Mediaweek has opened nominations for The Mediaweek Next of the Best Awards, which will see the industry’s future leaders awarded at a ceremony on 13 June 2024 at the Ivy Ballroom.
This year’s awards will shift focus as Mediaweek removes the under 40’s format and focuses on celebrating future leaders of all ages across all disciplines.
The Next of The Best Awards recognises the future leaders of the advertising, media and marketing industry. This is not an age-based accolade; Next of The Best seeks to recognise the industry’s future leaders based on the impact and contribution they are currently making to their company, sector or the wider industry.
Apply here for the Mediaweek Next of the Best Awards
The Future Leaders are precisely that, the leaders of the future; while they may not currently be leaders in terms of positions, they are already demonstrating influence and leadership skills in driving the industry forward – whether through innovative thinking, new approaches to content, driving culture, pushing boundaries or providing inspiration to others.
The Next of The Best recognises the current contribution as well as the future potential of the industry’s next generation of leaders.
The nominations portal opens today and will remain open until midnight on 1 April 2024.
Read more here on why Mediaweek removed the under 40’s format
The 2024 Mediaweek Next of the Best Awards will feature new categories in a bid to better reflect the ever-changing media and advertising landscape.
The Mediaweek Next of the Best Awards categories are:
Audio – Producer
Audio – Talent
TV – Producer
TV – Talent
Publishing Print
Publishing Digital
Media Agency – Independent
Media Agency– All Agencies
Creative Agencies
Social Media Specialists
Marketing – Brands
Marketing- Media Company
PR Specialists
Ad Tech
New Business Growth- Agencies
Salesperson
Change Maker
Culture Award
Data and Research
Leadership Award
The 2022 iteration of the Next of the Best awards was held at Doltone House at Sydney’s Jones Bay Wharf and saw the industry celebrate names such as 2GB’s James Willis, ARN’s Brittany Hockley, This is Flow’s Jimmy Hyett, Initiatives Chris Colter, Tik Tok’s Stephanie Stone, and Foxtel’s Rachel Miller.
Nominate yourself or someone else for a Mediaweek Next of the Best Award now.
Vinyl Group, which bills itself as Australia’s only ASX-listed music company, has entered into an agreement to fully acquire The Brag Media including its network of mastheads and events.
Vinyl Group, which rebranded from Jaxsta just earlier this month, also announced a second round of investment by WiseTech Global CEO & founder Richard White by way of an $11m placement and debt facility.
Vinyl Group will pay $8m in cash to acquire 100% of The Brag Media and its subsidiaries, with a further $2m payable in cash or stock based on financial performance. A statement accompanying the sale announcement revealed unaudited financial year 2023 results saw The Brag Media generate $8.39m in revenues with a net profit of $334,824. The indicative combined Vinyl Group revenue as at June 30, 2023, would have been $9 million.
The Brag Media publishes owned properties TheBrag.com, The Music Network and Tone Deaf, and Penske Media Corporation (PMC) licensed titles Rolling Stone and Variety in Australia and New Zealand.
The Brag Media also exclusively represents local digital audiences for over a dozen other titles including HypeBeast, Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Music Feeds, ComingSoon, Rotten Tomatoes, Game Revolution and IndieWire. The Brag Media network of brands rclaims a reach of 10m users per month in the region with over 40m monthly page views.
The purchase will be funded with a $11m placement and debt facility from Vinyl Group investor Richard White. The investment will be made from White’s RealWise Group Holdings P/L and follows his previously announced investment in June 2023.
Luke Girgis
As part of the deal, The Brag Media CEO Luke Girgis has entered into a full-time employment agreement with the company as publisher and managing director of The Brag Media.
Girgis will receive five million options upon sale completion, vesting in two equal tranches. The first tranche vests upon achieving certain revenue and EBIT targets for 2024 and a minimum of one year of employment post-sale. The second tranche vests on the second anniversary of the sale completion.
The Brag Media joins Vinyl Group’s existing portfolio of properties that includes music credits business Jaxsta, the music industry social-professional network and talent marketplace Vampr, and online record store Vinyl.com.
Josh Simons
Vinyl Group CEO Josh Simons said: “Vinyl Group’s suite of products work together to empower participants of the music ecosystem and reach all corners of the creator economy, and we can’t wait to start working with the iconic mastheads that Luke and The Brag Media have successfully developed in Australia. We’ve identified several impactful synergies between the two businesses that will deliver immediate cost efficiencies and revenue, including streamlining Vampr’s in-app ads business and leveraging The Brag Media’s impressive audience reach to bolster Jaxsta, Vinyl.com and Vampr in the market.”
Luke Girgis said: “The next phase in the evolution of The Brag Media will take place under the umbrella of Australia’s only ASX-listed music business, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Right from the earliest discussions we had, it was clear that the board, Josh and the team shared our vision for the future of the business, and I’m thrilled that they’ve made this commitment with us. I’d also like to acknowledge my co-founder and managing director Sam Benjamin. This business would not have reached the heights that it has without Sam’s investment, support, leadership and mentorship over the past six years.”
White, the CEO and founder of WiseTech Global, added: “I have watched closely as Josh has built Vinyl Group’s revenue and made substantial business gains since taking my initial investment. I’ve also noted that Luke and his dedicated team at The Brag Media have rapidly grown Brag into one of Australia’s most influential media and creative businesses. There’s no doubt that iconic brands like Rolling Stone and Variety make sense and add value to VNL. Combined under the leadership of Josh and Vinyl Group, the consolidated business and team will have a lot more growth levers and options.”
See also: Mediaweek coverage of The Brag Media
At Mediaweek, we spend all day, every day, writing about the media and advertising industry, and it is therefore impossible to ignore the groundswell around diversity, equity and inclusion that dominates most industry conversations.
We realised we needed to contribute to the solution, not the problem, so we made the change. This isn’t a cheap decision, we have invested a lot of time and money into branding Next of the Best as an under-40s event, but we believe it is the right decision.
The future leaders of this industry will come from every direction, and we are open-minded and inclusive to anyone who fits our broad criteria for future leaders.
Moving forward, the Next of The Best Awards seeks to recognise the industry’s future leaders based on the impact and contribution they are currently making to their company, sector or the wider industry.
While they may not currently be leaders in terms of positions, they are already demonstrating influence and leadership skills in driving the industry forward – whether through innovative thinking, new approaches to content, driving culture, pushing boundaries or providing inspiration to others. The Next of The Best recognises the current contribution as well as the future potential of the industry’s next generation of leaders.
VML has unveiled its new market leadership team across APAC, featuring leaders with robust local knowledge and deep expertise spanning customer experience, brand experience and commerce.
The global brand, customer experience and commerce agency’s new look team follows the merging of WPP creative agencies Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R to create VML.
See also: WPP announces merger of Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R to create VML
The new market leadership team will be led by the newly appointed APAC Co-CEOs Audrey Kuah and Yi-Chung Tay. The agency’s principal offices are in Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney. The restructure also sees new leadership appointments across the region, effective January 1, 2024.
In Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), Tom Tearle, steps into the role of CEO, VML ANZ as Gavin Bain, Wunderman Thompson CEO for Australia, moves to the role of VML chief consulting officer, ANZ and managing director, Perth, Australia.
Nimesh Desai, Wunderman Thompson CEO for Singapore, has been appointed as VML CEO, Singapore. With Rhys Taylor, VMLY&R managing director, Singapore, taking on the role of VML chief client officer, Singapore, with a focus on ensuring the agency provides its full suite of capabilities to clients.
Samir Gupte, CEO, Wunderman Thompson, Indonesia, moves into the role of CEO, VML Indonesia. Meanwhile in Malaysia Kenni Loh takes on the role of CEO, of the agency’s presence in Malaysia.
In the Philippines, Golda Roldan, CEO, Wunderman Thompson, Philippines, has been appointed CEO, VML Philippines. Parattajariya Jalayanteja, takes on the role of CEO, VML Thailand. Ha Nguyen, VMLY&R CEO, Vietnam, steps into the role of CEO, Vietnam.
Kevin Zhu, VMLY&R China CEO, has been appointed CEO VML, China, and Carter Chow Wunderman Thompson CEO for Greater China, steps into the role of President, VML China.
In Hong Kong: Maggie Wong, CEO, Wunderman Thompson, Hong Kong, has been appointed CEO, Hong Kong.
Ichiro Ota, CEO of VML & Ogilvy Japan, remains in his position, while Akira Suzuki, CEO of Wunderman Thompson Japan, moves into the role of COO of VML Japan. Meanwhile Even Teng, CEO, Wunderman Thompson, Taiwan has been appointed CEO of the agency in Taiwan.
India’s market leaders will be announced in Q1 of 2024. The agency said India is a key market for the agency and they are taking the time to ensure that their teams are led by the most capable leaders for its employees and clients.
Audrey Kuah, co-CEO, VML APAC, welcomed the new APAC leadership team as the agency “redefines the possibilities of creativity and set the stage for more innovative and effective work.”
Yi-Chung Tay, co-CEO, VML APAC, added with their leaders across the APAC network, the agency is “well positioned to provide the best possible solutions to our clients’ most pressing business problems via an integrated suite of capabilities which are unsurpassed in the region.”
The agency works with a diverse range of blue-chip client partners across various industries in APAC, including Ford, The Coca-Cola Company, HSBC, Unilever, Nestle, GSK, Zespri and more.
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Top image: Audrey Kuah and Yi-Chung Tay
The ABC’s triple j national youth broadcaster for young Australians has announced programming changes as it steps into 2024. The announcements are the latest changes at triple j and follow the recent departures of Richard Kingsmill, concluding a 35-year tenure, and Jess Perkins, the host of Weekend Arvos.
See also: “I’ve given my heart and soul”: Richard Kingsmill leaves triple j
The updates include a reshuffling of time slots and the introduction of fresh content, which triple j has stated will come into effect Monday, January 8 2024.
Abby & Tyrone will take the reins during triple j Drive on weekdays, airing from 3:30pm to 5:30pm. Following Hack, an additional hour from 6pm to 7pm aims to provide more music, disorder, and compelling moments.
In a schedule adjustment, triple j’s Home & Hosed, hosted by Ash McGregor, will extend its reach to a new time slot, running from 7pm to 9pm, Monday to Thursday.
triple j has said that McGregor, triple j’s resident Australian music expert, will spotlight the latest local music through interviews with both established and emerging artists, while also providing insights into the live music scene and featuring an on-air gig guide.
While the update denotes the departure of triple j Good Nights, triple j maintains listeners can anticipate the continued presence of the presenter and DJ, Latifa Tee.
Tee will showcase the best new dance and club tracks on The Nudge on Fridays at 10pm and lead the hosting duties for Saturday night House Party from 6pm to 9pm, alongside Shantan Wantan Ichiban will continue to curate the Friday night House Party from 6pm to 9pm each week.
Bryce & Concetta will resume their duties on Breakfast from 6am to 9am, Lucy Smith will return to Mornings from 9am to 12pm, and Dave Woodhead will extend his lunchtime presence from 12pm to 3:30pm.
Hack will be back in its usual slot from 5:30 pm to 6pm, and Blak Out & The Hook Up will continue to air on Sunday evenings. Specialised shows like soul ctrl with Tanya Bunter, The Racket with Lochlan Watt, Short Fast Loud with Josh Merriel, and The Hip Hop Show, with new residents to be announced next year, will keep their regular time slots, along with Mix Up with Kailyn Crabbe.
Compiled by Jasper Baumann and Tess Connery
This month, LiSTNR‘s The Howie Games marks a major milestone. The sports podcast has published its 200th episode, celebrating the occasion with an interview with Matildas’ World Cup superstar, Steph Catley.
Podcast Week’s Tess Connery spoke with host Mark ‘Howie’ Howard about the evolution of The Howie Games, and making it to 200 episodes.
Mark Howard
“When we started this seven years ago, we didn’t think we’d get to 10 episodes, let alone 200,” Howard said.
“It’s a little bit overwhelming. It’s a credit to a lot of people who have done a lot of hard work to support the show, but I think it is mainly a credit to the listeners who have supported the show.”
For the 200th episode, The Howie Games has published an interview with Steph Catley – Matildas’ defender and player for Arsenal. It was a fitting interview for the milestone: in a year of major sporting moments, Howard said that the Women’s World Cup was the highlight.
“For our 100th episode, we had Adam Scott, who was the first Australian to win the Masters – I thought, well, I’m not sure how we can top that. But undoubtedly, the sports story of 2023 by a long, long way was the Matildas’ performance at the World Cup at home. They brought the entire country together with 11 million watching them play.
“To me, it had to be a guest from the Matildas – Steph was thrown in as captain when Sam Kerr was injured, and she scored a couple of penalties. She led from the front, as a Victorian girl that grew up playing junior football with boys to then representing Australia on the world stage. I could not have been happier to have her on, I think she’s the perfect embodiment of what the podcast is and what the country fell in love with.”
Seven years into The Howie Games, it’s not just the voices of Howard’s kids who have grown and changed, joking that “my kids ask questions at the start as four and six year olds, now they’re 11 and 14, and it’s bizarre to hear them!”
“Hopefully, I’ve got better at listening to people’s stories,” said Howard. “We’ve really become in tune with what the audience wants – people that are open and honest, that have got a genuine story to tell. They don’t have to have been dominant athletes, although a lot of them are. I think people really enjoy a story from someone who has had to work hard to achieve what they’ve got.
“We’ve honed it that we’re trying to get guests that can inspire the audience. It’s a big time commitment to give up an hour and a half of your day to listen to a podcast when there’s so much competition. So if they walk away feeling good about themselves, and maybe apply something they heard in their life, that’s what we’re after.”
As Howard points out, “you don’t know what’s around the corner,” but one thing that is known is that next year will see the podcast continue to be adaptable. 2024 may also see some major guests join the podcast, if all goes to plan.
“The Indian travel series we did taking people behind people behind the scenes of the World Cup came to me three days before I got to India, and that’s been a tremendous success. If you’d asked me six weeks ago, it wasn’t even in my head.
“We’re chasing a few big-name international guests – I know Tom Brady‘s coming to Australia early in the new year, so it would be nice to get Tom Brady on! We’ve got our eye on a few people, but these things don’t take two weeks, they take two years. so fingers crossed.”
[Listen to The Howie Games here]
55% of Australian marketers can anticipate an increase in ad spend for podcasts over the next five years, a new study by Acast has found.
The independent podcast company’s research looked into marketers based in the USA, Canada, Australia, the UK and Singapore between September and October 2023 and found marketers are ten times more likely to predict an increase rather than a decrease in podcast ad spend over the next five years.
Canada and the USA can also expect more than half of marketers to anticipate increasing podcast ad spending in the next five years, in line with Australia’s figures. Meanwhile Singapore, a market in the early stages of podcasting, 37% expect a significant increase in ad spend over the same period.
Acast noted the results signal a continued and growing recognition of the value of podcast advertising within both established and emerging markets.
Greg Glenday, chief business officer at Acast, said with a footprint in over 15 different markets, they understand the power podcasting has in connecting advertisers with the right audiences for their unique brand stories.
“This research shows that marketers around the world also recognise the immense value of podcast audiences,” he said.
In the last data drop during 2023, the November Podcast Ranker presents a wider snapshot of the audio market than ever before.
The reason for that is ABC has entered its titles for Podcast Raker measurement. To accommodate the new podcast publisher, Triton Digital has expanded the podcast charts from the Top 150 to the Top 200.
There was just enough room for the ABC titles too. There are 33 podcast shows new this month on the chart from the ABC.
The highest-ranked of these is the long-time ABC favourite Conversations with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski.
The highest-ranked debut not from ABC is 7News Headlines, a product of the new relationship between ARN and what is now its largest shareholder, Seven West Media.
Also new this month is Head Game from the Nova podcast network. In each episode, guests tell extraordinary stories of survival, relive heroic moments, and unpack the details of life-changing decisions.
The biggest mover on the Ranker this month was the Shameless Media series Everybody Has a Secret hosted by Annabelle Lee. The series has rocketed into the top 50 at #39, a leap of 95 places.
LiSTNR has amassed a catalogue of music to fit any summertime mood or plans with 40 dedicated music and DAB+ stations.
Santa Radio – This station plays non-stop festive hits 24/7 and also has a direct phone line to leave a last-minute message for Santa (1300 223 374).
Swiftie Radio – As Taylor Swift’s Aussie tour gets closer, this station features around-the-clock Swift hits and guarantees fans a musical journey through her entire catalogue.
Top 30 – Top 30 has chart-topping music from the globe’s biggest artists including Dua Lipa, Jack Harlow, Olivia Rodrigo, Miley Cyrus and Tate McRae.
RNB Fridays Radio – RnB favourites featuring on the station include Drake, Doja Cat, Jason Derulo, Latto and Post Malone.
The brand new season of Stan’s Dr. Death follows the real-life story of “Miracle Man” Paolo Macchiarini (Édgar Ramírez), a charming surgeon renowned for his innovative operations; however, in a devastating twist, most of his patients suffered a traumatic end, suffocating on the decaying plastic windpipes he placed inside them.
Speaking to Mediaweek before the season premiere on Friday, December 22, Emmy Award-winning Luke Kirby (who plays Dr Nathan Gamelli) and actor Gustaf Hammarsten (who plays Dr Svensson) reveal how the events portrayed in the series’ second season, are truly “shocking”.
“It was really shocking to me, the bill of goods that was sold to people who rarely had the funds and the power to make this happen,” Kirby said. “And to overlook the lack of research, peer review and empirical data, just the willingness at the promise of something so great, to just overlook important information was striking to me, because when you hear what he was promoting and promising, you go like, how is this possible?”
Luke Kirby and Gustaf Hammarstan, Dr Death. Stan
For Swedish-born Hammarsten, it was truly distressing that it could happen somewhere like Sweden.
“[It’s] A country where everything is safe and boring, and controlled,” he said. “Everything is shocking. It is shocking that you have a prestigious institution — wherever it might be — that could go on [like this] for so many years. And, it’s so hard to hit the break and tell the truth and nobody wants to hear about it.”
In this story of lies, manipulation, heartbreak, and betrayal, the whistleblowers — doctors around the world — peeled back the layers of Macchiarini’s deception until they realised how vulnerable patients put their faith in not a ‘Miracle Man’, but a ‘Dr. Death’.
Hammarsten and Kirby, alongside Ashley Madekwe (who plays Dr Ana Lasbrey), play characters who are an “amalgamation” of those who participated — whether willingly or not — in the scheme and as they began to make shocking discoveries of their own, it called everything about Macchiarini into question.
Gustaf Hammarsten, Luke Kirby and Ashley Madekwe, Dr Death. Stan
“It’s a fiction sort of borrowed from true life,” Hammarsten said. “All the three whistleblowers have a different kind of part in the story and they come from different angles and so they they need each other to do this.
“Luke’s character was sceptical from the beginning and he wants to do something about it. But I feel that I can’t do that because I have to protect my family.”
Meanwhile, Kirby said that those Doctors who were roped into the scheme paid a “hefty price”.
“It held the promise of so much profit. It’s peculiar,” Kirby said. “Every individual, their self-interest is that you have to provide for their family. You are kind of a financial funnel for your family. And everybody is to some degree, given this sort of crossroads not only professionally but also, I think, financially.
“Work doesn’t just come running your way after doing something like this. It’s a really serious thing to contend with and it is strange that that’s the game that was agreed here.”
For the patients and their families who suffered at the hands of Macchiarini, it was a life-and-death situation.
“The patients were desperate,” Hammersten said. “But for someone like Macchiarini, he needs an environment, he needs other people to nourish him.”
The series also follows investigative journalist Benita Alexander (Mandy Moore) who approaches Macchiarini for a story. And when the line between personal and professional began to blur, it changed her life forever.
Mandy Moore. Stan
Throughout the season, we will see his perfection unravel and Benita will learn just how far Paolo will go to protect his secrets.
The brand new season of Stan’s Dr. Death is based on the Wondery podcast.
Stream Dr Death season two on Stan from Friday, December 22.
The Mediaweek 100 will return bigger and better in 2024 on November 8 at Crown Sydney’s Pearl Ballroom.
As one of the media industry’s premier events, The Mediaweek 100 celebrates the individuals at the top of their game and the teams driving success at Australia’s leading media companies. The event attracts the industry’s most influential people to recognise and celebrate the immense talent behind Australia’s media sector.
The Mediaweek 100 and its power lists continue to evolve alongside the industry, reflecting the changing nature of media dynamics and influence. The 2024 lists will be led by Mediaweek’s group managing editor Danielle Long, editor-in-chief James Manning, and publisher Trent Thomas.
The 2023 Mediaweek 100 Power Lunch was held at the Pearl Ballroom, where a sell-out crowd assembled for the reveal of the number-one recipients of all four power lists.
The Star Power 25, which assembled the most influential and powerful talent on screen and on air, recognised radio duo Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson in the number one position. The ARN radio stars topped the list for the second-year in a row.
Jackie O was present to receive the pair’s trophy and thanked Mediaweek for its ongoing support of the Kyle and Jackie O team.
“This is very, very humbling, especially when you see everyone else’s name up there and they are all people I admire so much,” she said.
“I feel incredibly grateful to be doing this job and to be in this industry because when we start in this industry, we never know how long it’s going to last, so being here now 25 years later and receiving an award like this is an absolute privilege.”
The Creative Agency 50 showcased the country’s most influential and powerful creative agency executives and celebrated how they positively influence the agencies, the industry, and the client’s business.
Mark Green, group CEO and co-founder of The Monkeys and president at Accenture Song ANZ, topped the list and used the opportunity to thank the Yellow Pages, which started his career 25 years ago.
“I’ve loved every minute since I started in this industry,” he said. “We get to work with really wonderful people all the time and it’s a great honour to be up here today accepting this on behalf of everyone at Accenture Song.”
Aimee Buchanan, chief executive of GroupM Australia & New Zealand, took home the top spot on the Media Agency 50 list.
After accepting the award, Buchanan reflected on her decision to join GroupM based on the opportunity she saw for the business and the organisation’s vision.
“I’m hugely passionate about our industry and I think today speaks volumes about the opportunity we have to shape businesses, clients and cultures,” she said.
“Although I am standing up here alone today, this isn’t a business of individuals, it’s built by the power of great teams and I’m incredibly proud of the team I lead at GroupM.”
The number one position on the 2023 Mediaweek 100 was awarded to James Warburton, managing director and chief executive officer at Seven West Media.
Warburton echoed Buchanan’s sentiment by recognising the teamwork – both in front of and behind the camera – that builds businesses and creates success.
“I have a great honour to stand and lead these teams at Seven as CEO and they are wonderful people who love to tell stories and connect with Australia,” he said.
Warburton also thanked Seven West Media chairperson Kerry Stokes and the company board for supporting Seven through the good and bad times.
“I love the media industry, and when I think about what we do as an industry, it’s quite extraordinary.
“Ever since I started in this industry in 2003, I have heard the same thing every week, every month, every year and even more so now, due to social media, the idea that TV is under pressure and it’s dying. In FY23, the television industry made $1.2 billion in profit. It’s safe to say we aren’t going anywhere; yes, we are changing and changing very rapidly, but my god, are we a strong industry.”
The event also honoured Barry O’Brien, the chairman of independent media agency Atomic 212, who was inducted as a Mediaweek Icon, joining the likes of Mikael Borglund, Ita Buttrose, Janet Cameron, Bruce Gordon, David Leckie, Rupert Murdoch, Kerry Stokes, and Brian Walsh.
Introduced by Peter Zavecz, managing director, Victoria/Tasmania Publishing, News Corporation, who spoke highly about O’Brien’s character as a leader, his professionalism and his dedication to the industry.
O’Brien thanked the industry for its support and spoke of his pride for the agency. “I’m super proud of our incredible agency. I stand proudly as chairman of the number one media independent in the market.”
See the lists here:
Star Power 25 List
Creative Agency 50 List
Media Agency 50 List
Mediaweek 100 Power List
TEG has appointed Phil King as managing director – of Ticketek Australia, who steps into the role following the promotion of Cameron Hoy to TEG’s chief operating officer and head of global ticketing.
King joins the ticketing, live content and data analytics company with more than 20 years of experience within the industry, most recently as chief commercial officer at the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA).
Prior to joining SACA, he held senior executive positions at several major venue organisations, including general manager of The Adelaide Entertainment Centre, director of live entertainment at the International Convention Centre, and commercial manager at Qudos Bank Arena.
King will operate from TEG’s Sydney office, reporting to chief operating officer and head of global ticketing Hoy.
King will lead Ticketek’s client services, ticketing solutions and delivery teams to ensure the organisation continues to deliver the very best ticketing solutions and services to their partners.
Geoff Jones, TEG CEO, welcomed King to the team as they grow the business, deliver partnerships for clients and experiences for customers.
“King is a highly experienced executive with a strong track record of more than 20 years’ experience across Stadia and Arenas who will bring a wealth of knowledge to the Business,” Jones added.
King said of his new role: “Ticketek is one of the most innovative, all-encompassing organisations within the live events industry and I look forward to becoming part of the fabric that tells Ticketek’s next story.”
Last week, Hoy was promoted to TEG’s chief operating officer and head of global ticketing. In the role, Hoy will be responsible for oversight of numerous divisions across the business, including the company’s data science, analytics and digital divisions, product and technology, in addition to leading TEG’s Global Ticketing operations.
See also: TEG promotes Cameron Hoy to chief operating officer and head of global ticketing
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Top image: Phil King
Icon Reputation, part of Icon Agency, has launched a podcast, Up the Creek, examining the hits and misses of PR and crisis communications from the sporting arena to corporate blowouts.
Director Mark Forbes and director of media and public affairs Benjamin Haslem will dissect how people or organisations define themselves in these crises and examine their attempts to extricate themselves.
Forbes told Mediaweek the two hosts have “a fair bit of experience on both sides of the fence”, both as former journalists who now work in high levels of PR and crisis communications.
While Up the Creek looks at the serious implications of PR mishaps and crisis communications, he noted: “It’s not a totally serious podcast. It’s a chance to have a giggle at the misfortunes of others.”
Though Forbes joked that the podcast is for “anyone who takes a degree of pleasure in the discomfort of others”, he said it would interest anyone intrigued by the reputations of individuals, organisations and corporations.
Icon Reputation director Mark Forbes
“These days, reputation is increasingly under threat. It’s both valued more than ever before but subject to potential attacks and undermining.”
“There’s just so much more scrutiny of individuals. The rise of mobile phones and technology makes everyone a publisher. If you do something silly in public, you can almost bet your bottom dollar that some will capture video on an iPhone.
“We’re seeing those massive expectations around not just the purpose of brands but also the standards we expect out of leading individuals and corporations.
“Increasingly now, the media, shareholders and the public oversee those comments and expect people’s actions to match the words. Where they don’t is often where crisis is born,” he said.
The first episode of the podcast will unveil the 2023 Reputation Eye Awards. The awards recognise successful PR turnaround, the Golden Eye Award, and the most significant PR fail of the year, the Brown Eye Award.
This year’s Golden Eye Award for the Best PR Performance of 2023 went to The Matildas, who Forbes said had successfully “won the hearts of the nation over the World Cup.”
“If you look back a year, they got kicked out of the Asian Cup. There were calls for the coach to resign; they dropped out of the FIFA Top 10 and badly lost a couple of friendlies.
“It’s been an interesting process since then, whereby by very limited major media exposure, really strong marketing and involvement were appropriate on social issues, have really improved their reputation, with almost everyone.
“They’re seen as Australia’s most valuable sporting commodity, and they use that platform constructively during the World Cup. They (The Matildas) spoke out about the discrepancy in male and female prize money.”
Meanwhile, according to Forbes, the Brown Eye Award had a few worthy contenders.
Optus was a notable mention following the second network outage this year. He said: “To manage the mess up your comms the second time around on a major issue, it was pretty outstanding, and I wasn’t too surprised to see the CEO go.”
Icon Reputation’s director of media and public affairs, Benjamin Haslem
However, Forbes said in terms of scope and impact, PwC took the title.
“They (PWC) drove a company that would have been worth hundreds of millions of dollars in government consulting work to the point where they had to flog it off for $1 to get it off the books.
“That has bigger ramifications for all consultancy firms; it raises serious questions for the government about their reliance on private sector contractors who have increasingly taken over a large amount of them working in the public sector and highlights the potential dangers.
“For PwC to know when you’re playing both sides of the fence, you need to have proper protocols, ethics and standards,” he added.
Forbes said he hopes the podcast provides insights into the ins and outs of crisis PR and communication, from tactics to how to deal with getting into trouble and what not to do.
Forbes noted that the key to getting out of a problem is taking ownership of the issue, saying sorry, if deserved, and taking action to fix the issue that has been created.
“People want to be reassured it doesn’t happen again,” he added.
See also: Mediaweek’s A to Z of 2023: Q is for Qantas, Optus, PwC and the year of corporate blowouts
Nicole Kidman returned to her hometown of Sydney for a special advance screening of her upcoming Prime Video series Expats at Palace Verona on Thursday.
The screening marked a return to the venue for the Academy Award and Emmy-winning actor, who attended the opening of the cinema 27 years ago.
Expats is a six-part limited series created and directed by Lulu Wang, co-executive produced by Kidman and is based on the internationally best-selling novel The Expatriates by Janice Y. K. Lee.
Nicole Kidman and Alice Ball
The series is set against the complex tapestry of Hong Kong residents and follows a multifaceted group of women after a single encounter sets off a chain of life-altering events that leaves everyone navigating the intricate balance between blame and accountability.
Kidman was joined on the red carpet by writer and executive producer Alice Bell, and co-star Blessing Mokgohloa, from Expats to celebrate the series.
Blessing Mokgohloa
Kidman was joined on the red carpet by husband, country music star Keith Urban. Among the guests who attended were Nina Oyama, James Tobin, Emma Horn, Danijela Dacic, Lucia Field, Olivia Frazer, Justin Hill, and Angela Bishop, who hosted the event.
The Expats special advance screening is one of the final events at the Palace Verona theatre on Oxford Street before it closes down and relocates in early 2024.
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban
The Verona cinema is shutting down due to planned redevelopment in to a six-story building with shops, offices, entertainment areas and a rooftop bar, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Palace Cinemas CEO Benjamin Zeccola told the publication at the time it was a sad end for what was “a spectacular and glorious location for cinema.”
Palace Verona is moving to the old Cinema Paris at the Entertainment Quarter and will reopen as Palace Moore Park in 2024.
Expats launches globally on Prime Video on January 26, 2024.
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Top image: Nicole Kidman
Wildcard has expanded its national services to include PR, communications and digital media as the agency pursues new clients in order to drive growth.
The sports and culture creative agency, based in Cremorne, Melbourne, is TLA’s internal creative agency that drives creative, film, digital media, and now communications outcomes for all TLA clients and departments.
TLA’s communications team will phase into the in-house creative agency and will continue to service existing clients from next year while bolstering Wildcard’s offering with integrated communications strategies and outcomes.
Wildcard’s new communications offering brings with it a national team spread across three key sporting and culture markets in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide.
Samantha McLaughlin will lead the team in Sydney, Aaron Buxton will lead the team in Melbourne, and new hire Sam Okely will join the team in 2024 as PR Manager to spearhead the team’s growing portfolio of Adelaide accounts.
Guy Martin, content director; Sam Fleming, general manager; Tom Meredith, creative director
The national team brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in amplifying sporting codes and brands to fans. They also bring a suite of key accounts, including the AFL, LIV Golf, VAILO Adelaide 500, Cricket Australia, Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, Asahi/CUB, and Treasury Premium Brands.
Wildcard’s general manager Sam Fleming said the expansion of Wildcard was “a testament to the team’s creative strengths and demand since its inception in 2022.”
“We identified a clear appetite for clients looking to work with an agency that can service both above and below the line capabilities informed by a team with specialised expertise.”
The expansion of Wildcard to include a communications offering follows the success of major integrated marketing campaigns, including Carlton Draught’s The Carlton Draft and Cetaphil’s Face the World.
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Top image: Samantha McLaughlin and Aaron Buxton
Telco company Telnyx Australia has paid a $106,560 infringement notice and is under formal directive to adhere to industry regulations following an investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
The inquiry revealed Telnyx’s non-compliance with anti-scam and public safety obligations spanning the period from 2017 to 2022.
ACMA chair Nerida O’Loughlin said: “Telnyx’s breaches weakened the application of anti-scams rules at a time when scam SMS have heavily impacted on many Australians.”
The investigation brought to light Telnyx’s allowance of at least 4,666 SMS, utilising text-based sender IDs (shortened business names), to be sent without adequate checks to confirm their legitimacy.
O’Loughlin dismissed the size of Telnyx as an excuse, stating, “The fact that Telnyx is a smaller telco is simply no excuse as it breached a raft of rules in place to prevent serious harms to Australians.”
Further findings revealed Telnyx’s failure to conduct satisfactory ID checks for prepaid mobile customers and during customer transfers from other telcos. Additionally, the company neglected to provide customer data to the Integrated Public Number Database (IPND) on more than 3,256 occasions between 2017 and 2022. The IPND plays a critical role in emergency services, aiding in locating individuals during emergencies and supporting law enforcement activities.
Apart from the financial penalty, the ACMA has mandated Telnyx to comply with the Reducing Scam Calls and Scam SMS and the Integrated Public Number Database Industry codes. Telnyx has also committed to an independent review of its compliance practices, with enforceable undertakings accepted by the ACMA.
O’Loughlin underscored the expectation for telcos, irrespective of their size or operational history, to adhere to industry rules from the outset. “Protecting their customers should be the highest priority of all telcos,” she affirmed.
Addressing SMS phone scams remains a compliance priority for ACMA, with potential penalties of up to $250,000 for telcos breaching ACMA directives.
See also: ACMA warns brands to “get it right” as it cracks down on spam this festive season
Men’s lifestyle publication Man of Many has revealed its list of top 100 consumer products and trends of 2023, based on reviews from Man of Many’s team of technology, style, automotive and culture editors over the past 12 months.
The Man of Many 100, now in its fifth year, showcases the best value products released and celebrates the top products across eight distinct categories: tech, auto, watches, drinks, fashion, outdoors, home and living, and fitness and sport.
Nick Hall, Man of Many editor-in-chief, said Man of Many has made a “concerted effort” to highlight the innovations that matter.
“Concentrating on products that we personally tested and evaluated ourselves, the Man of Many 100 is designed to arm our savvy readers with the tools they need to tackle the modern world, whether that be through pioneering developments in AI or the latest in considered an indulgence,” Hall added.
The Man of Many list of recognises top brands including industry stalwarts, both domestic and international names. Among the global brands are Longines, Apple, Kia, and LG, which earned honours for their flagship releases this year. Local brands, including furniture specialists King Living, Melbourne whisky producer Starward and South Australian winemaker St Hugo were recognised for their contributions.
The Man of Many 100 also looks back at the year in products and the sweeping change in consumer trends, taking into account each product’s influence on the market and personal reviews.
Among the tech that trended this year was the unveiling of the Apple Vision Pro and arrival of the highly anticipated Tesla Cybertruck. Hall said this year saw technology take on new life with some of “the most provocative and interesting product reveals in recent memory.”
“Even concepts that have yet to hit the market, like Apple’s Vision Pro and Motorola’s wrap-around Adaptive Display, have altered the way we think about product use. It was important for us to shine a light, not simply on our favourite products of 2023, but also on the innovative concepts that provide a glimpse into the future of consumer technology,” he added.
Man of Many’s list also revealed a number of insights, including how AI continues to be an integral part of product development and integration with Five of the eight categories in the list included products with an AI focus.
It also highlighted the shift in consumer priorities with convenience at the centre. Flexible working arrangements has seen more brands focus on portability with handheld and compact devices were the big winners in the Tech category.
Sustainability was also a high priority reflected in the list, showing consumers are prioritising the sustainability drive as a key purchasing consideration in 2024.
• Viewers tune in to Taronga: Who’s Who in the Zoo
• The Bachelors season finale draws 204K
Seven won Wednesday night with a primary share of 18.7% and a network share of 30.3%.
7Mate has won multi-channels with a 4.6% share.
Nine received a primary share of 18.6% and a network share of 26.6%.
10 took a 8.1% primary share and a network share of 14.4%.
296,000 sat down for an evening of sport with Seven’s Big Bash. The Scorchers went up against the Hurricanes from Optus Stadium. The Scorchers won by nine wickets with 23 balls left finishing 173/1 (16.1) to 172/8 (20).
564,000 watched Nine’s A Current Affair which explored how for the first time in 18 years, one of Australia’s most notorious terrorists, Abdul Nacer Benbrika, woke up at home instead of jail. He was sentenced after planning multiple attacks in Australia, including a plot to bomb the 2005 AFL grand final.
Then, 357,000 watched Taronga: Who’s Who in the Zoo where a mystery lump on Ras the camel’s ear had everyone stumped.
261,000 also watched Clarkson’s Farm as Jeremy decided to become a naturalist.
Finally, 137,000 tuned in to a repeat of Police Rescue Australia.
382,000 watched ABC’s 7.30 as the program explored how ambulance ramping has become a political crisis for the Queensland government and the NT and WA governments have been keeping their internal modelling on emissions for this decade under wraps.
441,000 then watched Hard Quiz: Battle of the Influencers as Tom Gleeson took on four of Australia’s most popular online influencers: @nalopia, @ianz95, @chantyb97, and @Mully.
On 10, viewers tuned in to The Project (163,000 6.30 pm / 215,000 7.00 pm) as the panel welcomed Kurt and Wyatt Russel via satellite. Plus the program looked at how after decades of women’s pain being ignored during IUD procedures, a Melbourne hospital has become the first public clinic to offer relief to make it easier for their patients.
The season finale of The Bachelors followed as Ben chose McKenna, Luke chose Ellie and Wes, who had already coupled up with Brea, decided to walk away from the relationship after she asked for more time to figure out what she wanted. 204,000 tuned in. Earlier in the year, 372,000 watched Jed McIntosh, Felix Von Hofe and Thomas Malucelli make their final decision.
My Life is Murder followed for 108,000.
Over on SBS, 94,000 tuned in to see Gods of Tennis. The program looked at how Cold War suspicions surrounded Martina Navratilova as she dominated Wimbledon but struggled to be as adored as her rival Chris Evert.
Then, a repeat of Monster: The Mystery of Loch Ness reached 52,000.
610,000 caught ABC’s Hard Quiz, up 5%.
605,000 watched Nine’s Taronga: Who’s Who in the Zoo, up 9%.
282,000 tuned in to 10’s The Bachelors, up 42%.
| WEDNESDAY METRO | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Seven | Nine | 10 | SBS | |||||
| ABC | 15.2% | 7 | 18.7% | 9 | 18.6% | 10 | 8.1% | SBS | 3.6% |
| ABC KIDS/ ABC TV PLUS | 2.7% | 7TWO | 4.4% | GO! | 1.2% | 10 Bold | 3.1% | VICELAND | 1.3% |
| ABC ME | 0.7% | 7mate | 4.6% | GEM | 3.9% | 10 Peach | 2.5% | Food Net | 1.4% |
| ABC NEWS | 2% | 7flix | 1.2% | 9Life | 1.9% | Nickelodeon | 0.7% | NITV | 0.3% |
| 7Bravo | 1.4% | 9Rush | 1% | SBS World Movies | 1.6% | ||||
| SBS WorldWatch | 0% | ||||||||
| TOTAL | 20.5% | 30.3% | 26.6% | 14.4% | 8.2% | ||||
| WEDNESDAY REGIONAL | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Seven Affiliates | Nine Affiliates | 10 Affiliates | SBS | Sky Regional | ||||||
| ABC | 13.3% | 7 | 18.7% | 9 | 17.4% | 10 | 5.3% | SBS | 3.3% | Sky News Regional | 2.5% |
| ABC KIDS/ ABC TV PLUS | 2.5% | 7TWO | 4.8% | GO! | 1.4% | 10Bold | 4% | VICELAND | 1.4% | ||
| ABC ME | 0.9% | 7mate | 5.6% | GEM | 4.3% | 10Peach | 2.5% | Food Net | 1.1% | ||
| ABC NEWS | 1.8% | 7flix (Excl. Tas/WA) | 1.7% | 9Life | 2% | Nickelodeon | 1.9% | SBS World Movies | 1.9% | ||
| 7Bravo | 2% | SBS WorldWatch | 0% | ||||||||
| NITV | 0.3% | ||||||||||
| TOTAL | 18.5% | 32.8% | 25.1% | 13.7% | 8% | 2.5% | |||||
| WEDNESDAY METRO ALL TV | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTA | STV | ||||||||
| 87.7% | 12.3% | ||||||||
16-39 Top Five
18-49 Top Five
25-54 Top Five
Shares all people, 6pm-midnight, Overnight (Live and AsLive), Audience numbers FTA metro, Sub TV national
Source: OzTAM and Regional TAM 2023. The Data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) without the prior written consent of OzTAM
See also: Mediaweek’s A to Z of 2023: X is for X (formerly Twitter)
Earlier this year, X’s billionaire owner reversed a ban on political advertising instituted by former chief executive Jack Dorsey, a move designed to align with Musk’s stance as a “free speech absolutist”.
The show, which will be hosted by Radio National presenter and journalist Patricia Karvelas next year, will run on Monday nights in six-week slots, according to internal notes sent to staff.
See also: Patricia Karvelas to take the reins of Q+A permanently in 2024
There will be one run from February 19 to March 25, a second from April 29 to June 3, a third from August 12 to September 16, and a final run from October 21 to November 25.
See also: Data Never Sleeps report reveals ChatGPT users send 6944 prompts every 60 seconds
The writers, including Pulitzer Prize winners Taylor Branch, Stacy Schiff and Kai Bird – who co-wrote the J. Robert Oppenheimer biography American Prometheus that was adapted into the hit film Oppenheimer this year – told the court on Tuesday that the companies infringed their copyrights by using their work to train OpenAI’s GPT large language models.
The broadcaster received 8 complaints under its Code of Practice. The Ombudsman found two breaches of the SBS Code of Practice as part of those investigations, relating to impartiality and balance.
In a heated interview between former SBS Board Member and No campaigner Warren Mundine hit out at Yes campaigner Marcia Langton.
Antoinette Lattouf had been hosting ABC Sydney’s mornings program for just three days when numerous complaints were received about her conduct, including recent commentary on social media that “gas the Jews” footage from Sydney’s Opera House was unverified and accusations Israeli forces had committed rape.
Together former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham and her footballer husband David [Beckham] are worth $800 million. As Matilda’s star Mary Fowler was yesterday unveiled as the ambassador for a south Sydney kindergarten there was clearly a long way to go.
“They may have the potential to be a micro version of Posh and Becks but only if you squint,” said Gruen TV show marketing expert Toby Ralph.
Games Workshop, the company behind Warhammer 40,000, the wildly popular tabletop game with miniature figurines, announced on Monday that it had reached a deal with Amazon Studios to bring the game to life on television and film screens.
The actor Henry Cavill, known for his roles in the Superman franchise and as the title character on Netflix’s fantasy series The Witcher, is set to appear on the show and be its executive producer.
