Friday October 5, 2018

Trevor Long’s 4K TV guide: Get in from $349, 65 inch for $849

As Foxtel launches its dedicated 4K channel 444, EFTM.com.au founder and editor and Today show tech guru Trevor Long writes for Mediaweek about 4K TVs.

This is a landmark weekend for Australian television. It seems like hyperbole but in reality this is as big as when we went HD, and colour before that. This Sunday, Australia’s first 4K TV channel begins broadcasting, and the first day is dominated by a live sporting event in 4K. Huge!

What is 4K?

Put simply, it’s four times the number of pixels on the screen that we have today with Full HD. That means four times the resolution, four times the quality.

What difference will it make?

Increasing the number of pixels means more detail is available to be shown in every part of the scene, from the blades of grass to the fur on animals or the live action sports.

It’s hard to remember, but watch any classic sports games on TV from before HD and think about what it used to look like. Now imagine a similar leap forward.

Watching some classic Bathurst races this week, there are many times when you can’t read the sponsor names. In football it’s hard to make out a player name on a jersey. No more with 4K.

Will it look good on any 4K TV?

Actually, yes! Here’s why even the cheapest 4K TVs will look great: You put a 4K picture into a 4K TV and it knows exactly how to display every single pixel.

There are over 8 million pixels on the screen. So your TV knows what to show on Pixel #1 as much as it does for pixel #2,345,972

When you watch HD content on a 4K TV the TV “computer” is required to do what we call “Upscaling”. A Full HD picture has 2 million pixels. Your 4KTV needs to stretch them out and show them over the 8 million it has available.

It’s for this reason your cheap Aldi or Kogan TV looks good, but not as good as your mate with a Samsung, LG or Hisense when watching free-to-air HD content.

But throw 8 million pixels into even the cheapest 4K TV and it’s going to show you a cracking good picture – don’t fear buying a new “cheaper” model TV to get a glimpse at 4K.

For the main lounge room TV though, there’s a lot more to content than just pixels. There are HDR and sound to be considered – this is where the big brands are really excelling in the 4K future.

Do I need a big screen?

To be frank, yes. Unless you have a superhuman eye, most people really won’t notice the dramatic leap from Full HD and 4K on a television under 55 inches.

Personally, I’d be looking for a 65 inch TV or higher. That’s where this content is going to really shine.

Foxtel is pumping out the Bathurst 1000, but also some amazing documentaries, concerts and even a movie in just the first week of its new channel 444 – well worth a look.

Suggestions:

Kogan 43 inch $530

Kogan 65 inch $849

Soniq 55 inch $699

Hisense 65 inch $1991

Nielsen Footy Season Wrap: How Richmond and Roosters rule

To coincide with the end of the AFL and NRL seasons, Nielsen has compiled data for Mediaweek that ranks all the AFL and NRL clubs.

The metrics used to determine the two charts are TV audience, jersey value, number of fans and their passion, plus social engagement.

The charts closely resemble how many of the teams finished the football year.

On the AFL chart, premiers West Coast Eagles rank just under last year’s winners Richmond.

On the NRL chart, the two 2018 Grand Finalists top the chart.

There are many ladders to look to when assessing the relative successes of teams in the 2018 football season.

For the AFL, irrespective of who lifted the trophy on the last Saturday in September, the Swans have led the competition in terms of delivering the greatest regular season audiences and carrying the greatest fan base and the most avid fans.

Looking at the number of people who actually reached into their wallet to formalise their support for their team via membership, Richmond have led the League with 100,728 members in 2018. However, due to the intensity of competition in the Melbourne market, their broader fan base is ranked seventh. They’ve also put together a strong social engagement strategy, which has delivered the highest engagement across the AFL.

In the NRL, despite the boos for Melbourne on Grand Final day, research shows they are the number one favourite NRL team for the Australian population.

The Broncos and Cowboys continue to be dominant in terms of cumulative TV audiences throughout the season and their absence in the Grand Final will have dampened the ultimate broadcast rating, which delivered just over three million people nationally.

Despite the Storm’s loss on Sunday, their sponsors and management will have taken some solace from the performance of their jersey with it delivering the highest media exposure value throughout the season – even before they worked their way through the final series – only just followed by the ultimate winners the Roosters, who have provided excellent exposure for their major partner Steggles throughout the year.

When looking to the new world of social media, it’s one of the oldest teams that is leading the way. One of the NRL’s foundation clubs, the Dragons, have ranked number one this year in terms of engagement via Nielsen’s Social Content Ratings.

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Radio: Survey six analysis – every metro commercial station

Mediaweek editor James Manning examines the GFK radio survey 6 results for each metro commercial station.

Sydney

• 2GB the biggest improver as share pushes above 15%
• Alan Jones lifts to 19% and Ray Hadley busts above 20%
•WSFM maintains its lead over smooth as #1 FM

2GB 15.4%

Massive result for the station and its highest 10+ share since 2011. Alan Jones is sitting on 19.0%, which is his 214th consecutive survey victory and also his best result since 2011. Ray Hadley saw his share push to 20.2%, which is his best result in seven years. The wins don’t stop there with Chris Smith #1 in afternoon, Ben Fordham #1 AM in drive, Steve Price #1 Monday to Thursday after 8pm and George and Paul #1 on weekend mornings from 9am until 1pm. Share 65+ took off, up 4.5 to 37.2%.

WSFM 10.0%

The station remains #1 FM while Jonesy and Amanda in breakfast are now #2 in FM breakfast after Kyle and Jackie O crept past them. The station’s all-music drive show, hosted beautifully by Jason Staveley, sits at #2 FM and drive was the only timeslot not to dip this survey. The station remains a strong #1 40-54.

smoothfm 9.3%

Despite a small dip, smoothfm remains the #2 FM station with share up in morning and afternoon and down very slightly elsewhere. The station has taken top spot from WSFM 55-64.

Nova 96.9 7.5%

The numbers backed off a little here in all timeslots except drive. Fitzy and Wippa were down 0.9 to 7.1%, a breakfast figure they share with sister station smoothfm. Drive with Kate, Tim and Marty was up 0.6 to 12.8% to widen their lead in the timeslot. Share was up 18-24 and 40-54, but down 25-39.

KIIS 1065 7.3%

Kyle and Jackie O have reclaimed their crown as #1 FM breakfast show, sneaking past Jonesy and Amanda as KIIS share recovered to 10.2%. Morning was also up, but after 12noon the numbers dipped, including Will and Woody in drive, who were down to 6.0% (-0.5).

104.9 Triple M 5.4%

Station share was steady and The Grill Team lifted 0.5 to 6.0%. Morning and afternoon were down as was Kennedy Molloy in drive.

2CH 1170 4.6%

Overall growth this survey can be tracked back to better figures for afternoon, drive and evening plus weekends, which lifted 1.2 to 6.4% where the station outperforms three of Sydney’s six commercial FM brands. The new breakfast show with Indira and Trevor was down 0.7 to 2.6%.

104.1 2Day FM 4.3%

Share still hovers just above 4% with breakfast on 3.6%. The rest of the day grows with morning on 4.1% and afternoon on 5.6%. Hughesy and Kate are as yet unable to replicate their Melbourne success in Sydney with 5.9%, down 0.6 this survey.

Sky Sports Radio 0.9%

Big Sports Breakfast dipped 0.3 to 1.3%. Station is strongest on weekends, but share was down there too from 2.3% to 1.5%.

Macquarie Sports 954

Breakfast with Mark Levy and Mark Riddell was up 0.2 to 0.8%. That is the station’s weekday highlight, while weekend share was steady on 0.9%.

Melbourne

• 3AW and smoothfm hold firm as overall and FM leaders
• SEN the biggest mover as Gerard Whateley show climbs

3AW 13.5%

The 10+ audience share lifted 0.3 while breakfast with Ross and John was holding over 18%. Neil Mitchell is again close to 15% while share lifted a little for afternoon, drive and evening. 3AW continues to command massive share 55-64 and 65+ and a rise of 1.2 to 11.6% 40-64 sees it trail demo leader Gold by just 0.4.

smoothfm 9.9%

Another FM survey win for the station despite share dropping 0.5 to 9.9%. Breakfast with Mike Perso and Jennifer Hansen lifted 0.5 to 8.2%, where it is #2 FM breakfast behind only Fox. Despite dips, both morning and afternoon held above 10% while drive was up 0.4 to 9.8%. smoothfm has a massive FM lead 55-64.

101.9 Fox FM 9.4%

Breakfast with Fifi, Fev and Byron maintained #1 FM breakfast with share down 0.7 to 9.6%. There is still a little buffer between them and smoothfm breakfast. Hughesy and Kate remain #1 drive overall despite share dropping 1.5 to 10.5%. Big demo swings included 18-24 down 7.4 to 19.0% (but enough to keep it #1) while share 25-39 was up 3.5 to 20.2% where it continues to have more than twice the share of its nearest competitor (Gold).

Gold 104.3 9.3%

Share also dipped 0.6 here, keeping the gap between Fox and Gold just 0.1. The Christian O’Connell breakfast show dropped 0.7 to 6.7% where it ranks #5 FM out of six FM stations. Breakfast has put a little bit of pressure across the workday with morning and afternoon also down this survey, as was drive.

Nova 100 6.8%

Chrissie, Sam and Browny breakfast share was up 0.1 to 7.8%, which is higher than all dayparts bar drive share. Kate, Tim and Marty can boast 8.1%.

105.1 Triple M 6.5%

Eddie, Wil and Darce had a good ratings recovery with share up 0.7 to 7.7%. Morning and afternoon were flat but good news in drive where Mick Molloy and Jane Kennedy lifted 1.9 to 7.1%.

KIIS 101.1 5.4%

Share was steady 10+ while breakfast was also unchanged on 5.9%. Morning and afternoon had small recoveries but are both still trading under 5%. Will and Woody in drive dipped 1.1 to 6.1%.

SEN 3.8%

The station was the market’s biggest mover, albeit off a low base, with share up 0.9 to 3.8%. The source of the rise was morning with Gerard Whateley where share lifted 2.4 to 4.4%. Andy Maher was also connecting with listeners in the afternoon where share lifted 1.4 to 4.5%. Drive with Doc and KB lifted 0.2 to 3.6%. Also up was the station’s most critical daypart, breakfast with Garry and Tim, which lifted 0.4 to 3.6%.

Macquarie Sports 1278

Melbourne’s other sports station also managed to grow, but it remains well off the pace with breakfast on 0.2%, doubling its share. Drive performs best at the station, up 0.1 to 1.0%.

Brisbane

• Nova climbs back to top spot 10+, but Hit breakfast holds at #1

Nova 106.9 12.6%

The station has moved back into top spot, after ranking #4 in survey five. There is now a bigger gap separating the four commercial FM brands. Nova hasn’t been able to regain #1 breakfast, but it is up to #2 after ranking #3 the previous survey. There was strong growth across the day with morning, afternoon and drive all up. Kate, Tim and Marty continue to lead the market in the latter, up 1.7 to 15.7%. The influx of listeners seem to be aged 18-24 where share jumped 5.4 to 21.9%.

Hit 105 11.7%

The station’s flirtation with top spot 10+ ended, yet breakfast with Stav, Abby and Matt lifted 0.3 to 13.4% to keep a grip on breakfast leadership, now 1.5 ahead of nearest competitor Nova.

104.5 Triple M 11.2%

Although share dipped 0.4, the station remains #3, as does breakfast with Marto, Robin and The Moonman despite a drop of 1.2 to 11.5%. Share dropped in other dayparts too, yet Triple M remains #1 in morning and afternoon.

97.3FM 10.9%

As share drifted below 11%, breakfast went close, down 0.5 to 11.0%. There was a flow-on effect across the day, with share slightly down morning, afternoon and drive with 97.3FM ranking #4 in all those timeslots. The station dipped this low last year, but soon recovered.

4KQ 8.1%

Bucking a downward trend was breakfast where Laurel, Gary and Mark lifted 0.4 to 7.4%. Morning holds just over 10% despite a drop. Afternoon and drive were both down too.

4BC 4.6%

Most timeslots were down, Alan Jones and Ray Hadley both dropping 0.8. Drive bucked that trend with a lift of 0.1, although it has the station’s smallest share – 3.3%.

Macquarie Sports 882 0.4%

Red ink right across the page with survey five’s 1.0% turning into 0.4%. Share virtually halved right across the day and evening.

Adelaide

• David and Will push Fiveaa breakfast higher to 15.6%
• Mix at work loses share, but station remains #1 overall

Mix 102.3 13.6%

Share has dipped to its lowest point this year. But get this – it is still stronger than any of the eight survey results from 2017. Breakfast with Jodie and Soda remains #1 FM with share down 0.8 to 13.2%. All other timeslots lost chunks of audience too, but they also all remain #1 FM timeslots, including Will and Woody.

Fiveaa 12.8%

David Penberthy and Will Goodings continue to be the station’s stars with another market-leading breakfast share – this time up 1.0 to 15.6%, which is a new high for them. Drive was up 0.8 to 13.0% while Jeremy Cordeaux sees his evening share climb 1.6 to 17.3%.

5MMM 10.0%

There is a lot of good radio in Adelaide, as Mediaweek was reminded during our Adelaide radio week recently, and Roo and Ditts are among the market’s best during breakfast. Their share lifted 0.1 to 10.9%, which is their best since survey two this year. Morning, afternoon and drive with Kennedy Molloy was also up.

Cruise 1323 9.2%

The little AM music station-that-could has had another strong survey, outperforming two of the market’s four commercial FM stations. Growth early in the day was leading the charge with breakfast with John Dean up 0.8 to 7.7% while morning was up 1.4 to 10.2%. Weekend share was up 0.1 to 11.0%, which is better than three of the four commercial FM stations.

Nova 91.9 8.8%

This is unchartered territory for the station with its lowest share in a long, long time. Breakfast is down to 8.2%, which must be close to a record nobody wants. Morning is down to 6.4%. Kate, Tim and Marty manage to drag the station share higher to 11.7% in drive, although survey-on-survey that is a dip of 1.9.

Hit 107 8.8%

The station is between breakfast shows with no farewell bump for the recently departed – breakfast share was down 1.3 to 6.2%. Again drive is the best figure here too with Hughesy and Kate on 9.3% (down 1.3).

Perth

• Mix 94.5 reclaims top spot with share creeping above 14%
• Nova retains breakfast #1 despite small Nathan, Nat & Shaun dip

Mix 94.5 14.1%

Status quo has returned to the market with Mix back at #1. It would dearly like to get breakfast back to the top too. Clairsy, Matt and Kymba are working on it – they have closed the gap between Mix and Nova at that time of day from 2.4 to 0.7. Breakfast and drive were the big movers this survey where the latter is a combo of The Rush Hour with Lisa and Pete and Kennedy Molloy. Drive share grew 0.6 to 13.4%, closing the gap a little between drive leader Nova and Mix.

Nova 93.7 13.5%

Breakfast with Nathan, Nat and Shaun has now been a chart topper for three consecutive surveys although the gap with Mix narrowed a little this time as Nova share dipped 0.4 to 14.6%. All dayparts were down barring evening where Smallzy lifted share close to 15%.

Hit 92.9 10.8%

The good times continue to roll with another up book driven by breakfast with Heidi, Ryan and Xavier up 1.1 to 11.3%. Morning and afternoon were also both up over 1.0.

96FM 7.2%

Hard to spin this result, which is the lowest station share for over two and a half years at least. The new breakfast show is yet to engage with its audience as share dipped 0.4 to 6.4%. That’s not the lowest this year – but close to it.

6PR 6.9%

Steve and Baz in breakfast lost a little of their recent momentum as share dipped 1.0 to 10.1%. That is still amongst their best figures over the past few years and well above the station average. Drive had a good survey with the Oliver Peterson-hosted session up 1.4 to 7.3%.

6iX 4.8%

The station has been over 5% for the previous four surveys, yet slipped just below that mark this time. While breakfast was down 0.2 to 3.7%, morning and afternoon lifted ever so slightly to hold above 5%.

Source: GfK

Perth Radio Wrap: Day 4 – 96FM and 6iX

This is our final stop around Australia with a detailed look at the commercial stations in every metro market.

Don’t miss our new snapshot of every metro market from the survey six ratings also published today.

Next week as promised – drive radio across Australia.

96FM Survey 6 shares: 10+ 7.2%, Breakfast 6.4%

Cumulative audience: 10+ 294,000, Breakfast 131,000

A disappointing result for ARN in the market again after some promising growth at the end of 2017 with consecutive surveys over 10%.

The station has had only one lower 10+ result since 2015 and that was a 6.9% during 2016. The station’s breakfast slot has had only one lower share too with 6.1% in that same survey result in 2016.

ARN’s programming boss Duncan Campbell won’t be happy with the trend in Perth. He told Mediaweek after survey five recently, “We have been very challenged in Perth trying to wedge ourselves amongst the strong bookends of Nova and Mix.”

6iX Survey 6 shares: 10+ 4.8%, Breakfast 3.7%

Cumulative audience: 10+ 127,000, Breakfast 68,000

Share didn’t drop by much this survey but a 4.8% ended four consecutive surveys over 5%.

Breakfast had its second consecutive survey under 4% after smashing a 5.8% earlier this year.

The station’s best 10+ since 2016 has been 5.6 in survey two this year while the best breakfast was the 5.8% we mentioned above.

Top Photo:  Lisa Fernandez and Paul Hogan host 96FM breakfast

Mercado on TV: Television should both teach and be good silly fun!

In the UK, the BBC is taking its first female Doctor Who (with Jodie Whittaker) from its traditional Saturday slot to screen on a Sunday instead.

That means the ABC also has to move it, so while 5:55pm on Monday seems a bit off-Broadway, longtime fans may appreciate the sentiment, given that’s the same timeslot they grew up watching it. And there’s always iview from 5:45am for the early risers.

Yes, something this historic should be in a better timeslot, but where is there room on a Monday with 7.30, Australian Story, Four Corners, Media Watch and Q&A? Michael Brissenden’s report on the drought last Monday was heartbreaking, reminding everyone that nobody can better what Four Corners does. SBS also did Go Back Live this week and many found the format change clunky, which it sometimes was. But it was also brave and still compelling.

You never hear the haters praising the great stuff that public broadcasters do, particularly when they want to sell them off and pretend that worthy shows like this will continue to be made. There’s no need for all that, given that what TV really prefers is a good game show, singing show or reno show.

This Sunday, TEN’s new game show Game of Games will go head to head with Seven’s new singing show All Together Now. Neither will be able to beat Nine’s reno show The Block, but both will fight hard for the scraps by both trying to have the bigger set. Game of Games goes one step further by casting contestants that are deranged. Co-host Ash London is too underutilised and Grant Denyer’s excitement is so concerning someone should check if his Gold Logie has been dipped in poisonous paint. This one’s for the kids.

All Together Now likes a bit of high energy too, but it’s kept under control by a much more relaxed Julia Zemiro. She might have to run up and around six storeys of the set, but she’s as cool as a cucumber, even when it comes to remembering the names of a hundred judges. Given who’s been chosen to judge, it looks like many, if not most, were picked from gay venues on Oxford Street. Zemiro is right in describing the show as sweet and, during a week in which Doctor Who turns into a woman, it’s good to see so much diversity on screen. At the end of the day, TV should be good silly fun and teach us something about the human condition.

Top Photo: Ash London on TEN’s new Game Of Games

Sharri Markson news awards
Sharri Markson, Michael Kroger and Stephen Conroy join Sky News schedule

Sharri Markson, Michael Kroger and Stephen Conroy have joined Sky News’s weekday evening lineup.

The broadcaster has launched two new national affairs programs.

From Monday October 15, The Daily Telegraph’s award-winning national political editor Sharri Markson will anchor Sharri. The show will air each Monday at 8pm, where Markson will share her views on the week’s political highs and lows.

Markson has broken the biggest two political stories of the year – the news of the impending leadership coup against Malcolm Turnbull and a series of stories about then-deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce’s love-affair with his media adviser. She received the Sir Keith Murdoch Award for Excellence in Journalism this year at the News Awards and was awarded Australian Journalist of the Year, Political Journalist of the Year and Best Scoop at the Kennedy Awards.

Sky News political contributors Kroger and Conroy will team up to anchor Conroy & Kroger on Thursdays at 8pm, commencing October 18. Michael Kroger, Victorian Liberal Party president and former Victorian Senator Stephen Conroy will go head to head each week as the political insiders offer their take on the world of politics with no topic off limits.

From October 15, Outsiders hosted by Ross Cameron and Rowan Dean will air at the new late-night timeslot of Monday-Thursday at 11pm. The team will deliver their no-holds-barred observations on news, politics and everything in between. Outsiders will continue to air Sundays at 9am.

Heads Up will continue to feature on Sky News seven days a week providing a look at the next day’s big stories in Australia’s newspapers. Each Monday-Thursday, it will be a new segment in PML Overtime at 10:45pm. Then, Friday-Sunday it will continue as a standalone show hosted by Peter Gleeson at 11pm.

Janine Perrett will continue to contribute her insights and analysis to programs across the channel including as a regular panellist on The Last Word and Paul Murray Live.

Angelos Frangopoulos, CEO Australian News Channel, said: “Over the years we have built up Australia’s most talented and compelling on-air team. I’m really pleased that Sharri Markson, Stephen Conroy and Michael Kroger have joined that extraordinary lineup of hosts.”

Top Photo: Sharri Markson

2018 News Media Award winner profile: The New Zealand Herald

A big change could be coming to NZME’s The New Zealand Herald website by the end of this year. It has been free for all readers so far.

By Kruti Joshi

However, its editor Murray Kirkness revealed to Mediaweek that it could adopt a freemium model, where a percentage of its content is locked behind a paywall, by the end of 2018.

“We would like to earn the right to charge for some content on the website by the end of the year,” Kirkness said.

He doesn’t undermine the impact that this shift may have.

“In a digital sense there is no doubt that audience can be challenged and we are acutely aware of that,” he said. “We are confident that we can produce a product that gets good audience numbers and digital subs.”

Kirkness remained tight-lipped about price points and packages. However, he said: “We aren’t just going to introduce a paywall and expect people to pay. We want to earn the right to charge.”

If The New Zealand Herald does put up a paywall by the end of this year, it will be one of the first major news outlets to do so in the country.

The masthead recently created much buzz when New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern served as the guest editor of a commemorative edition of the paper.

This is an excerpt from the full article, which appears on Mediaweek Premium. Read the full article here or subscribe to Mediaweek Premium here.

NZME and Fairfax’s Stuff continue to look at merger options

The New Zealand Herald editor Murray Kirkness: “The outcome was disappointing but not unexpected.”

Earlier this year, Fairfax’s Stuff and NZME proposed a merger plan which the Court of Appeal rejected in September.

Talking about this development, The New Zealand Herald editor Murray Kirkness said: “I was a supporter of the merger. The challenges facing our industry are well known.

“It would have given us greater strengths to tell great stories. While I understand the concerns around the reduction of voices in the marketplace, NZME is a fantastic publisher and is open to all sorts of opinions being expressed across radio, print and digital. We are a broad church when it comes to what is published and broadcast so I had no fear from that point of view.

“The outcome was disappointing but not unexpected.”

The company executives continue to look at other avenues to make the merger with Fairfax’s Stuff possible.

Mediaweek NZ: Sunday Star-Times, Radio ratings, Jacindamania again, NewsHub, Sky TV

Mediaweek’s John Drinnan rounds up the latest media news from NZ.

By John Drinnan

Sunday Star-Times shrinking

From October 21, Fairfax-owned Stuff will be changing the format for the Sunday Star-Times from broadsheet to compact. A similar change was made to regional dailies earlier this year. The Stuff chief executive Sinead Boucher said there would be design changes for inserts as well. The change will leave NZME’s Weekend Herald On Saturdays as the highest-profile broadsheet.

GfK NZ radio ratings

RNZ has continued with good results in the latest GfK audience surveys with an increase of 27,000 listeners to 633,500. The public radio survey is released one week after the commercial radio survey, which last week showed good quarterly results for NZME’s NewstalkZB. The GfK results show RNZ is now the first-placed network ahead of MediaWorks’ The Edge on 624,400 and More FM on 586,700. RNZ’s Morning Report, hosted by Susie Ferguson and Guyon Espiner in the highly competitive breakfast period Monday-Friday 6am-9am, increased its audience numbers by 24,400, reaching 481,500 listeners and a market share of 15.4%.

Jacindamania returns – did it ever go away?

Upbeat media coverage of Jacinda Ardern – or Jacindamania – has become a news story in its own right, with questions about how much effort is going into promoting her personal brand on the world stage. Coverage reached a new peak recently where the PM appeared at the UN General Assembly with husband Clarke Gayford and new baby Neve. The New Zealand Herald reported that the government had paid an ad agency Augusto to take pictures of the family in New York. It emerged that Augusto previously donated $18,000 to the Labour Party.

Next for Leighton Smith

Longtime NewstalkZB morning presenter Leighton Smith will be continuing a column in The NZ Herald and weekly podcasts next year when he finishes at NewstalkZB at the end of this year. Kerre McIvor will take over the 8:30am-12noon spot next January, replacing Smith who has been in radio 44 years. Smith’s talkback show is sceptical on global warming. The change is seen as significant for NewstalkZB, whose branding in the morning is right of centre.

Emma Jolliffe appointment

Newshub reporter Emma Jolliffe has been appointed interviewer on the weekend political show The Nation. She is replacing Lisa Owen, who is taking over as host of the Radio New Zealand current affairs show Checkpoint. In turn that role is being vacated by high-profile news star John Campbell who has taken a role as journalist at large for TVNZ.

Kiwi TV pirates

Around 300,000 New Zealanders are watching pirated versions of sports events and around 10% regularly watch pirated movies and TV, according to a survey by Sky TV. About 70% think the likelihood of getting caught is slim. The results are from a survey of 1,009 adults. Sky says it mirrors a recent survey conducted for NZ on Air. A proposed solution is that internet service providers should block websites that provide “pirate” content.

Tony Veitch is Bali-bound

Controversial former TV and radio sports host Tony Veitch is leaving broadcasting and relocating to Bali to set up a bed and breakfast business, a retreat aimed at people who are burnt out. Veitch’s rollercoaster career was punctuated by a conviction for injuring his former partner in 2006, forcing him out of media. He later re-joined radio, having his return to TV with Sky shut down by activist journalists in 2017. This week he said on Facebook he has given away the world of sports broadcasting indefinitely. Veitch has formerly worked with NZME, TVNZ and the Nine Network.

Senior sales appointments

NZME has announced it is building on its senior Auckland commercial team. A number of key roles have been confirmed, with each person chosen for their ability to unearth and recognise opportunities for clients. Jaana Collins has been appointed to GM of radio revenue, agency. Collins has over 10 years’ radio experience working across multiple roles in both direct and agency for TRN and NZME. Greer Ell is the new radio commercial lead, Auckland, a senior member of the Auckland direct team, working closely with the Auckland direct sales team to explore opportunities in radio. Ell works with the team on integration and delivery, solidifying NZME radio brands as the premier media partner of choice for New Zealand businesses. She has 12 years’ experience in radio sales and an in-depth knowledge of the radio market.

Top Photo: Greer Ell and Jaana Collins

Mediaweek NZ profile: MediaWorks head of TV content Andrew Szusterman

Andrew Szusterman has spent half his career in radio and half in television. Now he is a leading executive at a firm with interests in both.

By John Drinnan

The MediaWorks TV head of content says that the two arms – TV channel Three and its half of a radio duopoly – benefit from a close association. Obviously, that relates to marketing and cross-promotion but Szusterman says it has also helped MediaWorks nurture talent that has remained loyal to the firm.

Indeed MediaWorks wins kudos in the production industry for actively building a stable of entertainment talent that works across both, more so than TVNZ.

When MediaWorks was restructured in 2013 it was able to abandon some expensive US studio output deals to focus on local. It went to reality with gusto.

Szusterman has been credited with a deft touch developing the efficient and cost-sensitive in-house production operation, making NZ versions of reality franchises. During 2018 these included Dancing with the Stars, The Block series 7, Married at First Sight series 2, Grand Designs series 4, Lost & Found, and Gogglebox series 1. Szusterman says there is less risk with local multi-night programming delivering tried and true formats.

Nowadays, Szusterman says, Three is spreading its wings further commissioning reality, with more drama and comedy including five comedy pilots. It will be a test for Three and gauge the impact of the former radio and music man on the challenging business of free-to-air content.

Szusterman was made group content director in 2014 and took a key role in the ambitious rebranding of TV3 into Three. Radio is handled by Leon Wratt, who has enjoyed success with music formats.

Szusterman says MediaWorks’ interest in both TV and radio platforms has been great for developing talent pool. Lots of media have radio and TV links.

MediaWorks wins praise for nurturing a loyal entertainment team, initially around its Friday night panel comedy show Seven Days, now in its 10th season. Seven Days is closely linked with the NZ version of The Project – mixing entertainment with magazine content. The Project here is managed by the entertainment team led by Szusterman, which wrested the 7pm spot off news.

This is an excerpt from the full article, which appears on Mediaweek Premium. Read the full article here or subscribe to Mediaweek Premium here.

TV Ratings Analysis: October 4

• No love for The Bachelor on final night… except in the ratings
• TEN’s winning share of 22.1% bigger than MasterChef final
• Nine’s Paramedics from WTFN launches with 500,000+
• SBS’s Go Back To Where You Came From Live ends on 170,000

By James Manning

Seven

A Home And Away mini-marathon ended its week on 512,000 after hovering close to 600,000 for the rest of the week.

The 2016 movie Suicide Squad then did 343,000.

Nine

A Current Affair started with a seriously pissed-off neighbour – a mum fighting tradies on a building site. The episode was on 714,000 after 786,000 on Wednesday.

Cars featured a lot on the big reality franchises last night. The Block vehicle of choice was a VW, which featured during a driver training session with $10,000 on offer. It was good to see former Top Gear Australia host Steve Pizzati back on screen. The unusual Thursday episode of the show had to settle for second in the slot with 714,000.

The new ob doc Paramedics from WTFN did 556,000, launching just a few days before TEN’s Ambulance Australia from Endemol Shine.

TEN

It was all about The Bachelor on TEN’s biggest night of the year. There was no former contestant or host for The Project so guest co-host Rachel Corbett conveyed her excitement about the final to the audience. The Project did have Bill Shorten and then a live interview with Michael Bublé, which was lots of fun. The episode did 565,000 after 511,000 the night prior.

The Bachelor result last night might have hurt the franchise a little, but people will move on from the disappointment pretty quickly… perhaps. Social media was flooded with outrage with plenty of comments about a waste of time and people wanting their Wednesday and Thursday nights back. There were plenty of shots of a Hyundai coming and going and the New Caledonia Tourist Board should be well pleased. The final episode did 1.00m while the amazing few minutes when the “decision” was revealed rated 1.24m. When opposing networks don’t send out details of how poorly the show did year-on-year you know it must have done well. And so it did – in 2017 the final episode did 980,000 and the 2017 decision was on 1.11m.

Gogglebox followed with Love It Or List It and Survivor among the programs watched. No one seems to like Brian in Survivor! The episode did 813,000 after 614,000 last week.

ABC

Grand Designs Australia was on 460,000 followed by the final of Loch Ness on 315,000.

SBS

The start of Tony Robinson’s Hidden Britain By Drone did 284,000.

The final of CJZ’s Go Back To Where You Came From Live featured some moving family reunions and some insights delivered by the participants. The biggest change of attitude came from football-turned-breakfast radio host Spida Everitt who was touring Southern Sudan with Meshel Laurie. Steve and Gretel were in Greece at the end of the three-part series while Jacqui and Marina did their final live cross from a safe place in Northern Syria. The final episode did 172,000.

Week 40 TV: THURSDAY
THURSDAY METRO
ABCSevenNineTenSBS
ABC10.2%716.9%918.5%TEN22.1%SBS One5.2%
ABC 22.2%7TWO4.3%GO!2.5%ONE2.4%VICELAND1.7%
ABC ME0.6%7mate3.2%GEM1.6%ELEVEN2.4%Food Net1.0%
ABC NEWS1.3%7flix2.1%9Life1.5%NITV0.2%
TOTAL14.4%26.5%24.1%26.9%8.1%
THURSDAY REGIONAL
ABCSeven AffiliatesNine AffiliatesTen AffiliatesSBS
ABC9.9%719.0%916.6%WIN17.1%SBS One4.2%
ABC 23.2%7TWO5.8%GO!3.2%ONE2.7%VICELAND1.6%
ABC ME1.2%7mate4.1%GEM2.5%ELEVEN1.8%Food Net1.0%
ABC NEWS1.4%7flix2.2%9Life1.3%Sky News  on WIN1.0%NITV0.2%
TOTAL15.7%31.1%23.6%22.6%7.0%

 

THURSDAY METRO ALL TV
FTASTV
86.5%13.5%

 

THURSDAY  FTA
  1. The Bachelor Australia Grand Finale – The Final Decision Ten 1,241,000
  2. The Bachelor Australia Grand Finale Ten 1,009,000
  3. Seven News Seven 947,000
  4. Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 890,000
  5. Nine News 6:30 Nine 850,000
  6. Nine News Nine 849,000
  7. Gogglebox Ten 813,000
  8. The Block Nine 784,000
  9. A Current Affair Nine 714,000
  10. ABC News ABC 674,000
  11. The Project 7pm Ten 565,000
  12. Paramedics Nine 556,000
  13. The Chase Australia Seven 520,000
  14. Home And Away Seven 512,000
  15. 7.30 ABC 494,000
  16. Hot Seat Nine 468,000
  17. Grand Designs Australia ABC 460,000
  18. Ten Eyewitness News First At Five Ten 349,000
  19. M- Suicide Squad Seven 343,000
  20. The Chase Australia-5pm Seven 341,000
Demo Top Fives

16-39 Top 5

  1. The Bachelor Australia Grand Finale – The Final Decision Ten 524,000
  2. The Bachelor Australia Grand Finale Ten 430,000
  3. Gogglebox Ten 312,000
  4. The Block Nine 191,000
  5. The Project 7pm Ten 169,000

 

18-49 Top 5

  1. The Bachelor Australia Grand Finale – The Final Decision Ten 716,000
  2. The Bachelor Australia Grand Finale Ten 583,000
  3. Gogglebox Ten 453,000
  4. The Block Nine 319,000
  5. The Project 7pm Ten 257,000

 

25-54 Top 5

  1. The Bachelor Australia Grand Finale – The Final Decision Ten 685,000
  2. The Bachelor Australia Grand Finale Ten 558,000
  3. Gogglebox Ten 441,000
  4. The Block Nine 379,000
  5. The Project 7pm Ten 284,000
THURSDAY Multichannel
  1. Father Brown-PM 7TWO 199,000
  2. Bluey-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 177,000
  3. Peppa Pig-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 153,000
  4. Hey Duggee-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 150,000
  5. Charlie And Lola-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 147,000
  6. Peppa Pig-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 146,000
  7. Murdoch Mysteries-PM 7TWO 144,000
  8. Peter Rabbit ABCKIDS/COMEDY 142,000
  9. Brewster The Rooster-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 140,000
  10. Kiddets-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 140,000
  11. Octonauts ABCKIDS/COMEDY 140,000
  12. Luo Bao Bei-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 140,000
  13. Little Roy-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 136,000
  14. Wanda And The Alien-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 136,000
  15. Sarah And Duck-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 134,000
  16. Tinga Tinga Tales-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 132,000
  17. Becca’s Bunch-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 132,000
  18. Fireman Sam-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 129,000
  19. Murdoch Mysteries-E2 PM 7TWO 127,000
  20. Dot. ABCKIDS/COMEDY 124,000
THURSDAY Subscription TV
  1. Live: Supercars Bathurst FOX SPORTS 506 61,000
  2. Live: Supercars Bathurst Supports FOX SPORTS 506 56,000
  3. Love It Or List It Australia LifeStyle Channel 56,000
  4. Criminal Minds TVH!TS 50,000
  5. Paul Murray Live Sky News Live 48,000
  6. The Bolt Report Sky News Live 47,000
  7. Live: Supercars Bathurst FOX SPORTS 506 43,000
  8. Outsiders Sky News Live 42,000
  9. Live: Supercars Bathurst FOX SPORTS 506 41,000
  10. Live: Supercars Live FOX SPORTS 506 40,000
  11. Family Guy FOX8 39,000
  12. As Time Goes By FOX Classics 38,000
  13. Credlin Sky News Live 36,000
  14. Paw Patrol Nick Jr. 36,000
  15. Family Guy FOX8 35,000
  16. Bones TVH!TS 35,000
  17. A Very English Scandal BBC First 34,000
  18. Blaze And The Monster Machines Nick Jr. 34,000
  19. Live: Supercars Bathurst Supports FOX SPORTS 506 34,000
  20. NCIS TVH!TS 33,000

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

Media News Roundup

Business of Media

ABC board says it appointed investigator day before Guthrie sacked

The board of the ABC released this statement yesterday:

This board has always acted in the best interests of the ABC, has fully debated any issues presented to it and ensured that editorial independence has been maintained. We are united in defending the independence of the Corporation. We have done our job thoughtfully and with due regard to board process.

To clarify various media reports, the board received a letter from the former Managing Director late on Friday September 21, 2018. In that letter, Ms Guthrie responded to several issues that the board raised with her. In addition, the former Managing Director raised other matters that she requested the board investigate on a confidential basis.

The board resolved on Sunday September 23, 2018 to appoint an external, independent expert advisor to investigate these matters. That investigation is under way, and it is not appropriate for the board or the ABC to make any further comment pending its completion.

The board is focused on supporting the Acting Managing Director David Anderson, his leadership team and all employees in fulfilling the ABC’s Charter remit and serving the community.

Outdoor dollars up 10% during Q3 of 2018, digital now over 50%

The outdoor industry today announced an increase of 10.7% on net media revenue year-on-year in the third quarter of 2018, posting $221.2 million, up from $199.9 million for the third quarter in 2017.

The Outdoor Media Association reports digital revenue has risen to just over half of total media revenue, and now accounts for 50.5% of total net media revenue year-to-date, an increase over the recorded 46.0% at the same time last year.

“Our continued growth is the result of OOH’s ability to work at the top of the brand funnel, building brand equity, fame, and reaching massive audiences. These benefits, in unison with our digital signs, which offer flexibility to deliver tactical and dynamic messages, provide a powerful solution for advertisers,” said Charmaine Moldrich, CEO, OMA.

Category figures quarter three 2018:

• Roadside Billboards (over and under 25 square metres) $89.2 million
• Roadside Other (street furniture, bus/tram externals, small format) $60.3 million
• Transport (including airports) $39.5 million
• Retail, Lifestyle and Other $32.2 million

Category figures for quarter three 2017:

• Roadside Billboards (over and under 25 square metres) $79.6 million
• Roadside Other (street furniture, bus/tram externals, small format) $59.1 million
• Transport (including airports) $30.6 million
• Retail, Lifestyle and Other $30.6 million

News Brands

The AFR Magazine releases Power issue: ScoMo gets the cover

The AFR Magazine has today published its annual Power issue featuring new prime minister Scott Morrison on the cover.

The Fairfax Media newspaper’s chief political correspondent Phillip Coorey writes the lead story about selecting Australia’s most powerful people:

On Monday August 13, Parliament resumed after the six-week winter break. The then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, immigration minister Peter Dutton and others selected by The Australian Financial Review Magazine’s power panel filed one by one into a meeting room in Parliament House to pose for their photographic portraits. It was just over two weeks since the Coalition’s catastrophic showing in the July 28 by-election for the Queensland seat of Longman, which is adjacent to Peter Dutton’s marginal seat of Dickson.

On that unseasonably warm Monday, Turnbull happily agreed to take a selfie in front of AFR Magazine’s photographers. Known for being comfortable in front of his own camera, the PM was confident of his power. Outwardly at least. Yet Dutton’s plans were already well afoot for what became the bungled “Keystone” coup. Fearful the Coalition was headed for wipeout in Queensland, Dutton and fellow conservative MPs had decided to tear down the prime minister.

There had been no sense of the impending crisis within the Liberal Party when the AFR Magazine’s power panel met at Fairfax Media headquarters in Sydney at the start of August. The panel included former Liberal Party federal director Brian Loughnane and Liberal stalwart Alexander Downer.

[Read the original]

The AFR’s 10 most culturally influential Australians in 2018

This list included television producer Tony Ayres, TV host and member of The Chaser Craig Reucassel, comedian Hannah Gadsby and filmmaker Warwick Thornton.

On the TV producer, The AFR writes:

Tony Ayres is co-founder of Matchbox Pictures and the man behind everything from The Slap and Benjamin Law’s Family Law to Glitch, Ali’s Wedding, Nowhere Boys and The Real Housewives of Melbourne. Underlining how increasingly borderless the appetite for content has become, Ayres announced the launch of his own production company 10 days before the panel meeting, backed by Matchbox owner NBCUniversal, to focus on what he called “more international-facing” dramas.

[Read the original]

Television

How Australia reacted to the bombshell finale of TEN’s The Bachelor

Genevieve Rota in The Sydney Morning Herald:

‘Giant waste of time’: Nick Cummins stuns Australia in shocking Bachelor finale

To say that Thursday night’s Bachelor finale did not go to plan would be something of an understatement.

Instead of winding up with one rejected woman and one loved-up couple, who always serve nicely as an antidote to the heartbreak of said rejected woman, we’re left with three single people. Two of them are heartbroken, angry and confused, and the other one can’t seem to find his words – and he’s skipped the country, so we can’t even ask him to explain.

This is not how things were supposed to go.

[Read the original]

Lexie Cartwright in The Daily Telegraph:

Why this season of The Bachelor was the best yet

Brooke bailed, Tenille bailed twice, there was a mass exodus of mean girls in one single evening and, to cap it off, the guy who went on national television to find everlasting love decided to walk away completely alone and has been MIA ever since.

There’s no denying that this season of The Bachelor has been the most entertaining yet.

From the get-go, it copped a fair bit of flack. Australian Bachelor tragics were not happy with the choice of Nick “Honey Badger” Cummins as the cult reality show’s leading man.

[Read the original]

James Weir at news.com.au

Nick Cummins has given love – and Australia – the middle finger

Breaking all the rules, The Bachelor’s Nick Cummins has turned his back on love – and Australia – by dumping both finalists on Thursday night’s finale, choosing to go home alone after wasting everyone’s time.

He’s double dumped. That phrase already sounds unfortunate. But the narrative behind its use for this story is even more unforgivable.

Brittany Hockley and Sophie Tieman are dumped next to a lap pool in New Caledonia after being led on for two months.

[Read the original]

David Knox at TV Tonight

Honey Badger you had one job… more bizarre than UnREAL

In a Bachelor twist more bizarre than an episode of UnREAL, Cummins told both Sophie and Brittany he was not able to commit to either, despite both following the format traditions of admitting they had fallen for him by the finale.

[Read the original]

MTV announces nominees for MTV EMAs (Europe Music Awards)

MTV has announced nominations for the 2018 MTV EMAs with Camila Cabello leading the pack.

Cabello snagged six nominations including Best Song and Best Video for her chart-topping hit Havana featuring Young Thug, as well as Best Artist alongside Ariana Grande and Post Malone, who follow Cabello with five nods each. Drake and Dua Lipa also join the above contenders for Best Artist, scoring four nods each alongside Shawn Mendes, including Best Local Act for all three of their respective home countries.

MTV teased the nominees via a series of captivating Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) style videos, with visuals involving floral foam smashing, paint mixing and kinetic sand slicing for the Best Artist, Best Song and Best Video categories. The video reveals were broadcast across MTV’s global digital platforms and a coalition of media partners.

The 2018 MTV EMAs will air live around the globe from Bilbao Exhibition Centre, Spain on Monday November 5 at 6am, and across MTV’s global network of channels in more than 180 countries and territories, reaching more than half a billion households around the world.

Voting is now open at mtvema.com until November 4 at 8.59am so fans can cast votes beginning today.

See a full list of the nominees here.

Kyle Sandilands and Imogen Anthony star in local reboot of MTV Cribs

Following the first-ever instalments of MTV Unplugged Melbourne and plans to revive MTV TRL next year, MTV Australia has announced the 2019 launch of a local version of the iconic celebrity home series, MTV CRIBS.

Like the original, MTV Australia’s reimagining of MTV CRIBS will provide unfettered access to the lavish residences of the famous – and the infamous – with all the boom boom bedrooms, tricked out rides, refrigerator raids, over-the-top bathrooms, state-of-the-art in-home cinemas and, of course, the huge hot tubs fans expect to see in the homes of the ultra-famous.

On October 17, MTV will unveil a first look at the brand new Australian version of MTV CRIBS with a special instalment showcasing the lavish waterside mansion shared by radio royalty Kyle Sandilands and his partner Imogen Anthony.

Fans will be treated to a guided tour of their tri-level Mosman NSW mansion. From the opulent Versace interior décor to the “Hollywood-style en suite and spa” often featured on Imogen’s Instagram feed and Kyle’s vast weaponry collection stashed in the garage, Australia’s most talked-about couple open their doors to give MTV all-access into how the other half live.

This special first look at MTV CRIBS with Kyle Sandilands and Imogen Anthony will premiere Wednesday October 17 at 10:30pm AEDT exclusively on MTV on Foxtel and Fetch, and on demand on Foxtel Now.

“The response to the revivals of MTV’s iconic properties has been incredibly positive, so an Australian version of MTV CRIBS felt like the perfect format to revitalise next,” said Simon Bates, vice president and head of MTV Asia Pacific. “The popularity of MTV CRIBS spans decades, and who better than Kyle and Imogen to kick off a look into the inner sanctum of Australia’s biggest and flashiest celebrities.”

Publishing

Bauer’s Australian House & Garden reveals winners of Top 50 Rooms

The winners have been selected for the annual Australian House & Garden Top 50 Rooms edition. It’s the 20th anniversary of the magazine feature and the special edition of House & Garden’s 20th Annual Top 50 Rooms is sponsored by Warwick Fabrics.

This year saw rooms submitted by more than 160 homeowners and designers. From beautifully functional kitchens to ingenious living spaces and dream bedrooms, the rooms reflect the depth of Australia’s design talent and the lifestyle aspirations of Australians.

“We were delighted by the quality and diversity of this year’s rooms,” says Australian House & Garden editor-in-chief Lisa Green. “The lineup of entries was excellent, with style and comfort levels fully explored and every room in the home represented.

“The materials palettes and design ideas we are seeing are ever more sophisticated, driven by the lifestyle expectations of increasingly design-savvy homeowners. We love publishing this annual collectors’ edition. It’s a wonderful record of residential design excellence at this moment in time.”

Alongside Green, the judging panel was tasked with the tough job of sifting through the entries: Australian House & Garden houses/interiors editor Kate Nixon, interior designer and blogger Dana Tomic-Hughes of Yellowtrace, colour expert Lucy Sutherland and Janey Ridge of Warwick Fabrics.

Six states as well as the ACT are represented in the Top 50, with a blind judging process ensuring each room was judged purely on its visual appeal. The judges each assigned their top three rooms in each category, with points tallied to arrive at category winners.

The Top 50 Rooms Awards were announced in Sydney on October 4 at a gala lunch held at Vaucluse House and MC’d by Deborah Hutton, whose new kitchen recently featured on the magazine’s cover. Top 50 Rooms is sponsored by Warwick Fabrics, along with Blum, Victory Curtains & Blinds, Parisi, Porter’s Paints, James Hardie, Maison & Objet Paris and Voyager Estate.

H&G readers can vote for their favourite room. An online vote will determine the People’s Choice Award, with the winning entrant receiving a $3,000 Warwick Fabrics prize package, along with a Mantra Hotels & Resorts stay.

Voting opens when the magazine goes on sale on Monday October 8.

Sports Media

News & Sports: Nielsen’s DCR rank news.com.au & AFL.com.au #1

Telstra Media AFL was the biggest online destination for sports fans during AFL and NRL Grand Final week.

The AFL site had nearly double the unique audience of the #2 property on the list – news.com.au’s sport pages. Fox Sports was almost equal second with Nine’s WWOS and then Perform Group sites rounding out the top five.

Meanwhile the three biggest news websites last week, by a considerable margin, were news.com.au, nine.com.au and ABC News sites.

Cricket broadcasters set to benefit if Boxing Day Test played at night

Incoming Cricket Australia chief Kevin Roberts has raised the possibility of Melbourne’s Boxing Day Test becoming a day-night clash, reports Fairfax Media’s Jon Pierik.

Upon his confirmation in the top job on Wednesday, Roberts was asked about his thoughts on turning the traditional day clash at the MCG into a pink-ball Test.

While he said the event remained a success as is, Roberts, 46, said it was a case of “never say never” when it came to having it shown during primetime, when new broadcasters Channel Seven and Fox Sports could reap greater advertising spoils.

“I am a fan of all formats of the game, for different reasons. I have grown up with Test cricket, I love the dynamism of T20 cricket and I loved playing 50-over cricket,” the former Australian under-19 and NSW first-class batsman said.

A day-night Test would clash with the timing of a Big Bash League match on the eastern seaboard but that would not be the case if a match was scheduled in Perth.

[Read the original]

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