Monday June 22, 2020
Stars gather on Nova & smooth Thank You Concert for frontline workers
The virtual concert had an audience of healthcare workers, supermarket employees, teachers, policemen and women, cleaners and more – all who haven’t missed a beat during the coronavirus crisis.
The concert featured some of music’s biggest names from Katy Perry to Coldplay, Ellie Goulding to Ed Sheeran, Amy Shark, Delta Goodrem and Daryl Braithwaite.
The event was hosted by Nova’s Smallzy and smooth’s Richard Wilkins and the first act they introduced was Keith Urban who performed several songs across the two-hour event.
Next came Niall Horan who performed an acoustic version of his song Slow Hands in his living room.
Other highlights of the concert included a Smallzy interview with Katy Perry who shared that Orlando Bloom loves Lego and that she’s been taking things “one day at a time, finding my own little silver linings, thinking about my future and my baby’s future and thinking about the dreams I still want to achieve.”
The third performer was Amy Shark who sang her new single Everybody Rise.
The show also included throwbacks to iconic Nova’s Red Rooms with Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Jonas Brothers, Sam Smith and Shawn Mendes, plus a clip from the special Michael Bublé Sydney concert smooth’s Feel Good Night With.
Coldplay’s Chris Martin took a moment to thank all the Australian essential workers who have been battling it out on the frontlines.
“I’m really happy to be part of Nova and smoothfm’s Thank You Concert, which is saying thank you to all of you out there who have been working on the healthcare frontlines and generally looking after each other,” Martin said.
“You’re amazing, we thank you, I thank you, the band thanks you and send you all our love.”
Sam Smith sat down for a chat with Smallzy from his home in London, sharing that they have been “working through social media and bringing the music to people.”
“It’s been a weird time personally to be home for so long, I haven’t been home for a long time. It’s just been a tough time, sitting back being in your houses watching all these people working so hard.”
Smith mentioned it has been especially difficult watching the recent protests for Black Lives Matter following the death of George Floyd in the Sates, but noted lockdown has ”been an important time to read and learn and to make sure when we come out of this lockdown, we come out with the right ideas.”
Two Aussie powerhouses closed Nova and smoothfm’s Thank You Concert Live Stream: Daryl Braithwaite and Delta Goodrem, who sang two classics: Horses and Land Down Under.
Other highlights included smooth presenters David Campbell and Cameron Daddo singing together, an interviews with Yusef and a Robbie Williams by Richard Wilkins.
Alan Jones signs with Sky News for primetime nightly show
Premiering Monday 6 July at 8pm AEST, the show to be called just Alan Jones will air live four nights a week across Sky News on Foxtel and regional free-to-air news channel Sky News on WIN.
The Sky News weekday line-up from 6pm will now feature programs hosted by Peta Credlin, Andrew Bolt, Jones and Paul Murray.
Alan Jones said: “It’s a privilege to be asked to work with such a strong and committed team. I am sure that through the engagement with my viewing audience, we will be able to make a difference. There are real issues facing Australians today. We will be addressing them.”
Paul Whittaker, chief executive officer, Sky News Australia said: “With a connection to his audience like no other, we are delighted Alan joins Sky News Australia exclusively as anchor of new weeknight primetime program Alan Jones, the only place to watch and listen to Australia’s most successful broadcaster.”
Jones will continue as a columnist with News Corp mastheads The Daily Telegraph and The Australian.
Jones first joined Sky News in 2013 as co-anchor of Richo & Jones with Graham Richardson. He then went on to host Jones & Co, followed by Jones & Credlin with Peta Credlin.
See also:
• Aussie Larrikin shows Sky News audience loving local doco specials
• Sky News records record ratings for COVID-19 crisis coverage
Nine lashes News Corp over 60 Minutes story: ‘Fair-tale, ‘total fantasy’
The report said in part:
The future of Nine’s 60 Minutes is said to be in question. A lack of competition, enormous budget cuts, outrageous promos, an increase in tabloid stories and a change in the news cycle has resulted in industry experts claiming 60 Minutes is no longer the powerhouse it once was.
Insiders say Nine executives are considering dumping the once enormously popular program and instead relying on ACA to be the go-to place for its news, current affairs and investigations.
In a lengthy note to staff on Sunday, Nine’s national director of news and current affairs Darren Wick wrote:
60 Minutes is one of the most important programmes on Nine’s schedule and one of Australian television’s most enduring and trusted public affairs brands.
The story in today’s Sunday Telegraph newspaper and online sites suggesting the future of 60 Minutes is in doubt is just that. A story. A fairy-tale. It’s not a report. Reports are meant to be accurate. This is total fantasy.
I challenge the authenticity of the “insider” quoted in the story. Even the language of the quote, in my view, gives it away. Why would an “insider” say “they”? I submit that this source, if they even exist, is not currently from 60 Minutes, nor Nine. The story is wrong. It’s not merely a beat-up. It’s factually wrong. The reporter was told this by Nine yesterday but chose to write a piece they can never back up.
Let me put this on the record with my name attached to it as a genuine and verifiable source. There has never been a discussion between executives at Nine about axing 60 Minutes. That position has never been considered by myself, the CEO nor anyone else who matters. NEVER. EVER.
It’s been part of our Sunday night ritual for four decades. It’s going to be on Nine a further four decades from now.
The people who work on 60 Minutes are an extraordinary and wonderfully loyal family who take tremendous pride in the stories they produce and broadcast every week. Everyone at Nine is proud of our colleagues, the quality of their work and their passion for journalism.
The story claiming our future is in doubt is misleading and wrong. We’re here to stay.
See also a similar report in Fairfax newspapers back in 2016 (before they were purchased by Nine) titled ‘Time is running out for 60 Minutes’.
New TV deal for football to stay on Fox Sports until July 2021
The agreement ensures that the remainder of the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 season will resume on 16 July and be completed as planned.
Australia’s final four FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Round 2 Asian Qualifiers will be shown on Fox Sports, while Socceroos and Westfield Matildas friendly international matches will be aired on the network through to 31 July 2021.
The A-League 2020/21 and Westfield W-League 2020/21 seasons will also be shown on Fox Sports.
FFA chief executive officer James Johnson (pictured) acknowledged Foxtel and Fox Sports for their collaboration during the negotiation, noting that the deal will help to provide the certainty football requires.
“I would like to thank Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany and head of Fox Sports Peter Campbell for their continued support for Australian football,” Johnson said.
“The pandemic has created uncertainty and accelerated disruption to the sports media sector and to football here in Australia and abroad – this new agreement adjusts to this new reality, secures the immediate future of football in Australia and provides flexibility for FFA to lay a foundation to transition into a new world for Australian professional football.
“The deal will see the professional game – for women and men – reactivated and ensures that football is at the heart of all our thinking in the future.
“It will also provide immediate certainty for clubs, players, coaches, officials and, most importantly, fans, for the remainder of the current Hyundai A-League season, as well as the next.
“We are equally as pleased to have secured the next season for the Westfield W-League to ensure we can continue to drive interest and growth in women’s football in Australia,” he said.
FFA CEO James Johnson added that a key feature of the new broadcast deal includes a shift in the timing of the next A-League season, with the 2020/21 season now commencing in December 2020 and concluding in July 2021.
“The shift in the timing of the next A-League season is a strategic decision to enhance the alignment of our top tier professional men’s league with the grassroots playing season of the largest community sport in the country,” Johnson explained.
“There are numerous benefits to this, including better aligning the competition pyramid of Australian football to facilitate enhanced football outcomes like a modern domestic transfer system, and enabling deeper engagement with our vast grassroots football community at the precise time our many participants are most engaged in our great game.
“Despite challenging times, this deal will help us continue the process of transforming our professional leagues and move the sport towards an exciting future.”
Free-to-air broadcast partner ABC TV will continue to broadcast one A-League and Westfield W-League match per week through to the end of July 2021, along with FFA-controlled Socceroos and Westfield Matildas matches.
The new agreement will no longer see the FFA Cup broadcast on Fox Sports and FFA will consider innovative new broadcast arrangements for the only truly national Cup competition in Australian sport.
“The FFA Cup is unique in the Australian sporting landscape and connects the grassroots and National Premier Leagues with the Hyundai A-League. We will be forever grateful to Foxtel and Fox Sports for sharing our vision to create this special competition in the first place. We are excited for the future of the FFA Cup and will make further announcements about its future direction in due course,” Johnson concluded.
Peter Campbell, Head of Fox Sports said: “We want to be there for football fans and we are pleased to have a new agreement that supports the completion of the 2019/20 A-League season and provides certainty for FFA, clubs, players and supporters to begin planning and to get excited for next season.
“This new deal also provides us with the opportunity to work with FFA over the next year as they reset and reenergize the professional game in Australia and explore the best possible range of future broadcast options for the game.
“Football has been through a challenging period and we are excited to have the W-League, Socceroos, Matildas back on Fox Sports and for the A-League restart on 16 July, every game live and ad-break free during play.”
See also:
A-League TV Guide: Fox Sports taking fans closer to the action
ABC now FTA home of A-League, W-League, Socceroos and Matildas
TV Guide: Supercars, Formula 1 and MotoGP return
In the final season of Holden vs Ford, the 2020 Supercars championship returns to the grid with Scott McLaughlin chasing a three-peat, Shane Van Gisbergen switching from challenger to champion, and Jamie Whincup pushing his claim as the greatest of all time with an eighth title.
On the ground for the Supercars coverage at Sydney Motorsport Park will be host Jess Yates alongside experts Mark Skaife, Neil Crompton, Craig Lowndes and Mark Larkham.
A three-race sprint format will take place across two days of track action and every session is available with no ad-breaks during racing on Foxtel and Foxtel Now.
Supercars Sidetracked will be hosted by Jess Yates and Experts Mark Skaife and Neil Crompton when they do a full preview of the Sydney SuperSprint on Monday, June 22 at 7.00 pm on Fox Sports 506.
On July 3 the 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship will finally begin it’s 2020 season when Lewis Hamilton begins his quest to equal Michael Schumacher on seven Driver’s World titles when the Red Bull Ring in Austria hosts the opening two races of the season on consecutive weekends.
The chasing pack will consist of Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen, Ferrari hot shots Charles Leclerc and Sebastien Vettel, Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas and Australian Daniel Riccardo racing for Renault.
Every Formula 1 session will be live on Fox Sports with exclusive access to F1 pundits Martin Brundle, Damon Hill, Jenson Button and Johnny Herbert before and after each session.
In the MotoGP Aussie Jack Miller will be out to take down Marc Marquez and the Repsol Honda team when MotoGP racing resumes from July 17 at Jerez in Spain. Host Chris Stubbs will be joined by Chris Vermeulen and Kevin Magee for each race on Fox Sports.
Foxtel subscribers can also stream Fox Sports’s Supercars, F1 and MotoGP coverage anywhere, anytime using Foxtel GO, Foxtel Now and Kayo Sports.
ARIA Chart: Aussie top 3 – Vika & Linda, Spacey Jane, McClymonts
Singles
Five weeks at #1 now for DaBaby with Rockstar charting for nine weeks. Helping keep the track on top is a Black Lives Matter remix of the song featuring new lyrics with DaBaby describing his experiences with the police.
Saint Jhns’s Roses and Weeknd’s Blinding Lights also retain their places near the top meaning they have all been top four for the past six weeks.
There were two new arrivals in the top 10:
#6 Harry Styles with Watermelon on Sugar after 16 weeks on the chart.
#7 S1mba with Rover after nine weeks. The track secured new momentum with the release of a remix featuring Australian hip hop artists Hooligan Hefs, Youngn Lipz and Hooks.
Four charts debuts inside the top 50:
#23 The Kid Laroi with Go featuring Juice Wrld. Sydney rapper The Kid Laroi was a finalist in Triple J’s Unearthed High competition in 2018.
#24 Jaws 685 and Jason Derulo with Savage Love. Jaws 685 is a young NZ producer from Auckland.
#45 6ix9ine & Nicki Minaj with Trollz. The third collaboration between the two rappers is a tune about internet trolls.
#48 Regards with Secrets. Kosovo DJ Regard with British singer Raye.
Albums
The anthology album highlighting the work of Melbourne singers Vika & Linda Bull sees the sometime back-up singers take centre stage this week as three Australia albums debut at #1, #2 and #3. The sisters work between 1994 and 2006 is showcased on ‘Akilotoa, a double album debuting at #1 that features tracks written for the Bull sisters by Paul Kelly, Archie Roach, Stephen Cummings, Mark Seymour and more. Previous appearances on the Album Chart include Vika & Linda (#7 Jun 1994), Princess Tabu (#30 Aug 1996) and Two Wings (#34 Aug 1999). The release is the eighth Australian #1 on the ARIA Album Chart in 2020.
Australians ruling the Album Chart like they have this week last happened in August 2014, with Angus and Julia Stone (self-titled, #1), One Day Crew (Mainline, #2) and Sticky Fingers (Land of Pleasure, #3).
Of their chart success this week, Vika And Linda said:
“We’re so rapt to reach number one with our anthology. Our first ever! A huge thank you to everyone who has supported us over the years, and to our team. We love you all. Vika & Linda xx”
ARIA CEO Dan Rosen added:
“Congratulations to Vika and Linda Bull, who have been enduring and unique voices in Australian music for over 30 years. For a career that has covered so many styles, collaborations and albums, it seems long overdue for them to be rewarded with ARIA #1 album.
“I also want to congratulate Spacey Jane and The McClymonts, who make up our all Aussie top 3 In this week’s Album Chart. What an incredible week for new Australian music. The three artists are from different backgrounds, different generations and play different styles. It highlights the diversity of our local music scene, a scene that continues to create incredible music that resonates with fans around the country.”
The other Australian artists filling the top three spots:
#2: Spacey Jane with Sunlight. Another graduate of Triple J Unearthed which the Fremantle rockers won in 2018 off the back of three EPs. This is their debut album with the single Good For You sitting at #80 on the most recent Triple J Hottest 100.
Spacey Jane commented on their album chart debut:
“We’re so stoked with this result, it’s definitely something we never expected! Massive thanks to everyone who’s been spinning the record this week, & to AWAL for the hard yards on the release – it’s a dream debut for us.”
#3: The McClymonts with Mayhem to Madness. The sisters from Grafton see their sixth studio album Mayhem To Madness appear on the chart at the same spot their fifth album Endless peaked at in 2017. The McClymonts told ARIA: “We are proud to be part of a diverse group of Australian artists in the top three of the ARIA Album chart this week. We want to send a big congratulations to Vika & Linda who we have been fans of since we were kids. We used to practice our harmonies by singing along to their songs and it’s inspiring to see them at the top of the chart.”
Three others albums slipped into the top 50 this week:
#18: Justice for the Damned with Pain Is Power. Second album from the Sydney hardcore band is immediately their biggest album after the first Dragged Through the Dirt peaked at #37 in 2017.
#21 Norah Jones with Pick Me Up Off the Floor. Eighth album from the singer-songwriter who started her career with the smash #1 album Come Away with Me in 2002. Her second and third albums peaked at #2 and all albums have peaked inside the top 20.
#50 Liam Gallagher with MTV Unplugged.
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TV Ratings Sunday June 21 Week 26 2020
Seven News 1,186,000
Nine News 1,018,000
ABC News 708,000
The Project 355,000/501,000
Insiders 467,000
10 News 338,000/256,000
Sunrise 280,000
Offsiders 212,000
Today 212,000
SBS World News 185,000
Seven: The channel has closed the gap on Nine, with Seven last night recording its second-best Sunday share since Easter. The broadcaster was also close to toppling Nine in network share with 28.3% Seven’s best since February.
Seven News and then continued good results for Big Brother drove the result. Big Brother was up week-on-week from 675,000 to 751,000 with the Eviction up 695,000 to 721,000. More important for advertisers is that Big Brother ranked #2 in key demos, knocking off The Voice 25-54 and 16-39.
Seven’s Sunday movie Captain America: The First Avenger was on 322,000.
Nine: The Voice was just short of 900,000 with the highlight a Kelly Rowland walk-out at the end of the episode after a massive fallout with fellow coach Guy Sebastian. The franchise has had better Sundays though – it trailed MasterChef all people and in demos and was also knocked off by Big Brother in key demos.
60 Minutes followed with 561,00. Despite the well-promoted Karl Stefanovic report on Peter Foster, it was one of the smallest audiences this year. Not that the series is going anywhere!
10: It was the end of the road for Brendan on MasterChef as the big names jostle for a spot in the final. The episode did 988,000, up from 946,000 last week. The show won its timeslot all people and in key demos. The departure of Brendan helped 10 post its best Sunday primary share since the launch of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! on the second Sunday in January.
ABC: Grand Designs got a top 10 spot with 451,000 that saw the couple separate part-way through the build.
Operation Buffalo then did 450,000 after 495,000 last week.
SBS: A repeat of Petra: Secrets of the Ancient Buildings was on 169,000 followed by 93,000 watching the feature length doco Hurricane.
Week 25-26 TV: Friday-Monday
| FRIDAY METRO | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Seven | Nine | 10 | SBS | |||||
| ABC | 12.3% | 7 | 23.2% | 9 | 16.5% | 10 | 7.0% | SBS One | 4.5% |
| ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY | 2.9% | 7TWO | 3.8% | GO! | 3.3% | 10 Bold | 4.0% | VICELAND | 0.9% |
| ABC ME | 0.6% | 7mate | 3.9% | GEM | 2.6% | 10 Peach | 2.5% | Food Net | 1.2% |
| ABC NEWS | 1.7% | 7flix | 3.0% | 9Life | 2.7% | NITV | 0.3% | ||
| 9Rush | 1.1% | SBS World Movies | 1.6% | ||||||
| TOTAL | 17.6% | 34.0% | 26.2% | 13.5% | 8.6% | ||||
| SATURDAY METRO | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Seven | Nine | 10 | SBS | |||||
| ABC | 13.4% | 7 | 19.1% | 9 | 13.1% | 10 | 8.4% | SBS One | 4.8% |
| ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY | 3.9% | 7TWO | 3.1% | GO! | 3.4% | 10 Bold | 4.0% | VICELAND | 0.9% |
| ABC ME | 0.6% | 7mate | 7.2% | GEM | 4.1% | 10 Peach | 2.6% | Food Net | 1.1% |
| ABC NEWS | 1.7% | 7flix | 3.2% | 9Life | 1.5% | NITV | 0.9% | ||
| 9Rush | 2.1% | SBS World Movies | 1.1% | ||||||
| TOTAL | 19.6% | 32.6% | 24.1% | 14.9% | 8.7% | ||||
| SUNDAY METRO | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Seven | Nine | 10 | SBS | |||||
| ABC | 11.0% | 7 | 19.0% | 9 | 20.5% | 10 | 16.6% | SBS One | 3.7% |
| ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY | 2.1% | 7TWO | 2.7% | GO! | 3.3% | 10 Bold | 3.5% | VICELAND | 1.1% |
| ABC ME | 0.5% | 7mate | 5.3% | GEM | 2.0% | 10 Peach | 1.7% | Food Net | 0.8% |
| ABC NEWS | 1.5% | 7flix | 1.3% | 9Life | 1.9% | NITV | 0.1% | ||
| 9Rush | 0.9% | SBS World Movies | 0.7% | ||||||
| TOTAL | 15.2% | 28.3% | 28.5% | 21.7% | 6.3% | ||||
| SUNDAY REGIONAL | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Seven Affiliates | Nine Affiliates | 10 Affiliates | SBS | |||||
| ABC | 12.7% | 7 | 17.6% | 9 | 21.3% | WIN | 12.9% | SBS One | 4.0% |
| ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY | 2.0% | 7TWO | 5.0% | GO! | 4.0% | WIN Bold | 4.0% | VICELAND | 1.3% |
| ABC ME | 0.7% | 7mate | 3.3% | GEM | 3.6% | WIN Peach | 0.8% | Food Net | 0.6% |
| ABC NEWS | 1.1% | 7flix (Excl. Tas/WA) | 1.6% | 9Life | 1.8% | Sky News on WIN | 1.4% | NITV | 0.1% |
| SBS Movies | 1.1% | ||||||||
| TOTAL | 16.5% | 27.5% | 30.8% | 19.1% | 7.2% | ||||
| SUNDAY METRO ALL TV | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTA | STV | ||||||||
| 87.2% | 12.8% | ||||||||
All People Ratings
Friday Top 10
- Seven News Seven 994,000
- Seven News At 6.30 Seven 906,000
- Nine News Nine 817,000
- Nine News 6:30 Nine 778,000
- ABC News ABC 658,000
- The Chase Australia Seven 568,000
- Seven’s AFL: Friday Night Football Seven 555,000
- Better Homes And Gardens Seven 550,000
- Gardening Australia ABC 530,000
- Hot Seat Nine 529,000
Saturday Top 10
- Seven News Seven 900,000
- ABC News ABC 787,000
- Nine News Saturday Nine 770,000
- Shakespeare And Hathaway ABC 493,000
- Seven’s AFL: Saturday Night Football Seven 486,000
- Agatha Christie’s The Pale Horse ABC 465,000
- A Current Affair Nine 458,000
- Seven’s AFL: Saturday Night Football – Pre Match Seven 401,000
- Getaway Nine 345,000
- Seven’s AFL: Saturday Night Football – Post Match Seven 332,000
Sunday FTA
- Seven News Seven 1,186,000
- Nine News Sunday Nine 1,018,000
- MasterChef Australia 10 988,000
- The Voice Nine 872,000
- Big Brother Seven 751,000
- Big Brother – Eviction Seven 721,000
- ABC News Sunday ABC 708,000
- 60 Minutes Nine 561,000
- The Sunday Project 7pm 10 501,000
- Grand Designs ABC 451,000
- Operation Buffalo ABC 450,000
- FBI: Most Wanted 10 383,000
- The Sunday Project 6.30pm 10 355,000
- Insiders AM ABC 344,000
- Nine News: Late Edition Nine 339,000
- 10 News First 10 338,000
- Border Security – Australia’s Front Line (R) Seven 336,000
- Seven News At 5 Seven 330,000
- M- Captain America: The First Avenger Seven 322,000
- Weekend Sunrise Seven 280,000
Sunday Multichannel
- Bluey AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 224,000
- Seven’s AFL: Sunday Night Football 7mate 177,000
- NCSI Ep 2 (R) 10 Bold 174,000
- Bluey ABCKIDS/COMEDY 165,000
- Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom ABCKIDS/COMEDY 149,000
- Go Jetters AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 146,000
- Shaun The Sheep AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 145,000
- NCSI (R) 10 Bold 142,000
- Dot. AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 140,000
- Peppa Pig AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 139,000
- Bananas In Pyjamas AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 136,000
- Hey Duggee ABCKIDS/COMEDY 130,000
- Play School AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 127,000
- Insiders AM ABC NEWS 123,000
- The Bourne Identity 9GO! 121,000
- Mrs. Brown’s Boys-Ep.2 PM 7TWO 117,000
- Dog Loves Books ABCKIDS/COMEDY 116,000
- Death In Paradise 9Gem 109,000
- Law & Order: SVU (R) 10 Bold 108,000
- The Vicar Of Dibley PM 7TWO 107,000
Sunday STV
- Live: NRL: Raiders V Sea Eagles FOX LEAGUE 241,000
- Live: NRL: Sharks V Bulldogs FOX LEAGUE 222,000
- Live: AFL Essendon V Melbourne FOX FOOTY 165,000
- Live: Bounce: Episode 14 FOX FOOTY 155,000
- Live: NRL Pre Game Sunday Ticket FOX LEAGUE 147,000
- Live: First Crack FOX FOOTY 142,000
- Outsiders Sky News Live 97,000
- Outsiders Sky News Live 93,000
- Live: NRL Pre Game Sunday Ticket FOX LEAGUE 65,000
- Live: AFL Fremantle V Port Adelaide FOX FOOTY 63,000
- Live: Sunday Night With Matty Johns FOX LEAGUE 61,000
- Paul Murray Live Sky News Live 56,000
- Bounce: Episode 14 FOX FOOTY 52,000
- Live: AFL Gold Coast V Adelaide FOX FOOTY 37,000
- The Simpsons FOX8 37,000
- Belgravia BBC First 37,000
- Top Wing Nick Jr. 35,000
- Chris Smith & Friends Sky News Live 34,000
- Vera FOX Sleuth 34,000
- Live: Rugby: Hurricanes V Crusaders FOX SPORTS 505 34,000
Shares all people, 6pm-midnight, Overnight (Live and AsLive), Audience numbers FTA metro, Sub TV national
Source: OzTAM and Regional TAM 2018. The Data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) without the prior written consent of OzTAM
Media News Roundup
Business of Media
ACCC faces huge task to make big tech pay in digital media code
The Morrison government has made it clear it has taken the traditional media’s side and wants the unequal bargaining power of the digital giants tackled head on.
Spain and Germany failed and France’s first attempt failed. It is now pursuing Google for abuse of market power for not agreeing to pay publishers for its use of their content.
If Sims comes up with a code – and a payment for media content – that Google and Facebook accept, it could provide a template for the rest of the world, avoiding an internet tax and potential trade wars.
Mittleman Brothers climbs Village Roadshow register
Mittleman Brothers chief investment officer Christopher Mittleman told The Australian Financial Review his belief was a fair offer for Village Roadshow was $5 per share, well above the non-binding offer of $2.40 BGH Capital has put forward.
“I don’t believe the subsequent impact of COVID-19 has permanently impaired the business.”
Simon Ryan sets up new ad venture to disrupt market
The former local boss of ad holding group Dentsu Aegis Network says the new company is similar to industry heavyweight Martin Sorrell’s digital-focused ad business, S4 Capital, and will “challenge convention, generate value and move at speed to connect with audiences and build brands”.
“The opportunity for clients is to partner with a new, locally owned entrant to the communications marketplace, a communications business that is built for the new economy, digitally focused and client-based,” Ryan told The Australian.
Ryan has been working on the new business since January, along with a private investor who didn’t want to be identified. He dismissed speculation that he was working with well-known media buyer and former boss Harold Mitchell, adding they were just friends.
Communications department commissions $220,000 media analysis
Advisory firm KordaMentha was recently paid $99,700 for analysis on the regional broadcasting sector for a report handed in to the federal government in January.
That report was just three months after the communications department received a report from retired PwC partner and media and telecommunications industry lead Megan Brownlow on regional broadcasting, for which she was paid $11,220, which recommended the further relaxation of ownership restrictions which would allow for consolidation.
While the new report is not to be specifically focused on regional media, it will no doubt increase the frustration of many, particularly regional, media companies who have been urging legislative reform for years. The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed advertising revenue off a cliff, further exacerbating the sector’s tough run.
Publishing
The Dolly team from the 1990s is back with a new project
Called Tonic, the site features articles on relationships, finance, style and health that Go says are deliberately targeted to the “perimenopausal and menopausal” audience that are thrashed out during weekly Zoom catch-ups.
Dolly shut its print edition in 2016 after helping launch the careers of media identities including Lisa Wilkinson, and models Alison Brahe and Miranda Kerr, who won the Dolly model search at age 13.
Since departing Dolly, the group had regular catch-ups but the idea for Tonic was hatched a few months ago when six members of the eventual team were having coffee at the home of journalist Ute Junker, Go says. They pulled in a few others who were not at the meeting and got to work, launching a little over a week ago.
While Tonic is much more than Dolly with hot flushes, Go says it made sense to bring back an age-appropriate version of Dolly Doctor, which when it launched in 1970 was actually edited by a man (subsequently, Melissa Kang was the Dolly Doctor from 1993 to 2016). The site is also planning a feature with Brahe, now Alison Daddo, who just turned 50 and describes herself on Instagram as a “menopausal mother of three” (she is married to actor Cameron Daddo).
Radio
Simon Owens reveals new 3AW deal: “I would have sacked me!”
After nearly 25 years he will now just contribute to that late night timeslot once a week, with episode 803 going to air last night at 10pm. Owens was previously the driving force on and off air on the long-running 8pm to midnight 3AW ratings juggernaut Nightline. The program ended in September last year.
Simon Owens in 3AW’s Hall of Fame
“I was a fulltime employee of 3AW until today,” Owens said on Friday. “They cottoned on to it that I don’t actually do anything for the rest of the week. There are certainly no hard feelings, I would have sacked me nine months ago.
“During the week I am now free to explore other opportunities,” added Owens in a pitch to potential employees in a video he posted to social media. Owens noted after so long with one company he is unsure of how to apply for another job. He said his attributes include hard work and a sense of humour.
Simon Owens (right) with Philip Brady and Heidi Victoria
Helping him pitch for another job were some of his colleagues from 3AW who also appeared in the video. They included producers Kate Stevenson and Mikkayla Mossop from 3AW breakfast, Luca Gonaro from drive and Kirsten Lim-How from afternoons. There was even an appearance from the breakfast show’s Mark “Scorcher” Davidson. Breakfast co-host Ross Stevenson called Owens “a smashing bloke”.
If you have a job for the talented allrounder reach out to him on Facebook, simonomelb.
Television
ABC drama executive heads to Netflix to head local originals
She has resigned her role as an ABC executive producer working across scripted drama, comedy and digital content at the ABC, most recently on The Heights, which she co-created, plus Harrow, Deadlock, Frayed, Content and Diary Of An Uber Driver.
She previously worked in development at Matchbox Pictures and as an independent produced working across radio/podcasting as well live and digital platforms including co-writing and producing the geo-locative historical drama Ghosts of Biloela, for which she won an AWGIE.
Sunrise host Sam Armytage to work just four days a week
Armytage will no longer host Sunrise on Mondays, a situation that has presented a golden opportunity to the program’s long-time newsreader Barr.
Barr also fills in for co-presenter David Koch on Fridays after he negotiated a four-day working week beginning in 2018.
The arrangement means Barr has now been elevated to a regular two-day-a-week presenting role on Sunrise, an arrangement Channel 7 on Saturday said was instigated by Armytage.
“Sam’s doing a great job. We’re happy. The ensemble is doing fantastically. There is no suggestion we want her anywhere but here,” said Seven’s news director Craig McPherson.
He added that Armytage has been asking for a reduced working week, like Koch, for some time and indicated the request from her came a year ago.
Axed: Seven’s The Daily Edition will end this week after seven years
Seven pointed to ongoing economic pressures as the reason behind the decision. In recent months all advertorial-based shows have been particularly hard hit by the global pandemic, although some have started to see a return to advertising.
Network director of news and public affairs Craig McPherson said: “The Daily Edition found its way onto the TV landscape seven years ago and performed exceptionally over that time. Sadly, the economics of today has led to this decision. I want to thank co-hosts Sally Obermeder and Ryan Phelan and the talented production team for all their efforts.”
Sports Media
TV personality Sam Newman leaves Channel 9
The decision announced today was made “mutually and amicably”, according to a Nine spokesperson.
“Sam Newman has been a part of the football landscape in Melbourne for generations,” the spokesperson said.
“He enjoyed an illustrious playing career, notching up 300 games for the Geelong Football Club.
“We thank Sam for his service with Nine over several decades. His contribution to The Footy Show was paramount to the enormous ratings success the show enjoyed over many years.”
The spokesperson described Sam as a “master at live television” by attracting a legion of loyal fans to The Footy Show through his “comedic and insightful” input.
The 3pm call that ended Sam’s 35-year career with Channel 9
Newman and Nine mutually agreed to part ways late Friday after a storm of outrage over his podcast comments about George Floyd – the man killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis.
The end of Newman’s career with Nine came just after 3pm on Friday when he was called by the network’s director of sport, Brent Williams, while he was driving.
“The station rang me and said: ‘We are getting a bit of blow back from some of your comments’ and I said: ‘Well, I don’t want to put the station in an invidious position, anymore than I have in the past’,” Newman said.
“I said: ‘I am very happy, if it will solve anything for you, very happy to withdraw forthwith from appearing on the network.’
“They said: ‘Well, that would be absolutely acceptable and would be a good way to resolve the matter.’
“Whether I beat them to it or they were going to say that anyhow is irrelevant.
“I had a very amicable and pleasant conversation with them and they have been a terrific employer over my journey, so it was a pretty quick and simple conversation about how we could move on.”
Newman, whose contract with the network was to expire at the end of 2020 and who had made just one appearance on The Sunday Footy Show this year, said his parting of ways with Nine had been brewing for some time.