Seven is doubling down on its push to unify editorial vision and commercial ambition, appointing seasoned newsman Sean Power to the newly created role of Director of News Integration and Strategy.
Power, who has spent the past seven years inside Seven’s newsroom engine, most recently as Director of 7NEWS Sydney and previously Executive Producer of Sunris, steps into a national role that signals the network’s evolving approach to news delivery across screens.
He’ll be charged with overseeing how nightly news content lands across all of Seven’s platforms: from traditional linear broadcasts to digital products like 7NEWS.com.au, 7plus, and The Nightly, plus social media extensions. In essence, Power becomes the connective tissue between editorial ambition and platform strategy.
Seven’s Director of News and Current Affairs, Ray Kuka, described the appointment as “critical” to unlocking the full potential of the network’s journalism. “So much of our incredible news gathering ends up on the cutting room floor,” he said. “Sean will enhance our delivery of news and make sure our audiences everywhere know about our exclusive and investigative content.”
Power’s new role will see him return to his hometown of Melbourne, where he’ll lead the development of a national news program to be broadcast from Seven’s newly opened, state-of-the-art studios.
The investment in infrastructure and editorial muscle in Melbourne reflects Seven’s broader ambition to make its news product more nationally resonant, and commercially scalable.
Power will also partner with National News Desk Director and Foreign Editor Hugh Whitfeld on Seven’s biggest news moments, while acting as a strategic bridge between the network’s programming, comms, and marketing departments to amplify news across all channels.
“It’s a privilege to work alongside Australia’s sharpest journalists,” Power said in a statement. “We’re building on the best of 7NEWS, sharpening our storytelling, growing our audience, and driving the next chapter with purpose and pace.”
Power will also collaborate closely with Seven’s Sales and Partnerships teams to identify new revenue opportunities, including branded integrations and sponsored content aligned with the news division’s strengths in public affairs and investigations.
In Sydney, the newsroom will see another familiar face step into the fold. Geoff Dunn, a stalwart of Seven’s Sydney operations, has been appointed Acting Director of 7NEWS Sydney while the leadership team finalises a longer-term restructure. With more than 20 years in the city’s newsroom, Dunn brings stability, deep local knowledge, and newsroom respect to the interim role.
Meanwhile, Seven has confirmed the departure of Gemma Acton, Director of News Operations, who is relocating to Dubai with her family for a new opportunity. Acton has been instrumental in shaping the newsroom’s operational backbone over the past seven years and has been quietly transitioning out of the role in recent weeks.
Kuka praised her “dedication, professionalism, and mentorship,” calling her contribution “lasting and significant.”
The shake-up follows the exit of Anthony De Ceglie, who is leaving the Director of News and Current Affairs post just over a year after stepping into the top job. In a surprising twist, De Ceglie is not jumping to another newsroom, but heading into sports, as the newly appointed CEO of the Perth Bears, the NRL’s long-awaited expansion team.
NBCUniversal’s subscription video-on-demand platform Hayu has announced the cast of its first-ever commissioned original series, The Real Housewives of London. The reality series, currently in production, is set to premiere later this year exclusively on Hayu.
The new addition to the global Real Housewives franchise will follow six women navigating high society and personal drama in London.
It marks Hayu’s first direct move into original production, expanding beyond its traditional model of distributing international reality content.
Leading the ensemble is Australian native Juliet Mayhew, a former Miss Galaxy Universe turned event producer, who lives in Chelsea with her family.
The cast also features returning faces from the franchise’s extended universe, including Juliet Angus from Ladies of London and Karen Loderick-Peace from The Real Housewives of Jersey.
NBCUniversal revealed that filming began in March 2025. The series will chronicle the personal and professional lives of the six socialites, with scenes ranging from luxury getaways to high-society events across the UK capital.
More details, including the official release date, will be announced by Hayu in the coming months.
Juliet Mayhew
Juliet Mayhew
An Australian native and former Miss Galaxy Universe, Juliet is now living in one of Chelsea’s most desirable neighbourhoods. Married to ‘Tiggy’, with whom she has two teenage children, she is a former actress turned creative producer. She is a committed philanthropist and specialises in hosting immersive events through her successful event planning company – catering to some of the world’s most elite clients. She shares a close friendship with Caroline Stanbury (The Real Housewives of Dubai).
Juliet Angus
Juliet Angus
Chicago native and now a resident of West London, Juliet initially captured hearts as a cast member on Ladies of London. A social media influencer, global brand partner, stylist, and former fashion publicist, Juliet has carved out a reputation as a tastemaker on both sides of the pond.
Amanda Cronin
Amanda Cronin
A fixture on London’s elite social scene, former model turned entrepreneur Amanda has close ties to Meredith Marks (The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City) and Dorinda Medley (The Real Housewives New York City).
Karen Loderick-Peace
Karen Loderick-Peace
A former cast member of The Real Housewives of Jersey, Karen and her husband Jeremy, former chairman and owner of West Bromwich Albion F.C. share three children and own five luxurious properties across London, Jersey and Barbados. She is currently preparing to launch her own fashion label, reflecting her passion for style and design.
Panthea Parker
Panthea Parker
Known for her high-society lifestyle and formidable social circle, Panthea has embraced a life of glamour, having been on the Mayfair scene since the ‘90s, partying with A-listers.
Nessie Welschinger
Nessie Welschinger
Born and raised in London, Nessie shares her Chelsea family home – and a 500-year-old estate in the Cotswolds — with her husband Remy and their three children. A former Global Head of Equity at Schroders, she now runs the renowned Chelsea Cake Company, boasting high-profile clientele including Queen Elizabeth II.
Magda Szubanski has announced she is undergoing treatment for stage 4 mantle cell lymphoma, a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer.
In a heartfelt video posted to Instagram, the comedian and actor said the illness was discovered during a recent breast screening.
Szubanski, 64, said she had been feeling unwell for some time. “To be honest, I’ve been feeling pretty ratshit for a while,” she said. “So I asked for extra bloods and voilà.”
The diagnosis was confirmed after doctors noticed her lymph nodes were enlarged. She is now receiving the Nordic protocol, a chemotherapy regimen specifically used to treat this kind of lymphoma.
Stepping back
In her video, Szubanski explained that she would be stepping back from public life while her immune system is compromised.
She said she would be “lying very low” and urged fans not to approach her for hugs or physical contact if they see her in public. “Please don’t breathe anywhere near me,” she added with characteristic humour, asking for “enthusiastic waving from a safe distance” instead.
Despite the seriousness of the disease, Szubanski appeared calm, if understandably sobered. “I won’t sugar-coat it: it’s rough,” she said. “But I’m hopeful.”
Well supported
Szubanski credited her friends, family, and Melbourne-based medical team for their support. “I’m lucky to be getting absolutely world-class care here in Melbourne,” she said.
“Honestly, we have the best in the world here in Australia.”
She added that she felt “held” by her inner circle, describing their support as “loving” and “brilliant.”
She also acknowledged the continuous development of new cancer treatments as a reason for optimism. “New treatments keep coming down the pipeline all the time.”
A rare diagnosis
Mantle cell lymphoma is considered uncommon, and its late-stage detection adds complexity to treatment. Szubanski used her announcement as an opportunity to encourage proactive health checks.
“The takeaway is, get tested and listen to your body,” she said. Her own experience reinforces how routine screenings can sometimes uncover unrelated but serious conditions.
Industry response and public reaction
Since posting the video, Szubanski has received widespread support from colleagues across the entertainment and media sectors.
Figures including Rove McManus, Julia Zemiro, and Grace Tame shared public messages of love and solidarity.
For those in the media and production world, the announcement marks a pause in the public presence of one of Australia’s most recognisable entertainers.
With a screen and stage career spanning decades, Szubanski’s creative output has made her a household name, from her role as Sharon in Kath & Kim to the iconic Babe films and Ride Like a Girl. She has also become a respected voice in advocacy, particularly around LGBTQIA+ rights and mental health.
Szubanski’s 2014 memoir Reckoning charted her personal history, including her coming out and relationship with food and identity.
The memoir was well-received and positioned her as an honest and reflective commentator beyond her comic performances.
While she undergoes treatment, Szubanski has asked for privacy, light-heartedness, and no close contact. “I reserve my human right to be a cranky old moll,” she joked at the end of her Instagram video.
“Clemenger BBDO has produced incredible work in the past because of brilliant people, amazing clients, but it’s also a very exciting time moving forward,” Lee Leggett, CEO of Clemenger BBDO, told Mediaweek.
Weeks after the agency unveiled its restructure, new logo, and revamped proposition, Leggett shared that a lot of work had gone into launching the new entity, comprising of Clemenger BBDO, CHEP Network, and Traffik.
Now under the one name, Clemenger BBDO, Leggett said her overall assessment of the new entity launch is “a pretty positive start.”
She explained that the agencies were already working closely collaborating and called the union “relatively easy”.
“It’s formalising what was already there and clients have reacted positively. The integration is done, now we’re talking to clients and it’s been positive.”
By bringing the three agencies into Clemenger BBDO, clients get the seamless, tailored model to meet their ambitions and access to integrated marketing capabilities at scale.
Leggett: ‘We always had quite a broad capability, now we’ve got more, and that’s what I think clients need in 2025.’
How Clemenger BBDO’s new model responds to client needs and the shift to ‘Do Big Things’
Integration has always been part of Clemenger’s full-service model, and now under the brand unification, the agency can offer a new and wider breadth of capabilities to clients, Leggett explained.
“Clients have been saying to me over the past year that they want more capability with less complexity. This structure delivers that through one team, one building, and one set of capabilities to those clients.
“Strategy, creative design, media tech, experience, activation, shopper, that’s all fully connected for those clients.”
She noted that a client was recently surprised that Clemenger was able to provide them with a newer capability they would previously have to go elsewhere to have done.
“We always had quite a broad capability, now we’ve got more, and that’s what I think clients need in 2025.”
In addition to Clemenger BBDO’s merged entity was the proposition move from ‘The Work. The Work. The Work.’ to ‘Do Big Things’.
“That’s a very famous, iconic phrase that BBDO was known for. But ‘Do Big Things’ is about reaffirming the belief that creativity can be a driver and a catalyst for growth.
“It is a rallying cry because it forces everybody to think when you’re looking at the work, is that a big idea? Is that big enough? How do we make this? How do we make this idea or how do we make this work even bigger than it can be?”
“It’s thinking about a way to solve this problem, using all the capabilities that we have at our disposal. This is something that Nancy Reyes, Global CEO of BBDO, has talked about in another forum, we’re not in the business of selling assets. The desire for the agency is to be more upstream, and more strategic.
“But also recognising that deliverables don’t define us, creative thinking does. It’s about the big things that we do and the impact they have.”
Bringing cultures and capabilities together
From the outside, merging the cultures and capabilities of different agencies into one entity can appear to be a challenging task.
But for Leggett, she highlighted the collaboration and energy of the teams and staff in bringing it together.
“I think the best agencies in the world, or the best companies in the world are ones where our people also feel that they have a contribution to make. The ideas and the way that we’re running this new agency aren’t just all from me.
“It comes from the teams and the staff; it comes out of brilliant moments in this agency. There is the energy and the ambition that now exists here is contagious.
“People have seen the vision, globally and locally, and they’re excited about what we’re doing.”
Having gone through a couple of integrations in the past, Leggett came into Clemenger’s integration with a few principles already in mind.
“The first was to take quite a small group of people and focus them on the integration and ask everybody else to keep focused on our clients and the work. I think it’s quite important that you don’t get overly operational in moments like this,” she said.
As a leader, she said she was as open, communicative and accessible as she could be to the agency’s people, hearing ideas and suggestions.
Leggett has been deliberate in calling Clemenger’s evolution an ‘integration’ rather than a ‘merger’.
“I’m trying to be respectful for the past, but not let us focus on the past, to try and get people to think about what’s next and where we take this new agency,” she explained.
Why creativity is ‘more important than ever’ and winning K-Mart
With all different capabilities now under one roof, Leggett noted that for the agency “creativity is more important than ever.”
“The way that we deliver creativity, or what creativity means in the modern world has changed.
“We’ve taken on the global mantle of being relaunched with a new proposition, which is ‘Do Big Things’. We’ve taken that because it’s a rallying cry, not just for the agency, but also for the industry.
“In our unique model, it means that we can now do that (creativity) in different ways. We can do that through data, we can do that through media, we can do that through social. Big creativity is delivered in any way that a client or a consumer needs.”
Clemenger BBDO’s first client win under its new structure was Kmart Australia after taking over from Denstu Creative which opted to not re-pitch for the account after four years.
The win for the agency was not only a milestone moment but also highlighted the breadth of services offered to clients.
Leggett said: “There will be clients that want a different model, and that’s great. There are lots of different agencies in the market, but Kmart is an iconic brand, with phenomenal clients and a phenomenal business.
“I think that win proves that the model is working and that they want bold, integrated thinking.”
The next steps for Clemenger BBDO and Leggett as CEO
The outlook for Clemenger BBDO in the year ahead appears positive, full of opportunities, solid work for clients, growth and fostering the work culture.
Legget noted that the agency will look into further fostering and investing in a work culture that retains talent, attracts new hires and ensures “people working in this organisation are fulfilled and challenged in equal measure.”
On the agency’s ‘Do Big Things’ motto, Leggett said that it has brought confidence back to Clemenger and the industry. She shared that feedback from counterparts in the industry has applauded the revamped stance, calling it a “statement of intent and belief in creativity.”
“I think we do important work, and we have a real impact when we do it well. I’m excited about the next six months and the work that’s going to come out of this new brilliant agency, given all the talent and capability that’s inside it.”
“Now it is about delivering work that defines tomorrow,” Leggett said of her key objectives as leader of Clemenger.
In terms of creative success, Legget said: “It’s going to be exciting to see new work come out of this new entity. Work that’s bold, brave, and effective. The proof is in the work that we deliver.”
Looking at commercial success, the focus will be on growth with existing clients and welcoming more new clients to the fold.
From a cultural perspective, she noted that a collaborative culture is key to teams integrating, creating, and moving fast.
Top image: Lee Leggett
The Australian screen community is grieving the loss of Liz Tomkins, former Chair of Women in Film and Television Australia (WIFT), who died in a tragic car accident.
In a heartfelt statement, WIFT called Liz “a shining light, an inspirational and dynamic leader, and a wonderful human being whose legacy will endure for generations.”
From her early days stepping into film production with a background in office management, to key roles on high-profile projects like Steven Spielberg’s The Pacific, Liz’s dedication and passion shone through in everything she did.
Leading with heart and transforming WIFT
Liz’s three years at the helm of WIFT Australia were marked by unwavering pride.
“She waved the WIFT banner with enthusiasm and determination,” the organisation said, pushing hard to expand WIFT’s reach so women and gender-diverse creatives in every state and territory could find support, advocacy, and community.
Under her leadership, WIFT hit “the strongest financial position in our history,” while building powerful connections internationally with chapters in Toronto, Vancouver, and Los Angeles. Liz championed game-changing initiatives like the ElevateUs Mentorship Program and brought the ReFrame Stamp to Australia, helping set new benchmarks for gender equity.
WIFT described her impact as “transformative and lasting.”
A legacy of kindness, courage, and connection
WIFT remembered Liz not just for her leadership, but for her generous spirit and kindness.
She created a space where everyone, from newcomers to seasoned professionals, felt seen and supported.
Her commitment to mental health and wellbeing led to vital collaborations with Griffith Film School and Screen Well, ensuring care for the whole person in the industry.
Reflecting on her time with WIFT, Liz said, “More than anything, I am proud of the unwavering spirit of this organisation, a community that drives meaningful change while offering support and strength.”
WIFT pledged to carry her legacy forward, embracing her values of “kindness and collaboration” to keep lifting up women and gender-diverse creatives.
Memorial details will be shared soon.
By Sabri Suby, founder of King Kong
When Trump ramped up tariffs by 145%, the world wouldn’t shut up about ‘the death of global trade’. But while the talking heads argued over trade policy, Chinese manufacturers were strapping in, firing up ChatGPT, and using AI to hijack the direct-to-consumer market.
For decades, manufacturers had been stuck in the shadows, quietly producing goods and letting Western brands take all the credit. But now, Chinese factories are coming for the whole pie – and it’s all thanks to AI.
If you’ve searched for something like ‘children’s clothing’ on Google Ads recently, you’ll see pages and pages of results from Chinese companies, fulfilling orders directly from their factories in China.
It started with dropshippers, who proved that people don’t care if shipping takes a bit longer, as long as the price is right. That insight cracked the code, and factories began enjoying the sweet, sweet taste of going direct. No wholesalers. No distributors. No middlemen skimming margins. Just straight-up profits.
And then came the tariff war. Suddenly, consumers were even more interested in what China was selling. Want laundry pods? Mr.loong.laundrypods is your guy. Luxury handbags that cost as much as your Friday night takeout order? Look no further than Sen Bags.
Now throw AI into the mix – that’s where the real genius comes in.
In the past, language was a massive barrier for China. These factories couldn’t easily serve English-speaking customers. They couldn’t make decent ads, couldn’t translate product pages properly, and they definitely couldn’t offer native-level customer service.
But now with AI, they can overdub their TikTok ads with perfect English voiceovers. They can auto-translate all their product descriptions. They can run chatbots that handle customer support like pros. Every weak point they had is now getting patched up at lightning speed. And as a result, Western brands that once held an advantage in customer trust and superior branding are now being beaten by the manufacturers at their own game.
Chinese factories are now openly flexing their luxury dupes on TikTok, showcasing products that look almost identical to European designer items. Think Birkin bags, think designer shoes. They’re showing people: ‘Hey, you know that $3,000 handbag? It was made in the same factory as this $100 version.’
They’re even pointing out the industry’s poorly kept secret that many ‘Italian’ or ‘French’ luxury products originate from the same factories in China, only to receive finishing touches and a European label.
This kind of transparency is changing how people think about Chinese goods. The old stigma of ‘cheap and nasty’ is fading fast.
Consumers are seeing past the label and looking at the product. Does it look good? Does it feel good? Does it arrive in under a week and cost a third of the price?
Cool. Sold.
That shift in perception is massive. And for Western marketers, it’s a flashing neon warning sign. Because we can’t out-China China. We won’t beat them on price. Not on scale. Not on speed.
The only way we stay in the game is by crushing it on customer experience. We need to wow people with storytelling, branding, fast shipping, and beautiful unboxing moments. Brands must become more human, more connected, and hyper-responsive.
In other words, we stop playing defence and start playing smart. It’s adapt-or-die time.
As marketers, the onus is on us to stay ahead, embrace technology, and elevate our strategies. The new battleground is perception. It’s connection. It’s experience.
As marketers, we need to stop assuming we’ve got the upper hand just because we’re local. Because what’s coming out of Shenzhen right now is smarter, faster, and more scalable than ever before.
The brands that win next? They’ll be the ones who embrace AI, double down on what makes them unique, and move faster than the factories.
Better get your ‘made in China’ running shoes on.
Top image: Sabri Suby
At a packed Vivid Sydney event on Wednesday night, Martha Stewart casually added her voice to one of Australia’s most heated food media controversies, one that’s gripped cookbook publishers, food bloggers, and brand marketers alike.
During her on-stage conversation with author and commentator Benjamin Law, Stewart was asked directly about the ongoing plagiarism standoff between RecipeTin Eats’ Nagi Maehashi and Bake With Brooki author Brooke Bellamy. The question: “To what extent does one own a recipe? Have you ever had your recipe stolen, for instance?”
Her answer? A calm, seasoned take with a healthy pinch of pragmatism.
“Probably. But I have so many recipes,” she said.
“I don’t think too many recipes are owned by anybody. They are handed down.”
Stewart went on to say that unless someone lifts a recipe word for word, it’s difficult to call it theft. “They are used and changed,” she said. “If you print somebody else’s recipe word for word in your own cookbook then that might be plagiarism, but I think it’s very hard to prove who actually came up with that particular recipe.”
It was a pointed but even-keeled response from a woman whose brand has built empires, from magazines and TV shows to licensed kitchenware, cookware ranges and publishing deals.
And it landed at a timely moment, with the Australian food world still digesting the public stoush between Maehashi and Bellamy.
The controversy first bubbled up when Maehashi posted on social media accusing Bellamy of copying several recipes, including her popular caramel slice and baklava, and republishing them in Bellamy’s bestselling cookbook, Bake With Brooki, published by Penguin Australia.
“This isn’t just about recipes,” Maehashi wrote. “It’s about what I believe is the blatant exploitation of my work, my words, my ideas, used without my permission in a multimillion-dollar commercial product.”
Her followers, numbering in the millions across social and blog platforms, quickly rallied behind her.
In the days that followed, Maehashi shared side-by-side comparisons of her recipes against Bellamy’s versions, calling out the similarities and revealing that her legal team had contacted Penguin’s lawyers.
Bellamy, who has built her following off fast, accessible home baking content and a strong influencer-style brand, responded through her lawyers, firmly denying the allegations.
“I do not copy other people’s recipes,” she stated. Bellamy added that she had been baking and developing her own creations since childhood, and had been selling original recipes commercially since 2016.
She also offered to remove the caramel slice and baklava from future print runs “to prevent further aggravation.”
Penguin Random House has remained tight-lipped publicly, but the implications for cookbook publishing, and the brands and advertisers attached to bestselling culinary talent, are significant.
When influencer-authored cookbooks become commercial juggernauts, they attract not just eyeballs but dollars, partnerships, and campaign alignment opportunities across everything from FMCG product launches to branded events.
The integrity of the content, and the perception of authenticity, can make or break trust with both audiences and advertisers.
In a further twist, American baking blogger Sally McKenney (of Sally’s Baking Addiction fame) added fuel to the fire, claiming Bellamy also replicated elements of her 2019 vanilla cake recipe.
“Original recipe creators who put in the work to develop and test recipes deserve credit,” she wrote on Instagram. “Especially in a bestselling cookbook.”
Maehashi, it turns out, had tipped her off months prior, suggesting this issue has been simmering for longer than many realised.
Nagi and Brooki
Bellamy’s camp released a second statement this week, urging media to cease door-stopping her at home. The statement also revealed the author is four months pregnant and dealing with what she called “deeply distressing” media pressure.
“The past 24 hours have been extremely overwhelming,” she said. “I have had media outside my home and business, and have been attacked online. It has been deeply distressing for my colleagues and my young family.”
It’s a reminder that behind the headlines and hashtags are very real people. But for publishers, marketers and media platforms who increasingly invest in talent-led content, the question now is: how do you navigate ownership in a world where ideas are shared, and monetised, at lightning speed?
As Stewart reflected during the Vivid event, with thousands in attendance and a camera crew capturing the moment for the archive: “Who knows?”
As the winter chill descends, Paramount Australia and Network 10 are turning up the heat with a football slate that is not just ambitious, but resonant.
With marquee moments on the horizon and domestic codes firing on all cylinders, the network is delivering more than just match coverage, it’s cultivating cultural moments.
With the Isuzu UTE A-League Men careening into its Grand Final this weekend, the competition has struck a rich vein of momentum.
National television audiences have climbed 8% compared to last year, while total season attendance is on track to reach its highest peak since 2016/17.
Semi-finals played last weekend pushed the league past 1.5 million fans through the gates for the first time since 2018/19.
Broadcast performance is following suit. Network 10’s free-to-air coverage has risen 8%, while streaming via 10 Play has surged by 20%. It’s clear fans are following their teams, and increasingly, individual players, wherever they are.
At the heart of Paramount’s sporting surge sits Australia’s national teams. In the past year alone, the CommBank Matildas and Subway Socceroos reached a combined 9.8 million Australians.
The Matildas alone attracted 5.8 million viewers, with a 63% spike in minutes watched on Paramount+. Their upcoming matches against Argentina, Slovenia and Panama promise to feed the appetite of a growing fanbase.
Meanwhile, the Socceroos are eyeing redemption on the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with a pivotal qualifier against Japan set for 5 June in Perth.
Viewership for their games on Paramount+ has jumped 66% year-on-year, and their most-watched match on 10 Play made network history.
The AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026, with host cities including Perth, Gold Coast and Sydney, looms as another high watermark for the network.
For Director of Sport Production Adam Cush, it all comes down to synergy. “We’re fortunate that we’ve got a talented production team and a talented team at 10 that live and breathe football. They care about it,” he says.
That passion has driven strategic innovations, like the Saturday night free-to-air doubleheaders and the hybrid broadcast/entertainment format Football Tonight, presented by Shark Ninja. According to Cush, it’s been a “breath of fresh air” for both talent and viewers.
“You can bring in comedians, AFL or NRL stars who love the game, just to talk about it differently. I think that’s been a key driver in the growth numbers you’ve seen,” he says.
With brands like CommBank, Subway and Shark Ninja aligning with Paramount’s programming, the network is leaning into football’s appeal to a wide, multicultural audience. As Cush puts it, “Football caters to a very diverse demographic of Australians.”
Sports presenter Tara Rushton, who joined 10 News First Sydney earlier this year, believes the shift in fandom has moved beyond club colours. It’s now deeply personal. “They fall in love with the player first, and then that tips them into the team,” she says.
Rushton sees the momentum following the FIFA Women’s World Cup as a turning point. “It’s the visibility of female athletes on the front page or the back page of newspapers. It’s about young girls and boys seeing someone they can grow up to become.”
From exclusive sideline moments to tunnel chats, Rushton is passionate about bringing the viewer closer. “Tell them what they might not be able to see through the pictures,” she says.
“Really break down that barrier between the TV and the screen.”
She sees female footballers as especially compelling: “They’re first on the pitch and they’re last off the pitch. And it doesn’t go unnoticed by the fans.”
This July, Paramount will launch its new Festival of Football, a three-match tour featuring Wrexham AFC against Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC and Wellington Phoenix.
With the Hollywood glow of Wrexham’s celebrity ownership, the fixtures are expected to further elevate the network’s international cachet.
As Rushton puts it, “Football fans are always looking for more. Australians know when sport matters, when it’s meaningful. So it’s just about finding those opportunities, and the audience will come.”
While Paramount is doubling down on football, global sports streamer DAZN is making its own play in Australia.
Following Nine’s $240 million, seven-year deal with World Rugby, DAZN will handle streaming of the HSBC SVNS (formerly World Sevens Series). The move marks DAZN’s most significant foray into Australian sports rights.
It’s part of a broader recalibration. In an environment where sports rights are increasingly fragmented, Paramount remains confident in its positioning.
“We understand it will be difficult with any set of rights,” Cush says, “but we’re also very comfortable with what we bring to the table.”
That includes cross-promotion across Paramount’s broadcast, digital and social ecosystem.
According to Cush, this whole-of-network advantage is crucial: “We know how to showcase marquee events. And we know how to tell great stories.”
For both Rushton and Cush, the story doesn’t stop at the Grand Final or the next international window. From the Asian Cup in March to the Women’s World Cup in 2027, football’s runway is long and full of milestones.
As Rushton puts it: “We haven’t seen an appetite like this before. Month after month after month, there is no off-season. But it’s an absolute privilege to tell these stories.”
And in a nation that lives and breathes sport, Paramount seems poised to stay ahead of the pack, with boots on the ground, cameras in the tunnel and a whole-of-network vision driving the game forward.
This week’s Meeting of the Minds sees Sophie Morris and Connor Sprague from Hopeful Monsters reveal their leadership heroes, current streaming binge, and career goals.
The Mediaweek series showcases diverse perspectives, thoughts and opinions by bringing together two different points of view from an industry rookie and an experienced expert.
Favourite podcast/read – ‘The Book of Joy’ – if you’ve not read it, do yourself a favour and pop it on your 2025 must read list. It won’t teach you how to be a better marketer necessarily, but it does remind you of the all important traits of being a compassionate, mindful leader.
Current streaming binge – Probably the least original answer possible, The White Lotus.
Guilty pleasure content – Bluey. Yep, I’m a Mum and nothing makes me feel more seen than Bluey’s parents. The ever relatable day to day slog of parenting, but also the joy of parenthood too. When you’re trying to balance work and family life, it’s nice to have those reminders. The Stickbird episode gets me every time 🥹
What do you have on repeat – I find it hard to work with my favourite pop ballads blaring in the background (shout out to Chappell Roan). Rather I like some soothing background music, and so one of my more consistently ‘most played artists’ is Howard Shore. So yes, I listen to the LOTR soundtrack way more than I should probably admit.
Best career advice – Always look at a problem as an opportunity. Whether it’s to strengthen a relationship or an idea. Rather than see it as a barrier, see it as a chance to show how amazing you are in a crisis, your resilience, how you can turn ‘a blocker’ into a way to push a project to a new more unexpected place, ultimately leading to a better outcome.
Leadership hero – Hopeful Monster’s compassionate yet daring leader – Katie Barclay! I’ve had the pleasure of having lots of incredible mentors in my life, but Katie is a stand-out. She is incredibly considerate of the team’s wellbeing, but also encourages us to take our ideas to unexpected places, and to push our work to the next level.
Best training course/session – My grad cert in screenwriting at AFTRS. It taught me so much about the importance of connecting with people through story and shared experience. So much of what we do as marketers is about seeking out those insights that people can relate to, and if you want to impact culture, tapping into people’s shared values and beliefs is key.
I wish someone had told me – Not to get so caught up in the day to day and get distracted by things that take you away from what you are actually setting out to do. Remember to make sure you regularly step back and think about the bigger picture, the brand mission and campaign objective.
Favourite place to network – Being Perth based now, I would have to say Fremantle. It’s such a creative, eclectic community. I’ve met some really interesting people, and made some great new connections going to local events, shows and gigs.
Something that surprised you about the industry – There’s something so alluring about creative agencies – the cool, creative people who work in them, the non-conventional office spaces, etc, etc. But after a while I realised, that actually, a lot of the agencies I admired didn’t have a strong point of view. I think that’s what ended up attracting me to Hopeful Monsters. It’s often hard to differentiate between creative agencies and what sets them apart from the pack – I would love to see more agencies be bolder in how they position themselves.
What is your hot take on the industry – It’s nothing ground breaking, but I would still love to see us all place a little less value in metrics like impressions, views, etc. I think the question we need to start asking ourselves is, are people actually going to pay attention? There is so much data out there now that is proving for the most part, they aren’t. I think there’s been a slight shift recently, but there’s still a way to go in placing more emphasis on creativity.
Career goal for 2025 – To deliver incredible campaigns for our clients that other agencies wish they had 😉
Favourite podcast/read – I’m about to finish reading Kyle Chayka’s Filterworld, looking into how algorithms have flattened culture. Although dense with information, it’s been nice to gain context and research on algorithms, as they often seem so foreign and secretive. Can’t recommend it enough.
Current streaming binge – I am obsessed with Taskmaster. With a lot of noise going on in the world right now, it’s so nice to decompress with such a silly show. Season 16 of the UK series is probably my favourite so far, with Australian Comedian Sam Campbell shining through with his absurd comedy and quick wit.
Guilty pleasure content – I’m not a big TV or film guy, often going to YouTube before any streaming services. Recently I have been diving into the Vice archives reliving some of their older documentaries that inspired me as a teenager to be curious about the world around me.
What do you have on repeat – I can’t stop listening to German hip hop, there’s something so fresh and fun about that scene at the moment with artists like makko, Ski Aggu and Zartmann releasing incredible projects that sound so different. The craziest thing is I can’t speak or understand any German.
Best career advice – Stay curious! When I joined Hopeful Monsters it was inspiring to see how much everyone shared across such a vast range of interests and niches. We have access to so much information and by just taking some time to dive into pockets of the internet or local culture, you can learn so much.
Leadership hero – I am lucky to work with an incredible team on the global Converse account at Hopeful Monsters, with so much knowledge and experience around me. My manager Lucy Coulthart has really pushed me to grow, taking the time to make sure I’m constantly learning and improving. The whole team has really boosted my confidence and made me love the work I’m doing.
Best training course/session – Not as much of a training session, but I was sent to SXSW in 2023, as someone quite junior in the team it was something I never expected. I was left truly inspired by many sessions but the one that stood out to me was Derrick Gee talking about internet culture. He was so open and honest, sharing a wealth of information. I still think about it often and that session helped shape a lot of the work I do on social media.
I wish someone had told me – To stop rushing, take a breath and let yourself think. We live in such a fast-paced world and I’ve always felt that being able to make decisions quickly was needed all of the time. However, I’m learning that being able to take your time is such a valuable skill across work and wider life.
Favourite place to network – The beer garden at a gig! Music connects people from all walks of life and you never know who you might meet. I’ve had so many great chats dipping out of a gig for some fresh air and have been able to meet incredible people.
Something that surprised you about the industry – A lack of alternative pathways to the industry, especially on the creative side. There are great initiatives like D&AD Shift to bring in non-traditional hires but I’m surprised that more agencies and brands aren’t looking more at our freelance creatives who are creating incredible work on really tight budgets. You just have to look at people like Slipp and Max Dona who are creating incredible work with brands and artists.
What is your hot take on the industry? – Australian brands and media are dragging behind with our integration of internet culture. Locally, traditional media seems to avoid connecting with online culture and talent, with very few brands or broadcasters taking the risk to work with emerging internet personalities. The UK’s Channel 4.0 is a great example of how working with internet creatives can engage younger people in TV with shows like Worst In Class taking YouTube formats and personalities to traditional media.
Career goal for 2025: This year I want to create more work that I’m really proud of, work that positively impacts culture and feels good. It’s been a good start to the year, but I’m really hoping to stay consistent with strong work.
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Past editions of Meeting of the Minds.
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Top image: Sophie Morris and Connor Sprague
Heatseeker AI, a platform redefining how brands uncover authentic user behaviour, has raised US$1.5M in pre-seed funding from US investors to accelerate its growth in its mission to save companies from bad decisions by uncovering actual consumer intent.
The company was founded in Sydney by CEO Kate O’Keeffe, Chief Operating Officer Fiona Triaca and Chief Product Officer Rutger Coolen, and together they bring expertise and global experience from companies including Cisco, Atlassian and UserTesting to the platform.
The round was led by San Francisco-based Capital F, with participation from Euphemia, Even Capital and East End Ventures.
Heatseeker AI’s funding comes as the US$110 billion market research industry faces a reckoning as enterprises increasingly reject outdated methods.
“Today companies are shooting in the dark, guessing at what their customers want,” said O’Keeffe.
“We’re ending the era where companies make multi-million dollar decisions based on what focus group participants claim they want. Our platform delivers what they truly need – authentic buying behaviour, captured in real time, at scale.”
Heatseeker replaces legacy research firms with a single platform for running behavioural experiments in the wild. Over a dozen enterprise clients across the US, Europe and Australia, including leading banks and health insurers, already use the product across their entire product development and go-to-market lifecycle.
“We’ve seen this problem firsthand in our operating careers – companies launching strategies based on shaky data that doesn’t reflect real-world behaviour,” Margaret Coblentz, Co-Founder and General Partner at Capital F, said.
“Heatseeker’s solution was immediately compelling, but it was the exceptional founding team with the right experience to execute rapidly that drove our conviction.”
The platform has followed the path of Australian tech powerhouses Atlassian and Canva by establishing a dual-continent model with product development in Australia and go-to-market operations based out of the U.S.
Top image: Fiona Triaca, Rutger Coolen, Kate O’Keeffe
eBay Australia has partnered with Vogue Australia to celebrate its fourth consecutive year as a sponsor of Australian Fashion Week, as part of the platform’s push to demonstrate its fashion credentials and inspire consumers to adapt more sustainable style habits.
The partnership worked to amplify eBay’s role at Australian Fashion Week to a wider fashion audience across the country. This year’s Australian Fashion Week saw the revival of archival trends and pre-loved gems from eBay Australia.
“Our partnership with Vogue Australia has allowed us to show up in new and meaningful ways at Australian Fashion Week, and we are so grateful to have been able to work in close collaboration with the team,” Zannie Abbott, eBay Australia’s Head of Campaign and Comms, said.
“At the heart of our activity, was an understanding around the opportunity for brands, sellers and fashion lovers when it comes to recommerce. According to the 2025 ThredUp Report second-hand fashion market is expected to reach $367 billion by 2029, so now is the time to get behind pre-loved.
“As part of our work with Vogue Australia, we have been able to communicate directly with an engaged audience across key touchpoints from the eBay x Vogue dinner event to our co-branded video, branded article and social content. This has been invaluable to support our work in driving circularity in fashion and bringing this to the mainstream,” Abbott added.
Vogue Australia Editorial Director Edwina McCann said: “We are delighted to be collaborating with sponsor eBay to help elevate their role in AFW through the lens of Vogue. The Vogue Australia team has created some beautiful content for the campaign and our audiences. We look forward to our continued partnership with eBay as the booming second-hand market continues to see phenomenal growth.”
iProspect Partnerships and Content Director Flo Horwich said: “We identified Vogue Australia as a key partner for this project as there is no bigger name in fashion media than Vogue. The collaboration between eBay and Vogue Australia allows us to really cement eBay as the home of pre-loved fashion amongst a discerning audience with a passion for finding a special fashion moment.”
The campaign leveraged influential talent of buyers and sellers, demonstrating firsthand eBay’s vast range and unique finds to suit any style. The Vogue Australia campaign extends through digital editorials, post-event galleries, social videos with interviews of designers and industry experts at the event and post-event content.
Vogue Australia hosted an exclusive storefront on eBay, allowing eBay customers to purchase special fashion items ahead of Australian Fashion Week and the storefront sold out.
iProspect won the media account for eBay in September 2024. The agency was recently named on the AFR’s Best Places to Work list for Media & Marketing, two years running.
Credits
eBay Australia:
Thanh Nguyen Snr – Brand and Campaign Manager
Mackenzie Geeves – Brand Campaign Manager
Niusha Khastoui – Brand Campaign Specialist
Nicole Baumli – Communications Lead
Media Agency: iProspect
Flo Horwich – Partnerships & Content Director
Harriet Swinburn – Group Strategy Director
Vera Manalac – Group Investment Director
Sam Bremner – Client Partner
Lily Selby-Thompson – Client Director
Additional partners
AndPeople
Australian Fashion Council
DEPT
Pulse
We Are Social
Top image by Lucas Dawson for AFC Australian Fashion Week
In a media landscape shaped by the infinite scroll, where attention is a currency and every frame competes with cat videos and breaking news, TIME Magazine’s D.W. Pine is in the thick of it.
As the magazine’s Creative Director, he’s not just steering a legacy brand these days, now he’s helping redefine how we experience journalism one scroll-stopping image at a time.
But that transformation isn’t happening in isolation. TIME’s mastery of visual storytelling has been decades in the making, with Pine at the centre of its modern era.
Ahead of his Vivid Sydney event, Where Do Ideas Come From? (which takes place at Sydney’s Town Hall Thursday, 29 May) Pine sat down with Mediaweek’s Natasha Lee on the Newsmakers podcast to reveal the secrets behind the iconic red border of TIME.
You can hear the full chat with D.W. Pine here:
Australian podcast advertising is charging ahead, and Shopify is at the forefront.
New data from the Australian Radio Network‘s iHeart and Magellan AI reveals the top 15 brands investing in podcast ads across the country during Q1 2025, with Shopify emerging as the biggest spender, cementing its position as a dominant force in this growing medium.
Concealed with Art Simone
Art Simone is back with a new season of her popular podcast, Concealed with Art Simone.
The award-winning series, now in its fourth season, continues its exploration of hidden identities through candid conversations with guests who lead double lives.
She’s no stranger to cutting through the noise.
But in the lead-up to the 2025 Women in Media Oration, where she’ll serve as MC to comedian Kitty Flanagan’s keynote, Dee Madigan isn’t cracking jokes, she’s issuing warnings.
The Campaign Edge executive creative director, known for her sharp political insights and unflinching commentary on gender dynamics, has pulled back the curtain on a trio of challenges facing women in media, advertising and business more broadly.
In conversation on Mediaweek’s Newsmakers podcast, Madigan unpacks why working from home could entrench disadvantage, how corporate Australia might be inching toward a “backlash era”, and why sexism hasn’t gone away… it’s just shape-shifted.
You can hear the full chat with Dee Madigan here:
News Corp Australia is to launch a new real estate podcast and content series at the 2025 Australian Real Estate Conference (AREC).
As the official content partner of the event, News will use its major metro titles to deliver coverage and insights from the two-day conference held on the Gold Coast from May 25 to 26.
The initiative signals a strategic push into multimedia for the company’s property network, leveraging both editorial firepower and podcasting capabilities to speak to a broad cross-section of the real estate and investment community.
As Josh Taylor writes in The Guardian Australia, a report meant to offer insight into how best to keep under-16s off platforms has been delayed, pushing back a major deliverable from the UK tech firm leading the charge.
That firm, Age Check Certification Scheme, has only tested one form of age verification tech on children so far.
As John Buckley reports in Capital Brief, the restructure targets how support staff operate across the broadcaster, including budget handling, rostering and recruitment.
In a note to staff, Director of News Justin Stevens said the changes aim to fix fuzzy job descriptions and clunky processes, but didn’t rule out role impacts entirely.
As Patrick Hannaford and Max Melzer report on Sky News Australia, the figure, originally dropped by a UN spokesperson on the BBC, made its way across multiple ABC programs before the newsroom hit rewind.
It marks the 11th correction from the national broadcaster this month alone, with News Director Justin Stevens’ team conceding the statistic was “incorrect.”
According to Roy Morgan’s latest Brand Trust update, the hardware heavyweight is facing rising distrust over its size, pricing and perceived profit-hungry behaviour.
According to Danielle Long in The Australian, the March quarter report, compiled by Roy Morgan’s Risk Lab, suggests Bunnings’ long-polished reputation has been sliding for a while, well before that Four Corners exposé aired allegations of bullying and anti-competitive tactics.
As Mark Gurman writes in the Australian Financial Review, instead of iOS 18, users will soon see “iOS 26” roll out, yes, a big numerical leap, but all part of the plan.
The update will apply across the board, with iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26 and visionOS 26 all landing at once.
As Natasha Bita reports in The Australian, the plan forms part of a new Children’s Online Privacy Code, which is expected by year’s end and carries potential penalties of up to $50 million for breaches.
Australian Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind is backing a Europe-style right to data erasure for young adults, arguing it’s time to let kids grow up without their entire childhood being tracked, stored and reposted.
Despite being locked out of one of the world’s biggest chip markets and rattled by the surprise debut of DeepSeek earlier this year, the Silicon Valley juggernaut has bounced back with yet another record-breaking quarter.
As Jared Lynch writes in The Australian, investors had feared China’s DeepSeek, an AI model that rivals ChatGPT and Gemini despite having zero access to Nvidia’s top-tier chips, might dent demand.
According to Sarah Marsh in the Australian Financial Review, the timing is bold.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected to head to Washington soon for a sit-down with US President Donald Trump, who has previously warned against foreign governments tapping into American tech profits.
Nearly a million viewers streamed the match via Nine’s 9Now, with OzTAM data showing 963,000 fans tuned in digitally.
As Sam Buckingham-Jones writes in the Australian Financial Review, it’s a big leap from 760,000 last year and one of the largest live free-to-air streaming audiences ever recorded in Australia.
As Fiona Sturges writes in The Guardian, it’s no surprise Spotify is racing to catch up, with heavy hitters like The Joe Rogan Experience and Call Her Daddy now dropping video versions of their shows.
Big names are jumping on the trend too. The BBC recently launched video editions of The Traitors: Uncloaked and Uncanny: Post Mortem, while Netflix is reportedly gearing up to enter the visual podcast arena.
Asked about recipe ownership and whether she’s ever had her recipes nicked, Stewart shrugged it off with a dose of seasoned wisdom: recipes are rarely anyone’s exclusive property, they evolve and get passed down through generations.
As Lauren Ironmonger reports in The Sydney Morning Herald, the row flared up last month when Maehashi accused Bellamy of swiping a couple of her recipes, including caramel slice and baklava.
As David Knox writes on TV Tonight, her passing on Monday has left the screen community mourning a passionate leader and beloved figure whose impact will be felt for years to come.