile, Innovate’s Melbourne office has also become Alley’s third global office, following Sydney and Los Angeles.

How Alley’s repositioning will prepare brands to run efficient campaigns

Alley Group’s ‘do more with less’ positioning aims to ensure campaigns are run efficiently, particularly with the expected economic challenges.

Lavidge noted that the agency’s new position would be used with the concept of precision. He said: “When brands serve the right ad to the right person at the right time on the right channel, they achieve their desired result with less media investment. Unfortunately, when campaigns lack precision, media waste and inefficiency occur.”

“We don’t describe Alley as a performance agency but as a precision agency.”

Lavidge explained that their client campaigns are full-funnel and focus on uncovering a 360-degree view of customers, understanding their journey, the media channels they consume and the messages they respond to.

“We then build and optimise personalised creative to ensure the highest rate of conversion. Throughout campaigns, we’re able to map campaign performance to financial outcomes,” he said.

Plans for the U.S. and beyond

While the changes create a unique offering in Australia, there is also continued growth planned for the U.S., where they have a footprint.

Lavidge noted that the U.S. offers the world’s largest market opportunity for Alley’s services.

“We’re proud to have built a considerable U.S. footprint over Alley’s nine years, driving great results for longstanding clients such as NETGEAR,” he said.

Lavidge shared that they recently won briefs for big-name brands like GoTo on the back of this success.

“Our planned U.S. growth will be driven by three key principles: delivering industry-leading work, appointing the industry’s best operators, and proactivity,” he added.

Outlook for Alley Group in the year ahead

Looking ahead, Lavidge revealed that it is an exciting time for Alley as they integrate their combined team of specialists with their unique servicing offering to deliver on their vision of being the global leader for customer acquisition and retention.

“We have an important role in the year ahead in helping businesses do more with less, running spend-efficient campaigns that win and retain customers for long-term financial impact,” Lavidge added.

–

Top image: Nick Lavidge

ABC national political flagship program Insiders starts a new chapter this weekend with anchor David Speers presenting the first program from its new base in the nation’s capital. This Sunday’s episode will be the first from the recently upgraded ABC Canberra studio. 

In addition to his Insiders hosting duties, Speers will take on an expanded role in its federal political coverage within the ABC’s Canberra Parliament House bureau as ABC News’ national political lead. 

The move comes after the redundancy of previous political editor, Andrew Probyn in a major restructuring.

See Also: “Flabbergasted”: ABC political editor Andrew Probyn comments on redundancy amid restructure

Insiders Canberra studio

“It’s terrific to have the program that’s all about the nation’s politics now based right in the centre of the action,” Speers said. 

“As Australians wrestle with hugely important issues around the cost of living, housing, climate change, the Indigenous Voice, and many others, the Insiders team will be on the ground to help them navigate how the policies and politics are impacting the nation and people’s lives. 

“I’m also really pleased to have an expanded presence within the bureau. The ABC Parliament House team is a powerhouse of incredibly talented and dedicated journalists. It’s a privilege to be part of this team and I look forward to working even more closely with everyone.” 

ABC director, news Justin Stevens said Speers would have a bigger presence in the broadcaster’s political coverage across all platforms throughout the week, alongside 7.30 chief political correspondent Laura Tingle. 

“David Speers is a hugely respected political journalist and with his Insiders responsibilities now based in Canberra full-time we have the opportunity to better utilise his vast experience during the rest of the week,” he said.  

“The ABC plays a vital role in scrutinising our federal policy and politicians and we plan to bring that coverage to more Australians across all ABC News services.” 

This announcement is a separate initiative to the ABC’s recent proposed changes to the Canberra bureau and across ABC News. Consultation on those proposals is continuing. 

Magnite has been chosen by Foxtel Media to enable programmatic advertising on ad-supported streaming service, BINGE Basic. As the initial exclusive programmatic launch partner, Magnite will provide advertisers with access to BINGE Basic’s premium inventory across connected TV (CTV) and over-the-top (OTT) platforms.

Advertising launched in March 2023, with the introduction of ads onto the existing BINGE Basic tier, meaning there was a scaled audience for advertisers from launch. Working with Magnite will allow Foxtel Media to build on this momentum and offer advertisers enhanced targeting capabilities along with programmatic efficiency, helping them to optimise their campaigns and maximise their return on investment.

As the streaming industry continues to evolve, the need for effective audience targeting and improved engagement is vital. With streaming platforms gaining significant traction among viewers, the partnership provides a unique opportunity for advertisers to tap into BINGE’s premium audience and deliver tailored messaging, while prioritising the best experience for users.

“We are excited to be leading the way in the Australian streaming landscape by working with Magnite to unlock programmatic demand across BINGE’s Basic tier,” said Chris Oxley, national head of digital sales at Foxtel Group. “This collaboration allows us to further enhance our ad offerings and provide advertisers with access to BINGE’s premium audience at scale by providing advanced and effective targeting capabilities.”

Juliette Stead, SVP head of JAPAC at Magnite said, “We are thrilled to be working with Foxtel Media and be a part of this great new offering. By integrating our programmatic advertising capabilities with BINGE Basic tier, we are empowering advertisers to effectively reach their target audiences with greater efficiency. Together, we are shaping the future of programmatic advertising across the streaming landscape, and we look forward to delivering exceptional results for Foxtel Media and their valued advertisers.”

Read more: Luxury Escapes: The World’s Best Holidays joins the Foxtel and BINGE line up

The Australia Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has welcomed the addition of nine new members who have joined in the last six months.

Joining as members are; Qantas, IKEA, Sanitarium, Goodman Fielder, Primo, Cashrewards, Seven, Endeavour Group and Dentsu Creative. This diverse group of brands and industry leaders further enhances AANA’s commitment to representing a full spectrum of the advertising and marketing industry.

As a not-for-profit organisation, AANA strives to foster collaboration, thought leadership, and responsible advertising practices across various sectors. With the inclusion of these new members, AANA continues to build a strong and diverse community that reflects the evolving landscape of the industry.

Josh Faulks, CEO at the AANA, said of the new additions: “We are delighted to welcome these exceptional individuals and their organisations to AANA. Their expertise and insights will enrich our collective efforts to foster responsible advertising, drive industry growth, and advocate for the highest self-regulation standards.”

AANA spoke to some of their new members about becoming a member:

• IKEA’s Kirsten Hasler, head of marketing ANZ, said: “Joining the AANA enables IKEA to have an active voice within the advertising industry and supports us to continuously learn, challenge ourselves and evolve as marketers that drive serious business growth. We look forward to becoming an enthusiastic member within this wonderful network of experienced brands and media professionals.”

• Endeavour Group’s Jo Rose, chief marketing officer, said: “Our 28,000 team members are passionate about our purpose: Creating a more sociable future, together. It guides us to focus our strategy on what matters most. We are custodians of a trusted, complementary and well-recognised brand portfolio, and joining the Australian Association of National Advertisers will further enhance our multitude of customer connections and industry partnerships. The way we reach our customers is evolving rapidly, and Endeavour Marketing is focused on transforming our function for the future. We are committed to doing the right thing for our customers and playing a leading role in the industry as a responsible operator and marketer.”

• Kurt Burnette, chief revenue officer of Seven Network, said: “As the most connected news, sport and entertainment brand in Australia, joining the Australian Association of National Advertisers also underlines Seven’s commitment to nurturing responsible, effective, innovative, and transparent advertising. Seven shares the same passions and values as the AANA, and as new members, we look forward to working closely with the esteemed member brands and people that continue to do such great work in an ever-evolving marketplace.”

• Nicole Bardsley, head of marketing at Cashrewards, said: “We’re happy to be a contributing voice in the industry and gain access to training, events and growth for our marketing team. The AANA partnership supports our employee education and development commitments while fostering a strong connection with the advertising industry.”

• Goodman Fielder’s Christine Fung, chief marketing officer, said: “We consider it a great privilege to be in over 90% of Australian households with our brands and products, and with that privilege also comes a responsibility to ensure that we contribute to building an even better advertising industry with our fellow peers. We are excited to be part of the AANA’s vision for building better together.”

• Primo’s general manager of marketing, Susanna Polycarpou, said: “We’re proud to contribute the AANA’s mission of advancing the industry. Our main focus is on developing our strong Primo marketing team, making sure they have the right training and stay up to date with industry trends to support their growth and career progression. We’re committed to helping them thrive and achieve their goals.’

• Jessica Manihera, Sanitarium’s head of marketing said: “As a business headquartered in Australia, we are always looking to our industry peers to discuss, debate and set a path forward for the issues that matter most to our customers and consumers. The AANA offers us a valued opportunity to connect with the community, have a voice and to absorb knowledge and information that will help to grow our business. We also greatly value the AANA’s position as custodians of self-regulation and look forward to being able to lean on its knowledge and expertise to upskill our teams.”

These new members, with their diverse backgrounds and expertise, will contribute to the AANA’s vision to build a better industry and share its mission to shape responsible and effective advertising practices.

As AANA strengthens and diversifies its membership base, it continues to facilitate collaboration, knowledge sharing, and industry advocacy, empowering advertisers across Australia.

–

Top image: Josh Faulks, Kirsten Hasler, Kurt Burnette and Christine Fung

Canberra Radio Ratings GfK Survey 2
Survey Period: Sun Feb 26 to Sat Mar 25 & Sun Apr 23 to Sat Jun 17

UP: MIX 106.3 +1.6

MIX 106.3 25.8% (24.2%)

ARN’s Mix106.3 remains the top Canberra commercial network for another survey, lifting 1.6 points for a 25.8% share.

The breakfast slot with Kristen and Nige remains the top breakfast show in the region with a 26.1% share, a rise of 3.4 points from the last survey. Mix 106.3’s mornings with Nige and then Pat have dropped to a 26.3% share, dropping 3.1 points. In the later part of the day, Drive experienced a rise of 3.9 points to reach a share of 25.6%, and remains Canberra’s top overall drive program. 

The station dominates among the 10-17, 40-54, and 55-64 demographics.

HIT 104.7 14.7% (17.5%)

SCA’s Hit104.7 dropped 2.8 points this survey for a share of 14.7%, while dominating the 18-24 demographic with a 28.7% share, despite dropping 16.5 points. 

The network’s strongest program was Hit104.7’s mornings slot with a 18.2% share.

Breakfast with Ned and Josh dropped 3.9 points for a 12.5% share.

2CA 6.3% (6.9%)

2CA dropped 0.3 points but still placed third among the commercial networks. The network had the strongest hold on the 65+ demographic with a 11.5% share. 

2CA’s breakfast show, The Classic Breakfast with Holmsey & Scotty, was down 0.5 points for a share of 6.5%. 

2CC 4.6% (4.8%)

2CC dropped 0.2 points to reach a 4.6% share. The drive slot performed the best for the network with a 5.0% share. The station’s strongest demo was 55-64 with a 10.9% share.

See also: Canberra Radio Ratings 2023, Survey 1: Mix 106.3 keeps its crown

Think HQ has launched its landmark Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) as part of their NAIDOC Week celebrations, social change agency

The inaugural RAP is the outcome of more than two years of planning and engagement at the agency, and marks a significant milestone in Think HQ’s journey towards reconciliation. The plan has been endorsed by Reconciliation Australia, the lead body for reconciliation in Australia.

A truly collaborative endeavour, the RAP was shaped by the hands and minds of friends and colleagues across the agency and its networks. Adjunct professor Wayne Quilliam – an Indigenous photographic artist, curator, and cultural advisor – generously provided insight and guidance, allowing the agency to capture the  vibrant diversity of the cultures that shape our nation.

The Reflect RAP is the first of four RAP types – Reflect, Innovate, Stretch, and Elevate – that Think HQ will build upon in the future.

Jen Sharpe, Think HQ founder and managing director, said: “NAIDOC Week is always a hugely important moment in the Think HQ calendar, and the opportunity to this year celebrate the Elders who have contributed so much is a real honour.

“Our inaugural RAP is an important milestone, but also the starting point for what comes next. At Think HQ, we are working hard to learn and grow into the most inclusive agency in the World. First Nations Australians deserve the same level of inclusion, representation and actualisation that we all do.

“The RAP is more than a plan – it is a compass that will guide our work going forward, bringing to life our commitment to drive positive change in our workplace and across the wider community.”

Taryn Marks, head of First Nations Engagement & Communications at Think HQ, said: “RAP’s create a great organisational conversation about meaningful and tangible actions to work with First Nations communities. The “reflect” stage affords Think HQ the opportunity to really build on work already underway, and to scope opportunities in the industry that we could positively influence in the future.”

You can find out more about Think HQ’s RAP here, and read some reflections of the RAP Working Group here. 

Zitcha has announced it has been appointed to launch an automated retail media network and drive increased revenue from and for commerce partners for Village Cinemas.

Leveraging first-party loyalty data from Village Cinemas one million plus Vrewards program, advertisers can initially access Village Cinemas branded offsite Meta social media channels including Facebook and Instagram, to more effectively segment, target and connect with consumers at scale using the Zitcha platform. 

Village Cinemas, which appointed the independent retail media platform following a competitive market review, is one of the country’s first major entertainment brands to realise the growing demand for retail media solutions – which GroupM forecasts will hit US$125.7 billion globally this year alone, rising to US$176 billion annually in 2028 and surpassing TV advertising spend.

Nic Robin, chief commercial officer, Village Entertainment, said: “Village Cinemas is a retailer, arguably not in the traditional sense but our team recognises the value of a large first-party data set. The opportunity to further optimise media for advertisers by effectively connecting with cinema-goers is exciting. The combination of a robust loyalty program, digital share of ticket sales and high guest affiliation with blockbuster movies enables efficient ROI for partners via digital channels.”

“Village Cinemas values long lasting relationships with a number of commercial partners, the Zitcha platform will supercharge the landscape enabling incremental value for the current and new partner base. Initially Zitcha will activate our offsite Meta and Google channels.”

Nick Hinsley

Australian owned and operated, Zitcha connects the media assets of retailers including website, social, email and in-store, enabling brand advertisers to connect directly with consumers at every touchpoint and drive better sales attribution. Retailers already using the Zitcha platform include Adore Beauty and New Zealand’s largest retail group, The Warehouse Group, with other leading retailers to be announced shortly. 

Nick Hinsley, chief revenue officer, Zitcha added: “Commerce media remains an untapped opportunity for many retailers in Australia. That’s additional revenue not being realised by retailers and missed chances for brands to connect and convert with the right audiences. 

“Village Cinemas were one of the first major entertainment companies to launch a loyalty program in Australia and are now one of the first to make a significant retail media play. These decisions will pay significant dividends not only for its business but the partners that use the Zitcha platform. We look forward to building a strong relationship with them to further innovate their retail media strategy.”

–

Top image: Nick Hinsley

Creative Led Marketing Group (CLMG) has announced its partnership with Dragonfly Biosciences which produces a range of CBD oils and skincare products. As an end-to-end marketing partner, CLMG will assist Dragonfly Biosciences in launching its ASX listing and establishing a presence in the Australian Market. 

Dragonfly Biosciences intends to raise $5 million AUS dollars at $0.20 cents per share, with the financing being jointly led by Finexia Securities and RM Corporate Finance Pty Limited. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global CBD market is estimated to be worth USD $3.6 billion growing to USD $55 billion by 2028.  

Dragonfly Biosciences chose CLMG as their marketing and advertising partner due to the unique advantage of having production, campaign management and media buying all under one roof. This streamlined approach simplifies the process for Dragonfly Biosciences as an international company, ensuring an efficient marketing strategy. 

Currently, Dragonfly Biosciences and CLMG are collaborating on a creative-led multichannel marketing strategy tailored to support their entry into the Australian market. 

“We are thrilled to partner with Dragonfly Biosciences for their exciting launch into the Australian market, trading on the ASX,” said Misha Vaxman, CRO and co-founder of CLMG. “With our dedicated team of marketing professionals and being able to provide strategy, production, performance and media buying resources under a single roof we are confident in our ability and committed to driving the Dragonfly’s success beyond its initial launch in Australia, cementing a continued presence.”

Dragonfly Biosciences chief executive, Regan Saveall on the company’s launch into Australia notes,  “I am excited and proud to announce the company’s entry into Australia. With the help of the CLMG team, we are confident that our robust marketing strategy will be well received by all our stakeholders as well as the Australian people.”

–

Top Image: Regan Saveall

delicious. has delivered its largest digital audience on record in May, according to the latest rankings from Ipsos iris for May 2023. 

The publication delivered an audience of 1.696 million, up 34.3% month-on-month, and 17 million page views for the month of May. The delicious. audience has extended its reach by 35.79% since January when Ipsos iris first launched.

delicious. editorial director Kerrie McCallum said the numbers are reflective of a renewed content strategy focused on changing consumer needs.

“To address the cost-of-living pressures Australians are facing, we set out to provide our audience with recipes from quick and healthy midweek meals through to desserts designed for effortless entertaining at home.

“Our travel content has been amplified following the resurgence in interest in international destinations and airline experiences, delivering a 24 per cent increase in search traffic month-on-month* to the site section. Also proving incredibly popular was content that spoke to the mindset of the country during key cultural moments, such as the coronation of King Charles III and Mother’s Day,” she said.

“American Express delicious. Month Out, our month-long event encouraging people to get out and enjoy the rich dining culture of their city with exclusive offers, events and experiences, returned to Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide in May. It was the most successful campaign to-date, exceeding all of our metrics, including more than doubling the number of visitors to the site section year-on-year*.

“To reach a premium food audience of 1.696 million Australians is a testament to the work of the entire delicious. team. We are way ahead of our competitors and thrilled with the results,” McCallum added.

delicious. expanded its reach with an 82% increase in its audience of 14-24 year-olds, and a 36% increase in its audience of 25-39 year-olds, the biggest demographic group for the brand at 26.12%.

Ipsos iris is Australia’s new digital audience measurement currency endorsed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), the trade association for online advertising in Australia, providing accurate data about the 21 million Australians aged 14+ who access a wide variety of digital content and services across Smartphone, PC/Laptop and Tablet devices.

Yahoo is proud to announce the 40 outstanding emerging leaders who have been chosen from a record 250 entries to participate in the Yahoo Academy 2023 program. 

Now in its 12th year, the Yahoo Academy remains the industry’s leading talent-building initiative. This year’s cohort is made up of individuals across major holding companies, indie agencies and brand marketers from Australia and Singapore. 

This year’s program will be led by renowned nomadic strategists Rosie and Faris Yakob from Genius Steals. Rosie and Faris are globally recognised experts in creative problem-solving, and their program focuses on equipping attendees with the tools they need for the huge evolutions facing their roles and the industry over the next few years, with advancements in technology like AI and web3.

See also: Yahoo Academy opens nominations for its talent-building program

John McNerney, managing director of Yahoo AUSEA, says: “The record number of applications we’ve received for this year’s Yahoo Academy is testament to the esteem this program is held in. We’re really excited to have Rosie and Faris leading this year’s program. We chose them because they are proven experts at helping people break out of their everyday habits and think more strategically.

“What is really exciting is that while we’ll be training these rising stars, the program is designed so they can share the skills learnt with their wider organisations to help them evolve as well. It’s a truly innovative program which we are certain will have a transformative impact on the industry as a whole into the future.” 

Adam Krass, chief digital, Data and Technology Officer at UM, adds: “Yahoo Academy has for a number of years been the proven program to help identify and grow the best young talent in the industry. We are thrilled to have our nominees chosen to take part and are excited for them to expand on their new ideas and innovation at UM as they learn from this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

The day’s agenda will include captivating keynote presentations, thought-provoking discussions, interactive workshops, invaluable networking opportunities, and a live pitch-off event with the winners rewarded with an exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime seven-day trip to a global conference in Sydney in October. Additionally, all attendees will receive Delegate passes to Advertising Week APAC on 1 and 2 August. 

Yahoo Academy’s Class of 2023:

• Alankrita Misra, Half Dome
• Alex Soetrisno , EssenceMediacom
• Arabella Robinson, American Express
• Ashleigh Stead, Rufus Powered by Initiative
• Bonita Wong, WooliesX
• Cameron Stewart, UM
• Claire Bryan, Carat Adelaide
• Ella Ashworth, Publicis Groupe – Zenith Media Brisbane
• Elyse Taylor, Half Dome
• Georgette Gikas, Resolution Digital
• Harleen Sodhi, dentsu
• Hooi San Ong, PHD Singapore 
• Jessica Wagner, OMD
• Jorge Barbosa, EssenceMediacom
• Josh Coles, UM
• Kar Shing Fong, Dentsu Aegis Network
• Kelsie Jeffers, Starcom
• Kerryn Josman, Wavemaker
• Kris Kuhn, PHD
• Liam Pierce, Initiative
• Lily Trainor, PHD
• Lucy McKenna,  PHD
• Mary Pantahos, Matterkind
• Max Baum, Matterkind
• Michael Kwong, Spark Foundry
• Natassja Corban, Essencemediacom
• Nikita Waring, Spark Foundry
• Orla Delaney, APEX, Publicis
• Peter Hamilton, Kaimera
• Riccardo Morelli, BCM Group
• Sam Cook, PHD
• Sam Orton, UM
• Shivam Patel, Spark Foundry
• Simon Molloy, OMD
• Sophie Gallagher, Slingshot Media
• Stephanie Hallal, Wavemaker
• Summer Treseder, Initiative Australia
• Swastika Gupta, Mindshare Australia
• Tom Hamilton, EssenceMediacom
• Tom Trefry, The Brand Agency

The Rugby League Players Association (RLPA) has called for a boycott of pre-game, post-game, and halftime interviews for players in all matches – including State of Origin.

Fox League and Channel Nine will also lose dressing room access during the boycott.

The boycott will not apply from Monday to Wednesday each week – with the exception of State of Origin – so players are able to continue existing relationships outside of the round being played.

The move is being called in order to try and force a change to the failed collective bargaining agreement process.

“After meeting with over 50 player leaders from all clubs last night, players unanimously decided that we must take action as a result of the NRL’s rejection of our settlement proposal and their unacceptable demands of players,” a statement from the RLPA reads.

“The unreasonable ultimatum of the ARL Commission and the NRL, and their refusal to continue to negotiate the CBA, has forced the players into action.

“Players have determined that the action to take is that all players will boycott the media from the first NRL, NRLW (including trials) or State of Origin match of every week to the last. This action will commence tomorrow Thursday July 6th.”

The media boycott will rule out:

• Pre-match interviews (TV, radio, print, NRL.com)
• Half-time interviews (TV)
• Post-match interviews (TV, radio, print, NRL.com)
• Post-match press conference
• Media opportunities in the dressing rooms (TV, radio, print, NRL.com)
• Media opportunities in mixing zones (TV, radio, print, NRL.com)
• Direct communication with media via a player’s mobile phone or social media

If a Player’s team is not scheduled to play that day, the boycott is still in effect and includes:
• External media opportunities organised by a players’ Club (TV, radio, print, NRL.com)
Any direct communication from media via a player’s mobile phone or social media

Players will take part in media during the boycott if:

• It is a Club-owned media commitment and specifically for the development of Club-owned content (e.g. website, social media for the players’ club).
• Where a player has a current, pre-existing, individual arrangement in place with a media outlet (radio/print/broadcast).
• From Monday to Wednesday each week (unless there is an Origin match, then it will be Monday to Tuesday), there will be no media boycott.

After Val Morgan Digital signed a strategic partnership last month that included a multi-year content licensing partnership to represent BuzzFeed, the publisher has made some changes to its editorial team. As part of the deal, BuzzFeed staff made the move over to Val Morgan Digital. 

See Also: Val Morgan Digital signs strategic partnership to represent BuzzFeed, Tasty, and BringMe in ANZ

The updated team list: 

Ryan Paturzo, supervising Tasty producer
Julia Willing, head of content
Sohan Judge, senior audience development manager
Hameda Nafiz, content producer
Sybil Mendonca, video producer
Lisa-Astrid Curran, head of editorial video

As well as Buzzfeed, last month’s deal sees Val Morgan Digital represent Tasty and BringMe in the Australian and New Zealand market.

The addition will see Val Morgan Digital reach over 4.8 million total audience speaking to 14-39 year olds – making it the 3rd largest online media publisher in the country, according to IPSOS Iris data, reaching 1 in 2 Australians in its demographic.

At the time, Brian Florido, managing director of Val Morgan Digital said that “Our monthly audience will be propelled from 3.7 million to 4.8 million, amplifying the potential for brands and advertisers to connect with highly engaged 14- to 39-year-old Gen Z and millennial audiences in the region.”

Richard Alan Reid, EVP head of studio and international, said “This strategic partnership marks an important milestone in BuzzFeed’s evolution. Including BuzzFeed’s brands in the Val Morgan Digital portfolio will unlock new exciting business opportunities and drive growth. We believe that Val Morgan Digital is the ideal local media player to take BuzzFeed and Tasty to the next level in Australia and New Zealand.”

Screen Queensland in partnership with Screenworks and the ABC have announced the return of Authentic NQ, an initiative championing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander filmmakers from North and Far North Queensland. 

Authentic NQ will provide $4,000 in funding to support three filmmaking teams to tell local stories in the form of original 3–5 minute microfilms. Participants will also receive mentoring from the ABC to refine their shooting scripts, production planning, rough cuts and final edits, with the aim of delivering a high-quality microfilm for streaming on ABC platforms. 

Screen Queensland acting CEO Dr Belinda Burns said Authentic NQ backs First Nations storytellers as they pursue careers in the burgeoning regional screen industry, which is set to expand in 2024 with the opening of the $12.6 million Screen Queensland Studios, Cairns development.

“North and Far North Queensland has local talent and stories unlike anywhere else in the world. As Queensland moves along its Path to Treaty, it’s never been more important for our First Nations practitioners to have access to the screen industry. 

“This initiative is investing in First Nations filmmakers by increasing their professional capabilities and connecting them with industry experts,” Burns said.

ABC head of regional, rural & emergency Hugh Martin said Authentic NQ returns to share more fascinating stories from the North Queensland region.

“In 2021 three authentic Queensland stories were captured by local filmmakers – a woman’s rise to national champion, a story of island life and turtle rehab, and a musician’s struggles with abuse and purpose.

“These local stories are what the ABC is about, and this partnership with Screen Queensland and Screenworks connects local content makers and filmmakers to tell authentic stories about northern Australia’s most interesting communities,” Martin said.

Screenworks CEO Lisa O’Meara said it is a pleasure to continue supporting the screen industry in North and Far North Queensland through partnerships with Screen Queensland and the ABC.

“By continuing to provide these opportunities, we are supporting the growth of skills and capabilities of screen practitioners in North and Far North Queensland. Enabling local filmmakers to tell local stories increases the capacity of the region and should lead to more productions being made in the region.”

Applications are open now and close on Wednesday, July 26. 

Spotify podcasters Toni Lodge and Ryan Jon Dunn are set to embark on a marathon 50+ hour live stream – delivering what their fans have asked for since the Toni and Ryan podcast first launched – from 9am this Friday, July 7.

Since launching two years ago, Toni and Ryan has become one of Australia’s biggest podcasts with a global community of followers around the world. Fans wanted more exclusive content, so to make their podcast possible and help produce more original content, the duo established a Patreon community.

Toni and Ryan came up with the inspired – or maybe crazy – idea to livestream for one minute for every Patreon member that signed up, with the aim to stream for 50 hours. But the minutes and hours are growing in the lead up to the livestream, as more people sign up, and the pair will add time to the tally when any new member joins during the weekend. Broadcasting from an Airbnb in Melbourne, all they can promise is ‘expect nothing’ – 50+ hours is a very very long time.

Toni said, “It’s going to be a really intense personal challenge and I’m flipping from feeling exhilarated to terrified. And a tiny bit offended because when I tell people we’re doing a marathon they say ‘not a running one obviously’ which thankfully, no, it’s not.”

Ryan said, “I’m still not sure if I’m excited or terrified. Toni googled if we could die, and she reckons we’re all good so let the livestream begin I guess.”

The Toni and Ryan podcast launched in August 2021, and last year the duo signed a deal with the global audio streaming platform Spotify, to release episodes five days a week. The podcast has continued to topple podcast charts around the world and the podcast’s video highlights have received more than one billion views across Instagram and Tiktok since launch. Toni and Ryan have a highly engaged community with two million followers across their socials.

For further details about how to sign up for the livestream, check out Toni and Ryan’s website or their socials,.

See Also: Partners in grime: Toni and Ryan host a garbage truck collection for charity

Fox Sports has launched a new vodcast that lifts the lid on all the latest news direct from Grand Prix paddocks worldwide.

Pit Talk, now available on foxsports.com.au, is a new 30-minute episode dropping every Tuesday – will be co-hosted by Fox Sports Australia journalist Michael Lamonato alongside Speedcafe Editor Mat Coch and UK-based F1® journalist Ian Parkes,

Lamonato, Coch, and Parkes have spent years reporting the triumphs, heartbreaks, and heartstopping action that makes F1®. They will also update fans on general motorsport news.

The first episode of Pit Talk is available now on foxsports.com.au, Apple or Spotify.

Every Tuesday, Pit Talk will dissect and analyse the fallout from races, unpacking the debates and rumours happening in the paddock, and keeping fans up to date with all the latest driver news.

So far, the 2023   FIA Formula One World Championship™has been dominated by Max Verstappen who last week clocked his seventh race victory at the FORMULA 1 ROLEX GROSSER PREIS VON ÖSTERREICH 2023, his fifth consecutive win.

Three upcoming international Grand Prix races will air during viewer friendly times for Australian audiences – Singapore, Japan and the highly anticipated inaugural FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN SILVER LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX 2023, which will be held later in the year.

Episodes are available on foxsports.com.au or via Apple and Spotify.

Fox Sports is the home of motorsport in Australia and the only place fans can watch  Formula 1®, Formula 2, Formula 3, MotoGP, WorldSBK, Supercars and NASCAR.

On Fox Sports, Aussie motorsport fans are able to enjoy more comprehensive coverage than ever before thanks to the integration of F1 TV on selected Foxtel set-top boxes.

Kayo Sports subscribers will be able to keep up with all the action with four bonus Formula 1 cameras – On Board, Timing, Pit Lane and Driver Tracker – with the RaceView feature allowing viewers to watch up to four different feeds at once on selected devices.

See also: TV Guide: 2023 F1 Grand Prix on 10 and Fox Sports

Over the past week alone, Kent “Smallzy” Small has interviewed Margot Robbie, Greta Gerwig, America Ferrera, Issa Rae, Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Jason Derulo, Kelly Clarkson and Chris Hemsworth to name a few.

While it may look like the celeb lineup for a Vanity Fair Oscars After Party or the People’s Choice Awards, it’s just another week for Smallzy who has been on our airwaves as an entertainment radio broadcaster for over two decades.

Since June 26, he’s been warming up winter breakfast across the Nova Network, giving listeners access to the world’s biggest stars, music and entertainment news. However, for the “radio nerd”, chatting with A-Listers is just as exhilarating as when he first started.

“I try to not lose touch with the fact that they’re cool celebrities and younger me would have just been so excited,” Smallzy said on Mediaweek and Chattr’s podcast, The Entertainment Hotline. “I would have just thought that this was everything I had dreamed about and more.”

At the time of recording, the broadcaster had just returned from a media call with the stars of the Barbie movie, whom he would then host, alongside Nova’s Mel Tracina, at the Sydney premiere of the film.

“It was in that moment, I was like, ‘You know what? Nope, this is still exciting.’ You get a kick out of it. I still enjoy it. And I still go ‘Oh, yeah. Well, this is a job. This is awesome. Really love this.'”

Smallzy and Mel Tracina with the cast and director of Barbie. Instagram

No matter who he is chatting to, Smallzy has a tried and tested way of chatting with the faces we know and love.

“I just approach it as in like, these people are just, they’re normal,” he said, adding that he just likes “to have conversations with people”.

“I also like to ask questions that are inane. Like with Margot Robbie… ‘What’s your flaw?’ We all have a flaw, right? I can’t see what it is. Like, ‘Do you snore?’… she must do something. So I’m going to spend my time trying to find out what her flaw is just so I know that she’s not a God amongst us, but just a normal person who happens to be a movie star as well.”

Margot Robbie. Instagram

Smallzy admits to interviewing his family as a kid with a fake microphone

In October, Smallzy will celebrate 20 years at the Nova Network and as part of this milestone, his night show, Smallzy’s Surgery, has celebrated 78 number-one Radio Survey spots.

For the host, radio is what he “always wanted to do”. Oh, and be a talk show host.

“Always my entire life, I’ve wanted to do [radio],” he said. “I also want to host a talk show at some stage. I grew up in the 90s on Ricki Lake, Oprah Winfrey, Phil Donahue, Jerry Springer and even Stan Zemanek on Beauty and the Beast. I remember vividly just walking around with a fake microphone at home and just interviewing my family members.”

As for radio, he grew up listening to the likes of Ugly Phil O’Neil.

“I grew up listening, having a radio in the bedroom, listening to the radio, getting a window into the world outside of your own existence, hearing people talking about breakfast, playing songs. I loved capturing the old sweepers and the IDs between the songs. I made my mixtape about the radio station because I was a deadset geek.”

Nova Network

The other side of being a radio host

While most days, Smallzy is living the dream, there is another side to the industry that he insists remains difficult, feedback, but he has a distinct mindset to help tackle it. 

“Everyone gets feedback,” he said. “[But] There’s a different type of feedback when you work in a creative environment because when you go to uni for three years to learn how a spreadsheet operates, or to do a business proposal, the feedback you get is, this business case doesn’t stack up, we need to go back and work on it to make the numbers.

“When you work in a creative field and you get feedback, there is no manual for how I must talk in the morning, or at night. When someone gives you feedback, what you’re hearing as a person is someone saying, ‘I don’t like who you are or what you’ve decided to say today.’ But, it’s not a personal attack, because I get it and I understand it.”

Listen to the full interview with Kent “Smallzy” Smalls on The Entertainment Hotline.

On Air With Smallzy will be heard from 6 am to 9 am in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and
Adelaide, from Monday 26 June to Friday 7 July, on the Nova Network. 

ABC’s new offering Gold Diggers is a laugh-out-loud comedy with bite and its two Aussie female leads, Claire Lovering and Danielle Walker, both in their first lead roles, steal the show.

The new series, which premieres on July 5 at 9.00 pm on ABC and ABC iView, follows the wildly optimistic Brewer Sisters in 1853 Australia, who set out to get lucky in the lice-infested town of Dead Horse Gap. Gert Brewer (Lovering), a headstrong party animal and her blissfully naïve sister, Marigold Brewer (Walker), are willing to do anything to secure their fortune and safety; but must first conquer the lads and lechery of the Australian Gold Rush, whilst also having a bloody good time! 

While at first glance, you may think this was another period piece, the first two lines delivered by Lovering and Walker will prove you otherwise; and from the get-go, their on-screen chemistry is notable.

“I think sometimes you just meet somebody and sort of click,” Walker said in an interview on Mediaweek and Chattr’s The Entertainment Hotline Podcast. “It never felt like it was work for the chemistry, like all the other work we had to do. That was the work. But our dynamic was never the work.”

During the same interview, Lovering, whose official character bio depicts her as the “oldest daughter of an alcoholic ex-nun and a travelling salesman” (among many other epic attributes), admitted that she looked at her co-star like a “little sister”.

“I feel very affectionate towards her, which I did from our first chemistry read,” Lovering said. “I just had this kind of yearning to kind of protect her and be affectionate towards her…you just can’t help but want to look after her.”

Danielle Walker and Claire Lovering in ABC’s Gold Diggers. ABC

The supporting cast ties the whole show together

While Lovering, who recently appeared in Amazon Prime’s Class of ’07 and Walker, who is first and foremost a comedian, take a large portion of the spotlight, it’s hard to get passed the cast of colourful characters who join them.

Paramount+’ Last King of the Cross lead Lincoln Younes also stars alongside Michala Banas (McLeod’s Daughters), Eddie Perfect (Offspring), Heather Mitchell (Love Me), Luke Mullins (The Spanish Princess) and First Nations actress Megan Wilding (Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power); with the latter taking up hilarious space as Francesca and Percy L’estrange.

“They’re incredible,” Lovering said of Mullins and Wilding. “They’re so amazing together. I remember like when we first got to see them together. First of all, to stand together in costume and then do that first scene with them. They just bounce with each other so beautifully.”

The first scene Lovering is referring to is when we meet Percy and “Fran” at their manor. The couple kiss for an uncomfortable amount of time, given that Percy is so obviously flamboyant and fluid in his sexuality.

“It was the first time in a shoot that I actually was trying not to laugh and I was like, ‘Oh wow, okay, this is really funny’,” she said.  

Walker added: “It’s nice to see that Fran and Percy, I think in my mind, Fran knows what’s going on. And everything’s very open, that relationship is very open. And I think that’s something that you haven’t seen with a gay man in a relationship before or whatever his sexuality is and it doesn’t have to be defined.”

Megan Wildling and Luke Mullins. ABC

Writer Jack Yabsley wanted to look at the “issues of today, through the lens of the past”

Sexuality is just one of the many themes running through the series that also covers prejudice. According to Lovering, writer Jack Yabsley wanted to “look at the issues of today, but through the lens of the past”.

“If you were to make a show and addressed all those themes in a modern setting, it would just feel too obvious and too on the nose,” she said. “But I think because it’s just a little bit at arm’s length, you’re actually able to connect with the issues easier. And that was what the contemporary language was about as well. It was just about peeling back the layers that may block an audience from relating to characters and just kind of making it really easy to connect.”

“Jack wanted to kind of create a town and create the world as you would like to see it,” she added. “So as much as we do address the racism and the prejudice, it’s not by showing our dark, dark history, it’s about kind of showing friendship and alliances and connection.”

Listen to the full interview with Danielle Walker and Claire Lovering on The Entertainment Hotline Podcast.

Gold Diggers premieres on July 5 at 9.10 pm on ABC and ABC iView.

• 1 million watch Utopia in Total TV

Total TV Ratings, June 28

1,279,000 watched Nine’s Session One, Day One of Test Two, The Ashes, lifting 15%. 801,000 watched the Pre-Match, up 10% while 774,000 Lunch, up 17% with 575,000 watching Session Two, up 22%.

1,087,000 tuned into ABC’s Utopia where Jim upped security measures while trying to sway the outcome of tenders for an international partnership, lifting 41%. 947,000 also watched ABC’s Gruen, up 36%.

929,000 watched Seven’s Home and Away, where the fictitious band Lyrik went into the recording studio, lifting 23%.

786,000 10’s MasterChef Australia as the top six were divided into three teams of two for a Service Challenge, up 21%.

Overnight TV Ratings, July 5

Primetime News
Seven News 951,000 (6:00pm) / 898,000 (6:30pm)
Nine News 780,000 (6:00pm) / 770,000 (6:30pm)
ABC News 534,000
10 News First 224,000 (5:00pm)/ 123,000 (6:00pm)
SBS World News 147,000 (6:30pm)/ 119,000 (7:00pm)

Daily Current Affairs
A Current Affair 629,000
7.30 458,000
The Project 171,000 6:30pm / 265,000 7pm

Breakfast TV
Sunrise 216,000
Today 187,000
News Breakfast 149,000

Nine won Wednesday night with a primary share of 19.2%; however, Seven took out the top network share with 27.1%. 10Peach has won multi channels with a 3.4% share.

Nine’s A Current Affair (629,000) caught up with Alana, a small business owner who left her job of 20 years to set up her own café following advice that interest rates wouldn’t go up until 2024 to see her problems firsthand. Then, 508,000 watched a repeat of Travel Guides. Our avid explorers discovered the tropical island paradise of Mauritius off the east coast of Africa. It was a resort holiday with a cultural twist as they embraced local life. Then, Day three of Wimbledon followed. 186,000 tuned in for matches that included Aussies Alexei Popyrin, Daria Saville, Alex De Minaur and Jordan Thompson.

422,000 began their evening in Summer Bay with Seven’s Home and Away as Tane and Felicity didn’t see eye to eye, Cash vowed to find out what was bugging Felicity and Marilyn suffered as a result of Irene’s prank, before 268,000 stayed on for Animals Aboard with Dr Harry. The episode detailed cancer-stricken Labrador Lily as she faced a 24-hour flight. Seven street cats also flew from Vienna to Perth and Polly the birthday surprise puppy made her big arrival! Then, 298,000 tuned in for The Front Bar – 188,000 of those in Melbourne, making it the top non-news show in the market.

458,000 watched ABC’s 7.30 explore doctors who are worried about the rise in young people with bowel cancer and detailed the death in custody that sparked violent riots and unrest in France. Laura Tingle also examined the new National Anti-Corruption Commission. 521,000 then watched Utopia where Tony was frozen out by the Minister when he was reluctant to announce a new project and Scott started an NBA TikTok account. 484,000 then watched Gruen, before 260,000 tuned in for the premiere of the new outrageous Aussie comedy, Gold Diggers.

See Also: ABC’s Gold Diggers is absolutely outrageous and the two leading ladies steal the show

On 10, The Project (171,000 6:30pm / 265,000 7pm) spoke with Aussie competitive eater James Webb who has scored third place in New York’s infamous hot dog eating contest, and the panel chatted with Leigh-Anne, who is embarking on a solo career away from Little Mix. MasterChef Australia then followed for day two of the road trip, where the contestants found themselves in Cactus Country. While Rhiannon was off sick, Brent, Cath, Declan and Theo took part in the Mexican-themed cook-off, with Brent scoring an advantage for tonight’s Immunity Challenge. 401,000 tuned in.

The highest rating non-news show on SBS was Tour de France. 127,000 watched stage five of the race.