Business of Media
Netflix locked out advertisers for years, but now brands have big plans
Netflix hasn’t said much about the advertising-supported service it is developing. But advertisers are already plotting how to take advantage of it, reports The Wall Street Journal’s Suzanne Vranica and Sarah Krouse.
Peloton Interactive hopes the streaming giant, which is known for its sophisticated show-recommendation engine, will offer precision targeting so it can reach the audience most likely to buy fitness equipment. Hyundai Motor Co. wants to have its cars appear in some Netflix shows, while other marketers are mostly looking for the chance to reach younger viewers who have abandoned traditional television.
Advertisers and Wall Street are expecting to get an update on plans for the ad-supported service when the company reports earnings. Netflix is coming off a quarter in which it recorded its first subscriber decline in more than a decade. Offering a less expensive, ad-supported option is expected to help boost subscriber growth.
Netflix says it lost nearly 1 million subscribers, and breathes a sigh of relief
Disaster has been averted at Netflix. The streaming giant said in its earnings report on Tuesday that it lost nearly one million subscribers in the second quarter. That’s the largest subscriber defection in company history, but fell far short of the two million it had originally forecast during its dismal first quarter report in April, reports The New York Times’ Nicole Sperling.
When Netflix announced that it lost 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter and expected to lose many more in the second, it suggested to many in Hollywood and on Wall Street that the halcyon days of endless growth in the streaming business had come to an end.
The company still had a rough three months, but it did see its revenue grow 9 percent to $7.9 billion, a number that would have been higher had the value of the dollar not pushed down the value of currencies around the globe. And it told investors it could add back one million subscribers in the coming quarter. Netflix now has about 220.7 million subscribers worldwide.
Agencies
Paper Moose appoints Brad Bennett as head of digital and experience design
Paper Moose has welcomed Brad Bennett to the B-Corp independent creative agency. Bennett will take up the newly created position of head of digital strategy and experience design.
Bennett joins the agency from Publicis Group digital transformation agency Razorfish where he was the executive strategy director.
The newly appointed head of digital strategy and experience design has more than 20 years’ experience. He previously worked in digital and strategy between New York and Sydney, working with brands such as Westpac, Google, Qantas and Toyota.
In his new role, Bennett will lead the growing digital team at Paper Moose, and expand the agency’s strategic offering, working alongside head of strategy, James Skyes.
SOCIETY adds Unilever Australia and Liptember Foundation to client roster
Creative communications agency, SOCIETY, has announced two new clients and three new appointments across its Sydney and Adelaide offices.
Unilever Australia and women’s mental health not-for-profit Liptember Foundation both join the SOCIETY client roster.
SOCIETY will lead Unilever’s public relations activity in Australia, bringing to life the company’s sustainable business roadmap, the Unilever Compass – and positioning the manufacturer as a leading purpose-led and future-fit business.
Additionally, the creative agency has also welcomed three new staff appointments;
Amy Medcalf, who will move from Brisbane to the Sydney office as marketing communications and production manager. Marketing communications consultant, Meriel Killeen, who joins from Adelaide’s premier culinary event Tasting Australia; and marketing communications assistant Anoushka Gaba, have been welcomed into the SOCIETY team in Adelaide.
News Brands
‘Earth sends a warning’: how the papers covered the UK’s scorching heat
A picture of a Queen’s Guard sentry being given a sip of water outside Buckingham Palace is the defining image on Tuesday’s front pages, as the heatwave put the climate crisis in fresh focus, reports The Guadian’s Martin Farrer.
All but a couple of the front pages feature the picture of the guardsman in his bearskin hat taking much-needed relief from the heat which on Monday topped 37.4 degrees in west London and a nationwide high of 38.1C in Santon Downham in Suffolk.
The prospect of an even hotter day on Tuesday provides a flurry of warnings on the front pages.
Radio
Ben Fordham slams Nine network employee who called England coach Eddie Jones a ‘traitor’
Radio host Ben Fordham has doubled down on his criticism of a Nine network colleague and Wallabies fan who called Australian-born England rugby coach Eddie Jones a “traitor”, report News Corp’s Tamaryn McGregor, Jamie Pandaram, and Dana Pendrick.
Video emerged on Saturday on Twitter of Nine and 2GB sales representative Jimmy Paton embroiled in an ugly confrontation with England coach Eddie Jones on the sidelines of the Sydney Cricket Ground, where Jones was called a ‘traitor’.
On Tuesday, 2GB breakfast host Fordham took aim at his colleague, declaring on-air it was time that the network took ownership of its employees.
“There was mixed feedback about the incident on the air yesterday with some saying Eddie Jones overreacted, and he probably did. He probably would’ve been wise just to move on because you hear all sorts of crazy things at the football,” Fordham said.
Craig Hutchison and Tony Jones trade insults over SEN ratings
Tony Jones has hit the ground running after returning from his stint reporting at Wimbledon, reports News Corp’s Jackie Epstein.
He was back in the hosting chair on the Sunday Footy Show and didn’t hold back with a few pointed comments.
During the popular “What Caught my Eye” segment he took aim at Craig Hutchison and his lowly SEN ratings with a drive-by that even took the panel by surprise.
Matthew Lloyd was having a laugh at Kane Cornes who got his maths wrong while discussing the ladder, when Jones chipped in: “Think he’s taking a leaf out of Craig Hutchison’s book with the ratings, he puts that spin on them”.
Television
Crew member shot dead on ‘Law & Order’ set in NYC: cops
A crew member working for Law & Order: Organized Crime was fatally shot at the TV show’s Brooklyn set early Tuesday — in a scene that could have been pulled straight out of the script, authorities said, report The New York Post’s Jack Morphet, Tina Moore, and Kate Sheehy.
Johnny Pizarro, a 31-year-old married dad of three, had just started his shift and was sitting in the driver’s seat of a vehicle that was saving a parking space in Greenpoint around 5:15 a.m. when another man suddenly opened the driver’s door and blasted him, officials and pals said.
“It was crazy,’’ said a distraught colleague of Pizarro, who was saving the spot on North Henry Street near Norman Avenue for the film crews’ trucks to use later.
“I didn’t hear an argument or nothing. It was quiet, early morning,’’ said the colleague, who asked not to be named. “It was just a pop, and the [gunman] ran up towards Nassau [Avenue]. I only heard one bang, but I don’t know how many shots.
“I don’t even know who would do this or why.’’
Meshel Laurie slams The Project for ‘token’ use of Indigenous guests
Comedian and radio host Meshel Laurie has taken aim at Network 10’s The Project by addressing her sudden 2019 exit from the program and accusing the show of a lack of diversity in front of the cameras, reports Nine Publishing’s Thomas Mitchell.
Laurie, 49, was a regular on The Project between 2014 and 2018 but took leave from the show early in 2019.
“I asked for leave in February 2019 because my father was literally dying,” Laurie said on Instagram.
The post that accompanied Laurie’s Instagram caption was an excerpt of an email she claims was sent to The Project’s executives in November 2016, encouraging them to hire regular Indigenous panellists.
“The purpose is to actually make a difference in the Australian media landscape to ensure we don’t just have Aboriginal voices on the show during NAIDOC week,” reads Laurie’s email.
In a separate Instagram post dated July 10, Laurie also alleged that she lobbied for The Project to improve its diversity offering.
The Project co-host Peter Helliar defends TV show
Peter Helliar has launched a passionate defence of The Project, saying the news panel show has the most engaged audience in television, reports News Corp’s Jackie Epstein.
A long-time co-host of the 10 program, Helliar said he doesn’t take notice of external noise surrounding ratings.
“I do get the sense that there have been various people coming for it a bit, I have seen a couple of things, we live in a very political world and people can be easily offended, so I know that there are people coming for the show,’’ Helliar said.
“But on the flip side what I do know and I generally focus on, is we have an audience that absolutely love the show and are passionate about the show.”
Former Home & Away star reveals Britney Spears was almost in Australian soap
Former Home and Away cast member Christie Hayes dropped a bombshell on her breakfast radio program about a very special guest star the long-running show nearly nabbed, reports news.com.au.
Hayes, bantering on Hobart’s 100.9, revealed that pop princess Britney Spears was slated to make a cameo on Home and Away 20 years ago.
“I remember, I was so excited. When Britney Spears was in the UK, she was a fan of Home and Away,” Hayes, who played Kirsty Phillips from 2000 to 2005 and then again from 2008 to 2009, said on air. “It was never on in America but they said she was a fan of watching Home and Away when she was in England.
“She expressed interest to be on the show. Our producer Russel called a cast meeting and said, ‘Britney Spears wants to be on Home and Away, does anyone object?’”