Ciaran Davis started running ARN in 2010. A few years passed before the chief executive secured what is now Australia’s #1 FM breakfast show – Kyle and Jackie O – for the rebranded Sydney FM station KIIS 106.5.

On Monday April 29, he flicks the switch on a networked breakfast show. Once upon a time radio executives shuddered at the mention of networking breakfast. Not anymore.

In addition to KIIS networking breakfast, Christian O’Connell is expected to be broadcasting into Melbourne and Sydney soon if he moves to Triple M.

So far in the past 12 months, Davis has signed a contract to boost the already huge salary of Kyle Sandilands and Jackie Henderson. He’s also overseen a bid by ARN Media and partner Anchorage Capital for control of SCA. The networking of KIIS Sydney breakfast is probably the least risky of his recent decisions.

ARN chief executive Ciaran Davis, Jackie O, Kyle Sandilands, and ARN content director Duncan Campbell

Signing Kyle and Jackie a decade ago

Speaking just days before the launch of Kyle and Jackie O on KIIS 101.1 in Melbourne, Davis reminded Mediaweek that when he arrived at ARN it was a JV with Clear Channel (now iHeartMedia) and APN News and Media.

“There was an opportunity to refocus the success of the network by having a content-led strategy,” said Davis. “We wanted to drive bigger audiences and commercialise them better. There were many different formats tried and many different music positions tried.

“At the end of the day, talent drives ratings on radio stations. Kyle and Jackie are known all over the world as one of the best breakfast shows in the world.

“Having Kyle and Jackie on the network had huge appeal and was a priority for us.”

Networking that breakfast duo is not a new idea. Davis explained: “Kyle has been keen to get the show into all markets since 2013.

“With the advent of digital listening and its distribution, the awareness of what The Kyle and Jackie O Show does beyond Sydney is growing all the time. The success of the show on iHeartRadio and the national Hour of Power, plus podcasting, gave us proof points around their ability in other markets.

“It is not a Sydney-centric show. It’s an entertainment show that would appeal to audiences anywhere in the world.”

How long before ARN can run this graphic in Melbourne?

K&J: Self-generating publicity machine

The hosts plenty of stories from almost every show. Davis explained: “It’s the most-talked-about radio show in Melbourne this year and it’s not even on air. They are a magnificent PR-generating machine. But there is substance behind that as well.

“They have demonstrated over the past 25 years their chemistry and their appeal as a brand. The show creates great content and generates new and younger audiences as the years go on. They have a finger on the pulse of what a lot of people want to listen to on breakfast radio.”

See also: Will Kyle and Jackie O create a Melbourne storm?

Ciaran Davis on controversial content

“The show’s most controversial subject matter often attracts the most significant coverage. What we have been doing in Melbourne ahead of the launch is help change the perception that a Melbourne audience who aren’t listeners might have. That could come from what they have read about the show, not what they have heard.

“We are asking the audience to evaluate what makes the show so popular. We want to drive the curiosity factor and have them make up their own minds.

“There have been a lot of promos around the show’s Give Back segments and entertainment content they have done. They are being played as promos in Melbourne.

“Already we are getting feedback from listeners in research that the show is a good listen. They say it is not at all what they thought it was.

“The marketing we are rolling out will be about listeners making up their own mind.”

Commercial upside

“The value of the Melbourne radio market is now bigger than Sydney,” Davis pointed out. “Even year-to-date it is performing better than Sydney. Despite all our best efforts of trying to make a successful breakfast show down there, we have ranked around five or six. That does impact our commercial share.

“This show will work. It’s a question of how long. When it works our commercial share ranking will improve to be #1 or #2 alongside Christian O’Connell.

“We have a contract where there is a commercial uplift for the hosts based on our revenue success. We will be able to provide advertisers with a much more integrated offering across the two biggest markets in Australia.

“Advertisers are now looking for more than just spots and coverage. They want native content and integration. We have our key talent incentivised to work with commercial partners to make sure the campaigns we do work and drive results.”

See also: ARN radio boss Ciaran Davis on Kyle, Jackie and Christian: Contracts, competition, networking, and risk

Ad dollars already changing hands

There have already been some commercial wins for KIIS 101.1.

“Chemist Warehouse have come on board for the show as soon as we announced both markets.” Davis said ARN has done a number of advertiser upfronts ahead of the April 29 launch.

“We are seeing good revenue already. It’s not as if the clients are sitting and waiting. There is a level of anticipation and a level of excitement. Advertisers are leaning into the commercial opportunities and have been very engaged about what more we could do with them.”

Networking means format changes

A show that runs to its own timetable every day poses a few challenges for the broadcaster when it comes to networking. “Kyle and Jackie have control of the show and the ad breaks and where they go,” said Davis. “We have had to put a little more structure around the show. We will be running two ad logs from Monday so there needs to be a little more discipline around when the ads can play. There will still be flexibility, but we need to ensure we run the ad breaks correctly.

“Because ARN is networking from 10am, the show has to end at that time. Some days Kyle and Jackie might keep going to 11am or later. We need a little more discipline, but making sure it doesn’t impact the flow and the quality of the show.”

Mediaweek metro radio ratings coverage: Every station, every market, every survey

The board of the Audited Media Association of Australia (AMAA) has confirmed the discontinuation of its print media audit services. The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) and Circulation Audits Bureau (CAB) print audit services will discontinue from April 2024.

The AMAA conducted audits of print media for major publications that sell their print and digital copies via the ABC audit, and for publications that distribute all or a large portion of their copies for free via the CAB audit.

The ABC audit, conducted every six months, reported the average total paid sales per issue, plus the average net paid print sales and average net paid digital sales per issue. 

The CAB audit established the average net distribution per issue of a publication in a defined audit period, and reported how the publication was distributed to the recipients. 

All AMAA members have been informed of the decision and the last audits completed were ABC audits for the period ending June 2023 and CAB audits for the period ending September 2023. 

AMAA members will have the option to engage independent auditors to conduct audits for their publications.

AMAA chairman and Zenith Media CEO, Jason Tonelli, said the focus of the AMAA “has always been on providing industry-wide best practice services that support advertising spend.”

“The changing nature of print media and the growing focus on readership and other reporting metrics has resulted in a decrease in the need for traditional media audits, and while the AMAA has continued to provide this service over the last four years, the time is right to shift our attention.”

Over the past four years, the AMAA has been working with advertisers, media, PR and talent agencies through its Australian Influencer Marketing Council (AiMCO), developing best practice guides and tools to promote industry regulation and leading standards.

AiMCO will continue and is now the main focus for the AMAA Board with a new direction under new managing director, Patrick Whitnall.

TikTok Australia has said there is “zero evidence” that the short-form video app is a “national security risk” to Australia, after the United States Congress passed a bill that could ban it in the next year.

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden signed a bill giving TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, nine months to divest or sell its stake in TikTok or face a US-wide ban. The deadline can be extended by three months if there is progress to a sale.

TikTok has said it will challenge the legislation on free speech grounds under the US Constitution, the Australian Financial Review reported.

Brett Armstrong, general manager of global business solutions for TikTok Australia, said in a statement: “There is zero evidence suggesting that TikTok is in any way a national security risk, and we welcome the Prime Minister’s recent comments that his Government has no plans to ban us.

“TikTok is a platform that is loved by over 8.5 million Australians and 350,000 Australian businesses, with a recent independent study by Oxford Economics finding that we contribute $1.1billion and 13,000 jobs to the Australian economy.”

TikTok released its first Economic Impact Report, conducted by Oxford Economics, earlier this month. In addition to its contribution to the GDP and job market, the report revealed more than 8.5 million Australians on the platform were influenced to buy, visit, or donate to more than 350,000 businesses using TikTok.

Investments in advertising and marketing on TikTok (FY23) generated $1 billion in direct revenue for Australian businesses, and with flow on impacts, the GDP contribution grew to $1.1 billion.

“It was good to get that verification not from us, but from a third party that’s respected,” Armstrong told the AFR. “We’ve seen in the years of working in this market, these owners and businesses that have just found so much success through this platform.”

US Congress passed the bill to ban the app on Wednesday, as many of its members fear the platform could be used to collect Americans’ data and the Chinese Community Party could influence Americans’ opinions via TikTok owner ByteDance. These claims have been rejected by TikTok, the AFR reported.

Coalition home affairs spokesman, senator James Paterson, told the publication that if the Albanese government did not pass laws mirroring the US, TikTok could be split into two versions.

“[There could be] a safer one for Americans, free of Chinese Communist Party influence, and a dangerous one for the rest of the world including Australia beholden to an authoritarian state,” he added.

Paterson insisted the government act and that the Coalition would work with it in a bipartisan way.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil told the AFR: “We are monitoring events in the US closely, and will take additional advice if any potential sale or new information from our agencies make it necessary.”

Last month, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed Australia has “no plans” to block Chinese-owned app.

“We’ll take advice, but we have no plans to do that. I think you’ve got to be pretty cautious,” he said during an interview with WSFM’s Jonesy and Amanda in March.

“You’ve always got to have national security concerns front and centre, but you also need to acknowledge that for a whole lot of people, this provides a way of them communicating. And so, we haven’t got advice at this stage to do that.”

The short-form video app has more than 170 million users in the US and 8.5 million in Australia.

It’s been 20 years since troubled communications agency, Naked, first opened its doors in Australia, and to commemorate the occasion, its founding admen are holding a reunion at Sydney’s The Beresford on Wednesday 22 May 2024.

Launching in the United Kingdom in 2000, and in Australia four years later, Naked positioned itself as a media-neutral agency via local founders Mat Baxter, most recently the CEO of Huge, Adam Ferrier, co-founder of creative agency Thinkerbell, and Mike Wilson, now chair of media agency Hatched.

The company became Australian-owned in 2015 when Enero Group (then known as Photon Group) acquired it.

Baxter and Ferrier announced the reunion on LinkedIn this week, which was purportedly conceived of by Wilson.

“Mat, Mike, and Adam would like to invite you to a typically dysfunctional, disorganised and possibly dismal 20 year reunion,” said Baxter.

“The invite is open to everyone who worked at or with Naked or just happens to be at the Beresford Hotel.

“The invite is also open to all journalists and people who now work at WPP.”

During its heydey, Naked pioneered earned media strategy, establishing itself as a formidable force in the local market, developing cut-through work for clients including Who Gives a Crap, FBI Radio, and the Transport Accident commission.

It later became embroiled in its share of controversy, starting in 2007 when it was fired by client Diageo due to comments made by Baxter about targeting binge drinkers.

In 2013, it was dismissed by the Labor Party for soliciting free advertising and tailored articles from media outlets in exchange for an interview with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

Ferrier, who described Naked as “a very crazy place,” said “sure, its NPS was never that high, and its processes and operating systems were lacking, and it was needlessly antagonistic and chaotic. However, it was great fun, we did great work, and built some fantastic friendships.

“We promise it will be no worse than your 20 year school reunion (although probably not much better). If you worked at, or with Naked, or want to come along please do.”

See also: How Thinkerbell is building a new mindset with its latest campaign

In the face of ongoing contractions in the tech industry, and the scandal surrounding the departure of former CFO Damien Sing, Canva launched the third-year iteration of its ‘What Will You Design Today?’ brand platform to the US market. 

According to the Australian-led graphic design startup’s ECD, Cat van der Werff, since the introduction of the platform in the US, the company has experienced a significant increase in consideration and unaided awareness. In fact, she reports that marketing efforts have doubled consideration in the region.

The start-up embarked on its US expansion in 2020, establishing a maiden campus in Austin, Texas.

Tailoring the campaign for its US audience, the work, which began its rollout last month, signalled the company’s “all in” stance on AI and placing its AI product, Magic Studio, front and centre.

van der Werff describes the US to Mediaweek as “a critical market for us in terms of growth potential,” given the sheer concentration of large enterprises based there.

“In the last few years, the adoption of Canva by organisations has accelerated, and we’re doubling down,” she says.

Last year alone, Canva grew its US-based team to over 200 across a range of specialties. 

As Canva continues to engage with large enterprise organisations locally and around the globe, van der Werff explains there was a necessity to address a “perception gap,” and improve how often the platform is designated “very suitable” for servicing companies of significant scale.

“So, we shaped this campaign to help shift that perception,” she says.

“We want to introduce people to the platform as something that can be an incredible tool for productivity and visual design in the workplace.”

In designing work specifically for the US market, van der Werff explains the team was driven by the key insights that US knowledge workers are after a user-friendly platform that inspires creativity, while business decision-makers want tools that save time, reduce costs, and scale outposts.

“We wanted to speak directly to both audiences,” she says. 

The latest campaign efforts are backed by out-of-home creative that displays real cost and time-saving insights from Canva customers. Its TVCs speak to the efficiency and design benefits of Canva’s AI tools.

However, she explains the team developed a strategy “very specific” to its US audience: creative designed to reach professionals during their leisure time, with bespoke spots tailored for NFL games and March Madness.

“For this year’s campaign, one of our streaming ads illustrates a fun application of the Magic Switch product, with announcers narrating how a team uses the feature in a big game.”

This understanding of its US market, van der Werff says, has been gleaned through rigorous testing and research over the last several years.

She explains, “we’ve honed in on “ease of use” as a leading driver of consideration, which continues to be front and centre in our approach.”

“We’ve also continued to refine our creative formula to show specific situations or problems that people might encounter in their work.”

Produced by Canva’s in-house team, with motion Captivate DOOH by Buck and music by Otis Music House, the latest campaign demonstrates real, applicable AI use cases for the workplace.

Canva’s all-in-one AI suite was launched late last year. “Just as we were a decade ago, we’re once again standing in front of another major shift in technology – this time, fuelled by artificial intelligence,” said Canva founder, Melanie Perkins, at the time. 

van der Werff says the latest campaign “brings to life how Canva helps teams, from marketing to HR, create more visual, impactful work.”

“Canva is filling the gap for an all-in-one, AI-powered design platform that anyone on any team can use,” she says.

As a result of the campaign, van der Werff says the team has seen more US-based brands including  Reddit, Expedia, and Salesforce deploy Canva for their content creation, marketing efforts and internal communication.

“2023 was also a big year for Canva and the US entertainment industry,” she says. 

“We saw almost a 20% increase in the past 12 months in entertainment organisations actively using Canva, and the number of designs they’re publishing grew by more than 80%.”

In December 2023, Canva reported its biggest year of growth to date, with 60 million people joining, and touting a valuation of $39 million.

Last month, Canva was listed on the 2024 LinkedIn Top Companies List in Australia. In a continued bid to fortify its comms tools offering, the company also announced the acquisition of Affinity – a creative software suite for professional photo editing, illustration, graphic design, and page layout.

See also:
CommBank, Telstra, and Canva: LinkedIn reveals top workplaces for growth
Canva acquires Affinity creative software suite
Canva reports biggest year of growth adding 60 million users to hit 170 million

–

Top Image: Cat van der Werff

By Keenan Motto and Gemma Rees, co-founders at TBWA Group’s Fabric

We co-founded Fabric in 2019, with a goal of creating work that unites strategic rigour, disruptive storytelling, and design expertise.
Since then, we’ve built brand platforms and campaigns for some of Australia’s most iconic brands, and a team of brilliant people who are the heart and soul of our business.

We started our working relationship knowing three things – we have a common moral compass that revolves around equality and respect; we acknowledge that our brains are wired differently (creative vs business) and to thrive we need to respect each other’s craft; and we sought to protect our friendship, but not at the expense of having hard conversations. These guiding principles formed the bedrock of our partnership, enabling us to navigate challenges and achieve our shared goals with integrity and mutual understanding.

The first five years have been fun, challenging, liberating, and full of lessons in business, relationships, and leadership. For anyone thinking about starting up an agency, here are the five key lessons we’ve learned in five years.

1. People first – always

Our mantra is ‘people come first’, always. Our industry can feel a little ruthless and relentless at times and it’s easy to let the work get in the way of what makes you brilliant – your people.

We believe that the more balanced you are in your life, the more you will thrive at work. We’ve put our principles into practice to help us get there:

Culture is built together: When you’re in the thick of it, culture makes all the difference. We’ve co-created our culture with the team vs it being forced upon them. Our people are our culture.

No compromise: We ask our team to state their individual ‘no compromise’ and share it openly with the team. For example, ‘no meetings before 9am’, ‘I leave at 5pm every Wednesday for Pilates’, ‘I’ll always be home for my kid’s bedtime’. In return, we ensure this is respected by the whole team.

2. 60/40 partnership rule

The 60/40 rule is based on the simple premise that each founder gets the final call on the areas of their own expertise. For us, that’s not to say we don’t ask for each other’s perspective; we just know who is going to make the final call.

And, whatever the outcome, we’ll back each other on it. Not only does it reinforce mutual respect, it allows open space for honest and hard discussions. And it’s efficient. Together, we get to making decisions quicker. It enables us to play to our strengths, respect each other’s positions, craft, and expertise, and communicate with openness and without fear.

3. Welcome feedback

The good, the bad and the ugly. It’s easy to get wrapped up in your own world so it’s important to actively seek feedback from diverse perspectives to help sharpen and improve your business.

The good – surround yourself with people who support and believe in your vision. Their guidance can help reaffirm your direction and aid evolution. In tough times, these are the people who will be the fuel for your fire.

The bad – seek out the sceptics. Their criticism can serve as motivation to reassess and reshape (and drive you to prove them wrong if you disagree).

The ugly – embrace the provocateurs who challenge the status quo. Their honesty can be a catalyst for transformation towards growth and innovation.

4. Evolve but remain authentic

We’ve always had a clear vision for our business and the type of work we want to make. It has been fun and challenging to create something unique that didn’t exist in the Australian market.

But we force ourselves to take a ‘conscious pause’ every 6–12 months to reassess our foundations and look to unlock new ways to evolve and grow without losing sight of our brand foundations. We aim to adapt without getting distracted from the core of why we exist and stay nimble and retain the start-up mentality to drive agility and positive change – and, importantly, future growth.

5. Relationships are gold – protect them

We firmly believe in the saying ‘show me your friends and I’ll show you your future’. So from the outset of our partnership, we made a pact to collaborate with individuals who align with our values and goals – both for people we are and the clients we want to work with.

This principle extends to how we engage with and support our clients. As we integrate with them, they become part of our extended team, and vice versa. This closeness fosters trust swiftly, propelling us towards more innovative and successful creative outcomes.

—

See also: First +61 film work for Telstra launches: ‘Pointless’

Top image: Rees and Motto

“Social media platforms are not responsible publishers,” The Nightly’s editor-in-chief Anthony DeCeglie has written in an editorial published on the site on Wednesday.

The piece responds to Elon Musk making headlines with his push to keep the vision of the near-fatal stabbing of a Sydney bishop mid-sermon up on X – despite Australia’s eSafety Commissioner telling Musk and the site that it must take down the footage. Musk claims keeping the footage up is an expression of free speech.

Graphic footage of the Bondi stabbing attacks circulated on X only days before.

DeCeglie points out that, “Australia has long had in place laws that set out the responsibilities of publishers.”

Publishers can’t publish material that is considered indecent or offensive, and if they do, can be held criminally responsible. There are exceptions made for content being used as art, within a clear set of guidelines.

“The provisions in our criminal codes dealing with such material are rarely used, because responsible publishers take seriously their obligations,” DeCeglie writes.

“The bosses of tech giants have proved again and again through their inaction that they don’t care how vile the material posted on their platforms is. Not their fault and not their problem, is their attitude.

“That’s despite the fact these platforms host vast amounts of material so vile, so obscene, to be beyond the comprehension of any decent person.”

DeCeglie argues that publishing the footage currently available on X would land a publisher with “significant criminal penalties,” but current laws don’t hold social media sites to the same standards.

“It’s an absurd situation. Our laws need to deal with these social media platforms as what they are – publishers.

“That comes with some hefty responsibilities both legal and moral. These organisations must start living up to them.”

See Also: Launch day for The Nightly: Seven West Media’s daily paper aimed at “mainstream middle”

“One Minute Remaining” teams up with Acast and Wondercraft to bring the podcast to Spanish-speaking audiences using AI

“One Minute Remaining”, hosted by former Australian radio personality Jack Laurence, features interviews with incarcerated individuals in the US. 

Since its launch in September 2022, the show has amassed over four million downloads. Recognising the potential to reach new audiences, Laurence embraced the idea of creating a Spanish-language version of his podcast.

“During a visit to the Acast offices in Sydney, Guy (Acast Australia’s head of content) suggested exploring a Spanish version,” Laurence said. “While I was initially hesitant about AI in the creative space, the technology has proven incredible, allowing my show to be accessible to Spanish speakers while preserving my voice and creative vision.”

The Spanish-language version, “Un Minuto Restante” is available now on all major podcast platforms.

[Listen to Un Minuto Restante here] 

Nova’s ‘Skinfluence’ podcast gets a make-over

Nova Original podcast ‘Skinfluence’ is back with a new look and new hosts, ready to take the latest makeup trends, level up listeners’ skincare knowledge and share their best beauty tips. 

New hosts Jayme Jo and Jessie Massoud are well-known beauty experts, and the sisters are ready to tackle the latest trends and products.

The relaunch will bring a fresh perspective, with the new hosts sharing their unique take on the topic, ensuring their fans are able to sort through the over-supply of beauty content and find information that works for them. 

Jayme Jo Massoud is an entertainer, actor and influencer. She most recently starred in the theatre production of West Side Story in Sydney. Jessie Massoud is a Sydney-based content creator and is currently at university studying architecture. 

[Listen to Skinfluence here]

Bumble launches ‘Give Me A Buzz’, delving into the world of modern dating

Bumble’s own dating expert Lucille McCart has teamed up with Bumble’s resident sexologist, Chantelle Otten to take the dating advice out of the group chat and launch a brand new podcast, Give Me A Buzz. 

The first season will guide Gen Zs and Millennials through modern dating and relationships. The podcast has been curated for everyone who is interested in the human behaviour that reveals itself in dating. 

Each week, along with a special guest, Lucille and Chantelle will unpack subjects such as ethical non-monogamy, body positivity, dating with a disability, the intersection between astrology and compatibility, sexting etiquette and digital consent, modern masculinity, dating safety and more.

The inaugural season has ten 45-minute episodes which will be released weekly on Tuesdays from 23 April 2024. The first episode welcomes author, podcaster and Cheek Media founder, Hannah Ferguson where the trio delve into everything from values and political beliefs, dating expectations and boundaries, to bringing joy back to modern dating, and how to curate the perfect dating app profile.

[Listen to Give Me A Buzz here]

Save money with SBS’s Ricardo Gonçalves and Peggy Giakoumelos on its new Cost of Living Secrets podcast

SBS News presenter and Finance editor Ricardo Gonçalves and journalist Peggy Giakoumelos explore one subject per episode with an expert in the field aimed at helping audiences make informed decisions about their everyday spending. 

“With cost of living pressures rising, we’re all looking at ways to make our dollar stretch further and sometimes it’s the simple things that can often make the most difference,” said Gonçalves who presents the finance news on SBS World News and hosts the SBS On The Money podcast.

The six-part series includes an episode on supermarket shopping with consumer behaviour expert Professor Nitika Garg who explains just what all those colourful price tickets on the shelves really mean and if they are really saving you anything.

Peggy and Ricardo also sit down with general practitioner Dr Rebekah Hoffman to talk about rebates, bulk billing and the different services available for patients in metropolitan and regional areas.

Cost of Living Secrets is general in nature and is not intended as financial advice.

[Listen to On the Money here]

Google has announced it is delaying the end of third-party cookies in its Chrome browser due to regulatory oversight in the UK. 

This delay marks the third time Google has pushed back its original deadline set in January 2020.

In a statement, Google said it recognises there are ongoing challenges related to reconciling divergent feedback from the industry, regulators, and developers.

“We will continue to engage closely with the entire ecosystem,” the statement read.

“It’s also critical that the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has sufficient time to review all evidence including results from industry tests, which the CMA has asked market participants to provide by the end of June. Given both of these significant considerations, we will not complete third-party cookie deprecation during the second half of Q4.”

The tech giant’s original promise was that third-party cookies would vanish from Chrome by the end of 2024, but the CMA raised 39 “concerns” to be addressed before the plan could proceed back in January. 

A spokesperson from the CMA said it welcomes Google’s announcement clarifying the timing of third-party cookie deprecation. 

“This will allow time to assess the results of industry tests and resolve remaining issues,” the spokesperson said.

“Under the commitments, Google has agreed to resolve our remaining competition concerns before going ahead with third-party cookie deprecation. Working closely with the ICO we expect to conclude this process by the end of 2024.”

James McDonald, co-founder and director of Audience Group said that the news of Google’s delay is irrelevant to anyone who is thinking beyond traditional digital performance media strategies. 

“Cookies have been deprecated in non-Chrome browsers for a long time. Anyone who isn’t prepared with a first-party data strategy and a non-pixel measurement strategy, should not delay,” he said.

“A non-cookie targeting approach using your first-party data will be at least as good as a cookie-based approach and it sets you up for post-cookie world while also allowing you to better target iOS devices and non-Chrome browsers.”

Google’s replacement for third-party cookies is The Privacy Sandbox. It’s an initiative led by Google to create web standards for websites to access user information without compromising privacy.

Founder and director of ZRO FOX David Gaskill added that anybody involved in testing Privacy Sandbox and the alternative solutions will attest that Google isn’t ready. 

“It’s widely recognised that Google’s proposed alternatives to third-party cookies are not up to scratch, but fortunately, others in the market are creating solutions that are,” he said. 

“Data ownership for brands, extending beyond their first-party audience data, is critical to long-term success. With Gen AI looming large on the horizon as an integral part of all business, the best way to prepare for the future is to have owned data inform all aspects of strategy and business.

“Today’s news has once again demonstrated why smart brands and businesses are investing in owning their own data and diversification. Relying on and paying for big tech is like sitting on a freeway in neutral.”

Head of media at Orange Line, Gavin Chew, said that the delay of the end of third-party cookies is unsurprising, and stressed that it’s important that Google gets it right. 

“It’s super important that Google gets this right, especially since Chrome has the biggest piece of the pie in terms of users,” he said. 

“At the moment, Privacy Sandbox isn’t living up to what was promised, and the issues that have been flagged seem to say it gives Google an advantage. It’s almost like they build the car, they drive the car, and they create the road at the moment. 

Dan Richardson, director of data and insights AUSEA at Yahoo said: “Google’s new timeline helps the industry continue to test and adapt. Beyond even cookies, non-addressable inventory will only increase and the industry should act now to prepare for these changes.

“Either way, Yahoo is ready to support advertisers today, with solutions for addressable and non-addressable environments, as well as testing in the Privacy Sandbox.” 

Sarla Fernando, director of regulatory & advocacy at ADMA said that ADMA welcomes the approach from Google in delaying the end of third-party cookies in recognition of ongoing challenges.

“While this announcement confirms that third-party cookie deprecation by Google will no longer be completed in 2024, ADMA reminds businesses that the reliance on third-party cookies is already changing, and alternative options are already available to test and adopt,” she said.

“I would further encourage these businesses to not take Google’s announcement as an excuse to further delay preparing their businesses for the changes that will eventually come.

“The marketing landscape has been undergoing significant changes and these will only accelerate with the upcoming Privacy Act reforms. The changes will have a dramatic impact on the marketing landscape for almost every brand and every size of business.

“We don’t need to know the exact dates of cookie deprecation or privacy reform legislation to start preparing your business for this change.

“Every business can start to prepare itself now and get ahead of the competition so that they are ready for when we no longer have the option to operate in the way we have been to date. This goes for how a business uses cookies (both first and third party) or its need to build first party data strategies that help support good and trustworthy customer experiences.

“New frameworks are coming in, regardless of whether they are motivated by platform changes or regulatory reform, so it is vital all businesses are alert to their responsibilities (and opportunities) in this environment.”

Google said it remains committed to engaging closely with the CMA and ICO and hopes to conclude that process this year.

“Assuming we can reach an agreement, we envision proceeding with third-party cookie deprecation starting early next year.”

This week’s Meeting of the Minds sees Dave Levett and Remy Randall from media and marketing agency Murmur Group reveal their leadership heroes, current streaming binge, and career goals.

The Mediaweek series showcases their diverse perspectives, thoughts and opinions by bringing together two different points of view from an industry rookie and an experienced expert.

Dave Levett, managing director, Murmur Group

Favourite podcast/read –  Professionally – my favourite podcast at the moment is Uncensored CMO with Jon Evans, but my favourite read is How Brands Grow by Byron Sharp. I’ve read it three times, and pick up new snippets, tactics, and ideas every time I go back to it. 

Current streaming binge –  Currently getting through season 2 of The Moodys on ABC iView – it’s from 2018 or so, but good Aussie humour and comedy. I finished Colin From Accounts recently which was equally brilliant and featured Patrick Brammall, and got referred to The Moodys because he was in it as well.

Guilty pleasure content – I secretly love playing chess online and actually have a few games with a couple of clients on the go. Shhh…

What do you have on repeat – Radiohead Kid A. It was the hardest album for me to appreciate at the time of release, but the album is like a very well-cellared vintage and just gets better with age.

Best career advice – Very early in my career when I first became a manager of people, I tried to be the manager that we had before. After a while, my team were confused and annoyed. One person I trusted in my team came to me one day, and said, “Don’t try to be anyone else, be yourself”. Great advice I’ve always tried to focus on and pass on.

Leadership hero –  My dad. He had a great career, 20 years in the one company and his staff still talk about how wonderful he was with them. He retired more than 10 years ago, but he and his staff, who have now all moved on, still catch up every year for a reunion. He drove a tight ship, but they all got a lot of success out of their work, and it’s something that I’d love to build and be able to look back on years down the road. 

Best training course/session –  Mark Ritson’s Mini MBA was a great educational and learning experience, I often tell people that ask me about it that it was the best education I’ve had since university. He’s got a great way of delivering key messages, and the content is very easily consumed.

I wish someone had told me –  Find a business partner to start your agency. Maybe the grass is always greener, but I’m very envious of agencies that have multiple partners to share the load and the stress around. 

Favourite place to network – Anywhere but a networking event. People buy from people, and they certainly don’t buy from someone at a networking event, which just feels like speed dating. If I ever go to an event like that these days, I just try and find three people to have deep conversations with and build a relationship. Certainly don’t just go around handing a card out to as many people as you can.

Something that’s surprised you about the industry – There are a lot of people in our industry that talk about how ‘toxic’ our industry is. I think it’s the best industry, and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. I have so much to thank this industry for. I met my wife at the first marketing agency I worked at.  We have a wonderful family I can thank the industry for. I have lifelong friends from this industry. If people think our industry is toxic, they are mistaking the industry for people they’ve encountered.

What is your hot take on the industry – “Attribution” is the stuff of fairy tales, and ROAS should stand for “Reckless Overstatement of Ambiguous Stats”.

Career goal for 2024 –  Run a half marathon under 1.5 hours. 

Remy Randall, account executive, Murmur Group

Favourite podcast/read – Favourite podcast is Shameless, for sure! The hosts, Zara and Michelle, have a way of making you feel intelligent whilst listening to them talk about the crazy world of pop culture. I also feel like they are my besties, even though we’ve never met.

Current streaming binge – Boy Swallows Universe on Netflix. The way it portrays the darker side of Australian culture is exceptional. Also, every main cast member absolutely nailed their roles.

Guilty pleasure content – Currently Dance Life on Binge, which is about the lives of dancers completing their “full-time” dance year after high school. I was an on and off dancer growing up, so I can connect and empathise with the cast.

What do you have on repeat – Taylor Swift, of course! I attended her concert twice thanks to Murmur’s connections.

Best career advice – Work as though you’ve already received your next promotion. I try to remind myself of this whenever I feel a little unmotivated.

Leadership hero – Jess Hatzis-Walker and Bree Johnson, co-founders of branding agency Willow & Blake as well as skincare brand Frank Body. These two women have very well-established careers in the marketing industry, plus own an extremely successful skincare company. Goals. They also share so much of their knowledge with the industry which I respect a lot.

Best training course/session – I attend Toastmaster sessions as much as possible. These sessions help so much with my confidence inside and outside of work. Highly recommend.

I wish someone had told me – To value education at a younger age. I’d love to go back to school and immerse myself in learning.

Favourite place to network – In any social situation, over a drink. Something I’m still working on as too often I can fall into the trap of only talking to the people I know.

Something that surprised you about the industry – Radio advertising is not dead! In fact, it was still one of the most effective channels in 2023.

What is your hot take on the industry – Clickbait no longer works… consumers want to connect with the content. Also, podcast advertising will start to be one of the most effective ways to advertise in 2024.

Career goal for 2024 – Be promoted to account manager at Murmur Group. I have my eye on the prize…

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To take part in future editions of Meeting of the Minds, please email: [email protected]

Past editions of Meeting of the Minds.

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Top image: Levett and Randall

After The Party (Sunday on ABC) is a must-see new drama with a mostly all-Kiwi cast, except for Scottish actor Peter Mullan. He plays the ex-husband of Penny, played by Robyn Malcolm, who has also co-created this story with writer Dianne Taylor. Together, they have crafted a suburban whodunnit with a woman of a certain age at the centre. 

The magnificent Malcolm has been in Aussie shows like Harrow and Upper Middle Bogan. But her best-known work was shoved into a late-night slot out of ratings. Outrageous Fortune, one of the best comedy dramas of all time, was treated with contempt by Aussie programmers. Something that still happens to all TV series from New Zealand. 

The difference with this one is it’s an Australian co-production with the ABC. For more interesting info about the making of After The Party, check out our standalone podcast episode of TV Gold with Robyn Malcolm (landing Monday). This is one of the best dramas of the year – 5 stars. 

Swift Street (SBS On Demand) is a new Aussie series with a lead cast that is a first given every character is a person of colour. Set in Preston, Melbourne, it’s about the fiery relationship between street hustler Elsie (Tanzyn Crawford) and her deadbeat dad Robert (Cliff Curtis).

Swift Street

There is great support from Kenyan Lonsdale as a troubled boxer, but he’s not there to be a romantic interest for Elsie. She seems to have both a boyfriend and a girlfriend and refreshingly, very little is made of it. Creator Tig Terera has crafted a drama about what he knows best and it’s one to watch.  

Heartbreak High (Netflix) is back and has had to up the ante for its second season. It’s now less about a multicultural school and more about teen sex, as it morphs into an Aussie version of Sex Education (Netflix).

Heartbreak High S2. (L to R) Chika Ikogwe as Jojo, Ayesha Madon as Amerie, Gemma Chua-Tran as Sasha, Sherry-Lee Watson as Missy, Brodie Townsend as Ant, Bryn Chapman Parish as Spider, Angus Sampson as Voss

In the absence of schoolwork or study, with barely a teacher or parent in sight, there are illegal raves in bunkers, mushroom trips in the bush and football teams that call themselves cumlords and sluts. It is all totally ridiculous, but very watchable, with a great soundtrack to boot.

TV Gold: New episode of Mediaweek’s weekly TV podcast

Listen now on your favourite podcast platform for 30 minutes of TV reviews and recommendations every week from Mediaweek’s Mercado on TV columnist Andrew Mercado and editor-in-chief James Manning.

We want your comments, feedback and questions – [email protected].

This week: Alice & Jack, Swift Street, White Lies, Sugar, How to Poison the Planet

We start this episode with a very different love story, Alice & Jack (BBC First/Binge/Foxtel, series). Swift Street (SBS, series) looks at a family forced into petty crime in suburban Melbourne. White Lies (Stan, series) is a crime investigation starring Natalie Dormer set in South Africa. Sugar (AppleTV+, series) sees Colin Farrell playing LA detective John Sugar. How to Poison the Planet (Stan documentary) is a brilliant feature made in collaboration with The Sydney Morning Herald that tells a chilling tale about how we are impacted by poisons let loose by the chemical industry.

Listen online here, or on your favourite podcast platform.

Sky and BBC Studios announced this week they are expanding their partnership in New Zealand. A multi-year deal will give Sky audiences access to the best British content on BBC First across Sky, Neon and free-to-air channel Sky Open. 

BBC First will join the Sky channel line up from October 2024, bringing some great premium UK dramas to Sky customers. Selected content will also be available on Neon and Sky Open.

BBC First joins BBC UKTV, BBC Earth and CBeebies, alongside the BBC News channel.

The new channel will be home to the biggest dramas from the UK, premiering a mix of new titles and the latest seasons of audience favourites. BBC First is promising the best in British storytelling, with the best British talent on and off screen.

Among the titles coming to Sky audiences will be the much-anticipated detective thriller The Jetty starring Jenna Coleman (pictured above). Other launch programming will include Return to Paradise, the Australian spin-off of Death in Paradise, and the second season of the series Beyond Paradise starring Kris Marshall and Sally Bretton.

Sky chief executive Sophie Moloney said: “Sky customers will enjoy an expanded array of world-class British content through our renewed partnership with BBC Studios. We value what our customers value, and with UKTV being Sky’s number one entertainment channel with consistently high and growing viewership, we’re confident in the value this represents for customers.

“The renewed partnership also offers exclusive access to premium British drama on BBC First. Importantly, these rights extend across our portfolio of entertainment products, meaning our customers can enjoy great British content in whatever way they choose.”

Return to Paradise

BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand general manager Fiona Lang said: “We are delighted to grow our longstanding partnership with Sky with the addition of this stellar channel. New Zealand audiences have proven to have a huge appetite for British shows and we’re pleased to be able to partner with Sky to offer their customers more of what they want – the full suite of the best of the BBC from kids to entertainment, news, documentaries and drama.”

Under the deal, Sky’s #1 entertainment channel BBC UKTV will continue to offer audiences a curated selection of British entertainment including soap juggernauts EastEnders and Casualty, fan favourite quizcoms 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, QI and Would I Lie to You. Also, celebrity chat shows The Jonathan Ross Show and The Graham Norton Show.

Sky audiences can also access factual shows from the most inspiring and passionate experts in the world on BBC Earth. That includes titles like Where The Wild Men Are and Life Below Zero. Pre-schoolers can see their favourite friends Hey Duggee, Bluey and Sarah and Duck on CBeebies.

Channels and programming will be available across Sky Neon and Sky Open.

See also: BritBox business model – BBC global streaming CEO explains growth strategy

About BBC Studios ANZ

BBC Studios, a global content company with British creativity at its heart, is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC Group.

The BBC Studios business in Australia and New Zealand has nine channels: BBC First, BBC UKTV, BBC Earth, BBC News and CBeebies on Foxtel and Fetch TV in Australia; BBC Brit and BBC Kids on Fetch TV; and BBC UKTV, BBC Earth, BBC News and CBeebies on Sky TV in New Zealand with BBC First to come in October.

It distributes British content from the BBC and other British producers to free-to-air, subscription channels and SVOD platforms and works with partners to bring BBC Studios consumer products, home entertainment and live events to the local market, including for the global hit, Bluey.
The production arm in Sydney produces BBC formats for the local market, including Dancing with the Stars, Top Gear, The Office and Mastermind, and produces original series including Space 22.

The ANZ ad sales team offers domestic and international commercial opportunities across our broadcast and digital portfolio, including the all-new BBC.com

Tuesday 23rd Apr 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s LEGO Masters recorded a total TV national reach of 1,617,000, a total TV national audience of 689,000, and a BVOD audience of 47,000.

Nine’s A Current Affair recorded a total TV national reach of 1,534,000, a total TV national audience of 998,000, and a BVOD audience of 63,000.

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife recorded a total TV national reach of 1,835,000, a total TV national audience of 1,006,000, and a BVOD audience of 87,000.

Also on Seven, Home & Away recorded a total TV national reach of 1,386,000, a total TV national audience of 891,000, and a BVOD audience of 98,000.

10’s airing of MasterChef Australia recorded a total TV national reach of 1,400,000, a total TV national audience of 649,000, and a BVOD audience of 49,000.

See Also: TV Report 23 April 2024: Brickman left baffled by a team’s strange decision during LEGO Masters

People 25-54

Nine’s LEGO Masters:
• Total TV nation reach: 599,000
• National Audience: 309,000
• BVOD Audience: 29,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 448,000
• National Audience: 273,000
• BVOD Audience: 35,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 506,000
• National Audience: 239,000 
• BVOD Audience: 29,000

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife:
• Total TV nation reach: 583,000
• National Audience: 295,000
• BVOD Audience: 47,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 449,000
• National Audience: 293,000
• BVOD Audience: 56,000

People 16-39

Nine’s LEGO Masters:
• Total TV nation reach: 227,000
• National Audience: 116,000
• BVOD Audience: 15,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 176,000
• National Audience: 102,000
• BVOD Audience: 18,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 230,000
• National Audience: 108,000 
• BVOD Audience: 17,000

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife:
• Total TV nation reach: 211,000
• National Audience: 114,000
• BVOD Audience: 27,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 182,000
• National Audience: 130,000
• BVOD Audience: 34,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+

Nine’s LEGO Masters:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,204,000
• National Audience: 492,000
• BVOD Audience: 37,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,179,000
• National Audience: 779,000
• BVOD Audience: 51,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,106,000
• National Audience: 518,000 
• BVOD Audience: 39,000

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,437,000
• National Audience: 800,000
• BVOD Audience: 70,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,078,000
• National Audience: 695,000
• BVOD Audience: 78,000

Data © OzTAM and Regional TAM 2024. Not to be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) in whole or in part, without prior written consent of OzTAM and Regional TAM.

TV Report 25 April 2024:

Nine TV Report

NRL – Dragons v Roosters

Nine’s draw for ANZAC Day was the traditional ANZAC Roosters v Dragons clash, which saw the Roosters dominate, winning the game 60-18. This win marks the Roosters winning five of their past seven Anzac Day clashes with the Dragons. 

A Current Affair

Over on A Current Affair, the program spoke to a trade couple who are fearing a copycat business is fooling their customers and met with a Vietnam veteran’s 40-year fight for bravery medals. 

Seven TV Report

AFL – Giants vs Lions

On Seven, the Greater Western Sydney Giants went up against the Brisbane Lions in Canberra, with the Giants ending up taking the win, smashing the Lions by 54 points.

Home & Away

Earlier in the night was Home & Away as Eden was a support for Imogen, Levi struggled and Theo took surprising steps in his recovery. 

10 TV Report

The Project

The Project on 10 showcased Australia commemorating ANZAC Day, looked into the Government being called on for mental health reform and spoke to the Pet Shop Boys. 

MasterChef Australia

On 10’s MasterChef, the first immunity challenge saw a battle of time vs. ingredients. Five contestants had to choose between on ingredient and a 90-minute cook, OR up to 20 ingredients but only 45 minutes to cook. 

ABC

7:30

7:30 looked into a NSW coronial inquest that found racial bias impacted the initial investigation into the deaths of two Aboriginal teenagers in 1987. 

Foreign Correspondent

Foreign Correspondent looked into Britain’s Drug Gangs. The UK illicit drug market is worth an estimated 9.4 billion pounds a year. In small towns in the north of England, drugs are being warehoused and sold by criminals who make large sums of money.

SBS

Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy

Actor Stanley Tucci visited the Italian Riviera – which is famous for the glitz and glamour of Portofino and the picture-perfect fishing villages of the Cinque Terre.