Business of Media
How will the WarnerMedia-Discovery merger impact comcast?
Comcast’s stock dropped 5.5 percent on Monday. The reason: the mega-deal unveiled by Discovery and WarnerMedia parent AT&T that is set to merge their content businesses, reports the Hollywood Reporter‘s Georg Szalai.
Wall Street analysts and watchers said the marriage announcement caused some investors to worry about the fallout for Comcast and its various businesses. Some, for example, expressed concern that Comcast could make an expensive counter bid for WarnerMedia to merge it with NBCUniversal as several analysts have in recent months suggested.
Others noted that the deal will leave Comcast as the only company that still believes in the benefits of vertical integration, meaning owning both content and distribution businesses, on which AT&T has now thrown in the towel. But can it make it work better than other companies?
Jens Monsees steps down as CEO of WPP AUNZ after 20 months
WPP plc has announced Jens Monsees has decided to step down as chief executive officer of WPP AUNZ as it transitions from a public company to a fully integrated business within WPP.
His decision follows the completion, on Tuesday 18 May 2021, of a Scheme of Arrangement that made WPP the sole shareholder of WPP AUNZ, which was subsequently delisted from the Australian Securities Exchange.
Monsees was appointed CEO of WPP AUNZ in October 2019 and for the last 20 months has led the company’s transformation, building its capabilities in experience, commerce, data and technology alongside its classic strengths in communications.
A new WPP leader will be appointed and in the interim the business will be led by the agency brand leaders, supported by WPP AUNZ chief financial officer Chris Rollinson and other members of the central team, through an executive committee chaired by WPP chief operating officer Andrew Scott.
Mark Read, chief executive officer of WPP, said: “Jens has made a major contribution to WPP AUNZ during his time with the company. Despite the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, he has delivered significant progress in transforming WPP’s business in Australia and New Zealand, which is very well positioned for the future.
“We have fantastic agency brands in Australia and New Zealand – which are among our most important global markets – and we are very excited about their potential to grow and to meet the needs of our clients in a fast-changing world.
“I would like to thank Jens for his dedication and all he has done for WPP AUNZ, and the wider WPP family. He leaves with our very best wishes for the future.”
Jens Monsees said: “I am very proud of what we have achieved together as one team, leaving WPP AUNZ as a more future-proof, growing and performing business. I am leaving many great colleagues behind. The strategic progress we accomplished and the strong financial turnaround we achieved are testament to the great collaboration of our people across the business and their ongoing commitment to serving our clients.
“I would like to take the opportunity to thank the WPP AUNZ board, the local and global executives, the entire WPP community, and my family for their support during such an important journey. I am looking forward to the next exciting chapter ahead.”
Luis M. Garcia has been appointed the new Chief Executive Officer of Cannings
WPP AUNZ has appointed Luis M. Garcia (pictured) chief executive officer of Cannings Strategic Communications.
Mr. Garcia will replace Renée Bertuch, who is leaving the firm after eight years, including six highly years as CEO.
The managing director and chief executive officer of WPP AUNZ, Jens Monsees, said: “Renée leaves behind a strong and lasting legacy, having grown Cannings over the past six years into an agile, innovative and highly respected specialist communications firm.
“We thank Renée for her dedication to Cannings and positive contribution to the broader WPP AUNZ team, and we are confident that Cannings will continue to grow under Luis’ leadership,” Monsees said. His comments came just hours before Monsees announced his departure from WPP.
“Luis has over 20 years of experience in corporate communications and before that as a journalist, editor, and senior political advisor. His skills, experience, and unrivalled media and market connections are highly valued by Boards and chief executives across the private and public sectors.
“Most importantly, Luis has got the strong backing of his team; he’s well known and highly respected across the industry; and Cannings is in great hands with Luis at the helm.”
Facebook removed 14 million pieces of Covid-19 misinformation last year
Facebook says it removed 14 million pieces of content it deemed misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic – including 110,000 posts created by Australian users and pages – between March and December last year, reports SMH‘s Zoe Samios.
The social media behemoth, which has been heavily criticised for failing to stop the spread of misinformation on its platforms, said content about fake preventative measures and exaggerated cures that could be potentially harmful to users were among those removed. It plans to ramp up its fact-checking operations in Australia in an attempt to minimise the spread of misinformation on its website and apps.
The figures were released for the first time in Facebook’s inaugural transparency report for the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
News Brands
Domain hit by cyber attack, warns of rental scam email
Nine majority-owned real estate classifieds business Domain is warning users to look out for suspicious emails that purport to be from rental agents offering property deals after it was hit by a cyber attack, reports AFR‘s Max Mason.
The attack allowed scammers to access personal information, including email addresses and phone numbers.
Sources told The Australian Financial Review on Thursday that Domain became aware of suspicious activity in the rental space through industry collaboration with other property companies, and other companies have needed to send communications to customers.
Journalist lied to get sensational Princess Diana interview, BBC covered it up: report
An inquiry into how the BBC got a sensational 1995 interview with Princess Diana in which she disclosed intimate details of her failed marriage has found that the journalist involved had acted deceitfully and the broadcaster had covered it up, reports Reuters‘ Michael Holden.
The BBC set up the investigation, headed by former senior Court judge John Dyson, in November following allegations from Diana’s brother Charles Spencer that he had been tricked into introducing her to journalist Martin Bashir.
Dyson’s report found that Bashir, then a little known reporter, had shown Spencer fake bank statements to persuade him to set up a meeting with Diana.
Prince William slams BBC’s ‘incompetence’ and ‘deceit’ over Diana interview
The Duke of Cambridge has slammed BBC failures over the controversial Martin Bashir Panorama interview with his mother, saying it had established a “false narrative” and had worsened his parents relationship before her death, reports The Guardian’s Mark Sweney and Caroline Davies.
In a blistering statement, Prince William said that BBC leaders had failed Diana, Princess of Wales, with their “woeful incompetence”, and said the “deceitful way” the interview was obtained had substantially influenced what his mother had said. He said he was saddened the corporation had not properly investigated complaints earlier and that his mother had never known she had been deceived.
Prince Harry said: “The ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life.”
Press coverage of climate change analysed by country: Australia and UK rank top
Australia ranks #1 and the UK is #2 for the number of articles published on climate change since 2004, according to data from the Media and Climate Change Observatory (MeCCO), reports Press Gazette.
Based on the average number of articles published in each title tracked since 2004 when MeCCO began collecting the data, only Australia tops the UK when it comes to the amount of column inches dedicated to climate change.
MeCCO, which is led by researchers at the University of Colorado, monitors print and broadcast sources in 59 countries to track the amount of attention being paid to the climate issue. Print coverage, which in some cases also includes digital articles, covers 54 countries.
Of these 54 countries tracked for print coverage, more than half increased the number of articles they published on the topic in the last five years.
Publishing
Amid film release date changes, magazines face cover chaos: “Do you think it will move again?”
Timothée Chalamet scored a coveted spot on the cover GQ in November, wearing a chic plaid coat and slick red boots by Prada with a read-me cover line: “Hiding Out in Woodstock With Timothée Chalamet,” reports The Hollywood Reporter‘s Chris Gardner.
It would’ve been great promo for the actor’s big-budget epic Dune from director Denis Villeneuve that was, at one time, scheduled to hit theaters Dec. 18 (a month after an original date of Nov. 20). The Covid-19 pandemic had other plans, forcing an ever-shifting Hollywood release calendar that has upended blockbusters-in-waiting like Dune, Black Widow, No Time to Die, Top Gun: Maverick, Free Guy, Mission: Impossible 7 and many others. The moves have had a major impact on those whose business it is to book celebrities on magazine covers or for events, award and talk shows, and other personal appearances.
Television
WIN TV breach over Big Bang captions
WIN TV has been found to have breached the Broadcasting Services Act for failing to provide captions to episodes of The Big Bang Theory and Mom, reports TV Tonight.
WIN TV in Shepparton screened both comedies in October without captions which are required for deaf and hearing impaired viewers.
WIN currently has an affiliation agreement with 10, which is due to change hands in July. The regional broadcaster told the Australian Communications & Media Authority the shows had been previously broadcast on its primary channel in 2016, whilst under an affiliation agreement with Nine, and that both programs had been captioned.
Tasmania passes over raw Spotlight episode
Tasmanian viewers won’t be seeing 7News Spotlight on Sunday night when it screens a story on Port Arthur gunman, Martin Bryant, reports TV Tonight.
Instead Seven Tasmania viewers, an affiliate owned by Southern Cross Austereo, will be watching Border Security episodes.
25 years after the death of 35 people, reporter Denham Hitchcock claims Bryant killed his father and teases new evidence that the death of a wealthy lover in a car crash was murder.