Rory Heffernan first joined Atomic 212° at its Sydney office in 2010 before moving to Melbourne in 2013  

Heffernan was appointed general manager of the Melbourne office in 2019. Earlier this month, he was promoted to the role of national managing director of the independent media agency. 

Heffernan spoke to Mediaweek about the key to the agency’s recent success with billings and clients, the significance of launch a presence in Brisbane and the continuing the agency’s growth and expansion in the year ahead

Mediaweek: Atomic 212° added $100 million in new billings and welcomed a slew of new clients over the last year – what has been the key to this success?

Rory Heffernan: I think we’ve really found our feet in terms of our offering and how we can partner with clients above and beyond the day-to-day.
 
Strong partnerships and people have always been the main success drivers for us, but over the past 12 months we’ve been able to tell our story and demonstrate results to both new and existing clients in a multitude of ways.
 
We’ve always looked at media as a growth driver for clients and that purpose, along with our track record, is resonating well.
 
MW: Atomic 212° launched an office in Brisbane last year – why has it been important for the agency to have a presence in Queensland?

RF: After our success in both the Darwin and Melbourne markets, where after five to six years we’ve now reached a nice maturity point in those cities, we wanted to shore up our presence in Queensland as a next horizon.
 
We’ve had a few team members based in Queensland for a while, so it’s been really rewarding to be able to open up shop properly. We’ve recruited some incredible talent up there – I can’t speak highly enough of the team – and have been lucky enough to partner with great, unique brands in Queensland in a really short space of time. As a Melburnian heading towards winter, I have absolutely no complaints about visiting Brisbane a lot more.
 
MW: What areas do you think marketers need to focus their attention on in the next 12 months?

RF: Where do you start? We’ve talked a lot about the increasing focus on demonstrating ROI with the current economic outlook, and I know this came out on top of an AANA survey of marketing execs about their key priorities for the year ahead, so I won’t labour that point too much.
 
I think differentiation is going to be as important as ever. As people reduce their spending, brands are going to have to have that mental availability and recall to win share of wallet. So, I think we’ll see advertisers getting brave with both their creative and their media strategy and execution to try to get an edge, especially if there are pressures to do more with less.
 
MW: What is your outlook for Atomic 212° in the year ahead?
 
RF: We’re really excited about the year ahead. We’ve got so many great client partners and team members, and my focus is to push the work to the next level.
 
We’ve built a whole new suite of products, lately so I’m really confident that innovation is going to lead to new insights and work that our partners and people are really proud of.
 
We’ve had a lot of growth and we’re hiring in all markets, so get in touch if you’re interested to know more about us!
 
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Top image: Rory Heffernan

Tom Donahue knows a thing or two about secret societies. After diving deep into the fascinating — yet frightening — world of Roberto Calvi, a fugitive financier known as “God’s Banker”, the Emmy Award-winning director was submerged into a story of international intrigue involving the Vatican, the Mafia and neo-fascist groups in Italy.

In his new directorial outing, Donahue and his team use archival footage, stylised dramatisations and interviews to tell the story in Paramount+’s Murder of God’s Banker. What started out as an investigation into Calvi’s 1982 death (where he was found hanging on a wall), led to so much more.

Speaking to Mediaweek from his home in Los Angeles, the documentarian revealed why the world has an obsession with the Mafia – be it portrayed through series like The Sopranos or films like The Godfather franchise or even stories like Calvi’s.

“There’s something very primal about the mafia in the way it operates,” he said during the interview. “There’s inherent life and death drama in the stories. There are secret odes of silence and extreme violence.”

Calling it “a fascinating and heightened way to see our own reality”, Donahue said it was a way to “reinforce our own value systems.”

“[Audiences would] say ‘I would never do that. That’s wrong.’ It really allows you to be self righteous and still enjoy the violence.”

Roberto Calvi. Murder of God’s Banker. Paramount +

Docu-series allows you to dive deeper into the complex story over multiple episodes

The four part documentary delves into the layers of corruption at the root of global money and power and is complex and geopolitical — the perfect platform for a docu-series.

“It’s about American history, Italian history, the Cold War, the Catholic Church, the CIA, the Sicilian Mafia,” Donahue said. “It’s a really hard story to tell, but we realised that docu-series affords you the ability to tell it over multiple episodes.”

For Donahue, the role of the CIA was the most shocking thing he found through his research.

“I knew about the level of fear we had about communism coming out of World War Two,” he said. “But it was how the CIA meddled in the elections in Italy because they could never allow the communists to actually take power. So, there was this monolithic one party system that was hiding in plain sight.

“It was the Vatican working with the Mafia. The American CIA made sure the communists and even the socialists, could never come to power in Italy and probably be complicit in terror bombings through the years from 1968 to 1980, culminating in the Bologna train station bombing where 82 people died.”

The institutions in the documentary would have “a lot to answer to”

Since the story deals with some of the world’s largest and notoriously closed-door institutions, Donahue said that when you ask for “permission” to get a look inside, you’re met with monumental contracts, with harsh guidelines about what can and can’t be said.

“We wouldn’t be able to have the freedom to tell the story,” he admitted. “Truthfully, if we had to get permission from the Sicilian Mafia, the CIA, the Vatican, the international banking system, you have to unfortunately always do it outside like any journalist…we don’t even want them to know about it till it’s done.”

In fact, some of the topics the story investigates are so under lock and key, that these institutions would have “a lot to answer to”.

“I think the thing about this story or the overall theme of the story, the thing that connects all the different strands, are these huge institutions that are corrupt, because they have no accountability to the public,” he said before adding: “Everything is done by these patriarchal systems by these people in power secretly and that’s ultimately the problem.

“Whether it’s the Vatican, the mafia, the CIA, the secret Masonic Lodge, it’s all about men operating in secret. And that leads to corruption. So how could they be happy with that story?”

Documentarian and director of Murder of God’s Banker, Tom Donahue.

Tom Donahue explains why dramatisations enhanced Murder of God’s Banker

The story of Calvi may have ended in 1982 with his death; however, it was just the tip of the ice-berg of a narrative that spans over 70 years. In saying this, coming across footage and interviewees proved to be challenging, so Donahue and his team used dramatisation to enhance their storytelling.

“Most of the people involved, the key players are dead,” he said. “But there’s a few that were alive, and there are the secret organisations, but they don’t take a lot of pictures, they don’t keep a big archive that’s accessible to public. So we have to visualise what it would be like, and it adds a certain level of drama. 

“I wanted to add motion comics that felt like film noir, because I felt like that it was the feeling of German expressionism, of men operating in the shadows.”

Stream Murder of God’s Banker on Paramount+ now.

Australia’s media agency market reported lower ad demand in February against the record high delivered in the same month in 2023. The change is mostly due to a 50% fall in Government category ad spend that has pushed the market back 8.6%, reports SMI.

When Government category bookings are removed the underlying decline is 5.5%, continuing the market impact seen over recent months as last year’s abnormal levels of Government category ad spend return to pre-COVID levels.

This month SMI has added market demand in February 2022 due to the broadcast of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

SMI AU/NZ managing director Jane Ractliffe said the normalisation of Government category ad spend was having a material impact on the ad market, and this month the category’s total has more than halved since February 2022.

“Australia’s ad market received an abnormal boost from record high levels of Government category ad spend throughout 2022 and that’s now a key reason why we’re seeing softer demand this year,” she said.

“It’s having a huge impact with, for example, Radio’s decline of 7.8% in February transforming into growth of 0.4% when Government category ad spend is excluded. And the trend will continue until May as the extra Covid-related Government ad spend was further amplified ahead of last year’s federal election.’’

SMI reports growth in Cinema and Outdoor

With Government category ad spend excluded SMI is reporting good results in February for the Outdoor media (+17.9% YOY) and Cinema (+50.9% YOY) but TV was mostly impacted by last year’s Olympics broadcast.

Ractliffe added it was also important to recognise the unusual size of last year’s February ad spend total, as it was more than $30 million larger than the next strongest February month in 2019 and more than 10%, or $60.5 million, above the February 2021 total.

“This trend of huge prior year months will also continue into March as the market reported yet another record high for that month with the total up 12.1% on the March 2021 total and 4.1% higher than the previous record March set in 2019,” she said.

While the Government category dragged the market backwards, there were some growth categories in February with Automotive Brand advertisers returning to growth (+6.5%) and Travel continuing to rebuild, up 10.3%.

The market remains strong over the eight months of the financial year with total bookings still in record territory, having lifted 1.5% on the same period last year.

So far this year each of the three largest product categories are reporting higher ad spend – Retail has grown 6.6%, Auto Brand is up 16.9% and Insurance has grown 7% – while Travel has emerged as the sixth largest category after delivering an 80% increase in ad spend.

Main image: Avatar was still helping drive box office growth in February

See also:
SMI January 2023 ad spend: Digital video, cinema & magazines best performers

The Outdoor Media Association has gathered members and guests to farewell CEO Charmaine Moldrich.

Around 150 current and OMA former colleagues, association members and invited guests gathered in the shadow of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Walsh Bay on Friday evening.

Charles Parry-Okeden, OMA chairman and global CEO of Executive Channel, spoke first. He was followed by Kylie Green, OMA general manager.

A video compilation of industry leaders followed who spoke talking about Moldrich and her impact on the industry. After wiping away a few tears, Moldrich then spoke about her 13 years running the organisation.

Incoming OMA CEO Elizabeth McIntyre was among the guests celebrating the reign of the outgoing leader.

Moldrich joined as CEO of OMA in 2010 bringing 30 years of business experience to the role, having worked in a variety of sectors including media, the arts, higher education and in government as a marketer.

She has been an integral part of the OOH industry’s growth in a rapidly changing, technology-driven world.

In 2022, Moldrich was the joint winner of the coveted World Out of Home Organisation’s Leadership Award, in recognition of her contributions to the OOH industry.

At the time of making her announcement to depart in September 2022, Moldrich telegraphed she would be taking six months off to recharge and revitalise before she considered her next move.

Charmaine Moldrich: ‘Time to move on’

At that time Moldrich said: “It’s a bittersweet moment, but after more than a decade working in an industry it is time to move on.

“Out of home (OOH) has become so much a part of my life and I’m extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished in that time – particularly how we’ve seized the opportunities of digital OOH and developed tools to help advertisers, buyers, and planners understand the effectiveness of the channel,” she said.

“While there’s much more to do, I know it is the right time to step away and create space for new energy and ideas, to shepherd the industry into the next phase,” Moldrich added.

The Board of the Outdoor Media Association (OMA) announced in February this year that Elizabeth McIntyre had been appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the association and MOVE, commencing 3 April 2023.

The announcement followed an extensive and thorough executive search to replace Moldrich.

McIntyre has spent the past 12 years as group CEO for Think Brick Australia, Concrete Masonry Association of Australia and the Australian Roofing Tile Association, collectively. As an industry leader, she delivered over a decade of growth to the three boards that support the $900 million industry.

Charmaine Moldrich

Moldrich with Tony Hale and Richard Herring

Holly Gregory with Kylie Green and Elizabeth McIntyre

Current OMA marketing director Julie Jensen (right) with Emma Luttrell and Ti Ahna Micallef

Moldrich with Nicole Moore

With Richard Bean and Brian Tyquin

WPP’s Katie Rigg-Smith with Moldrich

Janine Wood with Brian Tyquin

Charmaine Moldrich with Charles Parry-Okeden and MFA’s Sophie Madden

The Seven Network is reporting that it has ended the first quarter of 2023 as the fastest-growing national television network. The broadcaster is also reporting being the only network to increase its national total people share so far this year, closing the first quarter with a 39.3% commercial audience share. Across the 13 weeks of the first quarter, Seven increased its national audience share in total people in eight weeks and its share in people 25 to 54 in nine weeks. 

Seven’s strong start to the year has been underpinned by 7News, the AFL, Sunrise, Home and Away, and The Chase Australia.  

The network’s audience share growth has also been fuelled by Better Homes and Gardens, Australian Idol, We Interrupt This Broadcast, Highway Patrol and more.  

Seven reports that 7two, 7mate, 7Bravo, and 7flix are the #1 suite of multichannels, with newcomer 7Bravo capturing a healthy share in its target market of young women since it arrived on 15 January.   

See Also: Why the launch of 7Bravo is the final piece of the puzzle for Seven

7plus grew during the March quarter, with total minutes up 18.9% year-on-year (excluding the Beijing Winter Olympics).  

Live viewing on 7plus soared 29.7% thanks to key programs such as Home and Away and Australian Idol, plus the launch of 7Bravo. VOD viewing rose 16.5%, pumped up by Seven’s core content and new content from NBCUniversal (including 7Bravo content).  

Seven’s next show, the new season of Farmer Wants A Wife, debuts on Easter Monday, 10 April. The Claremont Murders starts on the same night. Waiting in the wings are family entertainment shows Blow Up and The 1% Club. 

The content line-up for the rest of 2023 includes The Voice with new coach Jason Derulo, Million Dollar Island, Dancing With The Stars, SAS Australia, RFDS, Ultimate Escape, Big Brother, My Kitchen Rules, the TV WEEK Logie Awards, more AFL, more Supercars, more horse racing, the ICC World Test Championship Final in June and the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 in July and August. 

Seven Chief Content Officer, Entertainment Programming, Angus Ross, said: “Our share growth in the first three months of 2023 reflects the popularity of our news, sport and entertainment content across Seven and 7plus and how it is connecting with all Australians.  

“Our content ‘spine’ of Sunrise, The Chase Australia, 7NEWS, Home and Away, and Better Homes and Gardens continues to dominate viewing day in, day out. Australian Idol helped lift our total TV audience share year-on-year and gave us a more competitive start to the ratings year, which was always the objective, while the AFL has once again proven it is the #1 sport on TV. 

“Our line-up across the rest of 2023 is very strong and will ensure Seven is Australia’s most-watched national total TV business,” he said.  

Angus Ross

Seven West Media Chief Revenue Officer, Kurt Burnette, said: “Each year our objective is to build for growth and to connect brands with an engaged audience across the screens of Seven. Growing our audience share in what has been a highly competitive quarter has helped lay the platform to keep building for audience growth in 2023.  

“The integration of brands into Australian Idol delivered phenomenal returns for brands and the AFL has returned as the #1 winter sporting code for brands to be a part of. We are now moving into the rest of the year with some of the very best brand-new integratable content and innovation, from the best show makers and creators in the world.”

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Top Image: Kurt Burnette

Paramount Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) has assembled an expert team to anticipate and respond to current and emerging trends in digital advertising and streaming.

The expert team will be led by Diane Ho, national digital sales director and Shani Kugenthiran, digital advertising strategy and product director.
 
Ho leads the digital advertising sales team, working collaboratively with clients to achieve their business, marketing and media outcomes. She said: “Our multidisciplinary digital sales team will support clients to capitalise on existing opportunities and keep future-focussed as we continue to respond to an evolving market.”
 
Kugenthiran and her team will develop and deliver the overarching commercial strategy of Paramount ANZ’s streaming platforms across digital innovation, ad products, data monetisation and advertising technology.

“We’re unlocking shared value and business growth for advertisers and Paramount ANZ by delivering meaningful and connected customer experiences through advanced use of data and technology,” she said.
 
The new Paramount ANZ digital advertising leadership team includes Zoe Kostos, head of commercial innovation; Milan Blazevic, head of programmatic, Phil Hammond, head of commercial data; Emily Rebecca Smith, commercial transformation lead; and James Vongdara, head of advertising platforms.

The team brings a wealth of experience and expertise from previous senior leadership roles across the industry including Seven West Media, OMD, The Trade Desk, SCA, Ziff Davis, Crimtan, Foxtel Media, Sky UK, SBS, GroupM and Dentsu.

Kostos, head of commercial innovation, is responsible for Paramount ANZ’s ad product strategy and innovation roadmap with a focus on developing new opportunities to increase advertising revenue and overall business growth. She started at Paramount ANZ last year and was instrumental in key partnerships with Innovid and KERV Interactive and the launch of premium digital ad products, Dynamic Video, AdSelector and BrandBOOST.

Blazevic, head of programmatic, will provide strategic leadership and decision making across the network’s suite of ad products and deliver best-in-class client solutions.

Blazevic will build and maintain strong client relationships with vendors, agencies and trading desks as well as thought leadership on planning, buying and evaluation of programmatic platforms, vendors, and strategies including internal and external relationships with demand-side and supply-side platforms as well as data partners.
 
As head of commercial data, Hammond will drive the strategic development and vision to commercialise Paramount ANZ’s data sets through unique product roadmaps that complement business and client needs. he will develop a holistic data product strategy that balances diverse perspectives, harnesses innovation and connection, maintains confidence and trust with users, and meets commercial business goals.
 
Commercial transformation lead, Emily Rebecca Smith will deliver a roadmap of initiatives unlocking Paramount ANZ’s long-term commercial growth and ensure customers underpin all digital strategies and data product development.

Working with cross functional teams, Emily will deliver unified, accessible and scalable solutions and enhance the network’s ability to address clients’ short- and long-term business challenges through data partnerships, audience enrichment and platform capability.

James Vongdara will lead Paramount ANZ’s advertising technology strategy as head of advertising platforms. With more than 15 years digital experience across publishers and broadcasters, James will harness ad technology to drive revenue and deliver exemplary ad experiences across Paramount ANZ’s programmatic, ad product and data initiatives.
 
The new digital advertising leadership team is in market now collaborating with colleagues across the Paramount ANZ sales team and working closely with clients.

Red Havas Australia has announced Shane Russell as its new CEO.
 
Russell joins Red and returns to Australia after more than a decade at New York-based 5W Public Relations, where he played a key role in helping drive its rapid expansion to become one of the USA’s top 10 independent PR agencies by size.

Red Havas Global CEO and CEO of Havas Creative Group Australia, James Wright, who recently returned to Australia after four years based in the US, welcomed the appointment.

Wright said: “Red Havas is one of the fastest-growing PR networks across the globe. Knowing first-hand the competitive nature of the New York environment, I’m excited to see Shane bring the skills and enterprising attitude that saw him thrive in the US and apply them to our ambitious growth plans in Australia.”

Born and bred in Queensland, Russell says he is energised to be returning to the Australian market to lead the PR and strategic communications agency at this time of exciting growth and evolution for both Red and the industry overall.

“While Red has the backing of Havas Village and the global Havas network, I believe the entrepreneurial and creative spirit of the agency sets us apart for winning world-class clients and talent,” Russell said.

“I’m excited to work on further building our reputation for leading-edge creativity alongside a phenomenal roster of consumer and corporate brands. With my strong professional background in all areas of technology, I’m also excited by the significant investments Red is making to increase our presence as a leading agency in the tech sector.”

This most recent appointment forms part of a strategic reshaping of the Havas Creative Group following Wright’s return to the Australian market. Other key appointments include:
 
• Gayle While appointed as CEO of Host Havas
• the promotion of Ant Moore to MD of Host Havas
• the reshaping of the leadership group at One Green Bean with Amber Abbott becoming MD and Lauren Bailey made managing partner and director of innovation
• and the acquisition of Bastian Brands by Havas Health & You in November 2022 to add pharma advertising expertise to its portfolio.

These shifts are all supported by the transition of former Red Havas MD, Steve Fontanot to commercial managing director for Red Havas APAC as part of plans to spearhead growth across our broader region.

Writing said: “As one of the most significant communications networks operating globally, Havas Creative Group is making further inroads, not only in Australia, but the broader Asia Pacific Region.”

“With Red Havas announcing a number of major client wins already this year, including the global PR brief for Tourism Tasmania that will be hubbed from Australia, and Red’s sister agency Havas Blvd picking up lifestyle PR duties for Lexus, 2023 is shaping up strongly for the Group.”

James Wright

Having commenced his career working across a broad range of consumer and B2B businesses, in recent years Russell has specialised in leading teams working on some of the world’s leading technology and corporate brands. He brings a deep understanding of the disruptor and startup landscape supported by a wealth of experience across global consumer and enterprise technology, including brands such as Samsung, Amazon Go, Crossfit, Roblox and Axiom Space.

Wright said: “Alongside his strong leadership capabilities, we are excited about the additional insights and experience that Shane will bring to our Australian offering as we press ahead with our ‘borderless’ global strategy to transcend countries, audiences, channels and formats and seamlessly share our clients’ full stories, wherever their audiences choose to consume it.”

Launched in 2019, Red Havas is the global consumer and creative communications arm of Havas. It was a pioneer of the strategic “Merged Media” model that brings together traditional and digital publishing, content, social media, and data within a single infrastructure, and now operates in 14 markets and has 26 offices.

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Top image: Shane Russell

This week, Private Media announced the appointment of Sophie Black as the new editor-in-chief of Crikey. It’s not Black’s first time with Crikey – she previously worked as editor-in-chief of the publication in 2015, and as editor before that. 

Alongside the appointment of Black, Gina Rushton has been announced as editor and Jack Callil as opinion editor.

In an email to subscribers sent on Monday evening, Black said that “It’s good to be back.”

“I relished my original stint here. Since then, I’ve worked across the media, arts and publishing sectors and print, online, broadcast and TV. I want to bring some of those insights, not to mention the writers and journalists I’ve encountered as part of that work, into the Crikey stable.

“As a reader I’ve watched Crikey grow in readership, clout and fearlessness. Working outside of this publication has led to an even keener appreciation for how precious its genuine independence truly is.

“The country is facing some enormous challenges this year. It’s an essential time to highlight hypocrisy. Gina and I are ready to get stuck in to ensure Crikey continues to call out Canberra, corporations and the media to scrutinise the gap between what they say and what they actually do.”

Black replaces Peter Fray, who was made redundant last month in the wake of “inappropriate” behaviour at last year’s Walkley Awards.

See Also: Peter Fray made redundant from Crikey ahead of Murdoch defamation trial

In November, Fray heckled the winners of the Gold Walkley during their acceptance speech. ABC’s Anne Connolly, Ali Russell, and Stephanie Zillman won Gold for their investigation State Control on Four Corners, with Fray reportedly calling out “what about Crikey?” over and over before taking to Twitter to call the ABC a “fraud.”

The changes comes as Crikey stares down the barrel of a defamation lawsuit by News Corp co-chairman Lachlan Murdoch. Murdoch was originally suing politics editor Bernard Keane alongside Fray over an opinion piece Crikey published last year linking the Murdoch family to the January 6th attacks on the US Capitol. 

This weekend, the Australian box office made $10.04 million, down -16% from last week’s $11.9 million.

Topping the box office charts for a second week was John Wick: Chapter 4 with $3.9 million. In the fourth instalment of the John Wick series, Wick (Keanu Reeves) takes on his most lethal adversaries yet as he seeks out the most powerful players in the underworld, from New York to Paris to Osaka to Berlin.

Paramount’s Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves enjoyed $2.6 million in its opening week. Directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, the action comedy is based on the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods fell to third in its third week on screen. The film brought in $517k and twlls the story of teenage Billy Batson, who, upon reciting the magic word “SHAZAM!” is transformed into his adult Super Hero alter ego, Shazam.

Maintaining its sport at fourth is the latest instalment in the Scream franchise, Scream VI, grossing over $515k. Following the latest Ghostface killings, the four survivors leave Woodsboro behind to start a fresh chapter but cannot escape Ghostface’s wrath.

In its fifth week, Creed III, grossed over $300k across 205 screens. As the third instalment in the Creed franchise, the latest film centres on Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) as he thrives in his career and family life after dominating the boxing world.

Falling out of the top five this weekend was Living starring Bill Nighy, grossing $273k.

#1 John Wick: Chapter 4, – $3.98 million

Four years after John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, director Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves have returned to theatres with the latest instalment. The film averaged $8,044 across 496 screens in its second week and has grossed $12.85 million to date.

#2 Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, – $2.64 million

The fantasy heist film is set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting and stars an all-star lineup of Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, and Hugh Grant. In its first week, the film averaged $5,245 across 504 screens.

#3 Shazam! Fury of the Gods, – $517,926

Starring Zachary Levi and Asher Angel, the film is the 12th instalment in the DC Extended Universe. In its third week, the film averaged $1,750 across 296 screens and has grossed over $4.3 million so far.

#4 Scream VI, – $515,704

The latest instalment in the slasher film franchise stars Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Jenna Ortega, Hayden Panettiere, and Courteney Cox. In its fourth week, Scream VI averaged $2,088 across 247 screens and has grossed over $6.87 million so far.

#5 Creed III, – $534,486

When a childhood friend of Creed and former boxing prodigy, Damian (Jonathan Majors), resurfaces after serving a long sentence in prison, he is eager to prove that he deserves his shot in the ring. The face-off between former friends is more than just a fight. Creed III is the third instalment in the franchise and is Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut. The film averaged $1,491 across 205 screens and has averaged $8.97 million so far.

While a capacity crowd of more than 130,000 people flocked to the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne on Sunday for the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix, Australians raced to their screens to catch all the action of the race on 10 and 10 Play.

With a peak national audience of 934,000 viewers, 698,000 national viewers tuned in to see Max Verstappen win a chaotic race which was stopped three times and ended under the safety car, while Australian Oscar Piastri scored his maiden world championship points.

See Also: Paramount fuels audience growth with Formula 1 on a Q2 warm up lap

The race claimed victory in the key advertising demographics, under 50s, 25 to 54s and 16 to 39s, as well as total people with a commercial share of 45.5%.

In Melbourne, the race recorded 60.8% of viewers in under 50s, 62.9% in 25 to 54s and 49% in 16 to 39s.

Yesterday’s post-race was the #1 sport in Melbourne.

From Friday to Sunday, Network 10’s coverage on 10 and 10 Bold reached more than 2.95 million national viewers, while 10 Play recorded more than 273,000 live streams across the weekend.

The five city metro audience came in at 447,000, compared with last year’s five city metro audience of 534,000 viewers

Racing commentator and 1996 Formula 1 World Champion, Damon Hill, said: “It was an incredible weekend of racing at Albert Park, and I was thrilled to be involved with Network 10’s broadcast and call all the heart-pumping action of F1.

“Melbourne knows how to put on a show, and it was an amazing atmosphere with huge crowds and incredible buzz combined with fantastic racing, so it was just a perfect weekend to see Max Verstappen take the win.”

Formula 1 reporter Rosanna Tennant said: “I love coming to Australia for F1 and this year was better than ever showing the prowess of the city and the whole production team here to deliver this iconic, global event.

“The crowd were clearly behind Oscar Piastri on his home turf driving for McLaren and it was tremendous to see him drive with such passion and conviction,” she said.

Adam Cush, Director of Sport Production, Paramount Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), parent company of Network 10, said: “The Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix was full throttle this weekend and showed its dominance as one of the premier sporting events in Australia.

“Melbourne pulled out all stops in the 70th anniversary of the first race at Albert Park and didn’t they turn it on for a stand-out weekend of racing.

“Once again we’ve delivered an unrivalled broadcast, with our expert on-air team led by former F1 World Champion Damon Hill calling all the action and our production crew delivering an exemplary telecast, available live and free for all Australians,” said Adam.

Nick Bower, General Manager – Ad Sales, Paramount ANZ said: “The weekend was an outstanding success with the support of our fans, sponsors, and partners Formula One Management and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation.

“F1 delivers unrivalled appeal right now that was lapped up by our sponsors who were keen to leverage the momentum and consumer power of Formula 1 fandom.

“Thanks to our sponsors such as 7-Eleven and their fuel partner Mobil, Harvey Norman, Shannons Insurance, PlayStation 5, Salesforce and Visit Victoria for joining us over the action-packed weekend. And major packages with Toyota, Patrón, Ford, Sigma Lenses, Suzuki and Telstra.

“We were also thrilled to introduce the new Live Engagement Breaks this year allowing us to stay with the race through the commercial break, continuing the entertainment for viewers so they didn’t miss a minute of the high-octane action, and delivering brand messages,” said Bower.

Some of the biggest names in television and entertainment will gather on Friday, April 7, to raise funds for The Royal Children’s Hospital, when the Seven Network broadcasts the annual Good Friday Appeal from midday on Channel Seven in Melbourne and nationally on 7plus.

Hosts Larry Emdur and 7NEWS Melbourne’s Peter Mitchell, Rebecca Maddern, Jane Bunn and Mike Amor will be joined by stars from Sunrise, Home and Away, Farmer Wants A Wife, Blow Up, The Chase Australia, 7NEWS and 7SPORT, plus a number of comedians and musicians.

The annual Good Friday AFL blockbuster takes centre stage from 4.00pm, when North Melbourne take on Carlton in the SuperClash at Marvel Stadium. Seven’s commentary team will bring fans all the action live and free from the ground, including a half-time goal shoot-out with two former club greats to raise funds for the Appeal.

2022 Good Friday Appeal

Managing director Seven Melbourne and Head of Network Sport, Lewis Martin said: “The Good Friday Appeal is a truly special event on the Victorian calendar, and we are honoured to once again deliver this iconic day to Australians.

“There are so many reasons to watch the Appeal, most importantly, to support such an important cause so close to the heart of all Victorians. The Good Friday Appeal’s ongoing success is a brilliant reflection of the strong partnership between media partners the Seven Network and the Herald Sun.”

From 7.30pm, Larry Emdur, 7SPORT’s Hamish McLachlan and 7NEWS Melbourne’s Peter Mitchell and Rebecca Maddern will host a jam-packed live night show, with help from Sunrise’s Mark Beretta at the Country Board and 7NEWS’ Paul Dowsley from the phone room.

Singer-songwriter Kate Ceberano will lead a group of Australia’s top musicians, including Anthony Callea, Rob Mills, Home and Away’s Matt Evans and 2023 Australian Idol winner Royston Noell.

2022 Good Friday Appeal

Panellists will include beloved Australian actor and Blow Up co-host Stephen Curry, 7SPORT commentators Abbey Holmes, Matthew Richardson, Brad Hodge and Damien Fleming, and Home and Away stars Lynne McGranger, Ada Nicodemou, Shane Withington, Emily Weir, Adam Rowland, Stephanie Panozzo and Angelina Thomson. Acclaimed comedians Ross Noble, Dilruk Jayasinha, Cal Wilson, Brett Blake and Diana Nguyen will also bring plenty of laughs.

The Good Friday Appeal is an institution that unites Victorians to raise funds for The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. This year marks the 66th year Seven has broadcast the event.

Good Friday Appeal executive director, Rebecca Cowan said: “We’re incredibly thankful to Seven for their ongoing support of the Good Friday Appeal each and every year. We also send our deepest gratitude to Peter Mitchell, who this year celebrates an incredible 35 years with the Appeal, it has been an honour to have his support over the years.

“We can’t wait to see what is in store for the telethon broadcast and know it’ll be the best broadcast yet!”

In 2022, the Good Friday Appeal raised a history-making tally of $22,328,154 for The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, with the money funding ground-breaking research, state- of-the-art equipment and technology, education and family-centred care programs.

Good Friday Appeal 2023 on Friday, April 7 from 12.00pm on Channel 7 and 7plus

The Wiggles will air its TV series Ready Steady Wiggle! in the UK on Sky UK’s new channel, Sky Kids

ABC Commercial has sold two seasons of the children’s program, which features catchy songs and engaging stories and is curated to inspire and entertain preschoolers.

Ready, Steady, Wiggle! is the beloved group’s premier TV offering which features new and fan-favourite songs, playful dances and stories grounded in early childhood education principles.
 
Acquired by Sky Kids, the latest season is the first to showcase the talents of eight gender-balanced and diverse Wiggles including rising stars Tsehay Hawkins and John Pearce.

Jessica Ellis, head of ABC commercial, said: “The Wiggles have brought joy to families around the world for many years and will continue to do so well into the future.
 
“ABC Commercial is proud to represent the number one children’s act in the world, and to be working with Sky Kids to bring high quality Australian content to its audiences.”
 
The Wiggles have entertained millions of families across the world for over 30 years and are looking forward to connecting with a new generation of fans in the UK.

Luke Field, The Wiggles general manager, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Sky Kids. 2023 is going to be a banner year for The Wiggles, with our North American tour later this year and a brand-new TV show in the works.
 
“As we celebrate our 32nd year of entertaining children around the world, we are excited to continue introducing children in the UK to all the Wiggly fun.”

ABC Commercial holds distribution rights in English-speaking territories for the Wiggles’ current catalogue.
 
Ready Steady Wiggle! will be available on Sky Kids from 7 April 2023.
 
Last year was a big for the children’s group as they made the cover of Rolling Stone AU/NZ for the first time and scored their first ever #1 on the ARIA albums chart, debuting in the top spot with ReWiggled.
 
See also: ARIA Charts: The Wiggles shimmy their way to their first #1

IMAA, with Amobee, hosted its networking event ‘Agencies in AdLand’ at Quest East Perth’s rooftop bar, Folly.

The venue, which has stunning 360-degree views of the city, was the perfect backdrop to the event that attracted more than 60 attendees from local media and creative independent agencies.

The event was set up like a magical tea party, with exotic cocktails in tea cups and games of croquet, chess, and tic tac toe.

Es Chandra, CEO of Glide Agency and IMAA leadership team member, described the event as a wonderful experience. He said: “The atmosphere was electric as we mingled with our fellow advertising enthusiasts while sharing ideas and industry insights.
 
“It was clear that the indie offering is a formidable force for clients and brands alike, with an impressive range of talent and experience in the room.
 
“We were treated to breathtaking views from Perth’s newest rooftop bar, Folly, and a truly wonderland experience,” Chandra added.

Sam Buchanan, IMAA CEO, said: “This event was such a great opportunity to get together with our Western Australian peers and celebrate the incredible growth we have already seen in market for the start of 2023.
 
“Championing Australian businesses, and the benefits of partnering with local independent agencies, is something the IMAA is wholly committed to.
 
“We will continue to advocate with all levels of government and local businesses to highlight the importance, and benefits, of partnering with Australian-owned indies,” Buchanan added.
 

Andrew Dixon, Amobee APAC vice president, said: “Amobee is proud to support the IMAA’s efforts in Western Australia to elevate the role of independent agencies and empower their success.
 
“We believe that a strong and vibrant independent agency community is essential for a thriving advertising industry, and we are committed to helping the IMAA achieve this goal,” he added.

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Top image: Sam Buchanan with IMAA members

PubMatic announced the upcoming appointment of James Young as regional director for Australia and New Zealand. 

Young’s will into the role from the beginning of September 2023 and lead the ANZ team, managing strategy, sales and operations for PubMatic in the region as the company continues to focus on delivering effective, innovative, and responsible media solutions to publishers and advertisers.  

Young said of his appointment: “The ANZ market has enormous potential for growth, and I’m excited that I’ll be part of a company that is at the forefront of the digital advertising industry.
 
“I look forward to working closely with PubMatic customers and partners to drive success in the region.”
 
Prior to PubMatic, Young was the managing director, Australia, for Magnite, and also held senior roles with Telaria, The Guardian, and eBay. He is co-chair of the IAB Video Council.
 
Jason Barnes, Asia-Pacific chief revenue officer, PubMatic, welcomed Young’s appointment and said: “PubMatic is in a period of significant growth and James’s pedigree in the digital advertising market and experience with broadcast on demand advertising will bring incredible value to the team and our publisher and advertiser customers.”
 
Business highlights for Pubmatic over the last year saw the company end 2022 with estimated market share of 4% – 4.5%. The company also processed 159.1 trillion impressions, an increase of 72% over 2021.
 
Pubmatic also signed on new and expanded relationships with 429 publishers in 2022. They also experience customer growth in retail media and CTV included Kroger, Rakuten and most recently TiVo and Roku.

Pubmatic also signed new and expanded relationships with 28 ad buyers including GroupM, Havas, and Horizon.

Last year, Young spoke to Mediaweek about Magnite’s study, Live and Kicking: An In-Depth Look At Live Streaming in Australia, which has claimed that sports streamers are more responsive to advertising than traditional TV watchers.
 
The study found 82% of all Australian OTT users can be classified as live streamers according to the study, and many stated that they often remember the ads seen (39%) and discuss the ads with someone (32%) after the fact.

Young spoke about what these findings mean for the industry.

See also: Sports Streaming: Magnite’s James Young on the power of advertising through live sport

GroupM, WPP’s media investment group, has announced the creation of the industry’s first single point of access to the Total TV measurement system, VOZ.
 
Developed by Finecast – the addressable TV solution for GroupM clients that is part of GroupM Nexus – and Wavemaker, this new capability enables brands to assess Total TV reach by combining Finecast BVOD campaigns with Linear TV campaigns, measured independently by VOZ.
 
It is an improvement for Australian TV advertisers and buyers challenged with understanding the migration of viewership to digital streaming of BVOD (Broadcaster Video-On-Demand) and how to apply and optimise these insights to Addressable TV.
 
To date it has been extremely difficult to combine Addressable TV activity with Linear measurement. Finecast now makes it possible to evaluate, re-invest and grow Total TV budgets without losing the advanced capabilities of Addressable TV.
 
One of the first advertisers to leverage the newly created capability is Domino’s, who worked with Wavemaker to integrate addressable TV campaign data with OzTam’s VOZ panel and gain a full picture of their TV audiences across Linear and BVOD using the openly available VOZ toolset.
 
Results for Dominos’ campaigns demonstrated the effectiveness of using Finecast to build incremental reach to key demographics. Results among P18-39 and P25-54 were more than thirty percent more efficient using Finecast BVOD than using Linear, which has seen significant audience decline of 34% and 27% over the past 3 years.
 
Unique to this campaign approach was the use of Finecast ID, the industry’s first and only Connected TV and Household identifier. Finecast ID uses authenticated logged-in viewer data to frequency cap and build reach across Seven, Nine, Ten, SBS and Kayo to efficiently maximise the opportunity for advertisers. Domino’s utilised Finecast ID to build incremental reach within their Finecast BVOD campaign at a lower cost point.
 
Brett Poole, CEO of Finecast APAC, said: “At Finecast, we exist to re-imagine the future of TV advertising and help guide clients along their TV transformation journey.
 
“We believe that there is no substitute for industry standard measurement, so we were inspired to simplify and automate access to the available data for clients that want more accountability in Addressable TV campaigns measured jointly with their Linear Investments. We look forward to continuing to push the boundaries with all GroupM agency clients as part of our mission to make advertising work better for people.”
 
Philippa Noilea-Tani, chief investment officer at Wavemaker, said: “At Wavemaker, we believe there is always a better way to grow. We use our Positive Provocation ethos to shift the dial and create innovative and better outcomes for our clients.
 
“Our partnership with Domino’s and Finecast is a wonderful embodiment of how we positively provoke growth for brands and paves the way for other advertisers seeking to effectively navigate the changing video landscape and mitigate the rising cost of reach.”
 
Tim Harper-Russell, Domino’s client partner at Wavemaker, said: “One of the biggest challenges for CMOs today is navigating a fragmented TV landscape and we’re leaning into new ways of analysing and optimising our TV and Screens Investment.
 
“The industry has been crying out for a third-party multiscreen measurement solution representative of modern Australia and their viewing culture, it’s exciting to finally see VOZ and a Total TV Measurement arrive.”
 
GroupM Nexus is GroupM’s Addressable and Performance Media division, powered by performance experts in digital channels and platforms, search, social, programmatic, AI, cross-channel optimisation, and data-driven technologies and software.

Melbourne Social Co has announced its appointment as the social media agency of DoorDash for Australia and New Zealand, after a competitive pitching process.

The agency will utilise its expertise in social media, coupled with its ability to approach the campaign with both strategic thinking and reactiveness to social media trends for the food delivery company.

Moving away from the more traditional creative agency approach, DoorDash was looking to partner with experts in organic social, and Melbourne Social Co fit the bill perfectly.

The agency, in its 12th year of business, is widely regarded as leading the way in social media strategy, content and management in Australia, with clients’ such as PETstock, Dumb Ways to Die, Marriott Bonvoy and Fitbit already on its’ books.

DoorDash is dipping its toes into a more reactive, fun and engaging social media strategy, and with the assistance of Melbourne Social Co.

The company has just launched a brand new TikTok channel in conjunction with a large-scale influencer campaign highlighting the affordability of the app.

Shelley Friesen, Melbourne Social Co’s director, said: “Melbourne Social Co is thrilled to have been appointed as the ANZ agency for DoorDash.
 
“We have been working away behind the scenes on the preparation of the campaign over the past few months, and we are excited to share some really innovative and fun social media content with the audience in 2023.
 
“The brief to our team is to craft campaigns that are fun, engaging, fast-paced and community-minded, and given our area of expertise in strategy, social media engagement and trends, the partnership really is a no-brainer.”
 
Melbourne Social Co, located on Collins Street in Melbourne’s CBD, offers its clients a full-service approach to social media management, working with brands on strategy, content creation, channel management, influencer outreach and paid social media ads management.
 
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Top image: Melbourne Social Co team

Melbourne Social Co has been appointed to manage the TikTok footprint of Playside, the Australian gaming franchise.
 
With a viral sensation such as Dumb Ways To Die, the gaming franchise has turned to the agency and charged it with managing its’ TikTok footprint.

TikTok, being a relatively new platform for business in Australia, Melbourne Social Co is leading the way in brand management on the platform.
 
Working closely with the platform itself, the agency has a dedicated TikTok team in-house and has the ability to work reactively, playing to platform trends and creating trending content in real-time as it happens.

Unlike the more polished content created for the likes of Instagram and Facebook, the agency is seeing real success in unpolished, clever, fun content, and are excited to translate this into meaningful conversions for their clients.

Melbourne Social Co is employing these tactics with the DWTD account, creating content in studio daily and sharing it in real time with the audience – to great success.
 
Jess Randall, Melbourne Social Co’s head of strategy & client relations, said: “We are so excited to onboard a gaming giant such as Playside and their Dumb Ways to Die account. The team are having such a fun time creating content, wearing the iconic beans outfits around Melbourne.”

Melbourne Social Co’s appointment to the Playside account comes after the social media agency was named the social media agency of DoorDash for Australia and New Zealand, after a competitive pitching process.

The agency will utilise its expertise in social media, coupled with its ability to approach the campaign with both strategic thinking and reactiveness to social media trends for the food delivery company.

See also: Melbourne Social Co is appointed as social media agency of DoorDash
 
With offices located on Collins Street in Melbourne’s CBD, the agency offers its clients a full-service approach to social media management, working with brands on strategy, content creation, channel management, influencer outreach and paid social media ads management.
 
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Top image: Melbourne Social Co team

AnalogFolk Australia has announced the appointment of Kim Le Gras as managing partner.

Le Gras brings over 20 years of experience in the marketing industry and a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the independent creative agency.

Le Gras has worked with top-tier clients such as Telstra, Suncorp, Vodafone, Woolmark, Optus, and Kellogg’s.
 
Matt Robinson,CEO of AnalogFolk Australia, welcomed Le Gras to the agency. He said: “We’re incredibly excited to welcome Kim to our team.
 
“Her proven track record in driving results for global brands and her dedication to building strong client relationships aligns perfectly with our values at AnalogFolk. We’re confident that her leadership will propel our agency forward, setting new standards of excellence for our clients and our team.”

Le Gras was also excited about her new role, and said: “I’m thrilled to be joining AnalogFolk Australia during this exciting time of growth and innovation. I look forward to contributing my experience and passion for marketing to help drive the agency’s success and deliver exceptional outcomes for our clients.”

Le Gras’ appointment comes at a pivotal moment for AnalogFolk Australia, as the agency continues to expand its presence and influence within the Australian market following a successful management buyout announced in early March.
 
With her extensive background in leadership, campaign management, and relationship building, Le Gras is poised to make a significant impact on the agency and its clients.

Le Gras’ appointment comes after AnalogFolk Australia announced it has been appointed the creative agency of record for Luxury Tasmanian whisky brand LARK Distilling Co., following a competitive pitch process.

The agency’s remit will include developing the brand strategy, a new creative platform, as well as advertising campaigns, content and digital experiences for the innovative and progressive whisky, including the upcoming winter limited release DARK LARK, dropping June.
 
See also: AnalogFolk Australia appointed the creative agency of record for LARK Distilling Co.
 
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Top image: Kim Le Gras

Gravity Media Australia has confirmed a new technology and production partnership to deliver the complete broadcast of this year’s Powercor Stawell Gift.

Stawell Gift Event Management, the Stawell Athletic Club and 360 Sport + Entertainment have signed Gravity Media Australia to a new multiple year agreement that will see Gravity Media create and produce the complete all-screens Easter Monday coverage of the Powercor Stawell Gift. First run in 1878, today it is Australia’s oldest and richest short distance running race.

This will be Gravity Media’s seventh year at the Powercor Stawell Gift which will be broadcast on the Seven Network on 10 April.

In addition to delivering all broadcast technologies and as “host” broadcast company, Gravity Media has also been appointed by Stawell Gift Event Management as the television production company for the event, creating, producing and delivering the complete television production of the Powercor Stawell Gift.

Gravity Media Australia will access internationally acknowledged camera, broadcast and production technologies designed and developed by Gravity Media.

The production undertaking for this year’s Powercor Stawell Gift in the Grampian Mountains district of western Victoria includes 11 cameras and high definition outside broadcast and production trucks.

The coverage of the Powercor Stawell Gift on the Seven Network will be hosted by Jason Richardson and the commentary team includes David Culbert and Tamsyn Manou.

Murray Emerson, Chair of Stawell Gift Event Management said: “Gravity Media has become a key partner in the delivery of the Powercor Stawell Gift, producing a compelling broadcast watched by more than one-million viewers across the country. Our national broadcast is a chance to showcase this iconic event, and the host venue of Stawell, to the nation and we are pleased to once again work with Gravity Media to deliver world class coverage.”

Trent Taylor, Managing Director, 360 Sport + Entertainment said: “The collaboration between Gravity Media and 360 Sport and Entertainment on the Powercor Stawell Gift is seamless and fully integrated. From broadcast operations to storytelling, the Gravity Media team are always focused on delivering the best possible outcome and working hand in glove with our team. With a long working history between the two organisations, we are thrilled to able to continue to partner with Gravity Media on this historic event.”

Mike Purcell, Head of Production at Gravity Media Australia said: “Gravity Media is proud of its long association with the Stawell Gift. It is an event with a rich and deep history and once again we look forward to producing and delivering a compelling coverage. We appreciate Stawell Gift Management, 360 Sport + Entertainment and the Seven Network once again entrusting Gravity Media Australia with delivering the complete turn-key production of such an iconic sports event in Australia.”

See Also: Gravity Media introduces new remote technology solutions for the Sheffield Shield Final

Deb Tod has been promoted to the new role of Director of Content Partnerships and Sales for BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand, adding affiliate deals to her existing responsibilities for the strategic and team leadership of BBC Studios content sales and co-productions in the region.

Tod’s role involved getting the most impact out of BBC Studios’ content through multi-genre, multi-year deals. As part of the international sales team Tod also inputs into global deals, content partnerships and co-productions on behalf of ANZ and is a core member of the ANZ executive leadership team.

Fiona Lang, General Manager BBC Studios ANZ, said: “Deb is an expert in working with our partners in the region to find the best home for our content. Under her leadership we have secured strong, ongoing relationships with every major FTA and SVOD platform in the market.  Adding carriage renewal deals to Deb’s responsibilities means she will be able to take a holistic, strategic view across all our content partnerships to ensure we are driving the best returns from our programming and I am delighted that she is taking on this new role.”

Deb Tod, Director of Content Partnerships and Sales said: “I’m excited for this new role, and what the future holds. The industry is constantly evolving and BBC Studios has a huge catalogue of quality, in-demand content across every genre and a brand that resonates with audiences. Our ambitious global growth plans mean that pipeline is ever expanding,  with a string of recent deals adding to our stable of wholly owned and invested indies alongside  development deals with the UK’s best creative talents allowing us to have deeper, richer conversations with our partners.” 

Tod has been with BBC Studios ANZ for more than eight years, first joining as a Senior Sales Executive before rising through the ranks. During her time with the company she has overseen the negotiation of numerous key deals including last year’s renewal of a multi-genre, multi-year deal with ABC; natural history deals with Nine and TVNZ and a multi-year deal with Foxtel for Lifestyle content including exclusive access to The Bake Off brand.

Tod is supported in her new role by Senior Content Sales Manager Stephen O’Hanlon, Sales Managers Bruno Liporoni and Melissa Caracatsanis, and Sales Planning and Client Marketing Manager Donna Meaker.

• Creepy crawlies abound on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

Total TV Ratings, March 27

It was the second night of Final Vows on Married At First Sight (MAFS), with two of the three couples calling it quits. It wouldn’t be MAFS without a dramatic walk out, and 1,825,000 watched as Cameron fulfilled the brief perfectly after being rejected by Lyndall, lifting 48%.

The return of RPA took 725,000 behind the scenes of Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, lifting 22%.

It was grand finale night on Australian Survivor, with the final four facing an Immunity Challenge which consisted of standing on some tricky poles and having spikes pushed into their back. After voting George off, 1,010,000 (up 32%) watched as the final three made their pitches to the jury, with 1,094,000 (up 29%) watching as Liz was crowned the winner. 

Overnight TV Ratings, April 3

Primetime News
Seven News 992,000 (6:00pm) / 989,000 (6:30pm)
Nine News 773,000 (6:00pm) / 807,000 (6:30pm)
ABC News 594,000
10 News First 227,000 (5:00pm)/ 195,000 (6:00pm)
SBS World News 136,000 (6:30pm)/ 121,000 (7:00pm)

Daily Current Affairs
A Current Affair 741,000
7.30 508,000
The Project 201,000 6:30pm / 301,000 7pm

Breakfast TV
Sunrise 221,000
Today 198,000
News Breakfast 144,000

Nine has won Monday night with a primary share of 30.1% and a network share of 36.5%. 7Two has topped multichanels with a 3.3% share.

Nine’s A Current Affair looked at the Hillsong church’s spending, and told 741,000 about a video that was made for a principal’s farewell, which featured a section where young boys – some with learning challenges – were mocked. The second part of the Married At First Sight (MAFS) reunion was just as dramatic as the first, with the Reunion Commitment Ceremony taking 1,066,000 viewers to the couch. Tayla put her foot in her mouth by revealing that she and Cam were potentially more than just friends, whilst there was hope for Claire and Jesse despite the cheating scandal. 

Felicity and Tane’s honeymoon was over on Home and Away, with Seven bringing 486,000 to Summer Bay. Two episodes of Highway Patrol then sped the night up for 266,000 and 243,000 respectively. It was movie night for 131,000, with Crazy Rich Asians following. 

The ABC’s 7.30 covered the fallout of the Aston by-election, and told 508,000 about how the anti-vax group My Place is pushing to take ‘control of council decisions’. Australian Story told 416,000 about Mahboba Rawi and Sourosh Cina, who have been evacuating children and staff from their Afghan orphanages following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Four Corners looked into how the classification rules for the Paralympics are regularly bent and broken for 329,000. 

On 10, The Project (201,000 6:30pm / 301,000 7pm) spoke to Senator Andrew Bragg about the future of the Liberal Party, and covered the ‘make under’ beauty trend. I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! checked in with the celebrities roughing it in the jungle, with 465,000 watching participants sticking their hands in boxes full of creepy crawlies. Would I Lie To You? followed with 258,000.

The highest rating non-news show on SBS was Britain by Beach with 93,000.