Wednesday June 12, 2019
Harley Breen on Taboo: Logie-nominated pilot turns into a series
By James Manning
“I believe it when the money is in my pocket,” comedian and host Harley Breen told Mediaweek. “There is always lots of chatter around this sort of thing. I have been going 19 years in this business, when my name is signed on the dotted line I will know I’m into it.”
When Mediaweek suggested there can be a lot of backslapping in media, Breen agreed, adding, “There is a lot of bullshit.” [Laughs]
He singled out radio as being #1 on the bullshit detector. “Television isn’t quite so bad.”
Breen said the format for the three-episode first season of Taboo will be familiar for audiences who saw Pilot Week.
“I have seen episodes one and two and they follow a very similar structure, which I think is great. You see the documentary, you see the story and you get the personal information and then all of a sudden there is me doing stand-up on stage.”
Taboo is made for 10 by Lune Media, Leonie Lowe’s Sydney-based production company. The host has high praise for the team on the show. “It is perhaps a cliché to say they are the best group of people…but I have never been involved in anything that has been as collaborative and as trusting. Everyone on the production is trusted to do their job and they do it. That includes me as the host doing stand-up. They didn’t put their heads in or mix it up with their opinions, they let me do what I do. The same went for executive producer Jodi Boylan and the editors etc. They are a great company.”
Breen has co-hosted breakfast radio, 12 months at 2Day FM, and is now hosting a primetime program. As to what is more valuable on a performer’s CV, Breen said: “They both have value for different reasons. Being able to do breakfast radio, even though I only did it for a year, shows I can turn up for walk at the coalface, so to speak. And it is a pretty well paid coalface.
“For me creatively they don’t really compare at all. On breakfast radio I was the sidekick [alongside Em Rusciano] and not the star. On Taboo I’m the host, but I’m also not the star because the stars are the participants. However creatively it is very me and it really lends itself to what I do in stand-up.”
Breen said he gets to spend time with the Taboo participants off camera. “In the house we rented for the ‘holiday’ I didn’t really have my own private room. The production company wanted to put me in a hotel down the road. I protested, as an important part of the show is how we bond and get along. That was for the racism episode and it was more important than the other episodes that I gained their trust as quickly as possible.
“A lot of the bullshit they had suffered in their lives was from people who look like me. I really needed to be in the house when the cameras had gone so we could be real people with each other.”
Since the Taboo pilot went to air, Breen said there had been a small commercial impact for him. “It is difficult to gauge. The vast majority of the people who did see it fortunately seemed to love it. It didn’t really have massive numbers on the night it was screened. But it went from a pilot, to a series and also a Logie nomination for the pilot which is an amazing turn of events.”
Breen is wary of getting too excited about proposed projects as he’s been stung before. “There’s almost an endless list,” he confided. “When I was very young I auditioned from WAAPA and I thought I had got in, but then I just missed out.
“A year later I auditioned for Universal Studios in Osaka and had signed the contracts, but didn’t end up going.” He said it comes with the business almost and is why he is a touch cynical until cash is changing hands.
“Early in my career I was more focused on acting then I am now. My acting mentor said to me, ‘Your job as an actor is to audition.’ It was a very stark reality for me that you just turn up and keep auditioning.”
Breen said he is hoping for another season of Taboo. “Next I will also focus on what I love most which is live stand-up.”
Comedy is a very competitive space these days, Breen noted.
“In the days when I started there was an old guard of comedy feeling like there was a few too many people turning up. And now…
“Comedy has gone from being quite a fringe, almost underground kind of entertainment, to be very mainstream. The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is the biggest arts event in the country.”
While noting comedy is competitive, Breen added: “We’re not in a race. I am on my own. This is my own career, and you have to try and make it work for yourself the best you can.”
PwC Entertainment & Media 2019: How will companies drive growth?
Advertising spending is set to reach $23 billion by 2023, at a steady compound annual growth rate of 7.8%.
But while this seems like good news for the sector, PwC notes companies can no longer rely on past success to grow their businesses.
“Media companies won’t find growth by applying their old models,” Justin Papps, PwC Australia partner and Entertainment & Media Outlook editor told Mediaweek.
“They’ve got to find new ways to drive growth and I think in each of the sectors we’ve looked at, they’ve actually started to look for how they’re going to change the model to start to capture some of it.
“If you think about the macroeconomic circumstances you’ve almost got to over deliver on a value proposition to get customers to spend. Whether it’s streaming products, whether it’s audio or video. In effect you are dealing with two of the most finite things people have got: time and money.”
When it comes to over-delivering on value, no one does it better than Netflix.
“Customers only get so much time and money to spend, so the value proposition has got to be really strong for them to decide that is where they are going to spend their time and money. But you can’t think that out-Netflixing Netflix is a way that you’re going to drive growth.
“You actually have got to think of something a bit different to that. Hat might be specialising like Kayo, getting their pricing right, getting their value proposition right. We know what Kayo is going after, what they are about rather than trying to be everything to everybody.”
Papps also mentioned radio as a survivor by being a companion media.
“If you look at how they’re using podcasts for both catch up and extended-form content, it’s a really good example of going broader with their offering.
“Unlike many other sectors where the traditional broadcast mediums have suffered cannibalisation at the hands of new digital distribution methods, the terrestrial radio industry has shown that a strong traditional, and growing digital revenue stream can coexist.”
Advertising spending is set to reach $23 billion by 2023, at a steady compound annual growth rate of 7.8%. Internet advertising and subscription TV continue to capture an increasing share of ad spend from free-to-air (FTA) television, newspapers and consumer magazines in particular.
Advertising revenue in advertising supported video-on-demand and, in particular, broadcaster video-on-demand (BVOD) is expected to grow strongly over the next five years. This will be driven by greater penetration of smart televisions with OTT television capability embedded, as well as other internet enabled hardware devices. Software developments are an additional driver, with free-to-air networks investing in platform user experience.
“With cost pressures on Australian households increasing, we expect the current growth of broadcaster video-on-demand (BVOD) services to continue, leveraging the willingness of consumers to pay with their time by consuming brand advertising in exchange for content,” Papps said.
Tomorrow and Friday in Mediaweek:
PwC’s Justin Papps gives Mediaweek insights to the challenges facing each media sector.
Sony Music Entertainment Australia relocates Melbourne office
Sony Music Entertainment Australia has relocated to new premises in Melbourne that are right in the heart of the music and creative hub of Richmond.
As part of the company’s commitment to Melbourne’s vibrant music industry, as well as the opportunity to provide Sony Music artists and label partners with creative opportunities, the premises features a newly built studio and writing room.
Studio and writing room
There is also a standalone space to create and film social media content, which the company amplifies through its content division, The SGO Group (which stands for “Let’s Go”).
The space will also be used to develop podcasts and online video content series.
Creative content filming space
With ample meeting room space, Sony Music said the new office is a unique home where artists, managers, media, retail, partners and staff can come together and collaborate.
At a special event to officially open the premises, Denis Handlin, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Australia & New Zealand and President, Asia, Sony Music Entertainment Australia, said:
“Sony Music is incredibly committed to the Melbourne market and we have always recognised the importance of the Melbourne music industry, artists and business partners. With these new premises, there will be far more creative opportunities coming out of our company in this city. We wanted to create a special environment for our artists and label partners to feel comfortable and we are excited to put our new studio and creative content space to full use.”
Common area
Sony Music has a rich history and strong connection with the Melbourne music scene. Legends of the industry, Men At Work, John Farnham and Daryl Braithwaite are all from Melbourne, and Sony Music continues to invest in local artists, including recently signed and developed Melbourne artists Tash Sultana, Illy and Billy Davis. The company has also recently welcomed new labels, 123 Music, Cooking Vinyl, Lemon Tree Music and Unified, all of which are based in Melbourne.
Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob makes surprise visit to Great Barrier Reef
Co-created by Nickelodeon Australia and non-for-profit Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef, Junior Citizens of the Reef provides kids’ with information about the Reef and ocean conservation in an entertaining and child-friendly format housed on an interactive online learning hub.
Joining SpongeBob on his adventure were fellow Junior Citizens, social influencers and passionate young reef ambassadors Alex Hayes (Sydney), Morgan Hipworth and Harvey Petito (Melbourne), who broadcasted their adventure to the Great Barrier Reef to their two million plus social followers.
Harvey Petito
Other ambassadors of the program include Olympic gold medal winner and Australian swimmer Mac Horton, world famous musician DJ Tigerlily and popular Australian YouTubers Georgia Productions and Sarah Jane Betts.
The concept for the initiative is underpinned by Nickelodeon’s 2018 global research study, Kids of the World, which identified “Protecting your country’s wildlife and nature” within the top five problems kids would like to fix, with 32% of Australian kids actively wanting to solve this global problem.
Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef is a social movement created by Earth Hour founder, Andy Ridley. Its mission is to protect and conserve the Great Barrier Reef, and all reefs around the world, by empowering people on its platform to come together to make a real, physical impact on the Great Barrier Reef.
Alex Hayes
As part of the campaign, Nickelodeon Australia has collaborated with Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef and Emmy award-winning marine film content producers, Biopixel, to develop an educational short-form content series Adventures of the SpongeBob Reef Squad, which features world-class 4K ocean cinematography. The seven part series takes a deep dive into the Great Barrier Reef, and uses the innate positivity and humour of SpongeBob to turn complex theory into a fun and engaging experience that captivates and empowers inquisitive young minds.
The locally developed Adventures of the SpongeBob Reef Squad series, launched on World Oceans Day, Saturday June 8 on Nickelodeon.
“SpongeBob SquarePants has been taking kids into the imaginary underwater world of Bikini Bottom for two decades, so it’s a natural fit for him to guide kids through the Great Barrier Reef and how they can help to protect it,” said Ben Cox, general manager and VP, Nickelodeon ANZ.
Marking its 20th anniversary this July, the global SpongeBob SquarePants franchise was originally conceptualised when its creator, the late Stephen Hillenburg, attempted to make his biology classes more interesting by producing an educational aid comic featuring Bob the Sponge who taught kids the importance of ocean conservation.
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Top Image: Alex Hayes and Harvey Petito with SpongeBob
Disney to premiere Ludo Studio’s Australian children’s hit globally
The animated kids series Bluey from Brisbane’s Ludo Studio is set to launch on a global stage as BBC Studios and Disney announce the first two series will premiere internationally on Disney Junior from late 2019 and the upcoming streaming service Disney+ in all territories outside Australia, New Zealand and Greater China including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
Australian company Moose Toys will be the global master toy partner.
Jane Gould, Senior Vice President, Consumer Insights and Programming Strategy, Disney Channels Worldwide said; “The power of family is a cornerstone of Disney storytelling, and the warmth and authenticity of Bluey’s family dynamic is what first captured our interest in the show. Bluey reminds us all of our own families, and it plays out the small but emotionally epic dramas of day-to-day life in surprising, heartfelt and very funny ways that will engage children and parents alike. We’re excited to introduce Bluey and her family to our audiences across the world on our multiple platforms.”
Charlie Aspinwall, Executive Producer for programme makers Ludo Studio said: “Dreams do come true. Partnering with Disney and Moose Toys is everything we hoped for Bluey and way more. We can’t wait for kids and families around the world to fall in love with this special show.”
Henrietta Hurford-Jones, Director of Children’s Content at BBC Studios said: ‘Bluey has bowled people over with its warmth, energy and humour. The way the show celebrates brilliantly observed moments of contemporary family life, role play and imagination has struck a chord with everyone who has watched the first series on the ABC and I can’t wait for Bluey and family to meet the rest of the world.”
Melbourne-based Moose Toys will be the global master toy partner for all territories excluding Asia. The first range of toys will launch in Australian stores in time for Christmas 2019 and will be available in the US and other regions in 2020.
Menal McGrath, Vice President, Global Licensing at Moose Toys, said: “The reception for Bluey in Australia has been phenomenal and we believe Bluey has what it takes to be a major hit in the pre-school aisle around the world. Bluey’s quirky and heart-warming stories align perfectly with Moose Toys’ core values to make kids happy.”
Dustin Lockett, Commercial Director, BBC Studios ANZ, “We are excited to be the lead market for Bluey globally and the partnership with Australian company Moose Toys is a perfect fit. Given the remarkable success of Bluey so far on screens the next step is to extend the brand off-air and the toy partnership is a key component of this and our broader licensing strategy.’
Created by Joe Brumm, Bluey follows the adventures of a lovable and inexhaustible six-year- old Blue Heeler puppy who lives with her dad, mum and four-year- old little sister, Bingo. In every episode, Bluey uses her limitless Blue Heeler energy to play elaborate games that unfold in unpredictable and hilarious ways bringing her family and the whole neighbourhood into her world of fun.
A smash hit with families, Bluey is the most watched series ever on ABC iview with over 90 million plays and is currently the #1 children’s series of 2019 on metro broadcast television in Australia.
Bluey is produced by the Emmy award-winning Ludo Studio for ABC Kids and is co-commissioned by ABC Children’s and BBC Studios. Both series received production support from the Australian Government through Screen Australia, and Queensland Government through Screen Queensland.
BBC Studios and ABC Children’s recently announced a second series commission for Bluey, due to make its television debut on ABC Kids and ABC Kids iview in 2020.
TV Guide: Season two of Bob returns on Fox Footy
The first episode features Australian music legend Paul Kelly and the program draws parallels between AFL and music, with the host delving deeper in to Kelly’s relationship with both.
Other celebrities Bob chats to in the second season include Sam Kerr, Jarryd Roughead, Tim Ross (Rosso), Luc Longley, Brendan Fevola and Sam Pang.
The director and producer of Bob is Mike Hirchfield.
During the Paul Kelly episode, the singer talks to Murphy about his relationship with footy and how he was originally a Melbourne supporter, but switched to the Adelaide Crows when they entered the competition. Kelly had his fare share of friends mocking him for switching teams.
He wanted to play footy as a youngster, with an eye on being a rover.
Kelly said sport has a role to play in shaping social issues, much like music does.
Murphy asks him about watching football in black and white versus the experience of watching the modern game.
Kelly says he is part of a “secret football society” and describes the other musicians involved as being part of “motley crew”.
He enjoys watching the Crows play, but Kelly admits to anxiety and he sometimes has to leave the room.
There is also much discussion about Kelly’s music in the season two start of Bob, with how music is not so much about blood, sweat and tears, with Kelly insisting he needs to invest time playing and “doodling”.
He recommends people study what they love. Kelly gets his biggest buzz from music and he talks about the way he writes music and lyrics and how he gets inspired by other songs.
A bad day as a performer can be like a football player having a bad game.
In the Sam Kerr episode, the Matilda’s captain discusses having natural ability versus working hard to improve your game.
In a discussion about motivation, Kerr says after being injured following the 2011 World Cup, for the first time she felt the drive to play.
“I needed an injury like that – I needed a kick up the butt.”
She also speaks to Murphy about sacrifices for the sport.
She speaks about a bad period for the family when she didn’t talk to her brother, superstar West Coast Eagle Daniel Kerr, for two years. Daniel has told her that’s what helped bring him back down to earth.
She also talks about Australia’s Women’s World Cup ambitions and how the team has never gone further than the quarter-finals in the past.
New episodes of Bob screen Tuesday nights. Episodes are then screened across the week on Fox Footy and are also available on via Foxtel On Demand.
Box Office: Aladdin is movie magic after being #1 for three weeks
By Trent Thomas
This week proved that not all Marvel movies are bulletproof after X-men: Dark Pheonix debuted in third spot on the weekend. However it still made $2.70m in its opening weekend as it marked the final X-men movie outside of the Marvel cinematic universe after Fox was purchased by Disney.
The film to drop out of the top five this week was Pokemon: Detective Pikachu which made $511,184 in its fifth week in theatres bringing its total to $13.70m. The other notable movie outside the top five is Avengers: Endgame which has brought its total to $82.74m after this weekend.
Overall, the Australian box office ended its streak of positive gains after declining by 10% making $16.01m with an average of $4,817 per screen.
#1 Aladdin $4.74m
Disney has breathed new life into a classic with the remake of the 1992 original proving to have long legs after making it to three consecutive weeks in the top spot. Being shown on the same amount of screens as last week (479) the film made an average of $9,903 per screen. So far the movie has made a total of $21.90m after three weeks.
#2 Rocketman $3.41m
Despite spending a second week in the number two spot, the Elton John biopic has brought its total to $10.50m, making an average of $6,548 on 521 screens (the most in Australia).
#3 X-Men: Dark Pheonix $2.70m
The only new entry to the top five this week, the latest superhero film to hit cinemas had a disappointing result debuting at number 3 despite cracking the $2m mark. This might be in part to being shown on 441 screens which is only the third highest total from the weekend, despite it being its first week in theatres. The film had a healthy average of $6,135 per screen.
#4 Godzilla: King of Monsters $1.32m
Despite a 50% decline in its second week the sequel to the 2014 Godzilla reboot has stayed in the top five and cracked $1m. The monster flick was shown on 100 fewer screens this weekend screening on 279 for an average of $4,739.
#5 John Wick: Chapter Three $1.13m
Four weeks in a row John Wick has been the least screened film in the top five but it continues to produce strong per-screen averages, this week generating $4,426.
TV Ratings Analysis: June 11
Tuesday Week 24 2019
By James Manning
• Seven News 1,176,000/1,086,000
• Nine News 1,003,000/977,000
• A Current Affair 837,000
• ABC News 665,000
• 7.30 501,000
• The Project 302,000/519,000
• 10 News First 424,000
• The Drum 187,000
• SBS World News 126,000
Breakfast TV
• Sunrise 278,000
• Today 211,000
Seven
After starting its week on 701,000, Home And Away dipped only slightly to 683,000.
The most shocking thing about The Super Switch turned out to be how few people wanted to watch the launch episode. The show did just 308,000 – in the timeslot last week House Rules was on 611,000.
That small audience didn’t do Andrew Denton: Interview any favours as a great guest like Michael Caine attracted 459,000, down from 520,000 last week.
Nine
A Current Affair had a second successive night over 800,000 with 837,000.
It was a tough night on The Voice with many more contestants dropping out in the second of The Knockout episodes. It seemed particularly harsh on some of the former contestants who had to suffer an early elimination for a second time. The episode was over 1m after 976,000 on Tuesday last week.
With just a handful of episodes left, The Big Bang Theory was on 638,000 after 573,000 last week.
10
Tessa managed to win a second immunity pin on MasterChef last night. The episode was on 655,000 and again performed well in the demos.
The Project featured domestic violence campaigner Rosie Batty, comedian Diana Nguyen and eliminated MasterChef contestant Walleed Rasheed. After 7pm the episode was over 500,000 for a second successive night.
Later in the evening Mr Black was on 319,000, just up on last week’s 309,000.
ABC
The Recording Studio did 265,000 followed by David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef on 214,000.
SBS
Who Do You Think You Are? jumped significantly week-on-week with Kerri-Anne Kennerley taking the audience from 308,000 a week ago to 393,000 last night.
Insight then did 280,000 followed by Dateline on 153,000.
Week 24 TV: Tuesday
| TUESDAY METRO | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Seven | Nine | 10 | SBS | |||||
| ABC | 8.9% | 7 | 17.0% | 9 | 24.9% | 10 | 12.5% | SBS One | 6.2% |
| ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY | 2.9% | 7TWO | 2.5% | GO! | 3.3% | 10 Bold | 3.5% | VICELAND | 2.0% |
| ABC ME | 0.6% | 7mate | 4.0% | GEM | 2.8% | 10 Peach | 2.5% | Food Net | 0.8% |
| ABC NEWS | 1.3% | 7flix | 1.4% | 9Life | 2.1% | NITV | 0.2% | ||
| 7Food | 0.6% | ||||||||
| TOTAL | 13.8% | 25.5% | 33.1% | 18.5% | 9.1% | ||||
| TUESDAY REGIONAL | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Seven Affiliates | Nine Affiliates | 10 Affiliates | SBS | |||||
| ABC | 9.2% | 7 | 16.7% | 9 | 19.1% | WIN | 9.9% | SBS One | 5.8% |
| ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY | 3.2% | 7TWO | 4.0% | GO! | 3.3% | WIN Bold | 3.6% | VICELAND | 2.0% |
| ABC ME | 1.2% | 7mate | 6.6% | GEM | 5.3% | WIN Peach | 2.2% | Food Net | 0.8% |
| ABC NEWS | 1.2% | 7flix (Excl. Tas/WA) | 1.7% | 9Life | 2.0% | Sky News on WIN | 1.6% | NITV | 0.2% |
| 7food (QLD only) | 0.6% | ||||||||
| TOTAL | 14.7% | 29.6% | 29.7% | 17.2% | 8.8% | ||||
Tuesday FTA
- Seven News Seven 1,176,000
- Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 1,086,000
- The Voice Nine 1,007,000
- Nine News Nine 1,003,000
- Nine News 6:30 Nine 977,000
- A Current Affair Nine 837,000
- Home And Away Seven 683,000
- ABC News ABC 665,000
- The Chase Australia Seven 659,000
- Masterchef Australia 10 655,000
- The Big Bang Theory Nine 638,000
- Hot Seat Nine 594,000
- The Project 7pm 10 519,000
- 7.30 ABC 501,000
- Andrew Denton: Interview Seven 459,000
- 10 News First 10 424,000
- The Chase Australia-5pm Seven 411,000
- The Big Bang Theory – (R) Nine 402,000
- Who Do You Think You Are? SBS 393,000
- Hot Seat -5pm Nine 336,000
Demo Top 5
16-39 Top Five
- Masterchef Australia 10 204,000
- The Voice Nine 185,000
- The Project 7pm 10 143,000
- The Big Bang Theory Nine 138,000
- Seven News Seven 133,000
18-49 Top Five
- The Voice Nine 384,000
- Masterchef Australia 10 318,000
- The Big Bang Theory Nine 279,000
- Nine News 6:30 Nine 255,000
- Nine News Nine 255,000
25-54 Top Five
- The Voice Nine 435,000
- Masterchef Australia 10 345,000
- The Big Bang Theory Nine 339,000
- Nine News 6:30 Nine 317,000
- Nine News Nine 312,000
Tuesday Multichannel
- Bluey AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 164,000
- Peppa Pig AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 158,000
- Peter Rabbit ABCKIDS/COMEDY 156,000
- Outback Truckers PM 7mate 155,000
- Dino Dana ABCKIDS/COMEDY 152,000
- Neighbours 10 Peach 150,000
- Death In Paradise 9Gem 147,000
- Rusty Rivets ABCKIDS/COMEDY 147,000
- Highway Patrol-Ep.2 Pm 7mate 147,000
- Andy’s Safari Adventures ABCKIDS/COMEDY 146,000
- School Of Roars PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 145,000
- Hey Duggee AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 141,000
- Peppa Pig PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 140,000
- Bluey ABCKIDS/COMEDY 139,000
- Floogals ABCKIDS/COMEDY 137,000
- Molly And Mack PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 136,000
- Bondi Rescue Ep 2 (R) 10 Bold 136,000
- NCIS (R) 10 Bold 133,000
- Octonauts KIDS/COMEDY 130,000
- Highway Patrol PM 7mate 128,000
Tuesday STV
- Wentworth FOX SHOWCASE 88,000
- Paul Murray Live Sky News Live 65,000
- Jones & Co Sky News Live 65,000
- Live: AFL 360 FOX FOOTY 55,000
- Live: NBA: Raptors V Warriors ESPN 53,000
- The Bolt Report Sky News Live 52,000
- Credlin Sky News Live 51,000
- Live: Sportscenter ESPN 51,000
- Live: The Back Page FOX SPORTS 503 48,000
- Live: NRL 360 FOX LEAGUE 46,000
- Peppa Pig Nick Jr. 44,000
- Paw Patrol Nick Jr. 40,000
- Selling Houses Australia Lifestyle Channel 40,000
- Guns Of The Magnificent Seven FOX Classics 39,000
- Blaze And The Monster Machines Nick Jr. 39,000
- Family Guy FOX8 37,000
- Family Guy FOX8 36,000
- Peppa Pig Nick Jr. 36,000
- Seinfeld 111 35,000
- Escape To The Country Lifestyle Channel 35,000
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
Amazon tops Apple to become the world’s most valuable brand
Technology companies have led BrandZ’s Top 100 ever since its first global brand value ranking in 2006, when Microsoft took the top spot. Rising in brand value by an impressive 52% year-on-year to US$315.5 billion, Amazon moves ahead of Apple (no.2, $309.5 billion) and Google (no.3, $309 billion) which both rose by a modest +3% and +2% respectively, to end the technology giants’ 12-year dominance.
In the Top 10, Facebook remained at no.6 while, for the first time, Alibaba overtook Tencent and became the most valuable Chinese brand, moving up two places to no.7 and growing +16% to $131.2 billion. Tencent dropped three places to no.8, declining by 27% to $130.9 billion year-on-year, in what BrandZ ascribes to a more volatile world; one in which brands must continually anticipate evolving consumer needs and expectations.
As other social media platforms face challenges in terms of trust and desirability, Instagram (no.44, $28.2 billion), now with over 1 billion users worldwide, emerged as this year’s fastest riser climbing 47 places with a massive +95% growth in brand value. Lululemon, the yoga-inspired, athletic apparel company was the second-fastest riser, stretching to +77% growth year-on-year to $6.92 billion.
Other top risers, such as Netflix (+65%, no. 34, $34.3 billion), Amazon (+52%, $315.5 billion) and Uber (+51%, no.53, $24.2 billion) reflect the rapidly changing, technology-driven world in which consumers are placing more value on richer brand experiences.
News Brands
‘We know the problem’: Media demands legal shake-up, not inquiry
Writing in The Australian today, opposition home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally demands that politicians “look with fresh eyes” at whether laws are unbalanced.
Government sources stressed that any inquiry must have teeth and not simply recommend legislative changes.
But Campbell Reid – group executive for corporate affairs, policy and government relations at News Corp Australia – last night questioned the need for a parliamentary inquiry into press freedom. Reid declared the dangers associated with “the ever-expanding dossier of laws that can put journalists in jail” had been raised repeatedly with governments and politicians over the past decade. “This is not a matter where we need an inquiry to identify the problem,” he said.
Those in power must be held to account when police raid reporters
Make no mistake – a government must take seriously the unauthorised disclosure of classified national security information and should investigate it. But that doesn’t preclude legitimate questions being asked about whether a democratically elected government and its agencies should be able to tip open the underwear drawer of a journalist, or to “remove, alter or delete” information from a media organisation’s computer systems.
ABC meets with Prime Minister and Minister for Communications
The ABC raised its concerns about the raid last week and about the implications for media freedom.
The ABC looks forward to working constructively with other media companies to pinpoint areas of concern and to pursue the case for legislative review.
The meeting was organised before the events of last week. The ABC also discussed resourcing and audience challenges facing the Corporation and the Prime Minister and the Minister indicated a willingness to continue a dialogue about longer term financial security.
Sky News reveals first look at exclusive two-part political special
The two-part television event will premiere on Tuesday June 25 at 8:00pm AEST and Wednesday June 26 at 8:00pm AEST on Sky News Live on Foxtel and regional free-to-air channel, Sky News on WIN.
A dedicated microsite at skynews.com.au/badblood features exclusive first look videos from the documentary series and a supporting podcast series.
Following the extraordinary result in the federal election, the special, hosted by soon-to-depart award-winning Sky News political editor David Speers, takes viewers inside Scott Morrison’s “miracle” win.
Speers explores how the Coalition went from being supposedly unelectable, to a stunning victory. Bad Blood: Toppling Turnbull is the first of two must-see political blockbusters. Key figures reveal, for the first time, what really happened in the spill, which cost Malcolm Turnbull the top job, exposing shocking enmities and reveals the unlikely alliances which led the Liberals to such a brutal and dramatic change of leadership.
Then in part two, New Blood: Morrison’s Miracle viewers will see how Scott Morrison rebuilt his party, won the “unwinnable” election, and secured his place in political history.
Drawing on its unrivalled coverage of August’s leadership spill, Sky News has surfaced key moments, interviews and news conferences surrounding the extraordinary political event to provide viewers with a deeper insight into the events as well as the aftermath.
Watch the two-part political special from Tuesday June 25 at 8:00pm AEST.
Television
Apocalyptic mini-series Chernobyl is the year’s unlikely TV hit
It occurs in Game of Thrones, where the fiery blast of a dragon’s attack levels a medieval city, and it’s also prominent in Chernobyl, the new HBO series about the disastrous accident at a Soviet nuclear power plant in 1986. The two shows couldn’t be more dissimilar, but the fantasy epic and the historic procedural both suggest the same outcome: the calamities we cannot comprehend have begun.
Apocalyptic events are becoming the favoured foundation stone for showrunners; they’ve seeped into the subtext of television’s commentary much as the fallout from Chernobyl entered the food chain. A zombie outbreak destroys society on The Walking Dead, a theocratic dictatorship creates a nightmarish regime on The Handmaid’s Tale, and mere precipitation kills on Netflix’s Danish ecological thriller The Rain. Every month or two another show starts where society ends.
Chernobyl has been an unlikely success with viewers, growing its American audience with each episode and becoming the top-rated show on the website IMDb.com. Its appeal is readily apparent. It reflects our present and gives form to our inexplicable future.
Former Neighbours star quits acting despite a Gold Logie nomination
The 36-year-old former Neighbours star was shocked when she was announced last month as one of seven nominees for the coveted most popular personality award.
She also earned a nomination for most popular actress, with the winners to be announced on the Gold Coast on June 30.
It came after her character, Sonya Rebecchi, tragically died after a battle with ovarian cancer on Neighbours this year after a decade on screen, and her co-stars launched a campaign to get her nominated for a Logie.
Having finished with the Channel 10 soapie, Morey stepped away from acting to be at home with her husband – fellow Neighbours alumni Jonathan Dutton – and their two young children.
“It really for me feels like it’s come out of nowhere,” Morey said.
“I’ve been doing a bit of drama coaching, being at home, doing a bit of work with husband on his company. I’m not even on the radar.”
Sports Media
Adam Goodes film The Final Quarter coming soon to 10 and WIN
Champion footballer and Indigenous leader Adam Goodes became a lightning rod for heated public debate and widespread media commentary that divided the nation during the final three years of his playing career.
He publicly called out racism, was named Australian of the Year, was accused of staging for free kicks, and performed an on-field war dance celebration.
The cheers became boos as football crowds turned on him.
Using only archival footage aired at the time, The Final Quarter film holds a mirror to Australia and is an opportunity to reconsider what happened on and off the football field.
The Final Quarter is a Shark Island Productions film and directed by award-winning filmmaker Ian Darling
Melbourne Cup raises the stakes as state racing rivalry gets personal
Elliott reignited the stakes war with NSW when she went on radio yesterday and announced this year’s Melbourne Cup would carry prize money of $8 million, up from $7.05m last year.
Melbourne Cup prize money has increased since the advent of the $14m The Everest Sydney, now the nation’s richest race.
Elliot said the NSW strategy of competing with existing races in Victoria had the potential to harm racing.
“I’m actually a little bit over the whole thing and a bit frustrated and a bit angry because we actually do have a national responsibility to racing in Australia,” Elliott said.
Seven must be glad it didn’t trade Ash Barty’s next grand slam
Which, all things considered, is a terrible deal: while the Ashes guarantee several weeks of Australians playing the Poms in prime time (with the newly returned Steve Smith and David Warner), an Aussie champion can easily get knocked out after a few games in the lower rungs of a grand slam.