Business of Media
Michael Murphy appointed News Corp CFO
News Corp Australia has appointed Michael Murphy to the role of chief financial officer, reports News Corp’s James Madden.
Murphy’s promotion follows the resignation of current CFO Michael Ford, who is seeking to focus on his outside business interests and directorships.
Murphy, who is currently News Corp’s finance director, has over 25 years of financial services experience across Australia, Asia and the United Kingdom with companies including the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and NAB.
In addition to his duties as CFO, Murphy will take on Ford’s other responsibilities for strategy and M&A functions, and will have oversight of the company’s Business Service Group and soon to be launched Client Platform business.
Christian Porter joins Mick Gatto’s legal team in defamation case against the ABC
Former attorney-general Christian Porter will represent Melbourne underworld identity Mick Gatto in his bid to take his defamation case against the ABC to the High Court, reports News Corp’s James Madden.
Gatto, 66, claims he was defamed by the national broadcaster in 2019, when a news report implied he was a “hit man” and “murderer”, and falsely suggested he had threatened to kill gangland lawyer turned police informer Nicola Gobbo.
Gatto’s decision to draft Porter — who has returned to private legal practice following his retirement from politics at the recent election — is particularly noteworthy given the ex-attorney-general’s own battles with the ABC in the courts.
Media, Tech Executives Descend on Sun Valley Conference as Recession Fears Loom
Media and technology titans are gathering this week in an Idaho ski town to discuss the future of their industry as it faces a potential global economic meltdown, reports The Wall Street Journal’s Lillian Rizzo.
Business leaders and politicians will convene at the Sun Valley Lodge in Idaho for investment bank Allen & Co.’s annual conference, often called the “summer camp for billionaires.”
The conference, which has taken place since 1983, has been the site where past megadeals were born, such as Comcast Corp’s 2011 acquisition of NBCUniversal, Amazon.com Inc. founder Jeff Bezos’ 2013 deal for the Washington Post and Walt Disney Co.’s 1995 agreement to buy Capital Cities/ABC.
Agencies
Fabulate appoints Marie Galinsky as national sales director
Australian content marketing platform Fabulate has appointed Marie Galinsky to oversee its expanding national sales operation in the role of national sales director.
Galinsky’s promotion will see her lead Fabulate’s growing sales team and comes just six months after she joined the content marketing startup to lead its Melbourne sales operation.
Ben Gunn, chief revenue officer of Fabulate said, “Since joining us earlier this year, Marie has made an immediate impact and has a strong track record of success.
“Marie has a strong background in scaling teams fast and her expertise is perfect for Fabulate as we continue to grow our operations.”
FORWARD to manage public relations and media profile for SEWF22
FORWARD has been appointed to manage the public relations and media profile for the Social Enterprise World Forum 2022 (SEWF22) coming to Brisbane, Australia.
The two-day event on 28-29 September 2022 is the largest gathering of social enterprises in Australia, attracting national and international entrepreneurs, creatives, investors, start-ups, corporates, policymakers and academics.
SEWF22 brings together a global community to discuss the biggest social issues we face in the world while working to provide commercially viable solutions.
The event is co-hosted by White Box Enterprises and supported by partners including Google, SAP, Westpac Foundation, Torrens University and Atlassian Foundation.
This year’s line-up of inspiring keynote speakers includes Daniel Flynn, co-founder of ThankyouTM, and Kate Raworth, internationally recognised economist and author of Doughnut Economics, with more speakers to be announced in the coming weeks.
Performics and Initiative to run media for Bank of Queensland Group
Performics and Initiative have both been named media agencies for the Bank of Queensland Group, following an extensive review of their existing media agency.
As part of the acquisition of ME Bank by the BOQ Group in 2021, the marketing teams from across the Group were consolidated into one central function.
All of the Group’s digital and performance media will be consolidated with Performics, while all strategic media planning and buying will be consolidated with Initiative. Both media agencies are incumbent of the Group.
News Brands
‘Johnson on the brink’: what the papers said about Boris Johnson’s cabinet resignations
After limping along in the wake of the Partygate investigation, multiple sex scandals and successive policy failures, Boris Johnson is approaching the endgame of his time in Downing Street, according to the papers, report The Guardian’s Graham Russell and Martin Farrer.
“On the brink”, “hanging by a thread” and “Last chance saloon” are just some of the metaphors employed by the headline writers to describe the prime minister’s predicament on Wednesday morning after he was deserted by two of his most senior cabinet ministers.
“Finally” says the banner headline in the Mirror, adding that “after years of backing toxic PM, Sunak & Javid wield knife”.
Television
“No filler, only news” on 10 News First: Breakfast
This week there has been some attention on newly-launched bulletin 10 News First: Breakfast, including about early audience numbers, reports TV Tonight.
10 maintains the 8am bulletin presented by Natasha Exelby (Melbourne) and Lachlan Kennedy (Sydney) has increased the 2022 timeslot average by 13% in its first week.
Martin White as head of broadcast news responds to questions from TV Tonight.
‘Stranger Things’ spinoff and stage play, Stephen King’s ‘The Talisman’ up next for Duffer Brothers at Netflix
The world of the Upside Down isn’t ending at Netflix. Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer have unveiled plans for a spinoff series of their blockbuster hit for the streamer. The project, details of which are being kept under wraps, is but one of five projects the siblings have unveiled as part of their nine-figure overall deal for Netflix, reports The Hollywood Reporter’s Lesley Goldberg.
Other projects include a new stage play set within the world of Stranger Things as well as a series adaptation of Stephen King and Peter Straub’s The Talisman and a live-action take of anime show Death Note. The fifth project in the slate is an original series from Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance duo Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews.
All five projects, which are currently in the development stages, will be produced via the Duffers’ newly launched Upside Down Pictures banner, which will be headed up by Hilary Leavitt.
UK commissions Melissa Caddick doco, buys Nine’s Vanishing Act
Britain’s ITV has commissioned a documentary into the life of fraudster Melissa Caddick who went missing in November 2020 having cheated 74 victims, including her friends and family, out of $23 million, report TV Tonight.
Three months later, surfers on a beach 250 miles south of Sydney made a grisly discovery – a washed up trainer containing human remains.
Life and Limb: The Missing Millionairess will explore her disappearance and seek to aid and narrate the story of victims. Fremantle’s Naked has produced Ghislaine, Prince Andrew and the Paedophile and The Killer Nanny… Did She Do It?