Tuesday February 26, 2019

Julian Delany on News Corp Australia’s partnership with Taboola

News Corp Australia last week announced a strategic four-year partnership with Taboola for the “News Native Network powered by Taboola” which launched on Thursday 21 February.

News Digital Networks Australia managing director Julian Delany told Mediaweek:

“We have been publishing native content for many years and I would like to think we were the publisher that took native to the next layer. Native is not just about the content, but how you serve it to consumers with various vendors and platforms.”

Signing with Taboola means News Corp Australia has moved on from former partner Outbrain. “In this area of paid content recommendation a lot of people do it well. For us to be able to plug and play into our infrastructure was a big factor in going to Taboola.”

Visitors to News Corp Australia sites will no longer see a strip of content recommendations from Outbrain at the bottom of web pages. Instead, Taboola will be providing consumers with a list of content recommendations.

Some of the Taboola recommendations will be News Corp Australia organic and native content in addition to third party off platform content.

“Taboola is an innovative, data-driven technology company that can help support our business and grow audience. We’re delighted to partner with them and look forward to working with the Taboola team in the long term.”

Delany added News Corp Australia is offering increased content personalisation on the home pages of all its metros. “We are using machine learning to understand how visitors are engaging with pages they visit regularly.”

News Corp Australia briefed Taboola about what ads are acceptable which forms what Delany said was a significant blacklist covering various topics, advertisers and publishers.

As to how significant a contribution to revenue a new deal with Taboola is, Delany said: “It is a significant revenue driver. The evolution of this product will help us get a better result on click-thru of our native content.”

Delany was not able to reveal too much about what else is happening around the News Corp Australia digital network as there are some significant announcements being readied for the Come Together event in March.

He hinted there could be a change ahead for one of the News Corp food brands (not taste.com.au or delicious) that he said they were very excited about.

News.com.au has had a pretty good summer with audiences of 10m+ in January.

One of the initiatives helping the summer audiences in News Corp properties was

New look oOh!media reports double-digit organic revenue growth

oOh!media has announced double-digit organic revenue growth, together with a strong fourth-quarter contribution from the Commute business (formerly Adshel) for the year ended 31 December 2018 (“CY18”).

• Organic revenue increased by 10% to $416.8 million.
• The contribution from the Commute business, which was acquired on 28 September 2018, resulted in total revenue increasing by 27% to $482.6 million.
• Total underlying EBITDA increased by 25% to $112.5 million with organic underlying EBITDA growth (excluding Commute) increased by 5% to $94.2 million.
• Digital revenue increased by 27% to $288.1 million.
• Gross profit was $225.7m, up 29% on CY17.

oOh!media has reported these operational highlights:

Successfully integrating Commute’s highly complementary segments of street furniture and rail.

Strong revenue growth in Fly and Locate.

Continued delivery of ground-breaking campaigns using different levels of creative content and data across multiple formats, demonstrating the diversity, reach and effectiveness of the oOh! portfolio.

oOh!’s CEO Brendon Cook said 2018 was a transformational year as the company continued to build a sustainable and growing out of home business for the future.

“The acquisition of Commute brings the highly complementary segments of street furniture and rail to our portfolio. This ensures oOh! has the most diverse and integrated national audience delivery network in the industry, extending our audience reach to well above 90% of the Australian population, and the largest coverage in New Zealand.

“Commute delivered strong revenue and earnings in the fourth quarter and we are successfully integrating the business with a new structure centred on serving our customers.

“As out of home is being transformed by technology, we continue to lead the industry in creating a new media business driven by data, content and innovation.

“We continue our investment in our all-of-business operating system. This is built on advanced machine learning with enhanced technological infrastructure and will enable our clients to leverage our digital sign network and engage with audiences more effectively and efficiently.

“We expect this investment will deliver significant operating efficiencies to oOh!, including optimised property retention, higher sales and margin, and improvements in our staff to revenue ratio.

“Meanwhile, the business continues to generate strong cash flow with operating cash flow increasing by 41% to $71.2 million compared to CY17.”

CRA has released its submission to the Digital Platforms Inquiry

Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) has proposed a range of measures to protect broadcasters’ content and limit the ability of the global tech giants to use their market power to unfairly erode the business model of commercial radio stations.

RA released this statement about the submission today:

In a submission in response to the preliminary report of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission’s Digital Platforms Inquiry, CRA called for stronger protections to limit third parties from benefiting from Australian radio content, including live radio streams and podcasts, without the permission of the content owners.

“CRA submits that large digital platforms should be independently monitored – with the Commission setting terms and conditions of access – to ensure that they do not use their market power to favour their own businesses or to divert consumers from the websites of content creators, thus appropriating revenue and reducing competition in the supply of media content,” the submission said.

Chief executive officer Joan Warner said CRA supports the introduction of a Mandatory Standard to enable the timely take-down of copyright-infringing content and further recommended the standard should include hyperlinks to radio station “listen live” websites.

“Commercial radio stations are increasingly directing their resources towards the removal of their intellectual property from third party aggregator sites and mobile apps. Typically, such sites provide ‘listen live’ links to station broadcasts or enable consumers to access stations’ podcasts. This diverts traffic – and ultimately advertising revenue – away from the stations’ own websites,” Warner said.

“We urge the Commission to address this issue in the proposed Mandatory Standard, by requiring digital platforms to remove hyper-links to copyright protected content at the request of the rights holder,” Warner added.

CRA also recommended that the ACCC’s proposed separate review to develop an overarching regulatory framework for all platforms should include a focus on how local content obligations and Australian music requirements are spread across various platforms.

Digital platforms currently have no local content obligations, while commercial radio is subject to numerous requirements under the Commercial Radio Code of Practice and the Broadcasting Services Act.

CRA again urged regulators to take immediate action on “glaring” regulatory inequalities such as the election advertising blackout rule, which bans radio from broadcasting political advertising from the Wednesday before polling day.

The submission strongly rejected Facebook and Google’s claims that their ads are verifiable and said there was currently no regulatory means of holding such platforms to account regarding their claims of audience size. CRA said a reliable digital audience measurement methodology should be imposed on digital platforms as a condition of access, and the collection of data be conducted by an independent third party.

Summary of Recommendations

Recommendation 1 – Verification of Advertising

CRA submits that a reliable digital audience measurement methodology should be imposed upon digital platforms by the Commission (as a condition of access) and must:

• require that the collection and analysis of the data is conducted by an independent third party;
• be accompanied by a clear, consistent and transparent explanation of the methodology used; and
• be consistent across all suppliers of digital advert performance measurement services to enable fair and consistent comparison.

Recommendation 2 – Regulatory Imbalance

CRA strongly urges the Commission to take immediate action to address the most glaring inequalities present in the current regulatory structure, particularly the election blackout legislation, which bans political advertising by radio broadcasters from the Wednesday before polling day.

CRA broadly supports the Commission’s proposal to conduct a comprehensive review to design a framework capable of consistently regulating the conduct of entities that perform comparable functions. CRA urges the Commission to include a focus on local content and Australian music regulations as part of its separate review.

Recommendation 3 – Protection of Content against Aggregators

We urge the Commission to address this issue in the proposed Mandatory Standard, by requiring digital platforms to remove hyperlinks to copyright protected content upon the request of the right holder.

Many digital platform aggregators are smaller players and the Mandatory Standard must therefore cover digital platforms of all sizes. Its application should not be limited to the larger platforms.

This issue is particularly important to the commercial radio industry and CRA would be pleased to provide the Commission with further detail if required.

Recommendation 4 – Automated Journalism

The commercial radio industry recognises that automated journalism initiatives may have potential value for consumers and media organisations.

However, there must be regulatory oversight – with the Commission setting terms and conditions of access for large digital platforms (including audience measurement verification, local content obligations and fair compensation for right holders) – to ensure that development by monopoly companies does not occur at the expense of other industries, consumer choice and diversity of content.

Recommendation 5 – Investment in quality content

Support for news and local content production by the commercial radio industry may be achieved through the:

• extension of the Regional and Small Publishers’ Jobs and Innovation Package beyond its current 3 year term, with extensions specifically to support regional commercial radio;
•  introduction of tax subsidies for commercial radio broadcasters who provide news content, to assist in the production of such content.

Streaming: Kayo launches new ‘Scary Good’ winter sports campaign

After a launch campaign in November that helped lift subscriptions over 100,000, Kayo Sports is set to unveil the next iteration of its brand marketing campaign and it is ‘Scary Good’.

Kayo has released these details about the new campaign:

Kayo Sports chief marketing officer Carly Loder said the campaign, which launches this week in line with the winter sports seasons for the Toyota AFL Premiership, NRL Telstra Premiership, rugby and motorsport, is focused on highlighting Kayo’s huge range of content, excellent value and unrivalled features.

“The winter codes campaign launches the next evolution of the brand and Kayo’s attitude is brought to life with the ‘Scary Good’ platform, which exists not only in the new look and feel but as a symbol of Kayo’s internal and product ethos.

“The ‘tear’ creative represents tearing up the rulebook to reveal a sports streaming service that’s so good, it’s scary. Whether that be over 50 sports in one place, no lock in contracts or the ability to stream what you want, where you want, at any time. This is reinforced by the many game-changing features that put the consumer in control, all at the scary good price of just $25 per month.

“Now that Kayo has established a brand foundation, we’re excited to introduce more of our own attitude and really showcase what sets Kayo apart.”

Kayo partnered with Host/Havas, Havas Media and Wellcom Worldwide on the ‘Scary Good’ campaign, which is in market today with over 2,800 OOH executions, 51 radio stations across metro and regional radio, weekly press executions and digital activity reaching millions of sports fans every day.

Meanwhile News Corp Australia has collaborated with Kayo Sports for the first time to launch a bundled news and sports streaming subscription. The offer will be supported with a four-week integrated marketing campaign.

Brendan Collogan, general manager customer marketing at News Corp Australia said: “A digital subscription to our newspapers offers unmatched expert opinion from the country’s best sports journalists, access to match previews and post-game analysis, videos, podcasts, and SuperCoach stats.”

The four-week multi-platform media and marketing campaign will feature print and digital ads across 29 of News Corp Australia’s metro and regional mastheads; TVCs during sports programming on FTA metro channels; OOH advertising on bus and train interiors in metro areas; radio advertising; digital display ads, press advertising as well as a digital and social media marketing campaign.

The bundled subscription offer is for a 12-month digital subscription of News Corp Australia’s metro and regional newspapers and a Kayo Sports subscription, at $30 per month for the first 12 months. Minimum cost is $360 and conditions apply.

Kayo is available on iOS and Android devices, laptop, PC and on TV with Telstra TV, Apple TV and Chromecast Ultra.

Kay is offering a 14-day free trial at www.kayosports.com.au.

Fox Footy Aust tour across includes search for best commentator

Fox Footy is taking fans on the ultimate tour of Australia this month, when the team travels far and wide to deliver the AFL 2019 JLT Community Series to the lounge rooms of viewers.

Beginning this Thursday night when Carlton takes on Essendon at Ikon Park, right through to the final game on Monday 11th March, Fox Footy will have all the action live and exclusive on channel 504, Foxtel.

Sarah Jones, Kelli Underwood, Nick Riewoldt, Jonathan Brown, Garry Lyon, Dermott Brereton, Jason Dunstall, Paul Roos, David King, Brad Johnson, Ben Dixon, Cameron Mooney, Gerard Healy, Nick Dal Santo, Leigh Montagna, Matthew Pavlich, Mark Ricciuto, Alastair Lynch, Dwayne Russell, Anthony Hudson, Adam Papalia and Brenton Speed will make up the team as the network travels to rural venues of six states, showcasing every club in the pre-season fixture ahead of the 2019 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.

To celebrate the return of the 18 clubs to our television screens, Fox Footy is also on the hunt for Australia’s next best commentator, introducing the “So You Think You Can Commentate” competition.

Fans are encouraged to upload a short video of themselves (at foxsports.com.au/afl/commentate) commentating any AFL/AFLW game, to win their chance to call the Geelong v Essendon match at GMHBA Stadium on 7th March alongside Underwood, Russell, Roos, Johnson and Mooney.

AFL 360 with Gerard Whateley and Mark Robinson will return on Monday 11th March, following the final clash between Collingwood and Carlton in Morwell. Uncovered – The Coaches, an 18 part 30-minute special series featuring each AFL club coach will debut that evening at 8.30pm. Fans will view rare insight in to the personalities and lives of coaches outside of the game.

The Weekly Times Coles Farmer of the Year winners announced

The who’s who of agriculture in Australia, Federal and State Members of Parliament and senior executives from News Corp Australia and Coles, attended a gala event in Melbourne on Friday, 22 February at the RACV Club, to announce the winners of The Weekly Times Coles Farmer of the Year awards.

The Weekly Times Coles Farmer of the Year Awards, held every year for the past seven years, celebrate the most outstanding achievements of those individuals and families making a significant contribution to Australian agriculture nationwide.

Farmer of the Year MC Giaan Rooney and winners Tom and Phoebe Bull

In attendance were Federal Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, David Littleproud MP; Victorian Minister for Agriculture and Regional Development, Jaclyn Symes MP; Leader of The Victorian Nationals, Peter Walsh MP; Chairman of the Herald & Weekly Times, Penny Fowler; Managing Director, Publishing (VIC & TAS) of News Corp Australia, Peter Zavecz and Chief Operating Officer of Coles, Greg Davis and Editor of The Weekly Times and News Corp Rural Editor-in-Chief, Ed Gannon.

 

Ed Gannon said: “These awards are the pinnacle of farming awards in Australia. The finalists and winners are the best in the nation and show that farming is a dynamic and profitable industry.

“When times are tough, as we are seeing with drought and floods, it is vital Australian agriculture is able to celebrate the innovators and show farming has a bright and prosperous future.”

CEO of Coles Steven Cain said: “We are delighted to sponsor these awards for the seventh year and recognise the outstanding contribution that Australian farmers made in 2018 – and continue to make – by producing great quality food for Australian families all year round.

“Over the past year, the resolve and resilience of farmers in the face of drought, fires and floods has been extraordinary – and this should be recognised and applauded.”

Taking out the top honour as Australia’s best farmer was a NSW couple on a mission to produce the world’s best-tasting lamb chop – Tom and Phoebe Bull, from Holbrook in southern NSW.

Every mainland state was represented by finalists, honouring the best in beef, cropping, dairy, horticulture, sheep and niche.

Each category winner received $5000 with the overall Farmer of the Year collecting a further $10,000.

The campaign promoting The Weekly Times Coles Farmer of the Year has featured in print and online in The Weekly Times, FARM Magazine, Rural Weekly, Tasmanian Country and other rural and regional News Corp newspapers since August 2018.

Coles has been promoting the Award online, and in-store throughout rural and regional Australia.

The winners will be profiled in a special Farmer of the Year magazine, inserted in The Weekly Times on Wednesday, February 27 as well as Tasmanian Country and Rural Weekly on Friday March land in the Sunday Herald Sun, Sunday Telegraph, Sunday Mail (SA), Sunday Times and Sunday Mail (QLD) on Sunday, March 3.

Farmer of the Year winners

THE WINNERS FOR 2018

•The Weekly Times Coles 2018 Farmer of the Year and Sheep Farmer of the Year
Tom and Phoebe Bull, Lambpro, Holbrook NSW

• Beef Farmer of the Year
Ben and Wendy Mayne, Texas Angus, Warialda NSW

• Cropping Farmer of the Year
Kahl Family, Merced Farming, Wee Waa NSW

• Dairy Farmer of the Year
Clint Theodore and Brooke Lane, Alvie VIC

• FARM Magazine Innovative Farmer of the Year
Anita Watt, Glenelg River Herbs, Balmoral VIC

• Horticulture Farmer of the Year
Scurr Family, Pinata Farms, Wamuran QLD

Top Photo: Penny Fowler with Ed Gannon (left) and Greg Davis from Coles

TV Demand: The Umbrella Academy opens up at #1 Digital Original

The new Netflix series The Umbrella Academy has opened up at #1 on the Digital Original TV Demand charts in Australia and New Zealand

The 10-episode series was developed from the comic book series of the same name.

Also new to the chart this week is the DC Comics series Doom Patrol and the second season of The Dragon Prince which was available on Netflix mid-February.

On the Overall TV charts, Game Of Thrones remains firmly in top spot as a brief glimpse of the final season was made available yesterday in an HBO trailer.

Returning to this chart in Australia is Gotham (part-way through season five) and The Flash with two episodes left in season five.

Box Office: Just two Oscar winners still writing good business in top 10

After many months of hype the Oscars have come and gone with just two of the major winners still in the top 10.

Those movies were Green Book at #3 this week and the unstoppable Bohemian Rhapsody, sitting at #10 and now the sixth biggest ever box office hit in Australia. Between them these two movies have grossed over $60m.

The total haul from the top 20 movies dipped 27% this week to just and handful of dollars over $9m which is a new low for 2019 and one that distributors and exhibitors will be hoping isn’t reached too many times during the year.

#1 Alita: Battle Angel $2.31m

After opening at #1 last week the movie has held in top spot in the absence of any blockbuster business this week. The movie remained on 453 screens with its screen average down from $8,351 to $5,111 week-on-week which equated to a drop of 39%. Total gross to-date is $7.35m.

 

#2 What Men Want $1.15m

This opened a week ago too and also dipped just under 40%. It also held on the same number of screens from a week ago – 258. Screen average was $4,492 with a total earn so far of $3,904.

 

#3 Green Book $912,000

The Oscar winner for Best Picture might see a few more venturing into cinemas, which could help lift its gross above $8.85m after five weeks. Not that there was anything wrong with business this weekend with a lift of 3% on the previous weekend. Screens showing the film lifted from 293 to 308 with a screen average just under $3,000.

 

#4 Stan And Ollie $751,000

The sole new release to open wide on the weekend was the biopic of the great movie duo. Starring John C Reilly and Steve Coogan, the film opened on 202 screens with a screen average of $2,859.

 

#5 Escape Room $524,000

The horror movie continues to scare enough victims to remain in the top five for a third week. Business was down 31% as the movie was steady on 200 screens which meant a screen average of $2,596 and a gross to-date of $3.15m.

 

TV Ratings Analysis: February 25

• MAFS tumbles: 1.29m means ‘only’ 500k ahead of competition
• MKR up week-on-week, but still a long way behind the leader
• 10 splits Dancing with the Stars: Regular episode down 20%
• Academy Awards pull decent daytime crowd for Nine, 9Now

Monday: Week 9 2019

By James Manning

FTA TV news/current affairs

• Seven News 986,000/956,000
• Nine News 929,000/944,000
• A Current Affair 883,000
• ABC News 778,000
• 7.30 579,000
• The Project 269,000/448,000
• 10 News First 404,000
• SBS World News 110,000

Breakfast TV

• Sunrise 287,000
• Today 200,000

Seven

Home And Away started its week up over 642,000 after a return to the slot last week with an average audience of 586,000.

Strangers Milly and Karolina cooked for the first time in Milly’s Melbourne apartment on My Kitchen Rules. They were in trouble immediately with just 3 out of 20 for entrée but later recovered with scores of 7 and above for the remaining courses. The Monday MKR episode was up from 709,000 a week ago to 764,000 last night.

Instant Hotel needs more guests with 276,000 last night after 287,000 a week ago.

Nine

Detective Inspector Jon Rouse was a guest on A Current Affair special event with advice on how to protect children at home and on their devices. The episode did 883,000 after a week 8 average of 742,000.

Married At First Sight might have been down over 350,000 from the Sunday numbers, but it was still way ahead of anything else on offer. The Monday audience of 1.293m was up on 1.208m a week ago. The episode saw two new couples meet and then marry.

The second episode of Bad Mothers saw a good crowd of 644,000 after the drama launched with 642,000 a week ago.

Earlier in the day the 91st Academy Awards drew a lunchtime audience of 333,000 on Nine. A repeat screening in the evening on 9Gem then did 122,000.

10

Monday share was down 12.9% to 11.1% week-on-week as some of the original Dancing With The Stars audience drifted away for week two. Miguel Maestre won’t be back for week three after becoming the first elimination from the series. 10 has split the episodes into two parts for the ratings report. The first part of last night was on 498,000, which is down close to 20% from the launch episode of 615,000. However the audience watching the Elimination segment was 588,000, much closer to last week’s crowd.

Earlier in the night The Project featured 10’s Angela Bishop covering The Oscars and Kate Miller-Heidke talking about her forthcoming Eurovision performance. The Monday episode did 448,000 after 7pm after a week 8 average of 377,000.

ABC

Prime Minister Scott Morrison was a guest (pre-recorded not live) on 7.30 as host Leigh Sales drilled him about climate change. The episode did 579,000 after a week 8 average of 583,000.

Australian Story then did 594,000 followed by Four Corners on 514,000. Most of that audience stayed for Media Watch on 508,000.

Q&A then did 429,000.

SBS

The premiere of The Kennedys: The Power Of Wealth launched with 196,000.

A repeat of Michael Mosley: Guts then did 133,000. The numbers then lifted to 152,000 for a repeat episode of 24 Hours In Emergency.

Week 9 TV: Monday
MONDAY METRO
ABCSevenNine10SBS
ABC14.6%718.0%925.2%10 11.1%SBS One4.0%
ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY2.1%7TWO3.9%GO!3.4%10 Bold3.4%VICELAND0.9%
ABC ME0.5%7mate3.2%GEM3.2%10 Peach1.9%Food Net0.9%
ABC NEWS0.9%7flix1.1%9Life1.2%  NITV0.1%
  7Food0.3%      
TOTAL18.1% 26.5% 32.9% 16.5% 5.9%

 

MONDAY REGIONAL
ABCSeven AffiliatesNine Affiliates10 AffiliatesSBS
ABC14.3%720.2%919.5%WIN9.4%SBS One3.3%
ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY2.3%7TWO5.5%GO!5.2%WIN Bold3.2%VICELAND1.6%
ABC ME0.8%7mate4.0%GEM2.6%WIN Peach1.9%Food Net0.8%
ABC NEWS1.2%7flix1.6%9Life1.6%Sky News  on WIN0.9%NITV0.1%
TOTAL18.6% 31.30% 28.9% 15.4% 5.8%

 

MONDAY METRO ALL TV
FTASTV
88.5%11.5%
Monday FTA
  1. Married At First Sight Nine 1,293,000
  2. Seven News Seven 986,000
  3. Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 956,000
  4. Nine News 6:30 Nine 944,000
  5. Nine News Nine 929,000
  6. A Current Affair Nine 883,000
  7. ABC News ABC 778,000
  8. My Kitchen Rules Seven 764,000
  9. Bad Mothers Nine 644,000
  10. Home And Away Seven 642,000
  11. Australian Story ABC 594,000
  12. Dancing With The Stars Elimination 10 588,000
  13. 7.30 ABC 579,000
  14. The Chase Australia Seven 560,000
  15. Four Corners ABC 514,000
  16. Media Watch ABC 508,000
  17. Dancing With The Stars 10 498,000
  18. Hot Seat Nine 484,000
  19. The Project 7pm 10 448,000
  20. Q&A-Le ABC 429,000
Demo Top 5

16-39 Top Five

  1. Married At First Sight Nine 427,000
  2. Bad Mothers Nine 182,000
  3. My Kitchen Rules Seven 161,000
  4. Dancing With The Stars Elimination 10 144,000
  5. A Current Affair Nine 135,000

 

18-49 Top Five

  1. Married At First Sight Nine 664,000
  2. Bad Mothers Nine 320,000
  3. My Kitchen Rules Seven 275,000
  4. A Current Affair Nine 254,000
  5. Nine News 6:30 Nine 236,000

 

25-54 Top Five

  1. Married At First Sight Nine 693,000
  2. Bad Mothers Nine 358,000
  3. A Current Affair Nine 311,000
  4. My Kitchen Rules Seven 306,000
  5. Nine News 6:30 Nine 289,000
Monday Multichannel
  1. Lewis PM 7TWO 169,000
  2. Peppa Pig PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 155,000
  3. Doc Martin PM 7TWO 154,000
  4. Bluey PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 151,000
  5. Peter Rabbit ABCKIDS/COMEDY 146,000
  6. Rusty Rivets ABCKIDS/COMEDY 144,000
  7. Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom ABCKIDS/COMEDY 140,000
  8. Go Jetters PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 139,000
  9. The Big Bang Theory Tx3 9GO! 138,000
  10. NCIS (R) 10 Bold 137,000
  11. Bondi Rescue Ep 2 (R) 10 Bold 137,000
  12. Octonauts ABCKIDS/COMEDY 135,000
  13. The Big Bang Theory Tx2 9GO! 132,000
  14. M- Taken 2 PM 7mate 129,000
  15. Dino Dana ABCKIDS/COMEDY 129,000
  16. Peppa Pig AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 128,000
  17. Pj Masks PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 124,000
  18. The 91st Annual Academy Awards – (R) 9Gem 122,000
  19. Luo Bao Bei AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 122,000
  20. Noddy Toyland Detective PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 121,000
Monday STV
  1. Family Guy FOX8 57,000
  2. Family Guy FOX8 43,000
  3. NCIS TVH!TS 42,000
  4. The Bolt Report Sky News Live 41,000
  5. Paul Murray Live Sky News Live 40,000
  6. Bones TVH!TS 40,000
  7. The Simpsons FOX8 36,000
  8. Criminal Minds TVH!TS 35,000
  9. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation TVH!TS 33,000
  10. PML Later Sky News Live 33,000
  11. Criminal Minds TVH!TS 32,000
  12. Credlin Sky News Live 31,000
  13. Criminal Minds TVH!TS 30,000
  14. The Walking Dead FOX SHOWCASE 30,000
  15. The Simpsons FOX8 29,000
  16. Hawaii Five-0 TVH!TS 29,000
  17. CSI: Miami TVH!TS 28,000
  18. Twenty20: India V Australia Game 1 FOX CRICKET 27,000
  19. True Detective FOX SHOWCASE 26,000
  20. Peppa Pig Nick Jr. 26,000

Shares all people, 6pm-midnight, Overnight (Live and AsLive), Audience numbers FTA metro, Sub TV national
Source: OzTAM and Regional TAM 2018. The Data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) without the prior written consent of OzTAM

Media News Roundup

Business of Media

‘Huge task’: Marina Go, David Leckie support Ita Buttrose for ABC

Is Ita Buttrose the right person to chair one of the nation’s most historic and politically sensitive media organisations? Asks The Sydney Morning Herald’s John McDuling.

That was the question on the lips of just about everyone in media on Monday after The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age broke the news that Buttrose would be put forward by Prime Minister Scott Morrison at a cabinet meeting in Sydney on Tuesday to fill the position vacated suddenly by Justin Milne.

“I think she’s fantastic,” says Marina Go, the former Dolly editor and Bauer Media executive who is the chair of the Wests Tigers rugby league club and describes Buttrose as a mentor. “When I first learnt of it, my immediate reaction was she would be a good appointment.”

“It’s a huge task,” says David Leckie, the former Packer-era TV boss of Nine, and later the Seven Network, who has crossed paths with Buttrose many times over the years. “But one that she is up to.”

[Read the original]

ABC can believe in Ita Buttrose, destined to be next ABC chair

“I’ve known Ita for a long time and I think she’s an extraordinary Australian,” the Prime Minister told ABC TV, all but confirming who its new chair will be, reports The Australian’s Jamie Walker.

“There have been few people more than Ita that I think have lifted the standards of journalism in this country and I think that says a lot about her character and ­abilities.”

She’s been inducted into no fewer than three media halls of fame, run newspapers, fought and reportedly loved Kerry Packer and fronted one of the most controversial public health initiatives in history, the Grim Reaper ad campaign on HIV-AIDS.

So at 77, when her main aim in life was supposedly to spend more time with the grandkids, why would she want the job of sorting out the national broadcaster?

And with her long and storied career in commercial print media, what will she bring to the role that became a poisoned chalice for her predecessor, Justin Milne, and the ousted managing director Michelle Guthrie?

[Read the original]

OMD Worldwide named Global Media Agency of the Year

OMD Worldwide has been named Global Media Agency of the Year by Adweek, he US media and advertising industry publication.

Last year, OMD won more than 300 pitches globally (the largest of all its competitors according to analysts R3), at the same time more than doubling their retention rate and improving client ratings four consecutive times throughout 2018. OMD also remained the most medalled agency at Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity.

From a local perspective, OMD said it is coming off the back of their best year ever, with a series of new business wins including Suncorp, Qantas Global, Belong, Activision and The Fork. OMD Australia was ranked #1 “Highest Billing Media Agency”, according to the latest RECMA Global Billings Ranking.

Most recently, OMD Australia has seen positive results and rankings in the latest Media i survey (October 2018: n 3,885).

Florian Adamski, global CEO of OMD said: “None of this would have been possible without the hard work, talent and adaptability of our people nor the trust placed in us by our clients and partners. I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved and look forward to building on this foundation in 2019 and beyond.”

Aimee Buchanan (pictured), CEO, OMD Australia added: “This accolade is a fantastic acknowledgement of the success we have seen locally over the last 12 months. We have really focused on our people, bolstering our product, maintaining our cultural leadership and continuing to drive sustainable growth. That momentum has put us in a great position at the start of the year and we look forward to it continuing throughout 2019.”

SA ad agency KWP! boosts offering via local PR acquisition

Prominent SA advertising agency KWP! has acquired a small local business as part of setting up its new corporate marketing and communications service, reports The Advertiser’s Valerina Changarathil.

KWP! has bought O’Rourke Public Relations, founded by Rebecca O’Rourke in 2007, for an undisclosed amount.

As part of the acquisition deal between the two parties, O’Rourke will take on the role of director of marketing and communications, heading up KWP!’s newest department.

“The pairing was the right fit for both parties and meant clients from both firms would now be able to access a full suite of services from the one agency,” KWP! chief executive David O’Loughlin said.

“We are in the business of working with great Australian brands and connecting them with their customers and communities, and what better way to take that to the next level than expanding our service offering with a dedicated Marketing and Communications offering,” he said.

The 1991-founded KWP! has seen a 20% year-on-year growth in the past three years and today employs 55 full-time staff at offices in Adelaide and Darwin.

While there have been setbacks, such as losing the SA Tourism contract in 2018, the agency has won work from Tourism NT alongside new clients in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

It has also been hired by the Federal Liberal party for its election campaign.

The new division, which also offers social media communications, will make KWP! the only agency of its kind in SA to have a dedicated team in this space, O’Rourke told The Advertiser.

[Read the original]

Media makes case for defamation overhaul ahead of legislation

The nation’s governments are considering whether the media industry’s key concerns should form part of a new national legislative scheme to be introduced next year, reports The Australian’s Chris Merritt.

Among changes being considered are moves that could stamp out forum shopping [picking a court most likely to provide a favourable judgment], improve key defences and restore effectiveness of a statutory cap on defamation payouts after it has been exceeded in high-profile cases.

These changes, suggested by a coalition of organisations in the media industry, are among issues up for debate in a discussion paper issued today by a working party commissioned by the Council of Attorneys-General.

[Read the original]

JCDecaux reveals new sales and marketing leadership teams

JCDecaux has announced its new sales and marketing leadership structure.

Following the acquisition of APN Outdoor in Australia and New Zealand in 2018, the new JCDecaux team will represent more than 40,000 advertising assets across five key product areas – Billboards, Street Furniture, Transit, Rail and Airports.

Max Eburne, Oliver Newton and Essie Wake

The sales team is led by Chief Commercial Officer Max Eburne and Chief Marketing Officer Essie Wake leads the marketing team.

Working closely with Eburne is General Manager – Sales, Oliver Newton, who takes responsibility for all agency, client and trading activities.

The team comprises 11 new roles including six state directors and five group roles.

The new sales directors are:

New South Wales – John Harris (previously State Sales Manager at JCDecaux)

Victoria – Daniel McConochie (previously Victoria Sales Director at APN)

Queensland – Chris Perera (previously Queensland Sales Director at APN)

Western Australia – Phil Dada (previously WA Sales Director at APN)

South Australia – Russell Bilsborow (previously SA Sales Director at APN)

National Direct & Independent Agencies – David Pullinger (previously NSW Sales Director at APN).

The other sales and marketing leadership team includes:

Cristina Smart – Head of Data Innovation & Audience Insight, who oversees the expanding national Insights team for strategic sales support, and manages a team of data analysts with a firm eye on future data innovation and development.

Ashley Taylor – Head of Creative Solutions, who leads the expanded Creative Solutions team to deliver inspiring and award-winning creative executions for advertisers.

Cassandra Cameron – Head of Trading and Sales Operations – who leads an expanded JCDecaux Trading team responsible for the management, optimisation and transactions of JCDecaux inventory, as well as providing commercial insights, revenue analytics and modelling.

Lucinda Milton – Business Director ANZ – JCDecaux Airports – who leads a dedicated JCDecaux Airports team focused on engaging domestic and international brands across the premier airports of Australia and New Zealand.

Marie Norman – Head of Product and Brand Marketing – who leads a newly created team of product marketing specialists and is also responsible for brand strategy and creative services.

All appointments are effective immediately.

Top Photo: Max Eburne, Oliver Newton and Essie Wake

News Brands

ABC appoints news veteran to replace retiring Alan Sunderland

Craig McMurtrie (pictured), one of the ABC’s most experienced journalists and senior news executives, has been appointed as editorial director of the ABC.

McMurtrie takes over from Alan Sunderland, who is retiring after a long and distinguished career with the national public broadcaster.

Acting ABC managing director David Anderson paid tribute to Sunderland and welcomed McMurtrie to the crucial role.

“We’ve been incredibly fortunate to have a person of the calibre of Alan Sunderland holding this position at the ABC in recent years,” Anderson said.

“I’m delighted to announce as his successor Craig McMurtrie, a distinguished journalist and one of the ABC’s most respected editorial leaders.”

McMurtrie said: “The ABC’s role as Australia’s trusted national voice is more vital than ever, and it’s an honour and also humbling to be given such a responsibility.

“My most important task is to support and defend fearless, independent public interest journalism and conversations, and freedom of expression, as well as ensuring all ABC output is consistent with our high editorial standards.”

McMurtrie, 56, has been a journalist for almost four decades, starting as a cadet on Radio New Zealand in 1980.

He has worked for the ABC since 1991, with his roles including daily news and current affairs reporting based in Sydney and two stints in the Canberra Press Gallery, with more than five years as Parliament House Bureau Chief.

He spent almost a decade as the ABC’s US correspondent and Washington bureau chief, with major assignments including reporting from New York in the aftermath of the September 11 terror attacks and in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake.

Since 2012 he has been a senior member of the ABC News leadership team, most recently as deputy director and executive editor.

Cartoonist vows more serves as Serena sketch judged not racist

Herald Sun cartoonist Mark Knight greeted yesterday’s Press Council adjudication with a sigh of relief and a vow of determination, reports The Australian’s Remy Varga.

“I love what I do and I think it would be a shame if cartooning in general was stymied by these sort of viral outbreaks in social media,” he said. “I vow to continue to do what I do and to continue cartooning.”

What started as a cartoon of tennis superstar Serena Williams spitting the dummy, published in the Melbourne newspaper, became a global tantrum as social media was flooded with accusations of racism and sexism against Knight. International audiences saw the Knight cartoon of one of the world’s greatest sportswomen through a lens coloured by legacies of slavery and segregation.

The Australian Press Council ruled yesterday that the cartoon did not breach media standards.

“The council considers that the cartoon uses exaggeration and absurdity to make its point but accepts the publisher’s claim that it does not depict Williams as an ape, rather showing her as ‘spitting the dummy’, a non-racist caricature familiar to most Australian readers.”

[Read the original]

Television

Filming underway on Komixx Entertainment 10-part series Itch

The ABC in association with Screen Australia as announced production has commenced in Albany, Western Australia, on Itch – a 10-part children’s live-action adventure series produced for ABC ME by independent film and TV producer Komixx Entertainment and distributed worldwide by ABC Commercial.

Directors Renée Webster (The Heights) and Nicholas Verso (Nowhere Boys, Boys in the Trees) lead a cast of relative newcomers, the majority of whom are from Perth. The cast includes Samuel Ireland, Melanie Wozniak, Charles Russell, Kylah Day, Harrison Popple, Henry Mendez and Keala Kern.

Filming will take place across Albany and the Great Southern Region of Western Australia, as well as Perth.

The Itch series is the TV adaptation of former BBC 2 Radio broadcaster Simon Mayo’s best-selling teen novel of the same name. It was developed for television by Komixx Entertainment’s head of development, Melanie Halsall and writer Dan Berlinka (The A List), who both hold series writing credits alongside Ron Elliott, Heather Wilson, Jessica Brookman and Roger Monk.

Producers are Amanda Morrison (The Art of Ian Strange), Tania Chambers (A Few Less Men) and Melanie Halsall. Jan Stradling is the ABC executive producer.

Sports Media

Owners must urgently address A-League’s TV slump: Wanderers

Western Sydney Wanderers chairman Paul Lederer admits club owners face an “urgent” task in halting an alarming decline in television ratings and bringing excitement back to the A-League as they seek to take control of the ailing competition, reports The Sydney Morning Herald’s Vince Rugari.

Crowds have held steady across the board this season, but ratings figures on Fox Sports continue to nosedive and the pay TV operator’s appetite for domestic football appears to be waning.

Fox’s attempt to withhold a $5 million increase to the A-League’s broadcast deal by arguing incoming expansion team Western United are not based in Melbourne – as well as their opposition to a longer 30-round season – suggest the competition is skating on thin ice.

There have also been fears that Fox could use the A-League’s pending split from Football Federation Australia as a trigger to renegotiate – or, in what would be a doomsday scenario for the sport, tear up – the $58 million-per-year agreement which effectively covers the salary cap and expires in 2023.

[Read the original]

Channel 9 reject Seven trade offer to swap Ashes for Wimbledon

Channel 9 may be the new home of tennis but it still believes two Wimbledons are not as precious as the Ashes, reports News Corp’s Ben Horne.

In an intriguing twist to last year’s sensational transformation of the summer TV rights landscape, Channel 7 has failed in a bid to trade with rivals Nine for the expected ratings bonanza that will be Steve Smith and David Warner’s return to Test cricket on August 1 from Edgbaston.

The Daily Telegraph reports Seven offered Nine the 2019 and 2020 Wimbledon Championships in exchange for the right to broadcast the Ashes exclusively, but the attempted swap deal was flatly rejected.

Nine won’t send their own commentary team to England for the World Cup and Ashes and will instead take the international feed from Star Sports for the World Cup and Sky for the Ashes.

Channel 7 were keen to go all-in on cricket after securing the free-to-air rights for the next six home summers, but Nine didn’t feel Wimbledon held enough value.

Nine will also broadcast next year’s World Twenty20 tournament to be staged on Australian soil.

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