Monday April 16, 2018

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Patrick Delany & Tim Worner on new partnership with Cricket Australia

In the moments after the official announcement of the new media partnerships with Cricket Australia last Friday, Mediaweek spoke with both Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany and Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner.

By James Manning

• Cricket rights: New common bond between James Sutherland, Patrick Delany and Tim Worner
Foxtel and Seven get the cricket, Nine sensationally backs out of negotiations

Our interview with Tim Worner was pretty short as the official announcement was delayed over an hour because of last-minute changes to the contracts for television coverage of international cricket in Australia.

We did manage to ask Worner if it was hard to give up the cricket digital rights.

Patrick Delany with Mediaweek’s James Manning at the official announcement

“Not at all,” Worner told Mediaweek. “I have been very clear about saying we are going to do deals that make financial sense. To go and get the digital rights in this deal would not have made financial sense.”

He admitted Seven West Media is moving quickly to organise and to monetise its new summer sport.

“We have started already. Our first game is an international women’s one-day match. We started planning for that last night.

Top photo: Tim Worner, James Sutherland and Patrick Delany

This is an excerpt from the full article, which appears on Mediaweek Premium. Read the full article hereor subscribe to Mediaweek Premium here.

Australian record industry records largest growth in over 20 years

The Australian recorded music industry has recorded its highest annual growth since 1996, driven by continued consumer uptake of music streaming services.

ARIA has confirmed a 10.5% increase in the value of the Australian recorded music industry for 2017 to $391 million.

2017 was the first year that revenue from streaming services accounted for more than half of the overall market (54% at $213m). Just five years ago, the revenue from the streaming segment of the market was negligible.

The streaming category includes revenues from subscription services such as Spotify and Apple Music, as well as non-subscription on-demand streaming services like YouTube and Vevo.

The revival of vinyl also played an important part in the overall industry. Physical formats account for 25% of the overall market, with sales from vinyl increasing for the seventh consecutive year – and increasing by 19% in 2017.

ARIA Chairman, Chairman & CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Australia & New Zealand, and President, Asia Denis Handlin said: “We are delighted to see the industry in such a positive growth path and that this strong 2017 result follows the increasing revenues over the past two years.

“The industry continues to transform and change at a rapid pace and the results are a credit to the continued high quality work, innovation, development of local artists, as well as to the industry’s tenacious approach in marketing and delivering music to fans across the country.

“Although our industry is now on a pathway to recovery, it is absolutely critical that Australia retains a strong copyright framework to ensure that artists and labels can protect their work and earn their fair share in the growing digital market.”

ARIA CEO Dan Rosen said: “The return to growth of the Australian recording industry is a wonderful story of resilience, hard work and innovation. Music fans today can access their favourite artists across a multitude of formats from vinyl in their local record store to streaming services on their phones and smart speakers.

“Our business will continue to evolve, and we must remain vigilant to ensure that the growth is sustainable in an increasingly global and digital marketplace.”

Andrew Mercado on TV: How much do we really need the multichannel world?

A recent Fairfax Media story about falling television and cinema audiences confirmed what everybody working in the industry knows but doesn’t want to believe.

By Andrew Mercado

And since it is mostly kids who are abandoning traditional forms of entertainment in favour of mobile digital consumption, it should be more important than ever to keep older audiences on board – because they are the ones still reading newspapers, going to the movies on a regular basis and watching TV.

Four years ago, when Seven axed A Place To Call Home because it was skewing too old, Foxtel jumped in to save it because it made good business sense. Netflix was still months away and older viewers were thought to be the least likely to change their routine and start watching TV on their iPads. Now APTCH is filming its final season and its elderly fans may be drifting away to streaming services in bigger numbers than once thought.

A change in direction became apparent when Foxtel dropped Turner Classic Movies in 2016. Horrified viewers were assured that Fox Classics would take up the slack but nobody really fell for that. Last month, Foxtel added a Movie Greats channel and many of the movies are great, particularly revered classics like The Godfather, My Fair Lady and Ben-Hur. Cleopatra and War And Peace, however, are pretty much unwatchable today. And the inclusion of The Goonies in that mix suggests this is just another channel deceiving its viewers by replaying the same old movies, only this time with a fancy new name.

It makes much more sense for Foxtel to create an On Demand library of Bill Collins’s favourite movies. And while some feel that still doesn’t make up for the loss of TCM, nobody seems to be mourning the loss of the other channels that were recently dropped. FX and Nat Geo People aren’t missed because their shows have been effortlessly absorbed into better channels like showcase, which begs the question – who needs to go next?

Will anyone care if Universal goes off the air, given there is going to be nothing to watch there once Suits finishes? Do we really need 111 Funny given most of its shows can be seen for free on digital channels? And do we really, really need most of those digital channels? Would anyone be devastated if they couldn’t watch Hogan’s Heroes on One? Why does 7flix even exist? Let’s face it, they could be pushing people to Netflix and Stan in search of better entertainment.

Ask yourself this – if you could only have 10 channels, what would they be? Be honest, because I struggle to name 10 any more that I watch on a regular basis. With so much content online to choose from these days, I would truly be happy with just ABC, SBS, Seven, Nine, Ten, BBC First, showcase, Arena, UKTV and ABC Comedy. Try it yourself and see how many channels you really watch on a regular basis.

Bruce Springsteen couldn’t find anything to watch with 57 channels and having 157 hasn’t improved things in the time since that song. Perhaps the future is to put all those tired repeats into on-demand libraries and have just a handful of compelling channels with original content. With the landscape changing so quickly, the smart money could be on the ones who scale back in the right areas.

Top photo: Noni Hazlehurst in A Place To Call Home

Five Days of Denton: Day 4 – Andrew Denton’s Q&A

• Enough Rope comparisons, “I am always nervous”, Denton’s reservations about social media, Denton’s interview bucket list

By James Manning

At a media briefing with Andrew Denton last week, he asked invited journalists to sit in the interview chair alongside him to ask their questions.

Here is a summary of some of the Q&As from the press conference.

Will people compare your new show to Enough Rope?

That ABC show was 10 years ago. People are 10 years older and there have been 10 years of stuff that has happened. Our challenge is to ask questions of the guests they will respond to genuinely. Toward the end of Enough Rope we thought we had probably done as much as we could.

Do you ever find an audience daunting?

Always… every audience. There is not a single show I have ever made where I don’t think at some point during the day, “God, I wish I wasn’t here… why am I doing this for a living?” I am always nervous. What really helps me in a show is not just talking to the guests, but talking to the audience in between interviews. I love that interaction and you just don’t know what you are going to get.

What is different from 10 years ago is the age of social media. It is easy to be destabilised by that because it is a powerful echo chamber. My way of dealing with that is not participating in it myself, although the show will.

I have worked with some very, very talented people, including our top comedians, who have very skilfully used Twitter.

But I have also seen the cost of that for them and that is not my personal way of doing things.”

Andrew Denton with Mediaweek’s James Manning

Life out of television

Television is a very exacting industry to work in. It’s professionally hard, it’s emotionally hard, it’s psychologically hard. Like most of the people I work with when I do it, I just throw everything at it. My decision to step back has always been a life decision.

I have always found when you do take time away you should just immerse yourself in something else. It is like a fallow field… you come back richer with a better crop.

I have enjoyed five years out of television.

Life back in television

I am now pushing into my late 50s and I’m really grateful to have a fantastic work opportunity and I’m taking it with both hands… and one slightly dodgy heart.

How do you deal with guests asking for restrictions on some questions?

Sometimes you can make a virtue out of that. One of our first guests on this series will be Robert Plant, who I have met before, and we were told one of his stipulations was he didn’t want to talk about Led Zeppelin or Jimmy Page. As it turned out he was fine about that. That made us think if he was not going to be comfortable about that, how do we get him into a space where he is comfortable.

How is your health?

I had surprise heart bypass surgery… it was definitely a surprise to me. As bad news goes it was the best news I could have had because essentially I am largely heart attack-proof for another 10-15 years.

I was told I could be very moody afterwards and maybe really struggle. To my delight and surprise I didn’t have a moment’s mood.

How similar will interview be to Enough Rope, which was loved by many?

The core of the show is the same – to try to have a great conversation with interesting people. I find the thought that many people loved Enough Rope mildly terrifying. With the new show we are starting from scratch and we have to earn people’s love all over again. People will be judging interview in many different ways – with the aid of social media, probably within seconds of the show starting.

Who is on your bucket list you are yet to interview?

There are many on that list. One of them is Rupert Murdoch – one of the most fascinating individuals that has walked the planet in the last century.

I would say “yes” to Donald Trump, but he seems shy. [Laughs]

On a show like this you never know who is going to surprise you and sometimes it’s not the big names – it can be somebody quite unexpected.

Are you a good interviewer?

Sometimes… and sometimes not. Sometimes I push too hard and sometimes not hard enough.

On the pilots I have done so far there are none I would rate as a 10.

One of the criticisms I have garnered over the years, which always intrigues me, is that sometimes I am sycophantic toward my guests, which is about perception.

I always say that when you make a TV show you make three.

There is the one you intend to make, which is brilliant.

There is the one you do make, which can be anywhere from Enough Rope [a hit show] to Randling [not a hit show].

Then there is the third show, which is the one people see.

SBS announces programming and voting details for 2018 Eurovision

With the 63rd Eurovision Song Contest less than a month away, SBS has announced its schedule for the event and the details for voting in the competition.

The contest will be broadcast live and in primetime May 9-13 on SBS with Joel Creasey and Myf Warhurst returning as hosts.

Australian representative at the singing contest Jessica Mauboy will perform on the Eurovision stage on May 11.

Australians will be able to vote again this year during the early morning broadcasts. As per the official Eurovision rules, viewers can vote in the semifinal in which their country is participating, as well as the grand final.

The viewers’ votes make up 50% of the final result. The other 50% of the vote is decided by a National Jury in each participating country. Australia’s jury will be announced soon. The jury and Australian public can vote for any country except Australia.

For Australian viewers, this means they will need to tune in to the live broadcast of semifinal 2 on May 11 at 5am (AEST) and the grand final on May 13 at 5am (AEST) and text or call the numbers that appear on screen during these live broadcasts.

The broadcaster will have full coverage of the song contest across TV, radio and online.

It has introduced two new programs to round out a week of Eurovision content, kicking off on May 5 with an encore of Eurovision Top 40 Songs before semifinal 1 on May 9.

Destination Flavour Eurovision, hosted by Adam Liaw, will premiere on May 10. On May 12, Warhurst and Creasey will present a brand new two-hour TV special counting down Eurovision’s wildest controversies in Eurovision Top 40 Controversies.

The Eurovision Song Contest, Eurovision Top 40 Controversies, Destination Flavour Eurovision and Eurovision Top 40 Songs are produced by SBS’s Eurovision production partner Blink TV.

The Eurovision Song Contest – Primetime evening broadcasts

Semifinal 1: Wednesday May 9, 7.30pm, SBS
Semifinal 2: Friday May 11, 7.30pm, SBS – featuring Jessica Mauboy
Grand final: Sunday May 13, 7.30pm, SBS

The Eurovision Song Contest – Live early morning broadcasts

Semifinal 1: Wednesday May 9, 5am (AEST) SBS
Semifinal 2: Friday May 11, 5am (AEST) SBS – featuring Jessica Mauboy
Grand Final: Sunday May 13, 5am (AEST) SBS

Other Eurovision programs

Destination Flavour Eurovision: Thursday May 10, 8.30pm SBS
Eurovision Top 40 Controversies: Saturday May 12, 7.30pm SBS

ARIA Charts: Kylie at #1 leads stampede of new artists into the album chart

• Singles: Drake still #1, highest new entry… oh no, it’s Drake again
• Albums: Kylie debuts at #1 as 10 new albums flood ARIA Top 50

By James Manning

Singles

After 11 weeks at #1, what are the chances of another tune from Drake replacing “God’s Plan”? Pretty good probably, given that he is also the highest new entry this week with “Nice For What” charting at #7. The song is Drake’s eighth top 10 single in Australia.

A second Drake single was the only addition to the top 10.

The two other new entrants in the top 50 were:

#17: Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa with “One Kiss” – The second track to be released from Harris’s forthcoming sixth album.

#48: Rich The Kid with “Plug Walk” – Latest from the multi-talented US rapper, producer and actor.

Making a chart re-appearance on the weekend a new season of her TV show The Voice launches is Delta Goodrem with “Think About You”, which bounces back from outside the top 50 after eight weeks on the chart to a new high of #19.

Albums

The two charts couldn’t be more different this week with six new albums landing inside the top 10 and another four landing elsewhere in the top 50.

The Kylie army is alive and kicking with her fans pushing her 14th album “Golden” to the top of the chart, breaking the stranglehold Ed Sheeran and The Greatest Showman soundtrack had on the chart this year (although their albums still sit at #3 and #4 this week).

This is Kylie’s fifth ARIA #1 album and follows the chart success of “Kiss Me Once”, which debuted at #1 in March 2014.

A second Aussie outfit has landed at #2 with the prolific – and popular – Hillsong Worship congregation belting out a live album titled “There Is More”. Three previous albums have peaked at #18 (2017), #2 (2016) and #1 (2015).

Other newcomers this week:

#5: Various Artists with “Revamp: The Songs Of Elton John & Bernie Taupin” – Very worthy collection of covers. Don’t miss Florence + The Machine performing “Tiny Dancer” and, well, most of them in fact.

#6: Cardi B with “Invasion Of Privacy” – The debut album from the US rapper.

#7: Alison Wonderland with “Awake” – The second album from Sydney DJ/producer is also her second top 10 appearance after “Run” hit #6 in 2015.

#10: 30 Seconds To Mars with “America” – The first album from Jared Leto’s band in five years after their previous album “Love Lust Faith + Dreams” in 2013 was their most successful to-date with a peak at #4.

#19: Various Artists with “Johnny Cash: Forever Words” – Previously unreleased lyrics from Cash are performed by Kacey Musgraves, Rosanne Cash, Alison Krauss, Brad Paisley, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Elvis Costello, and the late Chris Cornell.

#20: City Calm Down with “Echoes In Blue” – Melbourne indie outfit City Calm Down release their second album.

#30: Aunty Donna with “The Album” – The first album from the Melbourne comedy artists.

#37 Cosmic Psychos with “Loudmouth Soup” – Could this really be the first time on the ARIA chart for Australia’s thirstiest rock dogs, the legendary Cosmic Psychos, with the release of their 11th album?

TV Ratings Analysis: Sunday April 15

• Seven’s win: Comm Games tears and triumph and the Closing Ceremony
• 11 days of competition bookended by organisers’ major fail at Closing Ceremony
• My Kitchen Rules fires up again with biggest audience this season
• The Voice 2018 launches with 1.02m as reality rumble continues

By James Manning

Week 15 wrap-up: Seven gets Gold, Silver & Bronze

It was never going to be any other way of course with wall-to-wall Commonwealth Games coverage all day and nearly all night every day of the week.

And for good measure Seven found time to negotiate what seems to be a very good deal to screen cricket for the next six years.

Nine and TEN hung on as best they could during the week as most viewers were drawn to the screens of Seven. With Seven on a primary share of 30.9% for week 15, Nine did 15.8% to TEN’s 10.1%.

Seven’s combined channel share was 42.2%, the largest enjoyed by anyone this year. By using that metric, Seven has won six of the seven survey weeks this year. In year-to-date share, Seven sits at a 33.9% total people with Nine on 28.0% and Ten on 15.3%.

Week 16 TV: Sunday

Seven

The final events of the Commonwealth Games filled most of the day with some incredible performances and some massive heartbreak. Sport can be tough at times. The Scotsman Callum Hawkins, who dropped in the final minutes of the men’s marathon, made for memorable yet very uncomfortable viewing. Then watching victory being snatched from the Australian women in the netball final was also tough to watch.

In the evening before the Games’ Closing Ceremony, the My Kitchen Rules teams made ice cream at Manly and then had the crowds decide which one might be good enough to be sold in Coles. The episode pulled the show’s biggest audience so far in 2018 as it was wedged between Seven News and the Comm Games Closing Ceremony.

That Closing Ceremony seemed like an extended cabaret show featuring a cavalcade of performers belting out classic Australian anthems. It was a show that went on, and on, and on, interspersed with what seemed like some very long and unnecessary speeches.

Kudos to Seven hosts Jo Griggs and Basil Zempilas who came onscreen around 10.30pm to respond to social media criticism levelled at the coverage. Griggs in particularly was really fired up as she and Basil laid the blame with the host broadcaster and the Comm Games organising committee.

Commonwealth Games on Seven

April 4: Opening Ceremony 2.0m, Primetime primary share 43.8%
April 5: Night 1 1.23m/1.16m, Afternoon 554k, Day 418k, Primetime primary share 33.0%
April 6: Night 2 1.01/1.09m, Late night 566k, Afternoon 468k, Primetime primary share 30.7%
April 7: Night 3 979/973k, Late night 499k, Afternoon 583k, Day 471k Primetime primary share 32.3%
April 8: Night 4 1.24/1.24m, Afternoon 710k, Day 482k, Late night 466k, Primetime primary share 31.4%
April 9: Night 5 1.33/1.45m, Late 539k, Afternoon 458k, Day 321k, Primetime primary share 29.2%
April 10: Night 6 1.24m/1.48m, Late 624k, Afternoon 515k, Day 341k, Primetime primary share 34.2%
April 11: Night 7 1.15/1.19m, Late 474k, Afternoon 428k, Primetime primary share 31.5%
April 12: Night 8 Night 1.09/1.16m, Late 742k, Afternoon 447k, Day 277k, Primetime primary share 32.2%
April 13: Night 9 Night 914/988k, Late 459k, Afternoon 390k, Day 276k, Primetime primary share 28.1%
April 14: Night 10 Afternoon 664k, Night 647/583k, Day 390k, Late 369k, Primetime primary share 28.1%
April 15: Day 11 and Closing Ceremony 1.14m Highlights 1.06m, Day 624k, Primetime primary share 31.0%

As expected, over the 12 days of coverage Seven won every market, every day in every demo.

Nine

No mucking around on The Voice with a lengthy intro – it was straight into the night’s first performance. And what a cracker it was from 18-year-old Mikayla from Adelaide! All four judges – including newcomer Joe Jonas – turned around and then gave her a standing ovation. The youngster then played one of her originals and chose Delta as her coach. The season launched with 1.02m, down from 1.18m when it wasn’t up against the Comm Games.

60 Minutes followed with Tom Steinfort covering the war on illicit drugs, Tara Brown on the royal wedding and Allison Langdon with Simon Baker for an audience of 638,000.

TEN

Lisa Wilkinson was on assignment again for the Sunday episode of The Project – this time in New York for an interview with Amy Schumer. Hamish Macdonald was joined by Rove, Gorgi Coghlan and Rachel Corbett in the studio. In addition to the Hollywood star, a strong Sunday edition of the format also welcomed Apollo ahead of his Bachelor In Paradise appearance and Julia Morris ahead of her 50th birthday. The Sunday episode did 405,000, well up from 255,000 a week ago.

Apollo was the big attraction on Bachelor In Paradise or, as host Osher Günsberg said, Apollo is released back into the wild. The Sunday episode had an audience of 629,000.

NCIS then did 291,000 followed by SEAL Team with 190,000.

ABC

Grand Designs featured a couple brave enough to build on a very small plot with 568,000 watching.

The final of a handful of repeat episodes of Midsomer Murders did 350,000.

SBS

Egyptian history has a lock on this timeslot and last night the first episode of the two-part Egypt’s Sun King: The Mystery Of The Tombs did 215,000.

The doco Sherpa: Trouble On Everest then did 132,000.

Week 16 TV: Sunday
SUNDAY METRO
ABCSevenNineTenSBS
ABC9.4%731.0%920.2%TEN10.2%SBS One3.9%
ABC 23.1%7TWO2.8%GO!3.1%ONE2.0%VICELAND0.8%
ABC ME0.6%7mate3.4%GEM2.1%ELEVEN1.7%Food Net0.8%
ABC News1.1%7flix2.1%9Life1.3%NITV0.1%
TOTAL14.2%39.4%26.8%14.0%5.6%
SUNDAY REGIONAL
ABCSeven AffiliatesNine AffiliatesTen AffiliatesSBS
ABC11.4%729.3%919.5%WIN7.3%SBS One4.0%
ABC 22.9%7TWO3.2%GO!4.3%ONE2.3%VICELAND0.5%
ABC ME1.0%7mate3.2%GEM3.6%ELEVEN1.9%Food Net0.7%
NEWS 241.1%7flix1.9%9Life1.7%NITV0.1%
TOTAL16.4%37.6%29.1%11.5%5.3%
SUNDAY METRO ALL TV
FTASTV
87.1%12.9%
All people rankings

Friday Top 10

  1. Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games: Night 9 Seven 988,000
  2. Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games: Evening 9 Seven 914,000
  3. Seven News Seven 914,000
  4. Nine News Nine 807,000
  5. Nine News 6:30 Nine 789,000
  6. Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 704,000
  7. A Current Affair Nine 613,000
  8. ABC News ABC 555,000
  9. Harrow ABC 547,000
  10. Hot Seat Nine 508,000

 

Saturday Top 10

  1. Seven News Seven 946,000
  2. Nine News Nine 802,000
  3. Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games: Afternoon 10 Seven 664,000
  4. ABC News ABC 652,000
  5. Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games: Evening 10 Seven 647,000
  6. Father Brown ABC 617,000
  7. Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games: Night 10 Seven 583,000
  8. The Good Karma Hospital ABC 543,000
  9. Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games: Day 10 Seven 390,000
  10. Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games: Late 10 Seven 369,000
Sunday FTA
  1. Seven News Seven 1,349,000
  2. My Kitchen Rules Seven 1,305,000
  3. Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games: Closing Ceremony Seven 1,141,000
  4. Nine News Nine 1,083,000
  5. Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games: Countdown Seven 1,067,000
  6. The Voice -Launch Nine 1,029,000
  7. ABC News ABC 684,000
  8. 60 Minutes Nine 638,000
  9. Bachelor In Paradise Ten 629,000
  10. Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games: Day 11 Seven 624,000
  11. Grand Designs ABC 568,000
  12. Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games: Highlights Seven 547,000
  13. Seven’s AFL: Sunday Afternoon Football Seven 420,000
  14. The Sunday Project 7pm Ten 405,000
  15. Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games: Golden Highlights Seven 369,000
  16. Midsomer Murders (R) ABC 350,000
  17. Ten Eyewitness News Ten 335,000
  18. NCIS Ten 291,000
  19. Weekend Sunrise Seven 280,000
  20. Sunday Afternoon NRL Live Nine 276,000
Sunday multichannels
  1. Young Sheldon TX1 9GO! 152,000
  2. Peppa Pig-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 151,000
  3. Play School Celebrity Covers ABCKIDS/COMEDY 148,000
  4. Olobob Top-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 148,000
  5. Bananas In Pyjamas-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 147,000
  6. Young Sheldon 9GO! 147,000
  7. Floogals ABCKIDS/COMEDY 145,000
  8. Thomas And Friends-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 145,000
  9. Border Security – Australia’s Front Line E2-Am 7TWO 145,000
  10. Dinosaur Train-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 142,000
  11. Andy’s Baby Animals ABCKIDS/COMEDY 141,000
  12. Hey Duggee-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 140,000
  13. Fireman Sam-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 140,000
  14. Melbourne Comedy Festival: The Great Debate ABCKIDS/COMEDY 138,000
  15. Peter Rabbit ABCKIDS/COMEDY 136,000
  16. The Big Bang Theory TX2 9GO! 136,000
  17. Play School-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 135,000
  18. Border Security: International-E2-PM 7TWO 135,000
  19. Play School Story Time ABCKIDS/COMEDY 132,000
  20. Border Security – Australia’s Front Line-PM 7TWO 131,000
Sunday Subscription TV
  1. Live: Motorsport: F1: China Race FOX SPORTS 506 210,000
  2. Live: NRL Sea Eagles v Wests Tigers FOX LEAGUE 210,000
  3. Live: AFL Essendon v Port Adelaide FOX FOOTY 187,000
  4. Live: AFL Geelong v St Kilda FOX FOOTY 165,000
  5. Live: NRL Panthers v Titans FOX LEAGUE 156,000
  6. Live: AFL Hawthorn v Melbourne FOX SPORTS 503 145,000
  7. Live: Bounce FOX FOOTY 118,000
  8. Live: Sunday Night With Matty Johns FOX LEAGUE 113,000
  9. Live: Sunday Footy On Fox FOX FOOTY 81,000
  10. Live: Motorsport: F1: China Paddock Live FOX SPORTS 50 6 58,000
  11. Live: F1: China Pit Lane Race Day FOX SPORTS 50 6 52,000
  12. S.W.A.T. FOX8 51,000
  13. The Dark Tower Foxtel Movies Premiere 47,000
  14. The Professor’s Farewell Tour FOX LEAGUE 44,000
  15. Live: NRL Sunday Ticket FOX LEAGUE 43,000
  16. The Fan FOX LEAGUE 40,000
  17. Live: Football: A-League WSW v Adelaide FOX SPORTS 501 40,000
  18. Blaze And The Monster Machines Nick Jr. 39,000
  19. Live: NBA: 76ers v Heat ESPN 38,000
  20. 24 Hours In Emergency LifeStyle Channel 38,000

Media News Roundup

Sports Media

Weekend of analysis and commentary after Foxtel and Seven’s cricket TV deal

Much of the weekend was filled with analysis and commentary about the new Cricket Australia deal.

Among the reportage was:

The Australian’s Darren Davidson’s Inside Story about the negotiations process and a guessing game of bluff and counter-bluff involving the highest stakes for Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland.

[Read the original]

Could Seven sell network’s last year of Australian Open broadcast rights to Nine?

Seven chief Tim Worner has refused to rule out selling the network’s last year of Australian Open broadcast rights to rival Nine, which could splash out more than the $300 million already committed to elite tennis to fill a cricket-sized gap in its summer schedule, reports The Australian’s Darren Davidson.

Nine is expected to make a concerted effort to bring forward its record-breaking deal with Tennis Australia after losing international cricket matches to Seven, leaving the network without any top-drawer summer sport this year and into 2019.

The cricket deal has set off a chain of events in the wake of the mammoth deal including the appointment of News Corp head of broadcast Siobhan McKenna as chairman of Foxtel and Fox Sports.

[Read the original]

Comms Minister Mitch Fifield explains anti-siphoning list to 2GB’s Ben Fordham

2GB’s Ben Fordham spoke to Communications Minister Mitch Fifield about the role the anti-siphoning list plays in the new rights deal:

The new six-year deal appears to breach anti-siphoning laws, which state one-day and Twenty20 matches played in Australia, involving the national team, have to be on free-to-air.

Under the deal announced today, the shorter form games will be broadcast on Foxtel.

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield said the government can’t force free-to-air broadcasters to purchase certain events.

“What the anti-siphoning list does is it gives free-to-air TV the first opportunity to negotiate for sporting events. It doesn’t guarantee or mandate that those sporting events are on free-to-air,” he told Fordham.

“All I can do is ensure that there are certain events on the list… it’s then entirely up to the sporting bodies to enter negotiations.”

Listen to Fordham’s interview with Fifield here.

Seven West Media’s “war room” with Kerry Stokes, son Ryan and Tim Worner

Max Mason and John Stensholt in The AFR on negotiations and how Ten came close to being Foxtel’s partner:

Locked in what Seven West Media had nicknamed “the war room” in the luxury The Star hotel and casino resort on the Gold Coast, billionaire proprietor Kerry Stokes, his son Ryan and Tim Worner worked late into the night last Thursday to save the free-to-air broadcaster’s summer schedule and in the process change the entire network.

At close to 5.15pm on Thursday April 12, Ten and Cricket Australia shook hands on a deal to make Ten the free-to-air partner for cricket and Ten chief executive Paul Anderson signed a binding bid with a heads of agreement to be signed once drafted.

Sutherland contacted Worner and Anderson separately at 2am on Friday the 13th, informing them of the outcome, which was revealed by the Financial Review hours later. Seven won, Ten lost.

[Read the original]

Plus: Ian Chappell’s farewell and Steve Crawley’s plans for Fox Sports coverage

Former Australian captain and now former Nine cricket commentator Ian Chappell bid farewell in The Sunday Telegraph:

Four decades of Channel 9’s extensive coverage of cricket in Australia — long established as essential viewing — have come to an abrupt end.

[Read the original]

Bill Lawry and leg spin legend Shane Warne are the only likely survivors from the Channel Nine commentary team in the new $1.2 billion cricket television deal, reports News Corp’s Michael Carayannis.

Fox Sports wants 81-year-old Lawry in a part-time role including Melbourne’s Boxing Day Test match and one-dayers while Channel Seven has earmarked Warne for a senior role.

[Read the original]

Michael Carayannis also reported:

Cricket fanatics will be able to be “their own director” with Fox Sports planning to revolutionise the viewing experience of Australia’s national sport when it becomes the new home of cricket.

The man tasked with delivering the content for the next six years will be Fox Sports’ head of television Steve Crawley — who spent about a decade leading Channel 9’s cricket coverage before being recruited by Fox Sports three years ago.

“We are going to be investing in new technologies that target a younger audience who wants to be more engaged in the game,” Crawley said.

[Read the original]

Business Of Media

Sir Martin Sorrell quits as boss of the advertising giant WPP after investigation

Sir Martin Sorrell has quit as boss of the advertising giant WPP after a damaging investigation into alleged personal misconduct, reports The London Sunday Times.

The 73-year-old, who transformed WPP into the world’s biggest advertising company, ended a turbulent spell for the firm saying it was “in the best interests of the business if I step down now”.

Sorrell had been under pressure since WPP admitted it had launched an independent investigation into misuse of company funds, details of which have not been made public. It said last night the probe has ended and the allegation “did not involve amounts that are material”.

Sorrell’s resignation calls time on the career of one of the UK’s best-known and best-paid businessmen. He has pocketed about £230m since 2010.

In a statement he said WPP has been “a passion, focus and source of energy for so long. However, I believe it is in the best interests of the business if I step down now.”

[Read the original]

The Guardian reports:

Sir Martin Sorrell is in line for almost £20m in payouts from WPP over the next five years, as part of the deal struck.

The departure of Sorrell, who resigned on Saturday before learning the findings of an independent investigation, is also being viewed as a potential catalyst for a breakup of WPP.

[Read the original]

Network Ten executive Neil Shoebridge to launch a communications consultancy

Network Ten has announced Neil Shoebridge has resigned as Director of Corporate and Public Communications to establish his own communications consultancy firm.

Shoebridge joined Network Ten in February 2012 in his current role.

He will depart Network Ten on May 25 but will continue to work with the company as a consultant. A new Head of Communications will be announced soon.

Network Ten Chief Executive Officer, Paul Anderson, said: “Neil has done an amazing job at leading our communications and publicity teams and we are very grateful for the passion and dedication he has shown Ten and our industry over the past six years.

“We wish him all the best with his new venture and we are delighted that he will continue to work with us in his new capacity.”

Shoebridge said: “I have loved working at Network Ten for the past six years, but it’s time to pursue a new challenge.

“I will always appreciate the opportunities Ten has afforded me and the many talented people I have worked with here. I’m pleased that I will remain connected to Ten in a consulting role.”

Details of Shoebridge’s new business will be announced in late May.

Radio

Survey break means holidays for most: Highlights shows and guest hosts takeover

Substantial changes to breakfast radio in most markets take place today as radio enters the second survey break of the year with a week until survey three for 2018 starts on April 22.

It is the day Macquarie Media has chosen to launch the Sydney-Brisbane and Melbourne breakfast shows on its new Macquarie Sports Radio network.

The Macquarie Sports Melbourne breakfast show is being hosted by Tony Leonard and Tony Shaw with Jimmy Bartel. Leonard said this morning as a rule the 7am hour will generally be devoted to AFL discussion.

The Macquarie Sports Sydney breakfast show is being looked after by John Stanley and Beau Ryan. A key feature for them in the 7am hour today was an interview with Ray Hadley from sister-station 2GB where he revealed what really went wrong with the Closing Ceremony with regard the decision not to involve the athletes and what happened behind the scenes regarding Delta Goodrem.

Kyle and Jackie O have recorded special intros daily for a week of Best Of programs as Kyle travels to the US for another visit to Coachella. Nova 969 in Sydney is playing Fitzy and Wippa highlights while 2Day FM’s MC is playing music launching the “greatest hits of your childhood”. Jonesy and Amanda are also having a break with a Best Of program filling the WSFM slot.

Triple M Melbourne saw Lehmo return to breakfast radio as he co-hosts a week of breakfast with Mark Howard. The show got off on the wrong foot though as they played the old intro, not a new one they had organised.

Howie and Lehmo

At SEN 1116 breakfast was hosted by Jack Heverin with two former footballers turned broadcasters – Nick Dal Santo and Danny Frawley.

Australia’s highest-rating show took a week off with Justin Smith and Kate Stevenson returning to the airwaves filling in for Ross and John. The 3AW duo has Basil Zempilas on air early this morning explaining just how bad the Comm Games Closing Ceremony was.

Nova 100 had breakfast anchor Deano hosting a Best Of Chrissie, Sam and Browny.

No holiday for the most successful broadcaster in Australia’s biggest city – Alan Jones spent plenty of time hammering the Comm Games committee and ridiculed a statement from Peter Beattie trying to explain the Closing Ceremony.

At Fox FM, the massive cume audience is getting a week of Fifi, Fev and Byron live. They are staying on air ahead of Fev’s bucks party next Monday and then go on a break.

Carmen Braidwood moves on after 96FM sacking, admitting no shock for her & Fitzi

Former Perth radio breakfast co-host Carmen Braidwood moves on after shock 96FM axing, reports Krystal Sanders in The West Australian.

It may have been a shock for many faithful listeners across Perth when 96FM’s breakfast show was yanked from the airwaves overnight.

But it wasn’t for presenters Carmen Braidwood and Brad “Fitzi” Fitzgerald.

After over five years on air, they were told in late October last year their contracts would not be renewed.

Braidwood called the sacking “humiliating and frustrating”.

The radio duo rose to a 9.5% share of the Perth radio audience last July, showing positive signs after 96FM reverted back to a rock-music strategy.

But it was after the positive survey result she said changes were made to their show.

“That’s when we knew that we were gone,” she said.

“We both desperately wanted it to work and wanted our creative ideas to be contributed to the show but after survey four they weren’t being used.

“We were asked to talk shorter breaks and play more music and that’s when we thought, ‘This doesn’t feel real good.’”

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