Mediaweek has continued to grow its industry-leading media and creative agency content by making a new key hire and by investing in new infrastructure. 

The vertical will continue to be led by agency editor Alisha Buaya, who is now joined by senior journalist Amy Shapiro. 

Shapiro joins the company from Misfits Media and will start on August 14.

Buaya joined Mediaweek in 2022 after seven years at the Daily Mail where she worked in both the Sydney and London offices. Before Misfits Media, Shapiro spent two and a half years at Media Hub Global.

Mediaweek is also announcing a new process for its Media Agency Hot List and Ad Placement of the Month columns, which will now be penned by Buaya. The articles will now have an official nomination process powered through the Award Force platform, with a set of judges each month. This will add an extra sense of objectivity and provide a streamlined process to the industry.

The Agency 50 which will be announced on October 13, will also now have a more robust approach by having an official considerations process to allow the industry a chance to submit their case for one of the most influential lists in the industry. 

These changes coincide with the departure of Greg Graham from the company who spent 18 successful months with Mediaweek. We wish Greg the best with his next project, and will allow him to announce the details himself. 

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Top Image: Alisha Buaya and Amy Shapiro

On Tuesday, July 18th, the QT Gold Coast opened its doors to the fifth Ministry of Sport Women In Sport Summit. The conference brought together people from every corner of the sporting world to celebrate and elevate women’s sport, all focussing on this year’s theme: Face your Identity.

One of the major focuses of the conference was the rise in viewership for women’s sport – something the country has definitely proven in the weeks since, with millions tuning in to cheer on the Matildas. 

Between Women In Sport Summit sessions, Mediaweek caught up with Clare Stewart-Hunter (head of client and creative services at Gemba), and Toby Dewar (director of customer engagement at Foxtel Media).

Clare Stewart-Hunter and Toby Dewar

Presenting the full results of their research into the rise of women’s sports viewership at their Women In Sport Summit panel, Stewart-Hunter gave Mediaweek a run-through of the biggest takeaways that the team discovered. 

Stewart-Hunter: “Foxtel Media commissioned Gemba to run some research 12 months ago, looking at women’s sports viewership and consumption habits. We’ve run that research again in April and May this year, and seen some really big differences from how things were a year ago to where they are now. 

“In terms of the key findings of that research, probably the biggest one was that, overall, the audience is growing. We’ve seen an 18% increase in the past 12 months, so now we have over 7 million viewers of women’s sport in Australia. That’s come up from around 6 million. 

“That audience has come from both more Australians watching sport in general, and more viewers of men’s sport now watching women’s sport. Traditionally, there are more male viewers than female viewers for women’s sport, but among the female viewers, we are seeing that the 18 to 34 year old audience are the ones who are really leaning in.”

As more and more audiences show up to cheer on women’s sport, so too do more brands show up to back them. 

Dewar: “In terms of the role that businesses play to drive women’s sport, the investment from brands is really important. 

“The return back to brands is quite a unique thing. You see in the research that a lot of the brands improved from a reputation perspective, or were recognised in their support of the community, or in moving first to make a difference. There’s no better payoff than women’s sport in driving those outcomes.”

NRLW

It’s not just the brands backing the biggest events that get to reap the benefits either, with Dewar pointing out that brands will receive that positive recognition no matter which level of sport they support – as long as they’re there showing up.

Dewar: “What we see is there’s the need to be present throughout the year. The World Cup is brilliant, I think the work that Optus, Nike, and all these brands are doing at the moment is amazing. What happens next, in the month after, is a key question when those big moments go. 

“The benefit of brands investing in women’s sport is beyond the game. It’s the whole 24/7 nature of what they do, and therefore what brands are doing really smartly is they’re following different codes, or they’re supporting at a broad level, or they’re trying to optimise the presence across the year. With the World Cup once every four years, it’s harder to do that – although now is the exception. The benefit of Kayo is that we provide 52 weeks of the year of interest and engagement.”

The growth in viewership for women’s sport is rapid, and shows no sign of slowing down. Despite this, it’s not quite on equal footing with men’s sport just yet, with the pair pointing out that the challenge now lies in establishing a pattern of behaviour. 

Stewart-Hunter: “We need to grow female viewers of women’s sport as much as male viewers. 40% of females said they would watch more women’s sport, but don’t know when it’s on, and that was much higher than male viewers. That early planning, programming, and prompting them is going to be really important to grow that audience.”

Dewar: “One of the key things is that people don’t have the rusted on behaviour of knowing when your team or your code is playing – that hasn’t landed yet. Imagine the moment when people know that the start of the season is this day, or the Grand Final is that day. 

“That, to me, is the responsibility of the codes to better plan and the broadcasters to better promote – and I think that’s where the brands can also activate that further as well. If we can bring them into the conversation, a key part of the Gemba research found that more time for planning better experiences and better fan engagement, that will help those other elements along.”

AFLW

Looking ahead, however, Stewart-Hunter points out that the biggest hurdle has already been passed in that regard – people want to watch women’s sport, and want to engage.

Stewart-Hunter: “One of the biggest opportunities we saw amongst viewers around what they wanted to see was the accessibility and the quality of content – but not just the live broadcast, in and around that as well. We’ve heard panels at the Summit talking about what Kayo are doing around Minis, and a lot of the panels are talking about the storytelling opportunity for athletes. I think that’s where brands can play a really powerful role. 

“With female athletes being seen as good role models, the sport being fun to watch, and that there are inspiring stories – people know that’s there, but they need to be able to access that and see that content.”

Paramount president and chief executive Bob Bakish (above) has delivered the company’s results for Q2 2023. The focus continues to be on direct-to-consumer via Paramount+ and Pluto TV.

Overall TV continues to deliver the lion’s share of dollars – US$5.157b in Q2 versus US$1.665b for direct-to-consumer and $831m for film. [All amounts are in US$.]

Those numbers represent a drop of 2% year-on-year for TV, and 30% for film. The latter mainly because of the comparison to the same quarter last year where Top Gun: Maverick boosted box office.

Tom Cruise impact was less in Q2 2023

The direct-to-consumer (DTC) growth for the quarter year-on-year was an impressive 40%. If that growth trajectory in a little over 12 months DTC revenue could be close to 50% of what TV brings in.

Overall Paramount lost $299m for Q2 2023, down from a profit of $419m in Q2 2022. DTC losses for the quarter were $424m, improving slightly on $445m 12 months ago.

Upon releasing the results, Bakish said: “In Q2, we maintained our focus on scaling our streaming platforms, maximising our traditional business, and building a sustainable business model that will return the company to significant earnings growth in 2024.

“Notably, Paramount+ revenue grew 47%, total DTC ad revenue increased 21%, and global viewing hours on Paramount+ and Pluto TV were up 35% year-over-year. And despite the environment, TV media continued to contribute significant earnings. As we look forward, we will continue to be guided by our content-first approach and seek to maximise its value across platforms and revenue streams, while also operating with the utmost efficiency through this year of peak streaming investment.”

Paramount doesn’t break out details of how its business performs in Australia. The results included a reference to the recent launch of Pluto TV locally. There was also a reference to the launch of ad-supported Paramount+ tiers in certain markets which might include Australia.

Lioness Special Ops

Paramount library key to growth

Key to much of Paramount’s future is its content library, said Bakish. Those vaults contain over 200,000 TV episodes and 4,000 movies. “That irreplaceable library is a critical driver of Paramount+, Pluto TV, linear and licensing. That is coupled with our production capabilities that span the world. From Hollywood to key global markets including the UK and Australia. In scripted, unscripted, animation and live action.”

When it came to specific mention of product, Bakish referred to the latest Taylor Sheridan production Special Ops: Lioness, calling it Paramount+’s “most-watched global series premiere” in just 24 hours on the service.

International content powerhouse

With short-term US productions on hold due to strike action, Bakish referred to what the company is delivering outside the US. “Our international production capabilities see more than 85 scripted and unscripted Paramount+ originals already produced, in production or greenlit. There are 20 local versions of global unscripted formats slated to debut in 2024.

“The power and quality of our content engine is a key competitive advantage for us.

“We are evolving our streaming content slate to super-serve key target audiences more efficiently. This is based on all we have learned since Paramount+ launched.

Paramount Direct to consumer

The company reported it continues to progress on the path to streaming scale and profitability. In Q2, revenue growth was driven by subscriber growth and improvements in engagement and monetisation. DTC remains on track to drive significant earnings improvement in 2024.

* Revenue increased 40% year-over-year.

 Subscription revenue grew 47% to over $1.2b, driven by subscriber growth on Paramount+.
 Advertising revenue rose 21%, driven by higher impressions for Paramount+ and Pluto TV.
 Paramount+ revenue grew 47%, driven by subscriber growth and increased advertising revenue.

* Paramount+ subscribers reached approximately 61m, with growth of 0.7m additions in the quarter.

TV Media

Paramount reported TV Media contributed “significant revenue and earnings, benefiting from diversification of revenue streams, pricing strategies, and focused cost management. TV Media continues to yield revenue performance that outpaces audience trends.”

* Q2 Revenue was $5.2b:

 Affiliate and subscription revenue declined 2%, primarily reflecting the impact from subscriber declines, partially offset by pricing increases.
 Advertising revenue decreased 10%, reflecting continued softness.

Filmed Entertainment

The division includes theatrical, streaming, and licensing. Q2 included the extension of the franchise Transformers with the #1 box office debut of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.

* Revenues decreased 39%, driven by lower theatrical revenues due to the release of Top Gun: Maverick in the prior-year period.

Closing the book on publishing division

Shortly before Bob Bakish delivered the latest financials, Paramount reported the sale of its publishing division Simon and Schuster. The buyer is private equity investor giant KKR and the price was $1.62b.

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement on a transaction that delivers excellent value to Paramount shareholders while also positioning Simon & Schuster for its next phase of growth with KKR,” said Bakish. “The proceeds will give Paramount additional financial flexibility and greater ability to create long-term value for shareholders, while also delivering our balance sheet.”

See also: 10 Play getting 50+ new FAST channels as Paramount launches Pluto TV in Australia

Mak Media (formerly Mac Advertising) was established over 43 years ago by Alex and Mary McCormick as an independent full-service agency catering to regional Queensland.

Clint Corbett first crossed paths with the McCormick’s as they were one of his first clients during his stint as general sales manager for DMG Regional Radio (before it became SCA).

After his time with the SCA brand, Corbett moved into the OOH industry before joining the agency following discussions with Alex, whom he called his mentor.

In January 2019, Corbett joined the agency and, by October, stepped up to lead as Alex and Mary McCormick stepped back.

Corbett spoke to Mediaweek about being a one-stop shop for their clients, maintaining good relationships with their longstanding clients and the future of Mak Media.

Corbett is Mak Media’s business owner and director and oversees the leadership, operation, strategy, planning and delivering value for clients.

The full-service agency’s strength is in media buying and planning, including Traditional, Digital, and Programmatic media.

“We offer our clients integrated campaigns across all media platforms and ensure our regional clients have access to all media offerings (just like the Capital City’s),” he said.

“Many clients describe us as a one-stop shop or an extension of their Marketing team. As a regional agency, we are proud to foster close working relationships with all our clients,” he added.

Corbett on Mak Media’s client portfolio

Corbett shared that the agency has maintained multiple longstanding clients for over 30 years – NQ Auto Group, Intersport Townsville. He noted that while their client portfolio centres mainly on the regional Queensland area, they have many clients in Brisbane and Newcastle.

Corbett said about their foundation clients: “They’re what the business was built off, and we pride ourselves on our close relationships with those clients. As director of the business, I lead from the front and am in regular contact with all of the clients, along with members of our team helping in different areas, but I’m still very much hands-on with client management.”

Corbett said that being a smaller boutique agency and being hands allows them to be nimble and quick when people or clients need things to happen at short notice.

On the other side of their client relationships is their media relationships. Corbett lauded the ground by Mak Media’s previous owners on cultivating these relationships and business ties, which the agency has continued. These ties, paired with Corbett’s experience in radio, TV, and OOH with billboards, have given the agency a good relationship with the media.

The agency’s recent client wins include Cairns’ Westco Motors, Cazalys – also in Cairns, and Wilmar Sugar.

Mak Media services a range of national clients to businesses from furniture stores to hairdressers and residential and commercial real estate. Other clients include Queensland Country Bank and Queensland Country Health Fund.

What sets Mak Media apart and how the agency performed in 2022

Corbett shared that several outstanding aspects set Mak Media apart – notably being an agency servicing regional clients from the northern part of Queensland, Townsville, Cairns, and even travelling down to Brisbane.

“We’re strong with clients up in this region, but then yet through referrals and introductions, we do win business when we talk to people and present what we can do,” he said.

As a small agency of 11, the team regularly travel to meet with clients who range from local businesses to multinational companies. The small team is also nimble and can make quick decisions when necessary.

“We’re used to dealing with local businesses and are very upfront with what we do. Whether it’s me and the sales and management side or the finance team, we try to keep very in touch with our clients and ensure everything’s done right,” Corbett added.

In terms of agency performance, Corbett noted that business for the agency has seen continued growth year-on-year and investment in staff and technology.

“Both FY 2022 and now FY 2023 have shown double-digit growth. Digital Media has been a big growth area,” he said.

Being part of the IMAA and the exciting things to come for Mak Media

Corbett shared that significant investments in their media and creative technology will ensure that the agency can continue to improve its offering to regional clients and for the agency to be at the forefront of the industry, and grow its business.

Corbett shared that since taking over the business, he and the team know their offering had to be on par with what other agencies around the country and in capital cities were offering. Part of that has been heavily investing in programmatic media buying.

“For me, it was the fact that we have some state- and national-level clients. I felt that we needed to be able to offer them what they could get provided if they were dealing with a capital city agency, and if we didn’t, we were at risk. So, we needed to step up to the plate, and that took a lot of time and investment to dabble in that field.

Mak Media also invested in software to manage processes that streamline work and improve efficiency for staff and clients when delivering on time.

“I believe we’re competitive with what we offer, not just from a price point of view, but from the service offering. I believe we are competitively priced as well. We buy regional media very well and have great working relationships with all our media providers,” Corbett added.

Mak Media joined the IMAA in September of 2022, and during their almost one year of membership with the industry body, Corbett shared that he and his team have had a great and successful experience.

“The Team at the IMAA have been fantastic to deal with, and it’s great to have access to the Webinars and IMAA Academy and Resource Hub,” he said.

“For a regional Agency, it is great to have a group of like-minded business professionals (Agencies) that, over time, we can meet and network with,” Corbett highlighted.

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Top image: Clint Corbett

By James Dixon, Chief Digital Officer, Atomic 212°

In a fractured and skeptical market, business success relies on effective collaboration between departments. The perceived divide between CMOs and CFOs is perhaps the most commonly identified issue that can hinder business growth and brand development, but what are the facts?

At the recent Cannes advertising festival, leading B2B marketing agency Transmission discussed the findings of its latest global study in partnership with Savanta to highlight the contrasting perspectives of CMOs and CFOs across various markets. The findings of the study, which surveyed a professional panel of 414 B2B organisations, are frankly dire. It reveals that only 36% of CFOs have complete confidence in their CMOs’ decision-making regarding marketing budgets; a figure likely influenced by the fact that 67% of CMOs struggle to prove the commercial value of brand marketing to the board. According to Transmission, while CMOs placed importance on brand awareness, consideration, and market share, CFOs focused on metrics related to revenue growth, profit margin, and customer retention.

Other important callouts in the study include:

• 42% of CFOs do not believe that the health of their brand has a direct impact on the health of their business.
• 69% of CFOs consider brand marketing as an expense rather than a revenue driver.
• 84% of CFOs believe that B2B buyers do not select suppliers based on their brand.
• 75% of CMOs think the health of their brand has a direct impact on the health of their business, but 67% struggle to prove its commercial value to the board.

The gap between CFO and CMOs’ views certainly underscores the need for better communication and collaboration if CMOs want to secure additional resources, but proving ROI is critical. To place a local lens on the issue, we spoke to 15 leading CFOs in the Australian market with the help of CFO leadership expert and author of CFO of the Future, Alena Bennett, to get an understanding of their priorities and how marketing may or may not factor in. The research reveals a potential silver lining for Australian CMOs and provides insights on how they can effectively communicate with CFOs to bridge the gap.

The CFOs interviewed work across both B2B and B2C. Forty-three per cent of them acknowledged marketing as significant or very significant to achieving the priorities for the business in FY24. What were those priorities? Unsurprisingly, growth was the most common answer, followed by an improved approach to market.

Marketing was, in fact, the third most likely department to be ranked as having the most important role in delivering these priorities when CFOs were asked to rank sales, HR, finance, marketing, IT and others. Sales ranked as the most important, followed by others.

While Transmission has already supplied plenty of useful quantitative figures, what we really wanted to get to the bottom of was the qualitative. It’s all well and good to point out that of 15 CFOs, several actually view marketing as important, but the juicy stuff kicked in when we asked why that was the case – or perhaps more importantly – why it wasn’t.

When asked to nominate the biggest factor in deciding how to allocate corporate budget across functions, 53% of our CFOs gave answers that broadly pertained to financial or strategic outcomes. Specifically, they were looking to “support resources that contribute to current objectives”, find a “return on working capital”, and deliver a “return on investment and alignment with the company’s overall objectives”. On the more pragmatic side, two answers were simply “necessity” and “revenue”.

The one CFO who ranked marketing as “very significant” in achieving their FY24 priorities attributed their answer to needing to “gain larger and more corporate clients” and a “need to ensure our brand and reputation suits this”. They added: “Sales and marketing are the biggest drivers of growth for the business.”

Many marketers would be envious of the CMO who has a CFO with that view, but it provides two very important insights. The first is obvious: CMOs must communicate their budget requests as an investment that drives real growth for the business. And they need to communicate their requests in terms that highlight the clear ROI – move beyond cost for brand health and towards investment in customer acquisition.

Of course, it’s not that simple, but during a session at Cannes presented by The Wall Street Journal, Deloitte Digital’s US Chief Marketing Officer, Mark Singer, gave a succinct explanation. He said CMOs need to stop treating their CFO as a numbers person and more as a business person: they don’t want to talk budgets, they want to talk about business growth and investment opportunities. Understand this and make efforts to earn their trust by speaking this language.

The second insight is the link between sales and marketing. While three CFOs interviewed ranked marketing as the most important role in delivering priorities, seven ranked sales at the top. There is a real opportunity for CMOs to clearly identify how their efforts are linked to supercharging the sales department’s efforts and ultimately provide growth at the bottom line. This was also something Singer was careful to point out, drawing specific attention to the need to unify the messaging of the sales and marketing department, ensuring the two work in lockstep to give an exponential boost to ROI and increase the visibility of marketing’s role as a growth driver in the business.

These insights were echoed by the seven CFOs we spoke to who ranked marketing as “significant” to achieving their FY24 priorities. They claimed marketing is directly linked to the “growth of sales”, helping clients “find solutions that provide efficiencies and cost savings”, and “deciding which events and customer promotions can assist in meeting top line figures”. It’s not surprising then, that compared to the eight CFOs who ranked marketing as very significant or significant, seven of our fifteen CFOs believe the CMO or marketing department have set a clear budget and clear ROI in line with business priorities.

What about the CFOs who didn’t see marketing as significant? Their views were split almost evenly between two camps: those who said their marketing efforts could improve – indicating an openness to new initiatives that can deliver growth – and those who believed their marketing efforts had already reached their ceiling. Those in the second camp drew this conclusion from either a perceived lack of relevance to some consumer segments or, in one CFO’s words: “Marketing has already laid the groundwork. Now it’s more about conversion through sales and delivery.”

Considering this, the CMO’s role should become clear: CFOs are, perhaps, willing to have their minds changed on marketing if the CMO can present clear and evidence-based opportunities for growth, prove the relevancy of their efforts to prioritised consumer segments, and draw a clear line between their work and boosting the productivity of the sales department.

Alena Bennett agrees: “A strong partnership between a CFO and CMO is an incredibly powerful asset to an organisation looking for data-driven growth. In fact, I see the CFO and CMO as unexpected allies, both steadfast in the pursuit of growth and predictability of performance. When I see this partnership work, marketing is a genuine performance lever that has the potential to reduce the uncertainty that’s so rife in today’s commercial climate.”

While the CFOs we spoke to by no means provide an exhaustive or definitive view of CFO sentiment nation-wide, the outlook is certainly not as grim as a quick look at Transmission’s numbers might imply. Positive relationships do exist between CFOs and CMOs in our market, when the two can align on priorities and make efforts to speak the same language. For those who don’t feel they are there yet, assess what you’re asking for, determine how aligned it is with the business priorities and work out how to position your strategy as a business opportunity not a cost. You may be pleasantly surprised.

On Friday night, The Brag Media held its inaugural Twilio Segment Variety Australia CMO Dinner, bringing together some of the country’s top entertainment, tech, and business CMOs for a night of networking and entertainment.

Headlining the event at Pyrmont’s waterfront Italian seafood restaurant, Sala, was American entrepreneur, author, and speaker Gary Vaynerchuk (aka Gary Vee).

Gary Vee is presented with a Rolling Stone sneaker (Photo: Robert Meredith)

Vaynerchuk is often cited as one of the leading global minds in business, who can foresee, interpret, and distil future trends. He is also a master at growing brands, leveraging consumer insights and spotting emerging companies worthy of attention and investment.

Photo: Jess Gleeson

Reflecting on the evening, The Brag Media’s CEO, Luke Girgis said “A huge thanks to everyone who attended the inaugural Variety Australia CMO Dinner, and to our awesome partner Twilio. It was so great to see the industry’s best marketers creating connections over a night of open discussion, incredible food and the kind of company most advertising execs dream of.

“It was such an inspiring night, of course highlighted by Gary Vee whose engaging and thought-provoking discussion with the room challenged each CMOs to use their collective $1b of Australian marketing budget to reach audiences in new and innovative ways. I’m already looking forward to the next one!”

Luke Girgis interviews Gary Vee (Photo: Damien Ford)

The evening also saw some big announcements, including Seven‘s chief marketing and audience officer, Melissa Hopkins telling the room that the broadcaster would be entering into a strategic partnership with VaynerMedia.

The announcement was made during a panel hosted by The Brag editor in chief, Poppy Reid.

Poppy Reid hosts a panel at the Variety CMO Dinner (Photo: Damien Ford)

Speaking to the room, Hopkins, said: “Seven has a bold ambition to reshape how Australians interact and connect with its brand. We couldn’t be more proud to collaborate with Gary Vaynerchuk’s VaynerMedia to push the marketing boundaries and set new standards.”

See Also: Seven to enter strategic partnership with VaynerMedia

The seventh video in Social Soup‘s What Good Influence Looks Like content series discusses the significance of online reviews as a powerful form of influence in consumer decision-making.

Over the past decade, the importance of reviews has grown significantly, with more than 99% of consumers trusting online reviews before making purchases. The reviews have a substantial impact, influencing 93% of consumers’ purchasing decisions. So, building a strong review presence is crucial for being considered during purchase decisions.

The key points to understand when it comes to online reviews are:

1- Importance of Reviews: Research highlights that even just five reviews can increase the likelihood of product purchase by 270%. The average consumer reads around 10 reviews before trusting a business.

2- Factors for Impactful Reviews:

• Relevance: Reviews provide insight into how a product fits into people’s lives, influencing 84% of consumers. They help potential buyers understand the product better.
• Recency: Constantly updated reviews are important, as 48% of consumers focus on reviews from the past two weeks.
• Richness: Shoppers seek detailed content, including photos and videos of products in real-life situations. Authenticity is crucial, including both positive and negative aspects. In fact, 82% of consumers look for negative reviews to establish credibility.

3- Shift to Social Media: Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok have become search engines for reviews. User-generated content with relevant hashtags and brand tags serves as real-world reviews.

4- Proactive Reviews Program: To harness the power of reviews, it’s recommended to establish a proactive reviews program. This involves strategically deciding where reviews will have the most impact and ensuring they are authentic, rich in content, and relevant to the audience.

In today’s consumer landscape, reviews play a pivotal role and a well-executed reviews strategy can significantly influence consumer perceptions and decisions.

See Also: What Good Influence Looks Like: Five key areas for planning good influencer marketing
See Also: What Good Influence Looks Like: Moving from “influencer” to influence
See Also: What Good Influence Looks Like: TikTok in Omni-influence planning
See Also: What Good Influence Looks Like: Best practices for marketing on TikTok
See Also: What Good Influence Looks Like: Launching a new product
See Also: What Good Influence Looks Like: TGA Guidelines for influencer marketing

Are Media has announced the appointment of Georgie Abay as editor of its market-leading fashion and beauty brand, marie claire, effective 11 September 2023.

An experienced editor, journalist, author, podcaster and entrepreneur, who has worked across the globe from London to Dubai to Sydney, Georgie joins Are Media most recently from MECCA Brands, where she was the acting head of content & editorial strategy before moving onto content manager for M-Power, the company’s social-change programme that focuses on the advancement of gender equality.

Before MECCA Brands, Abay founded and ran The Grace Tales, a successful digital lifestyle platform for mums that she established in 2013. She also co-authored in 2019 her first book, Grace Mothers: Letters To Our Children, her second book, This Is Me, in 2020, and last year released her first solo book, the acclaimed Best Laid Plans.

Abay’s stellar resume includes six years as deputy editor at Vogue Australia and deputy editor and fashion features director at Harper’s BAZAAR, as well as a stint as head of AllBright Australia, the world’s leading career network for women.

Are Media’s general manager of Fashion and Beauty, Nicky Briger, said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Georgie to marie claire: as a passionate storyteller, content creator and entrepreneur with exceptional experience across fashion, beauty and lifestyle, I know she’ll steer this award-winning brand to dizzying new heights. 

“marie claire has a proud 28-year history of agenda-setting journalism. It’s an iconic and intelligent global brand for women of style and substance, which makes Georgie the perfect fit to work alongside MC’s talented, experienced team.”

Abay said of her role with the publication: “I’ve worked in the media for over two decades, so to become editor of Australia’s leading fashion brand is a dream come true. marie claire combines everything I’m passionate about – high-end glamour and rigorous journalism that unashamedly champions female empowerment.

“Throughout my career, my main goal has been to inspire and connect with women by sharing their many stories, and marie claire has been doing just that for 28 years via its award-winning journalism, events and campaigns. I can’t wait to work for this iconic brand – and with the amazing marie claire team – to supercharge its exceptional content across all platforms.”

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Top image: Georgie Abay

Barbie remains at the top of the Australian box office

This weekend, the Australian box office made $23,053,978, down 21% from last week’s $29,126,450. 

Flat feet or not, Warner Bros’ Barbie is showing no signs of slowing down, holding the number one spot for the third weekend in a row! While Aussie fans continue to pile into cinemas (bringing in $11.4 million, down 34%), globally, the film has surpassed the $1 billion mark, making director Greta Gerwig the first solo female director with a billion-dollar movie.

Universal’s Oppenheimer has also proven to be an ongoing box-office sensation, bringing in $5.1 million for its third weekend, down 21%. 

Coming in at number three and making its debut was Warner Bros’ Meg 2: The Trench. Starring Jason Statham, the action-horror flick took $3.1 million for its first outing at the movies.

Fans also once again went to the cinemas to watch Paramount’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. The Tom Cruise-led action movie came in at number four and brought in just over $800,000 for its fourth week in cinemas, down 40%.

And finally, rounding out the top five was Maslow Entertainment’s Talk to Me with the film taking $660k for its second week in cinemas, down 15%.

Falling out of the top five this weekend was Grange House’s Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, Transmission’s The Miracle Club (debut), Walt Disney’s Elemental, Walt Disney’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, China Lion’s Never Say Never.

#1 Barbie – $11,474,785

Foxtel Media has delivered strong numbers over the last week of streaming viewing, with over 411 million minutes viewed across platforms.

Sport dominated viewing preferences throughout the week, scoring 18 out of the top 20 spots in terms of minutes viewed on BVOD from July 31- August 6, 2023.

The AFL Hawthorn vs Collingwood match took the top spot for the week, with a total of 41.9 million minutes viewed, according to OzTAM’s VPM reporting.

The NRL Cowboys vs Broncos match came in at number 3 with over 29.4 million minutes viewed, with the NRL Dolphins vs Knights game securing the fourth spot, with over 28.8 million minutes viewed.

Final figures for the matches were calculated using BVOD viewing minutes for Foxtel GO, Foxtel NOW and Kayo Sports, with Kayo Sports converting to OzTAM’s VPM services in June this year. OzTAM’s VPM captures minute-by-minute data on participating broadcasters’ BVOD content played on connected devices such as smartphones, tablets, connected TVs, gaming consoles, desktops and laptops.

Martin Medcraf, Foxtel Media Sport Sales and Brand Partnerships director, said: “With the nation’s favourite codes in full swing, Australian audiences are streaming sports in huge numbers. It’s encouraging to see the power of Foxtel Group’s sports streaming platforms reflected in the OzTAM VPM numbers.

“The inclusion of Kayo Sports means we can finally report to market based on minutes viewed of our programming, rather than average audience. We believe that the transition to this new metric will gives our partners a more accurate view of audience engagement across our platforms and brings our reporting in line with modern media consumption patterns.”

Kayo Sports delivers fans an Olympics-size choice in sports every weekend and supports over 300 live events each week.

This comes after Foxtel Media announced three key promotions to bolster their Victorian team as Foxtel’s streaming subscribers continue to rise.

See also: Foxtel Media announces three key promotions to its Victorian team

delicious. announced Harvey Norman as the naming rights partner of the 2023 delicious. Harvey Norman Produce Awards for the fifth consecutive year.

The delicious. Harvey Norman Produce Awards shine a bright light on Australia’s best producers – the people who grow, cultivate, harvest and catch the produce supplied to the country’s leading chefs and hospitality venues.

Kerrie McCallum, editorial director of the publication, said: “Since 2006, these awards have been at the forefront of recognising and celebrating the unsung heroes behind our chefs and restaurateurs – Australia’s finest producers – and educating consumers about why it’s so important to #knowyourproducer. 

“We set out to discover the producers leading the field in their production ethos, cultivation and wild-catch practices, and the top-quality produce it results in. We champion producers with a focus on environmental sustainability, provenance, species diversity, preservation and collaboration with the local community.

“We are delighted to have the support of Harvey Norman as our presenting partner again this year, together, we look forward to honouring the best of the best in Australian produce.”

Harvey Norman executive chairman Gerry Harvey said: “Harvey Norman has been a proud naming rights partner of the delicious. Produce Awards for five years, which is a testament to the depth of talent and choice amongst Australian producers, in combination with the growth and impact of the annual awards. Every year builds on the success of the year prior.

“Congratulations to all the nominees and thank you to Kerrie, the delicious. editorial team and the extraordinary judging panel of chefs – this year’s line-up is extraordinary.”

The delicious. Harvey Norman Produce Awards has set the benchmark for Australian produce for 18 years. A National Judging panel comprising some of Australia’s most renowned chefs and food industry leaders – including Josh Niland, Lennox Hastie, Jo Barrett, Matt Stone, Matt Moran, Danielle Alvarez, Andrew McConnell, Peter Gilmore and Alla Wolf-Tasker – will decide the ultimate 2023 Trophy Winners and 2023 Producer of the Year. 

Matt Moran said: “I feel so honoured to be part of these Awards. I’m always blown away by the quality of produce that we taste. Our Australian producers work tirelessly to deliver outstanding produce. They truly are among the best in the world.”

The 2023 Trophy Winners and Producer of the Year Award will be announced on Thursday, August 24.  

For more information about the delicious. Harvey Norman Produce Awards click here.

Nine’s talk radio stations have launched the next round of their internship program, designed to discover and mentor the next generation of radio professionals. 

The six-week internships are offered at each station: Sydney’s 2GB, Melbourne’s 3AW, Brisbane’s 4BC and 6PR in Perth, and are paid positions, with the opportunity to lead to employment. 

Now in its fifth round, the program provides interns with a hands-on experience across a broad range of skills, including radio production, broadcasting, journalism and social media. Interns will also gain an understanding of what it’s like to work in a popular radio and audio business, with support from experienced names in the industry. 

Tom Malone, managing director of Nine Radio, said: “Nine’s radio and audio internship program has unearthed some exceptional talent within the industry – from a range of different backgrounds – and I can’t wait to see who we discover next.” 

“The volume and quality of applications continues to increase with each round of the program, which shows the next generation understands the value and strength of live and local talk radio, and they are excited to be part of its future.”

Previous Nine radio and audio intern, Ray Shindoo, said: “I had such a wonderful experience interning at 4BC. I had the chance to work with all the different radio programs as well as the newsroom, where I got to write news scripts, interview sources, practice reading news, and communicate with the radio listeners. I loved the hands-on nature of the internship as it helped me develop and polish my skills.”

Former intern, Juliet Rayner, said: “In pursuing an internship with 2GB, I was awarded a safe space to learn and grow, whilst also being paid – a very rare opportunity in the Australian media landscape. While I moved between teams weekly, I had constant contact with my supervisor, who ensured I was connected to the new team and had all the information I needed before starting each week. I never once felt like my role was to grab coffees or sit quietly in the corner. I was encouraged and given incredible opportunities for continued work with 2GB which I am very grateful for.”

This is the second of three internship rounds that will run in 2023. Applications close on 18 August, with successful applicants commencing in mid-September.

To apply in your city, click the respective link below:

Sydney – 2GB
Melbourne – 3AW
Brisbane – 4BC
Perth – 6PR

SCA has announced the launch of the SCA Audio Academy, a new online bootcamp open to everyone to learn more about audio. 

The eight-week course is designed to provide an immersive and comprehensive learning experience across a variety of content and audio production areas including announcing, production, show content creation and building content experiences for both digital audio and radio formats.

The SCA Audio Academy, which officially starts later this year, is open to anyone looking to build their audio production skills.

It will be led by SCA head of regional content, Blair Woodcock, assisted by SCA staff in different modules.

“The SCA Audio Academy is a chance for people of all experience levels to open the door of one of Australia’s largest media companies and get some face time with content creators from across the business,” Woodcock said.

“There is a huge amount of talented people out there who are looking to get a foot in the door. Our past face-to-face boot camps have found Breakfast shows, Drive shows and Workday announcers, plus journalists, brand experience directors and more. If you’ve got an interest in radio or on-demand audio – this is a great way to upskill.”

Applications for the SCA Audio Academy are open for an intake of 20 students who can apply here.

Last month, SCA welcomed radio operative Graham Miles, who joined the SCA executive team.

Ken Wood, SCA executive general manager of Queensland, said: “With 35 years in the radio and television industry, including 30 years in senior management positions overseeing all departments, functions and operations, Graham has a deep understanding of the business and a very real connection to the Gold Coast, having most recently headed up ARN’s Hot Tomato station.”

“Graham has joined the team in a consulting capacity. It’s an exciting move forward as we focus on creating the best audio experience for our listeners and the best results for our advertisers, clients and partners,” he added.

Read more: SCA Gold Coast welcomes Graham Miles to the executive team

Wunderman Thompson Australia has welcomed Stu Turner as national executive creative director.

The appointment announcement comes as chief creative officer, João Braga, moves on to fresh opportunities in Australia.

One of the industry’s most highly regarded creative leaders, Turner has worked in some of the world’s best agencies and networks, including Havas, DDB, Saatchi & Saatchi and TBWA. In recent years he made the move over to independent land, most notably at The Royals, where he helped grow the business and secure multiple finalists for independent agency of the year.

Turner said: “I’ve been looking for something genuinely unique and different in the market for a number of years. It’s the combination of independent thinking and ingenuity, mixed with and backed by the capability and experience of a network that genuinely want to make world noticing work.

“I believe Wunderman Thompson is primed for that. And together with talented humans who also value people and culture, like Gav (Gavin Bain, CEO) and Mel (Mel Wiese, CSO), it’s going to be an era to remember where we build something remarkable.”

Braga said: “It’s been an epic ride with Wunderman Thompson, from Asia to Australia to Cannes and so many incredible people all over the world but after 6 years it’s the right time for something new. I’m really proud of the team I helped build since I landed on these shores a couple of years ago so it’s been great to be involved in the transition and make sure they stay in great shape. I now take with me these very special experiences and friendships while I decide my next steps in Australia.”

Gavin Bain, CEO, said: “João has built a great team, and his passion for creativity will be missed by everyone at Wunderman Thompson. We wish him well and have no doubt he is going on to do great things.”

Turner brings to the agency vast category and brand experience including creative lead on the likes of Australian Defence Force, Ikea, Dulux, eBay, Sony, Mercedes, Jacob’s Creek, Reckitt Benckiser, and even Australia’s largest sex toy retailer (it’s a wild story).

His work has received international recognition, picking up more than 100 local and international awards including multiple Grand Prix at Cannes and Spikes, as well as top honours at D&AD. He helped create and lead well-renowned campaigns such as The Riderless Bike, Ikea Rent, The Bottom 100 and The Palau Pledge and several Effie’s – including the Grand Effie for his work for the Australian Defence Force. And also has more than 3.5 million views on TikTok which is what his kids are most proud of him for.

The transition will take place over August with Turner and Braga working together on handover with the team and clients.

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Top image: Stu Turner

Organic Pacific, Havas Group’s specialist entertainment communications and PR agency, has strengthened its line-up with four new hires, in light of a significant recent new business win.

Appointed to head up and run the newly won Netflix account in the region is Nathan Dann, as head of entertainment.

Dann is an entertainment industry stalwart and senior publicity expert, joining Organic from more than six years at Universal Pictures International where he was publicity manager. Dann has spent the majority of his solid PR career in entertainment, with stints at Warner Music, Nine publicity and most recently, Universal Pictures.

Dann said of his new role: “We live in exciting times, where the landscape of how we consume entertainment is shifting daily, and communications strategies need to be creative and adaptive, and companies like Netflix are leading the way. It’s an exhilarating time to join Organic, with the Australian office being in a period of significant growth. I look forward to doing great work with the team at Organic.”

Also joining Organic Pacific are account managers, Emily Macgroarty and Lauren Patterson, with the team being rounded out with a new account coordinator and recent PR graduate, Alexander Hon.

Macgroarty comes from a background in public relations agencies and working on the client side in Brisbane; and Patterson from almost five years working for Premier London, a creative communications agency for entertainment, arts, and culture.

Organic Pacific managing partner Annabelle Gigliotti, who made the new hires, said: “Coming up to our second year for our Australian operation it’s been incredibly gratifying to confirm there was a real need in the local market for Organic’s global expertise in entertainment comms.
 
“With our win locally, Netflix is now a global client, having been with our UK branch for EMEA comms for a decade. Nathan is one of the most respected entertainment experts in the business and I am thrilled to have him, Emily, Lauren, and Alexander on board, and I am really looking forward to the work we will do for our broad roster of film and television clients.”

This recent new business win is the latest in a series of high-profile client wins across the Havas Group in Australia in 2023.  Despite only launching in October 2021, Organic now has a number of prestigious clients on its books in addition to Netflix.
 
These include Universal Pictures Content Group, BMG Records, Sony Pictures, Roadshow Films, Alliance Francaise French Film Festival and running the PR and comms for SXSW Sydney in October, the first time a SXSW® event – the famed Austin, Texas innovation conference and cultural festival – has been held outside of North America in its 37-year history.

Organic Pacific offers clients access to Organic’s globally renowned entertainment campaign services, local and international publicity; unit production publicity; corporate representation; film and television festival representation; digital activations; social media management; creative asset design and production; influencer strategy; event media management, event and experiential production and tour management services.

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Back row, L-R Rhys, Marissa, Alyce and Alex
Front row L-R Nathan, Annabelle, Colette

Think HQ has expanded its footprint to Sydney, opening an office in Surry Hills with a team of four.

Comprising group account director Blake Mason, account directors Tom Hines and Nickie Flambouras, plus account manager Evie McCullough, the team will be working out of Sydney laying the groundwork for the agency’s expansion into the harbour city.

Jen Sharpe, founder and managing director of the social change agency, said: “At a time when many brands and agencies are just embarking on their journey addressing social impact and purpose, Think HQ has been operating for 13 years with an unwavering positive impact at our core. We believed it was time we entered the country’s biggest market to share our unique approach to inclusive communications and creative with even more organisations.

“I can’t think of a better team to kick off our Sydney operations in earnest. Their diverse and complementary skills cover so many bases, and they will work in seamlessly with our expert CALD, First Nations, creative and production teams and resources in Melbourne as needed too.”

Blake brings more than 12 year’s marketing and communications expertise with NPF, government and corporate organisations, including across strategy, stakeholder engagement, CALD and Indigenous communications, media, arts and tourism, environment, and financial, health, and human services. He joined Think HQ from Herd MSL, where he spent over five years in roles including as diversity and inclusion lead.

A highly experienced engagement leader across government, not-for-profits and commercial organisations, Flambouras joins from a four-year role as manager, community engagement at Multicultural NSW. Prior to that, she spent seven years as manager, multicultural programs and engagement at the Australian Football League (AFL). Her diverse background in for-purpose work also includes roles with the Children’s Medical Research Institute, The Shepherd Centre and Youthsafe. On the creative production front, Flambouras is also an impact producer for Think Films.

Nickie said: “It is a real privilege to join Think HQ. I’m looking forward to sharing my skills and experience with the team across the network and embarking on my own journey of growth and opportunity. Multiculturalism continues to add a real vibrancy to Australia, and I am happy to be doing my bit to connect projects to people.

“The values at Think HQ were very appealing and aligned nicely with what I wanted from my next position. To also know I would be working on social impact projects and continuing to promote social cohesion and community harmony across Australia was a real bonus. There’s so much to learn, so much to share, and plenty to be curious about. I can’t wait to get stuck into the work.”

Hines joined Think HQ from Bite Communications where he worked as senior account manager, and brings creative skills across content, editorial and digital publishing gained in roles with AthletesVoice and Fox Sports Australia.

McCullough has spent four years working in communications and event management roles in the NFP sector, most recently as communications manager at Ireland’s leading international affairs think-tank, the Institute of International and European Affairs.

Think HQ is having a very successful 2023 with a number of senior appointments including Fiona Nixon as head of strategy and research, and Taryn Marks as head of First Nations Engagement and Communication, as well as client wins including hybrid/EV battery innovator Infinitev and Watertrust Australia.

See also: Think HQ welcomes the appointment of Fiona Nixon as head of strategy and research
See also: Think HQ welcomes Taryn Marks as its head of First Nations Engagement and Communication

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Top image: Blake Mason, Nickie Flambouras, Tom Hines and Jen Sharpe

hipages, online tradie marketplace, has returned as a key sponsor for the renovation competition reality TV series The Block, marking the fifth consecutive year of the partnership.

As a testament to the brand’s commitment to quality craftsmanship and exceptional home transformations, hipages will continue to showcase its motto, “Behind Every Great Home,” throughout the season.

To bring this theme to life, hipages tradie ambassador and former Block contestant, Tom Calleja, will play a pivotal role in providing trusted expertise and support for the five contestant couples appearing in this season.

Nick Ellery, hipages VP Marketing, said: “I am delighted to announce our new brand ambassador in former contestant Tom Calleja, in line with our fifth consecutive year sponsoring Australia’s beloved lifestyle renovation show, The Block.

“Throughout the last season, Tom showed Australia his dedication to craft, honesty and good humour which saw him become a true fan favourite. He personifies everything we do at hipages, making this the perfect partnership to support the contestants throughout their renovation journey.”

Season 19 of The Block premiered with 722,000 tuning in to see five excited teams meet Scotty Cam at HQ, on Sunday.

Contestants have been tasked with transforming five charming little blonde brick post-war houses into two-storey mansions in just 12 weeks. Leah and Ash won the first challenge, recreating a kid’s bedroom based on Disney+ National Geographic. Due to their imaginative take, the Queenslanders scored 27 out of a possible 30.

The Block 2023 is set to have more drama than a Married at First Sight dinner party, according to Head of Content, Production and Development at Nine Adrian Swift.

Swift recently spoke to Mediaweek and said: “There is nothing we engineer. This is nothing that we produce to get a lot more drama between the contestants, [it just happens] because they’re in such close proximity.”

See also: Nine’s Head of Content Adrian Swift on the authenticity of The Block

SBS and NITV have announced a range of new programs that aims to bring together news and information from across the network on the road to the referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

The new programs include: 

• The SBS Voice Referendum portal brings together news and information from across the SBS network – including National Indigenous Television (NITV) – with articles, videos, and podcasts in more than 60 languages.
• The SBS On Demand Voice Referendum hub is a dedicated destination to stream SBS and NITV’s news and analysis, and First Nations storytelling.
• Current affairs show The Point: Referendum Road Trip continues its journey around the continent hearing from communities on Country, returning Tuesday 8 August on NITV and SBS with an episode from the Garma Festival.
• Special programming is set to feature on NITV and SBS in the lead-up to the vote including NITV premieres, Insight and Dateline specials, and live broadcasts on the day of the referendum, and analysis in the days following as Australia reacts to a result.

Tanya Denning-Orman, a proud Birri and Guugu Yimidhirr woman and director of Indigenous content at SBS said SBS and NITV’s unique role in covering the referendum is increasingly important as the debate gathers momentum.

“As the discussion about an Indigenous Voice to Parliament gets louder and the debate intensifies, SBS is uniquely positioned as a multiplatform, multilingual media network – home to Australia’s dedicated national First Nations broadcaster in NITV – to ensure all Australians have access to news and information that cuts through the noise.

“SBS is the network for all Australians to be informed before the vote, whatever language you speak, wherever you live, whoever your mob is. We’re trusted to provide impartial, balanced and accurate coverage that gives all Australians insights into key developments, news from the corridors of Canberra, and also shares the stories and perspectives from communities on Country.

“We’re providing an important platform for a diversity of voices to be heard while also countering misinformation and disinformation, to empower all Australians to be a part of this historic conversation.”

Triple J has announced Abby Butler and Tyrone Pynor will take over hosting duties on Triple J Drive from this Friday, August 11.

See Also: Triple J Drive duo Hobba and Hing announce they’re hanging up the headphones

Abby (24) & Tyrone (24) are no strangers to the afternoon slot; they’ve been at the helm of Friday Drive since the beginning of 2023. Listeners will already know their faces from triple j’s Sydney World Pride and Mardi Gras coverage, or that time they searched for the tallest person at Splendour In The Grass, and when they uncovered the baddest Grandma of them all while chatting with Eliza Rose at Groovin the Moo.

Abby says: “As the former 14-year-old who was late to school because she was calling into Triple J to try and win bongos signed by San Cisco, it’s honestly surreal to be taking over Drive. The fact it’s alongside Tyrone, who’s conveniently both a radio star and one of my favourite people, is the best cherry on top.”

Tyrone adds: “If you had told me three years ago that I would be hosting Drive on triple j, the scream I would have scrumpt in your face! I’m so excited for so many reasons, and to be jumping into the Drive slot with Abby, I’m reminded that this means something bigger than just me. Winter is coming… or whatever that Lord Of The Rings quote is.”

Hailing from Awakbakal and Worimi Land in Newcastle, NSW, Abby Butler is a multi-talented creative with an impressive resume. She started presenting-producing at Sydney radio station FBi before joining the Triple J Unearthed team, where she introduced listners to the best new music from around Australia and championed many young and diverse voices. Abby’s been a regular voice on Triple J and a regular face across Triple J socials. She’s filled in on Mornings, Home & Hosed, Unearthed Radio, hosted Summer Arvos, and was the go-to gal for everything Triple J Hottest 100 of Like A Version related on socials. She’s a TikTok aficionado with her personal account boasting more than 75K followers and over 8 million cumulative likes.

Born and raised on Dharug Land in Western Sydney, Tyrone Pynor is a lover of all things fashion, photography and music. He’s a true creative all-rounder and a fierce First Nations advocate who got his start as a broadcaster with SBS and NITV before taking over Triple J’s Weekend Lunch and soul ctrl in 2021. For the past two years, he’s brought Triple J listeners a heap of new music and interviews from globally recognised artists like Loyle Carner and Kehlani, among many others. Last year, he also took on hosting duties for First & Forever, the inaugural festival celebrating Blak Excellence and the country’s outstanding First Nations talent, which premiered on ABC TV and is available to stream on ABC iview.

Listen to triple j Drive all this week as the station says a heartfelt goodbye to longtime Drive guys Hobba & Hing. Then, tune in from Friday, August 11, to hear Abby and Tyrone take over.

• Holly And Jimi evade capture to win Hunted Australia 2023
• 2.4 million watched our Matildas take on Canada in the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Total TV

Total TV Ratings, July 31

2,460,000 watched our Aussie Matildas challenge Canada on Seven, finishing 4 – 0 in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, up 14%.

1,115,000 tuned into Session One of Day Five of the fifth Ashes test match, up 20% while 1,129,000 watched the Post Game, up 10% and the Pre-Game was viewed by 985,000, up 10%.

734,000 viewed 10’s Have You Been Paying Attention? Host Tom Gleisner was joined by Ed Kavalee, Marty Sheargold, Hayley Sproull, Ray O’Leary and Alex Ward, up 49%.

702,000 saw 10’s Hunted Australia as a search of Fugitive couple Holly and Josh’s apartment turned up a vital piece of information, up 34%.

Overnight TV Ratings, August 7

Primetime News
Seven News 995,000 (6:00pm) / 844,000 (6:30pm)
Nine News 772,000 (6:00pm) / 778,000 (6:30pm)
ABC News 549,000
10 News First 222,000 (5:00pm)/ 170,000 (6:00pm)
SBS World News 136,000 (6:30pm)/ 93,000 (7:00pm)

Daily Current Affairs
A Current Affair 657,000
7.30 421,000
The Project 197,000 6:30pm / 278,000 7pm

Breakfast TV
Sunrise 218,000
Today 182,000
News Breakfast 150,000

Sevn won Monday night with a primary share of 47.3% and an incredible network share of 54.5%. 7Two has won multi channels with a 2.5% share.

789,000 began their evening with Seven’s The Voice. Garrett, a Jessica Mauboy superfan, fan failed to turn any chairs while 12-year-old NSW student Gezel Bardossi left the coaches in shock after her performance of Chain of Fools by Aretha Franklin.

1,040,000 then sat down for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Pre-Game Round 16 before 2,294,000 supported our Aussie Matildas in a thrilling match against Denmark. 906,000 also stayed on for the Post-Game. Australia defeated their opponent 2-0 in front of 75,000 fans at Stadium Australia with Caitlin Foord (who was also named Player of the Match) scoring the first goal in the 29th minute and Hayley Raso earning her third goal of the tournament. Later in the game, Sam Kerr made her World Cup debut to the roar of the crowd, with the team now through to the Quarter-Final. Not only was it an outstanding effort on the pitch, but beat the viewership of the 2022 AFL Grand Final (2,179,000), while also eclipsing the competition as the biggest solo channel broadcast of 2023! Up the Tillys!

Nine’s A Current Affair (657,000) told the story of Leo, the black labrador mastiff cross who has finally been returned to his worried owners a week after he was stolen from their front yard in Melbourne’s inner north. 557,000 then sat down for a night of drama and renovations as the Blockheads chose their houses, host Scott Cam revealed some Block firsts and tensions continued to rise between Leah and Steph. 

SEE ALSO: The Block 2023 Recap Episode 2: Scotty Cam reveals some HUGE series firsts

On 10, The Project (6:30pm / 278,000 7pm) welcomed one of Australia’s best swimmers, Ariarne Titmus, to the desk, after her record-breaking performance at the World Swimming Championships in Japan and spoke to British comedian Russell Howard via satellite. The Hunted Australia 2023 Extraction and Finale then followed as all remaining Fugitives made their way to the Melbourne Cricket Ground with the Hunters at their heels. Father and son duo Tharren and Jordan fell at the last hurdle, while Jimi and Holly made it to the extraction point, winning a share of $100,000 in front of 421,000 and 353,000 viewers respectively. 408,000 then tuned into Have You Been Paying Attention? Host Tom Gleisner was joined by Alan Davies, Kitty Flanagan, Guy Montgomery, Emma Holland and Ed Kavalee.

421,000 watched ABC’s 7.30, Sarah Ferguson interviewed ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr plus the program put the spotlight on the Matildas before their landmark game against Denmark. Then, on Back Roads, we journeyed to  Western Australia’s vast Wheatbelt region, to the little town of Darkan. 358,000 tuned in. Then, 260,000 watched Four Corners which detailed how consultants infiltrate the government with firms pushing ethical boundaries, costing billions of dollars with little transparency and almost no accountability. 287,000 then stayed on for Media Watch.

The highest rating non-news show on SBS was Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes with 67,000 tuning in to see Robson Green joins forces with his brother David and Uncle Matheson in his pursuit of new ways to spend time in the Great Outdoors.