When a high-stakes trial draws to a close, the pressure in the newsroom shifts from long-term planning to split-second execution. And for Nine’s national news director Hugh Nailon, covering the Erin Patterson mushroom trial verdict was exactly that, a complex dance of coordination, timing and editorial discipline.
With months of coverage already behind them, Nine had a separate plan in place just for verdict day. From reporters in the courtroom to presenters in the studio, and producers across the network, the team was prepared to act fast, but not recklessly.
But as Nailon details in this Q&A with Mediaweek, as the story unfolded in real-time, Nine’s newsroom worked tirelessly to strike a careful balance between being first and being right.
How Nine announced a verdict had been reached.
Mediaweek: How does a newsroom prepare for such a huge breaking story like this?
Hugh Nailon: There’s months of planning the coverage of the trial and then creating a separate plan for the verdict itself.
You’ve also got so many moving parts: You’ve got so many internal stakeholders, you’ve got your on-camera talent, you’ve got your camera operators, you’ve got your editors, you’ve got your producers, and you’ve got the rest of the network to think about, so everybody needs to be on the same page as to how things are going to roll out.
A jury verdict is probably one of the most electrifying stories you’re ever going to cover because no one truly knows what’s going to happen. So you want to get on air as soon as you can.
We had about 20 minutes to fill before the verdict was due. So we had Brett McLeod and Sarah Anderson in our Melbourne studio, and we had our court reporter, Amber Johnston, who was in Morewell for us.
She was outside the courtroom while our other Nine reporter, Penny Lee was inside the court.
Our plan was pretty simple: For Penny to communicate to that group from inside the court as the verdict was delivered, and that allowed probably the most sort of seamless way of sort of getting that information across.
The critical thing, however, is that while you want to be first, that can never supersede being right. And I think we’re really proud of the way that we handled it. When reading out the verdicts, Amber herself told our audience “just give me a moment here, because I want to be absolutely right, absolutely sure that we’ve got this correct”. So she brought the audience in on that.
Nine reporter Amber Johnston.
Mediaweek: Nine were the first network to break into regular programming. What was behind the decision to then leave the coverage at 3pm?
Hugh Nailon: By that stage the detectives had come out and said they weren’t going to talk for another hour and a half. Then, the defence and prosecution lawyers left without comment, then a friend of Erin’s left and gave a brief comment.
So when we got to 3pm, we felt that we’d had a pretty comprehensive coverage of what was going on. The key pertinent points was there. We decided to give our linear audience a bit of a rest from it.
Then we thought about what the rest of our afternoon programming looked like, and we felt that we could run the UK version of Tipping Point.
That decision was jointly made between news and programming, as we felt we had covered everything as the story was at the time being. We then decided to come back with a 4pm news that saw all the East Coast markets, including Brisbane, and Sydney, all taking the first 15 minutes of network news out of Melbourne on the Mushroom coverage, and then they went to their local broadcasts after that.
All of our coverage was also streamed on 9Now and available there from a linear point of view. Our social team were also providing updates, which linked back into the coverage through nine.com.au.
And if you think about the time of day, 3pm on a Monday, there’s a significant audience that isn’t watching linear TV but is picking up the news from other Nine platforms. So we felt comfortable that people could get that information from us at the right time, particularly given that the key decision to turn on for had been made. The rest of what was happening around that time was pretty much commentary, I suppose.
So we felt that an hour and a half was the right amount of time for us to stick with the rolling coverage, and then allow ourselves to reload for our premium bulletins.
Mediaweek: OK, so you’ve made that call, what happens in-between that hour?
Hugh Nailon: It allowed us to regroup and get our preparations in place for that 4pm and then the 6pm bulletins.
For 6pm, obviously, our priority was to be where the big story was. Now that we’ve got Alicia (Loxley) and Tom (Steinfort) as the duo hosts broadcasting from Melbourne, our ideal scenario is to get to where the story is, if it’s big enough. So we dispatched Tom down to Morwell, and he presented our 6pm news last night from there. That put us on location and on the scene of where it all happened.
Look, I think in terms of a collaborative effort from the news organisation, it was really strong. Clearly, that flowed into A Current Affair and Today, both providing superb coverage of the story. And Kirsty Thompson‘s new long-form unit had an episode of The Brief ready to go, which sits on 9Now and is a documentary detailing the entire case. So from an all-of-Nine effort, it was a really pleasing news day.
ABC has confirmed that Planet America will move to Monday nights at 9:35pm on ABC TV and ABC iview, replacing the long-running current affairs program Q+A in the network’s prime lineup.
Hosted by Chas Licciardello and John Barron, the program will premiere in its new slot on Monday 4 August. It will now follow 7.30, Australian Story, Four Corners and Media Watch, consolidating a night of investigative and political programming on ABC’s main channel.
Planet America launched in 2012 and has carved out a niche audience for its sharp and satirical commentary on U.S. politics. The shift marks a return to a more traditional news and current affairs structure for ABC’s Monday nights, following the decision to end Q+A earlier this year.
Licciardello welcomed the move: “We’re very excited for Planet America to be moving to Monday nights, which is a more traditional timeslot for news programming on the ABC main channel. On Wednesday nights it’s been almost impossible to convince people that US politics wasn’t some kind of elaborate dark comedy performance piece.”
Barron added, “When Planet America started in 2012, the most outrageous thing Mitt Romney did when he was running against Obama was misspell ‘Amercia’. Safe to say things have changed.”
“Over the years we’ve been able to talk to Members of Congress, top advisors and dozens of the candidates – they really seem to enjoy speaking to people who can’t vote! We’ll still be pointing out the absurd and ridiculous as well as the deadly serious and concerning.”
Encores of Planet America will also air on ABC TV and the ABC News Channel.
John Barron is ABC’s US politics analyst with more than two decades of experience. He co-authored a book on presidential primaries and previously presented The Drum, The Context, and several documentaries.
Chas Licciardello is best known for his work with The Chaser, The Checkout, and for reviewing snacks, bringing a comedic lens to political commentary that he now channels into Planet America.
Mel Greig says she was blindsided by the news that her former radio co-host Michael Christian has launched legal action against Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), the broadcaster behind 2Day FM.
Speaking exclusively to Mediaweek, Greig said she only learned of the case when contacted for comment by this publication. “I haven’t spoken to Michael in over 12 years and just need to get my head around it all before delving deeper with my thoughts and public comments,” she said. “I may very well get summoned to testify.”
Court case follows fallout from 2012 prank call
Christian is suing SCA in the Federal Court, claiming the network failed to uphold promises to support him after the now-infamous 2012 prank call to London’s King Edward VII Hospital.
At the time, Christian and Greig were presenting on 2Day FM and made the call while impersonating members of the British royal family in an attempt to gain information about Princess Catherine, then the Duchess of Cambridge.
Nurse Jacintha Saldanha, who answered the call, died by suicide days later, prompting widespread international backlash.
According to court documents seen AAP, Christian alleges he was directed by the station’s production team to make the call. Despite not contacting Grieg, she is mentioned by Christian in court documents, with legal team arguing both presenters were left to face the fallout without meaningful support.
“SCA did not immediately take public accountability for the incident, but rather allowed Mr Christian and Ms Greig to be left exposed to relentless public vitriol, harassment and abuse, including death threats,” the documents state.
“The radio presenters were left by SCA as the convenient fall guys and scapegoats for SCA management decisions and non-compliance.”
Michael Christian and Mel Grieg speaking on Today Tonight in the aftermath of the scandal
Allegations include lack of support and wrongful redundancy
Christian claims he began working at 2Day FM just two days before the prank aired and was told in early 2013 that the company would work to repair his public image and rebuild his career.
He says he chose not to pursue legal action at the time based on those assurances. However, court documents allege SCA failed to follow through, providing no meaningful mental health support or public relations backing, and offering no significant career development or pay increases.
Instead, Christian claims he was “gradually marginalised” and eventually made redundant earlier this year.
He is now seeking compensation, penalties and damages, arguing the redundancy was not genuine and that his former role still exists at the network.
SCA declined to comment directly on the case, offering a short statement: “As the matter is currently before the courts, and out of respect for the legal process and the privacy of those involved, it would be inappropriate for us to comment at this time.”
Greig had also lodged a complaint with Fair Work Australia Back in 2013, but that matter was amicably resolved.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14
Atomic 212° has nabbed Tennis Australia’s media account, after four years with incumbent PHD.
The agency, which was acquired by Publicis Groupe earlier this year, will offer a “smarter, faster, accountable proposition” to the national sporting body.
Rory Heffernan, Atomic 212° Chief Executive Officer, said: “We’re ecstatic about this news. Tennis Australia is such an important cultural organisation, and we are absolutely delighted to be given the opportunity to bring its world-class events and participation initiatives to life.
“Thank you to the Tennis Australia team for sharing your ambition and vision for the organisation, and being so open to a new strategic approach underpinned by our smarter, faster, accountable proposition. We can’t wait to get started.”
Cedric Cornelis, chief commercial officer at Tennis Australia, welcomed the appointment. He said: “The agency’s strategic vision, digital strength and deep understanding of our ambition to grow both fandom and participation really stood out – as did its team culture, which felt like a natural fit from day one.
“We’re excited about the impact this partnership will have across our events, our brand, and the sport more broadly.”
Mediaweek has contacted PHD and Tennis Australia for further comment.
Two years ago Tennis Australia appointed BMF to as its creative and strategy agency of record.
As part of the partnership, BMF leads Tennis Australia’s marketing strategy and creative for key sporting events – including the Australian Open and United Cup – and drives participation via Tennis Australia’s key products, including Hot Shots, Cardio and beyond.
At the time, Cornelis said: “We are delighted to announce our new partnership with BMF and we look forward to working together to further enhance the appeal of tennis which is ingrained into the Australian way of life.”
“Whether it’s picking up a racquet, buying a ticket to an event or engaging with tennis online, we look forward to building even deeper connections to our audiences in ways that are innovative and memorable.”
Top image: Atomic 212°’ Rory Heffernan
Thinkerbell has partnered with Mattel to unveil Mattel Brick Shop, a new range of buildable collectibles launched via a unique retail collaboration with Carsales.
The collection debuts with three Hot Wheels® sets, including a 1,600-piece replica of a 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, built and signed by Australian motorsport icon Craig Lowndes.
Priced at $219.99, the one-of-a-kind build was listed on Carsales and sold in under 30 seconds after Lowndes revealed it live on the Today Show.
Lowndes’ model features metal components, official licensed decals and an accompanying 1:64 die-cast car. While his original build was a one-off, a Premium Series version is now available for pre-order exclusively on Carsales for a limited four-week period from 7 July.
1954 Model Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (Mattel Edition) Manual on Carsales.com.au. Click for the listing.
Also included in the launch are the Mattel Brick Shop™ Hot Wheels™ 1963 Corvette Grand Sport and 1990 Honda NSX sets, both priced at $79.99. The full Mattel Brick Shop range will roll out nationally from late August.
“With our passion for cars, we feel Mattel Brick Shop brings something to collectible construction that continues to build on what we’ve always done; fuel imagination, inspire storytelling and create emotional connections,” said Paul Faulkner, APAC Managing Director, Mattel. “We think collectors and car lovers alike are going to be obsessed.”
The launch campaign includes vintage-inspired print ads and video content across YouTube and Vimeo. It was developed and produced by Thinkerbell, which also handled the creative rollout.
Vintage style press ads, based on the original magazine ads for each model
“When you have such an authentic product that real fans will understand the ins and outs of, you really need to launch it in an authentic way,” said Tom Wenborn, Chief Creative at Thinkerbell. “It’s really been a labour of love for the team piecing these little beauties together for shoots.”
The Mattel Brick Shop initiative is positioned to appeal to both nostalgic collectors and a new generation of car enthusiasts, merging the worlds of toy craft and automotive culture in a digitally native way.
Credits
Creative agency: Thinkerbell
Client: Mattel
Media: UM
Production: Thinkerbell
Samsung Electronics advertising arm, Samsung Ads has appointed Levi Guillory as Agency Head, Strategic Accounts, NSW & NZ, and Carla Dawson as Head of Strategic Marketing, ANZ & SEA.
Guillory joins from Foxtel Media and News Corp and brings more than ten years of experience in sales and streaming platforms to the role. He will report to Head of Sales Richard Wheeler and focus on strengthening relationships with Samsung Ads’ agency partners and improving campaign performance through the company’s product and data tools.
Dawson steps into the role of Head of Strategic Marketing after ten years at NBCUniversal. She will lead strategic efforts aimed at client growth, retention, and engagement, supporting Samsung Ads’ expanding presence across the Asia-Pacific. The business has seen its client base grow fourfold in the past year.
“As the company continues to expand, being able to come on board and focus on enhancing our collaboration with existing partners is a welcome opportunity,” Guillory said of his new role.
“Identifying areas of ongoing strategic growth in such a fast-paced industry is going to be key to making CTV campaigns work smarter for our clients.”
Dawson added: “I’ve followed the evolution of Samsung Ads over the past few years, and it’s an exciting time to be joining the team.
“With a strong foundation already in place, I’m looking forward to building on that momentum by leveraging a blend of creative strategy and data-led marketing to elevate Samsung Ads’ presence and impact across the region.”
Alex Spurzem, Managing Director, Samsung Ads Southeast Asia & Oceania (SEAO), added: “To add such a wealth of experience to the team at a time when advertisers are seeking better outcomes in TV is a huge win for the company.
“Carla and Levi’s leadership will not only strengthen our team as we deliver smarter capabilities for advertisers, but also ensure our clients’ campaigns are optimised to their fullest potential.”
Top image: Carla Dawson and Levi Guillory
At 2:19pm on Monday, 7 July, one of the most covered murder cases in Australian history came to an end. All of the major news outlets across television, radio and print, cut away from usual programming to cover the breaking news. Mediaweek kept an eye on the coverage as it was reported by each of the networks.
The news being reported
After two months of listening to evidence from both the prosecution and the defence, the jury of seven men and five women came back to announce that Erin Patterson had been found guilty of murdering three people by serving them beef wellingtons containing death cap mushrooms.
She was also found guilty of the attempted murder of Ian Wilkinson, who attended the lunch, but survived.
Nine scored an early win by becoming the first network to broadcast the most recent photo of Patterson, apparently taken of her inside a police van. Source: Nine
Radio
At 1:52pm, Lucy Zelić, who is filling in for regular Afternoons presenter Michael McLaren, announced the jury had reached a verdict in the trail before throwing back to an interview about cars. The case was revisited at 2pm during the news, with the story leading the bulletin.
At 2:16pm, Zelić then threw to her Nine television colleagues, with the coverage continuing with Brett McLeod behind the 9News desk.
By 2:30pm 2GB returned to regular programming with Zelić. Coverage continued off-and-on the network, with the broadcaster dipping into Nine’s television talent pool.
NewsRadio continued with a prepared package before anchor Laura Tchilinguirian broke news a verdict had been reached at 1:59pm, second before 2pm news was rolled-out.
The broadcaster continued touching upon the news, crossing to reporters, Alexandra Alvaro and Ben Knight, who were stationed outside the courtroom.
Television
Nine broke into its midday movie at around 1:53pm with journalist Brett McLeod taking the reins behind the news desk. He was joined on the set by Steph Anderson. McLeod threw to reporter Amber Johnson, who was stationed outside courthouse and delivered the verdict live – reading it off her phone – after a fellow Nine journalist SMS’d her from inside the courtroom.
Reporter Gillian Lantouris, stationed outside Patterson’s house, also provided content during the coverage.
The Nine team also inadvertently provided coverage to the rest of the Nine network, including 2GB, with the station dropping in to the coverage. Coverage of the event concluded at 3pm, before the broadcaster dipped straight back into the fray with its 9News afternoon bulletin at 4pm.
A blink and you’ll miss it tie between Seven and Nine as to who broke into regular programming first. Mediaweek has Nine by a nose, with Seven still broadcasting its scheduled Dancing With The Stars repeat after Nine had already got the ball rolling.
Veteran 7News journalist Mike Amor was stationed at the desk, crossing to both Chris Reason and Cassie Zervos who were stationed outside the courthouse.
After the verdict Seven spoke to Nick Pappas QC, along with former Homicide detective Charlie Bezzina.
The network was the slowest of the Big Three to get its coverage underway with Wheel of Fortune still being broadcast until at least 2:15pm – the very time the jury were expected to deliver its verdict.
The network called in longtime journalist and presenter Jennifer Keyte to steer the desk, regularly crossing to reporters Abby Dinham and Steph Baumgartel.
It finished news coverage at 2:32pm and returned to an episode of game show Lingo.
The national broadcaster began its coverage at 1:46pm, ABC Presenter Miriam Corowa stationed at the desk. She threw to reporters Alexandra Alvaro and Ben Knight, who were stationed outside courthouse. The pair were kept busy, also providing reports and crosses to Aunty’s NewsRadio.
Following the verdict, Corowa interviewed Former NSW Supreme Court Judge Anthony Whealy
Ashleigh Gillon helmed coverage in the studio, crossing to reporter Georgie Dickerson outside the courtroom. Legal analysis was provided soon after by Justin Quill.
Many digital outlets were ready for the fast-paced nature of today’s verdict, running live blogs that allowed for real-time updates. It’s a savvy approach, giving publications the flexibility to update developments without needing to change URLs or rewrite headlines with every new detail.
At 1:42pm, The Guardian Australia updated its live blog to confirm that a verdict had been reached. Reporting continued throughout the afternoon via Adeshola Ore, Benita Kolovos, and Nino Bucci. Kolovos, filing from inside the courtroom, noted Patterson’s “stoic” demeanour as the charges were read out.
Daily Mail Australia broke the news of the verdict at 1:48pm on its live blog. Coverage continued through the afternoon, including photos from outside court and links back to earlier coverage of the case.
As of 1:59pm, the site had yet to update its homepage or ‘Just In’ section with the news, an unusual delay, considering other News Corp Australia titles such as The Daily Telegraph and The Australian had already gone live.
Meanwhile, The Herald Sun, another NCA outlet, maintained its rolling coverage, with reporters Laura Placella and Brooke Grebert-Craig (co-hosts of The Mushroom Cook podcast) delivering updates across platforms.
Read Mediaweek’s chat with Grebert-Craig on what is was really like covering the trial
Nine’s new true crime documentary Murder by Mushroom will air Tuesday, July 8 at 7.30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now, marking the first television documentary on the sensational Erin Patterson trial since the guilty verdict.
Where and when to watch Murder by Mushroom
The one-hour special premieres on free-to-air and streaming via 9Now at 7.30pm AEST, Tuesday July 8. The documentary is produced by Perpetual Entertainment for the Nine Network.
Inside the trial that captivated Australia
Filmed over the course of the trial, Murder by Mushroom gives viewers an inside look at the courtroom proceedings surrounding the infamous lunch in Leongatha. Three guests died and a fourth was hospitalised after eating beef wellington allegedly laced with poisonous death cap mushrooms, leading to murder charges against Erin Patterson.
Exclusive interviews and courtroom insights
The documentary features the only person to have conducted a long-form interview with Patterson, Sam Cucchiara, investigative journalist for A Current Affair. Cucchiara revisits his viral exchange with Patterson and unpacks how it fits into the broader legal narrative.
Sam Cucchiara
Additional insight is provided by Amber Johnstone (9News court reporter) and Tita Smith (Daily Mail), who share their reporting from inside and around the courtroom.
FBI-style profiling and new motive theories
Adding psychological depth is Kris Illingsworth, an FBI-trained criminal profiler and former homicide detective.
Kris Illingsworth
Illingsworth explores whether the incident was a tragic accident or a calculated act of murder, examining potential motives including a theory around religious retribution, due to the victims’ ties to the local Baptist Church.
She also analyses the reported disposal of a food dehydrator, believed to be used in preparing the mushrooms, as a possible act of evidence disposal and emotional detachment.
Local voices and survivor accounts
The documentary also includes commentary from senior journalist Ashlea Hansen, Deputy Mayor of South Gippsland Nathan Hersey, local mushroom expert Scott Rae, and Simon Claringbold, a death cap mushroom survivor from Canberra.
Picking mushrooms
Global interest in Australian true crime
Murder by Mushroom has already been picked up by international broadcasters, with sales confirmed to Channel 5 (UK) and Three/Warner Bros Discovery (New Zealand). Global distribution is being handled by ITV Studios Global Partnerships.
Murder by Mushroom premieres Tuesday, July 8 at 7.30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
Just weeks after her Federal Court victory over the ABC’s unlawful termination of her contract, journalist Antoinette Lattouf has announced she’s written a book.
Women Who Win, scheduled for publication in 2026, is Lattouf’s second book, and aims to highlight the stories of Australian women who have challenged societal norms and made significant contributions across various fields.
A personal and historical lens
In a LinkedIn post revealing the news, Lattouf said she had been working on the book since December.
“I’ve been sitting on a little secret for months now, and frankly, it’s a small miracle I kept it,” she wrote.
“However I can’t keep my excited trap shut any longer: I’ve been writing my second book. Since December, actually. It’s called Women Who Win. Yes, the title was locked in back then. Yes, I already have a cover. No, I was never going to change the title.”
Lattouf said the idea for the book emerged during a difficult period in her personal life.
“This book was born during some of my darkest hours, when the quiet little voice in my head turned feral and started whispering, ‘You’re just one woman, what can you do?'” she wrote.
“So I turned to the women who came before me, Australian women who stared down systems, kicked over fences, and won. Sometimes big. Sometimes only just. Always at a cost.”
“In Women Who Win, I share their stories, and, through them, my own. Some names you’ll know. Others you’ll wish you’d met sooner.”
Jan Fran and Antoinette Lattouf
Backing and positioning
According to promotional material from publisher Penguin Random House, Women Who Win, covers figures ranging from the country’s first female law graduates to Indigenous activists, scientists, and movement leaders.
Lattouf’s own legal action against the ABC, which sparked national debate on media accountability and discrimination, is expected to feature.
Lattouf concluded her post with a note of gratitude to the publisher, writing:
“Thanks to Penguin Random House for backing this book, and backing me – I guess I was a winner either way because I told that voice in my head to F off and kept going.”
Next steps
Lattouf has been busy on the publicity trail since her victory, having recently launched a new podcast with fellow journalist Jan Fran called We Used to be Journos.
The podcast, which dropped on 2 July, aims to tackle declining trust in mainstream media, institutional bias, and the growing need for media literacy.
Speaking after her landmark Federal Court win against the ABC over an unlawful termination case, Lattouf said the podcast will unpack how the media operates, and where it often goes wrong.
“I had front row seats to the ABC’s slow, editorial independence car crash,” said Lattouf. “It was heartbreaking and excruciating to experience but I’m stepping away from the debris to remind people what journalism looks like when it’s not strapped to a lobbying bullbar.”
Bread Agency has been appointed as the social media agency of record for Woolworths Group’s digital health platform, Healthylife.
The agency will oversee the social media scope, including strategy, always-on content, community engagement, paid social and campaign support, as well as the recent launch of the Healthylife Week campaign.
Bread will work closely with Healthylife’s in-house marketing and content teams to bring the brand’s mission of helping Australians live healthier lives, to life.
“We were looking for a partner who could combine deep strategic thinking with scroll-stopping creativity, and Bread’s approach aligned strongly with this focus,” said Ben Padfield, Chief Digital, Customer & Marketing Officer at Healthylife.
“We’re excited to collaborate on the next chapter of our social journey, especially with Healthylife Week kicking off this week,” he added.
For Bread, the win reflects the agency’s growing footprint in the retail, health, and wellness space and reinforces its ability to deliver integrated, outcomes-driven social campaigns for modern Australian brands.
“This partnership is a big one for us — Healthylife is a brand with real purpose, and their ambition on social matches ours,” said Emelie Lundberg, General Manager at Bread Agency.
“We’re thrilled to partner with the Healthylife team to deliver work that’s as smart as it is culturally relevant,” she added.
The partnership is already underway, with Healthylife Week set to be the first major campaign delivered under the new collaboration.
Bread recently partnered with BIG W to roll out a comprehensive live shopping strategy, one of the fastest-growing digital commerce trends.
The retailer leveraged live video commerce to drive deeper engagement, connect with customers in real-time and boost conversions, in a strategy that brought together hosts and product experts, dynamic storytelling, and exclusive deals.
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PHD Australia and Virgin Australia’s Velocity Frequent Flyer have launched a unified Total TV approach for the loyalty program’s latest brand campaign.
The agency and loyalty program aim to reshape how brands connect with audiences using video advertising.
Velocity Frequent Flyer uses Omni Multi-screen Optimiser (MSO), a planning tool developed by OMG, to unify partnerships with major local and global AV platforms through first-party logged-in user data and panel data from VOZ and TV manufacturers to create a single planning system.
The tool lets planners to manage video buys across different AV partners, aiming to maximise attentive reach and frequency. It also includes custom features tailored to each client’s needs.
Ben Lynch, Head of Planning Analytics at PHD said: “We’re incredibly excited by the work we’ve done with Virgin Australia and the Velocity team — they’ve been strong advocates for the evolution of Total AV planning.
“When our teams plan with MSO for clients, they are using a first in-class total AV planning platform providing quality, speed, and granularity, and we believe this puts OMG agencies in the strongest position in Australia to advise clients on cross-screen planning today.”
Combining advanced data and platforms for more efficient media planning, aims to maximise reach while managing costs across broadcast TV, video on demand, and streaming services.
“We are excited about the opportunity to bring broadcast and online video closer together in our planning with Omni MSO,” said Emma King, General Manager Member Engagement and Marketing at Velocity Frequent Flyer.
“The advanced technology will enable us to optimise our investment more efficiently, which is a key objective in our overall strategy.”
PHD’s unified video buying strategy now includes first-party publisher data, replacing older metrics like Target Audience Rating Points with newer measures aligned across channels. This shift supports more consistent planning and improves campaign results.
“This campaign is not just about airing ads; it’s about strategically crafting how and when our clients brand connects with audiences across all screens, maximising our reach and more efficiently deploying our client’s investment,” said Lauren Sawyer, Planning Director at PHD.
“By utilising the latest technologies and data-driven insights, we are setting a new standard for how brands can better leverage TV and online video platforms together.”
Bonfire is expanding its operations to the east coast, launching it in Melbourne.
The Perth-based media agency brings the Bonfire team closer to clients, collaborators, and key platform partners.
“Expanding into Melbourne was a logical move for the agency,” said Rene LeMerle, General Manager – Growth.
“We’ve been servicing a large number of East Coast clients from our Perth HQ. Now with a team working in Melbourne, and a new office location, we can provide a deeper level of partnership. And we’re better equipped to leverage our agency partnerships with the ad platforms.”
Chelsea Craddock, newly appointed Performance Media Manager, relocated to Melbourne to establish the Bonfire office and grow its presence. SEO Strategist Kelvin Sim, who has worked in Melbourne for several years, joins Craddock to lead Bonfire’s East Coast presence.
Senior Performance Media Specialist, Brodie McMaster, will alsi join the team, adding depth to Bonfire’s Melbourne offering and enabling more face-to-face support for local clients.
The new location gives the Bonfire team even more access to industry events and partner opportunities with platforms like Google and Meta, which have offices in the city, and TikTok, which regularly hosts industry events there.
Bonfire’s expansion comes after the agency launched its creative offering with Luke Williams returning to the independent agency in the newly created Creative Director position.
The new creative services offering comes after 24 years of driving digital performance for some of WA and Australia’s most recognised brands.
Bonfire aim to deliver smart, customer-focused, and effective work, backed by the same strategic thinking, account service, and performance under one roof.
Top image, left to right: Kelvin Sim, Chelsea Craddock and Rene Le Merle
Independent communications agency Dialogue has expanded its 2025 portfolio, adding three clients across sport technology, infrastructure and the drinks sector.
Action sports platform Liveheats and premium winery Marnong Estate have joined the agency, while Dialogue has been reappointed by long-time client Legrand.
Liveheats targets growth with funding and new ambassador
Dialogue is supporting Liveheats’ growth strategy following the startup’s $1.3 million capital raise and the announcement of world champion surfer Joel Parkinson as both investor and spokesperson.
The agency is executing an earned media strategy focused on executive profiling and media engagement to raise awareness across the action sports and tech sectors.
Legrand reappoints Dialogue after competitive pitch
Global electrical and digital infrastructure leader Legrand has re-engaged Dialogue for the sixth consecutive year.
The agency was selected following a four-way pitch to manage B2B communications in Australia and New Zealand. The scope includes a mix of earned and paid activity, events, partnerships, media relations, executive profiling and content development, across Legrand’s commercial, residential and data centre verticals.
Marnong Estate taps Dialogue to promote wine and experiences
Dialogue will lead earned media campaigns for Marnong Estate, focusing on its new vintage releases and destination experiences.
The strategy includes targeted outreach to wine critics, curated influencer visits, and brand storytelling to build national awareness for the award-winning cool-climate winery located just north of Melbourne.
Agency outlook
“This trifecta of client wins is a testament to Dialogue’s unparalleled creativity, strategic acumen, and deep industry connections.” said Kate Bradley, Managing Director and Founder, Dialogue. “Our ability to deliver impactful campaigns across diverse sectors – from sports technology to business transformation and premium beverages sets us apart and drives our continued success.”
Dialogue’s broader client portfolio includes Acer, Hyatt Regency Sydney, Posca Hydrate, Fourth Wave Wine, Energizer, Armor All, Ferrero Group, Casella Family Brands, Australian Beer Co., Fackelmann Housewares, Duxton Vineyards, Humpty Doo Barramundi and The Yard & Co.
SBS has announced its new Commissioning Inclusion Guidelines for 2025–2028, reinforcing the public broadcaster’s long-standing commitment to diversity and authentic representation in Australian media.
The guidelines outline multi-year inclusion targets across both on-screen and off-screen roles in SBS-commissioned programs, including internal productions but excluding News, Sport, and NITV programming.
Who the guidelines aim to support
The guidelines focus on five key under-represented groups: First Nations peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, LGBTQ+ people, people with disability, and women.
“At SBS, inclusion is central to who we are as an organisation, and underpins how we commission and create content,” said Kathryn Fink, SBS Director of Television. “(Our new guidelines) continue to support our ambition and SBS’s unique purpose as a network.”
The updated benchmarks build on the broadcaster’s previous 2021–2024 Commissioning Equity & Inclusion Guidelines, all targets of which were successfully achieved. In the new framework, SBS introduces a sub-target for non-European CALD communities and strengthens targets for people with disability, areas identified as requiring further improvement through sector analysis and community consultation.
“We believe that an industry without barriers to having your voice heard is essential to fuelling the ongoing success of Australian storytelling – both at home, and globally,” Fink added. “Our goal is to drive meaningful, long-term industry change by investing in the depth and breadth of Australian talent, on and off screen.”
Accountability through annual reporting
The new guidelines apply across SBS’s Scripted and Unscripted content, with show-by-show targets for inclusion and career progression. SBS will also publish annual reports tracking progress, as part of its transparency and accountability commitment.
In addition to setting targets, SBS continues to invest in career pathways and industry development initiatives for under-represented groups, aiming to build capacity and enhance representation across the entire production pipeline.
More information, including the full guidelines and support opportunities, is available on the SBS Commissioning Inclusion webpage.
Top image: Kathryn Fink
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