The Readership Works (TRW) this week announced a renewed collaboration with the research agencies Ipsos and Nielsen which sees Ipsos continue to measure print audience readership for the next five years while Nielsen will incorporate print data with digital ratings to provide cross-platform audience data.

The changes will allow publishers to better to compete for ad dollars in the $15b Australian ad market.

To talk about the changes and what it means for publishers and advertisers is the general manager of the publishers trade group The Readership Works, Mal Dale.

Tom Malone on Nine’s Wide World of Sports part 2. Read part 1 here.

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By James Manning

With Nine’s tennis rights not kicking in until January 1, 2020 – which sounds and is a long way off – Mediaweek asked Nine director of sport Tom Malone if he had discussions with Seven about acquiring the rights to the 2019 Australian Open and associated tennis properties. Such a deal would give Seven back some cash and allow them to focus on cricket.

“Not directly,” he replied. “Seven has said it is keen to hang onto both. That is a decision for Seven to make.”

As to interest at Nine in a deal, Malone added: “There is an opportunity there for Nine to take tennis a year early if the price is right. We wouldn’t be able to go much later than this month to decide on that because there is a whole lot of work to do on production and commercialisation.”

He noted if there was no tennis deal for Nine early, there would be a financial win for the network in the financial year 2018/19.

“There would also be a chance for us to have a look at what happens when you don’t have a summer sport.

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

If you needed further evidence that magazine brands have moved well beyond the printed page, look no further than the explosion of podcasts being produced by Australian magazine publishers. In recent months, a variety of podcasts have launched off the back of popular magazine brands and there are plenty more in the works.

The driver of the growing interest in audio from publishers is, according to Louisa Hatfield, general manager, entertainment & family at Pacific, the audience. Hatfield said: “We need to connect with our audience on whatever platform they’re consuming content. And we all know that podcasts are one of the fastest-growing storytelling mediums.”

Research firm Edison has reported 30% of Australians have listened to a podcast at some point with 17% having listened to one in the last month. Edison research also noted the audience for podcasts is predominately 18-to-54-year-olds with the Australian podcast listener an affluent, educated consumer.

Although most people are listening to podcasts while at home, the car is coming in a close second.

True crime is a trend that’s fast become a podcast staple following the US smash hit Serial, which launched back in 2014. In February, Pacific’s New Idea launched New Idea Investigates, a true-crime podcast that reopens the cold cases of some of the country’s most famous crimes. Hosted by veteran journalist Mary-Ann Harris, the podcast includes interviews with victims’ families, police and witnesses.

Paul Weaving, head of product development at Bauer Media, said: “True crime has become really popular in podcasts, but real life’s a natural extension of that.”

Seeing a gap in the real life podcasting market, earlier this year Bauer launched Ripper Real Life, a podcast featuring the wacky real-life stories that appear in Take 5 magazine. Ripper Real Life is hosted by the magazine’s editor, Paul Merrill, and narrated by deputy editor Kate Kirsten. Weaving says: “The team has great natural chemistry. They have worked together for a long time and it’s just really entertaining from the first listen.”

Ripper Real Life is the second new podcast from Bauer in recent months with the launch of Woman’s Day Uncensored, a topical look at celebrity entertainment news and gossip. Woman’s Day editor-in-chief Fiona Connolly leads a discussion that can span from Delta Goodrem to Elvis Presley and everything in between. “The idea of this is that these are real stories behind the big topics of the week, whatever’s going on the magazine. It could be what’s in the magazine, it could be what’s developed in the days since we went to print,” said Weaving.

Who magazine has also recently launched two podcasts – TV Binge List, previewing the best on TV, and Who Are You, which features celebrity interviews hosted by Pete Timbs. Another two are in the pipeline from the brand. Meanwhile That’s Life! has launched How I Survived, which details gripping true stories of women who have survived against the odds.

And that’s not all from Pacific. New Idea Royals launched in mid-April tapping into the frenzy following the birth of the royal baby and the wedding of Harry and Meghan. The podcast is hosted by the magazine’s editor, Frances Sheen, who is joined by longtime royal reporter Angela Mollard.

Continued at mediaweek.com.au.

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Top photo: Take 5’s Mary Bischarn, Kim Bonett, Kate Kirsten and Paul Merrill

Following its theatrical premiere, the film will be simultaneously available to subscribers on Stan from July 20. This is the first release of its kind in Australia, according to the SVOD provider.

Stan has launched the trailer for The Second and released key art and a selection of images.

The Second stars Rachael Blake (Lantana, Sleeping Beauty), Susie Porter (The Monkey’s Mask, Better Than Sex, Two Hands), Vince Colosimo (Chopper, Stingers, The Secret Life Of Us, Underbelly), Martin Sacks (A Place To Call Home, The Cup, Love in Limbo) and Susan Prior (The Rover, Puberty Blues, Muriel’s Wedding).

Shot last year on location in Jimbour, northwest of Brisbane, The Second, is director Mairi Cameron’s first feature film. It is written and produced by Stephen Lance with Leanne Tonkes as producer. Mind Blowing World is handling the theatrical distribution.

Director Mairi Cameron

Stan’s chief content officer Nick Forward said: “With a standout cast, a terrific script from Stephen Lance, and Mairi Cameron doing such a fantastic job in her feature film directorial debut, we’re hugely proud of The Second. We’re excited to be delivering yet another Australian first with this release strategy and are grateful to Screen Queensland for its support in bringing The Second to the screen.”

The Second follows the author of a celebrated erotic memoir, whose newfound success is threatened when her best friend and muse reveals the truth behind the memoir’s provenance, igniting an incendiary tale of sex, lies and betrayal.

This is the first project developed and produced under the Screen Queensland Originals program in partnership with Stan.

The Second has been selected in the upcoming 2018 Sydney Film Festival, after recently opening this year’s Gold Coast Film Festival.

Watch the trailer at mediaweek.com.au.

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Top photo: Rachael Blake and Susie Porter in The Second

By James Manning

Seven

Ash was back in the Bay on Summer Bay with the midweek episode on 696,000 after two nights of 690,000 and 662,000.

Work on Josh and Brandon’s “ultimate pad” continued, much of it happening during a heavy downpour. The episode did 682,000 after 651,000 a week ago.

Two episodes of Modern Family were let loose around 8.45pm and did 417,000 and 327,000.

Episode six of Back With The Ex and the couples were on the trip of a lifetime for the audience of 171,000.

Nine

After its primary channel slipped to third place on Tuesday night, Nine has moved back to top spot, now winning three of the four nights so far this week.

A Current Affair uncovered an insurance scandal amongst other things last night with 788,000 watching after two nights close to 900,000 and then 800,000.

Two episodes of Young Sheldon were rolled out after 7.30pm to audiences of 715,000 and 677,000.

Episode four of Britain’s Got Talent then did 522,000 after 516,000 a week ago.

An encore screening of Talkin’ ’Bout Your Generation was on 234,000 after 678,000 watched the Monday 7.30pm launch.

TEN

The Project turned into a stage show for its last 15 minutes with Anne Edmonds as fashion guru Helen Bidou creating havoc on the set before she stormed off. The Wednesday episode wasn’t to all tastes but did 570,000.

Nigella Lawson in MasterChef

A cafe takeover was the setting for the battle of the brunches in the midweek team challenge. Real customers, real orders and real dockets! Nigella Lawson helped the judges choose red as the winner, guided by team leader Aldo. After 762,000 watched the team challenge last week, last night’s challenge did 813,000. MasterChef was also the #1 show for the night again in the key demos.

Episode two of the new US drama Instinct then did 414,000 after launching on 428,000.

Vegas, Baby was the name of the This Is Us episode with 149,000 watching.

ABC

It was night 2 of Stargazing Live and the show was attempting to set a world record for the number of people stargazing at the same time. You need to be watching tonight when Dr Karl will reveal the result. After 463,000 on Tuesday, Stargazing was on 497,000 last night.

Gruen moved to 9pm with much about Ancestry.com attracting 680,000 on board.

The Weekly followed after 9.30pm with 434,000, featuring Andrew Denton the very entertaining guest on Hard Chat.

SBS

Michael Mosley’s Secrets Of Your Food episode two was on 208,000 at 7.30pm.

Untold Australia followed Orthodox Chabad Rabbis on a road trip like no other with 203,000 watching.

Episode 12 of The Good Fight was the penultimate episode of season 2 and did 124,000.