Global tech giants should be subject to a social licence that forces them to pay for news and invest in mental health – and face criminal penalties if they break that licence – executive chairman of News Corp Australasia Michael Miller told the National Press Club in his Wednesday address.

“In my view, the tech monopolies are also mining companies,” Miller said. “They don’t mine our minerals, they mine our lives.”

“Those lives are Australia’s greatest resource, and we have a responsibility to protect ourselves and the way we want to live.”

He began his address – held in the midst of a major restructure at News Corp Australia – by stating: “They refuse to play by our rules.” In the space of one generation, he said, the internet has “gone from magic to madness.”

The leading cause of death among Australians aged 15 to 24 is suicide, and with mental health disorders among young people climbing nearly 50% in 15 years, Miller said: “The problem started exploding as young people became addicted to social media.”

As he put it: “The blue thumbs up has a lot to answer for.”

“In January, Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg told a congressional hearing in Washington that ‘the existing body of scientific work has not shown a causal link between using social media and young people having worse mental health’. Government statisticians and mental health experts, and especially the parents of children we have lost, know otherwise,” Miller said.

News Corp Australia is a supporter of 36 Months, the movement recently launched by Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli and Rob Galluzzo to raise the social media citizenship age from 13 to 16

The pro bono social change movement launched in May aims to change federal legislation, by calling on families, community leaders, and educators to sign the 36 Months change.org petition, which will then be presented to parliament.

See also: Wippa and Galluzzo say 36 Months ‘is not an attack on social media’

Miller raised concerns that we live in a world in which fines and regulations don’t work against tech giants, though.

“When the threat of regulation comes in their direction, the tech monopoly has a playbook. They declare that they want to be regulated but no solution is ever workable for them. Then they insist that regulation should be harmonised across jurisdictions.

“The tech monopolies love to use the law to protect their right to be above the law.”

Miller proposed a solution to the Press Club in the form of a social licence – a package of laws and requirements that tech monopolies would need to meet if they want access to Australian consumers.

Under this licence, the Australian government would be able to make the platforms liable for all content that is amplified, curated, and controlled by their algorithms or recommender engines.

Miller wants the licence to include the requirement to honour the Media Bargaining Code and compensate publishers and media companies. Meta pulled out of paying for the news deals, with News Corp and Nine now lobbying for the government to ‘designate’ Meta – forcing it back to the bargaining table.

If it is designated, Meta will likely pull all news from its platforms, as it has done in Canada.

Miller also suggested that the licence should include: The requirement that each platform has an effective consumer complaints handling system, including call centres contactable by telephone with expert staff in Australia; the ex-anti-competition framework set out by the ACCC, which would address the problem of the monopolised digital advertising markets; and a contribution to the money being spent tackling mental health problems.

Miller made the point that every bank and telco has to meet the standards of complaints handling, set out by law, and that every media company is required by law to accept total responsibility for everything it publishes.

“In short, all businesses accessing Australian people play by these rules – except the tech monopolies.

“It’s time that changed. It’s time for a level playing field.”

Miller said that penalties for agreeing to the social licence but then breaking it should include criminal sanctions for companies and their executives. He also wants the power to “ultimately block access to our country and our people” if they “refuse to play by our rules”.

Miller also pointed to his discussion with mining billionaire Andrew Forrest and his campaign to stop Meta from allowing his image to be used in scam advertisements as an example of where the internet took a wrong turn.

“We have all seen these ads which hijack the faces of celebrities and respected business leaders and trick people into sending their life savings to criminals,” Miller said.

“At the height of the use of his image, up to seven different ads pretending to be Andrew were being generated every day – he has fought for years to get Meta to stop them, but they won’t.” 

Another symptom Miller listed was the online scam business, which he described as “exploding” in its growth.

“The Australian recently reported on the scam-demic and the rise of scam factories in Southeast Asia. Some scam factories are as big as university campuses – one in the Philippines was made up of more than 30 buildings, and national economies are now being shaped by this new, criminal industry.

“The National Anti-Scam Centre reports that Australians lost $2.7 billion to scams last year. Globally, cyber scamming is now said to represent the world’s third-largest economy behind the US and China.”

Also making up what Miller called “the tip of a very large iceberg” are misinformation and disinformation, addiction and doom scrolling, and misogyny among young men.

–

Top image: Michael Miller

News Corp’s executive chairman Michael Miller has told the National Press Club that News Corp’s ongoing restructure is to ensure the business “rightsize[s] through the advertising downturn to be in a position for growth.”

“I’ve never talked about numbers, and the speculation of the numbers out there is incorrect. In terms of journalists, we will always try to minimise the loss of frontline journalists who are on the ground,” he said in a Q&A following his fierce address calling for policymakers to crack down on the global tech giants.

“Unfortunately, we are going through a lot of change as an industry. We’re looking to rightsize through the advertising downturn to be in a position for growth coming out. I’m not going to talk to numbers and never have, I don’t plan to either.”

‘Important partners’: How News Corp will use AI

News Corp and OpenAI recently announced a major deal allowing the AI platform to display content from News Corp mastheads. Asked about why News Corp has shifted from warning about AI to doing a major AI deal, Miller said:

“Generative AI has not been in the vernacular for long. What has changed over the past year, is that a lot of those AI companies have learned from the tech platforms to engage with media earlier – I think all media companies are seeing that, they want to have conversations about how they see media as being important partners. 

“Media companies should be open to having those conversations. There is no doubt that AI companies need media companies, and if the partnership is right, then I don’t think media companies should be closed-minded to working with AI companies either.”

Miller was adamant AI won’t replace journalists’ jobs. It will help with fact checking, he said.

“Newsrooms don’t just have great archives and great currency, but also an understanding of language. So far, that’s what their models have yet to fully develop. 

“It’s a tool. We’re not going to see journalists replaced by AI, but it allows us to do a better job fact-checking, and speed to publish with greater accuracy. Journalists do a better job by using the technology available to us, and AI is just one of those technologies.”

Amidst Meta pulling out of deals to pay for news – Miller is at the front line of news business’ lobbying for the government to force Meta back to the bargaining table – the tech business’ AI function purports to summarise paywalled news articles.

“Taking paywall data onto their platforms concerns me greatly,” Miller said.

“They should be paying a licence, and they should be paying a fee. That was what the News Media Bargaining Code was intended for – if they want to use the content and profit from the work of others, they should pay the people who create it.”

‘Unavoidable trading partner’: Taking on tech companies 

If Meta does refuse to bargain, and pulls news off its platform like it did in Canada, Miller isn’t overly worried. The decision is likely to disproportionately impact smaller publishers.

“I don’t believe the Australian Government is holding back. If we go back to the News Media Bargaining Code, which had the support of the Greens, Labor, and Liberals, it was seen to be an important step in the right direction,” he said.

“There are other countries around the world where they have turned off social media. It happened in India. What we saw in India was that local innovators met that void, and for Indian businesses and consumers, it was actually made for their market with language changes and other local nuances. It was far better for the country, but it was locally grown and locally purposed. That’s what would happen here, no doubt.”

However, he said the social platforms are an “unavoidable trading partner.” Asked whether News Corp would consider pulling its masthead accounts off the platforms, Miller replied: “The ACCC found that [social media sites] were an unavoidable trading partner. In meetings I’ve had with politicians, they understand the damage that the platforms are causing, but they themselves can’t exit those platforms, because that’s where their voters and their local communities are. They’re unavoidable, and that’s why they do operate here, because they are so pervasive.”

‘Wasn’t intended to bully’: News Corp’s wider coverage

Miller was asked whether News Corp reporting has caused people like Yassmin Abdel-Magied, Antoinette Lattouf, Brittany Higgins, and trans youth to be bullied. He was clear that wasn’t the intention.

“That work wasn’t intended to bully. They raised issues. I’d also point you to the substantial body of work in campaigns our mastheads have run to stop bullying. 

“There’s the Let Them Be Kids campaign to raise the age [of social media participation]. The Can We Talk campaign run by The Sunday Telegraph, which asked for a counsellor in every single school – the New South Wales Government did make that change. I’d actually stand by a lot of our journalism and the positive impact that has.”

He was also asked about Andrew Bolt‘s claims that The Voice referendum wanted an Aboriginal-only parliament.

“They are commentators, and we’re not taking them out of their opinion context. We’ve got to understand the difference between news reporting and opinion and commentary. Andrew is definitely a commentator, and his views are part of the News Corp group, but not the only view.”

‘We’re not obsessed’: News Corp’s relationship with the ABC

News Corp is often accused of being “obsessed” with the ABC. Recently, backlash against Laura Tingle‘s comments at the Sydney Writer’s Festival led to Tingle being counselled, and issuing a statement contextualising and defending what she said. In that statement, she said it was an example of another “anti-ABC pile on.”

“On any single day of the week, there’s a small group of the ABC that will review and critique News Corp and other media, at News Corp is a small cluster that will review and critique the ABC and other media,” Miller said.

“I do feel that we’re not obsessed – we look at Media Watch every Monday. 

“I don’t think organisations are as obsessed as what may get amplified within the industry.”

Cam Blackley and Emily Taylor‘s Bureau of Everything has joined a burgeoning list of creative independents set up by ex-holdco execs looking to escape the “rat wheel”, meet clients where they’re actually at, and combat the industry’s stagnancy, the pair tell Mediaweek.

Bureau of Everything launched last week. Since then, Alex Derwin and Hugh Munro have unveiled Rick Barry. The week before the Bureau’s launch, ex-Bullfrog partners’ announced Pembleton, an ‘ideas clubhouse’. In March, Hawke’s Brewing Co’s founders and former Droga5 creatives set up The Ministry for Communication & The Arts. In February, it was Ryan O’Connell and John Marshall‘s jnr.

And that’s just this year. Agencies like Special, Bear Meets Eagle on Fire, Thinkerbell, Cocogun, and The Hallway have represented the indie scene for years. 

But in the past few years, that scene has exploded. When the pandemic hit, it highlighted or worsened agency pains like overheads, staff costs, and shrinking client budgets. The market continues to be soft, and marketing dollars are stretched and scrutinised. But constraint is creativity’s ally.

A wave of seasoned, well-respected leaders who’d spent their careers building and leading holding company agencies struck out on their own: Chris Howatson‘s Howatson+Co; Jaimes Leggett‘s Today the Brave; Justin Hind‘s Reunion; Laura Aldington, Simone Gupta, and Jon Austin‘s Supermassive; Pete Bosilkovski‘s It’s Friday.

“All of those agencies are founded by and are led by people who are coming out of businesses where it was their job to listen to clients, and to think about how to position agencies and networks in a way that recognises probably a much bigger shift that’s happened client side than we’ve really seen agency side,” Taylor, M&C Saatchi’s former CSO and Bureau of Everything’s strategic founder, says of the phenomenon.

“If I think about a lot of the clients that we’ve been working on … there’s a lot of client organisations that have flipped themselves on their heads, whether that’s moving to agile, or just completely disrupting how they’re structured, and how they’re working with different marketing agencies and functions in house. I’m not sure the agency world, or the marketing industry, had evolved to actually meet that.”

Blackley, the CCO who left M&C Saatchi in October saying he wanted to “build something new”, says that the more fledgling indies have succeeded, the more others have felt confident enough to follow.

“It feels like there’s a whole lot of possibilities and a whole lot of potential to finally change things. The industry had been quite stagnant for a while and almost like that rat wheel, and every year blended into the next year, and you’d never really have any sense of progress.

“So I think there’s a lot of people feeling it simultaneously and as humans, we tended to share that hive mentality.”

Each indie has approached its perceived gap in the market slightly differently – although given the glut of them, they’ll have to differentiate themselves against each other, in addition to the holdcos. 

Howatson has acquired Kenny Hill‘s Akkomplice, offers creative and media, and wants to focus on this market, capping at 200 staff. Honda recently created an in-house agency and streamlined its external agency roster, appointing Howatson+Co as its sole creative and media partner to work hand-in-hand with the in-house unit.

Supermassive is one of the 1% of majority female-founded creative agencies, and operates using a hub and spoke model – a small core team that engages contractors to solve specific problems for specific clients. The Ministry for Communication & The Arts was designed to service the founders’ own brands, but will also work with other clients.

Each of them, fronted by “really senior people,” are listening to what clients need, Taylor says, “whether it’s plugging into an in house model, or working on a series of projects for them, where they need to really get under the skin of the problem and solve it.”

Those clients are saying, “‘I want seniority, and I don’t want to work with anyone but the people at the helm,'” she adds.

Bureau of Everything doesn’t want to be an agency – the term has “baggage” – but it does want to rethink the agency model. Instead of the usual focus on art director and copywriter, Blackley and Taylor are building a shop built from creative-strategist pairings.

That structure better matches “complex” clients needs and the current marketing landscape, they think. It means the creative is involved in the strategy, and the strategist sticks close to the work, all the way through to execution.

The ambition is to scale it – to a core team of roughly 12-15, engaging external experts for different clients or projects – and create “unmissable work”.

“With our experience, we think this is what’s needed to change stuff,” Blackley says.

“But everyone’s got their slightly different perspective, so it’ll be good to see how it all works out.”

—

See also: Blackley and Taylor plan to pioneer strat-creative model with Bureau of Everything

By Ellie Angell, business director at TrinityP3

It is Pride Month. And I am very much on the rainbow. But personally, I’m not a big fan of the phrase ‘Happy Pride!’ Particularly when it is used in proclamatory posts, adverts or statements from businesses.

There, I said it. While I have complete respect for everyone’s right to feel celebratory and to mark the month as they choose, while I accept the importance gained by visibility, to me, Pride is much more about commemoration and taking stock.

Pride didn’t start happy

The origins of Pride Month, as many of you will know, are based in protest and violence. The Stonewall Uprising involved riots against the police in defiance of a police raid of the Stonewall Inn in New York. A year later, the first Pride marches took place.

Stonewall happened during June 1969 and it came to represent a defining moment that continues to be marked in Pride Month around the world.

But is there much to celebrate? Have we moved forward in acceptance and equality in the intervening years? Well, yes and no. Of course, huge steps have been made. Legalisation of gay marriage. The rights of gay couples to adopt children. Gender recognition and the removal of barriers to gender-affirming care. Increased freedoms to just be. If, that is, you’re living in the right part of the world.

One step forward, one step back

And yet, at the same time, we move backwards. The definition of ‘living in the right part of the world’ feels like it is shrinking. The efforts of the US and the UK, as two supposedly progressive first-world western nations, to roll back (to take just one example) trans rights, are truly alarming.
 
On the other side of the world (figuratively, if not literally) the Ugandan anti-homosexuality bill, passed in 2023 and upheld in 2024, proves that criminalisation of people’s right to self-expression is still alive and well in that nation and in many other hugely populous parts of the world.
 
And then, there’s the violence. Google ‘homophobic violence rise’ for a list of reports, studies, and commentary from all around the world that point to the inexorable rise of hate crimes, assault, murder, of LGBTQ+ people in recent years.
 
Just on my trans corner of the flag, we’ve seen drag story-times for children targeted with assault. We’ve seen crates of Budweiser Light being shot to pieces by celebrities with assault weapons and posted online to acclaim, because Bud chose trans woman Dylan Mulvaney as an ambassador. We’ve seen neo-Nazis standing on the steps of the Victorian Parliament waving ‘Trans Paedo Scum’ flags.
 
Later this year, I’m due to visit the UK, the country of my birth. A 2023 study published by the Office for National Statistics stated that, as a subset of the general LGBTQ+ trend, anti-trans hate crimes rose by 11% in the previous year and have risen by 186% in the last five years. And this is representative only of the estimated 1 in 10 crimes that are actually reported.
 
For the first time in my life, I feel fear about being there. Fear of walking the streets, of going into pubs, of using the restroom. Of being in a train carriage with the wrong people, trapped between stops. Of exposing friends and family who might be with me to an unpleasant or dangerous incident. Of living my life over there without harm coming to me, just for a couple of weeks.

It’s still so relevant – but what can your business do?

All of this shows why Pride Month is still so important. But does it make me want to say ‘Happy Pride’? To be honest – no, not really.
 
Some people do. And that’s fine. But – and sorry for the long run-up to this – how, given the complexity of the context sitting behind Pride Month, should businesses be?
 
There are numerous ways for a business to consider its approach to Pride Month, that sit behind flags and adverts and all the rest of it. Here are three simple thoughts, from which other things can grow.
 
1. Give people in your organisation the latitude to express Pride in different ways

The on-trend ‘celebrate!’ messaging can feel forced, for some. It certainly does for me.

Recognise that different people in your organisation, queer or not, may want to express themselves differently. This could extend to (amongst other things) having different voices speak at a Pride Month town hall in your office, the way you message it and make it visible, the opportunities you give your people to take time of reflection, to make proposals about how they think you should approach Pride Month, and possibly, the way you consider your brand and product marketing.
 
2. Echo the sentiment of Stonewall – mark Pride Month as a turning point or a point of new beginnings in your business

Switching it on for a month is great, and if it’s done with sensitivity, will make queer people in your organisation feel supported. What new, Pride related initiatives could you announce that will last beyond the month and help to redefine your approach to your rainbow people in your business or who may join it in the future?
 
3. Use your voice to highlight the challenge, not just the joy

If you use marketing during pride, internally or externally, does it all have to be ‘happy’? Or could it be that you highlight some of the things I’ve mentioned, with a message of solidarity? Or even representation from LGBTQ+ people?

I know that this is risky (see Budweiser, mentioned above – and Target in the US, and Rip Curl, and Adidas, and, and, and). But the fact that it is risky merely shows why such support remains so necessary.
 
I don’t want to be a downer, I really don’t. But this is the reality we’re in. We should use Pride Month to recognise the progress but also to realise the danger we’re in as a progressive nation.

And we should all think hard about how we represent Pride Month in our businesses, and for our LGBTQ+ people.

See also: Ellie Angell: My first three months as a trans person in the workplace

Westpac Group and DDB Sydney have joined forces for another spirited musical number during last night’s State of Origin game one.

The bank and creative agency teamed up last year for a commercial, starring a singing banker and referee bonding over both professions being maligned.

This time around, the singing banker returns to the field to sing about how much more can be done with “one single dollar.”

“One single dollar. It doesn’t seem like a whole lotta moolah,” the banker sings.

“Oi, I’ll give ya a dollar to shut up,” Phil Gould interrupts at the end of the spot.

Annabel Fribence, chief brand and marketing officer at Westpac Group, posted on LinkedIn that exciting things are happening in the worlds of NRL and Westpac.

“Westpac is backing the men’s and women’s game with equal financial investment and supporting the sport at all levels from grassroots community clubs all the way to the elite level. It’s the driving force behind our love affair with the NRL… we’re levelling the playing field.

“We’re ‘Bringin’ the Footy’ bigger and bolder than ever.”

Fribence explained her team had one objective with this year’s State of Origin – to add to the entertainment of the game.

“Our commercial celebrates our passion for making dreams come true, a passion possibly only rivalled by Origin fans’ deep love for the game.”

The Westpac and National Rugby League partnership launched last year with an ad that centred on the two misunderstood figures – a banker and referee – coming together to find common ground and solace with each other.

At the time, Matt Chandler, executive creative director of DDB Sydney, said: “An epic slice of musical theatre was really the only way to do justice to the coming together of Westpac and the NRL. The plight of these two characters was a joy to bring to life for all of us, so we’re very excited for their story to be told on one of the biggest nights of the rugby league calendar.”

Starcom has appointed Scott McCaffrey as chief client and growth officer and has promoted Jacqui Purcell to national head of planning. 

As part of the executive leadership team, McCaffrey will be responsible for identifying and presenting solutions that align with prospective clients’ business objectives, alongside leading the agency’s senior client leadership team.

On McCaffrey’s appointment, Nick Keenan, Starcom CEO, said “Scott joins Starcom Australia with over 20 years’ experience in client service excellence and driving growth strategies in media communications.

“His strategic vision perfectly aligns with our agency values, and his extensive background in brand and media strategy will be instrumental to our team. I have every confidence that Scott’s leadership will inspire us to reach new heights and unlock exciting opportunities for Starcom Australia.”

Speaking of his new role, McCaffrey said, “I am delighted to join a team that truly believes in the power of our new strategic positioning of ‘Move People, Move Business’. I’m excited to evolve our client relationships, infusing them with empathy, innovation and a shared commitment to transformative growth.”

Purcell is stepping into the newly created role of national head of planning, following her return from maternity leave. She has been promoted from her previous position as client services director with the agency, during which she led the Metcash, Visa, and Subaru accounts.

On Purcell’s promotion, Keenan, added, “Jacqui brings a wealth of experience to the table, having led planning capabilities in craft leadership roles prior to joining us at Starcom Australia.

“She will collaborate closely with our client teams to enhance our media planning capability and ensure we’re delivering comprehensive media plans aligned with our client’s objectives and budgets. We’re so excited for Jacqui’s return and can’t wait to see her invaluable contributions to our team nationally.”

Purcell said, “I’m extremely excited to return to Starcom Australia and continue to build on the momentum they have created in the data-led planning and product space.”

Telstra’s bespoke agency +61 has launched Better on a Better Network, a campaign comprised of 26 stop-motion films.

Each film centres on a different location in Australia, and the idiosyncratic characters – father and son krills, blokey wattle flowers, Tasmanian devils, and teenage goth cockatoos – who live there and benefit from better coverage.

Award-winning director Jeff Low at Revolver helped bring the series to life. He brought on acclaimed animation director Tobias Fouracre, who worked on the Wes Anderson films, Isle of Dogs and Fantastic Mr Fox.

Brent Smart, chief marketing officer at Telstra, said: “I just love this work. It has the scale to match our network, yet delivers the message with humility and humour and having a bunch of these 15s continually rolling out will make them feel fresh and surprising.

“Huge thanks to our awesome partners at Bear and +61, who really sweated this. The level of craft and care really shines.”

+61’s first work for Telstra launched in April: From Space to Your Place, an OOH campaign for the brand’s satellite network. Later that month came the first film work, Pointless. Set in the picturesque countryside, the fourth-wall breaking film depicts a young boy and his father toiling away in the fields against the serene lull of orchestral strings, when –

“Is this a pointless ad?” the young boy asks.  

“Well, if you’re not an existing Telstra customer, it is,” the father responds. “No one else is getting the best deals this month.”

+61, initially announced in October last year, unites independent creative studio Bear Meets Eagle On Fire (BMEOF), helmed by founder and CCO Micah Walker, with the integrated capabilities of TBWA and Telstra’s existing media agency, TBWA’s Omnicom stablemate, OMD.

 Credits:

Creative Agencies: Bear Meets Eagle On Fire, +61
Media Agency: OMD Australia
Production Company: Revolver
Director: Jeff Low
Animation Director: Tobias Fouracre

Alex Sol Watts has joined independent communications agency Poem as executive director of social and strategy.

Watts joins the agency after a recent stint freelancing. Last year, he was a Partner at the creative agency Bullfrog, opening and leading its Sydney office in 2023.

He worked as head of social for DDB from 2020 to 2022, and for Ogilvy from 2017 to 2020, working on Australian and global accounts.
 
Awards Watts has won include a Grand Effie for his work on McDonald’s, and Gold Lions and Webbys for his work on Tiger Beer and KFC.
 
“Lots of agencies talk about differently shaped work, but at Poem, they’re actually making it happen,” Watts said of joining the agency.
 
“A proper obsession with effectiveness matched with endless enthusiasm for approaching things in a meaningfully different way. It’s a real treat to be part of, and to help define the next generation of Australian commercial creativity.”

Questions of journalistic ethics and the behaviour of paparazzi have been raised after Brittany Higgins and her partner David Shiraz were married over the weekend.

Author and journalist Ginger Gorman attended the wedding, and wrote a piece for Women’s Agenda called ‘The paparazzi at Brittany and David’s wedding were predators’.

“Despite all the warmth and the feeling of deep gratitude for the people who make life worth living – the good eggs – today I feel incandescent rage. And ashamed to call myself a journalist,” she wrote.

Gorman went on to describe how a pre-ceremony photo with two other women in attendance led to a security guard asking whether the trio was comfortable having their photo taken in view of paparazzi, before pointing to “four people huddled in the shrubbery.”

Gorman left the paparazzi after a brief confrontation, noting that only one person said they were with Channel Nine, despite the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance’s code of ethics stating you must identify yourself and your employer. 

“I won’t lie – I looked at these four people skulking in the bushes – supposedly ‘just doing their job’  – and became even more incensed. Three white middle-aged men, one middle aged woman. I wondered: Had any of THEM experienced sexual assault?” Gorman wrote.

“I’m also a journalist who has spent more than 20 years reporting on social justice issues. To me, it’s crucial the media works to make society better. Not more predatory.”

On LinkedIn, MEAA’s federal media section president, Karen Percy, added that “What is OF interest to the public is not always IN the public interest.

“Journalists and media organisations are granted a variety of legal exceptions and regulatory carve outs that allow them to carry out public interest journalism.

“These privileges should not be abused.”

In April, Bruce Lehrmann lost his defamation suit against Channel Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson after the media defendants proved, on the balance of probabilities, that Lehrmann raped Higgins in Parliament House in 2019.

The judgment was 324 pages long, with more than 45,000 people tuning in to the livestream of the decision at one point.

–

Top image: The wedding of Brittany Higgins and David Shiraz

John Blackman, star of Hey Hey It’s Saturday and 3AW broadcaster, has died aged 76.

Blackman most famously voiced the Hey Hey It’s Saturday character Dickie Knee.

He was diagnosed with skin cancer in 2019, and underwent surgery to remove part of his jaw as a result. The cancer reappeared in 2022, resulting in further surgeries. Entertainment reporter Peter Ford told 3AW’s Tom Elliott on Wednesday that despite this, he is thought to have suffered a heart attack.

“In a perverse kind of way, it means the cancer didn’t win in the end and he put up an incredibly brave fight and it took a horrible toll,” Ford said.

In a statement, Nine and 3AW said Blackman: “Brought joy and laughter into countless homes every weekend. His distinctive voice and quick wit became a hallmark of the show, endearing him to generations of viewers. His remarkable talent brought characters like Dickie Knee, The Angel and Mrs Macgillicuddy to life, making him a household name and an integral part of the show’s legacy.

“John’s contributions to Australian entertainment extended beyond television. As co-host of the top-rating breakfast program on 3AW in the 1980s, he became a morning companion for many, offering warmth, humour, and insightful commentary to start the day. His ability to connect with listeners, combined with his natural storytelling prowess, made him a beloved figure on the airwaves.”

3AW broadcaster Neil Mitchell called Blackman a “top class broadcaster,” saying: “[It’s] very sad to hear of the death of John Blackman. He was a constant through my radio career.”

On social media, Derryn Hinch paid tribute to Blackman, saying: “He handled his illnesses so bravely. We had some huge rows but he was the fastest ad lib man ever. Vale.”

Livinia Nixon, Blackman’s former co-star on Hey Hey It’s Saturday, added:  “I’m just heartbroken for his wife and Tiffany, his daughter, and everyone that he looked after because even though he had so much on his plate in the last few years, healthwise, he was the backbone of that family.”

Blackman is survived by his wife, Cecile, and their daughter.

LiSTNR publishes an exclusive episode of The Ben & Harry Podcast

The Ben and Harry Podcast will be renamed for one exclusive episode: the Ben VS Harry Podcast. This episode, released on Tuesday, 4 June, will provide footy fans with an exclusive insight into the brothers’ mindset before they clash in their big game, Carlton v Essendon.

Between them, Essendon’s Ben McKay and Carlton’s Harry McKay have amassed more than 200 games, 1,00 marks, and one Coleman Medal. For the first time, the brothers will face each other in an AFL match.

Essendon defender Ben McKay said: “It’s a big couple of weeks for the Ben and Harry Podcast. We’ve been in the AFL system for more than eight years, so I’m looking forward to crossing paths for the first time on a footy field at the ‘G. This week and next week’s episodes are going to be massive.”

Carlton forward Harry McKay said: “Our battles have taken place in the podcast studio over the past 18 months, where we’ve gone head-to-head each week. So, I’m looking forward to finally taking it out onto the field and letting the footy do the talking!”

[Listen to the Ben VS Harry Podcast here]

Black Magic Woman Podcast launches ANZ partnership series during National Reconciliation Week

Featuring Indigenous business owners, suppliers, community partners, and ANZ employees, the series will highlight a range of voices in telling the stories of personal and business experiences with reconciliation.

The partnership is based on five years of shared vision, in which ANZ has worked closely with Mundanara and the BlackCard team to drive meaningful outcomes as part of its commitment to reconciliation for its national reconciliation program, culminating in the empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people toward self-determination and in control of their financial wellbeing. 

“I would love to see more Indigenous businesses engaging with ANZ for their banking needs. I am an ANZ customer and can speak first-hand about how much of a difference it makes when you have a business banker who is First Nations,” said Mundanara Bayles. 

“It is inspiring to see the ways in which ANZ can help Indigenous businesses to start and grow their operations, as well as creating many employment opportunities, not just at entry level with traineeships, but throughout ANZ’s organisation.  Our vision is to see more Australian organisations representing our people and culture at the highest level,” she said.

Black Magic Woman was the first Indigenous podcast signed by IHeartRadio in 2023 and is also available on the BlakCast Network.

[Listen to Black Magic Woman here]

Triton data reveals an 11% MoM uptick in listeners and a 5% rise in downloads on 9Podcasts

The surge in listeners across Nine’s podcast content is underpinned by its News and Sport offerings, coupled with new programs in key areas of growth.

The Missing Campers Trial podcast – a production from the teams at 9News, The Age and 9Podcasts – has taken listeners inside the courtroom for the high-profile trial of Gregory Lynn, accused of murdering campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay.

Episodes have been released in real time, revealing every detail as the evidence unfolds, examining key moments and bringing together audio and video to cover the crimes on trial in Victoria’s highest court. 

Nine’s Head of Podcasts and Digital Content, Mia Stern said: “9Podcasts is committed to showcasing the richness and diversity of Australian stories, ensuring that our listeners have access to content that is not only entertaining but also reflective of their own experiences and culture.

“We can see the positive impact this continues to have on our audience growth, as more listeners are discovering new programs and listening for longer each month, creating a rich and varied environment for marketers and advertisers.”

Brent Smart: ‘Nothing has ever been invented that’s as good at killing ideas as a corporation’

According to Telstra CMO Brent Smart, “Nothing has ever been invented that’s as good at killing ideas as a corporation – they’re built to kill ideas.” 

Referencing the idea that “culture eats strategy for breakfast” Smart said: “If you can create a creative culture inside a corporation, it’s an incredibly powerful thing.”

Reflecting on his career, Smart said he “loved” his 20 years in agencies, but it got to a point where “the driving motivation” to leave agencies and become a marketer “was frustration with clients.”

“I was just frustrated because I felt like we were putting the right ideas on the table, but they weren’t getting through to the corporations that we were working with for a multitude of reasons. I thought, what if I could be on the other side of the table? What if I could be able to say yes to ideas, and create the conditions for ideas to not die, but thrive?”

It was this thought that brought Smart client side, he said. “You can have more impact being in charge of a brand as opposed to trying to influence people who are in charge of a brand.”

Smart was talking to Dan Krigstein on The Growth Distillery’s Reset for Growth vodcast, run by News Corp Australia. 

[Read more]

LiSTNR and DataCo partner to accelerate data cleanroom strategy

LiSTNR has partnered with DataCo Technologies to further accelerate its data cleanroom strategy, allowing advertisers to integrate their own databases with the platform’s 1.95 million first-party database.

The partnership with the Australian cleanroom solution aims to ensure campaign effectiveness, local safety, and privacy compliance. It also provides access to merchant data from Australia’s leading banks and global financial data providers.

DataCo Technologies was developed by Business Creation Lab of 1835i, the innovation partner to ANZ Bank. The business said its cleanroom solution offers bank-grade security and privacy protection without the technical complexity found in many other solutions in the market.

LiSTNR is the only digital audio platform to partner with DataCo, and the cleanroom solution is a managed service rather than self-serve.

[Read more]

Centennial World partners with Let’s Sing on Let The Girls Game podcast

Centennial World is gearing up to launch its first branded podcast miniseries, Let The Girls Game, on 5 June. The project will be nested within its Infinite Scroll ecosystem in partnership with Let’s Sing.

Let The Girls Game looks into gender and gaming, the history and resurgence of Gamergate, language and culture within online communities, the future of gaming, and the significance of community-building for women gamers.

Centennial World’s content spans internet culture and the creator economy, with 95% of its audience under 34-years-old, and 13 million monthly views on TikTok.

Lauren Meisner, founder and director of Centennial World, said: “Gen Z seek meaningful conversations in a natural format and doesn’t want to be sold to. They expect value over advertising. So, we have co-designed a series with our listeners’ interests first. 

“We are partnering with Let’s Sing, because of their shared passion for reaching young women interested in gaming. In doing so, we are meeting our listeners with interesting, relevant content that they expect from us.”

[Read more]

Google unveiled a slew of advancements and updates to its ad products to drive growth for advertisers and brands at Google Marketing Live on Tuesday, which was attended by more than 700 advertisers and marketers at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in Sydney.

At the event, Mel Silva, managing director of Google Australia, said AI has allowed advertisers to address complex and evolving consumer behaviour, helping them provide unique and relevant creative at scale.

She said: “We see a future where AI will supercharge the entire advertising lifecycle, from assembling your creative, to running your media, to measuring results. Think of it as an ‘all-at-once’, growth and efficiency flywheel. That’s our vision for what AI could do for advertising.”

Mel Silva

Immersive ad experiences

The tech giant showcased how brands and advertisers can bring creative to life with immersive ad experiences that will help advertisers develop relevant creative at speed and scale.

Two new features will be introduced to Google’s Product Studio later this year: generating visual assets that align with a brand’s aesthetic, and turning images into video.

The tech company will also launch a Virtual Try On, allowing shoppers to view how clothes look on real people of different shapes and sizes. Universal Dubbing, now available in Australia, is a multi-modal tool that works across voice, text, and image to help advertisers translate creative into over 16 different languages through automatic captioning and dubbing. 

The 3D shopping ad format, which will allow shoppers to see products in a 360-degree view, will also launch soon.

Victoria Berthinussen

Victoria Berthinussen, head of creative partnerships for Google Australia, said that while human-powered creativity sit at the heart of asset creation, advances in technology were changing the ways stories are shared.

“When you have massive consumer journeys like that, big ideas are the glue that holds them together. But humans alone can’t generate creative at the volume, velocity, and variation required to meet consumers’ expectations of relevance – and do it at scale.

“It’s a tremendous drain on creative resources, taking time away from higher value work like focusing on breakthrough creative ideas or better understanding your customers’ needs. We want AI to alleviate that problem, and empower you to be more creative than ever.”

Driving results with AI

Rick Gove, Google Australia’s head of performance solutions, took to the stage to talk about how Google has been working to help advertisers drive relevance and results at scale.

He shared that advertisers who improved their Performance Max (Pmax) Ad Strength to ‘excellent’ saw 6% more conversions on average. Those using ‘Power Pair’ (a combination of Search and Pmax campaigns) saw a 27% increase in conversions due to improvements driven by AI. 

Gove presented a range of AI-powered product updates that aim to help Australian advertisers connect with customers in new and engaging ways.

Among them were asset-level reporting on PMax to allow advertisers to see conversion metrics for each creative asset to help them understand what is resonating with customers and Shopping Ads at the very top of the results on Google Lens searches.

Demand Gen on immersive surfaces including YouTube, Discover, and Gmail will roll out to Google Display and Video 360 later this year. This will help advertisers drive conversions and be even more targeted with campaigns, delivering outcomes faster. 

“We’ve long accepted that delivering the right message to the right customer at the right time has been the central challenge of marketing,” Gove added. “But with ongoing media fragmentation and near constant evolution of consumer behaviour, practically doing this became hugely complex.

“Our new era of AI has enabled a new era of Ads solutions that are uniquely, and powerfully positioned to help you meet your customers’ expectations of relevance, and drive profitable growth for your business.”

Providing strong foundation of measurement

Karen Stocks, vice president of global measurement and audience solutions at Google, told attendees that the developments in AI mean advertisers have to think differently about data and measurement, in particular the importance of first party data.

“What you know about your customers, your business and your business goals and how you apply that information to your marketing through AI is your competitive advantage,” she said. 

Among the updates designed to better measure performance are Google Ads Data Manager, now available in Australia. This update simplifies the process of bringing sources of first-party data in one place.

Measurement Diagnostics, which will roll out within Google Ads and Campaign Manager, will analyse sites to indicate where there is missing data or opportunities to boost campaign performance, and a troubleshooting guide of the process.

A study commissioned by the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA) and compiled by the economics advisory firm Mandala has shown that removing caps on sound recording royalties paid by radio businesses could lead to a potential 78% increase in income for artists.

The study also said the number of Australian artists played on the radio for the first time could almost double. Top commercial radio stations would maintain profit margins of 15%, whilst the broader radio industry margin would be slightly reduced from 13% to 11%, it claimed.

The study also said removing the caps could lead to an additional $4.8 million paid to Australian artists in royalties in 2024-25; artists played on radio could see up to $19,100 in additional income per year, or a 78% increase in income; paying sound recording royalties at the same rate as musical works would account for less than 0.3% of the ABC’s total annual budget; and if caps were removed, increased reinvestment from record labels could see double the number of new local artists played on radio for the first time.

PPCA’s shareholders are three multinational record labels – Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music, and Warner Music.

The report follows Senate Committee hearings held on 7 March regarding the Copyright Legislation Amendment (Fair Pay for Radio Play) Bill 2023, introduced by Senator David Pocock. 

The Bill amends the Copyright Act 1968 to remove restrictions limiting the Copyright Tribunal’s ability to determine the amount payable to rights holders in sound recordings when music is played on commercial and ABC radio. These restrictions are often referred to as caps, or radio caps. 

PPCA CEO, Annabelle Herd, said removing the caps “is the single most effective way to increase fair compensation for artists when they need it most.”

“Radio has benefitted from decades of financial windfall from these provisions in the Copyright Act at the expense of local artists and labels. The heavy burden of subsidising Australian radio – a profitable and successful industry – cannot continue to fall on struggling local artists,” Herd added.

Since the bill’s introduction, CRA has warned of the “harm” to radio in regional and remote communities that could be done if it passes.

“If multinational record labels are allowed to hike up radio’s music fees it would harm the sustainability of stations – particularly in regional and remote communities where local media has already diminished,” former CRA chief executive officer Ford Ennals said in March. 

“Radio is already paying almost $40 million a year in fees – any increase to this would hurt radio, which in turn hurts music. Radio plays an important role in promoting and supporting Australian artists and music and we want this to continue.”

Currently, recording royalties are capped at 1% of commercial radio revenue and 0.005c per head of population for ABC Radio.

Australia is the only country in the world with this sort of copyright law, and such a cap does not exist for any other type of copyright in Australia. No other copyright user benefits from a legislated cap including television broadcasters, schools, universities, libraries or small businesses such as nightclubs, gyms, shops, bars or restaurants.

–

Top image: Annabelle Herd

Australian digital bank Up has joined forces with RISING Melbourne to celebrate the art of design at the annual festival from 1 to 15 June.

Recognised as the presenting partner of the festival’s Night Trade, Up is set to present Hi—Fi: The Financially Sound System — a life-size manifestation of its in-app financial wellbeing feature. The system itself doubles as a DJ booth, featuring live performances from Melbourne DJs including Cut Copy, Soju Gang, Harvey Sutherland, and 3NDLES5.

Drawing inspiration from gaming and the future of banking, the space is a visual representation of how the bank is transforming ordinary financial tasks, such as money management, into interactive and enjoyable experiences with real aggregated customer data and digital art visualisations.

Up head of design Pete Johnson said: “It’s been great working closely with Boom Studios to bring our Hi—Fi system to life since it launched last October. Our world-first installation intersects art and money while choreographing real banking data and sounds from Melbourne’s finest DJs.

“We created the Hi—Fi system to make money easy for young Aussies. We did this by flipping the script on the tedious task of money management, and turning it into a fun activity for them to enjoy.

“With over 850,000 young Aussies using Up, we wanted to create an experience that we know our customers would love, merging the chaos of money management into a feeling of wellness with the modern sounds of Melbourne.”

Up has also partnered with Triple R and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra to tee up hidden gigs within the arcade.

Up presents Hi—Fi: The Financially Sound System is located at 11 Howey Place, Melbourne from 1 June through to 15 June. It has been brought to life across earned and social.

Credits:

Client: Up
Activation: Boom Studios

Wild Turkey Bourbon has revealed its plans for Music 101, the experiential platform led by creative agency BRING, PR agency Eleven, and media agency Mindshare, plus Social Squad and Vivid Engagement.

The platform was launched last year, and has a pipeline including an exclusive Sydney experience, Wild Turkey’s House of Music 101, and the next instalment of its Music 101 Mentorship Program. Through music, the brand aims to demonstrate what it means to ‘Trust Your Spirit.’

Angus & Julia Stone are working with Wild Turkey to spearhead the mentorship program as lead mentors to local emerging artists.

Paolo Marinoni, marketing director, Campari Australia & New Zealand, said: “Our ambition is to carve our own path in music, building on the momentum of last year to make this year’s Music 101 platform the best yet for Wild Turkey Bourbon. For us, everything ladders back to Trust Your Spirit, which is the ethos to unequivocally follow your instincts.

“Angus & Julia Stone embody exactly what it means to Trust Your Spirit. Having had music passed down to them through generations of their family, Angus & Julia Stone have become globally acclaimed artists.

Adam Ireland, managing director at BRING, added: “The synergy between Wild Turkey’s ‘Trust Your Spirit’ brand ethos and Angus & Julia’s own experiences, makes them the perfect artist to follow on from Matt Corby’s primary role in year one, an award-winning campaign that broke new ground for the brand and delivered an enormous platform for aspiring musicians in this country.”

The brand’s Music 101 Mentorship Program aims to give a stage to up-and-coming Australian artists. This year, Wild Turkey will offer 10 emerging artists access to top industry figures in partnership with recording company Studios 301. Entries are open from 30 May to 14 June 2024.

The program will then build up to Wild Turkey’s House of Music 101, set to take place in Sydney this July. House of Music 101 will also be the physical location for part of the Music 101 Mentorship Program.

‘Wild Turkey’s ongoing music mentorship program is a great example of an earned first idea which leads into an experiential moment,” Russ Tucker, executive creative director at Eleven, said.

“We’ve enjoyed working with all the partners to turn it up to eleven for a second year.’

The integrated project will roll out across earned, owned, and paid channels over the next three months.

“Wild Turkey’s history has almost 100 years of unwavering belief and conviction, championed by Jimmy Russell who mastered his craft to deliver Wild Turkey’s signature bold flavour, for which the Russell family are known,” Marinoni added.

“Jimmy then mentored two generations of Master Distillers, who have been faithful to this ethos ever since.”

Credits:

Brand: Wild Turkey Bourbon (Campari Group)
Experiential & artist management: BRING
Mentorship program & earned media: Eleven
Paid media: Mindshare
Social media: Social Squad
Website design: Vivid Engagement

The Association for Data-Driven Marketing and Advertising (ADMA) has launched its flagship Global Forum conference for 2024. 

The theme ‘Elevate for the Future’ sets out to address some of the key issues facing the industry and assist marketers in thinking differently and prepare for the future of marketing.

The one-day event will be held on 20 August 2024 at the Hyatt Regency, Darling Harbour, Sydney.

ADMA CEO Andrea Martens said: “With the marketing industry facing undeniable challenges and complexity, it is more vital than ever not only to inspire, but to equip marketers, to help evolve our industry and Elevate for the Future.

“We’re committed to delivering an event that takes a hard look at the complexities and transformations facing the industry, together with world-class thinking and tangible takeouts for every marketer.”

Keynote speakers set to make an appearance include Tom Goodwin, a digital business transformation specialist, futurist and author; Mark Ritson, a brand consultant and marketing professor known for his dissection and critique of traditional brand practices; and Joanna Robinson, CMO of The Iconic. She will be sharing lessons from her journey of brand-building in challenging times.

Key topics to be addressed include adapting businesses in changing times, imminent privacy changes, how to supercharge growth and revenue through CX, the role of customer experience in driving growth, and the importance of long-term strategic branding.

Last year, IAB Australia and ADMA responded to the government’s review of the Privacy Act, accepting 38 of the report’s recommendations, accepting 68 in-principle, and rejecting 10.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the government agreed to most of the 116 proposals contained in the Privacy Act, which was released in February 2023, as reported by the AFR.

Among the proposals are entities seeking informed consent about the handling of personal information, establishing stronger protections for children – including a children’s online privacy code, and ensuring entities are accountable for handling and destroying data when it is no longer needed.

See also: IAB and ADMA responds to the government’s review of the Privacy Act

Scope3 has introduced Media Reporting, an always-on ad emissions measuring tool for brands and media buyers to measure ad emissions and reduce waste across their digital ad campaigns.
 
Media Reporting will enable buyers to bring campaign data from anywhere they buy digital media to get a holistic view of their campaign emissions and performance in one place, the Scope3 Collaborative Sustainability Platform.

Buyers will be able to compare the emissions of their advertising activity to market benchmarks, simulate carbon and waste reduction against performance for their campaigns, and initiate recommended actions to decarbonise.

Anne Coghlan, co-founder and COO at Scope3, said: “Sustainability is a lever for driving efficiency and reducing waste. When brands see that proven time and again, they will drive the change needed to push the entire industry to be better.

“By combining performance and emissions into a singular view to help brands make the smartest choices for their business, this evolution of our platform brings us a giant step closer to a decarbonised advertising ecosystem.”

Over the last year, Scope3 has conducted several dozen measurement studies and pilot tests with brands around the world, providing insight into the sources of emissions within campaigns, as well offering optimisation techniques for lowering their emissions.

The platform’s Media Reporting tool builds on these tests and makes campaign emissions measurement easy and scalable.
 
“Brands working with us know to expect better outcomes given we provide them with access to precision audiences they can’t find anywhere else,” said Cara Pratt, SVP of Kroger Precision Marketing.. “Our work with Scope3 means they can now be assured that their media is both effective, efficient and more sustainable.
 
“Using Scope3’s granular reporting data, we optimised the delivery of our managed programmatic advertising and reduced overall campaign emissions while still delivering impressive results for clients. Having always–on access to that data will be a powerful tool in helping our industry meet its decarbonisation goals.”

Tuesday 4 June 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s The Summit recorded a total TV national reach of 1,650,000, a total TV national audience of 665,000, and a BVOD audience of 71,000.

Nine’s A Current Affair recorded a total TV national reach of 1,540,000, a total TV national audience of 999,000, and a BVOD audience of 72,000.

Seven’s Dream Home recorded a total TV national reach of 1,308,000, a total TV national audience of 535,000, and a BVOD audience of 41,000.

Also on Seven, Home & Away recorded a total TV national reach of 1,205,000, a total TV national audience of 835,000, and a BVOD audience of 106,000.

10’s airing of MasterChef Australia recorded a total TV national reach of 1,250,000, a total TV national audience of 638,000, and a BVOD audience of 59,000.

10’s airing of The Cheap Seats recorded a total TV national reach of 1,194,000, a total TV national audience of 540,000, and a BVOD audience of 20,000.

See Also: TV Report 4 June 2024: Three hikers come out on top during The Summit finale

People 25-54

Nine’s The Summit:
• Total TV nation reach: 577,000
• National Audience: 263,000
• BVOD Audience: 39,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 471,000
• National Audience: 295,000
• BVOD Audience: 39,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 481,000
• National Audience: 253,000 
• BVOD Audience: 33,000

Seven’s Dream Home:
• Total TV nation reach: 441,000
• National Audience: 184,000
• BVOD Audience: 24,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 369,000
• National Audience: 260,000
• BVOD Audience: 60,000

10’s The Cheap Seats:
• Total TV nation reach: 503,000
• National Audience: 262,000 
• BVOD Audience: 12,000

People 16-39

Nine’s The Summit:
• Total TV nation reach: 184,000
• National Audience: 88,000
• BVOD Audience: 18,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 167,000
• National Audience: 102,000
• BVOD Audience: 19,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 216,000
• National Audience: 108,000 
• BVOD Audience: 19,000

Seven’s Dream Home:
• Total TV nation reach: 189,000
• National Audience: 66,000
• BVOD Audience: 13,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 158,000
• National Audience: 123,000
• BVOD Audience: 36,000

10’s The Cheap Seats:
• Total TV nation reach: 216,000
• National Audience: 113,000 
• BVOD Audience: 6,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+ TV Ratings

Nine’s The Summit:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,291,000
• National Audience: 518,000
• BVOD Audience: 57,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,206,000
• National Audience: 798,000
• BVOD Audience: 58,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 970,000
• National Audience: 509,000 
• BVOD Audience: 48,000

Seven’s Dream Home:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,013,000
• National Audience: 416,000
• BVOD Audience: 33,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 945,000
• National Audience: 660,000
• BVOD Audience: 84,000

10’s The Cheap Seats:
• Total TV nation reach: 936,000
• National Audience: 424,000 
• BVOD Audience: 16,000

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 5 June 2024:

Nine TV Report

State of Origin – Game I

Nine aired Game I of 2024’s State of Origin series which saw a 12-man Blues side destroyed by a hungry Maroons side. The final score was 38-10 as the game was turned upside down not even 10 minutes in when Blues debut Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i became the fastest player in Origin history to be sent off. The send-off came after a dangerous tackle on Reece Walsh, which saw him ruled out of the game, suffering a category one head injury assessment. 

Seven TV Report

The Front Bar

The Front Bar welcomed Terrence John Daniher as they shared a laugh about the world of AFL and caught up with stars of yesteryear and today, ahead of the twelfth round of the AFL 2024 season.

Home & Away

Earlier in the night was Home & Away as Nelson made Bree an offer, Harper confides in Dana and Mali’s brother hits the bay.

10 TV Report

The Project

The Project on 10 spoke to an Aussie woman fighting for victims of deepfake adult content, investigated why prenups are on the rise and spoke to Peter Garrett.

MasterChef Australia

On 10’s MasterChef Australia, the losing tea from the pub challenge had to cook along with chef Curtis Stone as he created his Spice Rubbed Pork, Smoked Beetroot and Hasselback Potatoes. 

ABC

7:30

On 7:30, the program looked into new figures showing Australia is teetering on the edge of recession, Sarah Ferguson interviewed Treasurer Jim Chalmers and the number of kids being suspended or expelled from school in Queensland is on the rise.

Gruen

Gruen returned last night to discuss Twisties, Virgin’s TikToks and LG. Wil Anderson was joined by Camey O’Keefe, Christina Aventi, Jasmin Bedir and Russel Howcroft.

SBS

Attenborough and the Giant Elephant

David Attenborough investigates the life story of the most famous elephant to have ever lived – Jumbo.