Mediaweek held its inaugural Power Lunch in October, celebrating the successes of the media industry and the people who make it.

Taking #20 on the Agency 50 list Jimmy Hyett, the CEO of This Is Flow.
 
Mediaweek caught up with Hyett to reflect on how future-proofing has benefitted the agency, his thoughts on issues in the industry that need attention, and why 2023 is “a year to be excited for”.

Mediaweek: Congratulations on making the #20 spot on our Mediaweek Agency 50 list. What was your reaction to your placement?

Jimmy Hyett: Just making the list in general is surreal – an industry full of so many influential and incredible leaders, to be recognised in the same breath is a beautiful thing.
 
But to be named in the top 20 is just a testament to the people that surround me. They elevate the work we do and the impact a make, to a level that shouldn’t be recognised alone. But I’ll represent them and accept this incredible compliment on their behalf.
 
MW: How does your position on the list reflect the achievements made by This Is Flow?
 
JH: Flow is currently making huge leaps forward, driving people and client progression – which I truly believe inspires a multitude of talent and agencies in our industry (multinationals included).
 
At its heart is a media industry hungry to find passion, culture and loving the work we do – it a way that it doesn’t feel like work – and that’s exactly what Flow has been able to achieve (and continues to strive for).
 
This future proofing focus has translated to some of the most incredible client relationships, client results and business growth – and as a result Flow has cemented itself amongst the best in the business.

Jimmy Hyett with the This is Flow team 

MW: What are three industry issues on your mind, and in your opinion, how can they be solved or achieved?

JH: Data Interrogation
 
We’ve been spoiled with an abundance of data and technology – platforms that claim to solve the multitude of ‘million-dollar questions’. But our hunger for answers has now resulted in some incredibly inaccurate data and misleading insights. We get it, it’s hard.. but don’t wing it, keep being curious, and never stop innovating until we find a way to combine the data and tech to accurately answer the ‘million-dollar question’!

Consumers changing faster than we do
 
The way our audience consume, engage and interact with media, brands and virtually everything in their day to day lives, is a constant evolution going in many different directions. But as an industry with a history being a slow ship to turn, we will see effectiveness fall quickly if we don’t adopt speed, agility and an future focused entrepreneurial mindset. Be swift and let your consumer inform your media – not the media trying to lead the consumer.

Silos causing a talent gap
 
At Flow we believe in planning, buying, digital, traditional, creative and media all working together from brief to results. But the constant separation of planning VS buying in distant teams, digital execution being done in a separate agency, and talent becoming a master of ONE, and not knowing anything else is causing a lack of experience, and an unsustainable work force. If you’re feeling siloed – get yourself some broader experience – this is a major competitive advantage to increase opportunity and future proof your own career path.

MW: What is your outlook for This Is Flow in 2023?
 
JH: This is a year to be excited for.
 
With new news, clients, talent, and some exciting innovation to be rolled out in Q1 – Flow will be the driving force for passion, progression and growth in our industry.
 
MW: What are your hopes for the industry in 2023?
 
JH: I would love to see something new – an innovation or piece of technology, an idea or game changing way of doing things that completely changes the game and ruffles some feathers.
 
Nothing like a shake up to make the reluctant to change nervous!
 
–

Top image: Jimmy Hyett

ThinkTV has announced the total TV advertising revenue figures for the six and 12 months to 31 December 2022.
 
The total TV advertising market, which includes metropolitan free-to-air, regional free-to-air, subscription TV and Broadcaster Video on Demand (BVOD) and excludes SBS, recorded combined revenue of $4.1 billion for the year to December 2022, which was up 1.2 per cent compared to the same period ending December 2021.
 
In the December half, TV advertising revenue was $2.1 billion, down 3.7 per cent when compared to the same period ending December 2021, according to the media company.
 
Kim Portrate, ThinkTV CEO, said: “Just as Australians and their love for TV continued in 2022, so too did advertisers’ reliance on Total TV as the foundation for their marketing efforts. This is clear in the numbers. Total TV had a solid year, despite the last six months reflecting broader macro-economic conditions felt by all sectors of the industry.”
 
Investment in BVOD platforms 7plus, 9Now, 10 Play, Foxtel Go, Foxtel Now and Kayo continues to accelerate with BVOD revenue up 10 per cent to $239 million for the six months to 31 December 2022. BVOD revenue for the total financial year was $448 million, up 23.5 per cent year-on-year.
 
Portrate added: “Audience viewing habits continue to shift and Australian broadcasters are expanding the way they cater to these changes.
 
“The growth of streaming viewership, and the introduction of FAST channels, are two great examples of innovations in the BVOD space in the last 12 months. Advertisers are clearly taking note with revenue once again increasing for BVOD, Australia’s fastest growing media channel.”

This follows after ThinkTV released its bi-annual TV Fact Pack in September revealing the latest data in the much-used presentation tracks audiences across the six months ending June 30, 2022.
 
Portrate told Mediaweek the TV Fact Packs are highly valued by the market and are the most downloaded of the annual research the organisation offers.
 
“We do it to save people time,” said Portrate. “It is most useful to agency people who are building decks or working on presentations to clients.

“This is the first ThinkTV Fact Pack in what you could call a more normal environment post-Covid. What we are seeing is what is part of a long-term trend is the way Australians are consuming television.”

See also: ThinkTV Fact Pack: Latest Total TV report tracks growth of BVOD – live & on demand

Next-gen news streamer Ticker News is about to arrive on Fetch TV, bringing Australian audiences more live news and original programs focussed on breaking news, business and tech.

Ticker will be available as a live network as part of the Fetch aggregation platform’s push into Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST). Accessible from the TV Guide, Ticker News will be available to Fetch customers on their TV and on the Fetch Mobi App from March 1, 2023.

Ticker CEO Ahron Young said: “This is an incredible moment for the Ticker team and a great achievement. Since our launch in 2019, we’ve been focused on building a leading FAST news streaming network, and we are tremendously proud to be embraced by the team at Fetch.”

The addition comes as Fetch will soon become the new platform for Telstra TV.

See also: Telstra completes its majority acquisition of Fetch TV

Fetch TV currently has around 670,000 active subscribers, and Telstra TV has 800,000, cementing Ticker”s position as the next-generation news channel for Australians.

Additionally, Ticker News broadcasts globally around the clock. It produces headline news and analysis with newsmakers at the top of each hour, with reports from correspondents Veronica Dudo in New York, Ryan Thompson in Paris and Adam Hancock in Singapore.

Ticker News reporters – Adam Hancock in Singapore, Veronica Dudo in New York, Ryan Thompson in Paris

In time for the launch on Fetch, Ticker News will unveil a series of original programs, including Great Business Leaders and Billionaire Blowups, and a new program hosted by AFL legend Chris Judd. Through Ticker News Insights, host Mike Loder interviews global entrepreneurs and business leaders – giving them a unique platform to share their story.

Young said: “We are proud to call Australia home. Together with our distribution arrangement with Telstra TV and Flash News, Ticker has cemented its place as a fresh new voice for Australian audiences, who seek more fact-based news and less opinion.”

Each year, one in six Australians will experience infertility.

With more people than ever before seeking the help of fertility specialists to start a family, Big Miracles follows people going through IVF as they experience the highs and lows of trying to fall pregnant. 

Produced by Ronde Media for Channel Nine, the show looks at the experiences of a range of people – from women with endometriosis, to men with low sperm counts, and same-sex couples who are relying on surrogacy. 

Mediaweek spoke to Ronde Media’s Ben Davies and Liam Taylor about producing the show, ahead of its premiere at 9pm Monday, February 6th, on Channel Nine and 9Now.

Narrated by Lisa McCune – a woman that Davies describes as someone with a “natural ability to get the nuances of the storytelling, and translate that through her narration reads” – Big Miracles originally began as an idea from someone on the frontline. 

Davies: “There was a woman who works at an IVF clinic, Teena Pisarev, she was saying ‘there’s a lot going on here, these stories would be great to tell so the public better understands IVF and the stigmas attached to it. Does anyone know a TV producer?’

“One of the other women has a father who is a retired doco maker. She asked him and he said to get in touch with Ronde – they did, and then we spoke to Nine and it went from there.”

The show follows 10 individuals and couples who are trying to fall pregnant with the odds stacked against them. When it came to selecting the participants, the pair say that there were a few major points they were looking out for. 

Davies: “You’re looking for struggle because there’s a natural story, and you’re looking for people who have the resilience to persevere through the struggle. Beyond that, we’re looking at things like class, ethnicity, personality, and diversity of gender and sexuality.”

Taylor: “One thing that was really telling is that we didn’t have to look hard to get the diversity. That’s quite pivotal as a theme in the series – infertility can affect anyone, it doesn’t discriminate.”

Appearing on national TV for any reason can be daunting enough, let alone for something as personal as infertility. For the people who tell their stories on Big Miracles, reflecting the reality of their lives was worth it.

Davies: “It’s driven by the women who want to share how challenging the journey is, that seems to be the thing that comes up over and over. There’s a willingness to say, ‘hey, I’m going through this. It’s tough. People don’t know how tough it is.’

“They’re looking to try and illustrate it themselves so that people can have a better understanding, and be more sympathetic to women going through it that aren’t on TV.”

Taylor: “It’s not so much breaking the stigma, but definitely raising the awareness of it – how tough it is, and how common it is.”

By definition, Big Miracles shows some very intimate moments as it follows people along their journey to become parents. With Davies and his wife having had three children of their own through IVF, he says that the shared experience meant that “there was a level of trust” between the subjects and storytellers right from the beginning.

Davies: “No one that we’ve filmed with has pulled out, so it’s a sign of the strength of the relationships between the producers and the on-screen contributors. I think it’s about honest portrayals – some of them were adamant, ‘don’t shy away from the raw moments’.”

As well as the participants, Big Miracles also follows the work of scientists, doctors, and other medical personnel, a group of people that Taylor describes as “pivotal.”

Taylor: “You’ve got two parties who share the same goal of creating families. 

“For the patient cast, their stories are driven by sheer determination and a lot of emotion involved in trying to become parents. Then the fertility specialists, the embryologists, and the nurses are just so invested in their patients’ journeys. They’re the miracle makers, if you want to call them that, but they are pivotal to the series. Each patient has their own fertility specialists, and they step through the journey with them.”

When asked what the pair hopes that the audience gets out of Big Miracles and the bravery of its participants, the answer is “a true appreciation of the preciousness and the miracle that is life.”

Davies: “I’m getting a little bit cosmic, but the chances of life existing in the universe are so extraordinarily slim that there’s probably not enough room on a calculator screen. The fact that human life has evolved out of that, and the chances of being the individual who is born – it’s extraordinarily primitive and beautiful at the same time.”

Taylor: “It’s really intimate and raw and authentic, and a big part of that is the relationships we’ve built with the contributors – it’s been over 12 months for some of them, 14 months, 15 months for some. They’ve been so open, and we’re really privileged and lucky to be able to tell their stories. They’re really invested in it, and that’s what is going to make it so powerful for the viewers.”

Initiative has announced the appointment of David Cook to the newly created national role of head of marketing & IQ, based in Sydney.

Cook’s remit is to lead IQ, the media agency’s consulting division, with a key objective to deliver high-level strategic media recommendations to c-suites.

Cook’s remit also includes leadership of Initiative’s marketing program, supporting the agency’s focus on industry thought leadership and push for progression.
 
Chris Colter, Initiative’s chief strategy and product officer, said the agency’s consultancy division was at a pivotal point in its growth agenda and Cook’s industry-wide reputation for sharp thinking and collaborative approach made him the perfect choice for the role.
 
“We are thrilled to have David join our team to expand Initiative’s IQ division which has experienced exponential growth since its launch in 2021,” Colter said.

“We met many brilliant people throughout this process which made the final decision exceptionally difficult, but David’s unique experience and smarts were an absolute stand-out. Cannot wait to see the impact he brings to Initiative and to our clients.” he concluded.
 
Cook has held senior strategic roles at a number of media agencies and media publishers in both the UK and Australia, and most recently was head of trade marketing at Nine.
 
Cook said of his new role and appointment: “Initiative’s consulting proposition and its ambitious drive to produce best in class client work that always stands out from the pack is what really impressed me to join its team.

“I look forward to using my experience to date, and applying it through a slightly different lens. I can’t wait to get started,” he added.
 
Cook’s appointment is effective immediately. He reports directly to Colter and Initiative’s national managing director, Sam Geer.

This comes after Initiative announced was appointed as Sanitarium Health Food Company’s media agency of record, last week.
 
The agency will work across the Sanitarium portfolio including iconic brands Weet-Bix, So Good, and UP&GO.

See also: Initiative announces appointment as Sanitarium’s media agency of record
 
–
 
Top image: David Cook

This is Flow has announced the appointment of Catherine Rushton as the agency’s first chief strategy officer, strengthening its strategic offering exponentially.

Rushton has had a strong career on both the agency and client side. Her career in the industry began at Mindshare as an intern in 2009 before being appointed strategist, followed by strategy director.
 
Rushton was selected for The Marketing Academy and then joined Unilever as senior brand manager. She rejoined Mindshare in 2015 in senior strategy roles up until October 2021, when she was promoted to chief strategy officer.
 
Rushton will provide strategic leadership for the independent agency’s growing client portfolio and assist in the mentorship for the strategic minds coming through the agency.

Her hire continues to build on the strong momentum of the agency, playing a key leadership role within the business to continue the growth in clients and culture at Flow.
 
Jimmy Hyett, founder and CEO of This is Flow, welcomed her appointment and said: “Catherine is an exceptional talent, with a brilliant mind that’s highly regarded throughout the industry.

“She brings the perfect combination of passion, experience, attitude and a different perspective into the agency that will not only elevate the work we are doing, but also elevate the whole agency as part of our leadership team.”
 
This Is Flow ended 2022 with a host of new business wins, and saw the agency grow to over 30 staff. 

Hyett also made #20 on Mediaweek’s Agency 50 list. He recently spoke to Mediaweek and shared that the year ahead will have exciting prospects for the agency.

“This is a year to be excited for,” he said. “With new news, clients, talent, and some exciting innovation to be rolled out in Q1 – Flow will be the driving force for passion, progression and growth in our industry.”

See also: Mediaweek Agency 50: This is Flow CEO Jimmy Hyett shares why 2023 is “a year to be excited for”

Seven has revealed the results from its first fully-converged advertising campaign across the total TV ecosystem for the personal care brand Dove.

The campaign saw a 20% increase in unique reach compared to a control campaign using an identical volume of spend on linear broadcast channels only.
 
In partnership with Unilever Australia & New Zealand and PHD, the end-to-end campaign was the first in Australia to be delivered in full across linear TV and digital screens at the same time, with audiences moving across the screens of Seven and 7plus while the campaign was live.
 
The converged approach included a 31% allocation of audience to BVOD on 7plus, which led to a significant increase in reach for the campaign for Dove, a Unilever brand.
 
BVOD was most effective in reaching the younger segment of the campaign’s target audience, with 7plus driving a 43% uplift in reach among people 18 to 39.
 
Launched on Sunday, 16 October, Dove’s campaign ran for four weeks and saw BVOD deliver a 28% incremental unique reach on top of the linear viewing reach.
 
Only 4% of the total audience was duplicated across Seven and 7plus, demonstrating that diversifying audiences across both linear and BVOD screens increases the available audience and reach.
 
The new industry total audience measurement VOZ was used at every stage to help move the campaign across different devices and content, to reach the brand’s target audience in the most effective and efficient way possible.
 

Sarah Sorrenson, Unilever ANZ’s media & digital hub director, said: “With more than 66% penetration of connected TVs in Australia, and more Australians than ever before consuming BVOD, we knew it was imperative to test new methods of planning, optimising, and buying video, to ensure our brands remain unmissable in broadcast media.
 
“The trailblazing converged trial with the Seven Network and PHD was a success, enabling us to drive both incremental reach and significant improvements in efficiencies. We’re excited to roll-out converged 2.0 across more brands in 2023,” she said.

Emma Wood, PHD’s group investment director, said: “At PHD, we wanted to challenge the way that we typically approached buying television and video across Unilever brands. We embarked on a journey with Unilever ANZ and Seven Network to look at ways that we could deliver greater effectiveness and reach for our campaigns.
 
“It’s impressive to see that not only did we achieve that goal, but we were able to deliver minimal audience duplication and de-risk audience volatility at the same time. Leveraging the growing BVOD environment helped sure up audiences for our Dove campaign. We’re thrilled with the results and excited to continue to innovate, enhance and evolve the way we trade in 2023 and beyond, in line with the dynamic nature of audience consumption across digital platforms. We can’t wait to start working on Converged 2.0.”
 
Kurt Burnette, Seven West Media chief revenue officer, said: “True converged trading has been a key part of Seven’s commercial strategy as we work with innovative and like-minded partners to forge the future of converged video trading in this country. The insights from this campaign are global leading and proves that converged trading will deliver tangible business benefits for brands.”
 
Seven’s Head of Converged Audience Trading, Alex Tansley, said: “We are thrilled with the results of this campaign, which clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of converged media campaigns in reaching a wider audience and driving engagement in hard-to-reach younger audiences who are increasingly consuming video content online.
 
“Our innovative work with PHD and Unilever ANZ sets a precedent for the future converged trading model across total TV, with 100% audience guarantee and significant improvements to reach metrics. By using VOZ data to optimise audience delivery dynamically across Seven and 7plus, we can offer our commercial partners and advertisers a more effective, faster and easier way to build brands with reach, impact and relevance across metropolitan TV, regional TV and digital markets.
 
“With BVOD set to continue its explosive growth on 7plus in 2023 – with 7Bravo and hit content from NBCUniversal landing on the platform from this month – we look forward to working with more brands to leverage the power of BVOD and the mass reach of Seven’s linear channels to engage new audiences,” he said.
 
Seven has also released a free three-part educational content series called convergED, to equip marketers and agencies with the skills to confidently navigate the new total TV landscape.

Spinach has appointed Dom Megna as executive creative director.

Working alongside co-founder and chief creative officer Frank Morabito, Megna will help lead the creative output of the business across a range of clients, including Jalna Dairy Foods, Drummond Golf, Geeks2U, Bushman Repellent, Mr Chen’s and Homebuyers Centre.  

Morabito said of Megna’s appointment: “Dom is a respected creative leader and a proven brand builder. He has a great deal of experience working on big brands across a range of different categories and perfectly complements our team and culture.”

Megna spent 15 years at CHE Proximity leading a team of over 20 creatives across brands including Village Roadshow, Bakers Delight, Foxtel, GE and Fox Footy, eventually leading the Mazda account through a highly successful era.

Most recently, he was client-side as head of brand & creative at Bare, a start-up disrupting the Australian funeral industry. Megna built Bare’s brand from the ground up, devising and executing its narrative and brand, content and social strategy.
 
Megna said of joining the integrated Melbourne agency: “This role is close to my heart. Frank was my first mentor. I turned up at his desk with a tatty folio during Spinach’s early months and his guidance was everything in landing me my first gig. To come back after all this time and help Frank and the Spinach team forge a new age is something I take personally.
 
“The agency’s combination of vast experience and infectious enthusiasm is unique. That attitude, along with having our media team sitting next to us is exactly how I want to work.”

Morabito added: “Dom is a prolific writer and brand thinker who has done extraordinary things, one of which was somehow finding the time to complete an MBA. He’s a creative with a passion to get deep into a client’s business and look for ways to make a real impact.”

Megna’s appointment is effective immediately.
 
–
 
Top image: Dom Megna

Orange Line has announced the appointment of Adam Donnelley as head of strategy.
 
Donnelley is a highly experienced strategist and the former senior director of client strategy and innovation at Capgemini.
  
In the past, he has also worked at leading digital consultancies and agencies in Australia, and the US, including chief strategy officer of ASX-listed RXP Group, managing partner of DDB Sydney and executive vice president strategy at MRM/McCann in New York.
 
The Sydney headquartered independent consulting-led digital agency’s also has recently expanded to the US where it has been enjoying rapid growth.
 
Donnelley, an expert in customer insights, CX, digital transformation and business strategy, will lead the development and implementation of strategic initiatives for Orange Line’s portfolio of clients across industries including financial services, technology, real estate, e-Commerce, global pharmaceuticals, and high-growth start-ups.
 
David Klein, co-founder and director at Orange Line said: “We are delighted that someone with Adam’s extensive experience and reputation is joining Orange Line as we continue to evolve the business to meet the needs of our clients. His insights will be invaluable to ensure we are delivering the best digital strategic consultancy for our clients.”
 
Donnelley added: “Orange Line have had great success fusing digital, performance and creativity – a combination clients need more than ever. The real business impact they have is testament to the depth of capability, rigour and culture they have nurtured.
 
“They celebrate their people, reward individualism, demand collaboration and remember we do our best work when we keep it fun and inspiring. I look forward to contributing my part.”
 
Orange Line works with leading brands, including AWS, Atlassian, Blue Nile, Roche and Noom on SEO, paid media, conversion rate optimisation, creative, data and intelligence.
 
–
 
Top image, left to right: David Einstein and David Klein, founders and directors; Aishling Farrell, general manager; Adam Donnelley, head of strategy

10 has announced Mitch Edwards and Mark McKie as the hosts for the new property series Location, Location, Location.

The property experts, who are known for winning The Block in 2021, have been buying and flipping properties together for nearly two decades.
 
Together they have transformed some 20 properties from undesirable abodes into highly sought-after homes, and ultimately turning their passion for property and renovating from a hobby into a successful career.

Edwards and McKie will use their extensive property prowess, buying, negotiating, and real estate experience, and knowledge of the market to help everyday Australians find their dream home.
 
Whether they are first-time home buyers or retiring, upsizing or downsizing, the duo will guide their house hunters through one of the most important and nerve-racking decisions of their lives.
 
Edwards and McKie said: “We are so excited to be hosting Location, Location, Location. It’s such a privilege to meet and help Aussies looking to find their new home in such a dynamic market, where hidden opportunities are just waiting to be found.
 
“We’ve learnt a lot from our own experiences of searching, buying, renovating and selling properties. We know how to look through the staging to see what a property is really offering, the good and the bad, and seeing the opportunities that others might not see in an ‘ugly duckling’ property that you can transform into a swan!
 
“We’ve loved watching the UK series, and now we are so thrilled to add our touch to the Aussie series. It’s going to be so much fun sharing our experience and knowledge.”
 
Daniel Monaghan, senior vice president, content and programming, Paramount ANZ, said: “Mitch and Mark have really captured the nations heart and we are excited to have them join us here at 10. Their authentic, fun and warm approach makes them a perfect fit for the Network.
 
“Mitch and Mark aren’t just expert renovators, they’ve built successful careers in sales and marketing and their own property empire.
 
“Their unique backgrounds place them perfectly to shed some much needed light on Australia’s property market as they help Aussies make the most important purchase of their lives, plus we know they’ll make it entertaining! What’s not to love?”
 
Produced by Endemol Shine Australia (a Banijay company), Location, Location, Location is an original format from IWC Media (a Banijay company) distributed by Banijay Rights.
 
Casting for the new 10 series, Location, Location, Location is now open. Go to 10play.com.au/casting to apply.
 
–

Top image, left and right: Mitch Edwards and Mark McKie

Singles

Off the back of their triple J Hottest 100 win this week, Flume and MAY-A hit a new chart peak.

The pair come in at #4 after their Hottest 100 win with Say Nothing, the track’s first time back in the top 50 since May 2022 (it peaked at #16 in February last year).

See Also: Flume takes top spot in record breaking Hottest 100 countdown

The Kid LAROI also makes a debut at #14 with Love Again.

Albums 

After holding the #1 single spot with Unholy for six non-consecutive weeks from October to January, Sam Smith starts the new year with a bang, debuting at #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart with Gloria. 

Gloria is Sam Smith’s fourth studio album and boasts collaborators that include Kim Petras, Koffee, and Jessie Reyez, as well as writing credits from the likes of Max Martin and Calvin Harris. It is also their fourth ARIA top 10 and second #1 after In The Lonely Hour claimed the top spot in 2014. Smith will tour Australia in November, with dates added to Melbourne and Sydney after their first shows sold out in just one day.

After achieving six places in the Hottest 100, with three tracks in the top 10, Perth favourites Spacey Jane also climb 33 places from last week to #5 with the album Here Comes Everybody.

As they continue their run of Australian shows, Red Hot Chili Peppers celebrate 100 weeks in the top 50 with their Greatest Hits album, coming in at #32 this week.

2023 ARIA Chart Toppers

Singles
January 2 Mariah Carey All I Want For Christmas Is You
January 9 Sam Smith & Kim Petras Unholy
January 16 SZA Kill Bill
January 23 Miley Cyrus Flowers
January 30 Miley Cyrus Flowers
February 6 Miley Cyrus Flowers

Albums
January 2 Taylor Swift Midnights
January 9 Taylor Swift Midnights
January 16 Taylor Swift Midnights
January 23 Taylor Swift Midnights
January 30 SZA SOS
February 6 Sam Smith Gloria

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

• Survivor loses its first Hero
• A relative of a familiar face shows up on Australian Idol 

Total TV Ratings, January 29

With the match lifting 14%, 1,993,000 tuned in to Nine to see Novak Djokovic win his 10th Australian Open men’s singles title, defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas. The win saw Djokovic tie Rafael Nadal‘s record of 22 slam titles. The presentation was up 15%, with 1,546,000 watching.

On the ABC, a repeat of Vera lifted 23% to bring in 728,000.

The Bachelors finale on 10 then drew a crowd of 679,000 (up 32%) with 715,000 watching the final decision (up 34%), as Thomas picked Leah, Felix picked Jessica (who had dumped Damien), and Jed chose Alésia. Sadly, since the show ended, two of the three couples have called it quits. 

Overnight TV Ratings, February 5

Primetime News
Seven News 859,000
Nine News 754,000
ABC News 614,000
10 News First 204,000 (5:00pm)/ 173,000 (6:00pm)
SBS World News 130,000 (6:30pm)/ 101,000 (7:00pm)

Daily Current Affairs
The Project 166,000 (6:30 pm)/ 265,000 (7pm)
60 Minutes 623,000

Breakfast TV
Sunrise 217,000
News Breakfast 151,000
Today 143,000

Nine has won the night with a primary share of 27.1% and a network share of 33.2%. Both 10 Bold and 10 Peach tied for first place in multichannels with a share of 2.7%. 

It was the final weddings of the season on Nine’s Married At First Sight (MAFS), with 834,000 tuning in to see Melinda wed Layton, and Melissa and Josh exchange vows. It wasn’t long before both couples hit speedbumps, with Melinda immediately telling the cameras that Layton wasn’t as attractive as her, whilst Melissa tried (and failed) to seduce Josh on their honeymoon. 60 Minutes then returned for 2023, with 623,000 watching as the show interviewed survivors of the Sea World helicopter crash and looked into the Alec Baldwin Rust shooting.

On Seven, Australian Idol reached the halfway point of the auditions, handing out more golden tickets to aspiring singers. There was a particularly special appearance from 24-year-old Tessa Noll, the niece of Australian Idol legend Shannon Noll, with 434,000 watching as the judges told her that despite her beautiful voice, she wasn’t ready for the competition. UK drama Maternal followed on, with an audience of 186,000.

Earlier in the day on Seven, the day session of the Bathurst 12 Hour got 160,000 hearts racing. 

On the ABC, a repeat of Joanna Lumley’s Unseen Adventures took 468,000 to the tomb of Cyrus the Great, before following the Silk Road through Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Venice. It was another tough case for Vera to crack, but a repeat of the UK crime drama brought in 453,000 viewers as she managed it once again. 

On 10, The Project (166,000 6:30pm / 265,000 7pm) looked at the fact that Australia has just become the first country to legalise Magic Mushrooms and MDMA as medicines, and interviewed superstar Shania Twain. Australian Survivor saw the first Hero eliminated after an eight day run of avoiding tribal council. 438,000 watched as Hayley threw the challenge, and Rogue lived up to her name, with an outburst attacking the tribe ultimately sending her home. 

The highest rating non-news show on SBS was a repeat of Stonehenge: The New Revelations with 111,000 viewers.