Mediaweek’s Andrew Mercado and James Manning talk about TEN’s August programming initiative and they look at each of the projects and assess commercial potential. Also this week they talk about Patrick Melrose, Pointless, War On Waste, Dead Lucky, Killing Eve, The Block and Rake.

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By James Manning

But before he got time to settle back in to his seldom-used Sydney home, he was off again, this time to Perth where he spent time with Katy Perry as she starts her Australian tour.

Smallzy with Katy Perry

The Katy Perry exclusive radio interview will be packaged into an hour special to run across the Nova network tonight. After his audience with Perry, Smallzy said: “It was great to go backstage and hang out with Katy before her first show. I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing her a number of times over the years and she’s as gracious today as she was the first time we met.”

The Red Room USA tour was originally planned as a return trip to Los Angeles. But when Grande couldn’t meet them in Los Angeles because of a schedule change, a New York leg was added to spend time with the diminutive pop star.

“No one ever complained about having to go to New York for a couple of days,” Smallzy told Mediaweek.

Mendes performed for the Nova tour party in Los Angeles with a full band of 12. The gig took place inside the legendary Village Studios, which have been home to artists the calibre of veterans from Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones, B. B. King and Bob Dylan to younger artists like Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Taylor Swift and John Mayer.

“You name a classic album and the chances are it was recorded there,” said Smallzy. “It seems as if everyone has been through there. We were in their main studio with high ceiling and timber floors. They had magnificent red curtains hanging in there too, which was perfect for the Red Room.

…

Radio ratings champion

As of survey four 2018, Smallzy and his executive producer Zach La Cava have won 39 consecutive surveys as the #1 national FM evening show. It’s the longest consecutive run for an FM program currently on air – either in a local metro market or nationally.

Smallzy didn’t want to predict he will win the next survey too and possibly jinx five years of survey wins, which should happen after the results of survey five 2018 are released.

While Smallzy ranks #1 nationally, he noted the challenges that come with that – he doesn’t have the chance to be hyper local and tap into what is happening in any one of the metro markets he broadcasts to.

Smallzy’s Surgery airs in a challenging timeslot (7pm-10pm) given the number of other attractions for people during what is also TV’s primetime.

“You are constantly under pressure at the younger end and it is a daypart whose audience has traditionally had its finger on the pulse more than others. It is humbling to be close to having those people making us #1 for five years.”

As to what might happen if he does go 40 wins in a row, Smallzy wondered if he’d get a gold watch. “If anyone at work is reading this, I like Rolex – it’s a good brand.” [Laughs]

—

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

Sponsored by executive chairman of News Corp Australasia, Michael Miller, and led by general manager of mergers & acquisitions and strategy Richard Skimin, News Bolt aims to harness the creativity, innovation and imagination of its employees to drive future success.

Michael Miller said: “Creativity, bold thinking, and innovation are deep within the heart of News Corp, and cultivating them is what this program is all about. With a history of entrepreneurialism, taking risks and innovating for success, we believe in thinking creatively, and challenging the status quo.

“Our people are the key to our future success. Our leadership, our talent and increasing collaboration are exciting, as they are facilitating innovative thinking from a passionate team of people.

“We are working in exciting times in our industry and in our business, a time of enormous opportunity and potential. We do what no other company in Australia can do and we will continue to invest in our company, to innovate and push the boundaries of what we think we know and what we think we can do.

“We are committed to working smarter, to growing our businesses now and into the future, through creative collaboration and reinvention.”

Ben Hutt, chief program director of Slingshot Accelerator, said: “We are delighted to be working with News Corp, a company that has always been a leader and innovator.

“News Bolt is designed to create real, long-lasting impacts on News Corp’s operations, far beyond simply finding new, smarter tech. It’s about facilitating growth through big ideas and potential new business ventures by gaining access to and collaborating with an entrepreneurial community.

“It’s also about re-energising the creativity and inspiration within News Corp’s talent pool, drawing out ideas and solutions and, in doing so, helping people rediscover their passion for what they do and what News Corp stands for.”

Working with Slingshot and the next generation of entrepreneurs, News Corp aims to harness the agility and innovation of startups to drive commercial outcomes at pace and at scale.

In relentless pursuit of the next big ideas, News Corp will be utilising Town Halls, showcases, “innovation sprints”, workshops, mentoring and pitch days to select the top ideas for acceleration through to a disruptive startup, entrepreneurial environment to produce working prototypes.

These validated prototypes will be presented by Michael Miller and the winning employees to the News Corporation board in New York later this year, for endorsement.

While News Bolt is an internal program, external mentors and startups will be engaged around the country, to inspire and guide News Corp applicants in how to think and how to work like an entrepreneur.

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Top photo: Ben Hutt from Slingshot, Michael Wilkins and Alex Plummer at the launch of News Bolt

The core cast for the series will return in the new season: Rodger Corser (Hugh), Nicole da Silva (Charlie), Steve Bisley (Jim), Ryan Johnson (Matt), Tina Bursill (Meryl), Hayley McElhinney (Penny), Matt Castley (Ajax), Chloe Bayliss (Hayley), Charles Wu (Ken), Belinda Bromilow (Betty) and Brittany Clark (Mia).

The guest stars for season three are Vince Colosimo (Underbelly, Schapelle), who will play Charlie da Silva’s long-lost father, TV Week Logie Award-winning actor Miranda Tapsell (Love Child, The Sapphires), who will play an old school friend of the Knight brothers, as well as Don Hany (Underbelly, East West 101, Offspring), Andrea Demetriades (Crownies, Janet King, Pulse) and Matt Okine (The Other Guy).

Doctor Doctor was filmed in Sydney and country NSW and is produced by Easy Tiger Productions for Nine, with the assistance of Create NSW and Screen Australia.

He takes on direct responsibility for helping clients with digital centric strategies, end-to-end content marketing, media partnerships, investments, operations and measurement.

Lee has been promoted from his role as head of digital at Initiative Melbourne and has 14 years’ experience in media working across all major categories. Prior to joining Initiative he was a co-founder of the ASX-listed influencer agency Nuffnang, where he pioneered the first influencer campaigns that created the basis of today’s marketplace for influencers and brands.

Nick Durrant, Initiative Australia’s chief partnerships and investment officer, said Lee is already well known in the industry for his strong business acumen and focus in delivering measured and proven results for clients.

“David has great skills and experience in driving everyday digital, including product quality, innovation, market-leading media partner relationships and engagement,” said Durrant. “His remit now also covers native content, dynamic creative optimisation and the overall quality of digital work leaving Initiative.”

Lee said, “I feel privileged to be part of Initiative that has been growing strength-to-strength in Australia and I am excited to lead our digital partnerships nationally.

“As digital become ubiquitous in all media, it’s even more critical that we help clients form the right partnerships that unlocks value and growth in their business. Fragmentation, viewability and measurement continues to be industry challenges and it is important we help clients demand quality and results from our digital partners.

“I have a passion and strong belief in the strength of our digital capabilities and I look forward to building our next phase of growth in my new role.”

In addition to his Initiative role, Lee is an advisory board member at Channel 31, Victoria’s community TV network, and VidCon, the world’s largest conference for content creators.

He is currently completing an Executive MBA at Melbourne Business School.

By James Manning

Seven

Home and Away was again locked in just over 700,000 for the second time this week.

House Rules ended its penultimate week with more tears when the home reno was unveiled as Johanna Griggs showed home owner Chelsea around her property. The grand finalists were then announced with dairy farmers Toad & Mandy and competitive couple Mel & Dave in one final challenge. The Tuesday episode did 824,000.

Andrew Denton with Troy Sivan

Andrew Denton’s Interview then did 407,000 after 445,000 a week ago.

Nine

A Current Affair was on 771,000 after 828,000 on Monday with a feature on women and heart attack risks.

The penultimate week of Australian Ninja Warrior has wrapped with Grand Finale week commencing next Sunday. The year-on-year comparison for week three is:

2017 1.75m – 1.54m – 1.58m

2018 939,000 – 888,000 – 778,000

TEN

The second night of TEN’s new 6pm show Pointless was on 378,000 after launching with 493,000.

That is still above, but getting closer to, Family Feud’s final week average of 303,000.

The Project then did 303,000 at 6.30pm and then 534,000. Co-host Carrie Bickmore was in Perth yesterday with Katy Perry with the interview to air tonight, just 30 minutes after Nova starts its Katy Perry special with Smallzy.

MasterChef then featured challenges for the final four to determine who could get an advantage ahead of the Grand Final next week. No wonder they didn’t reveal what the advantage was until the end of the show. It could have been safe passage to the final three. But kudos to Ben who didn’t look disappointed when the judges revealed last night’s winner would merely be able to choose a dish for tonight’s group challenge. The Tuesday episode performed well, winning its slot all people and in demos with 876,000 after 821,000 on Tuesday last week.

Shark Tank then followed with 446,000 with the deals including an unrealistic business valuation and offers for investments in an ice cream company and a hair volumising business.

ABC

After 8pm Foreign Correspondent did 431,000.

Craig Reucassel

The return of War On Waste, now made by Lune Media, was as compelling as the first season and it won its timeslot with 669,000. Host Craig Reucassel was surrounded by waste throughout the program as consumers and businesses were confronted with what they discard every day.

SBS

A repeat of the Rachel Griffiths episode of Who Do You Think You Are? had an audience of 258,000 just the day before she stars in the new SBS drama Dead Lucky.

An Insight repeat on women who are drinking more did 171,000.

Stage 16 of the Tour de France was on 192,000.