The latest Roy Morgan data relating to readership of news publishing shows:

• Total News Publishing readership has grown to 21.7m Australians aged 14+ each month.
• News consumers diversity of sources: 64% reading three or more content categories each month and nine in 10 accessing up to four different titles.
• Despite a cost-of-living crisis, less than 1% of news readers stopped paying for access in the last quarter.
• Total News Publishing audience valuable: High-net-worth Australians are 28% more likely to read the news and paying news readers 25% more likely to be big spenders.

All the data covers the 12 months to June 2024.

News readership has grown close to 22m Australians.

Readership figures from Roy Morgan show news now reaches 21.7m Australians aged 14+ each month, with strong readership across every profile group. That is an increase of 1m year-on-year.

See also: Total News readership to June 2023 – 96% of Australians engage monthly, 16.6m weekly

Think News Brands has pointed out the huge audience numbers demonstrate that advertisers can practically target any audience they wish via Total News Publishing.

Readers want multiple news titles and categories

The Roy Morgan data shows the depth and breadth of engagement Australians are having with news, with 67m interactions per week. 91% read up to four titles every month and while General News remains the most read category at 93% of the population there is high readership across other categories. The data also shows 64% engage with at least three categories in any given month.

Readers paying for news remains steady

The Roy Morgan data also reveals that despite a cost-of-living crisis, less than 1% of news readers stopped paying for access in the last quarter. By comparison, according to National Australia Bank data, 37% of Australians cut back on a streaming service in the March quarter and 33% on subscriptions for magazines, apps and other goods and products.

News publishing audiences ready to buy

High net worth Australians ($1m+ in total savings and/or investments) are 28% more likely to read the news than the average Australian. It also shows that paying news readers are 24% more likely than the general population to be homeowners, more likely to experiment with new products and services, and 25% more likely to be big spenders. This data signifies the high ROI qualities of news reader audiences.

Readers engage with the news

“Yet again the Roy Morgan data shows just how vast the reach of Total News Publishing really is proving that advertisers can use it to access any audience they’re after,” said Vanessa Lyons, chief executive officer of Think News Brands.

“Audiences aren’t scrolling past news; they’re accessing multiple news brands and content categories every month with repeated interactions. ‘News readers’ is the highly engaged, attentive audience advertisers are looking for.

“Continuing to seek out news in a cost-of-living crisis really proves the importance Australians place on it. It also signifies the habitual relationship readers have with news and the reliable, regular, deeply engaged audiences it can provide advertisers.

“At a time when ROI has never been more important, the data shows news delivers the prosperous and ready-to-buy audiences that can make marketing campaigns a success.”

Source: Total News Publishing as measured by Roy Morgan Single Source, which is Australia’s largest consumer survey representative of Australians aged 14+. All audience data is based on monthly readership averaged over the 12 months to June 2024, unless otherwise stated. Total News Publishing is defined as Australians aged 14+ reading news in print and/or news in digital. Digital news includes Australian publishers’ news websites/apps, Apple News, and non-Australian-owned news. It also includes ABC News and Google News. Total News Publishing audience measurement is independently audited by Milton Data.

News publishers comment

Nine Publishing: The AFR

The Australian Financial Review is the country’s most read premium business masthead recording a cross platform readership of 3.5 million people, according to Total News Publishing readership figures released by Roy Morgan.

The premium business masthead has experienced four consecutive quarters of growth across its Total News Publishing audience, with 985,000 people reading a print edition of the Financial Review in the past four weeks.

New editor-in-chief James Chessell said: “These results reflect the high quality and award-winning journalism in The Australian Financial Review. With our focus on growing our subscriber base, our digital strategy continues to gain strength as is evidenced by nearly 80% of our audience engaging with our sites.”

Nine Publishing: The Age

The Age has once again maintained its lead against its main competitor nationally, with a multi-platform readership of 4.63 million, according to Total News Publishing figures released by Roy Morgan.

The Age has cemented its place as the nation’s second most read multi-platform news brand after The Sydney Morning Herald and is ahead of its main competitor The Herald Sun by 650,000 readers.

The Monday to Friday print edition recorded a readership of 240,000, while the Saturday edition has 389,000 print readers. In the last four weeks 990,000 people on average have read a print edition of The Age and in total, one in five Australians get their news from The Age.

“The Age is unquestionably Victoria’s premier news brand. In a year in which The Age celebrates its 170th birthday, it has exposed the corruption at the heart of the CFMEU and the union’s unseemly ties to state and federal Labor,” said new executive editor Luke McIlveen.

Nine Publishing: The Sydney Morning Herald

The Sydney Morning Herald has once again cemented its position as Australia’s most read multi-platform news brand, with a readership of 7.2 million, according to the Total News Publishing figures released by Roy Morgan.

With one in three Australian readers choosing the Herald to stay informed, the masthead dominates the multi-platform news brand landscape and nearly doubles The Daily Telegraph readership (7.18 million versus The Telegraph’s 3.94 million) in the latest figures in the 12-month period ending June 2024.

The Monday to Friday print edition recorded an average issue readership of 381,000, while Saturday’s print edition recorded 477,000 readers. In the last four weeks, 1.47 million people on average have read a print edition of the Herald, while The Sun Herald print edition is read by 395,000 people every Sunday.

“The Sydney Morning Herald’s dominance over our rivals is testament to the unique bond between our skilled journalists and our audience. Our readers trust us to write the truth – sometimes at great personal risk to our journalists and their sources – and we try to live up to that expectation every day,” said new executive editor Luke McIlveen.

The winners of the 64th TV Week Logie Awards have been announced at the awards show again broadcast on Seven this year.

The evening on Seven started with a cross during the 6pm news. In Sydney the Sunday evening bulletin was presented by Angie Asimus. The Logies Red Carpet show started on Seven at 7pm. The Awards proper then started just after 7.30pm.

Sam Pang takes control

After rave reviews for his performance last year, Sam Pang was back on duty hosting the 2024 event.

The TV Week Logie Hall of Fame Award recipient was Rebecca Gibney after the Sunday Herald Sun featured a very good guess about who it might be earlier in the day.

Gold Logie winner

Entertainer and broadcaster, Andy Lee
Actress, Asher Keddie
Presenter and comedian, Julia Morris
Entertainer and Presenter, Larry Emdur
Presenter, Robert Irwin
Entertainer and presenter, Sonia Kruger
Presenter and broadcaster, Tony Armstrong

ABC gets Gold for nominations

When it comes to finding a champion in the TV Week Gold Logie nominations you can’t go past the ABC. The broadcaster was far and away well ahead of Seven and Nine in second and third spot.

When it comes to winners, ABC and Seven tied on six wins each. Netflix and Boy Swallows Universe won the night though with the Australian original drama winning five Logies.

TV Week Logies nominations by channel
ABC 50 nominations – 6 wins
Seven 19 – 6
Nine 16 – 3
10 10 – 3
SBS 5 – 0
Netflix 9 – 5
Foxtel  8 – 1
(Foxtel and 10 share win for Gogglebox)

The cast and crew from Netflix’s Boy Swallows Universe celebrate their Logie wins

Streaming platforms make a mark

The TV Week Logie Awards have been mainly celebration of FTA television. Until last night. Out of around 137 nominations announced this year, 101 of them are for FTA TV people and productions.

But streaming platforms are making a mark. Of the 36 nominations for streaming platforms, Netflix had the most with nine. Prime Video was close behind on 8 with Stan on 7.

Netflix was the only streamer to win this year – a very impressive five wins from its nine nominations.
If we group together all the nominations under the Foxtel Group, you get to 8. That’s a long way from its glory day with 19 nominations in 2016, 20 in 2019 and 23 just last year. They might need another Wentworth? The prison drama managed seven Logies across the seasons from an impressive 27 nominations.

The hottest TV show on a streaming service was Netflix’s Boy Swallow’s Universe with a impressive eight nominations which led to five wins.

See also:
TV Week Logie Awards 2023: Sonia Kruger takes the Gold Logie, Brian Walsh into Hall of Fame

Full list of winners and nominees that missed out 

(All winners in bold)

TV Week Logie Hall of Fame

Rebecca Gibney

Inducted by Claudia Karvan, Eric Thompson, Zach Bell (Rebecca’s son). Only fourth woman to make into the Hall of Fame.

Rebecca Gibney with son Zach (Photos: TV Week)

Most Popular Awards

Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter

Hamish Blake, Lego Masters Australia, 9Network
Julia Morris, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, Network 10
Larry Emdur, The Chase Australia and The Morning Show, Seven Network
Robert Irwin, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, Network 10
Sonia Kruger, Dancing With The Stars, The Voice Australia and Big Brother, Seven Network
Tony Armstrong, ABC News Breakfast, ABC

Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent

Alyla Browne, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, Prime Video
Ava Caryofyllis, Bay of Fires, ABC
Felix Cameron, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix
Imi Mbedla, Bay of Fires, ABC
Lee Tiger Halley, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix
Tristan Gorey, Home and Away, Seven Network

Best Awards

TV WEEK SILVER LOGIE – Best Lead Actor in a Drama

Felix Cameron, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix
Hugo Weaving, Love Me, BINGE
Rob Collins, Total Control, ABC
Rob Collins, RFDS, Seven Network
Sam Reid, The Newsreader, ABC
Simon Baker, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix

TV WEEK SILVER LOGIE – Best Lead Actress in a Drama

Aisha Dee, Safe Home, SBS
Anna Torv, The Newsreader, ABC
Deborah Mailman, Total Control, ABC (Sixth Logie win)
Phoebe Tonkin, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix
Rachel Griffiths, Total Control, ABC
Sigourney Weaver, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, Prime Video

TV WEEK SILVER LOGIE – Best Lead Actor in a Comedy

Ben Feldman, Population 11, Stan
Bob Morley, In Limbo, ABC
Lincoln Younes, C*A*U*G*H*T, Stan
Matt Okine, Mother and Son, ABC
Rob Sitch, Utopia, ABC
Ryan Corr, In Limbo, ABC

TV WEEK SILVER LOGIE – Best Lead Actress in a Comedy

Celia Pacquola, Utopia, ABC
Danielle Walker, Gold Diggers, ABC
Denise Scott, Mother and Son, ABC
Kate Box, Deadloch, Prime Video
Kitty Flanagan, Utopia, ABC
Madeleine Sami, Deadloch, Prime Video

TV WEEK SILVER LOGIE – Best Supporting Actor

Bryan Brown, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix
Guy Pearce, The Clearing, Disney+
Jay Ryan, Scrublands, Stan
Lee Tiger Halley, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix
Stephen Curry, Bay of Fires, ABC
Travis Fimmel, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix

TV WEEK SILVER LOGIE – Best Supporting Actress

Ariel Donoghue, Wolf Like Me, Stan
Kerry Fox, Bay of Fires, ABC
Leah Purcell, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, Prime Video
Mabel Li, Safe Home, SBS
Michelle Lim Davidson, The Newsreader, ABC
Sophie Wilde, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix

TV WEEK SILVER LOGIE – Best News or Public Affairs Presenter

Ally Langdon, A Current Affair, 9Network
David Speers, Insiders, ABC
Liz Hayes, Under Investigation with Liz Hayes, 9Network
Michael Usher, 7NEWS and 7NEWS Spotlight, Seven Network
Peter Overton, 9News, 9Network
Sarah Ferguson, 7.30, ABC

Best Drama Program

Love Me, BINGE
NCIS: Sydney, Paramount+
RFDS, Seven Network
The Newsreader, ABC
The Tourist, Stan
Total Control, ABC

Best Miniseries or Telemovie

Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix
Erotic Stories, SBS
Safe Home, SBS
The Claremont Murders, Seven Network
The Clearing, Disney+
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, Prime Video

Best Entertainment Program

ABC New Year’s Eve, ABC
Australian Idol, Seven Network
Dancing With The Stars, Seven Network
Take 5 With Zan Rowe, ABC
The Voice Australia, Seven Network
Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight, 9Network

Best Current Affairs Program

7.30, ABC
60 Minutes, 9Network
A Current Affair, 9Network
Australian Story, ABC
Foreign Correspondent, ABC
Four Corners, ABC

Best Scripted Comedy Program

Deadloch, Prime Video
In Limbo, ABC
Mother and Son, ABC
Population 11, Stan
Strife, BINGE
Utopia, ABC

Best Comedy Entertainment Program

Gruen, ABC
Hard Quiz, ABC
Have You Been Paying Attention?, Network 10
Thank God You’re Here, Network 10
The Weekly With Charlie Pickering, ABC
The Yearly With Charlie Pickering, ABC

Best Competition Reality Program

Alone Australia, SBS
Australian Survivor: Titans V Rebels, Network 10
I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!, Network 10
Lego Masters Australia, 9Network
MasterChef Australia, Network 10 
The Block, 9Network

Best Structured Reality Program

Farmer Wants A Wife, Seven Network
Gogglebox Australia, FOXTEL and Network 10
Married at First Sight, 9Network
Muster Dogs, ABC
Old People’s Home For Teenagers, ABC
SAS Australia, Seven Network

Best Lifestyle Program

Better Homes and Gardens, Seven Network
Gardening Australia, ABC
Love It Or List It Australia, FOXTEL
Restoration Australia, ABC
Selling Houses Australia, FOXTEL
Travel Guides, 9Network (Third win)

Best News Coverage or Public Affairs Report

A Silver Lining: Silverchair, Australian Story, ABC
Ben Roberts-Smith: The Truth, 60 Minutes, 9Network
Bishop of Broome, 7NEWS, Seven Network
Israel-Hamas War, 7NEWS, Seven Network
Old School – Louise Milligan, Four Corners, ABC
The Forever War – John Lyons, Four Corners, ABC

Best Factual or Documentary Program

Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles, Prime Video
John Farnham: Finding The Voice, Seven Network
Matildas: The World at Our Feet, Disney+
Nemesis, ABC
Revealed: Ben Roberts-Smith Truth on Trial, Stan
War On Waste, ABC

Best Sports Coverage

2023 AFL Finals Series, Seven Network
NRL Grand Final 2023, 9Network
2023 State of Origin, 9Network
Australian Open, 9Network
FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, Seven Network
Fox League Las Vegas Week, FOXTEL and Kayo Sports

Best Children’s Program

Beep and Mort, ABC
Bluey, ABC (Third Logie for the series)
Eddie’s Lil’ Homies, NITV and Netflix
Gardening Australia Junior, ABC
Ginger and the Vegesaurs, ABC
Play School, ABC

The TV WEEK Logie Awards was supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.

Netflix has walked away from the 2024 TV Week Logie Awards as the big winner. The Netflix series Boy Swallows Universe won five awards from eight nominations. The Logie wins were for Best Miniseries or Telemovie, Best Actor, Best New Talent, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress.

Felix Cameron took home awards for both Best Actor and Best New Talent, making him the youngest dual Logies winner ever. His moving speech which brought him to tears was one of the highlights of a long, long five hour telecast.

Felix Cameron poses with the Logie Award for Best Miniseries or Telemovie at the 64th TV Week Logie Awards at The Star on August 18, 2024 in Sydney (Photo by Hanna Lassen/Getty Images for TV Week Logie Awards)

Other Netflix stars winners were Bryan Brown for Best Supporting Actor and Sophie Wilde for Best Supporting Actress for their performances in Boy Swallows Universe.

Boy Swallows Universe dominated Netflix streaming when it was released in January this year.

The drama based on the novel from Brisbane writer Trent Dalton hit the Netflix Weekly Top 10 in 52 countries including #1 in Australia, #4 in the UK and #6 in the USA.

Representing Boy Swallows Universe at the Logie Awards were stars Felix Cameron and Lee Tiger Halley, alongside Trent Dalton, series director Bharat Nalluri and producers Andrew Mason and Troy Lum.

Other guests at Netflix tables were Asher Yasbincek (Heartbreak High), Sam Corlett (Territory), Mia Challis (Outer Banks) and the Netflix ANZ director of content, Que Minh Luu.

Streaming platform programs were nominated in several categories, but Netflix was the only winner. The only other non FTA TV winner was Foxtel, which shared a win for Gogglebox with Paramount ANZ.

Netflix will be hoping Logie lightning strikes twice as its next major Australian drama, Territory, premieres on October 24.

Trent Dalton, Felix Cameron and Lee Halley

Production notes Boy Swallows Universe

Key cast: Travis Fimmel, Simon Baker, Bryan Brown, Sophie Wilde
With Phoebe Tonkin and Anthony LaPaglia
Introducing: Felix Cameron, Lee Tiger Halley and Zac Burgess
Also starring: Deborah Mailman, Christopher James Baker, Ben O’Toole, HaiHa Le, Zachary Wan, Adam Briggs, Rob Carlton, Toby Schitz, Eloise Rotherfield, Millie Donaldson

Directors: Bharat Nalluri, Jocelyn Moorhouse, Kim Mordaunt
Writer: John Collee
Series producers: Troy Lum, Andrew Mason

Synopsis: An epic coming-of-age story set in 1980s Brisbane that blends the magic and innocence of youth with the brutal reality of the adult world. A lost father, a mute brother, a recovering addict mum, a heroin dealer for a stepfather, and a notorious criminal for a babysitter. Eli Bell is just trying to follow his heart and understand what it means to become a good man, but fate keeps throwing obstacles in his way.

Adapted from Trent Dalton’s iconic Australian novel, Boy Swallows Universe explores the crossroads where a boy becomes a man, good toys with evil, and the everyday meets the extraordinary.

Boy Swallows Universe was supported by the Queensland Government through Screen Queensland’s Production Attraction Strategy.

Top image: L-R – Trent Dalton, Bharat Nalluri, Lee Tiger Halley, Felix Cameron, Andrew Mason, Troy Lum (Best Mini Series)

See also: Netflix celebrates global premiere of Boy Swallows Universe with a red carpet in Brisbane

ACMA has reported all Free TV members delivered an average of 75% Australian content on their primary channels in 2023.

Commercial TV broadcasters are required by law to broadcast at least 55 per cent Australian content between 6.00 am and midnight on their primary channel, and, 1,460 hours of Australian content between 6.00 am and midnight on non-primary channels.

On non-primary channels, broadcasters provided more than double the required number of quota hours.

The results were similar for the first release Australian content required by the Broadcasting Services (Australian Content and Children’s Television) Standards 2020.

Under those rules broadcasters must reach 250 points by broadcasting first release Australian content across certain genres each calendar year. All broadcasters, in both metropolitan and regional licence areas, met and exceeded these requirements, with results from 260 points up to 435 points.

Bridget Fair, CEO, Free TV

Free TV CEO, Bridget Fair said the results “matter” because they show the commitment of metropolitan and regional commercial broadcasters alike to Australian content. 

“The Australian content our members make informs, educates, entertains and connects all Australians. And the $1.67 billion we spend on Australian content is an essential contribution to Australia’s local screen production industry,” she said.

“This is an important reminder of the commitment of Australian commercial broadcasters to Australian content and audiences. Aussie content is in our DNA and tells our local stories, whether that’s in news and current affairs, entertainment, drama or sport.”

Fair continued that in a time of economic headwinds, it’s important to support the sustainability of the sector.

“Whether it’s abolishing the unjustified Commercial Broadcasting Tax, which costs our industry $46 million per year, supporting regional broadcasters to keep the lights on, or finalising a position in relation to Meta’s withdrawal from the News Media Bargaining Code, action from the Albanese Government is needed now more than ever,” Fair said.

“A strong local television broadcast sector is in the public interest and must be part of the Government’s Future Made in Australia.”

The ACMA results come as the Prominence and Anti-siphoning bill was passed without amendment by the Senate in July, meaning subscription streamers, such as Prime Video, Netflix and Foxtel’s Kayo could now outbid free-to-air networks for digital streaming rights for Australian sporting events.

This means that while streaming services, as well as subscription TV, cannot buy the free broadcast (aerial delivered) rights until a free-to-air broadcaster, such as Nine, Seven, or 10, has acquired them, they are not stopped from bidding on the streaming rights that free-to-air broadcasters currently have on their respective BVOD services (9Now, 7Plus, 10 Play or SBS On Demand).

See also: Streamers can now outbid free-to-air networks for digital sports streaming rights

A group of senior creatives who switched back to advertising after a stint in tech say their time at the likes of Google and Meta taught them just how much adland underinvests in training and development. 

“You realise just how much you don’t know about people management,” Burton says of getting into a tech company. “They spend so much money.

“The biggest line item on our balance sheet is people. We don’t spend enough giving back [in agencies]. It’s a travesty.”

Burton, DDB Group Aotearoa‘s chief creative officer, left Special Group, where he was co-founder, for Google in 2017 with Dave Bowman. The pair became APAC creative chiefs. In 2021, Burton headed across the Tasman to DDB, and Bowman was elevated at Google to APAC head of creative. He stayed another year and a half before joining Publicis as AUNZ chief creative officer in May 2023.

“Until the last few years, I think our industry has convinced itself that we don’t have time for that [training and development], because we’re busy,” Bowman adds. This is both a time and money issue, he argues, since agencies charge for their time.

Burton and Bowman were speaking on a panel at This Way Up, the Advertising Council of Australia’s festival of creativity, moderated by recruiter Lea Walker. The duo were joined by M&C Saatchi CCO Steve Coll – who agrees tech was a crash course in management: “I thought I was a pretty good leader before I went there, and I got the first performance review and I went, ‘oh'” – and BMF ECD and chief innovation officer Tara McKenty to talk about why they left for tech, and what brought them back to advertising.

Burton and Bowman made a conscious decision to leave Special Group to upskill – they knew there was lots they didn’t know. As it was, working with the Google team – which at that point, already included McKenty – was the “fun part of our week,” according to Bowman.

McKenty’s trajectory is a little different. She left an agency for Google before she became a senior creative leader. She stayed at Google for 10 years, joining BMF in May 2023, the same month Bowman switched Google for Publicis. McKenty says creatives often have their head down in the work, and other industries can teach them to look up. But she found tech “pretty lonely” because it was harder to find her place.

As McKenty explains it, in advertising, a creative is the front man. In tech, they’re a value add. They’re lower on the pecking order than, say, engineers. Coll agrees that was “daunting”.

At creative agencies, he says, “we make the product. If it was a factory, we’re the people who make what the company does.” That wasn’t the case for him at Meta, where he spent four years as head of Facebook creative shop across AUNZ.

Coll appreciated the appetite for change baked in to tech companies; he’s found creative agencies lagging on that front upon his return.

“If you look at the desire to embrace change that these companies have, like they are racing each other, absolutely doing everything they can to embrace change. And I’m not sure we’ve got that to the degree that we need it in our industry.”

McKenty loved getting close to marketing departments at Google – “hearing about the dynamics and relationships between marketers, how they were treated, what they loved, what frustrated them, what happened on set” – which reminded her of the value of creativity to businesses, and creatives to clients.

“A shoot for a marketer is the most exciting time of the year, right? So normally they’re looking at projects, spreadsheets, KPIs. There’s so much pressure, and interaction with the creative agency or film production company or the creative partners, it’s the most exciting, fun part of their day, their week, their year.

“Yes, you need to push your clients in the right places, to make sure that the work hits standard and goes beyond and is great, but I think you also need to remember that it’s a relationship, it’s a date – keep the marriage spicy. You’ve got to keep it fun for them.”

Coll felt the same. “One of the things that really struck me was how much marketers want to deal with the creative people … that’s where the value is. [Marketers know] ‘That’s the thinking that I want. I want to be closer to the creative people.’ And I guess I probably didn’t appreciate to what extent that was true.”

The agency business model makes it hard for senior creatives to spend as much time with marketers as they should, Burton notes, but fixing this is “the way out of the shit show of us being sold like prostitutes for time,” he says.

“It’s on all of us to find and experiment and try different ways of making money, having ideas, creating things that we can build a future [around] so that we can spend the time [with clients].”

Burton, McKenty, Coll, and Bowman all returned to creative agencies within a couple of years of each other. Bowman missed “the spark and the real hunger” creative people have for making and “trying different stuff.”

“I felt like I was beginning to see a little bit of atrophy inside the tech world,” he admits.

“The survivors of the last five or 10 years of change are amazing. I think anyone who has stayed in this industry and survived all of that change and continues to make things, they’re the most match fit slice of our industry.”

See also: How Mark Green convinced Susan Coghill to help fund Play it Safe

—

Top image: L-R Coll, McKenty, Coll, Burton, Walker

oOh!media has released its financial results for the half year ended 30 June 2024 (“1H24”).

Highlights:

• Structural tailwinds continue to drive strong growth of the Out of Home (OOH) market, which captured a record 15% share of agency media spend in 1H

• oOh!media revenue down 3% to $288.3m impacted by exit and renegotiation of contracts and short-term market share loss

• Profit down 11% to $18.2m; Statutory profit down 10% to $5.8m

The board noted oOh! is taking decisive action to address revenue performance and regain share in 2H and beyond.

It pointed to a pipeline of new growth assets (anticipate $38m+ projected incremental annualised revenue from CY25 – expected contract wins), in addition to $30m from contract wins announced in CY23.

oOh! managing director & chief executive officer, Cathy O’Connor, said: “In a challenged Australian media landscape, Out of Home (OOH) continues to shine and outperform other forms of media, with the OOH market growing by 8%[2] and capturing a record 15% of advertising agency media spend in the first half[3].

“For oOh!, our 3% revenue decline was attributable to the previously announced exit of the Vicinity contract, and recontracting of a significant street furniture contract that reduced non-media revenue in return for lower fixed rent. While this impacted revenue, it protected the gross profit margin. Adjusting for these contracts, revenue grew 3% for the period.

Cathy O’Connor

“Our continued commitment to disciplined commercial contract renewal and operational cost control delivered an improved adjusted gross profit margin and stable adjusted underlying EBITDA margin, despite the revenue pressure.

“We have taken decisive action to address the loss of market share, including accelerating the digitisation across our Retail portfolio to offset the Vicinity contract exit, renewing our sales leadership team and strengthening our sales capability. We are confident in these actions and seeing some positive early signs, with solid revenue growth returning in late Q3 and momentum building as we enter the critical Q4 period for the media market.

“We have a strong revenue pipeline, and anticipate securing at least $38 million in projected incremental annualised revenue from 2025 across a number of commercial contracts, including the renewal and expansion of Victoria’s Department of Transport and Planning, Australia’s single largest street furniture contract, and Melbourne Metro Tunnel greenfield sites. These are in addition to the $30 million projected incremental annualised revenue from contracts with Woollahra Council, Sydney Metro, and Sydney Metro Martin Place announced in CY23.

“While the overall media market remains challenging, the structural growth opportunity for Out of Home remains compelling. As the market leader, our focus remains on leveraging this opportunity to build profitable market share, while diversifying into new adjacent revenue streams, such as reooh (oOh!’s turnkey retail media solution), to deliver long-term sustainable earnings growth,” O’Connor said.

See also: oOh!media locks in long term Melbourne Metro Tunnel contract

Kyle and Jackie O’s plan to build a big audience in Melbourne via KIIS 101.1 has gone down the toilet…literally. Especially last week during a pissing quiz! Some have been wondering if there is something wrong with their strategy.

While their Sydney radio ratings continue to be strong, the duo has yet to see a jump in the ratings at their new Melbourne home. Many industry observers believe the hit Sydney show will work in Melbourne, it’s just maybe going to take a little longer.

The next radio survey results are only eight days away. The survey will cover the period from May 19, 2024 through to August 10, with a two-week survey break in the middle for a winter holiday.

Look at the scoreboard, Sydney OK, Melbourne early days?

The Survey 5 GfK results will only be the second survey that covers a period where the hosts have been on air for the whole survey period. Their show started in Melbourne on April 29.

Notes: Commercial FM stations in Sydney and Melbourne. Breakfast shares and cumes last two surveys.
Ranked in order of highest to lowest share in Survey 4, 2024. Source: GfK.

It’s worth noting too that the ratings tell part of the story. The KIIS network duo have a big audience via the daily podcast. The Kyle and Jackie O podcast was ranked #1 breakfast (and Top 10 overall) in the most recent Podcast Ranker Survey. Their daily podcast recorded 353,297 monthly listeners in July. (The data doesn’t break down podcast listening in individual markets.) The next best FM breakfast podcast is way down the Ranker and belongs to Nova’s Jase and Lauren with 31, 808 monthly listeners.

Another import date coming up is the release of the ARN half-year results this week. The board of the broadcaster fielded some questions about the breakfast show at the AGM in May. The message from the board will probably be this week that it’s still too early to judge the performance of the show in Melbourne. Chairman Hamish McLennan and CEO Ciaran Davis will probably say reactions from the audience and advertisers will need to be reviewed over the back half of 2024 at least.

Fiona Byrne wants less crass content and more breakfast with the stars

It’s always been a bit dirty

Regular K&J listeners will tell you that, um, explicit sexual content has always been part of the show. What they will also tell you is that it has now become a daily staple in the opening hour, instead of a hot topic that was discussed every now and then.

Herald Sun columnist Fiona Byrne is the most-read entertainment reporter in Melbourne. She has long been a supporter of the radio industry. She is a must-visit for any radio show wanting to make a mark in that city.

In her columns for the biggest-selling daily newspaper in Australia, Byrne has been all over the Melbourne radio wars. As part of that coverage, she had helped educate listeners about the arrival of Kyle Sandilands and Jackie Henderson to her city.

Fiona Byrne admitted this week to finding some of the content boring. In a column headlined ‘Melbourne deserves better than Kyle’s vulgar new KIIS FM segment’, Byrne wrote:

Could Kyle Sandilands finally have hit the bottom of the barrel with the crappy content offered up as entertainment on his KIIS FM Kyle & Jackie O Show?

Midway through this past week, the breakfast show was in the toilet – literally and figuratively.

On Wednesday listeners to the show, which launched into the Melbourne market in April claiming to be the end of boring radio, were treated to a new game “Whose d*** is pissing?”.

The segment went on for 12 ridiculous minutes.

Incredibly the dunny dump continued on Thursday with the female staff members getting in on the act.

Melbourne deserves better than this.

Dunny dumps not needed

Byrne continued that it’s a show that doesn’t need to continually be X-rated. Not that many people discuss it, but Sandilands and Henderson are actually underrated interviewers when they host a “straight” segment. Byrne knows this:

The confounding thing about the Kyle & Jackie O Show is that it can be hugely entertaining when not being gratuitously crass and vulgar or resorting to grubby toilet humour.

Its best show of the past week was Friday which was a Logies party episode and featured Sam Pang, Andy Lee, Larry Emdur, LeAnn Rimes, Ally Langdon, Peter Overton and Sonia Kruger. It was fun and Sandilands was in great form.

Byrne also highlighted an interview with Jim Jeffries last week she enjoyed. There was also an appearance from Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins last week that was entertaining. There wasn’t much talk about cricket. But Cummins seemed to have a great time. He connected with Sandilands in that both have drinks brands they are promoting.

Nova marketing its disruptive Melbourne breakfast show

Kyle and Jackie vs the best in the business

One thing though that broadcasters can’t control is the opposition. K&J have long battled some good Sydney radio – in particular the long-running shows hosted by Fitzy and Wippa at Nova, and Jonesy and Amanda at WSFM.

They now face some formidable local teams in Melbourne, from ARN colleague Christian O’Connell through to Fox’s Fifi, Fev and Nick. And let’s not forget Kyle’s former 2Day FM team member, Jason Hawkins, now rating up a storm at Nova. “Who knew?” says the clever advertising campaign promoting Jase & Lauren. We did, say the people who followed Jase’s career post-Kyle and Jackie O – from his Sydney drive show to his work in Brisbane and his move to New Zealand.

Best radio ratings coverage is in Mediaweek: Every station, every metro market, every survey.

The Kennedy Awards for Outstanding Journalism winners were revealed at the Kennedy Foundation’s Annual Gala Awards, held in the ballroom at Royal Randwick.

The Gala was attended by over 400 media professionals and was hosted by SBS & NITV presenters, Natalie Ahmat and Janice Petersen.

This year the Kennedy Awards received 1,014 entries across 38 categories, smashing last year’s record.

ABC’s John Lyons took home three Kennedy Awards this year

Kennedy Awards: Journalist of the Year

The night’s major award, Journalist of the Year, went to the ABC’s John Lyons.

The judges commented: “Since the attacks of October 7, 2023, John Lyons has been the most authoritative Australian voice in both reporting and analysing this generational calamity. With both accuracy and moral clarity, the vastly experienced Middle East hand has framed this conflict in ways that will stand the test of time. As the American foreign correspondent TD Allman, who died this year, put it: “Genuine objective journalism not only gets the facts right, it gets the meaning of events right.” John Lyons passes that double test. It is journalism of the highest standard.

“His reporting from the front line over several tours has been brave, impartial and incisive.”

John Lyons also received the Team Player or Mentor award.

The judges noted the future of industry appears to be in great hands as, Ellie Dudley, from The Australian, who had earlier won the Young Journalist of the Year, was also a finalist in Journalist of the Year.

Nine’s Tracy Grimshaw

Lifetime Achievement Award to Nine’s Tracy Grimshaw

Another major award that has an illustrious history is Lifetime Achievement. This year’s recipient was Nine’s Tracy Grimshaw.

Kennedy Foundation chair Carl Dumbrell commented: “It was a fabulous night celebrating great Australian journalism at the very time the business of it is struggling. Everyone had a great evening be they contenders, sponsors or media heavyweights and demonstrated that not only is the Kennedy Foundation going from strength to strength but that excellent journalism is still well and truly alive.”

In honour of the Kennedy Legends and the great of Australian journalism, the Foundation, also launched its Hall of Honour that will, over time, celebrate the best practitioners of the journalistic craft, many of whom are still lost in the fog of history.

The Kennedy Award winners: Class of 2024 (All photos Salty Dingo)

2024 KENNEDY AWARDS WINNERS

ALL MEDIA

Journalist of the Year: John Lyons – ABC

Lifetime Achievement: Tracy Grimshaw – Nine

Outstanding Team Player or Mentor: John Lyons – ABC

Young Journalist of The Year: Ellie Dudley – The judges’ war with the DPP – The Australian, News Corp

Student Journalist of the Year: Yasmine Alwakal – University of Technology Sydney

Indigenous Affairs Reporting: Four Corners Guarded Team – Guarded – Four Corners, ABC

Outstanding Cartoon: Cathy Wilcox – Solid Ground – Nine Network & The Sydney Morning Herald

Outstanding Consumer Affairs: Christopher Knaus and Lorena Allam – Centrepay: A Vehicle for Economic Abuse? – The Guardian

Outstanding Court and Legal Affairs Reporting: Samantha Maiden, Kerry Warren, Lisa Muxworthy and Alexandra Foster – The Lehrmann Trials – news.com.au

Samantha Maiden, Kerry Warren, Lisa Muxworthy and Alexandra Foster

Outstanding Crime Reporting: Phil Goyen, Sarah Greenhalgh and Ben Fogarty – Sextortion: Teens, Tech and Tragedy – 7 News

Outstanding Finance Reporting: Neil Chenoweth – Cracking the Tax Office Omerta – The Australian Financial Review

Outstanding Foreign Correspondent: Colin Cosier – Finding Yusuf: Part 1 and 2 – SBS

Outstanding Investigative Reporting: Chris Reason – The Bishop of Broome – Seven News

Seven’s Chris Reason

Outstanding Online News Breaking: The Sydney Morning Herald Newsroom – Bondi Junction Coverage – The Sydney Morning Herald online & across Nine Publishing

Outstanding Political Reporting: Ewin Hannan – John Setka vs the AFL – The Australian

Outstanding Reporting on Human Rights, Social or Religious Affairs: Four Corners Guarded Team – Guarded – Four Corners ABC

Outstanding Reporting on the Environment: Daniel Clarke – Kangaroo Island Environmental Disaster – Ad Hoc Docs, Foxtel/Binge, The Guardian, Network 7

Outstanding Sport Reporting: Julian Linden – Under the Surface – The Daily Telegraph

Outstanding 3 Headlines: Jakeb Waddell – AH, KANE HAS DONE IT AGAIN, NO CHANCE IN VFL, TAKES ONE TO NO.1- The West Australian & Seven West Media

Scoop of the Year: Clementine Cuneo, Mark Morri and Josh Hanrahan – A killer in the ranks: Cop Wanted Over Paddington Double Murder – The Daily Telegraph

Regional Broadcast Reporting: Daniel Clarke – Kangaroo Island Body of Work – Ad Hoc Docs, Foxtel/Binge, The Guardian, Network 7

PRINT/TEXT

Outstanding Columnist: Annabel Crabb – Hitting A Nerve: Three Columns – ABC

Outstanding Feature Writing: John Lyons – Body of Work – ABC News and ABC online

ABC’s John Lyons again

Outstanding Travel Writing: Tracey Croke – Silicone Boobs, Queer History and Sydney’s best LGBTQIA+ bars with Kiama Blowhole – Adventure.com

Racing Writer of the Year: Ben Dorries – Damien Oliver” The GOAT” retirement exclusive + body of work – News Corp

Outstanding Digital Innovation: Alex Lim, Katia Shatoba and Thomas Brettell – The Mullet is Alive and Well in AFL – ABC News

Regional Reporting Print and Online: Tijana Birdjan, Dan Proudman and Jake McCallum – DV Horror -The Dubbo News, News Corp

The Harry Potter Award for Outstanding TV News Reporting went to the 9News team Sydney for their breaking and rolling coverage of the Bondi stabbings

TELEVISION/VIDEO

Outstanding News Camera Coverage: Fletcher Yeung – Volunteer Doctors Evacuate Wounded Soldiers in Ukraine – ABC News

Outstanding Nightly Television Current Affairs Reporting: Hannah Sinclair – NDIS Investigation – A Current Affair& Nine Network

Outstanding Television Current Affairs Reporting – Long Form: Anne Connolly, Amy Donaldson and Jessica Longbottom – Careless- Four Corners, ABC

Outstanding Television News Reporting: 9News & Current Affairs Team- Nine News breaking/rolling coverage of Bondi Stabbings – Nine Network

Outstanding Documentary: 7 News Digital Team – The Devils Outback Playground – 7 Plus and YouTube

The Kennedy Award for Outstanding Documentary went to the
7News digital team for The Devil’s Outback Playground

AUDIO JOURNALISM

Outstanding Podcast: Paul Farrell, Mario Christodoulou, Benjamin Sveen, Leila Shunnar and Ingrid Wagner- Stop and Search – Background Briefing, ABC

Outstanding Radio News and Current Affairs: Ben Fordham, Mark Levy, Will Bottom and the 2GB team – Bondi Junction Attacks – 2GB Sydney

PHOTOGRAPHY

Outstanding News Photography: Mick Tsikas – Tears for Albo – Australian Associated Press

Outstanding Portrait Photography: Eddie Jim – Fighting, Not Sinking – The Age & The Sydney Morning Herald

Outstanding Sports Photography: Robert Cianflone – Matildas Mania – Getty Images

The Power of the Lens – Peoples Choice Award: Liam Mendes – Nicholas and Jonah from Mutitjulu- The Australian

See also:
2023 Kennedy Awards: All the winners for excellence in journalism

In The Voice’s brand new season, the program is welcoming three new star coaches into the most iconic red chairs on TV. 

The Voice returns to Channel Seven and 7plus at 7:30 pm on Monday, 19 August.

GRAMMY-nominated international artist, actor, philanthropist and LGBTQ+ activist Adam Lambert; award-winning Australian singer-songwriter Kate Miller-Heidke; and multi-platinum-selling, award-winning singer and songwriter LeAnn Rimes join returning The Voice favourite, multi-platinum-selling artist Guy Sebastian, as they vie to discover and mentor Australia’s next singing sensation.

“We have the biggest transformation of coaches we’ve had for a long time,” Voice EP Digby Mitchell told Mediaweek.

“We were thrilled to be able to get this group together, and they really clicked from day one.” 

This season of The Voice begins with the Blind Auditions as artists take to the stage hoping to turn the coaches red chairs. The stakes are high with the coaches’ teams capped at 12 spots each. 

When an artist receives more than one chair turn, the coaches must pitch for the artist to decide which team to join.

2024’s iteration features a world-first for the series, with each coach receiving one Ultimate Block, giving them the power to block all three of their fellow coaches at once, ensuring that the artist they like joins their team.

The coaches also receive one Block each, giving them the power to block a rival coach from getting an artist they turned their chair for.

Mitchell also says the structure of this season is slightly different to the previous season.

“Coming out of the blinds, we have mixed it up this year and have gone straight into the battles, which is another touchstone of the format,” he said.

“We decided to move that up so the mentoring could happen quicker, the coaches could be more involved with the artist, and we could get to a more exciting part of the competition earlier in the run.”

The Voice is hosted by 2023 TV Week Gold Logie Award-winner Sonia Kruger and is an ITV Studios Australia production for the Seven Network. 

The voice premieres at 7:30 pm on Monday, 19 August on Seven and 7plus. 

Foxtel has released the trailer for the new season of The Great Australian Bake Off. The 2024 episodes are the seventh season of the hit format.

The 10-part series will premiere on both Foxtel and Binge on Wednesday 18 September at 8.30pm AEST, with episodes coming out of the oven weekly at the same time on both platforms.

The seventh season features 12 new bakers visiting the iconic Bake Off shed. They will be scrutinised by the judges – global culinary icon Rachel Khoo and Australia’s king of pastry Darren Purchese.

Hosting the show are comedians Natalie Tran and the late, much-missed Cal Wilson, who appears in four episodes.

Wendy Moore, executive director, entertainment content and channels, Foxtel said: “Season 7 of The Great Australian Bake Off holds a special place in all our hearts. Cal’s passing was a devastating shock to the Bake Off family, and she is dearly missed by everyone who knew her. Her deep love for this show and her unique blend of charisma and kindness brightened the shed every day. With Cal in our hearts and the full support of her family, The Great Australian Bake Off Season 7 will premiere on 18 September at 8.30pm on Binge and Foxtel.”

Over 10 weeks, home baking enthusiasts from all parts of Australia go through a series of challenges that test their skills and creativity as they tackle desserts, cakes, biscuits, breads, and pastries, in a bid to become Australia’s best baker.

The bakers are a vibrant and diverse group, from Adrian Barila, a 28-year-old theatre performer who brings his Italian heritage into his creations, to Jaden Briggs, a proud Gunai Kurnai and Yorta Yorta man mastering bush tucker with native ingredients, and Laurina Bowlen, a 36-year-old 50s dress designer renowned for her jaw-dropping sculptured fondant cakes.

Viewers will also see bakers from the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe, from diverse occupations like bartending, singing, and nursing, all bringing unique flavours and unforgettable moments to the show.

Bake Off’s Cal Wilson, Rachel Khoo, Darren Purchese, and Natalie Tran

Great Australian Bake Off: The judges

Darren Purchese said: “I’m beyond excited for everyone to see our new season – the level of talent in the Bake Off shed is simply extraordinary. We have such a diverse group of bakers this year, each bringing their own unique flair and background to the table. The challenges are tougher, the creations are more innovative, and the passion in that shed is truly inspiring. It’s going to be a thrilling ride for viewers from start to finish!”

Rachel Khoo added: “This season of The Great Australian Bake Off is an absolute treat for the senses. From inventive flavour combinations to breathtaking presentation, each episode is packed with surprises. I can’t wait for everyone to experience the magic we’ve created in the Bake Off shed.”

Host Natalie Tran said: “This year, Bake Off holds a special place in our hearts and allows us to truly celebrate Cal. This season is a tribute to her memory, the incredible talent of our bakers, and the genuine camaraderie that makes the show so special.”

Bake Off production notes

The Bake Off franchise began in 2010 with The Great British Bake Off, where it became a ratings phenomenon. The format has been produced locally in the US, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Poland, Ireland, Kenya, Norway, Finland, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Turkey, Ukraine, Algeria and France, as well as previously in Australia for the Nine Network in 2013.

The Great Australian Bake Off is produced for Foxtel Originals by BBC Studios Productions Australia and based on a format created by Love Productions and licensed by BBC Studios.

In an activation led by Hello Social, Uber One members were given access to an exclusive Ice Cold Recovery zone at Bondi’s Icebergs precinct after running the City2Surf.

The activation saw guests dressed in robes and slippers and invited to Maurice Terzini’s Icebergs Dining Room & Bar, with complimentary food and beverages plus tunes from DJ Touch Sensitive.

The event also included margarita mixer recovery bikes, recovery massages, and limited-edition event merchandise.

Uber One members were able to enjoy an exclusive “Ice Cold Recovery” at the iconic Icebergs precinct in Bondi Beach.

Nicole Bardsley, head of marketing, Uber ANZ, said: “This was the perfect opportunity to showcase benefits of our membership from one of the country’s most iconic locations at the perfect moment in time.”

See also: ‘We’re in it together’: EssenceMediacom, Special, and Uber leaders on ‘the push and pull’ of the longstanding partnership

“We’ve got ice, ice, baby and we’re deploying it to create the world’s coolest ice bath ever,” said Uber One’s Director of Operations, Beth Pondo.

Sam Kelly, managing partner of Hello Social, said: “The City2Surf continues to index highly amongst Sydney-siders and has quickly become one of the biggest events on the social calendar – it certainly made sense for Uber One to show up and celebrate the perks of being a member.

“We wanted to harness the camaraderie of in-trend community run clubs with our obsession for recovery, to create something truly unique. The feedback has been amazing and we’re looking forward to continuing to build out even more meaningful exclusives for Uber One members in the future.

The Icebergs pool took on a whole new look as thousands of miniature icebergs – cubes, to be more accurate – filled its waters.

The Ice Cold Recovery activation comes after Hello Social teamed up with DJ FISHER for the new platform, Smell Finer Than The Finest Fragrances.
 
The campaign, implemented by Mindshare and FORWARD, puts Lynx in the premium fine fragrance market, offering a lineup of accessible yet high-end scents for men.

The collection, developed by fragrance experts, introduces six distinctive scents: Black Vanilla, Blue Lavender, Aqua Bergamot, Emerald Sage, Golden Mango, and Copper Santal.

See also: Say Hello to the Gen Z Ad of the year: Hello Social and DJ FISHER Shake Up Lynx’s Fragrance Game

Fetch TV has commercially released a ‘world-first’ hybrid RDK-Andriod Opensource operating system in the latest Fetch Mini G5 device.

The development is the first platform implementation of the AndApps™ solution from Consult Red, and enables Fetch to easily add Android apps into the RDK ecosystem to enhance the content choice, value and user experience for Fetch customers, whilst maintaining the operator benefits of data security, UX monetisation and transaction management.

Currently available with the new Fetch Mini G5, the AndApps™ functionality will be added to existing Mighty and Mini 4K devices later this year.

Dominic Arena, Fetch CEO, said “We have invested heavily over the past year to pioneer this revolutionary hybrid technology together with our software integration partner, Consult Red, to enable us to deliver an unmatched suite of family-friendly entertainment and lifestyle options all in one place, on Fetch.

“We’ve upped the game in the Australian home entertainment market where no one today matches the Fetch platform’s breadth of features, capabilities and options for family households at such an affordable price.”

Fetch states the new Mini G5 is the “smallest, most powerful, feature-rich, and best value Fetch device to date.”

Measuring 10cm square, the 4K device includes 4GB of RAM, 21.8K DMIPs processor speed, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, a USB accessory port, and a free-to-air tuner, with an RRP of $149.

In addition to FTA channels and apps, premium subscription channels, FAST channels, and all popular streaming apps, Fetch users also have access to a Movie Store with over 11,000 titles to buy or rent.

Viewers using the Mini G5 can also use the Fetch’s 7-day Reverse TV Guide to access shows they may have missed, and can also connect multiple pairs of Bluetooth headphones for silent viewing.

The Mini G5 is available now from Telstra, iiNet, JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman and The Good Guys.

About Fetch TV

Fetch TV is an Australian technology company providing families with a home-grown entertainment platform offering both ease of use and value. Bringing together content from a variety of entertainment providers, Fetch is an aggregator presenting Free-to-Air, FAST, and subscription channels, streaming services, and a transactional movie and TV store all together on one menu.

MADE THIS has teamed up with L’Oréal to unveil a 3D anamorphic billboard on Melbourne’s Swanston Street to launch the Kérastase Premiére collection.

Clemenger Group’s specialist production company has a five-year partnership delivering assets for 23 L’Oréal brands with the billboard that will see passersby experience an anamorphic illusion as the OOH campaign.

MADE THIS has led the project and harnessed the power of new technologies to create a campaign that reflects the L’Oréal brand’s dedication to product innovation. 

The campaign features a 15-second anamorphic 3D animated video, with the Premiere Intensive Repairing Concentrate product shown in a meticulously crafted environment enhanced by 3D effects. 

The company pushed creative boundaries to deliver on a tight timeline and bring L’Oreal‘s vision to life in an impactful way.

Carol Cheng, account director for L’Oréal, said: “The product appears to soar out of the massive LED screen into the urban landscape, creating a visually striking and immersive experience that reflects the premium nature of the Premiere collection.”

Vinne Schifferstein Vidal, managing director of MADE THIS, also said: “Our recent expansion into film and creative technology enables us to provide clients with immersive solutions. This campaign for Kérastase is a prime example of our strengthened partnership.”

The OOH campaign launches on 19 August and runs until 26 August, in Swanston Street, Melbourne.

Earlier this year, MADE THIS welcomed the appointment of Marie-Celine Merret “MC” to lead its creative technology capability. Her remit will include all things experiential, immersive storytelling, gaming, AR & VR, XR, AI and content automation.

Merret said: “I’m super excited to join MADE THIS to deliver on their mission and shape the next chapter in bringing more innovation driven solutions to our clients in both the work itself but also the production tactics.

See also: MADE THIS appoints Marie-Celine Merret as head of creative technology

Smartpay has launched a new brand campaign,“Hands On For Business Payments, via creative agency The Royals, showcasing the EFTPOS provider’s “hands-on” approach to service.

The campaign centres around the importance of providing seamless service to customers, allowing SMBs to focus on running their businesses.

“All the time we hear from our customers that our hands-on approach makes all the difference for their EFTPOS experience,” said Peter Thomas, chief marketing and product officer at Smartpay.

“The Royals’ Hands On For Business Payments campaign idea is a playful yet authentic way to show that when you choose Smartpay, you choose a business payments partner who’s on hand to help, whenever you need it.”

Thomas added: “In an era where so many services are gate kept behind long call wait times and you’re bounced from person to person, we’ve found that it really makes a difference to our customers that we have a hands-on, customer-centric approach to our business.” 

This campaign is the culmination of an 18-month brand transformation project that included brand strategy, positioning, platform design, and campaign development.

“Smartpay knows what hands-on means: they understand what businesses do, what businesses need, and what it means if they can’t take payments,” said managing partner at The Royals, Andrew Siwka.

This work for Smartpay follows The Royals’ recent appointment by Bega Group to handle the creative account for its Dairy Farmers brand, effective July 2024. The account was put up for pitch in March after Bega parted ways with its former agency, M&C Saatchi.

See also: Bega hands Dairy Farmers creative account to The Royals

Credits
Client: Smartpay
Chief Marketing & Product Officer: Peter Thomas
Head of Marketing: Adrien Jarvis
Head of Digital Acquisition: Matt Rothwell
Senior Designer: Richard Harris
Marketing Manager, AU: Jessica Smith
Performance Marketing Specialist: Bryce McFadden

Creative Agency: The Royals

Production Partners
Production House: Eden Studios
Director: Pete Moore
Post Production: Eden Studios
Sound House: Electric Sheep
Casting: Fountain Head Casting

Media Partner: Advertising Advantage

Heineken has partnered with UM and Maven PR to launch Heineken Silver on Australian shelves.

Heineken Silver offers an exceptionally smooth taste, crafted to appeal to those who find beer too bitter. The alcoholic beverage stands at only 5 IBUs on the bitterness scale, compared to the 19 of Heineken Original, which is the global standard measurement of bitterness for beer.

Heineken Silver is also 99% carb free to address the increasing health and wellbeing trends in Australia. 

Dino Bozzone, Heineken country manager, said: “We are thrilled to introduce Heineken Silver to the Australian market.”

“This launch marks a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to innovation and quality. Heineken Silver is a testament to our dedication to crafting beers that meet the evolving preferences of our consumers and driving category growth for our customers.

“This remarkable smoothness makes Heineken Silver the perfect choice for those seeking a more refined beer experience without sacrificing the rich, refreshing taste Heineken is known for,” Bozzone added.

To support this major launch, the Dutch multinational brewing company has invested $6.5 million in media value in a comprehensive marketing campaign designed to ensure Heineken Silver’s smooth taste is unmissable across Australia.

The campaign will include a TVC that will run across YouTube & BVOD, impactful out of home, digital & social developed, in-store BTL and a large sampling campaign with more exciting things to come later this summer. 

The arrival of new beer range on Australian shelves comes off the back of a strong year for the brand. According to the Dutch multinational brewing company, the Heineken trademark grew +2.4% (volume) in the MAT to June 2024 against the backdrop of a declining beer category (-3.1%) and declining premium international segment (-6.7%) (Iri Total Defined Market – Measured Retail).

Agencies:
ATL (tvc & digital): LePub – part of Publicis Groupe
BTL: PMG
Media: UM
PR: Maven PR
Sampling & Brand Stunt: Saatchi & Saatchi (part of Publicis Groupe) & Momentum

Budget Direct has launched the latest instalment of its long-running ‘Insurance Solved’ platform via its creative agency of record, 303 MullenLowe: Reversible.

The campaign, which is now live across TV, cinema, BVOD, online, social, OOH, and radio, playfully celebrates the insurer’s ability to solve insurance conundrums, this time focusing on the difficulties of reversing a trailer – especially in front of the weekend sausage sizzle crowd.

“Budget Direct understands that coming to mind in the insurance renewal moment is the objective,” said 303 MullenLowe Sydney’s chief strategy officer Jody Elston.

“That’s why over six years they’ve prioritised work with high entertainment value and distinctive brand assets to deliver their promise of award-winning insurance for less. They also grow relevance by having fun with those little cultural truths all Australians can relate to.”

 

“Fresh off a top 5 finish in July’s YouGov Brand Biggest Movers list, we are excited to double down once again on our Insurance Solved campaign,” said Budget Direct’s chief growth officer, Jonathan Kerr.

“What we’ve seen since launching the platform in 2018 is a steady pattern of increased brand salience for Budget Direct – and love for the Budget Direct characters of Sarge, Jacs and Chief. While each iteration tackles a new, often extraordinary situation, what remains a constant is our ability to tap into a style and humour that our audience genuinely responds to.”

 

This latest work continues the partnership between 303 MullenLowe and Budget Direct, which began in August 2014 after a competitive pitch that culminated in a final round against BMF and Host. Earlier this year, the agency launched Loch Mess Monster, featuring a pool cleaner wreaking havoc, with campaign staples Sarge, Jacs, and Chief once again coming to the rescue.

303 MullenLowe and Budget Direct’s work has been recognised as a finalist in both the Long Term Effects and Brand Value categories of the 2024 Australian Effie Awards.

The Budget Direct campaign follows 303 MullenLowe’s recent work for the WA Department of the Premier and Cabinet and the Department of Health, launching a public awareness campaign to combat vaccine misinformation with Mediahub and Carat Western Australia: Don’t Assume You’re Immune.

See also: 303 MullenLowe, Mediahub, and Carat launch vaccine awareness campaign, ‘Don’t Assume You’re Immune’ 

Credits:
Client: Budget Direct
Chief Growth Officer, Growth Ops – Jonathan Kerr
General Manager, Marketing and Communications, Growth Ops: Warren Marsh
Senior Marketing Manager, Marketing, Media & Acquisition, Growth Ops: Katie Lansdale

Creative Agency: 303 MullenLowe
Chief Creative Officer Sydney: Bart Pawlak
Creative Director: Adam Whitehead
Chief Executive Officer Sydney: Joanna Gray
Client Service Director: Ben Glasson
Chief Strategy Officer Sydney: Jody Elston
Executive Broadcast Producer: Rachel Devine

Production Partners
Production Company: Good Oil Films
Director: Hamish Rothwell
DOP: Crighton Bone
Executive Producer: Sam Long
Producer: Tracey-Lee Permall
Editor: Lucas Baynes
Post Production: Blockhead VFX
VFX Supervisor: Nigel Mortimer
Post Executive Producer: Charlotte Plowman
Music and Sound Company: Sonar Music
Original Composition: Matteo Zingales
Sound Head of Production: Haylee Poppi
Senior Sound Designer: Andy Stewart
Stills Photographer: Matt Baker, LOUIS & CO

VicReturn, the coordinator for Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme, has appointed TBWA\Melbourne as its integrated full-service agency, following a competitive pitch process.

VicReturn, a non-profit appointed by the Victorian Government, will work with TBWA\Melbourne to lead its key strategic and creative initiatives. TBWA’s Omnicom stablemate, United, will manage media strategy and buying.

TBWA’s PR and social specialist Eleven, along with sustainability consultancy Sustain by TBWA, will focus on driving behaviour change strategies. Think HQ’s CultureVerse will also contribute to the agency village, helping to connect with multicultural audiences.

“We are delivering a world class container deposit scheme for Victorians, aimed at cutting drink container waste, creating  jobs and giving back to the community,” said CEO of scheme coordinator at VicReturn, Jim Round.

“To achieve this, we need to change behaviours and I’m excited to have TBWA on board to help us shape and deliver this important work.”

General manager of Eleven and Sustain by TBWA, Kiefer Casamore, added: “Few brands or  organisations have such a direct impact on the environment we live in, so we’re truly honoured to help VicReturn on its mission to increase container recycling rates.

“Our bespoke agency  model has been purpose built to serve VicReturn’s unique requirements and we can’t wait to  get started.”

This appointment follows a series of recent work and appointments for the disruption company.

In the lead-up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Four’N Twenty launched its national campaign, Running on Paris Time, via TBWA\Melbourne. The agency was also named a partner in this year’s Advertising Capstone Challenge (ACC) alongside NAB.

NCS Australia recently appointed FleishmanHillard Australia, part of TBWA\Sydney, as its public relations agency of record. The agency will be responsible for building the tech service firm‘s brand in Australia among government agencies and businesses.

See also: FleishmanHillard wins PR account for tech firm NCS Australia

Thursday 15 August 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s NRL – Panthers v Storm recorded a total TV national reach of 1,423,000, a total TV national audience of 755,000, and a BVOD audience of 97,000.

Nine’s 9News recorded a total TV national reach of 1,881,000, a total TV national audience of 1,136,000, and a BVOD audience of 94,000.

Also on Seven, Home & Away recorded a total TV national reach of 1,402,000, a total TV national audience of 881,000, and a BVOD audience of 121,000.

10’s airing of Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly recorded a total TV national reach of 987,000, a total TV national audience of 394,000, and a BVOD audience of 14,000.

People 25-54

Nine’s NRL – Panthers v Storm:
• Total TV nation reach: 623,000
• National Audience: 277,000
• BVOD Audience: 58,000

Nine’s 9News:
• Total TV nation reach: 554,000
• National Audience: 304,000
• BVOD Audience: 49,000

10’s Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly:
• Total TV nation reach: 328,000
• National Audience: 125,000 
• BVOD Audience: 7,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 476,000
• National Audience: 286,000
• BVOD Audience: 68,000

People 16-39

Nine’s NRL – Panthers v Storm:
• Total TV nation reach: 296,000
• National Audience: 131,000
• BVOD Audience: 39,000

Nine’s 9News:
• Total TV nation reach: 216,000
• National Audience: 108,000
• BVOD Audience: 25,000

10’s Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly:
• Total TV nation reach: 125,000
• National Audience: 42,000 
• BVOD Audience: 3,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 204,000
• National Audience: 128,000
• BVOD Audience: 42,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+ 

Nine’s NRL – Panthers v Storm:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,279,000
• National Audience: 577,000
• BVOD Audience: 74,000

Nine’s 9News:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,473,000
• National Audience: 906,000
• BVOD Audience: 75,000

10’s Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly:
• Total TV nation reach: 774,000
• National Audience: 317,000 
• BVOD Audience: 11,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,096,000
• National Audience: 689,000
• BVOD Audience: 97,000

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