There’s a rhythm to radio ratings day. In fact, you can almost set your watch to it.

No, I’m not talking about that white-knuckle thirty minutes between when the results hit inboxes across the country and when the embargo lifts. I’m talking about the refined courtship between each network and each publication that takes place in the days leading up to the results.

You see, for every survey, each network rolls out its designated voice -content directors (CDs), CEOs, the occasional newly minted “chief dude” or whatever, to face the music. Or at least, to face journalists.

It’s a delicate dance.

We ask the tough questions, or, more often, we politely circle the numbers, tease out the narrative, and try to understand what it all means for the network and, crucially, for advertisers.

These are, after all, publicly listed companies. There’s a responsibility there, to shareholders, to the market, to the broader industry watching closely, and to their listeners.

Let me give you even more of a peek behind the curtain.

This post-ratings tête-à-tête is such an entrenched ritual that, more often than not, the day before a survey drops, I’ll text a content director or CEO with nothing more than a time suggestion.

That’s how predictable it’s become.

Which is why, for the first survey of 2026, the absence of ARN in Mediaweek’s post-ratings roundup is so glaring.

The explanation offered to this publication was simple: given the recent legal issues impacting The Kyle and Jackie O Show, it did not feel appropriate to discuss ratings.

Even after assurances that questions relating to Kyle Sandilands, Jackie ‘O’ Henderson and ARN’s now very well-remunerated legal teams would not be raised, the answer remained unchanged.

And so, here we are.

For a company now grappling with the consequences of a deal struck with what can only be described as tunnel vision, the decision to opt out of the conversation altogether feels… strange. More than that, it feels like a missed opportunity.

The reluctance to engage – to front up, to contextualise, to even lightly spruik its broader portfolio – is not just unusual, it is, as one current employee told Mediaweek, on the condition of anonymity, “cowardly”.

Ready, set, attack

The start of 2026 hasn’t just been defined by one breakfast show controversy. Radioland, more broadly, is in flux.

Under Michael ‘Stevo’ Stephenson, the company has been repositioned as an “entertainment” outfit – a deliberate reframing that broadens the battlefield of the nation’s ongoing radio wars.

At the front line, the vanguard is stacked with seasoned operators. There’s Robin Bailey on KIIS’ Brisbane breakfast offering on 97.3. Yes, the Bailey who, along with her co-hosts Kip Wightman and Corey Oates, was fired at the end of 2025, then rehired at the start of 2026 after listener outrage.

Bailey even went on to confront Stephenson about the original decision on-air, to which he replied: “Obviously, we made a decision at the end of last year, and quite clearly, it wasn’t the right decision.”

It was a rare moment of introspection. Maybe, perhaps, things had changed at the top.

Then there’s the newly networked Christian O’Connell. The Brit who banks on a real connection with his audience. In an interview with Mediaweek earlier this year, O’Connell was poetic about his craft, describing his job not as entertainment, but as transmission.

“I’m in the energy and emotion business. I’m like a utility company. So I have to transfer energy into my words, my stories, and to actually give energy to the people listening.”

For a broadcaster who clearly funnels so much of himself into his job, ARN should’ve had the decency to rally behind O’Connell, who was not only thrust into a timeslot once held by industry stalwarts Brendan Jones and Amanda Keller, but into a completely new city.

When Sandilands and Henderson began their ill-fated Melbourne networking journey, ARN did not miss an opportunity to back them.

Look back at our past coverage. The company line was towed, and hard.

Then there’s the network’s other broadcasting talent, such as Kent ‘Smallzy’ Small, Toni Tenaglia, and Gordie Waters.

And let’s not forget those experiential plays. Initiatives like iHeartLIVE and larger-scale live events, which were billed as proof of the company’s “entertainment” ethos.

Clearly, this isn’t a business lacking firepower, which is why the silence feels so odd.

Ratings day was never just about defending a number. It’s where networks frame the story – where they remind agencies, clients, journalists and rivals about their vision. They spruik what’s working, where the momentum sits, and why they’re still a serious player in a crowded audio market.

Stepping back doesn’t sidestep that scrutiny. If anything, it sharpens it.

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Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) is betting on consistency, local content, and a sharper focus on Sydney to build on its Survey 1 radio ratings result, according to the company’s Head of Content – Broadcast, Matthew O’Reilly.

Speaking to Mediaweek after the release of the latest Survey 1 figures, O’Reilly said SCA’s strong start to 2026 was tied to a stable programming strategy and a clear focus on the 25–54 audience.

Why SCA says its 2026 strategy is working

O’Reilly said the company made very few changes between 2025 and 2026, which helped create momentum across the network.

“It comes back to our overarching strategy,” he said. “We were really consistent with our line-up, with very minimal changes from 2025 to 2026.”

He said that consistency had been supported by a strong emphasis on local breakfast shows and locally led content.

“I think it’s that consistency, and also the fact we’ve really prioritised local breakfast shows and local content,” O’Reilly said. “We’re starting to see both that consistency and that localism, as well as a laser focus on the audience that matters, which is 25 to 54, start to pay off.”

Sydney remains the main growth market

O’Reilly identified Sydney as the market with the biggest upside for SCA, both in ratings and revenue, as major breakfast changes continue to reshape the city’s radio landscape.

He said recent movement across rival stations had created an opening for both 2DayFM and Triple M.

“There’s been a heap of movement in Sydney, and I think there’s only more to come,” O’Reilly said.

He noted that the full impact of recent line-up changes in the market may not be clear until later in the year.

“Fitzy, Wippa and Kate did the bulk of this Survey 1 period, and Kyle and Jackie O were on for most of Survey 2, so it’s really June before we see the full effects of those changes,” he said.

For 2DayFM, O’Reilly said SCA sees a chance to own the pop culture conversation in Sydney.

“From a 2DayFM point of view, it’s the first time in 25 years that the pop culture area is up for grabs, and we firmly want to win that at 2DayFM,” he said.

He said the station planned to lean further into reality TV, celebrity coverage and local storylines.

“We’ll do more MAFS, more celeb gossip, and more pop culture than anyone else, and mix that in with the local tug-of-wars and the chicken shop wars the show’s been doing,” O’Reilly said. “We think we’ve got a really good formula to capitalise on that audience.”

 

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Triple M also sees an opening

O’Reilly said Triple M also has an opportunity in Sydney, particularly among male listeners.

“And specifically around Triple M, I think there are males really up for the taking in Sydney,” he said. “Kyle had strong male appeal, as did Fitzy and Wippa.”

He also pointed to the long-standing connection several Sydney radio figures have had with the brand.

“Jonesy and Amanda were both originally Triple M staff, and Beau was the fill-in for Kyle for a number of years,” O’Reilly said.

“Our strategy is to try and get as many of those males to come to us as possible.”

O’Reilly also referenced SCA’s recent outdoor campaign in Sydney, describing it as self-aware as much as strategic.

“We thought that billboard was a bit of fun,” he said. “It highlighted that everyone else was changing while also laughing at ourselves.”

No concern over Lu and Jarch rumours

Asked about speculation surrounding Lu and Jarch and a possible move to ARN, O’Reilly said he did not see that as a risk to SCA.

“I don’t think that’ll happen,” he said. “Just based on a few factors – confidential factors – I don’t think that move would happen.”

He said both he and SCA Chief Content Officer Dave Cameron (who is now at ARN working as their Director of Content – Metro Radio) had been involved in bringing the pair to the business and believed they were settled in their current roles.

“They’re only about eight months into their journey with us, and I think they’re very happy doing what they’re doing,” O’Reilly said. “I don’t think that’s a risk for us.”

Where SCA still sees room to grow

While O’Reilly said Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth had been relatively stable markets for SCA, he made clear that Sydney would remain the company’s main area of focus in 2026.

“Definitely Sydney,” he said. “Sydney’s the market with the most ratings upside and also the most revenue upside for us.”

He said Melbourne’s Triple M breakfast show, led by Mick Molloy, was still early in its development but already showing signs of becoming established.

“We know the Triple M breakfast show in Melbourne is only 12 months old, but Mick already feels like a heritage figure there, as do Fifi, Fev and Nick,” O’Reilly said.

Even so, he said the clearest commercial and audience opportunity remained in New South Wales.

“For us, it’s a firm focus on Sydney, and we see that as the biggest opportunity for growth,” O’Reilly said.

Main image: Matty O’Reilly

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smoothfm has opened 2026 as Sydney’s number one station, posting a record 13.5% share, while Nova Entertainment has delivered audience growth across both Sydney and Melbourne in the first radio survey of the year.

In a post-ratings chat, Nova’s group programming director, Brendan Taylor, told Mediaweek the results reflect early audience response following recent market changes, particularly in Sydney.

“For us, it’s three weeks of the original lineup, and three weeks of the new lineup,” Taylor said.

“But when you see a cume of 141,000 coming into the station, you can see there’s obviously a genuine connection and a genuine interest in what we’re doing.”

smooth extends lead in Sydney

smoothfm’s 13.5% share marks the highest result in the station’s history. Its More Music Breakfast with Bogart Torelli has also moved into the number two FM breakfast position by share.

Taylor said the station’s consistent format continues to resonate with listeners.

“They stay consistent with the values of the brand. The station really is more of an emotion, and those behind the station, such as its head of programming Pete Clay, build the station on emotion and an emotional connection,” he said.

Nova Sydney lifts cume and breakfast

Nova 96.9 held a 7.7% share (down from 7.8%), while increasing its cumulative audience by 141,000 to 1.283 million. Breakfast rose to 8.4% from 7.9%.

Taylor said the uplift in audience and breakfast performance was a positive signal at this stage of the year.

Taylor said the strength of the Nova brand continues to underpin the network’s performance, pointing to what is effectively a duopoly with smooth in the Sydney market.

“The Nova brand has been so strong for so many years now,” he said, adding he was “particularly happy with Sydney Breakfast,” noting that “when you look at the position from a cume perspective, you know, it’s really nice to be outdone by its sister station smooth.”

Despite the competitive dynamic, Taylor framed the result as an encouraging start to the year, adding: “It’s a long year ahead for only survey one out of eight, but you know, it’s a good positive indication that, you know, we’re moving, we’re starting off in the right position.”

Nova Melbourne posts share and breakfast gains

Nova 100 recorded one of the strongest results of the survey, increasing its share to 8.7% (from 7.9%), with cume up 60,000 to 1.215 million. Breakfast rose to 11.1% from 8.8%.

Taylor said the result reflects a renewed focus on content and audience connection.

“The team are ecstatic. They’re one of the best teams in the country. They want to be number one, and they want to have as many listeners as possible,” he said.

“And they’ve worked really hard this year to get back to the content and the connection that they know best with the audience.”

Market adjusting after changes

Taylor said Survey 1 should be read against a backdrop of significant change in the Sydney market, describing it as “a big moment in radio, and particularly in Sydney radio,” with much of the industry conversation unfolding after those shifts.

He said the early results were encouraging, pointing to growth across both breakfast and overall station performance as evidence that audiences are “coming in” and “settling in.”

Taylor added that Nova’s focus remains on scale and commercial delivery, noting the network’s “very strong” cumulative audience, its position as “a very trusted brand,” and the strength of its “experienced and talented broadcasters” working alongside commercial partners.

Main image: Nova’s group programming director, Brendan Taylor

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Nine Radio’s content boss Greg Byrnes fronted Mediaweek following Thursday’s survey release with a measured read of the market: strong gains in Sydney, resilience in Melbourne, disappointment in Brisbane, and cautious optimism elsewhere.

The network’s response to ratings day was characteristically steady – no theatrics, no grand pivots. Just quiet confidence in the product, even when the numbers wobble.

It’s a network in transition. Audience loyalty, programming changes, and the looming shift in Laundy family ownership are all in play.

Below, Byrnes unpacks the wins, the weak spots, and what comes next.

Mediaweek: Excellent result in Sydney – up across the board. How is everyone feeling?

Greg Byrnes: “It’s a really good start to the year for 2GB. Ben [Fordham] is up by 1.7, which is remarkable – he’s number one.

“There’s also a big increase in cume, lots of big numbers on weekends.

“It’s a big year for 2GB, we will be celebrating 40 years of CCT, and 100 years of broadcasting, later in the year.”

MW: Melbourne is down slightly, with the exception of Tony Monclair in the Afternoon’s shift. What do you think could be behind the fluctuation?

GB: “You have to look at that amidst the strength of 3AW – it’s coming off the highest of highs – and is still a really strong result. We’re number one in breakfast.”

MW: How do you feel about Brisbane? Not really the result you want. Quite a few changes up there also.

GB: “It’s disappointing – no doubt about that.

“But, we’ve made a lot of changes – we know our audience doesn’t like change. If the numbers had remained stable, it would have been a good result.

“It’s going to take a while to change, but we are confident we have the right lineup.”

MW: Some solid growth in Perth. What does success look like over there for yourself and the team?

GB: “A really good Perth result – after a frustrating six to eight months. That’s part of the frustration with Perth – the fluctuating ratings.

“But cume is up. And there are increases in most of the key shifts.”

 

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MW: On the Laundy sale, how is everyone feeling?

GB: “Really positive. A sense of release, excitement and anticipation for when the change happens on May 1.

“The Laundy’s really want to run a family business. They are long-time listeners. Their audience is our audience. They want to understand the business and not make an immediate, drastic change.

“The Laundy’s have been here and have shaken the hands of staff and looked them in the eye.

“Look at the uncertainty over the last 12 months – where we’ve ended up is a wonderful position.”

Top image: Greg Byrnes. Image: Nine

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For years, the media industry considered out of home advertising the blunt instrument of the media mix. Planners bought giant billboards and hoped people drove past. Those days are officially over.

MOVE 2.0 has finally launched. The new $20 million measurement tool leaves its cage to shift the industry from simply buying panels to genuinely understanding people.

In the latest edition of the Mediaweek Newsmakers podcast, Elizabeth McIntyre, chief executive officer of the Outdoor Media Association and MOVE, joins Brittany Crowley, national head of investment at Universal McCann, to unpack the reality of the release.

From panels to people

The industry built MOVE 2.0 over five years. The creators designed the platform to standardize an increasingly complex sector.

As McIntyre explains in the episode, the tool now accounts for formats you cannot even hold in your hand. It measures everything from classic roadside billboards and transit to digital screens in cafes, gyms, and doctor surgeries.

“We are moving from a world of counting screens to a world of understanding human mobility,” McIntyre says. “This is about giving agencies the confidence that when they invest in out of home, they know exactly who they are reaching and how those people are moving through their days.”

For media planners, this presents a major transition. Crowley notes that agencies have moved from simply picking locations on a map to tracking actual human behavior, mobility, and dwell times. The new system allows agencies to plug the data directly into their own planning tools to drive smarter business outcomes.

“It completely shifts the conversation,” Crowley notes. “We no longer just talk about location and reach. We can now look at the nuance of how audiences interact with different formats at different times, which fundamentally changes how we build campaigns for our clients.”

Hundreds of billions of rows of data

The sheer scale of the platform staggers the mind. To build MOVE 2.0, researchers collated an astronomical 600 billion rows of data. To be fair, it’s also been reported as 400 billion. But really, no matter how you cut it- that’s a lot of data.

To make sense of it all, the system utilizes an incredible simulation. It layers ABS data, public transport taps, and mobility tracking to model synthetic Australians who mimic real population movements.

Crucially, the creators included regional areas and seasonal shifts in the core measurement for the very first time. This means agencies can finally see how audience movements change during summer holidays versus the middle of winter. The insight gives planners the confidence to test and learn with fresh data.

The ultimate industry collaboration

Perhaps the most impressive feat involves the collaboration behind the scenes. In a fiercely competitive market, rival out of home providers agreed to pool their resources, fund the research, and build a unified system.

Both McIntyre and Crowley agree that this united front brings a new level of transparency and rigor to the channel.

Oh, and Crowley (I like to call her ‘The Notorious B.R.C.’) wraps up the episode with a custom out-of-home rap.

Yes. A rap. You really need to hear it. Trust me on this.

Listen to the full episode of Newsmakers below.

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In the wild, goldfish-memory world of Australian sports television, it’s entirely possible to have a broadcasting career spanning two decades, three continents, and a stint living with a Tour de France winner, only to have the local footy bubble treat you like the newbie.

Welcome to Jason Bennett’s life.

He’s widely regarded as one of the sharpest, most technically proficient callers in the business.

But now, after a corporate shakeup saw him surprisingly dumped from the Seven Network, Bennett is returning to the commentary box to spearhead the ABC’s new VFL broadcast.

Mediaweek caught up with him just before his first weekend call, this Saturday, 21 March.

The lounge room origins of a pure broadcaster

In a sports media ecosystem dominated by ex-players stepping straight from the locker room to the microphone, Bennett had to hustle differently. His obsession with calling the game started when he was just three years old in his family lounge room.

Instead of a silver spoon and a 200-game AFL career, Bennett relied on a footy record, a couch, and a wild imagination.

“I would balance a footy record on the arm of the couch, kick a balloon or a Nerf ball around, and just spin around to point at a random name in the record,” Bennett laughed, explaining how he decided which player supposedly had the ball.

He even invented a complex board game solely so he could sit in his bedroom for hours on end, calling make-believe matches.

The collateral damage of sports rights

That lifelong obsession makes his resilience in a cutthroat commercial TV market completely unsurprising.

Bennett approaches his recent exit from Seven with the wry pragmatism of an executive who knows exactly how broadcast rights work.

He points out that corporate mergers inevitably result in networks pushing their own internal talent rosters to the front of the queue.

“I went from having a job to not having any opportunities there anymore because they’re promoting their own people, which is totally understandable,” Bennett said. “I was just collateral damage of a corporate deal and that’s the way it goes”.

Escaping the bubble and filming a broke Daniel Ricciardo

Fans often label Bennett a ‘fresh face’ because he completely vanished from the local AFL scene for nearly a decade to work the US market. “There is just so much people don’t know about my career,” he admitted.

Before that disappearing act, he had cut his teeth calling a handful of games for Triple M. Then, Fox Footy threw him into the deep end at just 28, making him the very first face to ever appear on the network’s inaugural broadcast.

During his years away, he set up shop at ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut. His go-getter spirit saw him launch the documentary series Aussies Abroad, a project that granted him legendary access to sports royalty. He was telling the stories of emerging legends in real time, before the PR spin doctors even got a sniff.

Aussies Abroad allowed him to live with cyclist Cadel Evans in Switzerland just weeks before his historic Tour de France victory.

And it also captured a young, entirely unknown Daniel Ricciardo surviving on a razor-thin budget before he was an F1 regular.

“He was living on a tight budget,” Bennett recalled of the future Formula One superstar. “He was waiting for mum and dad to send money over because they didn’t pay him to be a reserve driver”.

Trading MCG pampering for VFL rain

Bennett eventually returned to Australia for his family, kicking off a dominant run calling the AFLW and VFL. He has a soft spot for the raw, unpolished reality of state league footy, actively contrasting it with the pampered environment of elite stadiums.

“I might be at Port Melbourne doing VFL and I’m hanging out the side of the commentary box actually getting rained on, pouring down my face because I’ve got to see out the side of the box,” he said.

In contrast, he joked that if you sneeze in the MCG broadcast booth, five people instantly rush over with a tissue.

His new ABC role pairs him with a broadcast crew he deeply respects, including Daniel Harford, caller Matt Clinch, and rising star Gemma Bastiani.

For network executives looking for the next breakout media star, Bennett says Bastiani is the one to watch.

“Gemma Bastiani is one of the sharpest analytical minds in footy, and I’ve loved her work for such a long time,” he said.

Feature image- Jason Bennett.

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The Australian has released the 2026 edition of The List – Australia’s Richest 250, with Gina Rinehart once again ranked as the country’s wealthiest individual.

Rinehart leads the annual list with an estimated fortune of $41.66 billion, ahead of Harry Triguboff at $34.10 billion and Anthony Pratt and family at $30.05 billion.

The list, curated by wealth editor John Stensholt and a team of researchers and journalists, shows that while billionaire numbers have grown, the combined wealth of Australia’s richest has declined from $689 billion in 2025 to $664 billion this year.

More billionaires, but fortunes soften

This year’s list includes 188 billionaires, up from 170 last year, alongside 29 newcomers and 17 members aged 40 or under.

Female wealth representation also hit a record high, with 37 female billionaires included, compared with 29 in the previous edition.

“For the first time in eight years, the total fortune of the Richest 250 is down overall – falling $25 billion this year compared to last year. Our wealthiest 250 individuals are still worth a combined $664 billion – a huge number, but a few interesting trends are emerging among our rich elite,” he said.

“One is that AI has cut a swathe through the market this year; another is that some old ways of making money are suddenly very much back in fashion. Industries like mining, property and retail are suddenly surging.”

Old industries return to the front

Mining, property and retail remain dominant wealth sectors across the list.

Property accounts for the largest share, with 49 fortunes built in the sector, followed by retail with 40, investment with 32, technology with 29 and mining with 22.

The top 10 also includes Clive Palmer, Cliff Obrecht, Melanie Perkins, Nicola Forrest, Andrew Forrest, Michael Dorrell and Kerry Stokes.

At age 30, Ed Craven, co-founder of Stake and Kick, remains the youngest person on the list.

The 2026 edition is available online and in a glossy print insert distributed with The Australian today.

Top Image: The Australian

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Matt Brittin is expected to be named as the BBC’s next director general within days, with the broadcaster’s board set to meet on Thursday to make a decision.

The appointment will replace the BBC’s outgoing leader, Tim Davie.

Brittin, who led Google in Europe, the Middle East and Africa for a decade until stepping down last year, has been the favourite.

The Guardian reports that Brittin has said he has long admired the British television industry; “I’ve been trying to get into for a very long time”.

Brittin added that “what counts as television is now changing…it is now more accurately described as ‘storytelling in video’.”

The change comes at a time when the BBC leadership has been resisting the prospect of transitioning the station to a subscription or ad-funded service – which would be counter to its stated mission of providing content for everyone.

Who is Matt Brittin?

Brittin was a member of the British Olympic rowing team in 1988, and left Google in 2025 to take a “mini gap year”. He is also a non-executive director of Guardian Media Group.

An avid Doctor Who fan, Brittin says media as a whole is in “an incredible time of disruption” , noting that the “divides across society” are widening.

Tim Davie’s surprise resignation last year followed fallout from the way the BBC edited a Donald Trump speech. Trump has since sued the corporation over the Panorama documentary that contained the edit.

Brittin and Davie have long been compared for their similar beliefs; for example, they are both advocates of using advanced technology to help the BBC navigate a rapidly evolving industry.

Brittin has described the rise of AI as “a huge opportunity” for content creation, but acknowledged there more work should be done on the risks “around intellectual property and creativity”.

Top image: Matt Brittin. Image: BBC

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Australia’s women’s national soccer team will face Japan’s women’s national football team this Saturday (21st March) at Stadium Australia in the final of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

After progressing through the tournament with a series of hard-fought performances, The Matildas now head into the decider carrying both home momentum and national expectation, with a capacity crowd expected in Sydney.

Captain and striker Sam Kerr leads the side into what could become one of the defining matches of the national team’s modern era.

Attacking midfielder Mary Fowler has continued to shape Australia’s forward play, while wingers Hayley Raso and Caitlin Foord bring pace and direct attacking pressure from wide areas.

Right-back Ellie Carpenter and centre-back Alanna Kennedy remain central to Australia’s defensive structure, with goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold again expected to anchor the back line.

Japan arrives after a commanding semi-final performance, setting up a final between two sides that have looked among the strongest across the tournament.

Broadcast team and ceremony locked in

The final will air live and exclusively across Network 10, 10 Play and Paramount+ from 6:30 pm AEDT.

Coverage will be led by host Tara Rushton, with sideline reporter Nalin Mastou, commentary from former Matildas midfielder Grace Gill and commentator Andy Harper.

Studio analysis will also feature former Matildas players Elise Kellond-Knight, Chloe Logarzo, Tameka Yallop and Ash Sykes.

Before kick-off, ARIA Award-winning artist G Flip will headline the closing ceremony, performing All Fired Up live as Stadium Australia builds toward kick-off.

For Australia, the final presents the chance to turn tournament momentum into silverware in front of a home crowd.

Top Image: Network ten

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Celebrating its landmark 40th anniversary, Melbourne Writers Festival (MWF) today unveiled its program for 2026, with more than 150 artists appearing across the city this 7-10 May.

From intimate conversations in cosy bar corners to blockbuster events at Melbourne Town Hall, MWF 2026 marks four decades of uniting readers and writers in one of the world’s great literary cities.

Brought together by the theme Visions & Revisions, this year’s program sees writers, thinkers and storytellers from across Australia and the world explore ideas that matter: the futures we imagine, the stories we carry, and the revisions – personal and collective – that define us.

MWF Opening Night on 6 May will feature original readings and performances responding to this theme by Omar Musa, Don Watson, Ariana Reines and Sophia Brous, plus the announcement of *The Age Book of the Year Awards.*

Kicking off the busy festival weekend on 7 May, former Prime Minister of Aotearoa New Zealand Jacinda Ardern (NZ) sits down with Virginia Trioli at Melbourne Town Hall, offering her global perspective on leadership in times of crisis. Renowned for her empathetic, values-driven approach to politics, Ardern reflects on the battles of her political career, navigating motherhood in the public eye, and her advice to the next generation of leaders.

In a headline double billing, internationally bestselling novelist R. F. Kuang will also appear at Melbourne Town Hall that same evening. The hugely popular author behind Yellowface and Babel will discuss her latest spellbinding novel Katabasis, the perils and power structures of academia, and the power of speculative fiction with Shelley Parker-Chan.

Activist, historian and author Tony Birch will deliver the 2026 MWF Closing Night Address on 10 May, sharing a meditation on the ethics of reading and writing, and the responsibility that comes with creative freedom. Drawing on stories and poetry by First Nations and other writers, Birch considers how literature fosters empathy across difference, and what it means to read and write with courage and an ethical imagination.

‘Many hands, hearts, pens and minds’

In curating the 2026 program, MWF Festival Director Veronica Sullivan is joined by local First Nations Curators Evelyn Araluen, Anita Heiss and Daniel James, who each bring their own distinct creative vision to the festival line-up.

Sullivan said, “Since 1986, MWF has been shaped and sustained by countless visions. Whether contributing as artists, audiences, volunteers or supporters – many hands, hearts, pens and minds have forged the festival’s legacy.

“You’ll hear from bestsellers, prize winners and electric new voices in fiction, poetry and memoir; from our most trusted journalists and political commentators; and from local writers who have been inspired by our City of Literature.

“You’ll be transported around the world; from the jungles of Borneo with Omar Musa, to a housing commission in Hungary with David Szalay, and to the very depths of Hell with R.F. Kuang.”

Man Booker Prize-winning author Yann Martel, best known for the modern classic Life of Pi, returns to Australia for the first time in a decade to unveil his much-anticipated new novel Son of Nobody.

Journalist and human rights advocate Antoinette Lattouf presents Women Who Win, a fierce, unflinching celebration of women who defied expectations, shattered barriers and rewrote the rules without asking permission. Lattouf is joined by one of the book’s subjects, activist and former Australian of the Year Grace Tame, for a conversation about defiance, resilience and what it truly costs to speak out, hosted by Tasneem Chopra.

Eager festival-goers can add to their to-read piles in preparation for a trio of book club-style events over the festival weekend.

MWF also heads to the suburbs, with events at local libraries in Doncaster, Hawthorn, Kooyong, Melton and Moonee Valley, bringing the festival to readers who might not otherwise make it into the city.

MWF 2026 features many more panels, conversations, workshops, performances and children’s programming across its four-day season.

The Melbourne Writers Festival is supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria and City of Melbourne.

• Melbourne Writers Festival’s main program runs Thursday 7 May to Sunday 10 May
• The previously announced Melbourne Writers Festival Schools Program runs from Monday 4 May to Friday 8 May
• Tickets to all events are on sale now via mwf.com.au
• The theme for the 2026 Festival is Visions & Revisions
• Visit mwf.com.au for more details

Top image: Melbourne Writers Festival line up for 2026.

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Vodafone has launched a new experiential platform designed to turn smartphone releases into cultural moments, kicking off with an underground live performance by Genesis Owusu in Sydney.

Named ‘First Night Only’, the initiative marks Vodafone’s first campaign with Howatson+Company and positions new device launches around exclusive live events built for content capture, music and product immersion.

The first event centred on the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S26 at Dead Set, with Vodafone customers, creators and media invited into the venue for a live performance of Owusu’s new single Stampede.

Built for the camera roll

The activation was designed to push the phone’s camera and privacy capabilities in a live setting, with bespoke lighting installed to maximise the device’s 200MP camera performance.

Sweat towels, stickers and post-show kebabs were also incorporated into the event as content-friendly moments intended to encourage social sharing.

Guests included creators and entertainers such as Ayesha Madon, Tara Chandra, Ethan Lazarov, and Angela King, helping extend the campaign’s reach beyond the venue through social content.

A launch built around cultural access

Bec Darley, Group CMO at TPG Telecom, said the idea was to place customers directly into moments where a new phone feels immediately useful.

“First Night Only is about throwing our customers straight into the kind of moments phones are made for; live music, raw energy and nights you’ll want to remember,” Darley said.

Gavin Chimes, CCO at Howatson+Company, said the concept was designed around intimacy and repeatable cultural relevance.

“Vodafone’s First Night Only is about culture and intimacy. The type that only happens in an underground punk bar. We wanted to give people real, repeatable moments in places that matter to them. Because those are the experiences that stick, in your memory and your camera roll,” Chimes said.

The campaign signals a move away from traditional product reveal formats, instead using live cultural access as the hook for device engagement.

Credits

Vodafone
Group Chief Marketing Officer, TPG Telecom: Bec Darley
Head of Brand and Marketing: Lisa Cronin
Marketing Lead, Devices: Kate Size
Senior Brand and Marketing Manager: Niharica Bawa
Marketing Manager: Molly McGrath

Howatson+Company
Chief Executive Officer: Chris Howatson
Chief Client Officer: Katherine Chen
Senior Account Director: Juliet Loneragan
Senior Account Manager: Beth Tootill
Executive Strategy Director: Katharina Vassar
Chief Creative Officer: Gavin Chimes
Deputy Chief Creative Officer: Richard Shaw
Senior Art Director: Jack Close
Senior Copywriter: Zak Hawkins
Chief Design Officer: Ellena Mills-Stainer
Head of Design: Trent Michael
Design Director: Freya Smith
Designer: Jason Nguyen
Studio Lead: Simon Merrifield
Finished Artist: Grant Ashman
Head of Production: Holly Alexander
Producer: Ella Ainslie-Bellak
Head of Post Production: King Yong
Senior Editor: Mark Broome
Content Manager: James Millynn
Group PR & Influencer Director: Michael Rossiter
PR Senior Account Executive: Grace Powers
PR Senior Account Executive: Isla Watson

Photographer: Tim Kindler
Artist: Genesis Owusu
Lighting: Alex McCoy Color Blind
Venue: Deadset
Production Assistant: Alex Goodhew
Music supervision: Level two

Top Image: Vodafone

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