Of all the media businesses hit hard by Covid-19, none have been more impacted than the live comedy sector. The Melbourne International Comedy Festival was an early victim as were all other shows and tours that were shuttered around the country.

When it comes to major players in the comedy business none are bigger than Kevin Whyte’s Token Artists. Founder and managing director Whyte represents 40+ of Australia’s finest from longtime clients like Wil Anderson, Dave Hughes, Rove and Merrick Watts through to international success stories like Adam Hills, Hannah Gadsby and Josh Thomas. Token also runs the Comedy.com.au touring business which at present is a collection of dates for rescheduled comedy tours.

The faces of Token Artists

Also keeping Whyte busy is his Guesswork Television business and an offshoot TV investment Thinkative TV. Guesswork’s slate includes Hannah Gadsby’s Nanette, Rosehaven, Please Like Me and Get Krackin’. The Thinkative business, where Whyte is in partnership with producer Chris Walker and producer and host Charlie Pickering, is the home of The Weekly and Hard Quiz.

Having a thriving TV business has been helpful as other parts of the company prepare to start up again.

There’s also the Creative Representation business run by Jacinta Waters that reps hundred of actors, directors, writers, broadcasters and presenters.

The biggest TV success running at present is Hard Quiz, hosted by the current Gold Logie winner Tom Gleeson.

“It is such a constant joy that show,” Whyte told Mediaweek. “Chris Walker, Tom Gleeson and the whole team that build it all work so hard and get everything right from the casting to making sure the questions are properly fun. We have a great cross section of contestants all the time. It’s several weeks in a row now where it has been the #1 non-news show on Wednesday nights.

“It’s a really funny show…Tom Gleeson has funny bones. And it’s a really great old school play-along quiz. There is even a board game now!”

Whyte thinks that after a format sale to the Netherlands, there is potential for more. “We have partnered with Hat Trick who have had success with shows like Whose Line Is It Anyway? and Have I Got News for You so we are really confident it will do well. But Hard Quiz is not something you can just push out globally at once. It is about waiting for those times when it will feed a need for a broadcaster. We have had some really good conversations in the US and the UK. With the ratings that Hard Quiz is getting at the moment on the ABC we are not going anywhere fast so we have time to build confidence in the format. It is a sturdy format that works. What people want to see is a history of success and a game they can play.”

Having the Dutch version Hard Spel will also be a valuable sales tool for Hat Trick to take to market.

Thinkative TV’s Chris Walker and Charlie Pickering, with Walker’s partner Carrie Bickmore and her son Oliver

Whyte also noted the success that Walker, Charlie Pickering and producer Jo Long were also having on Wednesday nights with The Weekly. “They had to manage going without an audience and then introducing new cast and new segments this year. Having everyone working remotely was a challenge they met as those weekly news/comedy shows are like newsrooms that rely on people being in constant contact with each other. Being able to do that via a series of meetings on Zoom was a real challenge.

“I also feel Rosehaven couldn’t have found a better time to be on air. We all wish we could go to Tasmania right now. Having it in our living rooms has been great.”

Whyte’s TV success has been largely on the ABC, apart of course with the success The Project has enjoyed, where Whyte contributes talent and runs the business affairs for Roving Enterprises. As to why commercial TV doesn’t go for quirky Australian comedy and satire, he offers: “As the revenue story has gotten more difficult for commercial FTA TV it becomes harder to program outside of primetime in later slots. As a comedy person that is always a disappointment to me. But they aren’t doing it to spite us!”

Tom and Tonightly

Kevin Whyte is as enthusiastic about Tom Ballard and the late lamented Tonightly as Mediaweek was. “Tonightly was great. I was really proud of the ABC for taking it on and giving a group of smart young creatives a lot of space. My understanding of [the cancellation] was that it was strictly a funding call. A lot of people at the ABC where really proud of the show and really sad to see it go. The team created something compelling and I think the stand-up format was really smart. They got rid of the frills and just focused on the words. There wasn’t an episode that I didn’t laugh hard at.

“Audiences are drawn to smart, funny people. People are interested in how other people see the world.”

Exploring audio opportunities

“We are different to most people in the television business because we also have a touring business. We have seen the touring business grind to a halt. Before we were even formally locked down we were talking to Stan about what became the Lockdown Comedy Festival. We developed a production method and got great directors on board like Hayden Guppy and Tim Bartley. We dropped cameras at people’s front doorsteps with instructions of how to set up. We had a director on Zoom directing the action on four separate episodes. It was great to get support from Stan helping people who had just lost their jobs.

“From our artists’ perspective they are looking at the future in lots of different ways. There has been a burst of our clients working on projects in development and we have more people writing books.

“We are also working more in the audio space. That increased audio activity has involved the ABC. There are also a few things in development both with Audible and other parties as well like Spotify.

“One audible project we are working on is from the Kates [Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan] called Slushy, a narrative comedy set in Antarctica.

“Monetising audio has been tricky but there are a few players out there now. We are not at the same level as they are in the US, but we are getting there.”

Building a healthier production sector

“One of the things that worries me about the TV landscape is, when we come out the other side of Covid, and Australian broadcasters are very crafty and entrepreneurial, what will it be like? There are conversations around local content requirements and hopefully we will get a regulatory framework that is going to put Australian IP front and centre. I’d love to be able to see all the great Australian crews working on Australian IP. Ultimately that is what is going to make the sector sustainable. We have always batted above our weight in terms of creativity. We should be realising our ideas for the world – that is what will bring the revenue back in. If the shows are getting made here because they are set here and written here, our directors are going to want to work here with their crews and actors. That’s how we get a sustainable industry. Are we going to see a framework that means some of the money that Australians spend on subscription services remains in Australia making Australian programs?”

Helping comedy clients during Covid

Whyte: “A lot of clients have been looking to us for solutions and confidence at this time. While there has been a little more demand on my managers, having the privilege to work with interesting, smart, thoughtful, insightful and creative people actually helps us through. Where we are really lucky is we are dealing with smart people who are constantly trying to make sense of this for themselves and their audiences. The great secret of management is that it’s a two-way street.”

MiQ, a global programmatic media partner, and Samba TV, a provider of cross-screen television insights and analytics have announced a partnership to leverage TV consumption insights across the largest Smart TV dataset in Australia.

The partnership will allow their clients to tap into opted-in TV viewership data from over 100,000 Australian smart TV households.

Mediaweek spoke with Jason Scott  – the MiQ ANZ CEO – about the partnership and what it means for media buyers in Australia.

“We believe in the world of media the future is going to be personalised, tech-enabled, and data-enhanced which means programmatic tools and tactics are front and centre in relation to media planning and buying. The question on our mind is how do we help fuel the evolution of the pragmatic landscape.”

Samba TV’s viewership data utilises proprietary and privacy-compliant automatic content recognition technology which Scott says will help MiQ get into a really attractive market in terms of television in Australia.

“We have precedent with a similar product in the USA which generates revenue by itself as a product in a pretty buoyant market with the same macro trends as Australia.”

“There’s not many companies in this part of the world that can offer the same services, and we have been working with these guys for a long time. From our perspective, they were the obvious choice.”

The product will allow marketers to have data to help them improve the amplification of their TV investments and to build stronger segmentation for programmatic targeting. Marketers can also use this data to optimise their TV investments and to improve campaign outcomes by retargeting second-screen devices with complimentary ads.

“This data is pretty unique in the sense that people’s viewing habits have changed which has created a lot of challenges in spending your clients’ dollars well.”

“The data boom has created a demand for specialists which is the area that we can really help. Culturally it is a big challenge for marketing companies to hire a different skill set.”

So far only phase one of the product has been launched. Scott discussed with Mediaweek what to expect in the next phase.

“Phase two gives us the data builds and will open up opportunities for marketers to tap into our expertise in connecting the viewership insights into the first-party data sets or third-party audiences. The quest here is to increasingly build out the product so it is delivering more sophisticated audience insights that fuel programmatic activation.”

The Shine Awards, now in their fourth year, celebrate the achievements and contributions of women across rural and regional Australia, recognising unsung leaders and innovators who are making a real difference to their communities.

Audiences will be encouraged to share stories and nominate women through print, digital and social. The campaign will be supported with digital and print advertisements across The Weekly Times, The Mercury, NT News, The Townsville Bulletin and The Toowoomba Chronicle.

Last year’s overall winner, Inverell cattle farmer Margy Perkuhn, was honoured for establishing Fierce Female Farmers, a support initiative in which she distributed care boxes of donated items to farming women in her drought-hit region. She said the awards transformed her life.

“The exposure and recognition from my Shine experience enabled me to reach more rural women than I ever expected,” Ms Perkuhn said.

“It also opened the gateway to a much broader community of people, in particular businesses, who genuinely wanted to help. The award acted as a beacon for many rural women in my own area who took courage from my story to finally reach out for help.”

Penny Fowler, Herald and Weekly Times Chairman and News Corp Australia Community Ambassador said: “The extraordinary adversities Australian communities have confronted in the past year are the worst in a century; crippling drought followed by bushfires and a global pandemic.

“It’s so important for all Australians to hear the stories, to recognise the efforts of our rural and regional women and for us to continue to support these communities.

“We are so proud, as a company, to partner with Katie Page and Harvey Norman to share these extraordinary stories.”

Harvey Norman CEO Katie Page said: “We are thrilled and humbled to be partnering with The Weekly Times for the fourth year of the Shine Awards. 2020 is a year like no other, but we must not let the isolation created by the pandemic hide those women working tirelessly to maintain the energy and vitality of the local community and economy.

“Please give special consideration to the women in your life, in your community, who are the life-blood of local health services, local education and local employment.  

“High standards of health care, education and good jobs – that is what keeps families in local regions for generations. 

“When you nominate a woman that you admire for the Shine Awards it is the ultimate expression of gratitude.”

Shine Awards editor Camille Smith said: “Last year’s 18 Shine Awards finalists were all powerhouse women. From a humble farmer at Inverell, NSW, who quietly founded a drought-support campaign that captured the attention of the nation to a talented para-equestrian from Healesville, Victoria, aiming for the next Olympics, these women all achieved great things individually while also inspiring others.”

Over the next three months, The Weekly Times as well as other News Corp Australia titles across print and digital, will highlight the outstanding work by women on farms and off them, in rural towns across Australia, in community groups and sporting clubs, in businesses, schools and homes.

The awards will culminate with a special 32-page Shine magazine in The Weekly Times on November 18 to announce award winners in six categories: Dedication, Spirit, Belief, Grace, Passion and Courage; plus an overall winner.

Each category winner will be awarded a $2500 voucher from Harvey Norman. The overall Shine winner will be awarded $5000.

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Top photo: Margy Perkuhn

The 2020 season of The Block will see Ford and Catch.com.au join the show for the first time as major partners while Aldi, hipages, Lite n’ Easy, Mitre 10, Suncorp, McCafé, Domain, BlueScope and the a2 Milk Company have all renewed their exclusive partnerships following the success of previous seasons. 

“We are thrilled to welcome back these major returning brands for our 2020 season, but we are equally excited to have new brands come on board for the journey. The show consistently delivers results for our clients and that is why we continue to see them returning year after year,” said Nine’s Director of Powered, Liana Dubois.

Dubois noted the research conducted by fiftyfive5 on The Block’s audience that highlighted how the show had created its own unique fandom, built around interest in renovation/home improvement which major partners were tapping into. 

“Our research shows that the brands who integrate into The Block are reaching an audience which is not only highly engaged but dedicated, keen to participate, and willing to invest in bringing their home improvement passion to life.

“It is clear that fans of The Block will spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on that passion – making them a lucrative group for marketers to cultivate.”

The major partnerships for 2020 include:

• Aldi, another major brand coming back on board this year to feature as a broadcast media partner. Aldi. Good. Different.
• BlueScope, who will showcase a range of COLORBOND steel colours in a stunning matt finish and the inner strength of house frames made from TRUECORE steel.
• Catch.com.au, putting a fun spin on delivering anything and everything to the Blockheads throughout the series.
• Domain, which will own key property moments in the program to educate Blockheads and viewers on important real estate milestones.
• Ford Australia, joining The Block as the official automotive partner this season. Showcasing a portfolio of vehicles including the Ford Everest SUV, Ford Ranger pick-up and Transit Custom
• Hipages in their second year, connecting Blockheads with trusted tradies through their online platform.
• Lite n’ Easy, who will again be fuelling the Blockheads, ensuring they have healthy, nutritious, delicious meals and snacks to get them through the mammoth renovation.
• McCafé, returning to keep the Blockheads on the go with an onsite barista-operated caravan and McDelivery services.
• Mitre 10, The Block’s longest serving partner, who will not only be providing building materials and hardware but “Mighty Helpful” service and advice to contestants every step of the way.
• Suncorp, there to assist the Blockheads more than ever with their budgets and supporting game-changing ideas.
• The a2 Milk Company, inspiring Blockheads to be at their best with deliveries of delicious a2 Milk throughout the series, and giving much needed support to them and their loved ones on the journey.

New research recently delivered at Powered by Nine’s Big Ideas Store looked at “E-fan-gelism”, the study of fandom in Australian culture. The research found that 24 per cent of Australians are fans of something, and the core value drawing fans to The Block is a drive to “discover new ways to see and do things”. 

As the Big Ideas Store showed, fans of the show associate it with deep knowledge, creative thinking and learning something new. The research also found that The Block offers escapism and entertainment, while enabling fans to replicate parts of the show that they love.

Liana Dubois said: “Our deep-dive research on fans associated with The Block truly attests to the power of the show. It not only has the influence to entertain and engage, it also has the ability to deliver effective advertising solutions that grow brands and sales.”

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Top photo: George and Sarah having a coffee from McCafé

Past winners of this prestigious award have included Killing Eve and The Handmaid’s Tale. Upright has been nominated alongside Euphoria, Succession, Game of Thrones, Agatha Raisin and Frankie Drake Mysteries.

Upright, produced by Jason Stephens from Lingo Pictures, launched earlier this month on SundanceNow in the US. The series is co-written, and stars Australian actor, comedian and musician Tim Minchin. The actor also wrote some of the songs performed in the show, including Carry You (co-wrote with Missy Higgins), which he recently performed to close the BAFTAs.

The team behind Upright also includes Chris Taylor (satirical comedy group The Chaser), Niki Aken and award-winning writer-actors Kate Mulvany (Fighting Season) and Leon Ford (Offspring, No Activity). The director is Matthew Saville (Please Like Me). Minchin has also written the music for the series and is executive producer with Penny Win and Helen Bowden.

Umbrella Academy is still number one and continues to enjoy the momentum it has created with its second season being released last month.

The show has continued the trend of Netflix shows dominating the charts with them making up 40% of the Digital Original charts in both Australia and NZ.

The main movement on the charts is the Netflix Original The Crown which has confirmed the shows fourth season’s release date to be November 15. The program has also confirmed that it will revert to the original plan of six seasons after previously announcing a plan to end the show after five. Elizabeth Debicki has been confirmed to play Princess Diana in seasons five and six.

One show to keep an eye on is The Mandalorian which has performed extremely well since its release on November 12 staying around the top three shows in both Australia and NZ every week, often as #1. The show is nearing 10 months of this consistent performance since its release, and may not slow down with season two due out in October.

Seven News 1,120,000/1,074,000
Nine News 1,017,000/986,000
A Current Affair 818,000
ABC News 802,000
7.30 573,000
The Project 352,000/558,000
10 News 394,000/254,000
Sunrise 250,000
Today 216,000
News Breakfast 155,000
SBS World News 173,000
The Drum 207,000
Nine News Late Edition 252,000
The Latest 176,000

Seven: Without any tent pole programming last night at 7:30 pm Seven aired Inside The Crown: The Secrets of the Royals which had 425,000 viewers. The non-news top performer last night was The Chase Australia with 656,000 and Home and Away with 627,000. Seven was ranked second in both primary and network share with 17.2% and 26.3%.

Nine: The Block led Nine to a primary channel win with 21.0% and network win with 29.3%. The Block had 762,000 tune in last night which was an increase on the 738,000 the show had on Monday night and an improvement on the 626,000 by Ninja Warrior Australia v The World which was in the 7:30 pm slot last week. Halifax: Retribution saw the return of Rebecca Gibney as Jane Halifax for the first time in almost 20 years as Nine aired back to back episodes in its premier achieving 544,000 and 469,000 respectively.

10: 10 had a primary share of 12.7% and a network share of 18.2% after The Masked Singer Australia produced 717,000 viewers with 810,000 which was down from the 806,000/916,000 that the show had last Tuesday. The singing competition also managed to win all key demos.

ABC: Anh’s Brush with Fame featured Sophie Delezio as the pair brought in 603,000 viewers as ABC had a primary share of 13% and a network share of 17%. 

SBS: SBS’s top performers were Great Asian Railway Journeys which had 296,000 and The Salisbury Poisonings with 257,000. The public broadcaster had a primary share of 5.6% and a network share of 9.2%.