Monday February 5, 2018

ARIA Chart Report
  • Singles: Drake swamps Ed, Justin Timberlake charts on eve of Super Bowl
  • Albums: Machine Head top 10, Foo Fighters & Gang Of Youths surge

Singles
After a massive eight weeks at #1 (and 48 on the chart) Ed Sheeran has surrendered top spot (for now?) and the chart finally has its second #1 single for the new year.

Drake is the new chart champ with “God’s Plan” which is the second ARIA #1 single for the Canadian rapper after “One Dance” in May 2016.

Two singles debuted inside the top 50 and the top 10, get this, has four new arrivals:

#11 to #6: Bruno Mars with “Finesse” in its fourth week and after winning six Grammy Awards a week ago.
#12 to #7: Camila Cabello with “Never Be The Same” in its eighth week.
#14 to #9: Pnau with “Go Bang” in its 14th week.
#18 to #10: Rudimental with “These Days” in its second week.

The chart’s two new top 50 entries are:

#36 Justin Timberlake with “Say Something” featuring Chris Stapleton.
#49 Gang Of Youths with “Let Me Down Easy”.

Albums

No change at the top for albums this week with the soundtrack to The Greatest Showman spending a fifth week at #1.

It was a relatively quiet week with three chart debuts, one of them landing in the top 10.

The new arrivals were:

#10 Machine Head with “Catharsis”
#28 Migos with “Culture II”
#43 Craig David with “The Time Is Now”

Both Gang Of Youths (with “Go Father In Lightness”) and Foo Fighters (with Greatest Hits”) returned to the top 10 this week with their respective former #1 albums.

The chart action for Gang Of Youths is off the back of its strong showing in the triple j Hottest 100 with three in the top 10, while the Foo Fighters have been slaying audiences around the country with their stadium tour.

Patrick Delany launches new Foxtel $39 sports package
  • New 12-month deal, with no lock-in contract, offers access to 12 sports + 45 entertainment channels

Foxtel and Fox Sports have launched a major new marketing and promotional campaign that features a collection of our most-loved sporting champions across every major Australian sports code.

Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany said: “Today is a great day for Aussie sports fans as we combine Foxtel’s unrivalled sports coverage from Australia and around the world with our biggest offer ever.

“For only $39 a month, sports fans will have the biggest choice of live sport on Foxtel, with live, ad break-free during play and HD coverage of every round of NRL and AFL, the roar of Supercars and Formula 1, plus international sport with the NBA, Major League Baseball, the best European football and more.

“Foxtel’s offer brings unrivalled value for sport to Australian families and couldn’t come at a better time as we gear up for an exciting 2018 winter sports season.”

Athletes taking part in the campaign include national Cricket captain Steve Smith, women’s all-rounder, Ellyse Perry, football icon, Tim Cahill and 2018 Young Australian of the Year and football star, Sam Kerr, featuring alongside Wallabies captain Michael Hooper and Supercars star Craig Lowndes.

Winter sports stars featured are AFL’s Dustin Martin, Buddy Franklin, Patrick Dangerfield, Moana Hope and Erin Phillips while Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk, Sam Burgess, Darius Boyd, Jason Taumalolo and Boyd Cordner are among the NRL stars.

The campaign launch coincides with Foxtel’s special retail sports offer with new subscribers now able to sign up from $39 a month for 12 months, with no lock-in contract and access to 12 sports channels including Fox Sports, Fox Footy, Fox League, ESPN 1-2, beIN 1-3 and Eurosport sports channels. Subscribers also get the 45-channel Entertainment package.

The offer also includes access to Foxtel’s iQ3 set-top box with no additional equipment fee.

The Fox Sports creative concept and production team developed the campaign concept which was executed by Winifred TV Production with creative support by Host Havas, Cream and WiTH Collective.

The TVC was filmed across eight days in Sydney and Melbourne at the SFS, SCG, MCG, AAMI Park, Mount Panorama and Suncorp Stadium.

An F1 racing track was created on a stretch of asphalt at the Melbourne showgrounds and a bustling Mumbai traffic jam, featuring Steve Smith on his way to the cricket ground, was designed in a yard of a Sydney transportation company to show Fox Sports is home to the best international cricket lineup.

Three versions of the TVC were created, an all sports spot (30- and 60-second), an NRL 30-second and an AFL 30-second spot.

In addition, various creative executions will run across print, digital and social along with radio live reads nationally. Out-of-home advertising including billboards, bus shelters and buses will feature throughout the campaign.

Launching from today, the campaign will run until the Easter long weekend at the end of March.

Gfinity Esports Australia and Hoyts create a chain of eSports arenas
  • Gfinity Esports Australia and Hoyts announce a multimillion-dollar partnership to invest in Esports Arenas across Australia

Gfinity Esports Australia and Hoyts have announced long-term plans to create a chain of eSports arenas across Australia, all within current Hoyts cinema locations.

Hoyts Entertainment Quarter in Sydney’s Moore Park will host the first arena, launching in April this year. The dedicated eSports arena will boast state-of-the-art gaming equipment alongside a full broadcast and production suite, all designed to attract the growing number of professional events that will be coming to Australia. This will also be the standout destination for eSports fans to enjoy top class action all year round.

Dominic Remond, incoming CEO Gfinity Esports Australia, said “We are delighted to announce our arena partnership with Hoyts, one of the world’s leading entertainment companies. The Esport Arenas will be a game changer for eSports in Australia and will allow fans and players to enjoy the best gaming action within a high quality location. We are excited that our inaugural Gfinity Elite Series presented by Alienware will be the first event to be staged at the new arena, in front of a live audience, each weekend for seven weeks.”

Damian Keogh, CEO of the Hoyts Group, said, “Hoyts Entertainment Quarter in Sydney’s Moore Park was a natural fit for the first dedicated Esports Arena, given its history as a sporting precinct. With proximity to the Sydney Cricket Ground and Sydney Football Stadium, we feel this is the perfect setting to offer eSports fans the impact of a cinema-styled viewing experience that will be unlike anything else in Australia.

“Our partnership with Gfinity Esports Australia will assist Hoyts to continue in our mission to innovate, create and challenge the normal cinema-going experience. It’s all part of our Experience More brand promise,” said Keogh.

The Esports Arena will launch in time for the Australian Gfinity Elite Series presented by Alienware in early Q2 2018.

Format evolution and cast diversity key to MKR success says EP Joe Herdman

By Kruti Joshi

Producing My Kitchen Rules is a job that goes on all year round. The ninth season of the show premiered on Seven this week – and as usual – it has dominated the overnight ratings every time an episode has been put to air.

The executive producer of Seven’s Australian format, Joe Herdman, currently spends much of his time in the editing suite packaging upcoming episodes. As soon as that finishes, he will be on to casting, filming and producing the next series. “We start shooting the back stories from June/July,” he told Mediaweek. “The show takes a while to cast, because we cast the net pretty wide, year in and out. That’s the key to our success.”

Diversity is an integral part of the show. It is reflective of the Australian population, which makes the show and the participants on it so relatable to the viewers. “We are thankful to our cast members every year,” Herdman said.

Season nine of My Kitchen Rules premiered on the same night as Nine’s Married At First Sight on January 29. The former had an overnight audience of 1.182 million and was the #1 program for the night.

In 2017, My Kitchen Rules went up against the extended format of Married At First Sight for the first time. The former continued to attract good numbers despite some tough competition from the reality-dating format.

Following on from last year’s experience with the competition from Nine’s reality dating show, Mediaweek asked Herdman if he had taken any conscious moves to ensure that MKR stays the clear leader in the timeslot this year. He said: “What the other networks do isn’t necessarily our concern. We are concerned with delivering the best show that we can. Format evolution is a necessity with any show. We have done it every year since My Kitchen Rules began.”

Rivalry is stronger and opinions of the contestants will matter more this season than ever before. Herdman was careful not to give away too many details about what format changes the viewers can expect this season.

The show typically tends to run from late January to the end of April or early May. This season is expected to follow the same schedule. The time of the year the show is put to air plays a large role in its success locally, Herdman said.

“We have a loyal fan base so the consistency of the rollout of the tennis and MKR is very important. However, shows can move around. The Block has been previously on in our timeslot, and then was moved to start later in the year. It’s not the end of the world if My Kitchen Rules moved to later in the year. But for us and our viewers, it’s great that Seven starts the year with a bang.”

Continued at mediaweek.com.au.

Week 6 TV: Sunday
SUNDAY METRO
ABCSevenNineTenSBS
ABC13.8%721.5%916.3%TEN17.1%SBS One5.5%
ABC 22.1%7TWO3.0%GO!3.6%ONE2.9%VICELAND0.7%
ABC ME0.6%7mate3.3%GEM2.9%ELEVEN1.9%Food Net0.8%
ABC News1.2%7flix1.1%9Life1.7%NITV0.1%
TOTAL17.7%28.9%24.5%21.9%7.0%
SUNDAY METRO ALL TV
FTASTV
87.9%12.1%
All people rankings

Friday Top 10

  1. Cricket: BBL Semi-Final 2 – Session 2 Ten 977,000
  2. Nine News Nine 791,000
  3. Seven News Seven 791,000
  4. Nine News 6:30 Nine 777,000
  5. Cricket: BBL Semi-Final 2 – Session 1 Ten 740,000
  6. Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 724,000
  7. Better Homes And Gardens Seven 605,000
  8. Vera (R) ABC 602,000
  9. ABC News ABC 594,000
  10. A Current Affair Nine 588,000

Saturday Top 10

  1. Twenty/20 – Australia v New Zealand Game 1 Nine 910,000
  2. Seven News Seven 814,000
  3. Nine News Nine 750,000
  4. Death In Paradise ABC 721,000
  5. ABC News ABC 675,000
  6. Twenty/20 – Australia v New Zealand Game 1 Pre Match Nine 655,000
  7. Delicious ABC 531,000
  8. Cool Runnings Seven 358,000
  9. Border Security – Australia’s Front Line (R) Seven 324,000
  10. Weekend Today Nine 289,000
Sunday fta
  1. My Kitchen Rules Seven 1,104,000
  2. Cricket: BBL Big Final – Session 2 Ten 1,043,000
  3. Seven News Seven 915,000
  4. I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! Ten 882,000
  5. Married At First Sight Nine 835,000
  6. Cricket: BBL Big Final – Session 1 Ten 806,000
  7. Nine News Nine 804,000
  8. ABC News ABC 714,000
  9. The Coronation ABC 680,000
  10. Shetland ABC 620,000
  11. Pretty Woman Seven 535,000
  12. Seal Team Ten 396,000
  13. Trainwreck Nine 359,000
  14. Cricket: BBL Big Final – Preview Ten 328,000
  15. The Price Of Gold SBS 326,000
  16. Seven News At 5 Seven 299,000
  17. Landline-PM ABC 274,000
  18. Nine News: First At Five Nine 260,000
  19. Weekend Today Nine 237,000
  20. Cricket: Women’s BBL Big Final – Post-Game Ten 235,000
Sunday multichannel
  1. Bathurst 12 Hour Event-Afternoon 7mate 200,000
  2. Border Security – Australia’s Front Line E2-PM 7TWO 189,000
  3. Star Trek 9GO! 171,000
  4. Bananas In Pyjamas-AM ABC2 160,000
  5. Bathurst 12 Hour Event-Day 7mate 157,000
  6. Border Security – Australia’s Front Line-PM 7TWO 149,000
  7. Midsomer Murders 9Gem 147,000
  8. Play School-AM ABC2 147,000
  9. Sarah & Duck-AM ABC2 144,000
  10. Peg + Cat-AM ABC2 133,000
  11. Shaun The Sheep ABC2 130,000
  12. Cricket: BBL Big Final – Post Game ONE 124,000
  13. Border Security: International E2-PM 7TWO 123,000
  14. Noddy Toyland Detective-AM ABC2 122,000
  15. Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom ABC2 117,000
  16. Insiders-AM ABC NEWS 117,000
  17. The Justine Clarke Show!-AM ABC2 115,000
  18. Go Jetters ABC2 114,000
  19. Border Security: International-PM 7TWO 114,000
  20. Last Knights (R) ONE 113,000
Sunday subscription tv
  1. The Fate Of The Furious Foxtel Movies Premiere 56,000
  2. Call The Midwife BBC First 47,000
  3. S.W.A.T. FOX8 46,000
  4. Midsomer Murders UKTV 44,000
  5. Outsiders SKY NEWS LIVE 43,000
  6. NCIS TVH!TS 41,000
  7. Live: Football: A-League Bris v Melb C FOX SPORTS 501 41,000
  8. Outsiders SKY NEWS LIVE 41,000
  9. NCIS TVH!TS 40,000
  10. Escape To The Country LifeStyle Channel 37,000
  11. Rusty Rivets Nick Jr. 36,000
  12. 24 Hours In Emergency LifeStyle Channel 36,000
  13. Mrs. Brown’s Boys UKTV 35,000
  14. Grand Designs Australia LifeStyle Channel 34,000
  15. The Day Henry Met Nick Jr. 33,000
  16. Blaze And The Monster Machines Nick Jr. 32,000
  17. Jumanji Foxtel Movies Family 32,000
  18. Live: AFLW: Western Bulldogs v Fremantle FOX FOOTY 31,000
  19. Midsomer Murders UKTV 31,000
  20. The Great Australian Bake Off LifeStyle Channel 31,000

Shares all people, 6pm-midnight, Overnight (Live and AsLive), Audience numbers FTA metro, Sub TV national
Source: OzTAM and Regional TAM 2018. The Data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) without the prior written consent of OzTAM

TV Ratings Analysis

Primary Channels
By James Manning

Seven
The start of the second week of My Kitchen Rules was the first Sunday night episode. Melbourne mums Kim and Suong were in the kitchen, but all the action was in the dining room with what could be one of the most memorable episodes this year. But there is still a long, long way to go. It wasn’t long before the mums became unstuck, but again, all we wanted to see was the fight between Jess & Emma and Roula & Rachael. “No need to get shitty,” said one of them. “It’s starting to get very uncomfortable,” said Josh, one of the other contestants, meaning it’s starting to get good for the viewers. Despite a few challenges in the kitchen, Kim and Suong now top the score board with 88, one point ahead of John & Nic. The episode did 1.10m and ranked Sunday’s #1.

Given the first-run content flooding the networks it’s easy to forget we are still in warm-up week, but Julia Roberts and Pretty Woman reminded us survey is still a week away. However, the way networks are looking to cut costs, don’t be surprised to see a big fanfare at 7.30pm followed by a classic movie more often this year. The film did a respectable 513,000.

Nine
Married At First Sight was also on its first Sunday episode. After six weddings in week one, week two started with two more – veteran groom John was back for another crack at this marriage thing while newcomer Troy was hoping for a Barbie dream girl. The episode saw the Married audience under 900,000 for the first time, dipping to 835,000.

Nine went to a movie too after its reality spend – Trainwreck from 2015 with Amy Schumer did 359,000.

TEN
No Lisa Wilkinson magic needed last night with the last games of TEN’s current rights deal for the Big Bash League pushing The Project off air.

The afternoon started with the Women’s Big Bash League final between Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers. The metro numbers for the Sixers win were 119,000 and then 190,000 for the two sessions while the post-game audience grew to 316,000.

Later in the afternoon the final between Hobart Hurricanes and Adelaide Strikers was at the Adelaide Oval. The Strikers batted first and managed 202, which was always going to be hard for the Hurricanes. After a brave start the task was too big for the visitors and it was a happy ending for the home team, who picked up their first championship trophy. As well as the players celebrating a longer season, you got a sense the commentators were looking to a break too. Howie told viewers he had only spent two nights with his new bride, but he was looking forward to next week. By Thursday he will be in Costa Rica on his honeymoon.

The BBL had the shortest post-game ever with the primary channel going to Celebrity while anybody keen on seeing the final few moments of the BBL season and the trophy changing hands had to switch to ONE. The session one audience was 806,000, which grew to 1.04m for sessions two. TEN was able to report this morning it was the biggest capital city audience for a BBL session 2 since the 2015-16 final.

I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! followed with the rumble in the jungle – Mundine meets Green. It was the showdown many had anticipated and one which could keep some tuning in night after night. Let’s hope Danny Green has more staying power than Bernard Tomic could manage. The episode did 883,000.

Episode two of Seal Team followed the jungle showdown with a mission in Syria. After 483,000 last week, the series did 383,000 last night.

An encore screening of the first episode of Hughesy, We Have A Problem then did 187,000.

ABC
The jewel in the crown (excuse the pun) was Queen Elizabeth II talking about the crown jewels. The episode was recorded late last year and it marks the 65th anniversary of her coronation. “No other monarch has talked about the crown jewels on camera,” said the narrator, without adding they didn’t have cameras for most of them. The episode did 680,000 and had too much filler and not enough QEII.

Shetland then returned to the ABC schedule with 620,000.

SBS
The channel was in familiar territory with Eight Days That Made Rome at 7.30pm with Bettany Hughes telling viewers about the world’s first super power. The episode did 178,000.

The channel then looked to benefit from the interest in Olympic skating with its doco Tonya Harding: The Price Of Gold. It worked – the doco did 326,000 and pushed the show well into the top 20.

Media News Roundup WEEKEND

Media People

Michael Gordon, a giant of Australian journalism and one of The Age’s most loved, respected and lauded writers, has died at the age of 62, reports The Age’s Debbie Cuthbertson.

He is believed to have suffered a heart attack while taking part in an ocean swim at Cowes, on Phillip Island, on Saturday morning.

He was pulled from the water and brought to shore shortly before 10.30am.

Despite the best efforts of emergency services, who spent more than an hour trying to revive him, he died at the scene.

Last year he left his longtime role as political editor at The Age, where he had worked for 37 of his 44 years in journalism, but was still writing for the newspaper as recently as last week.

“Micky was the most beautiful person you could hope to meet,” The Age’s editor Alex Lavelle said on Saturday.

“A great friend and colleague, he was genuine, warm, kind and an incredibly talented journalist. He deserved all the accolades that came his way.”

[Read the original]

The Age’s John Silvester remembers his friend:

I last spoke to Mickey on Thursday. It was about a refugee story I thought was up his alley – Michael had become a passionate voice for people who often could not be heard.

I was at last year’s Walkley Awards in Brisbane when he received the most outstanding contribution to journalism.

He and his lovely wife Robyn were beaming and his speech was typically measured and humble.

In a business full of blowhards, Michael was the real deal.

The last thing he said to me was “Good to chat.”

Hey Mick, the pleasure was all mine.

[Read the original]

Jayne Ferguson, general manager – women’s lifestyle and entertainment at Bauer Media, departed Bauer Media Friday.

Ferguson said: “It hasn’t been an easy decision but after five fantastic years I think the time is right to move on. It’s been a privilege to work on some of Australia’s iconic magazine brands.

“Bauer is full of fantastic people and I’ll miss their passion and enthusiasm, but I’m excited about the next chapter.”

Ferguson, who looked after many titles and brands including The Australian Women’s Weekly and TV Week and the TV Week Logie Awards, didn’t give any indication what the next chapter of her career could be. Over the past decade, Ferguson has held senior management roles at Pacific Magazines, News Corp Australia and most recently Bauer Media.

Paul Dykzeul CEO ANZ, said: “Jayne has made a great contribution to Bauer Media, her achievements have been significant while working with us and we wish her the very best for the future.”

Dykzeul will take responsibility for Bauer’s important entertainment and lifestyle category in addition to his role as CEO.

Regulation

Labor and key crossbench senators have increased the pressure on Attorney-General Christian Porter to amend the government’s controversial new secrecy and espionage laws,

saying they will push for changes to ensure the reforms do not expose journalists to criminal prosecution for doing their jobs, reports The Australian’s Nicola Berkovic.

Media companies, including News Corp Australia, have warned that journalists and editorial support staff could be convicted under the proposed legislation if they are sent sensitive government information.

[Read the original]

Telstra’s first attempt to crack the global tech business has officially crashed and burned after the telecommunications firm told investors that it was writing down the value of its Ooyala, a Silicon Valley video streaming firm it bought for more than $500 million, to zero, reports The AFR’s Paul Smith.

[Read the original]

Sports Media

Speaking on Sky News Business last week, Mediaweek’s James Manning suggested that the appointment of Fox Sports CEO Patrick Delany to run the merged Foxtel/Fox Sports businesses was all about securing sports rights – particularly in the summer.

In the OzTAM top 50 subscription TV shows for week four in January there was just one entry for a program on Fox Sports. That is in stark contrast to the winter months when the AFL and NRL Fox Sports broadcasts can almost completely dominate the TV chart.

In the Sunday Telegraph Phil Rothfield notes Fox Sports wants to get the rights to all forms of Australian cricket and could be willing to be part of a partnership that would push the combined crickets rights over $1b.

Rothfield reported that Delany had indicated it wanted local and international tests, one day internationals and the Big Bash.

Matches that need to be screened on FTA would be simulcast with the others exclusive to Fox Sports.

Nine will launch its new Monday night version of the NRL Footy Show next month, starring longtime enemies Phil Gould and Paul Gallen, reports News Corp’s Phil Rothfield.

The show will be hosted by James Bracey in a 9.30pm timeslot. Nine sports reporter and former Today Show executive producer Neil Breen will be on the panel to add a news element to the program.

Nine has had success with an AFL show on Monday nights – Footy Classified hosted by Craig Hutchison with Caroline Wilson and Matthew Lloyd.

Garry Lyon and Paul Roos have taken a seat on footy’s most famous couch, reports News Corp’s Lauren Wood.

The pair are Fox Footy’s big-name recruits for a reboot of its flagship analytical program On The Couch.

They join longtime host Gerard Healy and former Lions champion Jonathon Brown on the Monday night show from March 19.

Jason Dunstall and David King have moved to other prominent roles with the pay TV station.

Roos was part of the program before taking the reins as Melbourne coach in 2014.

“It’s comfortable having done it before, and getting back onto it, which is exciting,” Roos said.

[Read the original]

Media News Roundup MONDAY

Events

Cannes Lions has appointed APN Outdoor to become the Festival representative in Australia.

APN Outdoor will join the global network of official representatives that support their local agencies and clients, nominate jury members, organise the Young Lions competitions and host events and screenings of Lion-winning work throughout the year.

New APN Outdoor CEO James Warburton said: “We are incredibly excited to be Australia’s representative for the world’s biggest festival of creativity. As a business, we are continually investing and innovating in our assets to ensure we can provide the most effective canvas for brands’ creativity to reach their audiences. We see the partnership with Cannes Lions as a similar proposition – an exciting opportunity to both drive engagement with Cannes Lions down under and to support creative agencies and clients to participate and succeed in this globally renowned showcase.”

APN Outdoor will take over from News Corp Media who have represented the Festival since 2008.

The 2018 edition of Cannes Lions runs June 18-22.

Investment

ThinkTV has released the total TV advertising revenue figures for the six months to December 31, 2017.

The total television market including metropolitan free-to-air, regional free-to-air and subscription TV recorded combined revenues of $2.17 billion, which was 0.7% lower compared with the same six months a year earlier.

SBS declined to provide aggregated revenue figures to the report so its revenue figures for H1 2016 have been subtracted to allow for a direct comparison.

In the December half, the metropolitan free-to-air TV market grew by 1.4% to $1.5b. The metropolitan free-to-air TV market including broadcast video on demand (BVOD) grew by a total of 1.9% to $1.54b.

BVOD advertising revenues, which include advertising revenues from online catch-up services and the live online streaming of TV, grew 23.9% in the six months to December 2017 versus the same period last year.

“The total TV ad market performed well, in fiercely competitive conditions, with the rapid growth in BVOD revenue reflecting marketers’ confidence in the power, reach and efficacy of today’s multiplatform TV,” said ThinkTV chief executive Kim Portrate.

Nine was the number one network across the full 2017 calendar year after it grew its FTA revenue share by 3.1 points to a 38.3% share while Seven lost 2.2 points to deliver a 37.9% share and the Ten Network declined by 0.9 points to a 23.8% share.

Nine bolted away from the FTA opposition in the second half of 2017 where revenue climbed 5.0 points to 40.0% share, with Seven drifting lower to 36.4%.

This is the first time that Nine has topped the KPMG television revenue figures since 2005.

Nine chief sales officer Michael Stephenson said: “We have a programming strategy focused on delivering audience growth against the key demographics that are important to advertisers – P16-39, P25-54, and grocery buyers with children.

“Our audience growth measured against the key demographics, and the great opportunities for brands to integrate into and leverage our local Australian content across every screen, has been a major contributor to our revenue result.”

Nine CEO Hugh Marks added: “To achieve this result in such a short timeframe is very humbling and validates our strategic focus on delivering the demographics that matter most to advertisers.

“For us to post this result is great recognition of the strength of the content we create and its resonance with Australian audiences. It is a clear signal of the significant business impact that reaching the right audiences is having for advertisers.”

Photo: Nine’s Australian Ninja Warrior

James Warburton says he has “unfinished business” in the media industry as he looks to shake up underperforming “sleeping giant” APN Outdoor as its new chief executive, reports The Australian’s Darren Davidson.

Warburton said he was determined to make up for the manner in which he left Ten Network in 2013 when he was fired after just 13 months in the top job.

“I wanted to get back into the publicly listed sector. I feel like it’s unfinished business post-Ten, due to the exit. I want to do a good job and create some value for shareholders,” Warburton said.

His blueprint for APN Outdoor includes:

The launch of a new consumer panel in partnership with research firm Pureprofile and a corporate rebrand by specialist Hans Hulsbosch.

[Read the original]

The $320 million billboard owner QMS Media is believed to be on the radar of suitors, with suggestions that two parties have been conducting due diligence on the company, report The Australian’s Bridget Carter and Scott Murdoch.

One of the parties is said to be based in Asia, leaving some to question whether the Thai company Plan B Media could be looking.

QMS’s boss is rumoured to be in Europe meeting a Chinese media company hoping to invest in its global sports business expansion.

Many believe QMS has been open to a sale for some time, but sources close to the company say it has not received any approaches.

There were rumours last year that HT&E may have been running the ruler over QMS, with the help of Credit Suisse.

[Read the original]

Media People

The Walkley Foundation has appointed Louisa Graham (pictured) as chief executive, effective immediately. Graham has served as the Foundation’s general manager since 2011, driving funding and partnerships.

She has also held the position of company secretary since 2015. In 2016 Graham was acting CEO for a year while Jacqui Park undertook study leave. Park left the Foundation at the end of 2017.

Graham has a background in not-for-profit management and the media, having worked for United Nations Women, the Australian Institute of International Affairs, the Sydney Writers’ Festival and Network Ten. She has also managed national community awareness campaigns for White Ribbon Day and the Australian Republican Movement.

He was once a linchpin of its schedule, but Peter van Onselen has left Sky News, reports The Australian’s Stephen Brook.

The broadcaster, who hosted Sunday Agenda as well as a daytime weekday program, joined the news channel in 2010 but came off contract at the end of last year. Up until recently Sky wanted to downsize his commitment to a single Friday slot but it didn’t work out.

PVO was once good friends with Sky News boss Angelos Frangopoulos and their families holidayed together. But the friendship might expire with the Sky contract.

[Read the original]

Social Media

An obscure Adelaide publicist who has built up one of the largest Twitter followings in Australia is offering to sell 2,500 followers on the social media site for US$250, highlighting the dubious business practices common on the popular and influential social media site, reports The AFR’s Aaron Patrick.

Emma Azzopardi, who operates one of the top 100 Twitter accounts in Australia and has more followers than the National Rugby League and comedian Wil Anderson, told a reporter from The Australian Financial Review she could increase readership of his articles by providing him with thousands of Twitter followers.

Azzopardi’s 560,000 followers, which ranks her 84rd, ranks her above triple j, the National Rugby League and radio hosts Kyle and Jackie O.

Kerri-Anne Kennerley, a Logie Award winner, has only tweeted 91 times, she has about 7,600 followers, not huge by Twitter standards, but more than three times those who follow her Facebook page.

Of her 100 most recent Twitter followers, about half showed signs that they may not be real people.

Kennerley didn’t respond to requests for comment sent to her on Twitter and her Facebook page.

Sports Media

New 1116 SEN morning host Gerard Whateley delivered a bonus episode for the radio station yesterday with a Sunday Super Bowl preview program from Minnesota.

His first guest on the program, broadcasting in part from Radio Row, this year set up inside Mall of America, was the Minnesota broadcaster who will join Whatley for a call of the game today, Bob Sansevere.

Accompanying Whatley to the US city is his new executive producer Jay Mueller who is looking after the high-profile breakfast show after initially joining SEN as group content director of broadcast and general.

Working Radio Row on Friday evening (US time) was incoming Pacific Star chief Craig Hutchison who was broadcasting his Saturday morning show Off The Bench. Hutchison was also helping host the group of Aussies visiting the Super Bowl in Minneapolis with his BallPark Entertainment travel business.

Also working from Radio Row, including a guest spot with Whateley as well as an appearance on the ESPN pre-game show, was the legendary Brad Blanks, the Victorian broadcaster who has been based in New York for many years. Blanks has also been recently heard reporting from New York on US sport on SEN’s new drive show with Kevin Bartlett and John Rothfield.

Blanks is a longtime contributor to the Hamish and Andy show where he reported from the red carpet at New York movie premieres. Blanks is also a regular part of the high-rating New York FM breakfast show.

The headquarters of Tennis Australia and Cricket Australia are just a few minutes walk apart in Melbourne’s sporting precinct, and both summer sports will go to the market to sell their broadcasting rights around the same time, yet their strategies for securing the optimum dollar appear to be poles apart, reports Fairfax Media’s Roy Masters.

Cricket Australia has formalised its process for the sale of its Australian rights across International T20, ODI and Tests together with its Big Bash League, all of which expire this month. CA’s Ben Amarfio is suggesting a doubling of its media rights to $1 billion over five years.

Rights to Tennis Australia’s jewel, the Australian Open, expire after next year’s event and, based on responses from chief executive Craig Tiley to Fairfax Media questions, it’s likely Channel Seven will retain the rights.

TA’s last negotiations were exclusively with Channel Seven and were led by Melbourne businessman Harold Mitchell, who is deputy chair of TA and also chair of FTA TV.

To questions such as will Mitchell be leading negotiations this time, Tiley said, “Sorry, we are not interested in fuelling any more public speculation on the last deal. What we will say and what is relevant is that the last Channel Seven deal has proven extremely successful for Tennis Australia.”

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