The worst was feared for Brisbane’s longest continual running breakfast show, Laurel, Gary and Mark, when they signed off from their final 4KQ show on June 24th. The trio left 4KQ after the sale of the station to Sports Entertainment Network (SEN) as a result of ARN’s acquisition of Grant Broadcasters, and their need to comply with Australia’s media ownership laws. 

See More: Hutchy spends $12m on ARN’s 4KQ as SEN completes east coast metro network

Swooping in to save the day was Nine’s 4BC, who have given Laurel Edwards, Gary Clare, and Mark Hine a new on-air home.

Previous Breakfast host Neil Breen has made the move to the Drive, while Drive host Scott Emerson has taken up a new role as political contributor across 4BC and Nine Radio’s other talk stations.

With two weeks behind them at their new studio, Mediaweek spoke to Edwards, Clare, and Hine about what the last few months have been like.

The jump from 4KQ to 4BC has come with a series of changes for the trio. So far, the show is shaping up to be a combination of the Laurel, Gary and Mark show that people know and love, and the quicker pace of a talk radio station.

Clare: “It’s not exactly the same as 4KQ. We have to time out to the news, which we’ve never had to do! So that’s a learning curve, but we’ve still got a lot of the same segments and the same repertoire.”

Hine: “I run the desk and the computer program, and I’ve never worked Zetta before – so that made for some bumpy mornings! But in the end, it’s going really well and we’ve settled in so quickly.”

Edwards: “It’s so much more fast-paced, which comes from being a news talk station, but playing the music gives us a little bit of a breather. We give a lot of music information in our shows, so it’s a really lovely hybrid. 

“The whole Nine engine has been quite amazing. It’s just a totally different feeling.”

New software and news deadlines are not the only things the team has had to get used to after making the switch to 4BC.

Edwards: “It’s very exciting and very strange seeing TV commercials and billboards with our faces on them!”

Clare: “I’m really not a pretty man [laughs].”

Hine: “We suggested they should hire models and put them up as Laurel, Gary and Mark!”

Whilst the trio have landed on their feet at 4BC and are settling in well, the move comes off the back of an emotional few months for the entire team at 4KQ.

Hine: “We were very, very sad to see 4KQ go, it was a phenomenal station. Around the country – and around the world – people tuned in and were amazed at what could be done on an AM music station. So we were quite devastated by what happened.”

Edwards: “In November when we were told that 4KQ was being sold, there was still light at the end of the tunnel that whoever bought it would keep the format going, and would keep all of us on and keep the music going.

“Reading the feelings from people, all the comments were going from deep sadness to anger – there were a lot of people ferociously angry about losing their 4KQ. It would go through waves of emotion. It was sort of like losing someone very important in your life.”

Clare: “Usually when a radio station dies, they’re on the way out. 4KQ was thriving as a radio station, I think that made it even sadder.”

When asked whether or not they knew that the show would be heading across to 4BC as they signed off from 4KQ, the answer could be summed up as sort of.

Clare: “We were under contract with 4KQ until it was sold, so if the sale had fallen through then we would have been back on air until the sale went through. That said, we’d had talks to 4BC and other stations as well, and we were excited when that sale went through, because from that moment we could move across to 4BC.”

Hine: “In theory we knew we could come here, but nothing was signed.”

Edwards: “Nine were unbelievably patient, they got all their ducks in a row. We basically had to say to them, look, we can’t physically sign anything until this sale. But it did all go through, and ever since then it has been full steam ahead.”

As soon as they got the green light, the team wasted absolutely no time in moving ahead with their jump to 4BC.

Hine: “Gary and Laurel were over in Hawaii, but I was actually in the station at midnight making sure the sale had gone through so we could sign our contract!”

The trio weren’t the only members of the 4KQ team to make the switch, in a move that has helped shape what the Breakfast show will look like as it evolves in its new home.

Edwards: “It was very important to us that Brent James, our music director, came on board with us. Brent’s been able to sprinkle in the songs that he knows are fantastic Brisbane hits, and that has punctuated the talk. It’s a hybrid, and so far so good. 

“We’re getting really great reports from people saying they’re liking the mix of the two formats instead of being solidly just one niche.”

Overall, the trio are more than thankful for the opportunity to keep the Laurel, Gary and Mark show on Brisbane airwaves.

Hine: “The Nine network and 4BC have bent over backwards to accommodate our show. Everyone is great – all the people who have been involved in us coming on board at 4BC have cleared everything out of our way so that we can do the show that we really love to do. We’re forever grateful to them for doing that.”

No matter where the Laurel, Gary and Mark show is broadcasting from, the magic comes from the fact that they are not there because they necessarily have to be, but because it’s worth the early alarms.

Edwards: “We’re all at stages in our lives where if we really weren’t having a great time, we wouldn’t sign up again and we wouldn’t do it anymore. So we’ve got that luxury, which is really lovely – we can come in every day and go ‘let’s have fun, and let’s enjoy it’.”

–

Top Image: Mark Hine, Laurel Edwards and Gary Clare

Singles

There’s no stopping Kate Bush as her #1 reign on the ARIA Singles Charts continues for a fourth consecutive week and sixth in total with Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God).

In a close second place is Harry Styles hit As It Was, followed by Japanese-Australian artist Joji, who has retained the #2 spot with Glimpse Of Us.

Heat Waves by Glass Animals moved up to #4 from #6 last week following the British indie band’s recent tour of Australia.

Rounding out the top five is Lizzo, with her infectious hit About Damn Time coinciding with the release of her album Special. 

Meanwhile, Bad Habit by Steve Lacy broke into the top 10 singles chart, landing at #9. The former guitarist of The Internet claims the most significant leap in the top 50, up from #36 last week.

Albums

Harry Styles stays on top in the ARIA Albums Chart this week, his second week at #1 and his sixth total week with Harry’s House.

Right behind him in #2 is Lizzo as she makes her debut on the Album Chart with her fourth studio offering, Special, and her hit lead single, About Damn Time.

Highlights by The Weeknd takes out the #3 spot, followed by Grammy winner Olivia Rodrigo and her album Sour. Ed Sheeran rounds out the top five with his fifth studio album =.

Steve Lacy also makes his album debut on the ARIA Albums Chart this week with Gemini Rights in at #13. 

See the full ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart here
See the full ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart here

2022 ARIA Chart Toppers

Singles

January 3 Mariah Carey All I Want For Christmas Is You
January 10 Elton John & Dua Lipa Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)
January 17 Elton John & Dua Lipa Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)
January 24 Elton John & Dua Lipa Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)
January 31 The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber Stay
February 7 The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber Stay
February 14 The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber Stay
February 21 Elton John & Dua Lipa Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)
February 28 Elton John & Dua Lipa Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)
March 7 Glass Animals Heat Waves
March 14 Glass Animals Heat Waves
March 21 Glass Animals Heat Waves
March 28 Glass Animals Heat Waves
April 4 Glass Animals Heat Waves
April 11 Harry Styles As It Was
April 18 Jack Harlow First Class
April 25 Jack Harlow First Class
May 2 Harry Styles As It Was
May 9 Harry Styles As It Was
May 16 Harry Styles As It Was
May 23 Harry Styles As It Was
May 30 Harry Styles As It Was
June 6 Harry Styles As It Was
June 14 Kate Bush Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
June 20 Kate Bush Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
June 27 Joji Glimpse of Us
July 4 Kate Bush Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
July 11 Kate Bush Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
July 18 Kate Bush Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
July 25 Kate Bush ­Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)

Albums

January 3 Adele 30
January 10 Adele 30
January 17 The Weeknd Dawn FM
January 24 The Weeknd Dawn FM
January 31 Meat Loaf Bat Out Of Hell
February 7 The Weeknd Dawn FM
February 14 Korn Requiem
February 21 Huskii Antihero
February 28 Midnight Oil Resist
March 7 Gang of Youths Angel in Realtime
March 14 Encanto Soundtrack
March 21 The Wiggles ReWiggled
March 28 Charli XCX Crash
April 4 Machine Gun Kelly Mainstream Sellout
April 11 Red Hot Chili Peppers Unlimited Love
April 18 Wet Leg Wet Leg
April 25 Dua Lipa Future Nostalgia 
May 2 Northlane Obsidian
May 9 Future I Never Liked You
May 16 Daniel Johns FutureNever
May 23 Kendrick Lamar Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
May 30 Harry Styles Harry’s House
June 6 Harry Styles Harry’s House
June 14 Harry Styles Harry’s House
June 20 BTS Proof
June 27 Jimmy Barnes Soul Deep 30
July 4 Spacey Jane Here Comes Everybody
July 11 Harry Styles Harry’s House
July 18 Harry Styles Harry’s House
July 25 Harry Styles Harry’s House

If you’ve opened the TikTok app recently, there’s a good chance you’ve seen people dancing along to Alexis Jordan’s 2010 hit, Happiness, layered with a colourful flashing filter. The trend has gone global, introducing the song to a whole new generation of internet users, and it’s thanks to KIIS 106.5 FM’s Kyle and Jackie O. 

The trend typically involves people dancing to the song while giving examples of how people responded to something they said or did. Whether those responses are supportive of the poster or not is a whole other question.

The track first hit the app a year ago when the official Kyle and Jackie O account uploaded a video of the two KIIS 106.5  hosts singing and dancing along to the song with the caption “who remembers this banger?!”

 Since then, just shy of 155 thousand videos (at the time of writing) have been uploaded using the sound behind the clip, with people contributing from all corners of the globe.

The clip has even spread wide enough to find one of the song’s writers, Autumn Rowe, who thanked the pair in the comments of the original video for bringing back her “first hit as a songwriter.”

Speaking to Mediaweek, Kyle and Jackie O said of the clip’s popularity: “TikTok is such a great platform for us to connect with a younger audience. We love seeing other generations discover tracks that are nostalgic to us.”

It’s not the first time the pair have made waves on the app, with a video of them clashing with US podcasting duo Fresh & Fit over their “misogynistic and egotistical” dating opinions back in April.

The most recent radio ratings survey was the 28th consecutive winning survey for Kyle and Jackie O, topping the FM breakfast slot in the Sydney market as the show increased its share by 0.9 points. This was on par with KIIS 106.5 overall station performance as it increased its #1 FM share by 1.0 points.

See More: Kyle & Jackie O set a listener affected by the Sydney storms up for life

Disney Star gets the rights to Indian five test tour of Australia coming in two years

Cricket Australia (CA) has announced a renewed association with Disney Star (owned by The Walt Disney Company) to broadcast Australian cricket throughout India and other territories across Asia.

The deal is worth a reported $350m across the term of the rights deal. Disney Star previously showed Australian cricket in India before Cricket Australia signed with current rights holder Sony.

The seven-year deal commencing in 2023-24 will see Disney Star televise Men’s International and Women’s International (team pictured above this month in the UK) matches played in Australia as well as the KFC BBL and Weber WBBL.

Some of the big attractions for the broadcaster are the rights to a five-test Indian tour of Australia in 2024-25 and the Ashes series in Australia in 2025-26.

There are also reports that the board that controls Indian Cricket, the BCCI, will permit the signing of Indian cricketers for BBL teams.

Disney Star also recently won the TV broadcast rights for the T20 Indian Premier League from 2023-27. Cricket Australia said the alignment with the IPL broadcaster will ensure multiple benefits including widespread cross-promotion of the BBL.

Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley said in a statement:

“We are delighted to announce this new association with Disney Star from season 2023-24 onwards. Disney Star is synonymous with the game in India and we look forward to working with them to showcase the outstanding cricket played in Australia every summer.

“The magnitude of this association is testament to the enduring rivalry and respect that exists between Australian and Indian teams, the excitement and popularity of WBBL and BBL, and the high regard of Australian cricket in India and global markets more broadly.

“There was significant interest in our rights and we are very grateful to our current rights holder Sony for their partnership which will continue throughout this season.”

Disney Star head of sports Sanjog Gupta added:

“Cricket Australia represents some of the best content that the world of cricket has to offer, be it the standard of cricket played, the popularity of Aussie Cricketers, the rivalries and narratives or the context of playing in front of expressive crowds and in tough conditions.

“Disney Star has been delighting millions of Indian fans by showcasing marquee cricket across our linear and digital platforms. Some of the most memorable moments for Indian fans have been produced in Australia and we look forward to elevating many more such moments with our unique brand of story-telling, programming, local activations and tech-enabled experiences in association with Cricket Australia.”

See also:
Channel 7 takes Cricket Australia to Federal Court to end its $450 million TV rights deal

Optimising has announced a number of new appointments to the team following a slew of client wins including Nando’s New Zealand and Make-A-Wish Australia.

The independent SEO agency has welcomed two SEO specialists to its ranks as well as promoted Kara Moss to the leadership team in the role of people and culture lead, solidifying its commitment to investing in women in tech.

Franchesca Del Rosario joins as an SEO specialist after spending a number of years working in SEO agencies, following her time in the fast-growing and competitive mattress and furniture market for Ecosa.

“I have already had the opportunity to learn so much here at Optimising. It’s thrilling to be around people who live and breathe SEO like me and I’m really excited by the opportunities ahead,” said Del Rosario.

Ellie Handberg also joins as SEO specialist, has come from an agency background with strong marketing experience and is thrilled to be working with Optimising’s diverse client mix.

“SEO really is the missing ingredient across many company’s marketing strategies and I am excited to be working with Optimising to help their clients unlock growth with Google. I can’t wait to work alongside my new colleagues to help our clients see even better results,”she said.

James Richardson, co-founder of Optimising, said: “It’s been a big few months for us. We recently expanded our remit for Nando’s, adding the New Zealand business to our roster after working with the Australian team for more than 18 months. We have also started working with Make-A-Wish Australia, which is such an incredibly worthwhile cause.

“On the back of this, it has been great to welcome Ellie and Fran to our ranks, they bring a wealth of SEO experience with them and will add a lot of value for our clients.

“We are also really proud of Kara who has shown incredible commitment and drive since joining us at Optimising last year. We are thrilled to see what she brings to the role of people and culture lead. It has been great to watch her grow and we are thrilled at her taking on this new opportunity in our leadership team,” he added.

All appointments at the agency are effective immediately.

GroupM, WPP’s media investment group, has announced that its agencies – Mindshare, Wavemaker, MediaCom and Essence – have taken another important step to decarbonise the programmatic media supply chain in Australia.

The agencies have partnered with Good-Loop, a B Corps-certified advertising platform, to measure, offset and reduce the carbon cost of clients’ digital campaigns.

The market-first digital sustainability initiative is designed to reduce the environmental impact of clients’ media spend and help make advertising better for the planet.

It builds on GroupM’s recent announcement of an innovative, new global framework for measuring and reducing ad-based carbon emissions across all five stages of the advertising lifecycle for all formats, channels and markets in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s standards.

GroupM’s partnership with Good-Loop is part of Alpha, its new sustainability strategy in Australia. Alpha represents GroupM’s commitment to shaping the next era of media for future generations of Australians.

Generation Alpha is the current generation of kids born before 2025, who will become the largest generation ever. The partnership will establish GroupM as the first agency holding group in Australia to offer carbon offsetting and climate-positive activities across Display and Online Video.

Launch partners for the partnership include Volvo, NAB and Foxtel.

The partnership between GroupM and Good-Loop will mean the implementation of Good-Loop’s Green Ad Tag in GroupM’s programmatic activities for Display and Online Video. In the first stage, this allows GroupM to measure and offset the impact via Carbon Credits. In addition, clients have the option to go beyond carbon offsetting by supporting climate-friendly activities, including reforestation, habitat protection and coral reef restoration.

Aimee Buchanan, GroupM Australia and New Zealand CEO, said: “Sustainability is a pressing and significant concern for Australians and a major concern for businesses and brands. In our ambition to be responsible for shaping the next era of advertising and making advertising work better for people, ensuring that we make advertising more sustainable is key.

“We’ve launched Alpha, as a whole of business strategy because we believe we have a responsibility to take positive action for the current generation of kids – Generation Alpha. There is no greater motivation than that. Digital media might not be the first thing that comes to mind, but we know that every ad and every impression has a carbon impact.

“Measurement is key, and ultimately, the goal is to reduce carbon emissions, but giving clients an action that helps solves for the issue is paramount. We can now offer our clients a simple solution to first measure, and then offset carbon emissions from digital media campaigns, and then move towards climate positive activities,” Buchanan said.

“Helping decarbonise digital media in Australia is the first step in our Alpha plan. We haven’t solved this complex issue, but we have a responsibility to explore solutions, test and learn, and continue to build and shape initiatives that demonstrate our commitment to making advertising better for people,” she added.

An ad’s carbon impact is related to the size of the files and data transfer required. GroupM has run tests on client campaigns in partnership with Good-Loop, measuring the emissions from online display and video ad campaigns, offsetting the carbon and planting trees to make them carbon negative.

Claire Gleeson-Landry, Good-Loop’s head of investment and sustainable media, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with GroupM Australia and supporting them in their mission to make their media buying less carbon intensive and more climate-friendly.

“Not only will this partnership enable GroupM Australia clients to measure and offset the CO2 emissions generated by their digital advertising, but they’ll also be able to refine their future media plans all while planting biodiverse trees and restoring coral reefs. Good for profit and good for the planet. It’s a win-win,” she added.

WPP has made the biggest commitment of any holding group to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2030, and is the first holding company to include media emissions within its science-based reduction and net-zero targets. GroupM is working to implement the right measures and steps towards a more sustainable future for its agencies, clients and people.

The Digital Sustainability Initiative is just one element of Alpha, which will also include people initiatives, supply chain management and additional products and solutions to tackle scope 3 carbon contributions across our business and the media ecosystem in Australia.

Stephen Connor, managing director at Volvo Car Australia, said of the initiative: “I am personally excited by this initiative – it is so in line with our Volvo Cars commitment to being part of the solution to address climate change. Volvo aims to become a fully electric car maker by 2030 and plans to roll out a whole new family of pure electric cars in the coming years, one of the auto industry’s most ambitious electrification plans.

“This is part of our ambition to become a climate neutral company by 2040, as we work to consistently cut carbon emissions across our business. I congratulate our partner GroupM Australia for kicking off this ground-breaking initiative in Australia. We’re proud to be part of it,” he added.

John Matthews, executive director, customer acquisition and media at Foxtel Group, said: “As our customers make changes to live life more sustainably it is important that brands also lead the way.

“We’re proud to be working with our partners at GroupM to take meaningful action by measuring, understanding, and then acting to decarbonize our media supply,” he added.

The highly anticipated Neighbours finale is set to premiere on July 28, with Margot Robbie, Delta Goodrem, Jesse Spencer, Kym Valentine and Carla Bonner all confirmed to return to celebrate 37 years on-air

Margot Robbie, who starred in The Suicide Squad and The Wolf Of Wall Street, will return to her role as Donna Freedman. Robbie’s character appeared on the show from 2008 to 2011. In 2010 the actor/producer featured in one of the show’s most memorable weddings to Ringo Brown, played by Sam Clark, to mark the series’ 6000th episode. 

It is confirmed she will return in a small cameo role in the final episode.

Also returning to celebrate the finale is, Delta Goodrem who arrived on Ramsay Street in 2002 as the shy student, Nina Tucker, and went on to become one of the country’s most successful singer/songwriters.

Set to make an appearance is Jesse Spencer, currently starring in the hit US series Chicago Fire and Melbourne actor Kym Valentine. Both joined the series as teenagers, Billy and Libby Kennedy, the offspring of Ramsay Street matriarchs Karl and Susan Kennedy, played by acting legends Alan Fletcher and Jackie Woodburne.

Also joining the party is Carla Bonner, who starred in nearly 2000 episodes as the free-spirited Steph Scully.

The word on television’s most popular street is this isn’t the last of the famous alumni planned to appear in the final episode, with the final number of returning cast topping 49.

Jason Herbison, executive producer, said: “We are beyond excited and feel very humbled that so many of the show’s favourite characters throughout the decades are here with us celebrating, and there are more surprises to come on the final night next week!”

The history-making final episode of Australia’s longest-running drama Neighbours, will be simulcast on 10, 10 Peach and 10 Play on Thursday, July 28 at 7:30pm, in a gripping and emotional 90-minute finale.

The final week of Neighbours starts Monday, July 25 on 10, 10 Peach and 10 Play.

Publicis Groupe has reported strong growth and revenue figures in its second quarter, first half of 2022 results.

The Paris-based advertising and public relations company reported growth of +21% and net revenue was $AUD 4.53 billion (€3.073 billion).

Publicis Groupe reported organic growth of +10.3%, this comes after the +17.1% reported in Q2 of 2021. 

The company had a solid performance across regions, with the U.S. at +10.1%, Europe at +10.1%, and Asia at +6.5%. Further acceleration was reported for Publicis Sapient at +19.1% and Epsilon at +13.7%.

Arthur Sadoun, chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe said of their results: “H1 2022 came in at an all-time high for the Groupe on all KPIs. Our reported net revenue growth in the first half was +19.1%. It was up +10.4% on an organic basis, implying +11.3% on a 3-year basis, versus pre-pandemic levels. 

“After a strong start to the year, we recorded in Q2 an increase of +21% of our net revenue and an organic growth of +10.3%, way beyond expectations. 

“There are three reasons behind this remarkable performance, which comes on top of +17.1% organic growth in Q2 last year. First, very solid growth across all regions, with the U.S and Europe at +10%, and Asia at +6.5%, with China remaining positive despite the lockdowns.

“Second, further acceleration at Publicis Sapient and Epsilon which grew +19.1% and +13.7% respectively, confirming our ability to capture the shift of client investment towards data, technology and digital business transformation.

“Last but not least, we benefitted from the ramp-up of our New Business, after a record number of wins in 2021. Our momentum since the beginning of the year continues to place us at the top of the New Business rankings for the past 12 months, in the latest broker reports,” he added.

“At the same time, our financial ratios reached new historic heights in the first half of the year thanks to the uniqueness of our operating model. Our margin came in at 17.3%, and headline EPS increased by close to 30%. This performance, combined with our better visibility on a solid H2 and the strength of our model, make us confident for the future.

“We are therefore upgrading our guidance on all KPIs for 2022, with an organic growth now expected between +6% to +7% for 2022, an operating margin rate between 17.5% and 18% and a Free Cash Flow at least at 1.5 billion euros,” the CEO added.

Sadoun shared his optimistic outlook for the company for the year ahead. He said: “Looking ahead, we are ready to face the ongoing uncertainties caused by the macro-economic context, thanks to our unique capabilities to help our clients weather any potential challenges and by leveraging our agile platform organisation to sustain industry-high financial ratios. 

“I would like to thank our clients for their trust, and our people for their incredible efforts, which have led us to these extremely strong results,” he added.

Interpublic Group (IPG) has released its Q2 and H1 2022 results, reporting a second-quarter net revenue increase of 4.7% to $USD2.38 billion ($AUD3.44 billion).

The New York-based advertising company, which owns Australian agencies UM, Initiative and Magna, reported an organic net revenue increase of 7.9%, which was comprised of an organic net revenue increase of 8.3% in the U.S. and an increase of 7.1% internationally.

Q2 2022 total revenue (including billable expenses of $USD2.74 billion) increased by 9.0% compared to $USD2.51 billion in 2021.

Philippe Krakowsky, CEO of IPG said, “We are pleased to report a strong second quarter and first-half, in which we continued to build on our industry-leading performance over a period of many years.

“Growth in the quarter was broad-based across world regions, client sectors and our operating units.”

IPG’s 2022 first-half results showed net revenue increased by 7.1%, from $USD4.30 billion in the first half of 2021 to $USD4.60 billion in 2022. Organic net revenue increased by 9.2%,  which was comprised of an organic net revenue increase of 10.2% in the U.S. and an increase of 8.6% internationally. 

Krakowsky added, “A differentiator of our performance has been our ability to bring together creativity, digital technology and data to create marketing solutions that are responsive to the evolving business transformation needs of our clients.

“Our growth is largely driven by these highly relevant capabilities, with which we are solving for an expanding set of marketer needs for more precise, personalized, and accountable engagements at an individual level, with respect for data ethics and compliance.”

The results led IPG to upgrade its 2022 growth forecast from six per cent to 6.5 per cent.

“Like all companies, as we look ahead we are facing a period of macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty, and the limited visibility that comes with such an environment.

“In April, we upgraded our 2022 organic growth expectation to 6% and given our growth through the first half of the year, we see upside and believe we will exceed 6.5% organic growth for the full year. We continue to expect that we will deliver adjusted EBITA margin of 16.6%,” Krakowsky said.

“We will stay close to and support our people and our clients, remain disciplined in managing our operations, and maintain the strength of our balance sheet. The skill and commitment of our IPG colleagues have helped us to reach the halfway point of the year on strong footing.

“I’d like to recognize and thank our people for their work, on behalf of clients and in support of each other, as well as their engagement on vital societal issues consistent with our culture and our values,” Krakowsy concluded.

A release date for Heartbreak Island Australia has been confirmed.

The new series is set to premiere on August 4, exclusively on 7plus, with new episodes dropping every Thursday.

16 singles from Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the USA will land on a tropical island in Fiji to find their perfect partner and compete for $100,000.

With love-bombing, benching, cushioning, situationships, betrayals and blindsides, a dating dictionary is advised as Heartbreak Island Australia takes the reality TV genre to juicy new heights.

Navigating the couplings and combustions, TV and radio personality Clinton Randell (Masked Singer NZ, Dancing With The Stars NZ) said: “I couldn’t wait to start shooting Heartbreak Island Australia, this time with our first-ever global cast. I cheered, laughed, teared up, stirred the pot, threw in a few twists, and made life-long friends. I can’t wait for viewers to see it.

Set against the stunning vistas of Fiji, contestants will pair up, face challenges, choose to stay or stray from their partner during the infamous “passion plays” and fight to avoid elimination. It can’t all be bliss, with disruptors shaking up the game and putting the Heartbreakers at risk.

The Heartbreakers ready to risk it all for romance are:

Amber Yee, 25: Bar manager, Australia
Alexandra Carter, 21: Bar manager, Australia
Kacey Watson, 23: Social media manager and personal trainer, Australia
Tiarne Butler, 28: Hair salon coordinator, Australia
Jake Spinner, 26: Tradesman, Australia
Bailey Neate, 22: Plumbing apprentice, Australia
Maiata Boxer, 20 Professional dancer, New Zealand
Ashleigh Williams, 25: Model and actress, New Zealand
Milly Forbes, 24: Criminology student and preschool teacher, New Zealand
Manaaki Hoepo, 21: Sociology and performing arts student, New Zealand
Mez Tekeste, 29: Singer-songwriter, New Zealand
Kieran Hickey, 24: Postman, the UK
Max Batchelor, 21: Professional footballer, the UK
Holly Barnes, 20: Media manager and stylist, the US
Shamar Sinegal, 21: Chiropractic student and security guard, the US
Chris Burgoon, 25: Real estate agent, the US

Heartbreak Island Australia is coming August 4 to 7plus.

Danny Lakey is returning to the Gold Coast to join Bianca and Ben in the breakfast studio at 90.9 Sea FM.

His return marks ten years since he left the Gold Coast after joining 90.9 Sea FM in a full-circle origin story.

On his new role, Lakey said, “I studied and worked on the Gold Coast for five fantastic years. They were my formative years, so I see the Goldie as home for work, life and friends.

“I walked into my first radio gig on the Gold Coast. After volunteering on community radio, I joined 90.9 Sea FM, drove the ‘Sea Cruisers’ and covered the midnight to dawn shift; so coming back to join two such incredible hosts in Bianca and Ben for breakfast is a thrill, and an absolutely a mood-board moment for me!

“I worked as a lifeguard at Wet ‘n’ Wild and at Sea World – that’s kind of a rite of passage growing up on the Gold Coast – and Maccas Labrador, went to Uni at Griffith, lived right in the heart of Surfers Paradise, and headed to the Parkwood Tavern on a Thursday night! Ten years away from this gorgeous place on earth is enough. I’m coming home and I’m excited.”

Danny is no stranger to the early starts of breakfast radio. Until now, he was co-host of Hit NSW Breakfast with Maz & Lakey, and before that, hosted The Danny Lakey Show on Triple M National Nights.

His move follows the departure of Dan Anstey, who recently waved the Gold Coast farewell and moved back home to Brisbane with his young family, joining Marto and Margaux on Triple M Breakfast.

See more: Dan Anstey talks moving to Triple M Brisbane and building on-air rapport

Sea FM content director Kim Czosnek said the return of Lakey to the Gold Coast was great news.

“We can officially now say that the hottest radio gig in the country is filled!” she said.

“What a coup to announce that the one and only Danny Lakey is the man filling the hotseat in the studio here at 90.9 Sea FM. It’s a joyous return for him, and for the station where he first tasted that love of radio that runs so deeply through his veins.

“The show is the best it’s ever been with Bianca and Ben, and we are incredibly excited at what Lakey will bring to our airwaves. Yes, it will be wild, funny, unpredictable and laced with tales of his past 10 years, and his memories both old and new of the Goldie. It’ll be brekkie radio at its best.

“His welcome home is also an excellent example of the pathways that radio, and especially the SCA network, present. It’s a great industry to be part of.”

Bianca, Ben & Lakey will begin on 90.9 Sea FM from Wednesday, August 17 and on the LiSTNR app.

• Joanna Lumley packs her bags for Rome
• Beauty and the Geek takes off
• 60 Mins investigates JonBenét Ramsey
• NRL stirs up controversy with one point win for the Cowboys

Primetime News
Seven News 933,000
Nine News 848,000
ABC News 559,000
10 News First 231,000 (5:30pm)/ 176,000 (6:00pm)
SBS World News 185,000 (6:30pm) 148,000 (7:00pm)

Daily current affairs
Insiders 371,000
The Project 235,000 (6:30 pm)/325,000 (7pm)

Breakfast TV
Sunrise 205,000
Today 172,000
News Breakfast 150,000

Seven has won the night with a 21.9% primary share and a 30.5% network share. Topping the night for multichannels was 7mate with a 4.5% share.

Seven jumped off the starting block with its new series of This Is Your Life. 655,000 tuned in as host Mel Doyle cracked open the Big Red Book with Ian Thorpe ahead of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. 7News Spotlight followed, with 316,000 watching swimming sensations Emma McKeon and Cody Simpson as they opened up for the first time about their lives and their relationship. 

See More: Why Melissa Doyle took a stroll down memory lane for This Is Your Life

Earlier in the day, Carlton Blues beat the GWS Giants 90-54, with the AFL drawing a crowd of 322,000.

Nine kicked off its Sunday evening with a bumper episode of 60 Minutes, covering the cost of living crisis before diving deep into the murder of 6yo child beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey. With JonBenét’s father, John Ramsey, petitioning the Governor of Colorado to test DNA samples that the local police have, 612,000 watched as the show asked why the tests hadn’t gone ahead. Beauty and the Geek took off, with 392,000 watching as the pairs had their communication tested when they tried to land a 737 flight simulation plane. Social Media Murders rounded out the night with 216,000 tuning in for the story of Molly McLaren.

Earlier in the day, 216,000 watched the NRL as the North Queensland Cowboys took a one point win over the Wests Tigers after the siren, in one of the most controversial endings the game has seen.

On 10, The Sunday Project (235,000 6:30pm / 325,000 7pm) got down and dirty, covering the Splendour In The Grass festival that has made headlines for being more mud than grass, and interviewed Hunted’s Deputy of Operations Reece Dewar about the chase. Hunted then continued its hot streak, with 550,000 watching as the chase ended for Derek and Courtney.

Joanna Lumley’s Great Cities of the World took 474,000 to Rome for the ABC, before Mystery Road: Origin continued with 302,000 viewers.

The highest rating non-news show on SBS was London’s Super Tunnel, which had 133,000 tune in.