Business of Media
Mediation fails in political reporter’s claim against Network 10
Network 10 and Canberra-based political reporter Tegan George failed to reach a settlement of her Federal Court bullying claim against the broadcaster during mediation earlier this year, the court has heard, reports Nine Publishing’s Michaela Whitbourn.
George launched Fair Work Act proceedings against 10 in January this year, following a series of internal complaints to her employer about her workload and workplace culture in the broadcaster’s Parliament House bureau.
She has been on leave from her role since June 7 last year owing to a personal illness her lawyers say was suffered in the course of her employment. The parties attended mediation on May 18 but failed to reach a resolution, the Federal Court heard on Tuesday.
In documents filed in court, George alleges she was denied a safe workplace by 10, with her complaints to senior managers about conflicting directions from managers, a high workload and a fraught working relationship with political editor Peter van Onselen left unresolved.
Channel Nine crime reporter apologises after posting an image that caused offence
Channel Nine crime reporter Lana Murphy has apologised after posting an image to her social media account that caused offence, reports News Corp’s Jackie Epstein.
Murphy was covering the pro-choice rally at the weekend when she was photographed holding a sign that said: “Mary (The Virgin) should’ve had an abortion.”
Murphy was counselled by the network as to why it was inappropriate and said it was not her intention to be seen as taking sides.
“In my role as a journalist I always strive to remain impartial and respectful to either side of rational debate,’’ Murphy said in a statement.
Agencies
Edge Environment acquires creative impact agency Goodness
Global full-service sustainability consultancy, Edge Environment, has acquired Sydney-based creative impact agency, Goodness.
The permanent integration of a creative team aims to strengthen Edge Environment’s existing offer of creative services, delivering integration of science, strategy and storytelling.
Edge Environment’s creative offer aims to bring sustainability to life through all aspects of a brand experience; from brand creation, engagement and activations through to digital, campaigns and reporting.
With 15 years experience working at award-winning agencies in the UK and Australia, creative director Jordan Stokes will lead the creative offering.
Libby Young joins integrated agency JOY as creative director
Integrated agency JOY has appointed Libby Young as their new creative director to help support a plethora of recent client wins for the agency.
With over 18 years of experience in marketing, Young’s new role will have her overseeing all things creative at JOY, including developing an expanding team and preparing for further growth.
Young joins JOY from whiteGREY where she also held the position of creative director and worked closely with Westfield AUNZ during her tenure. Prior to her time at whiteGREY, she worked at Sibling Agency, The Kinetic Agency, and Ogilvy.
Radio
Pressure mounting at 2GB as Jim Wilson’s drive ratings ‘bleed out’ station’s listeners
It seems the weak link at 2GB’s market leading station is drive. The latest radio ratings figures show Nine Radio’s 3pm to 6pm shift has dropped to a 6.8 per cent share of the market (down 0.4), making it the sixth ranking station in the prized slot, reports News Corp’s Jonathon Moran.
That is in stark contrast to 2020 when Ben Fordham jumped from drive to breakfast to replace Alan Jones. When in drive Fordham was consistently the top show in the timeslot, and in his last survey result before switching to breakfast he scored a 10.5 per cent share, second only to ABC Sydney at 11.7 per cent.
Inside 4BC’s raid on 4KQ’s popular talent
Seizing the golden opportunity presented by the closure of 4KQ, AM rivals 4BC were able to raid the popular music station’s evicted talent to bolster their local content, reports News Corp’s Amy Price.
Despite an increased local focus over the past two years 4BC has struggled to match the consistent ratings success of 4KQ, which commanded a loyal classic hits audience for 75 years until it was switched off on Thursday.
In one of the biggest commercial radio overhauls in decades, 4BC announced on Monday that former 4KQ breakfast presenters Laurel Edwards, Gary Clare, and Mark Hine would shift as a team to 4BC breakfast in a change from the traditional shock jock format – pushing Neil Breen to drive and Scott Emerson to a new role as a political contributor.
The Courier-Mail can confirm 4BC also signed 4KQ’s music director Brent James in the same role, as well as the breakfast team’s producer Tim Bergh, who will take on a new role as a senior producer.
Triple J on the slide as the youth switch off
“Here we are now, entertain us,” challenged Kurt Cobain in Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana’s 1991 anthem for disenfranchised youth. But for Triple J, which relies on today’s young listeners to survive, it’s increasingly become a case of: “Where’d you go now?” reports Nine Publishing’s Thomas Mitchell.
The fourth radio ratings survey of the year, released on Tuesday, has seen the national youth broadcaster take another hit in their core 18-24 age demographic, dropping audience share by 3.6 percentage points from 8 per cent to 4.4 per cent.
While Triple J’s overall audience share rose slightly from 3.9 per cent to 4.3 per cent, the shedding of listeners in the 18-24 bracket represents a concerning trend. In the previous survey, Triple J posted a significant dip in that same demographic, dropping 7.4 points from 15.4 per cent to an 8 per cent share.
Television
Netflix says ‘Stranger Things’ sets new viewing milestones
The latest season of Netflix’s Stranger Things has pushed total viewership for the series to more than 1.15 billion hours, the streaming service said on Tuesday, reports Reuters.
The science-fiction drama starring Winona Ryder and Millie Bobby Brown has become the most popular English-language series on Netflix. The only other Netflix show to cross 1 billion viewing hours is South Korean drama Squid Game.
Stranger Things also hit #1 on Netflix’s Top 10 lists in 91 countries, a first for an English-language TV series, the company said.
How Gruen makes The Pitch
The Pitch is one of Gruen‘s most popular segments, in which advertising agencies ar tasked with making a convincing ad for diametrically opposed briefs, reports TV Tonight.
Share everything on social media? Share nothing? Embrace Halloween or abolish it entirely?
Winning the segment is considered noteworthy amongst ad agencies, but as host and producer Wil Anderson explains, not all agencies are interested in participating.
“We’ve always had trouble getting big agencies involved, because they don’t want to lose to a small agency. Often we have really good, regular people who love doing it because for them, it’s a point of pride, and they’ve got work out of it. But it’s definitely a negotiation back and forth and it survives absolutely on goodwill from the agencies,” he tells TV Tonight.