Wednesday April 4, 2018

Macquarie Sports Radio reveals AFL & NRL footballers in breakfast teams

Macquarie Media has announced the launch of a new sports radio network Macquarie Sports Radio. The station is set to launch in conjunction with the Commonwealth Games on Wednesday April 4.

The station is set to launch in conjunction with the Commonwealth Games on Wednesday April 4. Macquarie Media is the official AM commercial radio broadcaster of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Although the only national live sport the new network has is Premier League football (see below for more), Macquarie Sports Radio does have AFL and NRL games for its various markets.

Sydney Swans and GWS matches will be broadcast into Sydney on Macquarie Sports Radio 954 while Brisbane team games can be heard on Macquarie Sports Radio 882 in that market.

In Melbourne, audiences listening to 1278 will hear Melbourne Storm games being covered.

Macquarie Sports Radio is also hopeful of acquiring cricket rights in the current round of media negotiations.

Newly appointed Macquarie Media CEO Adam Lang said: “We are very excited to be launching Australia’s first national commercial sports radio talk network. Australians have a long-established obsession with sport and we continue to see growth in a variety of sporting endeavours. There are more than 13 million sports fans in Australia. Sport is social, it bonds strangers together and we want to give them a voice and a platform to connect and engage.

“Macquarie Media is #1 for Australian sport with NRL and The Continuous Call Team on 2GB and 4BC, AFL on 3AW and 6PR and our national live cricket in summer amongst our participation in a range of other events. Our passion for telling the story flows into our broadcasts of Australia’s top sports. It made sense to extend our expertise into a national format that covers all sports all of the time.”

Radio schedule

• Macquarie Sports Radio Breakfast M-F in Sydney and Brisbane (05:30am-09:00am) will be hosted by John Stanley and Beau Ryan.

• Macquarie Sports Radio Breakfast M-F in Melbourne hosted by Tony Leonard, Tony Shaw and Jimmy Bartel.

David Schwartz and Mark Allen will host a national drive program.

• Mornings will be hosted by David Morrow and Tiffany Cherry

• Afternoons will be hosted by Mieke Buchan, Shane McInnes and Sam Stove.

• Evenings with Julian King.

• Weekend mornings with Bill Woods and Brigitte Duclos.

• Weekend afternoons with Craig Willis and Clinton Maynard.

• Weekend evenings with Tim Webster.

Macquarie Sports Radio’s regular guests and contributors will include Leigh Matthews, Des Hasler, Mike Hussey, Mark Riddell, Andrew Gaze and more.

The new breakfast and drive shows will be heard on Macquarie Sports Radio straight after the Commonwealth Games from Monday April 16.

Premier League football

Macquarie Sports Radio has also secured exclusive broadcast rights to live English Premier League matches (EPL). Three EPL games will be broadcast each week across the weekend overnights program. The network has also signed a partnership with the EPL’s global audio partner talkSPORT, the world’s biggest sports radio station, and will broadcast two of their award-winning shows, Hawksbee & Jacobs and Durham & Gough, between midnight and 4am weekdays.

Macquarie Sports Radio will be heard in Sydney on 954 AM, in Melbourne on 1278 AM and in Brisbane on 882 AM and on the respective Digital Radio DAB+ stations. People right across Australia can also listen online via streaming and podcasts, and can watch live via sportsradio.com.au.

Behind Australian Geographic’s move from Bauer to Blue Ant Media

It’s been nearly a month since former Bauer Media Australia title Australian Geographic found a new home in Blue Ant Media.

By Kruti Joshi

“Bauer had formed a strategy around its core pillars in the last three to four years. It has really been focusing on mass women’s lifestyle. There were a number of parts to the Australian Geographic business that were a slightly odd fit to that,”Australian Geographic publisher Jo Runciman told Mediaweek.

Runciman has been with Australian Geographic for seven years, and moved across to Blue Ant following the acquisition. She worked closely with the senior management team at the German publisher during the negotiation process of the Australian Geographic acquisition. She remained tight-lipped on the financial details of the transaction.

Jo Runciman

Dick Smith originally funded the Australian Geographic business. It has changed hands a number of times since 1986 and has also been owned by Fairfax Media before ACP Magazines took control of the title in 2006.

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

Mark Llewellyn returns to Nine as creative director, news and current affairs

Former Nine news boss Mark Llewellyn has returned to the network in the newly created role of creative director for news and current affairs, effective today.

He will report to Nine’s national director of news and current affairs Darren Wick, who announced the appointment to staff in an email (see below).

Prior to this, Llewellyn had been working at Seven for more than a decade. He was the founding executive producer of Sunday Night. Llewellyn also served as the executive producer of the Australian true crime series Murder Uncovered, which was hosted by former 60 Minutes reporter Michael Usher. The show went to air in early 2017 but was not renewed by Seven for a second season.

Read Wick’s email to staff announcing Llewellyn’s appointment below.

Dear Colleagues,

Mark Llewellyn is joining Nine from today in a new role as the Creative Director for News and Current Affairs.

In this brief, Mark will be tasked with developing original longer-form content for the network on our traditional broadcast platform and for the rapidly growing world of Digital.

But he’ll also work closely with me as we continue to innovate and improve our existing programs and bulletins. He is a brilliant out-of-the-box thinker and I encourage everyone to tap his brain.

Many of you know Mark as a colleague during his previous time at Nine. He joined as a young Sydney-based reporter, has been the Network Director of News and Current Affairs, Managing Director of 60 Minutes, Executive Producer of A Current Affair and a London correspondent.

For those of you not familiar with him, Mark has an acclaimed track record as one of Australia’s finest and most forward-thinking producers in current affairs and news documentaries.

He has been with the Seven Network for the past decade and was the founding Executive Producer and creator of Sunday Night. Most recently, he has been the Executive Producer of Seven’s real crime documentary series Murder Uncovered.

Mark will also work with Nine’s Factual Production Unit, under Janeen Faithfull, producing documentaries for the network.

I’ll introduce him to all of you during the coming days.

Regards,

Wickie

The Intern Pete saga: Kyle & Jackie back colleague as Ray Hadley and Pedestrian TV get involved

After the Steve Smith press conference at Sydney Airport last Thursday, Intern Pete (Kyle and Jackie O producer and reporter Peter Deppeler) has been one of the most talked-about people in Australian media

During a special segment on The Kyle and Jackie O Show this morning, Pete broke his media silence to explain what went wrong. Although Pete expressed regret at the timing of what happened, Kyle Sandilands was adamant he did nothing wrong and had nothing to apologise for.

Jackie: “What were you hoping to get from asking the question?”

Pete: “After these guys had been slammed for the past week I just wanted to try to sympathise with them.”

Kyle: “I don’t think cricket ball tampering is all that bad. I certainly don’t think what Pete said was that bad.”

Pete: “I would like to apologise to Steve Smith. I feel for the guy and my timing definitely wasn’t right. I am truly sorry to Steve for that.”

Kyle: “Everyone else can shove it in their arse… What sort of a mental case would wish you dead over this which is nothing?”

Intern Pete having fun with Triple M’s Grill Team

Intern Pete said he deleted the social media apps from his phone after the Thursday night press conference because, as the press conference ended, his phone “exploded”.

Pete: “I was told to hang myself, another said they hope I get HIV AIDS and die. Don’t feel sorry for me, but people attacked my family and people told my mum that her son should go and kill himself.”

Kyle Sandilands then played some audio from 2GB’s Ray Hadley. Before that, Sandilands called Ray Hadley a “pretend person. It is an act – he makes it up. If you see him in the street he runs off like a coward.”

The audio of The Ray Hadley Show said : “I don’t know the bloke involved, he might be a nice bloke, but he carried on like a complete dickhead last night. [The press conference] was a dignified and solemn moment, which was brought undone by some complete buffoon trying to ingratiate himself with Steve Smith.”

Jackie O then said the biggest misconception is that Intern Pete was trying to create a headline.

Sandilands then again referred to Ray Hadley “pretending to be a big man. It is funny that all the hate can go from one cricket player to Pete who is only trying to lighten the mood of the room.”

Sandilands said he didn’t know anything had been going on until Nine News showed up at his farm on Friday morning, unannounced.

Sandilands called Ray Hadley a “pretend person. It is an act – he makes it up.”

The Project gave a more balanced version than old pretend Ray Hadley. What a coward that bloke is! Over there pretending you are a big man – you are a piece of shit.”

Jackie O then tried to calm things by noting: “The whole point of this is about people attacking others…”

Sandilands: “I am putting it back on him. [Hadley] doesn’t know what Pete is going through. What if Intern Pete actually took his life on the weekend? All those cowards would be running away and hiding.”

The K&J Show then played audio from The Project and comments from Chas Licciardello calling for calm. “What wise words!” said Jackie.

Sandilands then wondered how Intern Pete had become the villain out of the entire ball-tampering scandal.

Pete: “Pedestrian called me Australia’s most hated man.”

Kyle: “Pedestrian is a piece of shit. Who cares about them?”

As to a suggestion that Cricket Australia would no longer advertise with the station, Sandilands said: “Who cares? Keep your money.”

Jackie: “That is a shame because we didn’t shitcan you when you were having a bad week. We were pretty much the only ones that didn’t shitcan you.”

Continued at mediaweek.com.au

Box Office: New releases flood chart as Easter revenues climb 50%

A combination of new arrivals and the Easter break has seen box office receipts grow just under 50% from the previous weekend to $17.31m. It was the biggest weekend at the box office since mid-February when Black Panther opened with $10m of an $18m total.

By James Manning

The top two Easter movies were both close to $4m and between them accounted for half of all ticket sales across the four days from Thursday to Sunday inclusive. (These figures don’t include the Easter Monday revenues.)

Ten new movies found a place in the top 20 with three in the top five and five in the top 10.

The $17.31m Easter haul compares with $19.94m on the Easter four-day break last year when The Fate Of The Furious opened with $10m.

#1 Ready Player One $3.93m

The Steven Spielberg-produced sci-fi adventure stars Ben Mendelsohn and it hit the spot for Easter audiences after it opened on 480 screens with the weekend’s second-best screen average of $8,195.

#2 Peter Rabbit $3.90m

The weekend’s biggest screen average was $9,677 for this mix of animation and real life on its second weekend. For Easter the film added 31 screens to 404. The gross to-date is $8.79m.

#3 Blockers $2.62m

This US prom night comedy opened on 385 screens with a screen average of $6,812.

#4 Love, Simon $1.19m

A rom-com with a twist was the third of three new releases in the top five. It opened on 218 screens with a screen average on $5,471.

#5 Pacific Rim: Uprising $1.06m

The second weekend of this movie that was made in Australia just managed to hang in the top five after revenues dropped 61%. It shed 149 screens to 276 and has taken $4.40m.

TV Ratings Analysis: Monday April 3

• US sitcoms a winning formula again for Nine before Comm Games launch
• Seven warms up for Comm Games coverage with Front Bar: Gold Coast

By James Manning

Seven

After an Easter Monday audience of 706,000, Home and Away did 657,000 with three back-to-back episodes.

A Gold Coast edition of The Front Bar followed with 354,000 watching Mick, Sam and Andy decked out in green and gold tracksuits. There were 139,000 watching in Melbourne after 152,000 watched a regular AFL edition last week.

Nine

A Current Affair did 854,000.

Another episode of Young Sheldon did 896,000 followed by new and old episodes of The Big Bang Theory on 826,000 and 695,000 respectively.

TEN

Charlie Pickering returned to The Project last night with 573,000 watching after 7pm.

Bachelor In Paradise did 707,000 after Bondi Rescue filled the timeslot last week.

Hughesy, We Have A Problem then did 514,000 after 549,000 a week ago.

ABC

The Checkout featured a report on pregnancy pain management for the audience of 464,000 after 273,000 last week.

The first episode of the three-part Employable Me Australia from Northern Pictures then did 431,000.

SBS

Part one of The Tsar And The Empress did 235,000.

Insight spoke to people who had been eyewitnesses to serious crime with 245,000 watching.

 

Week 14 TV: Tuesday (Easter Survey Break)
TUESDAY METRO
ABCSevenNineTenSBS
ABC12.3%716.8%922.2%TEN14.7%SBS One5.2%
ABC 22.7%7TWO3.7%GO!2.6%ONE3.5%VICELAND0.6%
ABC ME0.5%7mate3.1%GEM3.3%ELEVEN2.0%Food Net0.7%
ABC News1.5%7flix1.5%9Life2.9%NITV0.1%
TOTAL17.0%25.1%31.0%20.2%6.6%
TUESDAY REGIONAL
ABCSeven AffiliatesNine AffiliatesTen AffiliatesSBS
ABC12.0%717.5%920.3%WIN10.5%SBS One4.9%
ABC 22.6%7TWO5.3%GO!3.5%ONE3.5%VICELAND0.8%
ABC ME0.8%7mate4.7%GEM5.0%ELEVEN2.3%Food Net0.7%
NEWS 241.5%7flix1.5%9Life2.2%NITV0.3%
TOTAL16.9%29.0%31.0%16.3%6.7%
TUESDAY METRO ALL TV
FTASTV
84.5%15.5%
Tuesday FTA
  1. Seven News Seven 1,072,000
  2. Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 1,056,000
  3. Nine News 6:30 Nine 960,000
  4. Nine News Nine 937,000
  5. Young Sheldon Nine 896,000
  6. A Current Affair Nine 854,000
  7. The Big Bang Theory Nine 826,000
  8. ABC News ABC 734,000
  9. Bachelor In Paradise Tues Ten 707,000
  10. The Big Bang Theory (R) Nine 695,000
  11. Home And Away Seven 657,000
  12. The Chase Australia Seven 615,000
  13. The Project 7pm Ten 573,000
  14. 7.30 ABC 554,000
  15. Hot Seat Nine 525,000
  16. Hughesy, We Have A Problem Ten 514,000
  17. The Checkout ABC 464,000
  18. London Has Fallen Nine 446,000
  19. Employable Me Australia ABC 431,000
  20. Ten Eyewitness News First At Five Ten 423,000
All People Rankings

16-39 Top 5

  1. Bachelor In Paradise Ten 310,000
  2. The Big Bang Theory Nine 215,000
  3. The Project 7pm Ten 199,000
  4. Young Sheldon Nine 195,000
  5. Hughesy, We Have A Problem Ten 190,000

 

18-49 Top 5

  1. Bachelor In Paradise Ten 431,000
  2. The Big Bang Theory Nine 363,000
  3. Young Sheldon Nine 333,000
  4. The Big Bang Theory (R) Nine 319,000
  5. The Project 7pm Ten 301,000

 

25-54 Top 5

  1. Bachelor In Paradise Ten 432,000
  2. The Big Bang Theory Nine 404,000
  3. Young Sheldon Nine 392,000
  4. The Big Bang Theory (R) Nine 362,000
  5. The Project 7pm Ten 332,000
Tuesday Mutlichannel
  1. Hey Duggee-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 179,000
  2. Peppa Pig-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 176,000
  3. Peter Rabbit ABCKIDS/COMEDY 173,000
  4. Octonauts ABCKIDS/COMEDY 171,000
  5. Floogals ABCKIDS/COMEDY 168,000
  6. Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 162,000
  7. Thomas And Friends-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 161,000
  8. Fireman Sam-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 161,000
  9. Dinosaur Train-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 159,000
  10. Play School Celebrity Covers ABCKIDS/COMEDY 158,000
  11. The Hive-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 157,000
  12. Pj Masks-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 156,000
  13. Homicide: Hours To Kill ONE 155,000
  14. Andy’s Baby Animals ABCKIDS/COMEDY 151,000
  15. Peppa Pig-PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 148,000
  16. Neighbours ELEVEN 147,000
  17. Olobob Top-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 146,000
  18. Vf Confidential ONE 145,000
  19. Play School-AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 145,000
  20. The Justine Clarke Show! ABCKIDS/COMEDY 145,000
Tuesday STV
  1. Live: AFL 360 FOX FOOTY 74,000
  2. Live: Back Page FOX SPORTS 501 58,000
  3. Paul Murray Live SKY NEWS LIVE 58,000
  4. Jones & Co SKY NEWS LIVE 53,000
  5. Open Mike FOX FOOTY 53,000
  6. Criminal Minds TVH!TS 48,000
  7. Murdoch Mysteries 13TH STREET 47,000
  8. Family Guy FOX8 46,000
  9. Live: Cricket: RSA V AUS 4th Test Day 5 FOX SPORTS 503 45,000
  10. The Bolt Report SKY NEWS LIVE 45,000
  11. Grand Designs LifeStyle Channel 45,000
  12. Hawaii Five-0 TVH!TS 44,000
  13. American Dad! FOX8 41,000
  14. NRL 360 FOX LEAGUE 41,000
  15. Escape To The Continent LifeStyle Channel 40,000
  16. Live: Football: AFC Champions League FOX SPORTS 505 40,000
  17. Family Guy FOX8 39,000
  18. Shimmer And Shine Nick Jr. 37,000
  19. Live: NRL 360 FOX LEAGUE 35,000
  20. Paw Patrol Nick Jr. 34,000

News Media Roundup

Business of Media

As Foxtel-Fox Sports merger finalised, brands work to maximise collaboration

Nine months after Foxtel shareholders News Corp and Telstra announced a deal to combine the company with News Corp’s Fox Sports, the transaction officially closed yesterday, a relatively short period for such a complex corporate move, analysts say, reports The Australian’s Darren Davidson.

“These are two great companies and together, with the support of News Corp, they will become Australia’s most dynamic and innovative provider of sport, drama, lifestyle, news and entertainment content,” said Michael Miller, News Corp Australia’s executive chairman.

“This has been an extensive and complex deal and now that it is completed, I look forward with great confidence about what is ahead for the combined entity.”

The shareholders have no immediate plans to give the combined entity a new name, Miller said. “The initial focus will be on ensuring both Fox Sports and Foxtel and its broadcast brands maximise collaboration across the combined portfolio.”

[Read the original]

News Corp widens role for corporate affairs boss Campbell Reid to cover Foxtel

As the Foxtel-Fox Sports merger completed yesterday, it was announced News Corp Australia’s director of corporate affairs Campbell Reid will expand his role to incorporate Foxtel and Fox Sports Australia.

Campbell Reid

In this wider role as group executive – corporate affairs, policy and government relations, Reid will lead the company’s corporate communications, public policy strategy and government relations across its publishing and broadcast assets.

Reid commented: “I am excited by the opportunity to help Australia’s most passionate storytellers achieve their ambitions for the future. I look forward to working with the talented teams across the News Corp family.”

The appointment follows the announcement that Foxtel’s group director corporate affairs Bruce Meagher will be leaving the business after six years.

Meagher said yesterday: “I’m sad to go but it’s one of the logical consequences of the Foxtel-Fox Sports merger and it’s been obvious to me for some time that this was a likely outcome. So, I’m relaxed and go with great affection for and offering best wishes to all at the new Foxtel. My team will remain in place with different reporting lines and News Corp will take responsibility for higher-level government relations and communications activities.

“My plan is to take at least a couple of months off (something I haven’t done since 1994) and then start looking at what the future might hold.”

Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany said: “Bruce has done a terrific job leading the Corporate Affairs team for the last six years and has used his great intellect and relationship skills to deliver many significant outcomes. We wish him well for the future.”

21st Century Fox said it could sell British TV channel Sky News to Walt Disney

21st Century Fox said it could sell British TV channel Sky News to Walt Disney to ease the passage of its takeover of broadcaster Sky PLC, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The suggestion is one of two proposals Fox has made to UK regulators to address media plurality concerns over its bid to acquire the 61% of Sky it doesn’t already own. The other proposal would ring fence Sky News.

The move is the latest twist in protracted talks between the media companies. Fox has been trying to take full control of Sky, while Disney has bid $52 billion separately for a big chunk of Fox assets, including its 39% stake in Sky. The two deals aren’t technically connected, but Disney views Sky as an important component of its deal and a key to its plans to expand its international footprint.

[Read the original]

Southern Cross Austereo appoints Trevor Crook as national head of sport sales

Southern Cross Austereo has appointed Trevor Crook as new national head of sport sales.

Trevor Crook

Crook joins SCA on May 14 from his role as head of investment at Mindshare Melbourne.

Crook has held roles at the City of Melbourne as commercial and marketing manager and as national sales manager at Sports and Entertainment Ltd. Prior to this he spent a number of years at the Nine Network.

Crook will be based in Melbourne where he will lead the local sport team and sports teams around the country, reporting to national head of radio sales Nikki Rooke.

On his appointment, Rooke said, “Sport is a critical pillar in both our ratings and revenue strategy, and Trevor’s passion, combined with his strategic sales experience, will ensure we maximise all opportunities and keep innovating our market approach and product.”

Crook said, “I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining SCA and look forward to working with the team in delivering results for our many clients. Sport is a major passion of mine, so naturally I feel very privileged to be entrusted with this position.”

Television

Seven’s Sunrise team on the Gold Coast for the 2018 Commonwealth Games

Kicking off from today, Seven’s breakfast team of Kochie, Sam, Nat, Beretts, Eddy and Sam Mac are on the Gold Coast for the 2018 Commonwealth Games as Seven broadcasts a fortnight of Sunrise live from Broadbeach.

From the Opening Ceremony and every big event, Sunrise will have exclusive access to GC2018 plus Australian medallists live.

Sunrise has assembled a Panel of Champions, including Australia’s foremost Olympic and Commonwealth Games gold medallists Anna Meares, Leisel Jones, Lisa Curry, Jana Pittman, Sharelle McMahon, Matthew Mitcham and Ian Thorpe, who will provide expert analysis and commentary.

Sunrise executive producer Michael Pell said: “Seven is the home of the Commonwealth Games and the day begins at Sunrise. We’re excited to bring all the action to our viewers each morning, live from our purpose-built studio at Broadbeach.”

Seven’s Weekend Sunrise will also broadcast live from Broadbeach during the Games.

Eurovision contestant Jessica Mauboy embarks on international tour

Australia’s 2018 Eurovision contestant Jessica Mauboy this week embarks on an international tour performing at a series of Eurovision concerts in London, Tel Aviv and Amsterdam.

Mauboy has been invited to perform her Eurovision song “We Got Love” at the London Eurovision Party on Thursday April 5, Israel Calling in Tel Aviv on Tuesday April 10 and Eurovision in Concert in Amsterdam on Saturday April 14.

The events are an opportunity for the 2018 Eurovision contestants to perfect their performances and for international media and fans to get to know the artists ahead of the main event in Lisbon in May.

The 2018 Eurovision Song Contest, to be held in Lisbon, Portugal and broadcast exclusively on SBS from May 9 to 13.

Social Content Ratings

Adelaide and Richmond AFL clash attracted most social interactions last week

The AFL match between Adelaide and Richmond attracted the most social interactions in the week ending April 1. The game in Adelaide had over 100,000 more interactions than the #2 ranking, another AFL match between Fremantle and Essendon.

In the non-sport rankings, Nine News was a clear leader with 263,000, well ahead of Seven News and then The Project.

Publishing

marie claire and Witchery announce partnership for 10th White Shirt Campaign

marie claire and Witchery have announced a partnership for the 10th annual White Shirt Campaign. To mark the milestone year, Witchery will release a new collection of 10 white shirts with 100% of gross proceeds donated to the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF).

Ten prominent Australian women, including Samantha Armytage, Kylie Gillies, Jessica Rowe, Sally Obermeder, Ksenija Lukich, Kate Waterhouse, Samantha Harris, Maddison Brown, Samantha Jade and Jodi Anasta, wear this new collection of Witchery white shirts in the May issue of marie claire, lending their personal support to the Campaign.

marie claire editor Nicky Briger said: “The confronting reality is that one woman dies every 10 hours from ovarian cancer in Australia. Wearing a white shirt on World Ovarian Cancer Day [May 8] is a simple way to make a big difference – and marie claire is delighted to partner with Witchery on this iconic Campaign.”

Said OCRF CEO Lucinda Nolan: “With the generosity of our partners, and through the purchase of a white shirt, we can together work to further vital research and ensure that every woman, everywhere, is free from the threat of ovarian cancer.

Witchery’s 10 white shirts are available in-store now and will be sold over six weeks to coincide with May 8, World Ovarian Cancer Day.

Sports Media

WIN News Tasmania journalist and presenter Brent Costelloe wins award

WIN News Tasmania sports journalist and presenter Brent Costelloe has won Cricket Tasmania’s Best Story, Male Cricket Award for his Big Bash League (BBL) ’07 Final Coverage: Supporting The Hurricanes.

Brent Costelloe

To file his story, the WIN Network sent Costelloe and cameraman Joel Isbister to Adelaide on February 4 to cover the Hobart Hurricanes’ BBL Grand Final match against the Adelaide Strikers where Hobart was unfortunately defeated by 25 runs.

“I provided updates during our live coverage of the match, and produced constant social media reports throughout the weekend,” Costelloe said. “While the team didn’t get the result it was after, my post-match report captured the excitement and colour of the Final, including an interview with Simon Milenko’s father, and a number of others who made the long trek to South Australia to support the Hurricanes. I’m both humbled and very proud to have received this award, and wish to thank Joel for his work on this, too.”

“The WIN Network is extremely proud of Brent and this wonderful recognition from Cricket Tasmania,” said WIN Network news director Stella Lauri. “The quality of Brent’s reporting is a fantastic reflection of WIN News’s constant commitment to local news, sport and weather.”

How much can Nine afford to spend on cricket as rights costs mount?

Cricket Australia is continuing talks with TV networks about a new media rights deal as analysts predict Nine Network could rack up big losses on its $300 million commitment to Tennis Australia.

Citi analyst David Kaynes said Nine is facing an annual shortfall of $20m to $30m on the tennis in a summer market becoming ever more crowded amid an expanded Big Bash League and new variants of rugby union.

If Nine loses international cricket rights, however, Citi said the tennis deal represents a “better outcome” because it is currently incurring an annual loss of $50m on cricket.

[Read the original]

Nine banned from Comm Games today, News & Fairfax also unaccredited

Furious Commonwealth Games bosses have banned Channel Nine until at least Thursday after the network aired images from Saturday’s Opening Ceremony dress rehearsal, reports Fairfax Media’s Phil Lutton.

It means Nine will have any access revoked until after Wednesday night’s Opening Ceremony, with its status to be reviewed on the first day of competition.

Seven is the host broadcaster for the Games and Nine would not be allowed inside the stadium in any case. But the move sees them locked out of areas like the Main Press Centre, where the daily news briefings are hosted.

[Read the original]

Fairfax Media’s Felicity Caldwell adds:

Some media organisations, including News Corp and Fairfax Media have not signed up for formal Commonwealth Games media accreditation.

A Fairfax Media spokesman said the company’s position was that its Australian news mastheads did not accept the accreditation restrictions.

“We believe that we will best serve our readers with Games coverage by reporting under our fair dealing rights,” the spokesman said.

[Read the original]

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