Monday May 11, 2026
'Bullsh*t artist': Barnaby takes Karl to task on rumours he's leaving Nine
Rumours surrounding Karl Stefanovic and a potential move away from Nine Entertainment were put directly to the veteran broadcaster this week by politician Barnaby Joyce.
Appearing on Stefanovic’s eponymous podcast, Joyce asked the Today host whether he was “going to grow a set and tell us you’re going to leave Channel Nine?”
Stefanovic sidestepped the speculation, replying: “I’m not an elected official. I’m a paid-up employee, and I love it.”
The conversation then shifted briefly to Joyce’s political future before the former Deputy Prime Minister again returned to the topic, asking: “What’s happening with Channel Nine?”
Stefanovic again declined to engage with the rumours, telling Joyce he was “gainfully employed” and “very happy there”.
Joyce appeared unconvinced, responding: “oh, you bullsh*t artist”.
ARN speculation continues
Speculation surrounding Stefanovic’s future first emerged in a report by The Australian’s Steve Jackson, who wrote in the publication’s Media Diary that Stefanovic had signed a memorandum of understanding with ARN Media following a meeting with CEO Michael Stephenson.
According to the report, Stefanovic is expected to make the move once his television contract expires in December.
Industry sources previously told Mediaweek the speculation aligns with earlier internal discussions about Stefanovic potentially joining ARN, although details surrounding any role remain unclear.
When asked by Mediaweek, Nine denied the reports.
Main image: Karl Stefanovic and Barnaby Joyce
oOh!media takeover battle heats up as second bidder emerges
oOh!media has rejected two takeover proposals from private equity bidders, saying the offers do not reflect the outdoor media company’s intrinsic value.
The company confirmed it had received a non-binding indicative proposal from I Squared Capital at $1.45 per share, following an earlier $1.40 per share offer from Pacific Equity Partners.
The oOh!media board has rejected both offers but will provide the two bidders with limited due diligence information to assess whether to return with revised proposals.
Board says offers undervalue oOh!media
In an ASX update, oOh!media said its board had considered both proposals with advisers and determined neither should be recommended to shareholders.
“The board of directors of oOh!media Limited has considered both proposals in conjunction with its advisers and has unanimously determined that neither proposal adequately reflects the intrinsic value of oOh!,” the company told the ASX.
“The board has informed both PEP and ISQ that it does not intend to recommend to shareholders any formal binding offer at or below the value of their respective non-binding indicative proposals.”
Other parties circling
oOh!media said it is also engaging with other interested parties and may receive further change-of-control proposals.
“oOh! is open to engaging with all parties to assess whether any proposal may emerge that is capable of being recommended by the board,” the company said.
First offer
Pacific Equity Partners has reportedly made a $747 million non-binding indicative offer to acquire ASX-listed out-of-home media company oOh!media.
As first reported by the Australian Financial Review’s Street Talk column, the private equity firm has put forward a $1.40 per share proposal, representing a 65 per cent premium to oOh!media’s last traded price.
The offer also represents a 50 per cent premium to the company’s one-month volume-weighted average price. oOh!media was trading at 85 cents per share, giving it a market capitalisation of about $477.5 million.
New CEO’s plan underway
The takeover interest comes as James Taylor, the former managing director of SBS, settles into the chief executive role after replacing Cath O’Connor.
Taylor has promised a more responsive outdoor media company, including investment in tools designed to make it easier for sales teams and customers to work with oOh!media.
The company’s latest financial results showed revenue lifted 8.8% to $691.36 million for the year to December, despite a tougher advertising market in the second half.
Adjusted underlying net profit after tax rose 7% to $63 million, while oOh!media declared a fully franked final dividend of four cents per share, up 14%.
Mediaweek reached out to oOh!media for further comment, but the company responded with “Not at this time.”
Top image: oOh!media
James Packer expands into OnlyFans
James Packer has emerged as one of the backers behind a US investment firm’s minority stake in OnlyFans parent company Fenix International, according to reports.
San Francisco-based Architect Capital has agreed to buy 16 per cent of Fenix International for $US535 million, valuing the company at $US3.15 billion ($4.3 billion).
As first reported by the Financial Times, Architect Capital financed the deal by raising capital from wealthy investors and family offices, including Packer and US venture capitalist Sam Lessin, a partner at Slow Ventures.
Packer declined to comment when approached by the Australian Financial Review and The Australian.
OnlyFans takes outside capital
The transaction marks the first time OnlyFans has accepted outside capital since Ukrainian-American entrepreneur Leonid Radvinsky acquired a majority stake in the business in 2018.
Radvinsky, who died from cancer in March aged 43, helped turn OnlyFans into a major subscription-based content platform. It now has more than 4 million creators and 377 million users.
OnlyFans was founded in 2016 by British father-and-son duo Guy Stokely and Tim Stokely. The platform allows creators to charge fans for access to photos, videos and other content, and is widely known for adult content.
Following Radvinsky’s death, his widow, Yekaterina “Katie” Chudnovsky, took control of the business. The majority stake will remain with a trust led by Chudnovsky.
Packer’s technology investment play
The reported investment continues Packer’s long-running interest in digital and technology businesses.
Through Consolidated Press Holdings, Packer was an early investor in Seek and Carsales. He has also backed US real estate platform Zillow and sports betting group Flutter.
The former Crown Resorts and media executive is worth an estimated $5 billion, according to the Financial Review Rich List.
He stepped down from the Crown board in 2018, citing mental health, and later sold down his stake in the casino operator between 2019 and 2022.
A source familiar with Packer’s thinking told The Australian he viewed OnlyFans as a “positive force for content creators” and as exposure to technology outside his existing major holdings.
Architect Capital eyes creator economy
Architect Capital was founded by James Sagan in 2020. The firm describes itself as an asset manager focused on liquidity across novel and technology-enabled assets.
Sagan told The Australian that OnlyFans was a “category-defining platform with a powerful global brand, a deeply engaged community, and a proven model at the centre of the creator economy”.
“We are thrilled to play a part in the company’s next chapter and look forward to supporting OnlyFans as it continues to innovate, scale, and create value for creators and fans around the world,” Sagan said.
According to the report, Architect Capital is expected to explore new financial services for OnlyFans creators, either through bank partnerships or its own services.
Top image: James Packer
Kris Fade confirms ARN talks as Kyle and Jackie O replacement search continues
Kris Fade has confirmed he has held discussions with ARN, as speculation continues over who could replace The Kyle and Jackie O Show in Sydney’s Breakfast slot.
Speaking on the GameChangers podcast, co-host Craig Bruce recounted a recent conversation with Fade at Radio Days Toronto, where he asked the Dubai-based broadcaster directly about the rumours linking him to ARN.
According to Bruce, Fade confirmed he had “had a conversation with ARN” but said there was “nothing on the table from them in terms of a specific offer”.
Bruce, who previously floated Fade as a potential successor for Sydney breakfast, also praised the broadcaster’s long-term prospects, saying he had “never been so convinced of another human being’s potential as this man.”
Existing ties to KIIS FM
Fade is no stranger to the Australian market or ARN’s KIIS FM network.
In 2018, KIIS FM launched The Kris Fade Show Around Australia, airing a localised version of the program nationally on Sundays for several years.
While Fade no longer has a regular Australian radio slot, he has maintained a local audience connection through podcast distribution and his broader media profile.
Global profile and commercial reach
Beyond radio, Fade has built a significant profile across the Middle East, including appearances on the Netflix reality series Dubai Bling alongside his wife.
His commercial profile has also extended into tourism and entertainment, with Fade receiving a wax figure at Madame Tussauds Dubai.
The renewed attention comes as ARN continues to reshape its breakfast strategy following the end of The Kyle and Jackie O Show, one of the biggest shake-ups in Australian commercial radio this year.
Main image: Kris Fade
Arthur Sadoun in line for potential A$17.1m Publicis package
Publicis Group plans to increase Chairman and Chief Executive Arthur Sadoun’s base compensation by 20% to A$2.3 million, after finding out that he’s the lowest paid CEO amongst foes WPP and Omnicom.
The proposed pay demand follows WPP’s CEO, Cindy Rose, securing approval for her desired package of A20.7 million, despite investor opposition over the proposed pay package.
As reported by Campaign UK, if approved by shareholders, it would be Sadoun’s first pay rise since 2022. Over that period, Publicis said it has recorded 19% organic growth in net revenue, a 49% increase in market capitalisation and a 29% increase in dividend per share, according to the company’s annual financial report.
Potential package rises to A$17.1m
The proposed increase would take Sadoun’s total potential package, including bonuses, to about A$17.1 million.
That compares with about A$13.5 million in 2025. His 2025 package included a base salary of about A$1.9 million and about A$5.9 million from performance shares.
Publicis said the proposed increase is aimed at closing the pay gap with rival agency groups, while also recognising the company’s “outstanding performance” in 2025.
The French group recorded a profit margin of 18.2% and ended the year with organic revenue growth of 5.6%.
Shareholder vote set for May 27
Publicis shareholders will vote on Sadoun’s compensation at the company’s annual shareholder meeting in Paris on May 27. Institutional Shareholder Services, a proxy advisory group, said a vote in support of Sadoun’s compensation was “warranted but not without concerns”.
Those concerns included the board’s discretion around share vesting. However, ISS said it had no “significant concerns” and that Publicis had provided “detailed information to justify this base salary increase”.
Retention bonus is also in place
Sadoun is also set to receive a retention bonus at the end of 2027, provided he remains CEO. The retention contract was approved by shareholders in 2023, subject to his remaining as CEO for five years.
The value of the contract is a one-off share award worth 10 times his annual salary.
How does Sadoun’s payday stack with WPP and Omnicom?
A base salary of about A$2.3 million would bring Sadoun closer to WPP’s Rose, whose base salary is about A$2.3 million.
To put things in perspective, Rose’s predecessor–Mark Read–exited the company with the highest payout of A$14.9 million in September 2025. Image: Cindy Rose
WPP has approved Rose’s total potential pay package after reviewing her pay proposal, increasing it to a maximum of about A$20.7 million, with bonuses linked to group performance. The WPP shareholder meeting took place in London on Friday, May 8 – 75% of shareholders voted in favour of her proposed pay structure.
Last year, Omnicom changed the compensation structure for CEO and chairman John Wren.
His base salary was reduced from about A$1.4 million to about A$1.38 million, while he was awarded options over four million shares, notionally worth about A$429 million.
The incentive is designed to link Wren’s pay directly to Omnicom’s performance over the next three years, following the acquisition of Interpublic.
Omnicon CEO John Wren
He will only profit on the amount that Omnicom’s share price rises above a key threshold. Wren previously earned an annual package of about A$30 million in 2024, making him the highest-paid advertising holdco CEO.
Top image: Arthur Sadoun
SICKDOGWOLFMAN taps James Wills as creative director
SICKDOGWOLFMAN has appointed award-winning creative director James Wills, following a strong 12 months for the Melbourne independent agency.
The appointment comes after the agency added new clients across comms and design, and marks its second senior leadership hire in recent months.
Wills joins with 20 years of experience and has won at Cannes, D&AD, One Show, LIA, Spikes, Clio and AWARD.
Wills most recently led the Defence Force Recruitment account at VML, winning a Gold Effie in 2025.
He is also a member of RMIT University’s Advertising Industry Advisory Council, an AdSchool lecturer, and helped re-imagine the MADC after COVID as co-vice president.
Jess Wheeler on the appointment
Jess Wheeler, creative director at SICKDOGWOLFMAN, said he had previously worked with Wills at VML.
“I spent some time working with James at VML, and it was the first time I’ve ever walked into a building and felt simultaneously self-conscious about the size of my beard, heaviness of my Spotify playlist, and quality of my work.
“It’s terrifying to now consider that as a state of permanence, but I’m nonetheless excited.
“We spent three hours arguing over which piece of hunting vernacular to use to announce James.
“It ended in a stalemate, so we just went with all of them.”
James Wills on joining SICKDOGWOLFMAN
Wills said he had long admired the agency’s work.
“They live and breathe the complex art of simplicity. The work has personality and a point of view, and it’s helping their clients get noticed,” Wills said.
“I can’t wait to contribute to their momentum and add some doom-metal bangers to the agency algorithm.”
Building on 2025 momentum
SICKDOGWOLFMAN’s run follows a 2025 in which the agency launched its own brand, SLATHER SPF, which won a Clio for its first piece of work.
Wills’ appointment follows the October hire of Laura Agricola-Moss as strategy director.
Top image: James Wills
Australian Babywearing Association launches safety campaign
The Australian Babywearing Association (ABA) has launched a ‘National Campaign for Change’, gathering evidence for the ACCC to develop national safety standards for baby carriers.
There are currently no safety standards for baby carriers, and no mandatory safety testing processes.
However, they are popular items for parents, and are commonly sold in many retail outlets.
Although Australia has some of the highest baby and child product safety standards, baby carriers are largely unregulated. The ABA campaign calls for Australia to align with international standards.
ABA calls for user feedback on baby carriers
The campaign says, “Families are unknowingly purchasing carriers that could break, fail, or cause harm, and right now, there’s nothing stopping it.
“The ABA is working to change that, and your experience is the evidence we need.”
Top image: Australian Babywearing Association. Image: Facebook.
Intern Pete graduates to The Christian O’Connell Show
ARN has announced Pete Deppeler, known to radio audiences as “Intern Pete”, will join The Christian O’Connell Show on the GOLD Network.
Deppeler will take on an on-air role as roving reporter and senior producer for the national breakfast program, which airs across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.
The move follows more than a decade for Deppeler as a key part of KIIS Breakfast, where he built a following for his high-energy segments, interviews and on-air humour.
Throughout his career, Deppeler has appeared on major red carpets and at press junkets, interviewing figures including Will Smith, Angelina Jolie and Dolly Parton, as well as members of the Royal Family.
He has also been part of several high-adrenaline radio segments, including skydiving and swimming with sharks.
Christian O’Connell: ‘He’s an extraordinary talent’
Christian O’Connell, host of The Christian O’Connell Show, said Deppeler’s move marked a new chapter for the broadcaster.
“Pete is one of the most genuinely loved voices in Australian breakfast radio, and he’s chosen this as his next chapter. He’s an extraordinary talent who’s ready to evolve, and I couldn’t be prouder that he’s chosen the Bright Side of the Dial to do it on.”
Deppeler said he had long admired O’Connell’s work, including his time broadcasting in the UK.
“I’ve admired Christian’s work for years, going right back to his broadcasting days in the UK,” Deppeler said.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to join this incredible show with Christian and the team right across Australia. I love radio and everything this medium offers.
“I want to thank ARN, the incredibly talented KIIS team and everyone who’s supported me over the years. And now – onto GOLD. Let’s go!”
Christian O’Connell
ARN moves amid Sydney breakfast reset
The appointment comes during a period of change for ARN’s breakfast portfolio, following the end of The Kyle and Jackie O Show after the high-profile fallout between Kyle Sandilands and Jackie “O” Henderson earlier this year.
It also lands as The Christian O’Connell Show works to build its Sydney audience on GOLD101.7, after a difficult start in the market. GOLD101.7 breakfast fell to a 6.1 per cent share in GfK Survey 1, before dropping again to 5.5 per cent in Survey 2.
Deppeler’s move gives the national GOLD breakfast show another familiar ARN voice as it looks to build momentum across the year.
When will Intern Pete start on GOLD?
Deppeler’s final day on KIIS Breakfast will be Friday, 22 May.
He will make his on-air debut with The Christian O’Connell Show on Monday, 25 May.
The program airs from 6-9am weekdays on GOLD101.7 in Sydney, GOLD104.3 in Melbourne, GOLD DAB+ in Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane, and via the iHeart app.
Top image: Pete Deppeler
'Rich Kid, Poor Kid': new book reveals how schools are marketed
Jane Caro AM is an Australian author, Walkley-winning columnist, novelist and social commentator. She’s also an impassioned and highly vocal advocate for review of tax-payer funding of private schools in the context of underfunded public schools.
Caro says in her latest book entitled Rich Kid, Poor Kid:
“We have given the chronically underfunded public system all the responsibilities and expect it to accept every child, including the most disadvantaged and so most expensive to teach, while starving it of resources.
“We have given sometimes extravagantly overfunded private schools all the rights, including the right to isolate themselves from the toughest end of education.
“As a result, we now have one of the most segregated education systems in the OECD, lagging only the Czech Republic.”
Mediaweek spoke to Caro about Rich Kid, Poor Kid.
Mediaweek: A high net worth individual told me that his decision to send his children to an elite private school was lessening the burden on public schools. What do you think of that rationale?
Jane Caro: That’s silly. Luxury car owners could make the same argument, and people with no kids could say my taxes shouldn’t go school kids if I don’t have kids.
Every child has a a right to a fully-funded education, but why should one child be funded more because of their birth?
MW: I don’t think parents who choose private education for their kids think of it like that. They believe they’re making the best choice for their child because there is a choice.
JC: But in deciding between public and private education, that’s what they’re saying: by fortune of birth, their child deserves ‘the best’ – not the standard. The private schools market to parents who are motivated by fear of disadvantaging their offspring, so they prefer the security and social superiority which they perceive comes from elite education.
They say to themselves: ‘My child deserves the best, if i’m a good parent, I’ll secure my child’s future with status, connections, and superiority.’ Even if they’re not conscious of thinking that.
MW: I know parents who do think like that. Status and social advantage is very important to them, and it’s a huge factor in their decision on how to educate their kids.
JC: It’s reinforcement of a class system that’s endemic in Australia – and once again, it comes from the schools playing on fears.
I have no issue with you sending your kids to private school. But I have an issue with those children whose education is funded not only by exorbitant fees that increase every year, but also by the funding every other child gets.
If you compare high school results between public and private schools, there’s often no real difference, but it creates a situation where advantaged kids are in advantaged schools and disadvantaged kids are in schools with disadvantaged students.
MW: It feels like that’s the way the world has always worked. So, can you see why parents wring their hands about the choice in education? If you have the money, or think you can scrape it together, wouldn’t you choose for your kids to be in the ‘advantaged section’?
JC: No.
A big red flag is that no one is rushing to copy Australia’s approach to segregated education. That says a lot.
Public schools are child-focused, and for the common good – the right to education is a right in a public school – it’s the school’s job to cater to everyone.
Private schools are parent-focused, and very selective to achieve the parents’ goals of status, as well as the school’s goals of academic superiority.
But creating significantly more advantaged kids is not getting us anywhere. It’s left us with the most segregated education system in the OECD.
It’s a vicious cycle, because the marketing is that ‘good’ parents sacrifice and spend on private schools, and then those kids are seen as more special, and the cycle continues.
There’s an old ‘joke’ of sorts: what did the advantaged kid say to the disadvantaged kid? Nothing: they never meet.
This is how education is marketed in Australia: public schools are the generic brands, and elite private schools are the premium brands.
The parents of private school kids are not full of hope – they’re full of fear.
Top image: Jane Caro
BRITA makes Millie Bobby Brown the face of the brand
BRITA has appointed Millie Bobby Brown as its first global brand ambassador and launched a new international campaign titled Own Your Thing.
The campaign marks the next step in BRITA’s brand transformation, connecting its water filtration expertise with a broader hydration message aimed at younger audiences.
Under the Own Your Thing platform, BRITA is reframing hydration as more than a functional necessity, positioning it as part of modern self-care and conscious everyday routines.
The campaign builds on BRITA’s global belief: Drink better. Do better, and is aimed at Gen Z and younger millennials, with BRITA noting that wellbeing and sustainability are increasingly seen as practical choices built into everyday routines.
Own Your Thing positions hydration as a simple habit that supports clarity, balance and an active lifestyle, while encouraging people to define their own routines.
Why Millie Bobby Brown
BRITA said Brown reflects the mindset behind the campaign through her work as an actress, producer, entrepreneur and global Gen Z role model.
The brand also highlighted her advocacy for mental health and education as the youngest-ever UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
In the campaign, Brown appears in everyday moments where hydration is part of simple daily routines.
Maren Huth on BRITA’s brand shift
Maren Huth, Director Global Brand Strategy & Experience at BRITA, said the campaign is about making hydration more relevant for a new generation.
“BRITA’s brand transformation is about redefining hydration – not only as a product benefit but as part of everyday life. With Drink better. Do better. we connect our technological expertise with a clear belief about how better hydration can support both people and the planet.”
“She represents a generation that values authenticity, individuality and purpose like no other – and brings exactly the mindset that sits at the heart of our brand evolution. Credit: Artemio Nadyozhin_BRITA
Huth added that making Bobby Brown the first global ambassador was a deliberate step.
“Together, we want to make hydration more relevant for a new generation and place it more naturally within modern lifestyles.”
Global campaign rollout
The campaign is rolling out across EMEA and APAC markets.
Its media strategy focuses on high-reach digital video environments, social platforms and streaming.
The campaign was developed by creative agency Leagas Delany. Mediaplus International advised BRITA globally on media strategy, co-developed the campaign setup with Leagas Delany, and developed media guidelines for international markets.
Serviceplan PR & Content is advising BRITA on the global PR rollout.
The campaign film was produced by Anorak and directed by Hanna Maria Heidrich.
Leagas Delaney on the campaign
Dirk Bittermann, CEO of Leagas Delaney, said the campaign shows a more personal side of Brown.
“Genuine, authentic, and a free spirit – that’s Millie in a nutshell, and these are precisely the values that BRITA stands for.
“Our campaign offers a humorous insight into the more personal side of the global superstar and shows that hydration helps her to live her active and self-determined life.”
A milestone for BRITA
BRITA operates in more than 70 countries and said the worldwide rollout marks its first fully simultaneous coordinated international brand campaign.
Through the campaign, the company aims to increase international brand awareness, strengthen emotional brand equity and build a scalable foundation for long-term growth.
Top image: Millie Bobby Brown – Image Credit: Artemio Nadyozhin_BRITA
Kennedy Foundation appoints Nine executive Alexander Needs to board
The Kennedy Foundation has appointed senior media executive Alexander Needs to its board, adding further broadcast and digital news expertise to the organisation as it continues expanding its journalism and industry programs.
Foundation Chair Carl Dumbrell said Needs’ experience across television, digital publishing and social media strategy would strengthen the Foundation as it navigates a rapidly evolving media landscape.
“We are honoured to have yet another talented, experienced and enthusiastic professional join the Foundation,” Dumbrell said.
“Alex has been at the cutting edge of the media’s digital transformation, and his knowledge and industry reputation will be an enormous asset as we continue to grow our brand and champion outstanding journalism.”
Needs began his media career in magazine publishing with ACP before moving into live television with Nine Entertainment.
During his time at Nine, he worked across programs including A Current Affair, Today and 9 News.
More recently, he helped lead the modernisation of Nine’s news delivery across video and social media platforms, contributing to the network’s broader digital transformation strategy.
Focus on growth and sustainability
Speaking about the appointment, Needs said the Foundation played an important role in supporting the Australian media industry during a period of significant change.
“Having seen firsthand the positive impact the Kennedy Foundation has on the Australian media landscape, it’s an honour to be invited to join the Board,” he said.
“We are in a period of rapid change, and I’m looking forward to working with the Board to find new ways to drive growth and sustainability across its programs. It’s an exciting time to be involved, and I’m ready to help steer the Foundation toward its next ambitious milestones.”
The Foundation said it would continue to strengthen its board with leaders who bring strategic insight, industry experience and a shared commitment to supporting independent journalism in Australia.