Mediaweek has recently opened the voting in our second annual Industry Awards as voted by our readers.

The poll will remain open until the end of Sunday December 8. The results will be released later this month via the Mediaweek website.

Vote here.

Cass Dunn’s Crappy to Happy

Psychologist, coach, author and podcaster Cass Dunn has been with PodcastOne through four seasons of her series Crappy to Happy. She has delivered 41 episodes in that time and is busy working on season five. You could probably dip in anywhere and be impressed with her work, but Dunn’s episode 40 – Not giving a fuck with Mark Manson – is a brilliant listen.

Dunn started co-hosting with Tiffany Hall on Hall’s podcast TiffXO. “We were always answering people’s questions about mind and body health and we did two seasons together,” Dunn told Mediaweek.

When Hall left the podcast, Dunn started up on her own. “The focus remained on giving people tools and tips to improve the quality of their life, but I have now taken on more of an interviewer role with guests on all the episodes.”

Dunn is planning season five and one of her topics will be the psychology of money. She has also published two books – Crappy to Happy and Crappy to Happy: Love What You Do. She has just signed a contract to deliver a third book in Q1 2020.

When it comes to working with people, Dunn now conducts online courses and live workshops, stepping back from one-on-one clinical work. “I have just run my first retreat at Byron Bay and there are two more booked for next year. They both sold out very quickly.”

For 2020 she will be focusing on building her membership program for ongoing support. After initially running the business on her own she now has a small team helping out.

Her wish list for guests for season five of the podcast includes Michelle Obama. She has a contact in her office and is hopeful! She is also on a promise from PodcastOne head of podcasting Grant Tothill – if Dunn lands Obama, he will send Dunn and a producer to the US for the interview.

Listen to Crappy to Happy here.

PodcastOne gets into boutique Aussie Spirits

PodcastOne Australia and Australia’s leading distributor and exporter of Australian craft spirits Kathleen Davies have created new series, The Aussie Spirit, to showcase the rise of more than 200 unique craft distilleries across Australia, where the small boutique operators are taking on the big brands.

Listeners will get an insider’s view of the $17.1 million Australian craft spirit industry and discover the lengths craft distillers are going to in order to stand out from the crowd. The series explores why farmers are turning away from traditional farming to create some of the best craft spirits in the world, using uniquely Australian botanicals.

The pdcast series offers an insight into the world of Australian distilling – from the Belgrove Distillery in Tasmania, explaining how it is the greenest distillery in the world and how it uses sheep manure to smoke grain and produce whisky, to master distiller at Archie Rose in Sydney, Dave Withers, discussing how he has distilled spirits made of vegemite on toast and a meat pie.

Listen to The Aussie Spirit here.

Opera House gets Arty Farty with kids podcast

The Sydney Opera House has launched a series called Arty Farty: A podcast for kids.

The series will feature in-depth discussions with children’s writers including David Walliams (Billionaire Boy, The Midnight Gang), Jessica Townsend (Nevermoor series) and Matt Stanton (Funny Kid series). The first episode takes a deep-dive into the creative mind of Shaun Tan, Academy Award-winning author of The Lost Thing and The Red Tree.

Head of digital programming Stuart Buchanan said: “Digital programming at Sydney Opera House connects all of our audiences, big and small, with world-class artists and authors in unique and interesting ways. Arty Farty is just one example of the ways in which we are reaching out beyond Bennelong Point, and into the ears and imaginations of children around Australia and the world.”

Interviews with Shaun Tan and Tim Sharp are available now. Podcasts with the other authors will be released over the next three Wednesdays.

Listen to Art Farty here.

Apple’s podcast picks for 2019

Apple has listed its picks for the Best Australian podcasts of 2019. It has named three category winners:

Best True Crime Show
Unravel True Crime: Snowball (ABC Radio)

Best Fiction Show
Love and Luck (Passer Vulpes Productions)

Best History Show
Emperors of Rome (La Trobe University)

Meanwhile the curators of iTunes in Australia have listed their eight 2019 favourites:

Loose Units: The Podcast (Pillow Talk Productions)
appynterview with Andrew Denton (Legacy Media)
7am (Schwartz Media)
Chat 10 Looks 3 – Leigh Sales & Annabel Crabb
Parental As Anything with Maggie Dent (ABC Radio)
Who the Hell is Hamish? (The Australian)
Queerstories (Queerstories)
Shameless (Shameless Media)

Riot Act with Dan, Mark and Evan

Comedians Dan Ilic, Mark Humphries and Evan Williams have teamed up with a star-studded Aussie cast to launch a rollercoaster ride podcast – Riot Act. The Audible Original Podcast, which we first mentioned here back in October, is a scripted comedy that follows the rise of right wing radio presenter Campbell Parks (Humphries) and his idea of launching a Cronulla Riots Memorial Day to “facilitate open discussion” about the historical event.

Riot Act uses satire to examine Australia’s media and multiculturalism and features the voice talents of Liv Hewson, Anjali Rao, Sandra Sully, Gretel Killeen, Tony Martin, Hugh Riminton, Marc Fennell and Rosie Waterland.

For Audible members the eight episodes are available as part of the membership for no additional charge. The non-member price for the series is $24.95. A 30-day trial subscription is available free with an ongoing charge of $16.45 after the first month.

Listen to Riot Act here.

Whooshkaa and Ripple Partner in Malaysia

Australian on-demand audio platform Whooshkaa has announced a partnership with Malaysian broadcaster Ripple.

The partnership will see Whooshkaa’s software power on-demand audio and dynamic advertising across Ripple’s stable of shows.

Ripple’s line-up of broadcast radio shows and podcasts serve a broad demographic with content in Malay, Chinese and English.

“Whooshkaa is an excellent partner with unparalleled insights into the Malaysian marketplace and will help connect new brands and audiences with our original content and radio show podcasts” said Alex Poon, General Manager Tech and Shared Services of Ripple.

Whooshkaa CEO Rob Loewenthal said the Whooshkaa platform will help Ripple expand its listenership and advertising reach.

“Our tech stack streamlines the way for companies to unlock their potential using targeted, dynamic advertising, on-demand audio hosting, recording, distribution and commercialisation,” he said.

“With Ripple’s stable of quality content and broad language base, it is perfectly positioned to grow podcasting and catch-up radio in Malaysia.”

It was certainly an Awards show with a difference, and possibly the first-ever to be hosted completely from the green room! At times it resembled an episode of Dancing with the Stars as host Jacobson interviewed guests before and after they were on stage.

Viewers watching on Seven would have been frustrated as the show edited or eliminated the presentation of some awards. The award for Best Asian Film was presented as was the acceptance speech, but the award for Best Drama was not shown nor were any of the acceptance speeches from the cast and producers of Total Control.

Jennifer Kent made AFI/AACTA history following the three awards received for her film, The Nightingale. Kent was awarded the AACTA Award for Best Direction, Best Screenplay and Best Film, of which she was a producer making her the first woman to have received Awards across all three categories, for the same film, in a single year. Although she received the AACTA Awards for Best Direction and Best Screenplay in 2015 for her debut feature The Babadook, this year she is recognised also for her work as a producer on her confronting feature.
The film’s vengeful female lead, Aisling Franciosi, received the AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress marking her first AACTA Award nomination and win.

In television, Lambs of God led the 2019 AACTA Awards season, receiving its eighth Award at the evening ceremony for Best Telefeature or Mini Series.

Total Control received the AACTA Award for Best Drama Series and also saw multi AFI/AACTA Award winners’ Deborah Mailman and Rachel Griffiths take home Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama and Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama respectively.

The inaugural AACTA Award for Best Factual Entertainment went to Rose d’Or winning series You Can’t Ask That, with newcomer Lego Masters Australia taking home the AACTA Award for Best Entertainment Program. The AACTA Award for Best Comedy Program went to The Letdown which also saw Alison Bell receive her first AACTA Award for Best Performance in a Television Comedy, having received nominations in the category three times previously.

Mr Inbetween’s Scott Ryan took home the AACTA Award For Best Lead Actor In A Television Drama, having won the AACTA Subscription Television Award for Best New Talent in 2018.

Four-time AFI/AACTA Award winner and 14 time nominee Richard Roxburgh won the AACTA Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama for his role in The Hunting.

Additional television awards went to Love It or List It Australia for Best Lifestyle Program, and Australian Survivor: Champions Vs Contenders, which won Best Reality Series for the second consecutive year and marked their third consecutive AACTA Award nomination in the category.

Damon Herriman received his first AACTA Award in a feature film category, winning Best Lead Actor for Judy & Punch. The award marks Herriman’s second consecutive AACTA Award, having received Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama last year.

The AACTA Award for Best Documentary went to The Australian Dream for its portrayal of the remarkable story of AFL legend Adam Goodes, while the Award for Best Documentary or Factual Program went to Old People’s Home For 4 Year Olds. Broadening into the online space, the AACTA Award for Best Online Drama or Comedy went to Dylan River’s Robbie Hood.

Sam Neill accepted the Longford Lyell Award, Australia’s highest screen accolade for his remarkable career that spans almost five decades with over 130 film and television performance credits to his name. The Award was presented to Neill by Dr. George Miller, with touching tributes from Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Bryan Brown, Taika Waititi and Jane Campion, among many others.

2019 AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel

BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA
Deborah Mailman Total Control – Blackfella Films (ABC)

BEST GUEST OR SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA
Richard Roxburgh The Hunting – Closer Productions (SBS)

BEST ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM
Lego Masters Australia David McDonald, Eoin Maher, AJ Johnson – Endemol Shine Australia (Nine Network)

BEST DIRECTION
The Nightingale Jennifer Kent – Causeway Films, Made Up Stories

BEST DOCUMENTARY OR FACTUAL PROGRAM
Old People’s Home For 4 Year Olds Debbie Cuell, Brooke Hulsman – Endemol Shine Australia (ABC)

BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Australian Dream Daniel Gordon, Sarah Thomson, Nick Batzias, Virginia Whitwell, John Battsek – GoodThing Production Company, Passion Pictures

BEST FACTUAL ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM
You Can’t Ask That Kirk Docker, Aaron Smith, Frances O’Riordan – Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)

BEST TELEFEATURE OR MINI SERIES
Lambs Of God Jason Stephens, Helen Bowden, Sarah Lambert, Elisa Argenzio – Lingo Pictures (Foxtel – Showcase)

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A TELEVISION COMEDY
Alison Bell The Letdown – Giant Dwarf (ABC)

BEST ONLINE DRAMA OR COMEDY
Robbie Hood Dylan River, Tanith Glynn-Maloney, Meg O’Connell, Charlie Aspinwall – Ludo Studio, Since1788 Productions

BEST LEAD ACTOR
Damon Herriman Judy & Punch – Vice Media LLC, Blue-Tongue Films, Pariah Productions

BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA
Scott Ryan Mr Inbetween – Blue-Tongue Films, Jungle Entertainment, Pariah Productions (Foxtel – Showcase)

BEST COMEDY PROGRAM
The Letdown Linda Micsko, Julian Morrow, Sarah Scheller, Alison Bell – Giant Dwarf (ABC)

BEST LEAD ACTRESS
Aisling Franciosi The Nightingale – Causeway Films, Made Up Stories

BEST GUEST OR SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA
Rachel Griffiths Total Control – Blackfella Films (ABC)

THE BYRON KENNEDY AWARD
P.J. Voeten

THE LONGFORD LYELL AWARD
Sam Neill

BEST ASIAN FILM PRESENTED BY EUREKA INTERNATIONAL GROUP (EIG)
Parasite Bong Joon-Ho, Young-Hwan Jang, Yang-kwon Moon, Kwak Sin-ae – Barunson E&A

BEST DRAMA SERIES
Total Control Darren Dale, Miranda Dear, Rachel Griffiths – Blackfella Films (ABC)

BEST LIFESTYLE PROGRAM
Love It Or List It Australia Karen Warner, Geoff Fitzpatrick, Howard Myers – Beyond Productions (Foxtel – Lifestyle)

BEST REALITY PROGRAM
Australian Survivor: Champions V Contenders Amelia Fisk, Adam Fergusson – Endemol Shine Australia (Network Ten)

BEST FILM PRESENTED BY FOXTEL
The Nightingale Kristina Ceyton, Bruna Papandrea, Steve Hutensky, Jennifer Kent – Causeway Films, Made Up Stories

However, her colourful career isn’t the only part of Box that makes her highly entertaining. The radio star shared with Mediaweek her tough travels in Japan this year, what it’s like working alongside co-hosts Fev and Byron, and just a few of the craziest questions they’ve asked their listeners on-air.

Fox breakfast is the traditional owner of the #1 FM ranking in the Melbourne market, but just last survey it lost top spot to Gold 104.3. The final survey results of the year might see it back as #1 FM. Find out here on December 17.

The reason Box wanted to get into radio was to actually do Fox breakfast. “I grew up in Melbourne listening to Grubby and Dee Dee and Tracy and Matt; breakfast radio was my trip to school. I always wanted to do the Fox Breakfast show, so it’s literally a dream come true.”

When asked where she thought she’d be now 10 years ago, Box said she seriously thought she’d be at Fox doing the breakfast show. “It was my dream job, and it was sort of where I was aiming; and also because Melbourne is my home. On a more personal level, to have my two girls and be a mum. What I wanted 10 years ago career-wise and personally-wise is happening right now, which is just incredible.”

Box said she couldn’t be more blessed working alongside Fev and Byron, and said it’s like working with two best friends. “The last year has been one of the best years of my life having my second daughter (Daisy), although I went through a difficult pregnancy – I had a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum – and Fev and Byron truly supported me and they were like a light at the end of the tunnel. We’re best mates, we laugh so much. Chemistry is hard to fabricate, it’s either there or it’s not; and we most definitely have it and I love it.”

The Fox breakfast radio team, Fifi, Fev & Byron, went to Japan recently for their Tradieokeyo segment, and Fifi said she hadn’t factored in that she had a four-month-old and a six-year-old (Trixie). “In Tokyo, with the time difference, we were doing breakfast radio at 4am, so I was getting up at 3:30am. 

“Throughout the day when we were getting content for the radio show, I was dragging my four-month-old through the Tokyo subway – which I hadn’t realised was like the New York subway on steroids. It’s nuts! I had Daisy strapped to me, Trixie on my other hand; it was a new mum’s worst nightmare. With a screaming baby that I couldn’t stop and whilst knowing I was half an hour away from being out of that subway – I just gave up. I was literally standing there saying ‘I give up!’.”

Another horror story from the Japan trip was the time Box got lost. Fifi was told they were all meeting at Shinjuku, which is a special ward in Tokyo. “I was told to stand at the Shinjuku crossing and the rest of the team would meet me there, so I dragged the baby along and was on my way. I had been given the wrong information, and we were meeting at the Shibuya crossing. It was the wrong place and the wrong part of Tokyo. 

“During peak-hour, I had to somehow get from Shinjuku to Shibuya, and I was meeting them at 3pm and it was three hours later that I still couldn’t find them, so I just went home. It was an actual nightmare. It was the first day of Japan, so it all started on the wrong foot. It’s funny because I thought I could sort of show mums out there they can conquer all as a travelling mum with a baby strapped to me and another on my arm, but for the last three days of the trip I didn’t leave the hotel,” laughed Box. 

Fifi, Fev & Byron receive some incredible – and hilarious – stories from their listeners. Just recently, the breakfast show asked the question ‘have you been a spy?’, and they had two women call who were actual spies for the government. “We used the voice disguiser, obviously,” said Box. “Often on radio shows, we’re hoping to get lots of calls, but we often ask questions where we know we won’t get a call and we’d be happy if we even get one.

“In this segment, even a few months ago, we asked a question ‘have you died?’ and you’d think that’s a question you can’t ask on the radio, but believe it or not we got callers. People had died and come back to life, and they wanted to share their stories. Breakfast radio can be a grind doing it every day but we try to keep it interesting and we can be a bit crazy with our questions and topics.”

You can tune in to Fox FM 101.9 for breakfast with Fifi, Fev & Byron at 6 – 9 am on weekdays. The last show of the year is on Friday December 6.

The broadcaster has revealed its line-ups around Australia.

The ABC has already announced that Sammy J will be hosting Melbourne Breakfast next year and Sarah Macdonald will be replacing Chris Bath on Evenings in Sydney and across NSW & ACT.

The Afternoon and Drive programs will be extended in all capital cities, except for Perth and Hobart, replacing the 90-minute music and culture show hosted by Myf Warhurst.

In Melbourne, Afternoons presenter Richelle Hunt will co-host a new-look The Conversation Hour from 11.00am weekdays with ABC Regional Radio presenter Warwick Long. The one-hour program will focus on issues of interest to both metropolitan and rural and regional listeners across Victoria.

Jacinta Parsons takes over Afternoons and Sami Shah returns over summer to present a national Drive program. He’ll also appear on ABC Radio Melbourne in different roles across the year.

In Canberra, Weekends presenter, Lish Fejer takes over Breakfast from Dan Bourchier. Dan will continue to present the ABC’s 7.00pm television news bulletin in the ACT and will still present occasionally on ABC Canberra. Adrienne Francis moves into Saturday Breakfast and Kim Huynh presents Sunday Brunch.

All networked programs including Conversations with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski, Nightlife with Philip Clarke, Australia All Over with Ian ‘Macca’ McNamara and Overnights with Trevor Chappell and Rod Quinn return next year.

Radio current affairs AM, The World Today and PM also return in their regular timeslots.

ABC Grandstand will continue to cover all the major football codes as well as the cricket over summer. In Melbourne Anthony ‘Lehmo’ Lehmann, Angela Pippos and Emma Race pass the pre-game commentary mics to Alister Nicholson and Corbin Middlemas for the 2020 AFL season. Co-hosts will be announced early next year.

Summary of Capital City 2020 presenter line-ups

Sydney

Sarah Macdonald takes over NSW and ACT Evenings from Chris Bath.
Continuing: Wendy Harmer & Robbie Buck Breakfast; Cassie McCullagh Focus; James Valentine Afternoons; Richard Glover Drive and Simon Marnie Weekends.

Melbourne

Sammy J replaces Sami Shah & Jacinta Parsons at Breakfast.
Jacinta Parsons moves to Afternoons.
Afternoons presenter Richelle Hunt will co-present The Conversation Hour from 11.00am to midday with ABC regional presenter Warwick Long.
Alister Nicholson and Corbin Middlemas will be hosting pre-game AFL coverage on Saturdays and Sundays.
Continuing: Raf Epstein Drive; David Astle Evenings and Libbi Gorr Weekends.

Brisbane

No change to line-up.
Continuing: Craig Zonca and Loretta Ryan Breakfast; Rebecca Levingston Mornings; Katherine Feeney Afternoons; Steve Austin Drive; Kelly Higgins-Devine Evenings.

Adelaide

No change to line-up
Continuing: Ali Clarke Breakfast; David Bevan Mornings; Sonya Feldhoff Afternoons; Jules Schiller Drive; Peter Goers Evenings (Mon-Thurs) and Smart Arts (Sundays) and Deb Tribe Weekends (Saturdays).

Perth

No change to line-up
Continuing: Barry Nicholls Early Mornings; Nadia Mitsopoulos and Russell Woolf Breakfast; Jessica Strutt Focus; Gillian O’Shaughnessy Afternoons; Geoff Hutchison Drive; Christine Layton Saturday Breakfast; and Sabrina Hahn Roots and Shoots.

Canberra

Lish Fejer takes over Breakfast from Dan Bourchier.
Adrienne Francis moves to Saturday Breakfast.
Kim Huynh presents Sunday Brunch.
Continuing: Adam Shirley Mornings; Paula Kruger Afternoons; and Anna Vidot Drive. 

Darwin

No change to line-up
Continuing: Jo Laverty Breakfast; Adam Steer Mornings; Matt Brann NT Country Hour; Miranda Tetlow Early Afternoons; Mikaela Simpson Afternoons; Liz Trevaskis Drive; Rebecca McLaren Evenings; Joel Spry Saturday Breakfast & Mornings; and Jess Ong Sunday Mornings.

Hobart

Jane Longhurst presents Sunday Morning.
Continuing: Ryk Goddard Breakfast; Leon Compton Mornings; Tony Briscoe The Country Hour; Helen Shield Afternoons; Lucy Breaden Drive; Paul McIntyre Evenings; Joel Rheinberger Weekends. 

Summary of national networked programs

Returning

Conversations with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski (11.00am – 12.00pm weekdays).
Nightlife with Philip Clark (10.00pm – 12.00am weekdays).
Australia All Over with Ian ‘Macca’ McNamara (6.00am – 10.00am Sundays).
Overnights with Trevor Chappell and Rod Quinn all return for 2020 (2.00am – 6.00am weekdays).
Weekend Evenings with Christine Anu and Rhianna Patrick.
Networked Radio Current Affairs programs
AM presented by Sabra Lane (weekdays at 6.05am & 8.00am) and Thomas Oriti (Saturdays at 8.00am).
The World Today presented by Eleanor Hall (12.05 pm weekdays).
PM presented by Linda Mottram (6.30pm weekdays).

—

Photo: ABC Sydney’s Wendy Harmer & Robbie Buck

However they were on duty and at their best today for what KIIS 106.5 billed as a special radio event.

Sydney’s #1 FM breakfast show was giving away a house and land package valued at $750,000 on its penultimate show of the year.

Over the past few months, The Kyle and Jackie O show has given away keys to the house that is part of the prize – Kyle and Jackie O Set You Up for Life. The winners of those keys this morning gathered at the front of Sydney’s ARN facility for their chance to try the key in the lock of the front door of the house.

The best radio sidekick in the business – KIIS 106.5’s Intern Pete, aka Pete Deppeler – was the MC for much of the morning in the street in north-west Sydney.

Intern Pete

Listeners to the breakfast show could also watch the program today as it broadcast on Facebook Live.

Deppeler was backing up from the AACTA Awards where he was working the red carpet for KIIS. Also backing up from the AACTA Awards were 10’s Dr Chris Brown and Julia Morris who were promoting the next season of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! which is back on air before any of the breakfast radio shows return in 2020.

There was not much action outside in the first couple of hours apart from a false alarm around 8am when Kyle, watching on a monitor, saw someone jumping up and down…but it was just an excited entrant hoping they would win.

Jackie had a pre-recorded interview with Niall Horan which ran this morning. There were also some flashes of classic Kyle when he threatened a staff member with a job at Nova if she didn’t lift her game booking guests.

The hosts joined the remaining crowd outside the KIIS tower at 8.30am to watch a few more attempts at opening the door. “We will stay on air until this goes off,” said Jackie.

The hosts went back outside about 9am, with Kyle telling the crowd: “Someone out here is a winner”. The contestants went off.

The stream on Facebook Live didn’t carry any of the songs played during the breakfast show nor any of the ads. The online audience was close to 2,000 shortly after 6am and then climbed above 2,000 several times during the morning.

There was around 100 left with a key around 9.15am. The Facebook audience was close to 3,500.

At 9.40am, Kyle said: “What if the person with the key doesn’t show up? I just thought of that. There might be a flaw in our plan!”

Just before 10am the online audience was close to 4,500 and then bang…the prize went off. “You have nearly $1m of free shit,” Kyle told the young couple who have only been married for one week.

Post is a new printed joint venture between SurfStitch and men’s lifestyle publication Stab and offers a mix of fashion, surf, travel, culture, lifestyle and apparel content within a matte A4 format including hover-to-shop functionality.

Jevon Le Roux, managing director, SurfStitch said: “Print may seem like an unusual choice of medium for SurfStitch as one of Australia’s biggest online retailers, but therein lies the point.

“Post complements the rapid delivery offered by our mega digital footprint, with a tangible face and longevity for deeper commentary. It’s been a true collaborative process between the team at SurfStitch and Stab with a strong emphasis on both style and storytelling.”

The 40-page Summer 19/20 edition has an initial print run of 200,000 with FSC approved printing on 95% recycled paper with vegetable dye ink.

Dane Patterson, general manager, brand and e-commerce, SurfStitch, said the launch of the Post was a play to extend the reach of the brand: “The Post’s physical format offers a premium format to connect with our audience, integrating long-form narrative, strong visuals and typography.

“It’s been fun to produce a piece of print content which can live on someone’s coffee table however we also wanted to ensure the link to our digital platform was seamless. This is enabled by the use of hover-to-shop functionality, linking customers straight to the curated product featured on the paper in front of them.”

The first quarterly issue will be distributed until January 2020.

Stab’s Tom Bird added: “We’ve had a long relationship with the SurfStitch team and understand the nuisances of the brand and audience. Together we have produced a unique blend of content that reflects the breadth and diversity of the customer base whilst retaining the authentic tone and ‘Saturday state of mind’ the SurfStitch community loves.”

SurfStitch has also unveiled its new brand campaign: The Common Thread Between Us. Produced by creative agency Verb Syndicate, the campaign showcases people wearing SurfStitch products they love, curated and shot by them.

The campaign will be executed across outdoor media and digital.

We were a little hasty yesterday labelling The Amazing Race the last 7.30 franchise still on air. Seven still has Zumbo’s Just Desserts on air. The best it could manage last night was 341,000. Following it was the heavily edited 2019 AACTA Awards with 269,000 watching.

Nine took top spot though with Seven Worlds One Planet on 581,000. Part one of the four-part Desert Vet then did 341,000.

10’s best was The Project on 359,000 and 10 News First (5pm) on 329,000.

Later in the night the season final of Playing for Keeps did 188,000.

Earlier in the night two episodes of Bondi Rescue replaced The Unicorn. The ob doc eps did close to 260,000 each.

Julia Zemiro was with Shane Gould on ABC’s Home Delivery with 401,000 watching. A repeat of the Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala did 286,000.

Tony Robinson’s World by Rail was on 218,000 after 7.30pm on SBS. The third episode of Child Genius was on 155,000.