In a world-exclusive interview, Sky News Australia anchor Erin Molan has secured an interview with Eric and Lara Trump at their Florida Country Club Mar-a-Lago.

Molan said with no topic was off limits.

Erin Molan said: “To get exclusive, in-person access to Donald Trump’s son and daughter-in-law, who is also the co-chair of the Republican National Committee and arguably among his chief confidantes, was one of the most special days I’ve had in nearly 20 years in media.

“They both probably over-shared – just the way I like it – and some of the insights they give might challenge some pre-conceived ideas you have.”

During the wide-ranging interview, the former US President’s son and executive vice president of the Trump Organisation, Eric Trump and daughter-in-law and Republican National Committee co-chair, Lara Trump gave insights into how the entire Trump family was shaken by the assassination attempt.

They watched the dramatic events unfold live on television with their children. They also shared intimate details on what Donald Trump is like as a father and grandfather.

Molan admitted to Mediaweek she had been after this interview for a long time. She’s not finished yet with the family though: “I’m still trying for Donald!”

Erin Molan meets the Trumps for Sky News

Mar-a-Lago hosted Molan and her camera crew during the Florida visit. “We were at the country club for about four hours,” she told Mediaweek. “With them for about an hour. They were incredibly generous. Eric came out afterwards and took us on a tour and gave us a bottle of wine.”

The power couple are positive about the November vote. “They seem very confident – and not just because they are – but because they feel like the alternative is disastrous,” added Molan.

Lara Trump and Erin Molan

About her work with Sky News Australia, Molan said: “I love putting my weekly Sky News TV show together… it gives me immense joy. It means I can not only bring unique insight into the news stories which matter to Australians, but also focus on big guests and exclusive news-making interviews which I couldn’t really do with a daily show, so what I’m doing now is perfect.

“I’ve never been more excited about my future professionally and personally.”

Erin Molan at Mar-a-Lago

• First-look during Erin on Friday 6 September at 5pm AEST.

• Then a 30-Minute Special Friday 6 September at 10pm AEST.

• Extended Eric and Lara Trump interview with Erin Molan available to SkyNews.com.au subscribers.

OMG Australia (OMG) has appointed Kim Hamilton (pictured) to the newly created role of chief marketing officer.

Although OMG opted for an internal candidate, it is believed Hamilton impressed the judges despite the final candidates including some talented outsiders with impressive credentials.

Hamilton will lead a new marketing structure for the group. In a statement, OMG said the new structure brings the experience of individual brand teams from across OMG together to form one elevated national marketing and business development community.

Recently ranked the highest billing media agency group in Australia by both RECMA and COMvergence for the fifth consecutive year, OMG continues to boast a string of client retentions including Singapore Airlines, ANZ Bank, Virgin Australia and HSBC, and new business success including Amart, AFL, McCain and myPlates.

See also: Omnicom unites creative networks and agencies under new Omnicom Advertising Group banner

The new chief marketing officer role will report to Peter Horgan, CEO of OMG ANZ.

“With a sustainable growth agenda and pipeline spanning AI enablement within our Omni marketing orchestration platform to eCommerce acceleration with the global acquisition of Flywheel, the consolidation of our marketing and business development expertise was a critical next step for OMG,” said Horgan.

“Highly respected by our people and clients, Kim brings together a dynamic combination of brand marketing and agency experience, positioning her as the ideal leader to drive this elevated function for OMG. I look forward to working closely with Kim as we enter this exciting new phase.”

Hamilton, with 10 years prior experience in brand marketing roles across Westpac and Optus, joined OMD Sydney, Australia’s largest media agency operation, in 2013. Initially leading the performance group, she was promoted to the national executive team and progressed through three roles, most recently holding the position of group managing director.

OMG notes Hamilton has been integral in OMD Sydney’s growth story and sustained success with the agency’s revenue increasing by over 50% during her leadership, with new business wins and retentions including Suncorp Group and NSW Government.

Kim Hamilton

Hamilton commented: “I’m incredibly excited about this new opportunity and feel privileged to work across OMG’s diverse portfolio of brands. My focus will be on driving strategic growth initiatives that will supercharge our brands, elevate our business, and create meaningful value for our clients. Reflecting on the past 11 years with OMD, I’m deeply grateful for the experiences and talented people who have shaped my journey.

“I’m eager to leverage this experience and collaborate with our exceptional brand teams to drive sustained success and further solidify our leadership position in the Australian market.”

Hamilton will transition across to the chief marketing officer role during September, 2024.

Sunrise viewers got some unexpected news this morning after the 8am news bulletin. Sunrise news presenter Edwina Bartholomew revealed a cancer diagnosis with the Seven breakfast TV audience.

Bartholomew said she learned of the cancer in July.

This is part of the story she wrote for 7News.com.au.

I read the news every day on Sunrise. Today, I shared some news of my own.

I have cancer.

It’s not the headline I expected to deliver about my own life, but I suppose no one ever does.

The type of cancer is Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia. It’s a good kind – if there is such a thing.

I can treat it with a daily tablet and if I take care of myself, I will be completely fine.

It’s the luckiest unlucky thing to ever happen to me.

So, how did I find it?

I recently turned 40 and decided it was finally time to get on top of my health.

I was asked in a number of interviews what I do to take care of myself. I gave generic answers about buying a bike to get fit, putting my phone away and taking some “me” time. The truth was, I wasn’t doing any of that.

Then one day, my four-year-old daughter jumped on top of me, and it hurt. I realised that although I’d been to the doctor for snotty noses and inexplicable toddler rashes many times, I hadn’t been to see a GP for myself since I was pregnant with my son — more than two years ago.

It was time to be proactive.

I soon found myself in a hospital room, waiting for a mammogram. You can imagine all the horrific scenarios that went through my head as I cursed myself for forgetting appointments and neglecting my health. In the end, the mammogram was clear but the routine blood tests my doctor sent me to do at the same time were not.

One was abnormal, some levels out of whack. She sent me back to do it again. It took me another month to pop into a pathology clinic. You know how it is; work to do, the house to clean, the laundry to do, the dinner to cook. I was busy.

That was Monday, the 29th of July.

The doctor called that night to check if I was OK. I said I had a little cold but was otherwise fine. She suggested I come in the next day when all my results were back. It was a sleepless night, and I was a little teary in the makeup chair on Tuesday and stressed during Sunrise.

Later that morning, the doctor called to say I should bring someone with me to the appointment. Not a good sign. By Thursday, I was having a bone marrow biopsy and by Saturday, I had started treatment.

[Read more]

oOh!Media unveiled an impressive slew of wins, network expansions, new formats, and refreshed positioning at the Outfront ’25 event at Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal this week, claiming itself as “Australia’s #1 out-of-home company.”

More than 400 media buyers and agency executives attended the event to hear about the OOH company’s outlook on the trends and challenges that will shape the industry in the year ahead.   

Among those who attended were Natalie Modderno from OMD Sydney, Daniel Cutrone from Avenue C, Lauren Bauer from This is Flow, and Kevin Fernandes from Havas Media Network. They shared their thoughts on oOh!Media’s offerings and innovations in the year ahead. 

Cathy O’Connor

Natalie Modderno, OMD Sydney’s head of investment, said the event outdoor media company showcased a “bold vision for 2025” to empower advertisers with “tools to engage audiences at scale and deliver measurable results.”

oOh!Media revealed its retail media arm was being rebranded to reo to reflect the strategic shift from in-store screens focus to a full omnichannel digital offering for retailers.

The new strategy aims to place reo as a complete end-to-end sales solution, building sales teams to help retailers monetise their media channels.

Modderno noted that the success of the evolution of reo will be in the “robust measurement of business outcomes.”

“oOh! will need to compete with established partners, so the question will be how they can de-risk this for advertisers who not only have well-established retail media partnerships but, in this economic climate, prove that shifting ad dollars to oOh!’s retail media offering will deliver incrementality.

“If oOh!media can prove REO’s impact, it will solidify its position as a leader in retail media strategy, enabling cohesive omnichannel campaigns and tapping into the growing retail media market.

Natalie Modderno

Modderno also highlighted the OOH company’s focus on 3D anamorphic formats, which was enhanced by POLY’s faux-out-of-home digital offering. She noted that this will “enable advertisers the chance to create more immersive and engaging OOH experiences that build brand fame.”

“Given the market we are operating in with decreasing consumer trust and brand sentiment – having opportunities for creativity gives brands greater opportunity to stand out, creating talkability and better storytelling across channels.

“However, with the premium required for these formats, demonstrating the effectiveness will be key to securing better uptake by advertisers.”

“Overall, oOh!media’s 2025 Outfronts signal a strong commitment to driving innovation and delivering competitive advantages in a rapidly evolving media landscape,” Modderno added.

Daniel Cutrone, Avenue C’s managing partner, media, said: “oOh! Media threw down the gauntlet this evening, presenting a formidable proposal to the market achieving scale, innovation, and effectiveness. 

“The recent acquisition of two new Sydney street furniture council contracts (Waverly & North Beaches) represent a strategic expansion of their premium network, further enhancing the already robust “commuter” portfolio which includes Woollahra and key metro stations in Sydney & Melbourne.

Daniel Cutrone

“With no dates of transition mentioned, it may be some time before this becomes in effect. But one thing is for sure, the street furniture dynamic is about to be turned upside down across Sydney and Melbourne.

“oOh! Media will be able to reach 98% of audiences and boast a 13% efficiency delivered by their scale – an attempt to secure more deals in market. With greater measurement capabilities, a focus on AI improved trading, targeting resources and creative optimisation – they are best positioned to fly this flag.

“With a ‘shift to outcomes’, I will be extremely interested if oOh! Media becomes the first OOH vendor to move to outcome-based trading, a move which many advertisers would be eager to explore and activate within this current market.”

For This is Flow’s business director, Lauren Bauer, her interest was piqued at oOh!’s focus on new to market tenders, capturing clear space and defending its position as the biggest OOH provider.

She noted that oOh!Media’s investment in growing their networking through winning new tenders in Melbourne and Sydney, particularly with the recent wins of the high-earning postcodes of Waverly and Northern Beaches councils.

“The digitisation of these networks, as well as initiatives like eco living roofs on shelters, will be a welcomed addition to postcodes which have historically lacked impactful OOH coverage. Particularly appealing for clients who are going after that higher income audience with the ease of a digital network.

“After the rollout of (the majority) the Sydney metro contract, oOh! have turned their sights to essentially the Melbourne equivalent – a smart move to drive reach and simplify the network across the biggest states.

Lauren Bauer

”This really cements the move to go after new assets, and new environments, adding yet another format to the mix to assert dominance in the Sydney market and combat JCD’s hold on the train & bus contracts.”

Bauer highlighted oOh!’s roll out of the 3D anamorphic capability which she said is a “win for the industry as 3D spills into rail, office, university and more.”

“I’m most interested to see if they will launch production support arm alongside, as we still see this being the biggest barrier to entry with clients.”

Bauer continued: “oOh! are looking to defend their slice of the retail pie, with a further 200 buying segments fuelled by Unpacked (Flybys) & Westpac data. No real surprise here, with increased competition in the retail space with players such as Cartology and their ComBank iQ offering which was announced in July.”

Kevin Fernandes, Havas Media Network’s national head of partnerships and AdTech, told Mediaweek: “oOh!Media’s ambition is to remain unmissable and lead the charge in a rapidly changing advertising landscape.”

He noted the OOH company’s event highlighted five key trends set to define its future:

1. Power of Scale: oOh!media continues to expand its footprint and influence across Australia. With 80% wins in new business, key achievements include securing the Waverley contract in Sydney and increasing their Melbourne presence by 50% with new sites along the East Link and Metro Tunnel. This growth provides advertisers with more options and greater efficiency in reaching diverse audiences across the country.

2. Rise of Retail: As consumer spending in retail environments remains strong, oOh!media is capitalising on high footfall locations. With access to over 200 retail networks globally, the company is advancing its initiative to fully monetise these retail environments, ensuring maximum exposure and engagement for brands where consumer attention is highest.

3. Fragmentation of Audiences: In response to increasingly fragmented audiences, oOh!media is deploying a variety of innovative strategies to capture consumer attention. High-impact sites, dynamic creative optimisation (DCO), and advanced formats, such as 3D displays on 4K screens, are at the forefront of this effort. 41% of potential ROI comes from the creative. Campaigns like Uber’s “Get Almost Almost Anything” exemplify how creativity can cut through the noise in a crowded media landscape. 

Kevin Fernandes

4. AI & Innovation: oOh!media is leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance every stage of the campaign process. From planning and execution to moderation and optimisation, AI is making campaigns faster, smarter, and more efficient. This technological advancement ensures that brands receive maximum return on investment with minimal waste. Brands that use multiple formats see 16% uplift in customer conversion.

5. Shift to Outcome-Based Advertising: oOh!media is focusing on delivering measurable results, aligning with advertisers’ increasing demand for outcome-based advertising. Through collaborations with Flybuys and Westpac, they are proving their ability to drive product sales, increase purchase frequency, and measure promotional impact effectively.

“As the company continues to evolve and adapt to new market dynamics, it remains committed to providing unmatched visibility and impact for advertisers,” Fernandes added.

–

Top image, left to right: Natalie Modderno, Daniel Cutrone, Lauren Bauer and Kevin Fernandes

9News and 9Now will broadcast the much anticipated 2024 US Presidential Debate live on Wednesday, September 11 at 10:55am.

Nine is promising Australian viewers a front-row seat to one of the most crucial political showdowns in modern history.

The move is part of the plan to make the 9News brand even stronger.

Speaking to Mediaweek recently, director of news and current affairs Fiona Dear told us:

“9News is in a terrific place this year. We are seeing incredible growth with our audience and that is nationally. We’ve won nine of the last metro weeks, which is our longest winning streak in nine years.

“We are seeing audience growth year-on-year for total TV, Monday to Friday. The numbers are good for Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Our Perth audience is up 13% and Perth is now a big battleground. We’re super proud that we are closing that gap in Perth.”

See also: Fiona Dear says 9News looking to extend longest winning streak in a decade

In what many have described as a battle for democracy, November’s ballot between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will shape the future of our world for the next decade.

With the nation’s core values on the line in this debate, the candidates will face off on issues that shape America and have far-reaching implications for the entire world, including Australia.

This debate promises to be a defining moment, as both candidates present their visions for leadership on the global stage.

David Muir and Linsey Davis will moderate the event to be held at the National Constitution Centre in Philadelphia.

Harris v Trump: Election result coverage

On Wednesday, November 6, Channel 9 will cover the US Presidential Election vote count with the hosting team of Karl Stefanovic and Liz Hayes. Nine political editor Charles Croucher will join them, crunching the numbers as they come in, along with US political analysts providing up-to-the-minute results.

Nine’s US correspondents, Jonathan Kearsley, Alison Piotrowski, and Lauren Tomasi, together with 60 Minutes’ Amelia Adams, will report live from key battleground states, while our partnership with CNN will ensure we have unmatched access to the most critical developments, with reporters stationed at both Democrat and Republican headquarters.

The International News Media Association (INMA) has honoured 30 young professionals as rising stars in the news media industry in its annual 30 Under 30 Awards.

The 30 Under 30 Awards is part of INMA’s Young Professionals Initiative, and this year’s competition garnered 140 applications. Winners came from 16 different countries.

Now in its fifth year, members of the association’s Young Professionals Committee reviewed applications and voted on five award recipients in six categories: Advertising, Data, Editorial, Reader Revenue, Leadership, and Product.

Executives from News Corp Australia and SBS were among the 30 recipients.

In the Advertising category:
Marcus Billingham-Yuen, Client Strategy Manager, News Corp Australia

In the Editorial category:
Kathleen Farmilo, Social Media Producer, SBS News, Australia

Judges selected candidates who are under the age of 30, employed by a news media company, big picture thinker with an ability to shape the news media industry, demonstrated expertise and accomplishments, and soft skills that make a great leader.

“INMA is proud to elevate these impressive professionals in our fifth class of 30 under 30 honourees,” said Earl J. Wilkinson, executive director and CEO of INMA. “The world of news media is changing rapidly, and these are the leaders we want at the helm during this transformation.”

Beyond global recognition, INMA 30 Under 30 Awards recipients receive:
Membership to INMA for one year
Free access to two INMA Master Classes
A complimentary ticket to INMA’s Media Innovation Week

INMA 30 under 30: Marcus Billingham-Yuen and Kathleen Farmilo

INMA biographies on the two Aussies

Marcus Billingham-Yuen: As client strategy manager at News Corp Australia, Marcus Billingham-Yuen loves nothing more than flexing his creative muscles to solve complex challenges. That has become his superpower of sorts, and over the past year he has delivered more than 50 strategic responses for 32 brands across 11 categories, valued at over AUS$20 million. His proactive approach has generated AUS$800,000 in commercial opportunities through his tailored research that addresses specific business problems for clients.

“Marcus represents a rare combination that offers insightful thinking to every room,” said Harriet Nash, client strategy director at News Corp Australia. “He is an out-of-the-box thinker, and his strengths commercially earned the nickname ‘Baby Genius.’” Using his skill for recognising new opportunities and developing solutions for existing problems, Marcus has created training resources that are now used within News Corp Australia. He also has contributed to thought leadership whitepapers and is passionate about laying the groundwork for the next generation of media professionals: “We can improve the media industry using industry development programmes to equip young publishers to better solve the problems of tomorrow, today.”

Kathleen Farmilo’s career has been shaped by high-stakes news events. While attending the University of Oxford, she interned at the New Statesman during the pivotal post-Brexit negotiations. Then, while earning her master’s degree, she navigated the challenges of reporting during a global pandemic. In her current role as social media producer at SBS News, she pitches stories to the social team and the newsroom, transforming Web site articles into engaging social media posts. “I look for editorial opportunities other newsrooms may be missing, pitching stories to the team with our social audience in mind,” she said.

After contracting COVID-19 a third time, her story on why people are reinfected attracted more than 386,000 views and established SBS as a leader in COVID-19 coverage. “Kathleen consistently seeks new challenges and helps to build a culture of happy chaos in the best way possible,” said Cathryn Boyes, SBS News social lead. “Kath is always finding new ways to make her day job more interesting and introduced crucial elements to our success with young people on social media.”

Adam Williscroft is about to leave the SCA building at World Square. He is stepping down from his role as music content director – audio on demand & digital radio. The move comes at a time when a number of people are leaving all media company’s and SCA hasn’t been immune to change.

It is Williscroft’s second tour of duty for SCA. When it was known simply as Austereo, Williscroft worked on air and as a music director in Newcastle at NXFM and then in similar positions at Fox and 2Day for a period eight years that ended in 2004.

ACRA-winning RnB Fridays Radio team – Lindsay Marapa, Mireet Emma, Adam Williscroft, Madeline Wilson, SCA DAB+ Team

Between his SCA stints, he pulled on the boots for Nova Entertainment as PD at first Nova Brisbane and then Nova Sydney. Toward the end of his seven years there he helped launch Classic Rock which replaced Vega FM. A niche audience loved it, but not enough to pay the bills and the Sydney and Melbourne frequencies eventually became smoothfm.

Heading back to SCA as head of content at Triple M digital radio, Williscroft fed that classic rock audience what they wanted with Triple M Classic Rock. The Triple M DAB+ family now spawns six separate stations which combined is the #1 DAB+ brand.

LiSTNR has another 25+ digital music channels too – everything from 60s Hits to Yacht Rock.

Adam Williscroft

Williscroft was his usual measured self, posting some thoughts about his journey:

Leaving Southern Cross Austereo after 13 years, there are a few emotions.

I’m extremely proud of the products, stations, shows and content that I’ve created and collaborated on over the years. The individuals and teams that have shared the drive to create magic out of literal thin air.

I feel privileged to have worked with so many talented and passionate people across every area of the business, in different roles and opportunities within programming, music curation and podcasting.

The last few years have seen digital audio grow rapidly, and it’s inspired me every day to not settle but to strive for better with LiSTNR music and digital radio. To create and curate, to lead and lean in – and I’ve genuinely loved every single minute of it!

Sure, there’s a touch of sadness that the industry is going through challenging times, and many colleagues are going through role redundancy. But the flip side is that this is also an opportunity for new beginnings, and personal growth. Ultimately it’s gratitude that I take away from my time at SCA.

A who’s who of the radio industry had jumped online with best wishes for the music man.

In a final message, Williscroft told anybody wanting to connect where to look for him. He then posted a photo of a beach…

Premiering on Seven on 9 September, the major partners of My Kitchen Rules 2024 are Spotlight and Woolworths, both of whom partnered with the series last year, and newcomer Lurpak. 

The new season is also sponsored by Kaboodle Kitchens and Sensodyne.

Manu Feildel and Colin Fassnidge are set to travel around Australia in search of the best home cooks in the country. Manu will taste “the best dish I’ve ever had on My Kitchen Rules” as one team earns the highest score in the show’s history. 

The new series on Channel 7 and 7plus will include brand integrations including a “Rate The Plate” competition, presented by Spotlight, and the Woolworths “Family Favourites Challenge”. Lurpak will feature in the show and in bespoke integrated assets highlighting key product moments.

Seven’s national television sales director, Katie Finney, said: “All the elements that make My Kitchen Rules such a success are back this year – real people, cooking real food, in their own homes, with lots of fun and drama – along with some exciting twists.

“We are delighted to have Spotlight, Woolworths and Lurpak on board as major partners, plus Kaboodle Kitchens and Sensodyne as sponsors. My Kitchen Rules delivers the perfect platform to integrate brands authentically, as these brands enable the contestants in the competition and inspire our audiences to take action – whether it’s cooking the recipes from the show or drawing style inspiration from the contestants’ home restaurants.”

Spotlight CEO, Quentin Gracanin, said: “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with My Kitchen Rules for the second consecutive year. This collaboration aligns perfectly with Spotlight’s passion for inspiring creativity through the joy of cooking and hosting.

“Through this partnership, we have showcased the best in Spotlight’s Kitchen & Dining range, with contestants selecting products to bring their Instant Restaurants to life and challenge their skills with kitchen essentials in Kitchen HQ. At Spotlight, we believe in supporting shows that resonate with our values, and My Kitchen Rules does just that. We look forward to another exciting season filled with creativity and delicious food!”

My Kitchen Rules, which is produced for Seven by ITV Studios Australia reached 6.1 million Australians on Channel 7 and 883,000 on 7plus in 2023 and grew its average total TV audience by 10% year-on-year to 1.04 million. On 7plus, live streaming jumped 32% and BVOD climbed 15%.

The 2023 Grand Final reached 1.7 million viewers on Channel 7 and 101,000 on 7plus. It was the biggest My Kitchen Rules Grand Final audience since 2019 and was up 15% on the 2022 final.

See also: Banijay Rights commission international versions of My Kitchen Rules

Stan and the BBC have announced production and casting for the new four-part Stan Original Series Lord of the Flies, currently filming in Malaysia and adapted from William Golding’s novel of the same name.

The series is expected to premiere on Stan in the back half of 2025 at the same time it screens on the BBC in the UK.

Nine chief executive Mike Sneesby recently told Mediaweek how Stan’s subscriber numbers climbed from 2.2m to 2.3m year-on-year.

Lord of the Flies is being adapted for television by the multi-BAFTA award-winning writer Jack Thorne (His Dark Materials, Help, National Treasure, Enola Holmes) and directed by Marc Munden (Help, The Sympathizer).

Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer (Dune, Planet Earth, The Lion King) will co-create the series’ original score with multi-Emmy nominated Kara Talve (Stan Original Series The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Prehistoric Planet) for Bleeding Fingers Music.

A recent edition of the Lord of the Flies book

Lord of the Flies is produced by Eleven (Stan Original Series Ten Pound Poms, Sex Education) in a co-production with BBC. Sony Pictures Television will distribute the series internationally.

The casting process was led by multi-award-winning casting director Nina Gold (Game of Thrones, The Power of the Dog, Baby Reindeer), with many of the cast making their professional acting debuts.

An open casting call found many newcomers. David McKenna will play Piggy alongside Winston Sawyers as Ralph, Lox Pratt as Jack, Isaac Talbut as Simon, and Thomas Connor as Roger. Noah and Cassius Flemyng have been cast as the twins Sam and Eric, with Cornelius Brandreth as Maurice, and Tom Page-Turner as Bill, alongside an ensemble of more than 20 other boys playing the desert island camp’s “big ‘uns” and “little ‘uns”.

Lord of the Flies is the story of a group of young schoolchildren who find themselves stranded on a tropical island with no adults, following a deadly plane crash.

Jack Thorne’s adaptation will be the first for television. The series is being made with the support of Lord of the Flies author William Golding’s family.

Stan’s Cailah Scobie

Stan chief content officer Cailah Scobie said: “One of the biggest books of the 20th century, Lord of the Flies has captivated readers for generations, is loved by millions, and this landmark adaptation is guaranteed to compel Australian audiences. Our collaboration with the BBC and the award-winning team at Eleven features a dynamic young cast from top-tier creative talent, and we look forward to sharing this impactful Stan Original Series with our audiences soon.”

Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama, said: “We’re delighted to pass the conch to Jack Thorne, Marc Munden and this exceptionally talented young cast of stars in the making, who are telling this timeless story in such an epic and emotionally poignant way. Lord of the Flies is British storytelling at its finest and most thoughtful, and there is no better home for its first-ever television adaptation than on the BBC.”

Screenwriter and executive producer Jack Thorne said: “I still can’t believe we have been given the opportunity to film this beautiful book. The first few days shooting show that our cast is extraordinary and that Marc is finding a whole new visual language in capturing the wonders of them and the beauty of Malaysia. He is an incredible storyteller. It is all so exciting.”

Lord of the Flies production notes

The Stan Original Series Lord of the Flies is an Eleven and One Shoe Films production backed by Sony Pictures Television for BBC iPlayer, BBC One and Stan. The series is written by Jack Thorne, directed by Marc Munden, and produced by Callum Devrell-Cameron (Sex Education, Hanna). The executive producers are Joel Wilson and Jamie Campbell for Eleven, Jack Thorne for One Shoe Films, Marc Munden, Nawfal Faizullah for the BBC, and Cailah Scobie and Amanda Duthie for Stan.

The series is filming now in Malaysia, ahead of further filming later this year in the UK.

Mediaweek’s Media Movers charts the biggest people moves in the industry over the past week.

Mamamia has appointed Georgie Nichols as its new chief revenue officer (CRO).

Nichols brings over 25 years of experience to the media group across media, marketing and agency teams, including general manager at Carat and media director at Telstra. Her most recent role was as national sales director at Seven West Media.

Former Nine director of sales for total television, Richard Hunwick is joining TV ad measurement company Adgile as its chief commercial officer. He stepped down from his role at Nine after 14 years with the business.

The general manager of BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand, Fiona Lang, surprised staff at an “all hands” meeting on Tuesday this week.

Lang revealed to colleagues that she would be stepping down and leaving the organisation at the end of September.

In a note later sent to staff, she explained: “This has been an incredibly difficult decision to make, but having led the business through a critical stage in ANZ’s evolution, I feel that the time is right for me to pursue my next career opportunity.”

Fiona Lang

Broadsheet has appointed Paul Bates as its new commercial director. Bates commenced at Broadsheet last week, reporting to managing director Sian Whitaker.

Bates joins Broadsheet from Cartology (Woolworths Group), where he was the general manager of agency and client partnerships. Prior to that, he held senior positions at REA Group, Yahoo7 and Fairfax Media.

Sean La Brooy will return to Australia to join Akcelo as group strategy director after spending the last five years at Droga5 New York in a series of senior strategy roles.

Before joining Droga5, La Brooy spent three years at JWT as a data and insights strategist, working with Simon McCrudden, strategy partner at Akcelo.

Nunn Media has welcomed the appointments of Mitch Hunter and Melissa Galanos to the independent media agency. Hunter joins Nunn Media’s Sydney office as head of strategy and innovation as Galanos steps into the newly created senior account manager.

John Matthews and Annie Griffiths

Foxtel Media has promoted two leaders to its executive team to “enhance its digital and streaming focus.”

Annie Griffiths will become executive director of planning and operations, advertising while John Matthews has been appointed as executive director of advanced advertising – heading a new department created to drive the growth of digital advertising in the streaming age.

Tourism marketing agency Gate 7 has appointed Jade Glashoff as the new director of Brand USA for Australia and New Zealand.

We Are Social has appointed Richard Parker as its chief strategy officer, joining the 60-person Sydney team.

He will contribute to the creative agency’s ongoing investment in its strategic, research and media services for a growing number of clients.

News Corp Australia’s newly formed free news & lifestyle business unit has unveiled its publishing team to spearhead the next stage of growth.

Left to right: Ryan Hedditch, Meagan Gray, Pippa Leary, Nitin Goel, Georgi Pell, Paul Blackburn.

Led by managing director and publisher, Pippa Leary, the free news & lifestyle division encompasses news.com.au, as well as lifestyle sites such as Escape, Taste.com.au and Body+Soul among others.

Nitin Goel, takes on the newly created role of general manager, audience, product and marketing. Ryan Hedditch, has been promoted to general manager of commercial video & audio.

Georgi Pell, has been appointed to the new position of general manager of Client Commercial. Paul Blackburn, takes on the new role of director of commercial data & e-commerce. Meagan Gray, steps into the newly established role of head of commercial product.

The new leadership team comes off the back of News Corp launching its state and communities masthead division in August.

Seven West Media has appointed Jordan King to the new role of digital sales strategy director, effective 4 November.

Havas Media has swapped the screen for spurs and stepped into the Wild West for a cowboy and cowgirl-themed ping pong showdown.

Havas rounded up more than 120 media people across all investment channels for their annual cowboy roundup to celebrate commitment and appreciation. 

On the night of the tournament, the office was transformed into a Wild West saloon, designed by the social committee led by Brianna Shields and some inspiration from Pinterest, complete with a high-energy ping pong rodeo, featuring top-of-the-line tables from Quantcast.

ConvoInk and Val Morgan provided music for the event and catering was provided by Vistar Media, GumGum, Scentre, Ogury and LoopMe.

The tournament reached its grand moment with a showdown between the top two teams, QMS and Fox, each battling for the coveted title of “Havas Cowboy and Cowgirl Champions.”

In the end, QMS emerged as the winner, riding off with the top prize courtesy of oOh!media and Havas.

In August, Mitchell Long joined Havas Media as chief strategy officer after 13 years at PHD.

Virginia Hyland, CEO of Havas Media Network, said Long is a “rare talent”, and she took her time picking the right person for “this important role.” Nick Kavanagh left the position last June to join Dentsu’s iProspect.

Long told Mediaweek his focus will include “investing time to really deeply think through how we best rebuild the strategy and planning products alongside the broader Havas leadership team.”

This includes “laying down the right processes, principles and training that set a new standard and ensure consistency of that quality across the board,” he said.

Long joined PHD as an intern – originally studying journalism – rising through the ranks and working across investment and planning, before finding his stride in strategy.

In 2015, he was appointed strategy director, and in 2019 was appointed as head of strategy, the youngest-ever head of strategy in the history of PHD’s global network, according to the agency. He worked on clients including Unilever, Volkswagen, PepsiCo, Google, and Virgin Australia.

See also: Mitchell Long joins Havas Media as chief strategy officer

Whether it’s a childhood jingle that you can still sing word for word or a campaign that influences the way you work today, everyone has an ad that has really stuck with them.

Mediaweek has been asking the industry to take a trip down memory lane to find out all about the ads that made us.

Brittany Heniedi, solutions lead – Avid Collective 

Libra Invisible ‘Wonderman’

Growing up, I remember internalising a lot of my curiosity and confusion around puberty, periods, and the like. ‘Libra Invisible Wonderman’ changed the game in a big way.

A simple, effective and humourous take on what was a (semi) taboo topic for me, at the time. Not only did Libra help normalise the conversation around having a period, but it took liberties by making it funny.

Opening up a new realm of new possibilities around vulnerability, candidness and culture around menstruation for a young person like me.

Chris Buchanan, associate creative director – Communicado

Canal+: The wardrobe, Canal+: The bear

I still remember seeing “The Wardrobe” for the first time and being intrigued before laughing out loud when the punchline hit.
 
I liked the structure and the storytelling involved, with the reveal at the end making it all make sense and representing the idea in such a funny and absurd way.
 
When they followed it up with “The Bear” I felt the same way all over again. The power of comedy combined with a strong idea that you don’t expect has been imprinted on my brain and become my benchmark for advertising perfection.

Maddy Hunter – social media manager – Wellcom

Yahoo has appointed Valeri Liborski as chief technology officer (CTO) to lead the company’s global engineering team and focus on innovation while advancing its investments in artificial intelligence.

Liborski brings over two decades of experience and leadership, hailing from Microsoft, Amazon, and most recently HelloFresh where he served as CTO.

Aengus McClean, who held the role since Yahoo’s spinout from Verizon in 2021, will be retiring at the end of the year.

“It’s an understatement to say that technology is the lifeblood of our company, and Val’s track record of building great teams to create and manage powerful products and platforms, at the kind of scale in which we operate, made him stand out as the right person to lead Yahoo’s engineering organisation into the future,” said Jim Lanzone, chief executive officer of Yahoo.

“We thank Aengus for his incredible contributions to Yahoo and we wish him the best in this next chapter.”

As CTO of HelloFresh, Liborski oversaw the company’s technology operations and led initiatives in engineering, data science and product development. He enabled HelloFresh to scale faster while maintaining a customer-centric approach. Prior to HelloFresh, Liborski spent 10 years at Amazon and held senior roles including vice president of technology, where he led the expansion of Amazon’s retail business across Europe and scaled it globally, and general manager of Amazon Route 53, a foundational AWS service.

Before Amazon, Liborski worked at Microsoft, where he contributed to products like Microsoft TV, Windows, and Advertising in engineering and product leadership roles.

“Yahoo was one of my first gateways to the internet and continues to be a go-to source in my daily life,” said Liborski, who will be reporting to Lanzone.

“I’m excited to contribute to such an iconic brand and work with the team to develop technology that touches the lives of hundreds of millions of people.”

See also: Yahoo Advertising launches data-powered ad creative solution

Fishburners, an Australian startup hub, will host the InnovAItor series, a new initiative designed to harness the power of AI to bridge the gap between startups and corporates.

Created and spearheaded by ex-Seven digital marketing and innovation lead Lucio Ribeiro and Vijay Solanki, and sponsored by M&C Saatchi Group, the series will convene through leaders, innovators, and decision-makers to explore how AI and Gen AI can drive collaboration across the two worlds.

The monthly series will cover critical areas of AI and Gen AI, bringing together experts practitioners in Australia for a live debate, facilitated by a journalist, followed by a live demonstration of how to use Gen AI tools and products.

The inaugural session on 3 October will explore the ethical use of data, models, and governance in Gen AI. It will examine how governance can make or break businesses and address key issues at the intersection of Gen AI, corporate governance, and startup agility.

Speakers Lee Hickin, AI Technology & Policy Lead at Microsoft Asia, and Dr Kendra Vant, former AI leader at Xero and Seek, will lead the discussion. Key topics for the first session will include navigating the complexities of Gen AI innovation, managing the non-deterministic nature of outputs, committing to continuous learning and adaptability, sharing examples of both good and poor practices, and providing guidance on actionable steps to consider.

Solanki said: “The InnovAItor series is not just about understanding AI; it’s about putting it into practice in a way that benefits both startups and established businesses. The mission is to use Gen AI to help better connect startups with corporate.”

Future sessions of the InnovAItor series will include topics such as AI & Creativity, exploring the role of AI in content creation and distribution, and AI & Board/Investors, focusing on how AI can inform decision-making at the highest levels of business.

E-commerce giant eBay has appointed dentsu agency iProspect as its global media agency of record following an extensive review process.

“iProspect is honoured to be partnering with eBay’s visionary team in fully leveraging their market potential and helping drive their global transformation journey,” an iProspect spokesperson said in a statement to Mediaweek.

“Our shared vision for accelerating growth and optimising performance across the media funnel through innovation, data, and technology was clear throughout the entire process. We are excited about our future success together.”

In a statement to Mediaweek, an eBay spokesperson said: “In support of our long-term growth goals, eBay’s marketing organisation has embarked on a global transformation—moving from a decentralised market-based model to a more centralised model that provides global efficiencies.

“To support this evolution, we were looking for a media agency partner who can help us identify synergies and scale globally while staying true to the unique needs of our customers within each market. 

“While we were very impressed with all the agencies who participated, iProspect stood out for their passion of the eBay brand and their strong operating model. Their support will be critical as we focus on full-funnel campaigns that are integrated throughout the entire buying and selling journey. We look forward to working with the iProspect team in 2025 and beyond.”

The spokesperson also thanked the agencies that took part in the pitch review, including incumbent GroupM’s Mediacom, which was appointed to the account back in 2019.

“We appreciate our long-standing relationship and are very proud of the accomplishments we have made over the years,” the eBay spokesperson added.

The win for iProspect comes after the dentsu agency’s leaders spoke to Mediaweek about their plans of embedding a culture of effectiveness within the agency in June.

National managing director Marcelle Gomez said: “We’re very proud of that heritage, we don’t shy away from it. But probably about three and a half years ago, we merged Vizeum into iProspect globally.

“Australia was the first market to activate that and bring the new brand proposition to life. And that was around the time I joined the business. And that really gave us the platform to go to market with a full end-to-end media capability.”

See also: ‘Growth with a performance mindset’: iProspect’s plan to chase clients and effectiveness

VMG has promoted Sean McCaull to chief experience officer and appointed Olivier Starck as chief product and solution officer.
 
These strategic leadership changes to the media company aim to enhance client and employee experiences while driving innovation across its range of brands.

As chief experience officer, McCaull oversee both the client experience and the internal experience of VMG’s staff across its brands, including Revolution360, Yakkazoo, Aspire Sports Management, Captive Vision Outdoor (CVO), Frontier Media, and digital agencies Sillyfish and Digital Native.

His focus on experience development, performance management, and technological innovation ensures that VMG’s agencies deliver exceptional value, experiences and results for its people and clients.

McCaull has been part of the VMG family for eight years. He began his journey at Revolution360 as business manager, advancing to head of sales for NSW, and most recently serving as general manager of business operations for Revolution360 and CVO.

McCaull said of his new role: “It has been an incredible experience to witness and contribute to VMG’s growth over the years. I am deeply grateful for the trust the Fishwick family has placed in me, and I am honoured to join the leadership team in this new capacity.”

VMG CEO, Michael Fishwick praised McCaull’s contributions and said: “Sean has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership and a deep commitment to both our clients and our team. His new role as CXO is crucial to ensuring that VMG continues to deliver outstanding experiences and support across all our agencies.”

As chief product and solution officer, Starck will be responsible for driving the development of innovative, results-driven products and solutions that deliver value and effectiveness within each of VMG’s specialised agencies.

He said of his appointment: “I’m excited to combine my commercial, consultative, and creative skills to help our agencies build solutions that truly resonate with our clients. There are so many opportunities at hand, and I’m eager to support our teams in seizing them.”

Fishwick added: “Olivier’s expertise in building solutions that drive client success is a perfect fit for VMG as we continue to innovate and expand our model. Olivier’s and Sean’s roles are vital in providing our agencies the support they need to thrive in a new era of business and marketing.”

–

Top image: Sean McCaull and Olivier Starck

JOLT has launched Spark Intelligence, a data platform designed to “revolutionise the way out-of-home media is planned, traded and reported on.”

The new platform harnesses advanced audience analytics fused with JOLT’s first-party data to enable an impressions-based approach, empowering advertisers with precision and flexibility for campaigns across JOLT’s network.

The introduction of JOLT’s impression-based planning and trading tool gives advertisers access to the same precision and flexibility they leverage in digital channels, allowing them to connect with audiences with greater accuracy, driving increased efficiency.

JOLT’s Spark Intelligence platform is at the forefront of this transformation, providing the tools necessary to optimise ad placements, maximise reach, and deliver better ROI.

Spark Intelligence is modelled from 18 million users and thousands of audience segments, blended with JOLT’s first party data and geo-spatial planning data, and industry measurement tools.

It allows advertisers to harness smart analytics, optimise their campaigns in real-time, and offers attribution and measurement across the JOLT’s omnichannel network.

“We’re excited to unveil a solution that fundamentally changes how out-of-home media is planned and traded,” said Doug McNamee, CEO of JOLT.

“This platform combines real-time audience data, analytics and attribution to ensure that every impression is impactful. JOLT is committed to leading the charge, delivering innovative solutions that empower advertisers to connect with audiences in more meaningful ways.

“Spark Intelligence places audiences at the core to deliver effective and measurable campaigns. The new initiative fuses JOLT’s first-party data to connect our EV charging audience with brand campaigns. The platform provides an ecosystem that allows advertisers to meet our growing and high value audiences where they are.”

Spark Intelligence is the first expression of the company’s new brand positioning, ‘Spark Change’ and the company also recently announced plans to roll out 130 additional new digital advertising screen across Sydney. It follows major agreements to roll out thousands of EV chargers across Canada, and the growth of JOLT’s UK and New Zealand networks.

Wednesday 4 September 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s The Block recorded a total TV national reach of 1,745,000, a total TV national audience of 970,000, and a BVOD audience of 153,000.

Nine’s 9News recorded a total TV national reach of 1,913,000, a total TV national audience of 1,142,000, and a BVOD audience of 96,000.

Seven’s The 1% Club recorded a total TV national reach of 1,365,000, a total TV national audience of 785,000, and a BVOD audience of 41,000.

Also on Seven, Seven News recorded a total TV national reach of 2,100,000, a total TV national audience of 1,293,000, and a BVOD audience of 68,000.

10’s airing of Thank God You’re Here recorded a total TV national reach of 1,123,000, a total TV national audience of 585,000, and a BVOD audience of 35,000.

People 25-54

Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 678,000
• National Audience: 413,000
• BVOD Audience: 94,000

10’s Thank God You’re Here:
• Total TV nation reach: 445,000
• National Audience: 245,000 
• BVOD Audience: 22,000

Seven’s The Front Bar:
• Total TV nation reach: 355,000
• National Audience: 181,000
• BVOD Audience: 15,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 405,000
• National Audience: 261,000
• BVOD Audience: 65,000

People 16-39

Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 322,000
• National Audience: 199,000
• BVOD Audience: 56,000

10’s Thank God You’re Here:
• Total TV nation reach: 199,000
• National Audience: 116,000 
• BVOD Audience: 13,000

Seven’s The Front Bar:
• Total TV nation reach: 125,000
• National Audience: 57,000
• BVOD Audience: 8,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 172,000
• National Audience: 111,000
• BVOD Audience: 39,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+ 

Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,347,000
• National Audience: 750,000
• BVOD Audience: 122,000

10’s Thank God You’re Here:
• Total TV nation reach: 865,000
• National Audience: 445,000 
• BVOD Audience: 28,000

Seven’s The Front Bar:
• Total TV nation reach: 878,000
• National Audience: 433,000
• BVOD Audience: 22,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,043,000
• National Audience: 673,000
• BVOD Audience: 92,000

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.