Business of Media
Airtasker bets $10m stake on radio, outdoor media surge
Airtasker has inked two deals with Australian media companies, swapping equity for advertising to build an $11 million war chest to capitalise on record interest in side hustles amid a cost of living crisis, reports Nine Publishing’s Sam Buckingham-Jones.
The company, which lets people post or accept tasks ranging from household cleaning to assembling IKEA furniture, announced a $5 million deal with ARN Media on Thursday. ARN is the ASX-listed owner of the KIIS and Pure Gold radio networks.
See also: Airtasker raises $5m in media capital from ARN to boost growth
TV ‘can’t get free pass’ on cost control: Ryan Stokes
All businesses need to keep a sharp eye on costs in a high inflation economy – and television is no exception, says Ryan Stokes, who controls the biggest stake in the under-pressure broadcaster Seven Network, reports News Corp’s Eric Johnston.
His comments come as both Seven and arch rival Nine have outlined aggressive cuts, with Seven targeting a wholesale management and newsroom shake-up under new chief executive Jeff Howard. Seven’s plans, involving the loss of about 150 jobs, are designed to save $100m in annual costs.
See also:
Seven West Media reportedly making 150 roles redundant
Nine to cut 200 jobs after Meta pulls the pin on Media Code deals
Opinion: Sorry, but rugby players posing in lingerie in 2024 is not ‘regressive’
It was in 2007 that David Beckham stripped down for his debut Emporio Armani underwear campaign. The photos, featuring a very famous footballer open-shirted and lying on a bed wearing only a pair of briefs, did not ask the audience to imagine much. Designer Giorgio Armani said his spread-eagled muse represented “modern masculinity: as a sports hero, husband and father,” reports Nine Publishing’s Emma Kemp.
[…] More than two decades later, some female rugby players are wearing lingerie and some (let’s be honest, mostly older) women are outraged. The photoshoot, featuring Team GB sevens stars Ellie Boatman, Jasmine Joyce and Celia Quansah, is the latest iteration of the #BeStrongBeBeautiful campaign run by British brand Bluebella since 2016. Its aim is purportedly to show girls “how they can look muscular and strong, as well as feeling feminine”.
Entertainment
Ellen DeGeneres cancels shows just two weeks after starting ‘comeback’ tour
Ellen DeGeneres is facing backlash from fans after she cancelled a string of US shows as part of her Ellen’s Last Stand … Up tour, reports News Corp’s Tiffany Bakker.
The 66-year-old had just started a US tour, billed as the “last opportunity” to see the comedian in her “final curtain call” and would “reintroduce her trademark wit and laughter-inducing anecdotes” to her audiences.
However, some fans wouldn’t be able to see her perform after Ticketmaster issued a statement saying that four upcoming shows have been cancelled.
Television
Auditions: Jeopardy Australia
Casting is underway for a second season of Jeopardy Australia, hosted by Stephen Fry on Nine, reports TV Tonight‘s Davkd Knox.
Filming by Whisper North takes place in the UK, but travel is only offered for Aussie expats within Europe.
To be eligible you must be aged at least 18, hold Australian citizenship and are currently living in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EU member state.
From Port Arthur to racism in sport, You Can’t Ask That creators tackle Australia’s biggest moments
“The trick with formats is creating rules,” says documentary director Kirk Docker. “And now we know how this thing works, I think we can plug in different events and different ideas, and it’ll be far easier if we get a second crack at it,” reports Nine Publishing’s Karl Quinn.
The “it” in question is I Was Actually There, a six-part factual series for the ABC in which people recount their first-hand experiences of a range of Big Moments in Australian history: the Port Arthur massacre; the Boxing Day tsunami; the Beaconsfield mine collapse; the Beatles’ tour of Australia; AFL footballer Nicky Winmar’s bold stand against racism; and the Woomera detention centre breakout.
Chit Chat: Below Deck’s Captain Sandy Yawn on why she got married on camera and why she loves the sea so, so much
With more than 30 years of sailing experience, Captain Sandy Yawn rarely breaks a sweat on Below Deck: Mediterranean – the reality TV show hit that follows superyachts chartered for luxurious holidays, reports ABC‘s Jared Richards.
Since taking the wheel in 2016 for Mediterranean’s second season, Captain Sandy has become an unlikely star of the dramatic Bravo-verse. She’s a conflict-resolver rather than a starter, who steers her ship (and young, excitable crew) straight, all in the name of professional luxury service.
Ryan Moloney teases “bloody big storyline” ahead of Neighbours exit
After announcing his departure as Ramsay Street’s own ‘Toadie’ Ryan Moloney has teased a dramatic exit, in an interview with ITV’s This Morning, reports TV Tonight‘s David Knox.
“I actually wanted to leave before Neighbours finished, the last time. But (when) it was going to finish, I thought I’d stick around.”
Pressed on being persuaded to return for the revival he added, “Basically, it’s like a once in a life time thing that a show gets axed and then brought back. … I think you’d be silly to say no to it.”