Business of Media
Australia’s crackdown on Google, Facebook ‘worked’
A government review into Australia’s media bargaining code, which extracted millions of dollars from the global tech giants, found the legislation corrected the “imbalance” between news publishers and tech platforms, report Nine Publishing’s Mark Di Stefano and Edmund Tadros.
But media outlets such as The Conversation and SBS remain upset that Facebook has not entered into agreements with them. According to the review, Facebook said its “budget to support content agreements for these products was limited” and “some news businesses would not receive a deal”.
The Treasury review into the code was released late on Thursday, 18 months after the former Morrison government passed the world-first laws.
Since the passage of the news bargaining code, Google and Facebook have struck more than 30 confidential agreements to pay major news companies for content that appears on their platforms.
The review found the code had encouraged Google and Facebook into the agreements, which have funded news reporting.
TikTok, YouTube could be targeted under Australia’s media code
The federal government is considering whether it should use landmark media bargaining laws to force tech platforms such as YouTube and TikTok to negotiate with news outlets, in a review of a regulatory code that has generated millions of dollars in funds for the local media industry, report Nine Publishing’s Zoe Samios and Nick Bonyhady.
In a nine month review released on Thursday, the Treasury department said the news media bargaining code had been a “success to date”, allowing media companies to strike agreements with tech giants Google and Facebook-owner Meta for use of their content.
The review did not endorse the media union’s call for funds raised by news outlets as a result of the code to go purely toward journalism, rather than other company goals such as dividends or new business units.
The review has recommended the competition regulator prepare another report to decide whether a formal mechanism needs to be created to extend the code to other platforms.
Elon Musk ‘resolves’ Apple row over ‘removal of Twitter from iPhone store’
Elon Musk has said he has “resolved” a misunderstanding with Apple over his claim that Twitter was being threatened with removal from the iPhone maker’s app store, reports The Guardian’s Dan Milmo.
The new Twitter owner tweeted on Wednesday that he had had a “good conversation” with Apple CEO Tim Cook and that Apple had “never considered” removing the social media platform from its app store.
On Monday, Musk used his Twitter account to claim that Apple had broached removing Twitter for unspecified reasons. The Tesla CEO then indicated it was related to moderation standards at Twitter, while he launched a series of tweets criticising Apple including its policy of taking a cut of up to 30% from app sales.
Musk’s Monday tweet flurry included a message tagging Tim Cook in which he asked “what’s going on here”. A meeting between Musk and Cook appears to have followed the outburst. A few hours before sending the “misunderstanding” tweet on Wednesday, Musk posted a short clip of a pond which he said was at Apple’s HQ, thanking Tim Cook for “taking me around”.
News Brands
Billionaire Modi ally on verge of taking over independent Indian news channel
One of India’s few remaining news channels known for independent reporting is about to be taken over by a billionaire ally of the prime minister, Narendra Modi, reports The Guardian’s Hannah Ellis-Petersen.
In recent years, NDTV (New Delhi Television) has earned a reputation as one of the last bastions of independent journalism among India’s mainstream media, which have increasingly been put under pressure to toe the government line under Modi, who came to power in 2014.
In August, Gautam Adani, the Indian industrialist who is Asia’s richest man, began a covert takeover bid for NDTV by acquiring a third-party company that had a stake in the channel.
The move was met with fierce resistance from NDTV’s husband and wife founders and directors, Prannoy and Radhika Roy, who said the deal was done “without discussion, consent or notice” and who sought to block the transfer of shares.
However, this week it was confirmed that the Adani group had acquired a 29.18% stake in the news group and has an open offer on an additional 26% of the company. This week, the Roys stepped down from the board of NDTV’s promoter company, which had sold their shares to Adani.
Agencies
The Creative Collective announces merger with The Training Collective
The Creative Collective announced its planned merger with The Training Collective, expanding its service offer to provide professional training solutions.
The Training Collective was one of the first organisations in Australia to offer digital skills training in 2009, and since then has developed and delivered a multitude of workshops, webinars and programs for individuals, government, corporate and not-for-profit organisations across Australia.
Prior to the acquisition, the company was a stand-alone entity owned by The Creative Collective’s founder, Yvette Adams.
BMF wins creative account for Turo ahead of its launch into the Australian market
BMF announced it has been appointed as the creative agency of Turo, the peer-to-peer car-sharing marketplace, ahead of the company’s launch into the Australian market.
The car-sharing platform is entering the region following a successful launch in 9,500 cities across the US, UK, Canada, and France, putting the world’s 1.5 billion cars to better use and making transportation convenient, accessible, economical and fun.
As part of the partnership, BMF will be responsible for developing Turo’s brand marketing activities and growing their awareness in Australia as the business expands nationally.
Edge launches its new brand position focused on global impact
Edge, the sustainability consultancy combining science, strategy and storytelling, has announced the launch of its new brand position focused on global impact.
This comes as the business urges organisations, industries and governments to strive for action that delivers a positive global impact.
Wildlife populations have plummeted 69 per cent in our lifetime, and the planet has warmed at an alarming rate leaving the world 1.1°C warmer in the last century.
COP27 highlighted the growing geopolitical, and economic pressures businesses and governments face to act rapidly to live within our planet’s boundaries. As UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres urgently warned, this is a “code red for humanity”.
Despite organisations setting commitments and targets, reports have found that less than 10 per cent of organisations worldwide are achieving their targets. Low rates of success are not for lack of ambition, but the unprecedented scale of transformation required.
HERO welcomes four new hires to its creative department
HERO has welcomed four new hires to its creative department following a year of growth and wins.
Anneliese Sullivan joins the Melbourne-based agency as a copywriter after recently relocating from Perth where she was a copywriter at The Brand Agency and Meerkats (now Wunderman Thompson).
Sullivan has worked with top WA brands including RAC, Keystart, Brownes Dairy and most notably Foodbank WA, with ‘The Day That Hunger Ended – A fable from the future’ recently recognised at MADstars.
Creatively and community-minded, Sullivan is also a former WA co-chair of Youngbloods, PADC committee member and co-founder of a grassroots WA Group for Women in advertising and associated industries.
Also joining is the HERO creative department as a copywriter is Will Fox. He previously held roles at Deloitte Digital and Thinkerbell, creating notable campaigns for Furphy Unbelievable and Bega Purple Hive Project.
Fox is the second youngest student to go through award school (after David Droga) and was also named the winner of the prestigious MADC + One Club’s Portfolio Night.
Aaron Wickers joins as senior designer and brings with him two decades of knowledge and craft across automotive, FMCG, banking, telco, tourism and Government clients, working at agencies such as CHEP, TBWA and DDB.
Rounding out the new hires is Selina Smylle joins as junior creative, relocating from McCann Leeds.
Television
Ally Langdon’s car towed during final episode of Today
Ally Langdon’s Mercedes Benz has been towed from the Today carpark on the host’s final episode of the morning show, reports News Corp’s Bella Fowler.
Friday marked Ally’s last hurrah on the Channel 9 breakfast panel before she starts her new role as host of A Current Affair, reports News Corp’s
True to form, co-host Karl Stefanovic couldn’t resist getting in a number of last digs at the star before her exit.
In one brutal stunt, weatherman Tim Davies appeared in the network’s carpark with KWT 24-hour Towing hooking Ally’s car up to vacate it’s official Today parking spot.
Netflix releases Harry & Meghan documentary trailer amid royal race row
An emotionally charged trailer of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s forthcoming Netflix documentary series has been released, as Buckingham Palace reels from a racism incident and during a key visit to the US by the Prince and Princess of Wales, reports The Guardian’s Caroline Davies.
In the 1 min 12 sec “teaser”, Harry and Meghan share previously unseen intimate photographs, some showing the duchess apparently crying, with one scene showing Harry with his head tilted back as his wife appears to wipe away her tears with both hands.
As an unseen interviewer asks: “Why did you want to make this documentary?” a montage of black and white photographs flashes up. One shows Meghan curled up on a chair, head in hands on the phone and seemingly distressed. Harry says: “No one sees what is happening behind closed doors.”
The trailer then cuts to a photograph of a stern-looking Kate, with William sitting beside her, and Meghan behind, taken at the Commonwealth Day service before the Sussexes left the UK.