By Trent Thomas
Which makes it fitting that in 2018 he began hosting Fox League’s The Fan, which is a look at rugby league through the historical and quirky lens of the game’s biggest fanatic, a game that Voss calls “the beautiful game”.
“I have a great appreciation for other sports and a great respect but I feel blessed that rugby league is my chosen sport. It is a beautiful sport, they say soccer is the beautiful game, nah nah you’re nice, you’re not bad looking, but rugby league is the beautiful game.”
Voss told Mediaweek that when working on his Fox League show he appreciates the ability to work in a collaborative environment with other league fans.
“When working on The Fan, I like feedback from my cameraman to my audio man. I want everyone to have input, and if you’re working with league fans then their contribution is so valuable, and I like working in that environment and I’ve gotten that every day at Fox League.”
Ironically, thanks to the show’s filming schedule, Voss said the offseason is his busiest time of the year, pre-filming segments and going around to all 16 clubs to find the best stories in the game. Which, according to Voss, is key in creating the best product for the fans.
“I always felt that he who fails to prepare prepares to fail. I’m the same whether it’s a schoolboy match, a first grade match, or a Test match my preparation is the same. That’s the work, the calling is the fun part, that’s why I never feel nervous. The fans don’t have to like me, they don’t have to agree with what I say, but I hope they understand that I respect the game.”
Voss was already well known to NRL fans before he came to Fox League, thanks to a lengthy stint as one of the voices of Nine’s NRL coverage.
He has joined personalities like Matty Johns, Brett Finch, Bryan Fletcher and Yvonne Sampson in making the switch from Nine to Fox Sports and said that he appreciates the set-up he has at his current employer.
“I’ve got to say, I look back on my 18 years with Channel Nine, and my seven and a half years in radio before that, working in Fox League I’ve never worked with a team like it. It’s the people that you don’t see – the producers behind the scenes that put together the 11 programs and the pre-match and post-match. There are so many people that love what they do, they are so talented that if I don’t turn up and do the best job I can possibly do then I am letting them down.
“It is an amazing team behind the scenes at Fox League, I know they love their jobs and I’m proud to be part of the team.”
With most of the filming for The Fan completed, Voss can focus on his commentary and the 2019 NRL season, which he said will be one of the closest ever.
“I’m going to fearlessly predict this season will be even closer than last year, which was extraordinary. I’ve followed the game since I was a little boy and been in the media for 33 years and I’ve never seen a competition table finish so close with two points separating the top eight, and now I feel like it can be even closer this year.”
While being in a position like Voss’s requires he has an opinion on the game and the people in it, he is under no illusion that he can keep everyone happy, but he thinks Russell Crowe will be one of the people to get what they want this year.
“I’ve had a lot of sleepless nights and cold sweats. When you do pre-season predictions and writing columns, which is part of your job, you know you are making friends and enemies. I sat down and I looked at it and thought I don’t know whether there are too many teams at the top that will improve greatly.
“South Sydney is a side that may improve a little bit, which is all they might have to do to win the competition after what they did last year, particularly in attack. I also think that portions of Sydney including Russell Crowe will finally get the grand final they have been hoping for with The Roosters v Rabbitohs.”
After 30 years Voss still says that he loves the game and gives credence to the saying “If you love what you do, you don’t work a day in your life”, which makes it appropriate that he hosts a show that requires the host to be a rugby league fanatic.
“I live and breathe it, I feel very lucky I actually don’t consider it work, don’t tell my Fox League boss’s, but I would do it for nothing.
If it all comes to an end I’ll start mowing lawns.”
The independent report, which has been detailing key online market trends since 2007, includes for the first time data points about the rate of programmatic buying, as well as CTV video advertising revenue data.
The strong result for the digital advertising market in 2018 is underpinned by the continuing shift in consumer media consumption. Australians now spend nearly 100 hours a month on desktop, smartphone and tablets and nearly five million people access internet content on their TV screens daily.
For the full calendar year 2018, the General Display Advertising category experienced considerable growth, reaching $3.3b for the year, a 15.8% increase on 2017. This places the category at 37% of total online advertising – the strongest share of the overall online ad market to date. Search and Directories hit $3.4b for 2018, a 9.2% increase, while Classifieds increased 9.5% to reach $1.6b spend in 2018.
For the quarter ending 31st December 2018, the General Display Advertising category grew 5.4% to a market total of $2.3b and according to new data points captured in the OAER report for content publishers for the first time, 51% of this inventory was bought via media agencies using either an insertion order or another non-programmatic method. Of the balance, 34% of general display advertising was bought programmatically with either fixed CPM or guaranteed inventory (9%) or a variable CPM based on real time bidding via an exchange or private market place (25%), while 9% of all display advertising was bought directly.
With connected TV inventory now a significant part of the digital video market, for the first time content publishers provided data points breaking down revenue sources in this OAER report. It found that in Q4 2018, 23% of video advertising revenue for content websites was generated by connected TV inventory, while 48% of video advertising revenue for content websites was via desktop; and 29% via mobile video advertising.
Gai Le Roy, CEO of IAB Australia, commented: “Marketers continue to reinvest their budgets in a range of digital advertising options because they know it helps grow their businesses. 2019 will see the IAB demonstrate to marketers how they can increase the effectiveness of their spend across a wide range of digital formats and how it can work together efficiently with other media channel investments.”
For calendar year 2018 Mobile advertising continued to drive strong growth in both General Display and Search and Directories, reaching $4.2b in 2018, a 34.9% increase year on year. Mobile advertising now makes up 63% of total General Display advertising.
Video advertising grew 26.2% to reach $1.4bn in 2018, demonstrating the continued positive trend for publishers as brands continue to seek premium environments in which to showcase their offerings. The Report notes that with connect TV advertising remaining a big focus, the use of technology and strength of content will be pivotal in differentiating publishers in this segment.
The new movie was the only major release on the weekend. It was the best weekend since mid-January when Glass opened at #1 and eight other movies also took over $1m. Both that January weekend and this recent March weekend saw the total of the top 20 films over $18m – this weekend there was just one film passing $1m.
Guy Burbidge, managing director of Val Morgan, commented on the opening weekend and said there is plenty more to come this year: “We are very excited with the numbers from the opening weekend of Captain Marvel. It is the biggest opening weekend for a film with an unknown character and storyline. It is the fifth biggest opening for Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is the first of many ‘super bowl’ moments in cinema this year with Avengers following in April, Lion King in July and Star Wars in November – 2019 is proving to be one of the biggest years for audience and box office in recent times.”
Avengers: Endgame is the fourth and final instalment in the Avengers series. A continuation of Infinity War, the Avengers unite for a last hope battle against Thanos. Hitting cinemas on April 25, Avengers: Endgame is forecast to make $62m at the box office and reach 3.5m in admissions.
This was the first weekend this year that only one movie took over $1m – but what a movie it is. Brie Larson inspired many ticket buyers to check out the new movie which boasts a strong supporting cast – Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Annette Bening, Clark Gregg and Jude Law.
The movie has had the biggest weekend by far of any new release this year and it has had the sixth biggest international opening ever. The Australian opening was just $1.3m short of cracking the top 10 highest grossing weekend ever. Walt Disney opened the film on 862 screens – easily a record this year after Aquaman opened on 632 screens. However Aquaman had a better screen average on the New Year’s Eve weekend with $17,827 per screen compared to Captain Marvel’s $15,772.
Ticket sales dipped 31% with a screen average of $3,214 and a total to-date of $2.61m.
Weekend seven gross was down 34% yet the movie held on over 300 screens with a screen average of $2,649 and a total to-date of $11.81m.
A drop from top spot this weekend as the dollars dried up to the tune of 68%. Screen average was just over $1,800 with its total after four weeks just over $10m.
A second weekend for the movie saw takings down 49% with a screen average of $1,324 with its total so far on $1.32m.
By James Maning
• Seven News 1,008,000/959,000
• Nine News 999,000/1,041,000
• A Current Affair 927,000
• ABC News 729,000
• 7.30 620,000
• The Project 258,000/469,000
• 10 News First 439,000
• SBS World News 126,000
• Sunrise 266,000
• Today 163,000
Home And Away had an average audience of 572,000 last week. The show has started a new week on 636,000 with some small white pills changing hands in a car park on last night’s episode.
My Kitchen Rules featured a passionate elimination battle between friends and family that turned into a kitchen nightmare for Amanda & Blake who left the competition. The episode was on 761,000 after 708,000 a week ago.
Instant Hotel fell short of 300,000 a week ago – 292,000 – while last night it did too with 280,000.
A Current Affair tracked down developer “Wild” Bill Gertos with reporter Steve Marshall confronting him getting and then getting Wild Bill’s “lukewarm latte” tipped on him. Later in the program ACA profiled croc owner Vicky Lowing who wants to keep her pets at home.
After a week 10 average of 733,000, week 11 has started on 927,000, its biggest audience of the year.
On Married At First Sight it was time for the brides homestays. Some if the in-laws and families were more receptive than others to the new partners. The episode secured another bumper Monday crowd, the biggest Monday this season, with 1.36m after 1.28m a week ago.
Bad Mothers then dropped to just under 500,000 after 513,000 a week ago. The consolidated 7 ratings added an extra 112,000 taking that overnight audience to over 600,000.
If The Project is on, pick any night, it’s comedy night. Stephen K Amos had the prestigious final guest spot last night and he told his tale of meeting The Pope. After 10 years of regular visits to Australia and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, he revealed he might be giving Australian audiences a break for a couple of years as he wants to concentrate on projects elsewhere. The program started the week on 469,000 at 7pm after a week 10 average of 376,000.
The channel revealed that it is moving The Sunday Project to 6-7pm, perhaps just for one weekend. That means Sunday Night Takeaway will start at the same time, 7pm, as both Married At First Sight and My Kitchen Rules.
Dancing With The Stars said goodbye to Cassandra Thorburn who was again at the bottom of the leader board. Highest scores last night went to Courtney Act with 24 and Olympia Valance with 26.
The audience voted too – 526,000 for the elimination and 484,000 for the remainder of the episode.
Laura Tingle gave her opinion on the latest NewsPoll results last night on 7.30. The episode was on 620,000 after a week 10 average audience of 572,000. There was also a story of about British citizens in Australia behind denied their pension. Guests quizzed about the retirement funding freeze included Australian/British actor Miriam Margolyes.
Australian Story spoke with survivors of one of the world’s worst pharmaceutical disasters who are seeking justice. The episode did 551,000 after 648,000 watched with Mike Willesee repeat a week ago.
Four Corners reported on the plight of Princess Lafita as she attempts to escape Dubai, with 605,000 watching. That was also down significantly on last week’s Cardinal Pell episodes that did 797,000.
Media Watch featured items on 60 Minutes and coverage of Scott Morrison with 585,000 watching after 722,000 last week which pushed the program into the top 20 programs week 10.
Q&A was hosted by Annabel Crabb with guests on a Women in Leadership special episode where the guests included Senator Sarah Hanson-Young and Nicole Livingstone. The audience was 393,000 after 526,000 last week.
The Kennedys followed SBS World News with 185,000.
Michael Mosley: Trust Me I’m A Doctor then did 164,000 followed by 24 Hours In Emergency on 162,000.
MONDAY METRO | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | Seven | Nine | 10 | SBS | |||||
ABC | 14.0% | 7 | 19.2% | 9 | 26.0% | 10 | 10.6% | SBS One | 4.1% |
ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY | 1.9% | 7TWO | 3.5% | GO! | 3.8% | 10 Bold | 3.4% | VICELAND | 1.1% |
ABC ME | 0.6% | 7mate | 3.0% | GEM | 2.3% | 10 Peach | 1.7% | Food Net | 0.8% |
ABC NEWS | 1.0% | 7flix | 1.4% | 9Life | 1.2% | NITV | 0.1% | ||
7Food | 0.3% | ||||||||
TOTAL | 17.4% | 27.5% | 33.3% | 15.6% | 6.2% |
MONDAY REGIONAL | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | Seven Affiliates | Nine Affiliates | 10 Affiliates | SBS | |||||
ABC | 13.9% | 7 | 21.2% | 9 | 19.5% | WIN | 9.2% | SBS One | 3.7% |
ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY | 2.4% | 7TWO | 5.0% | GO! | 4.8% | WIN Bold | 3.0% | VICELAND | 1.2% |
ABC ME | 0.9% | 7mate | 3.6% | GEM | 4.0% | WIN Peach | 1.9% | Food Net | 1.0% |
ABC NEWS | 1.0% | 7flix | 1.3% | 9Life | 1.2% | Sky News on WIN | 1.2% | NITV | 0.1% |
TOTAL | 18.2% | 31.1% | 29.5% | 15.3% | 6.0% |
MONDAY METRO ALL TV | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FTA | STV | ||||||||
87.7% | 12.3% |
16-39 Top Five
18-49 Top Five
25-54 Top Five
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
Slattery is an award winning senior digital and marketing leader with an extensive track record across all facets of the entertainment industry.
She joins NBCU from Foxtel where she held the position of group head of digital and marketing – Lifestyle and was responsible for developing content marketing strategies and reshaping the digital offering for the group.
Prior to Foxtel, Slattery held senior marketing positions at several major entertainment companies within Australia including Warner Bros, HBO and Network 10.
With over a decade of experience, Slattery has a long list of achievements including most recently winning the 2017 ASTRA Creative Professional of the Year.
Brigitte Slattery said: “It’s an exciting time to join such an innovative and future focused global entertainment company. I’m looking forward to reshaping the digital offering and driving new customer experiences for the business.”
Chris Taylor, managing director distribution & networks ANZ said: “I am delighted to welcome Brigitte to the NBCUniversal International Networks team. Brigitte is a highly regarded, innovative marketer and digital leader, who brings with her breadth of experience and creativity. Brigitte’s combination of marketing and digital skills equip her perfectly for this exciting new role in our business.”
The newly created director position will see Slattery take the lead on NBCU’s digitalisation strategy within the Australia and NZ region, driving the overall marketing and PR strategy across the channel brands and broadening the NBCUniversal brand in providing new partnership opportunities.
The partnership will see Adgile Media working with Powered, Nine’s client solutions division, to demonstrate the value and return on a brand’s advertising campaign.
“We are excited about this partnership and the power of effectiveness it unlocks for Nine and our clients as a business,” said Richard Hunwick, Nine’s director of sales – television.
“This partnership will help to open up a new specialty within Powered which is focused on maximising the return on investment that television delivers for our clients and helping them to optimise campaign outcomes in real time.”
The Adgile Media partnership will be run by Nine’s newly appointed director of effectiveness, Jonathan Fox, who joined Nine in November from Ebiquity, where he played a key role in the marketing and media consultancy’s landmark Payback Australia Study.
Nine inherited the events business from its $4 billion merger with Fairfax Media, which completed in December last year. The business houses marquee events such as the City2Surf, Night Noodle Markets and Openair Cinemas.
Sources said there was strong competition for the business from local and international parties. Indicative offers are on the table and interested parties have been working in the data room set up by Nine. Binding offers could be made within the next few weeks and a deal may be sealed next month.
The move comes just over 12 months since a major multichannel for the then new Melbourne radio show. And it comes just over six months since a major promotional campaign for The Christian O’Connell Breakfast Show at sister Melbourne station Gold 104.3.
The new KIIS 101.1 Jase & PJ TVC release spearheads the station’s broader marketing strategy and follows the February launch of the new “Change your station, change your life” campaign positioning across outdoor, digital and social.
The two TVCs show concerned friends and family staging separate “interventions” for two Melbourne locals, Rachel and Tim, urging them to assess their radio listening habits at breakfast and move on from their old station.
Rachel is urged to move on from listening to Nova’s morning show which has made her “pretentious”, while Tim is urged to move away from SCA’s Fox FM breakfast show which has made him “boring”.
ARN’s chief marketing officer Anthony Xydis said: “This is an unapologetically fun and cheeky campaign designed to get cut through and to entertain Melbourne audiences. Jase & PJ are delivering great content every day and we want to challenge entrenched habits when it comes to radio listening, and get Melbourne talking about how it’s time to try something different. The TVCs capture the sense of humour Jase & PJ share with their loyal listeners and showcases the bold, fresh energy of KIIS 101.1.”
—
TVC Credits:
ARN Marketing & Content Teams
Creative Agency: JOY Agency
Director: Jesse James McElroy
Production: Brilliant Films
Media Agency: Initiative
Watch the Rachel ad here.
Watch the Tim ad here.
The former federal Labor leader turned One Nation upper house candidate, took to Twitter on Monday to announce he had “received donation support” from Jones in the lead-up to the upcoming state election on March 23:
“No one in Aust media has a bigger, thoroughly researched interest in public policy debate than Alan Jones,” Latham wrote. “My campaign is honoured to have received his donation support and I aim not to let him and other supporters down as I pursue our policy agenda in NSW Parliament, if elected.”
Sandilands famously propelled KIIS FM to Sydney’s number one FM slot after he was ditched by 2DAY FM, which shed listeners after the transition.
On Monday, he told The Daily Telegraph he believed Jones could pull off a similar ratings coup if he was forced to change stations.
“The idea of Alan leaving reminds me of what happened to (co-host) Jackie and I when we were at 2Day FM,” Sandilands said.
Radio insiders believe Jones has the ability to broker a rival deal where he would be paid based on ratings and ad revenue, meaning a smaller station like 2SM could secure the broadcaster.
Parade has a catalogue that features an extensive list of Australian TV series it markets globally.
Parade has now secured exclusive global rights to Australian Crime Stories (8 x 60’), acquiring all three series, with season three, commissioned by Nine Network Australia, currently airing on Nine in primetime. Recent episodes included the disappearance of Lucille Butterworth (pictured) and the Kerry Packer gold bullion robbery.
The new series from The Full Box broadens the focus from criminal biographies to examine some of Australia’s most captivating, terrifying and inexplicable crimes, dropping viewers right in the middle of each story, leading them on a trail that will outrage, surprise and inform, and above all entertain.
Award winning journalist and crime author Adam Shand interrogates the accounts of the police, criminals and witnesses to present compelling stories of good and bad, heroes and villains, revealing the mysterious appetites and hidden hatreds, the seven deadly sins that are at the heart of all true crime.
Parade has also secured global rights to Suburban Gangsters (8 x 60’). The new series exposes the true stories of Australia’s most notorious anti-heroes. Each episode will recount the life and crimes of two criminals each connected by their criminal DNA. With never been seen before interview material from crime figures Mark “Chopper” Read, Roger Rogerson and Graham “Abo” Henry to name a few, the series promises viewers the real dirt on the who, what, where and why of the biggest names and darkest hearts in true crime.
Matthew Ashcroft, CEO of Parade Media, said: “True crime with a strong justice narrative is a big draw for linear networks and streamers globally. Whether it’s exposing a miscarriage of justice, revealing new insights and information into cold cases, or lifting the lid on police corruption, people around the world can’t get enough of the justice-led True Crime phenomenon.”
Gerri Coy, co-founder of The Full Box, said: “We’ve had the pleasure of working with Matt and the team at Parade Media for some time, and we’re excited that Parade will be taking our latest slate of true crime content to the world.”
Parade Media will be launching its true crime slate at MIPTV in Cannes this April.
The special two-hander episode was given a private screening at Como Cinemas, South Yarra and proved to be a tear-jerker as Morey’s character Sonya Rebecchi succumbed to cancer in the arms of Jarrod ‘Toadie’ Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney).
In attendance were Fremantle Australia CEO Chris Oliver-Taylor, producer Jason Herbison, Oliver Rawlins group director of communications (UK), Fremantle’s Australian execs, and cast and crew –many of whom had just flown home from an exuberant appearance in the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras parade.
The episode marked Morey’s exit from the 10 Peach soap after a 10 year run on the show.
Now in its 13th year, Triple M NRL has announced naming rights partners McDonalds and Rheem Hot Water for the 2019 season amongst a host of other advertisers, many of whom have partnered with the broadcast for over five years.
NRL CEO Todd Greenberg attended the lunch, for a Q&A session, along with other NRL guests, Southern Cross Austereo’s COO John Kelly, chief sales officer Brian Gallagher and head of sport sales Trevor Cook, Triple M Sydney’s head of content Jamie Angel and Triple M NRL’s executive producer Brad McNamara.
SCA’s Trevor Crook said, “Each and every weekend, highly engaged listeners choose Triple M, the number one footy broadcast. This year, we are pleased to have McDonald’s share the naming rights association with Rheem Hot Water. They join the many long term and loyal partners of Triple M NRL and we look forward to an exciting season ahead with them all.”
The 2019 Triple M NRL team is: Mark Geyer, Peter Sterling, Wendell Sailor, Gordan Tallis, Ryan Girdler, Anthony Maroon, Emma Lawrence, Bill Harrigan, Tony Squires, Dan Ginnane, Paul Kent, Ben Dobbin, Brent Read and James Hooper.
Triple M NRL broadcast times
• Thursday Nights from 7pm – 10pm
• Friday night 6pm – 8pm
• Saturday Afternoons 12pm – 6pm
• Sunday Afternoons 12pm – 7pm
• News Talk 2GB 873AM in Sydney
• News Talk 4BC 1116AM in Brisbane
• Macquarie Sports Radio 1278AM in Melbourne
• Macquarie Sports Radio DAB+ in Perth
• Network stations across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea
The 2019 team will once again be headed up by Ray Hadley and Mark Levy, with Bob Fulton, Darryl Brohman, Erin Molan, David Morrow, Mark Riddell, Chris Warren, Joel Caine, David Riccio and Phil Rothfield all returning for another season.
In addition, the Continuous Call Team welcomes some new voices in 2019: Jamie Soward will provide co-commentary for Saturday Night Football with the Continuous Call Team, as well as expert insights on Macquarie Sports Radio throughout the season. Soward is a premiership winning player (2010, Dragons) with 216 games of NRL experience, as well as representative honours.
Anthony Griffin will provide expert comments during selected Continuous Call Team game calls in 2019. Griffin has seven years’ coaching experience in the NRL (Brisbane, Penrith) and his insights will prove informative and entertaining to our listeners.
Ray Hadley said: “It’s surreal to think that we started the Continuous Call Team way back in 1987. To be honest, I thought we were lucky to survive the first year! But now, 33 years later, our team and coverage is stronger than ever. It’s great to welcome some new voices to complement our established team – Jamie Soward and Anthony Griffin are respected figures of the game and their unique insights will be a valuable addition to the Continuous Call Team in 2019.”
Macquarie Media chief executive officer Adam Lang said:
“The Continuous Call Team, headed up by Ray Hadley, is one of the most successful and celebrated brands in Australian radio history. The 2019 on-air line-up is the perfect mix of youth and experience, ready to provide listeners the most comprehensive and entertaining coverage of the National Rugby League on radio. Aligning with the NRL’s goal of expanding the game’s coverage, we are delighted this year to be able to extend our broadcast of the Continuous Call Team into Melbourne and Perth via Macquarie Sports Radio.”
The Continuous Call Team will be on air throughout the NRL 2019 Season:
• Fridays from 7.00pm – 10.15pm (AEDT)
• Saturdays from 1.00pm – 10.00pm (AEDT)
• Sundays from 1.00pm – 8.30pm (AEDT)