Business of Media
Meta removes Chinese effort to influence U.S. elections
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said on Tuesday that it had discovered and taken down what it described as the first targeted Chinese campaign to interfere in U.S. politics ahead of the midterm elections in November, reports The New York Times’ Steven Lee Myers.
Unlike the Russian efforts over the last two presidential elections, however, the Chinese campaign appeared limited in scope — and clumsy at times.
The fake posts began appearing on Facebook and Instagram, as well as on Twitter, in November, using profile pictures of men in formal attire but the names of women, according to the company’s report.
The users later posed as conservative Americans, promoting gun rights and opposition to abortion, while criticizing President Biden. By April, they mostly presented themselves as liberals from Florida, Texas and California, opposing guns and promoting reproductive rights. They mangled the English language and failed to attract many followers.
ITV CEO previews launch of its free streaming service as Disney, Netflix ready ad-tiers
U.K. TV giant ITV said the fact that Netflix and Disney+ are preparing advertising tiers could expand the broader ad market and “is kind of about how powerful TV is,” CEO Carolyn McCall said on Tuesday in London. “We will have to monitor very carefully,” she added though, reports The Hollywood Reporter’s Georg Szalai.
Speaking at the Royal Television Society (RTS) London Convention 2022, the exec noted that “they could be complementary to our audience.” So, ITV will “deliver a mass audience,” while Netflix could be more of an “add-on” for marketers to their key TV ad buys when looking for more younger audiences.
McCall discussed ITV’s commercial and business challenges, competition from global streaming giants and the upcoming launch of streamer ITVX during an on-stage conversation with BBC journalist Amol Rajan.
Because ITVX is a free service, the company can “monetize” it with advertising. The company’s catch-up ITV Hub didn’t have enough content to make it sticky, she argued. The way we will engage with customers will change given the firm can collect data. “We will be very subtle” about this, but it will get a chance to better message and market to viewers.
Agencies
Mango Communications appointed to A-Leagues PR account
Mango Communications, part of DDB Group, has been appointed as the PR agency of the A-Leagues following a competitive pitch process.
The A-Leagues represent the pinnacle of professional football in Australia, comprising the men’s, women’s, youth and e-sports competitions.
The partnership is an important part of the recently rebranded A-Leagues’ ambition to drive engagement across each league, grow the competitions, create new sporting heroes for its fan base, and build on football’s position as Australia’s most popular participation sport.
CHEP launches Morphosis, a graduate pathway program
Creative media agency Morphosis CHEP has today announced Morphosis, the name given to its pathway program for graduates.
Open to applicants across CHEP’s strategy, creative, design, technology, client services, data and media departments, the successful applicants will join CHEP in a full-time paid role, receiving invaluable on-the-job training.
CEO of CHEP, Justin Hind said of Morphosis: “The creative and marketing services industry can be one of the most energetic, engaging and exciting industries to be a part of. We want to showcase all the industry has to offer by giving graduates the opportunity to see under the hood of an integrated network, and help develop the next generation of leaders.
“We’re after the smartest, most curious, and diverse people to add a new dimension, energy and skillset to CHEP. We’re looking forward to meeting all of the applicants and supporting them on their journey into our vibrant business and industry.”
Edge appoints Robyn Foyster as content and publishing partnerships director
Edge has announced the appointment of Robyn Foyster to drive an expanded integrated content and publishing offer.
Foyster, former editor-in-chief of The Australian Women’s Weekly, joins the creative and content agency as content and publishing partnerships director.
David Stretch, Edge’s managing director, said of her appointment: “Robyn’s skillset and experience is quite unique.
“She has spanned the roles of editor, publisher and producer and is a great entrepreneurial thinker. She brings big-picture content ideas plus a depth of experience in leveraging new publishing formats.
“This fits perfectly with our model of fusing creative, content and connections – where we can produce smart and highly effective brand content for our clients across a myriad of traditional and new media formats,” he said.
Special welcomes Sarah Raine as managing director of Melbourne
Special has announced the appointment of Sarah Raine as its managing director in Melbourne.
Raine’s appointment expanded the leadership team of the independent creative agency and reflects its deepened relationships with clients, including ANZ bank, Bonds and Netflix.
In her role, the newly appointed managing director will help drive the continued growth of the business and build on agency culture.
Raine joins the agency from her most recent role as general manager at Bullfrog and has also held roles at CHE Proximity and FCB Auckland. She has also been recognised for her work with industry awards such as AWARD, SPIKES and named in the top three of WARC’s most effective agency rankings.
While at Bullfrog, Raine introduced key people and culture initiatives and broadened their service offering, leading the start-up creative and content agency to extraordinary growth.
Television
The Sopranos, unsurprisingly, tops Rolling Stone’s 100 greatest TV shows list
If you guessed The Sopranos topped yet another “best TV shows of all time” list, you’d be correct, reports News Corp’s Wenlei Ma.
David Chase’s biting mob drama has been universally praised for more than 20 years, clocking up dozens of industry awards and critical accolades. It has also been a perennial favourite of every attempt at defining eight decades of TV culture.
So, it’s no surprise that the highly influential The Sopranos has been crowned number one on Rolling Stone’s “The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time”.
Rolling Stone’s top three picks are unlikely to be controversial – number two is The Simpsons and in third spot is Breaking Bad – but there are some other decisions that may spark questions.
What Caddick’s husband was paid for tell-all interview with 7 Spotlight
Melissa Caddick’s husband was paid $150,000 for a tell-all TV interview in which he claimed the missing woman was subject to “inhumane” treatment during a raid on her luxury home, a court has heard, reports News Corp’s Steve Zemek.
Anthony Koletti was on Tuesday grilled inside a courtroom about the final hours in which Caddick was last seen alive and the contradictory accounts he had given.
Caddick vanished from her home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs in November 2020, just hours after her home was searched by Australian Federal Police and Australian Securities and Investments Commission investigators.
The inquest is examining her presumed death after a shoe containing a foot, which was later matched to the 49-year-old, washed up on a NSW South Coast beach three months after she went missing.