His appointment follows the merger of Viacom and CBS Corporation to form ViacomCBS Inc. As a result, Network 10, which has been part of CBS Studios International since November 2017, has been integrated into ViacomCBS Networks International and will now be combined with Viacom’s existing operations in Australia and New Zealand under Anderson’s leadership. 

Anderson was appointed chief executive officer of Network 10 in July 2015 and steered the company through its acquisition by CBS Studios International, which was completed in November 2017. 

Anderson’s 16-year career with 10 began in 2003. He was appointed chief financial officer in 2011 and took on the additional role of chief operating officer in 2014. In his years before 10, Anderson qualified with KPMG as a Chartered Accountant in New Zealand and had 25 years’ experience in public and commercial roles both in Australia and the United Kingdom.

In his expanded role, Anderson will additionally have local oversight of Viacom’s family of flagship pay TV networks – including Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. – and a range of associated businesses, as well as retaining oversight of Network 10’s portfolio of free-to-air TV channels and digital platforms.

Ben Richardson

Ben Richardson, who is General Manager of Viacom’s existing networks operations in Australia and New Zealand, will now report to Anderson as GM, SVP, ViacomCBS Pay Networks and Network 10 Business Development, with a brief focused on commercialising the company’s combined assets in the markets.

David Lynn, CEO, ViacomCBS Networks International, said: “The progress that Network 10 has made under Paul’s leadership in strengthening its schedules, rebranding its portfolio and accelerating its streaming strategy has been impressive. I am convinced that operating our combined free-to-air, pay TV and digital assets as a single portfolio will add value to our business in Australia and I look forward to working with Paul, Ben and the rest of the team to bring an even more effective and engaging offer to local audiences.”

Anderson added: “I am thrilled to take on this new and exciting role. The ViacomCBS merger combined with Network 10 creates a unique and powerful media group in the local market, bringing together some of the most innovative entertainment and media brands in Australia and across the world. That will be great news for viewers and advertisers as we build a multi-platform business as part of this new global content powerhouse. I’m looking forward to working with our great team to capitalise on the many opportunities ahead of us.”

The reorganisation will simplify ViacomCBS Networks International into two brand groups and three pan-regional management hubs, reporting to David Lynn, President, CEO of ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI).

Kerry Taylor, currently Executive Vice President of MTV International and Chief Marketing Officer for VCNI UK has been promoted to executive vice president of VCNI Entertainment & Youth Brands. Taylor’s new remit will include international oversight of MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount Network and BET.  

Jules Borkent has been promoted to executive vice president, VCNI Kids & Family. Borkent has been with Nickelodeon since 2001, having led channel operations and content strategy including programming, acquisitions, originals and digital for Nickelodeon International, which has delivered continued growth during his tenure. 

Lynn commented: “Kerry and Jules are exceptional creative and strategic professionals.  Kerry brings equal parts marketing acumen and a genuine connection to the global youth zeitgeist that has driven MTV’s successful international franchise strategy and ratings success.  Jules is a respected industry voice, who’s dedicated to bringing unique and diverse content to Nickelodeon audiences around the world.” 

Lynn added, “Consolidating our international flagship brands into two groups will simplify our structure and more closely align our business with ViacomCBS’ U.S. brands, enabling us to share more content and resources across our different brands and extract maximum value from our content investment and libraries.”

Maria Kyriacou, who most recently was president of international for ITV Studios, will now join the newly expanded division on February 3, 2020 with a new brief as president, ViacomCBS Networks UK & Australia, which includes responsibility for Ireland, New Zealand and Israel. With focused oversight of ViacomCBS’s operations in its two most valuable international markets, including its free-to-air broadcast networks, Channel 5 and Network 10, Kyriacou will seek content and commercial synergies between the company’s portfolio of networks and streaming services across these English-language markets. Paul Anderson, who is CEO of Network 10, additionally becomes EVP, ViacomCBS Networks Australia and New Zealand with immediate effect, reporting to Kyriacou.

At the same time, Raffaele Annecchino, who is currently president of the division’s operations across Southern and Western Europe, the Middle East and Africa, will also take on an expanded role in the new structure, with additional responsibility for the company’s operations in Northern and Eastern Europe and key Asian markets. Annecchino will aim to deliver additional growth in European markets through the closer alignment of its operations across the continent as part of an EMEA structure. 

JC Acosta will be the third of the division’s senior pan-regional leaders, having recently been promoted to become president, ViacomCBS Networks Americas. In this role, Acosta will be responsible for the company’s operations across Latin America – including the key markets of Argentina, Brazil and Mexico – as well as in Canada and the US Hispanic market.

Lynn commented: “ViacomCBS is truly a global leader in terms of the quality, volume and range of content we produce and own and we aim to exploit the incredible pipelines at our disposal to deliver exceptional growth across international markets, not just for ourselves but for our partners as well. With Maria joining and with newly expanded roles for Raffaele, JC , Pier, Kerry and Jules we have an exceptional leadership team in place and a simplified structure that allows us to be more tightly focused on seeking out the most attractive opportunities to license our brands, content and IP in the highest value and fastest growing international markets, with a particular focus on accelerating our streaming strategy.”

As a result of these regional changes, Mark Whitehead, president & managing director of VCNI Asia Pacific, will be leaving the company, at the end of January 2020.  

Lynn added: “I am extremely grateful for Mark’s many contributions to our ongoing success. He has played the leading role in transforming our operations across Asia to the point where they have just delivered their highest ever rate of annual growth. Mark leaves us excellently positioned in key markets across the region to continue on an exceptional growth trajectory.”

Thomas has a 25-year track record in leading global publishing and data analytics businesses, across academic, educational and consumer media.

She was appointed managing director of Nature Publishing Group in 2000, later becoming chief executive of Macmillan Publishers Ltd, and in 2012 was appointed chief executive of Macmillan Science and Education, one of the world’s leading publishers. 

Most recently, Thomas was chief executive of Web of Science Group; a data, analytics and software business focused on research and higher education, where she successfully transformed the group and delivered rapid growth, leading it to list on the New York Stock Exchange as part of Clarivate Analytics. 

GMG board chair Neil Berkett said: “The hard work of the past three years has put GMG in a stronger position, while also making our business more digital, more international and more reader centric.  Our journalism has had a stellar 12 months, and remains world class. Even so, it’s clear that we’ll continue to face big headwinds in the global media sector in 2020 and beyond.

“Annette is a highly experienced leader of mission-driven businesses.  Her track record is exceptional – she has consistently delivered sustainable growth through deep engagement with end-users, championing innovative new business models with more open access to content and data, and building diverse and inclusive management teams.  

“All of this makes her the ideal person to lead the next phase of GMG’s evolution in partnership with our editor-in-chief Katharine Viner.”

Thomas said: “I am delighted to be joining Guardian Media Group as chief executive. The Guardian brand, its progressive perspective, global reach, and unique ownership structure with its values safeguarded by the Scott Trust are all significant strengths in these challenging times.

“The Guardian is demonstrating that establishing a deep and loyal relationship with readers, empowering them with information and delighting them with insight, creates an opportunity to develop new business models. 

“The need and appetite for trusted high-quality journalism, grounded in facts, has never been greater. I’ve always admired the quality and breadth of the Guardian’s journalism, and I am looking forward to working with Katharine Viner and this exceptional team to develop a financially sustainable future built upon these values and principles.”

Thomas will take up her new role on 2 March 2020.  Anna Bateson will continue as interim chief executive until this date, before returning to her role as chief customer officer.

Sydney’s ANZ Stadium will to play host to over 70,000 concert goers on Sunday 16 February 2020 for this historic fundraising event. Australia’s response to Fire Fight Australia is a heart-warming display of unity and solidarity during times of national hardship.

Fans can further assist affected Australians by donating. Contributions will go directly to Red Cross Disaster ‘Relief and Recovery’ to provide much needed support to communities around Australia including those impacted by the fires.

A second and final announcement of acts is expected to be revealed in the coming days further adding to the already incredible line up of global and local superstars.

Fire Fight Australia will be hosted by writer, actor and comedian Celeste Barber, who has already raised more than $50 million towards bushfire relief through her own record-breaking online appeal.

Ticketek Australia is the only authorised seller of Fire Fight Australia tickets. Do not pay more than the prices listed for your tickets.

Claudia Karvan, Ed Kavalee, Celia Pacquola, Chloe Lattanzi, Dean Wells, Travis Cloke, Dami Im, Angie Kent, Beau Ryan and Christian Wilkins have been hitting the rehearsal studios to perfect their foxtrot, rumba, cha-cha and waltz for the brand new, sparkly season.

Karvan’s name is synonymous with iconic Australian dramas including Love My Way and The Secret Life Of Us, but stepping out of the acting world and into the dancing world could be her greatest challenge yet. 

Joining Karvan are resident jokesters Kavalee and Pacquola, who will be hoping that they don’t become the butt of everyone’s jokes as they attempt to quickstep their way to the mirror ball trophy.

Fresh off the plane from America. there’s actress and performer Lattanzi. As the daughter of Australia’s sweetheart, Olivia Newton-John, Chloe is no stranger to the spotlight. 

Known for being wrapped up in controversy, a highly publicised cheating scandal, and a marriage at first sight, reality TV star Wells will be officially waltzing away from the dramatic dinner parties, and cha-cha-chaing his way onto the dancefloor. 

After playing 256 AFL games and winning a premiership, you’d think Cloke has jumped over his fair share of hurdles throughout his career. But his biggest one awaits when he attempts to swap the footy boots for dancing shoes.

Then there’s singing sensation Im, who is no stranger to the stage having represented Australia at Eurovision Song Contest 2016. 

Fresh from finding love, Australia’s favourite bachelorette, Kent, will be swapping roses for rumba, and cocktail parties for dance parties.

And not one to shy away from a challenge, The Amazing Race Australia host Ryan will be hoping that he’s picked up some dancing skills on his recent worldwide adventures.

Last, but definitely not least, podcast guru, model, socialite, TV presenter Wilkins is no stranger to the entertainment world. 

Hosted by 10’s dynamic duo Amanda Keller and Grant Denyer, Dancing With The Stars sees ten illustrious celebrities paired with professional dancers to compete in a dance competition oozing glitz and glamour, to win $50,000 for their chosen charity.

Under the watchful eye of the three judges – Craig Revel Horwood, Sharna Burgess and Tristan MacManus – the pressure is on to ensure the celebrities don’t put a foot wrong and risk elimination.

In the five new episodes he interviews superstars from the kitchen and the world of food including Darren Purchese, Matthew Evans, Stephanie Alexander and Matt Moran.

Last year Mediaweek talked to Mehigan about his podcast and career track:
Gary Mehigan: TV chef now free for more podcasting

Former MasterChef TV judge Gary Mehigan was very ambitious when he first started his relationship with PodcastOne. He recorded two series of his podcast A Plate To Call Home with a total of 32 episodes.

He found it difficult to keep up that pace when it came to recording a third season. Mehigan and his MasterChef colleagues George Calombaris and Matt Preston spent so much of the year working on the TV series, they eventually became frustrated at not being able to pursue other projects. It was ultimately one of the reasons they stepped away from the show.

“MasterChef takes an enormous amount of time out of the year – six to seven months plus time for publicity,” Mehigan told Mediaweek. “I have managed to get a short third season of podcasts together, but there are lots of foodie conversations to come.

Mehigan added there is much exciting him about life post-MasterChef. “There will be more smaller projects instead of MasterChef, which was a giant of a commitment – more podcasting for sure.

“The three of us made a promise than when MasterChef started to feel like a job, it deserved to go to someone else who would approach it as we used to. For me, last year and this year, it started to feel a little like a chore halfway through the season because there was so much else I wanted to do in the food space.”

Mehigan said the feedback he received from previous podcast seasons has been wonderful and one of the things that keeps him releasing more. “We have had many very different foodies. Some have been producers, others have been chefs.”

He recommends that listening to his Pete Evans podcast is a good place to start series three. “I could probably have done three podcasts with Pete because he has so much to say. People have different opinions of him and his public portrayal. But if you listen you will probably hear a different side to him. Much more than you would normally get from mainstream media.

“I found him fascinating and also the media scrutiny he has been under. I have followed him on Instagram for two years, and I just thought there had to be more to him. Pete makes a lot of sense, he’s not at all like the person that is portrayed in the media where what he says is dragged down and sensationalised.”

Other guests in series three include Gorgi Coghlan and Jane Kennedy.

Meantime Mehigan keeps making content for Indian TV – a series called Masters of Taste for Banijay. “Last year we had to do five weeks of filming in three weeks because of other commitments. The joy was stripped out of it because I was trying to get back for the start of MasterChef.”

Regarding the next project for Gary, Matt and George, Mehigan said: “We have opportunities for next year and we all hope to be working again sooner rather than later.”

Could we see the trio walking out onstage together at a TV upfront in October for Seven or Nine?

[Since this interview Mehigan and colleague Matt Preston have signed to Seven for a new series to be released later in 2020.]

Listen to A Plate To Call Home here.

Tomorrow: Podcast Week and The Alternative Truth
Friday: Mark Howard and what’s new from The Howie Games

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Caption: Gary Mehigan and his former MasterChef colleagues Matt Preston and George Calombaris

Winner: The Front Bar (Seven)

The Thursday night AFL football show The Front Bar has built a big audience and helped kill off Nine’s long-term franchise The Footy Show which now exists as a Sunday morning program with possible other special events.

The Front Bar features hosts Mick Molloy, Sam Pang and Andy Maher on three bar stools each with a glass of the sponsor’s product in front of them.

The format couldn’t be simpler as they joke with each other and then with one or two guests who either stand at an adjacent bar or sit with them at the front bar!

Behind the simple banter though is hours of painstaking research which uncovers some wonderful footage from the Seven AFL archive, and from elsewhere, which is one of the keys to the program’s success.

During 2019 The Front Bar had a brilliant running gag with Garry Lyon and Seven also programmed a short series of successful cricket specials at the start of the summer.

Speaking about the TV format that has given Nine heartburn, Molloy told Mediaweek recently: “We originally had the idea for the show many years ago.” He recalled how the concept was developed with his brother Richard Molloy, TV producer Adrian Brown and lawyer and producer Greg Sitch.

“Funnily enough, I watch a lot of live football in a front bar, or in my lounge room at home.

“One common denominator I noted was that everyone’s IQ drops 50 points the minute the football comes on with a lot of table thumping and momentary madness.

“If I had a black box recorder set up in my lounge room I’m sure that after listening back to it I would feel ashamed and quite embarrassed. To me, that’s what footy is.”

Molloy said he and his colleagues realised there seemed to be a hole in the media landscape for a footy show made by fans for fans. Molloy mentioned a UK series called Fantasy Football League which ran for several years in the 90s hosted by David Baddiel and Frank Skinner where they talked about English football purportedly in their London flat with guests. “That show was bloody brilliant,” he remembered. He also noted his involvement in 10’s Before The Game which was in a similar vein, with fans making a program for fans.

“Initially there didn’t seem to be an appetite for The Front Bar from the networks. Convinced it was a good idea, we took it to market first to look for what seemed natural sponsors – CUB was the obvious one given it was set in a bar. We also went to the AFL and we secured enough funding to make an online series.”

See also
Mick Molloy on Seven’s unexpected primetime hit The Front Bar

Ranking second amongst Mediaweek readers was The Late Show with Matty Johns which goes to air on Thursday nights after the Thursday NRL match. Over the years Johns has built a great team that also features Gorden Tallis, Nathan Hindmarsh and Bryan Fletcher.

Johns also keeps busy on Fox Sports with a video version of The Matty Johns Podcast on Wednesdays and then he hosts Sunday Night with Matty Johns. For the Sunday show Johns has an expanded team featuring Bryan Fletcher, Brett Finch, James “The Professor” Rochford, Andrew “Barney” Barnett and Emma Freedman.

Third place in our poll was a tie between AFL 360 on Fox Footy and Offsiders on ABC.

The Fox Footy show runs at 7.30pm four nights a week across the footy season with the once unlikely duo of Gerard Whateley and Mark Robertson hosting.

Offsiders was formerly hosted by Barry Cassidy and then former guest Gerard Whateley, but hosting duties are now in the capable hands of Kelli Underwood. The show screens at 10pm Sunday mornings following The Insiders.

However, the continued coverage of the Australian bushfires meant news site consumption was up when compared with December 2018.

news.com.au retained the top position with a unique audience of 10.6 million. In second place as ABC News websites (10.1 million) which switched places with nine.com.au (9.4 million) when compared to the prior month. It was the biggest monthly audience ever for ABC News websites.

Next was smh.com.au (8.8 million), followed by 7NEWS (8.4 million) in fifth position. In the top five, the audiences were up for ABC, SMH and 7NEWS.

Daily Mail Australia (7.8million) was in sixth place. In seventh position was The Guardian (5.9 million). There were no changes to these audience rankings when compared to the prior month.

The Age (4.5 million) was in eighth position and switched places with the Australian Community Media Network (4.4 million). Yahoo! (3.6 million) rejoined the rankings this month in tenth place.

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Top Photo: ABC cameraman Dean Caton films the damage at Wytaliba Public School the morning after the fires. (ABC News: Josh Bavas)

TV Demand 2019: Who was the best of the year?

To date The Mandalorian has been the only Disney+ original to make the TV Demand charts, but now it is joined by High School Musical: The Musical: The Series which made it into the Digital Originals chart in New Zealand.

The new interpretation of the original Zac Efron hit was one of the main new releases when the platform launched on November 8. The series occurs in a fictionalised version of the high school that the original movie was filmed at, East High School, and follows a group of students who participate in a staging of High School Musical: The Musical as their school production. The series stars Olivia Rodrigo, Joshua Bassett, Matt Cornett, Sofia Wylie, Larry Saperstein, Julia Lester, Dara Reneé, Frankie Rodriguez, Mark St. Cyr and Kate Reinders.

Nine finished in third place for a second consecutive night with A Current Affair again the best on 628,000 followed by Young Sheldon on 352,000.

10 narrowly trailed Seven all people, but it was a clear leader under 50 and the key demos. I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! is travelling well in its second week with 762,000 after 737,000 on Tuesday a week ago.

New episodes of NCIS launched in the traditional Tuesday night slot with 332,000 watching which was enough to win its timeslot.