Monday March 1, 2021

hugh marks
Over and out: Nine’s departing Hugh Marks tells how he needs a break

By James Manning

Stan the new home for Nine drama? + challenges facing sales, radio & BVOD.

When Mediaweek first interviewed Hugh Marks after he was appointed Nine Entertainment chief executive just over five years ago it was inside his office at Willoughby. Last week in what was the last Mediaweek interview with Marks before he steps away from the now much bigger media company it was in his new highrise office in North Sydney. The difference between the two venues couldn’t be starker.

In February 2016, after Hugh Marks was appointed CEO after being on the board since 2013, you got to his office by the slowest elevator in Sydney. If you wanted to take the stairs though, good luck. Navigating the maze of offices across several floors at Willoughby was not recommended for visitors.

At the new North Sydney Nine Entertainment HQ the company has much of the office tower and you get there after checking in at the ground floor reception and then clearing the level Nine reception. It’s still shiny new with the floors joined by a cascading central staircase that will (nearly) get you back to ground level.

Back in February 2016, Marks presented group revenues of $692m for the first half. Five years later the expanded group first half revenue was $1,162m.

Hugh Marks should probably still be running Nine, and the exact sequence of events that led to his shock resignation are still unclear. However he looks relaxed about his imminent departure, expected to be sometime in March.

See also: Hugh Marks delivers his final Nine Entertainment results – Revenue steady as profit surges

Hugh Marks and Nine CFO Maria Phillips (Photo: Yianni Aspradakis)

Was presenting the FY20/21 H1 results the last item on Hugh Marks’ to-do list?

[Indicates yes, but explains in more detail.] When we started, we changed the rhetoric from we are a television business to we are content business. We are in three forms of content – entertainment (which includes drama), sport and current affairs. I wanted to ensure all of those genres of content had a long-term future, rather than managing a terminal cost decline environment.

With 9Now, Stan and Nine the entertainment business is in growth. Sport, with the addition of Stan Sport, gives us the ability to offer sports organisations both reach and revenue. News and current affairs was the last one – audiences were shifting to digital platforms and we couldn’t monetise it. We needed to get to an outcome. The close of the digital platform enquiry is the end of that journey where we have re-invented how those three different content types look in this market.

Changing what was a television business to a content business with such big digital media earnings is the thing I am proudest of and the thing that puts this business in great long-term growth.

Stan and its big half year

Stan has just had its best half. There was some moderation in the market for the SVOD services given the growth in the six months to June 30, 2020. What CEO Mike Sneesby has done really well with the business is completely understand what it costs to acquire a subscriber and what revenue you are going to get from that subscriber. To have a business that is making decisions for profitability talks to the discipline overall at the business. There will be some investment this half with NBC content and sport coming in which will impact profitability. But long term we are focused on being #2 in the market, if not compete with Netflix.

Is Stan able to fund its acquisition of sports rights?

Absolutely. It will also still generate positive cash flow. To be able to invest in its growth assets without having to draw on the resources of the company is fantastic.

What makes Bump the most successful Stan show ever?

Audience. How many new subscribers it generated and how many people on the platform consumed the whole series. You get a lot of series where people come in and watch one or two episodes, but the engagement from the subscriber base for Bump was the best we have seen. The creative team did a great job under John and Dan Edwards, and Claudia Karvan is not just a great actor, she is also a marvellous producer. She goes at everything with unbelievable passion and dedication. That series, when you look at the cost per hour, is not too different to buying a premium show internationally. With the rise of on-demand there will be a significant growth in the number of productions that will happen in this country to support that rise in SVOD services.

With Stan Sport and Nine in a JV, will Stan overall move closer to Nine?

It is inevitable. You can ask if Nine will ever produce a drama again we would play on FTA first? Or will we commission dramas we will play on Stan first and FTA second? Those are the sort of questions the business is looking at. They will be closer together when it comes to commissioning. For acquisition, they will remain separate businesses.

Leveraging the Stan audience

Stan has the largest user-base of any pay TV platform in the market, apart from Netflix. We have been looking at what we can do with that platform. Can we offer opportunities to other market participants? That is really an interesting area we will explore in the future.

Married at First Sight

Growth of BVOD live viewing and releasing ratings

The audience watching Married at First Sight on the app is close to 10% of the linear overnight audience. There is a growing shift of an audience consuming in-app. This makes the numbers from OzTAM slightly inaccurate. There is a challenge for the industry to get its act together on how best to report numbers reflecting that shift.

We are the industry that has robust measurement and we didn’t want to release data into the market we weren’t 100% confident with. It is important we get it right because we need to tackle measurement by other market participants that is not as accurate it should be. Some of the demographics quoted by other mediums are not substantiated by robust measurement. There is a lot of marking your own homework going on.

Primetime investment after 8.30pm

It is harder to get the return [at that time of night], but that is not to say it will never happen. I have been looking at an experiment with midday as a timeslot that used to be popular, now we have written it off as a spot for original content. But as you build a model of multiplatform distribution and you think about the types of shows you might commission maybe your mind might change on those things. Anything is possible in the future.

Nine’s biggest revenue challenge

The future of advertising will be addressable advertising. A combination of technology and data. We have made a lot of inroads into that, but we are not executing well on that to-date. That is a major initiative the business needs to pursue over the next couple of years. What that talks about is can we get a higher price for our advertising because it is more efficient to the advertiser because they are reaching a more accurate audience. That requires new energy and it is time for someone new to come in and go at that whole area.

Ben Fordham

Nine Radio’s disappointing result

Great audience results, poor monetisation. We need to convert that audience into revenue. We have gained some share with agency markets, but we lost a lot of direct clients and part of that is Covid impacted. I expect Nine Radio will improve over the half and certainly over the next year.

Google and Facebook licensing fees

[Hugh Marks was reluctant to talk about the amount the tech giants will be paying Nine under recently agreed deals. He does indicate though that a recently published figure of $30m+ was “the wrong number”. Nine had previously indicated it might get around $600m from these deals.]

We will make an announcement when we have an outcome. Hopefully we can agree to an amount with Facebook and Google after further discussions take place. It will be material for our business.

In our results we have included a new category in the publishing division called Subscription and Licensing which is where you will see that revenue.

[While Nine won’t put a figure on it at this stage, an amount of $150m from Google and $100m from Facebook has not been challenged.]

What is the upside for the metro publishing division?

There will be growth from subscribers, the numbers are up more than 20% year-on-year. Add that to the licensing income for the content and both of those numbers are significant. That should far outweigh any further declines in print. Those businesses should become great businesses – who would have thought we would have said that 18 months ago?

What’s next? Do you want to have a break?

Yes. I haven’t given too much thought to what I’ll do next. The first thing is to finish here and hand over to a new CEO. I am very committed to making sure the changeover is handled as well as it possibly can be. I will be in the background helping that transition over the next little while.

How much I contribute will be up the new CEO of course. I have a love for this business and whatever I can contribute, if asked, I will.

Could Hugh Marks be back working in the TV production sector?

Possibly. It is one option available to me. I have had thoughts about that, but haven’t advanced them and I won’t at this stage. I need to finish up here and then recover from the responsibility that comes with this role which is significant.

Has the experience of last November tarnished Hugh Marks’ time at Nine?

I don’t think so. Getting your personal life and business career in line can be hard things to do together.

Liz Hayes Under Investigation
Liz Hayes on Under Investigation: Nine’s new genre of TV

By Trent Thomas

“We are challenging ourselves and I hope the audience will feel genuinely intrigued”

Under Investigation with Liz Hayes is Nine’s new investigative series that aims to provide viewers with clarity about some of Australia’s most baffling crimes when it premieres Monday, March 1, at 9.00 pm on Nine and 9Now.  

The series will take viewers behind closed doors with a panel of experts inside an unfolding television event as the setting of the case under investigation is recreated with laser projectors inside Hayes’ studio. 

Mediaweek spoke with Liz Hayes about the show’s new approach to the crime investigation format and why she thinks Australians will be drawn to this fresh approach.

What is different about this format?

The show has been described as a new genre of TV, and Hayes doesn’t disagree with that description by explaining the show is different from the traditional type of 60 Minutes stylings that viewers are used to.

“It’s not just come and watch people sit around the table, you will get an illustration of what we are talking about and a certain amount of storytelling brought to the table.”

Hayes said the format wasn’t untested – it had been trialled before on 60 Minutes and appealed to both the team and viewers.

“We did a test run previously on 60 Minutes when there would be a special event, and we could see it was a good way for experts in their field to explore a subject more deeply and we decided to explore this further.”

under investigation

New series a bit of a risk

Hayes said that one of the main appeals of the format for her was the wide range of experts that she talked with from all walks of life.

“I like the instant conversations that follow with our experts, and when I say experts our first episode included a contract musterer because he came from that area so it’s not just a bunch of academics sitting around, it’s a whole variety of people that bring expertise.

“The show gives the panel the ability for people with great knowledge to come around and interact, and I find it quite interesting to watch them decide what information is important which sometimes gives you an uh-huh moment.”

Hayes admits that the show is a bit of a risk, but she likes that aspect, and that the show is trying to do something different.

“We are challenging ourselves and I hope the audience will feel genuinely intrigued by what we are trying to do. It is a new way to pull back the layers of a story, and that’s what I was intrigued by.”

Inside Liz Hayes’ studio: Time to have something new

The show features an innovative set to help take viewers inside the crime which Hayes describes as an interesting space.

“In the background, we have a load of projectors showing scenes from crimes and locations playing behind us and we have the ability to use that and to take people to the areas we are talking about.

“It is all new and at some stages, we questioned whether it worked or not, but I liked the challenge of trying something new. I think it’s time for television and in particular free to air to have something new.”

Behind the scenes of Under Investigation with Liz Hayes 

The show has a small team with Hayes and Gareth Harvey as the senior producer along with two other producers who are all equally hands-on

“We sit around and discuss who would be good, who we could get, and who would be available. I am deeply involved in all aspects of it and who I would be talking to and who would bring something bright and clever to the table.”

The show features a mix of local and international stories and when asked about the secret to getting the right balance, Hayes said that it comes down to gut instinct.

“It’s what we hope people will find interesting. I think Covid-19 is there in our face which is both international and very home-based, Putin’s Poisons is frightening warfare not just in Russia, those sorts of areas are worthwhile having a conversation.”

The first episode: High Hill Mystery

In the premiere episode, Hayes’ forensic team will discover new clues and new lines of inquiry in the case of Victoria’s “High Country Mystery” – the disappearance of elderly lovers Russell Hill and Carol Clay from a remote alpine campsite. 

“It is a new crime that is barely reported on because it has so few clues attached to it. It is also a different type of case with an elderly couple who were in a long-time affair. That is important not because of the gossip aspect but because of human behaviour and what happens in investigations and how people react.”

Nothing else like this on TV

When asked for shows that have influenced this new series Hayes said that there isn’t a show like this to her knowledge to draw inspiration from.

“I did go looking to see if I could find something. We had this concept and were already playing with it but I stopped to think about what else was happening in the world and I didn’t find anything that satisfied me or added to my process. It doesn’t mean it’s not there, but I don’t think it is because I did go looking.”

kylie moore-gilbert
Melissa Doyle joins Sky News for world exclusive with academic Iran branded a spy

Kylie Moore-Gilbert is the Australian academic convicted and imprisoned in Iran for spying.

Sky News Australia presents the world-first exclusive interview with Kylie Moore-Gilbert, the Australian academic convicted and imprisoned in Iran for spying.

In the Sky News special, Moore-Gilbert shares her incredible story with journalist and interviewer Melissa Doyle, who joins Sky News for this special assignment. Doyle left Seven last year after co-hosting Sunrise and hosting Sunday Night.

In September 2018, Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert had checked in to her flight home to Australia when she was arrested by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Convicted of spying and sentenced to serve 10 years on espionage charges, she spent more than two years fighting for her freedom. Her 804 days behind bars included seven months in solitary confinement.

She was interrogated and beaten by guards, but refused to be broken. Now, for the first time, Kylie shares her inspirational story of survival.

During the one-hour exclusive interview nothing is off-limits, no question goes unanswered.

Is Kylie Moore-Gilbert a spy? How did she survive her ordeal? What really happened behind the scenes to secure her release? How is she coping with the heartbreak of discovering her husband had an affair with one of her colleagues while she was in prison? And what will she do now she is free?

Melissa Doyle said: “Kylie is one of the most remarkable women I have had the privilege of interviewing. Her experience will both frighten and shock you, her determination to survive will leave you in awe, but above all, her grace and strength will inspire you.

“I do not know how she survived years of hell – solitary confinement, starvation and the constant fear of what could happen next. Her dignity can only be admired.”

Escape From Iran: Kylie Moore-Gilbert

Premieres Tuesday 9 March, 7pm AEDT exclusive to Sky News

See also: Melissa Doyle to depart Seven: Farewell on 7NEWS Friday

Celebrity Holey Moley
Barry Hall wins Celebrity Holey Moley

Up next is Holey Moley Junior special episode.

Barry Hall added another prize to his trophy case, when he pushed aside NRL star Mat Rogers and Olympic speed skating gold medallist Steven Bradbury to take first place in Celebrity Holey Moley, on Seven and 7 Plus.

“This is a big achievement,” said the retired professional AFL player, who celebrated his win with a backward somersault into the Polcano pool. “I’m very proud.”

Halls’s victory in the mini golf showdown followed a dramatic incident on Frankenputt earlier in the night when Denise Drysdale, tripped on the course during her head-to-head battle with Bradbury. Sustaining a shoulder injury, she was treated by medics and was forced to leave the competition immediately, graciously handing the win to Bradbury by default.

“Can you believe it? Arm in a sling!” said Drysdale, as she was wheeled from the course. “Steven, I’m out!” Celebrity Holey Moley commentator Matt Shirvington quickly chimed in with: “Bradbury has pulled another Bradbury!” 

This follows garbo Mark Duncan being crowned Australia’s first Holey Moley champion, bagging $100,000 in prize money.

Greg Norman’s top-secret final hole, The Tomb of Nefer-Tee-Tee, was the final hurdle where Mark would compete against pro-golfer, Montana Strauss and drone-pilot, Jayden Lawson.

Each player had to putt through the sphinx onto the rotating pyramids and then onto the green with a 100-ft shot at a hole-in-one. Trading shots, Montana had three very near misses, Jayden came close on his putts, but on the third round Mark hit an outstanding putt which saw his ball sink the hole and win him the $100,000.

Read more: Holey Moley Grand Final: Garbo Mark Duncan wins $100,000

On Monday night, in a world first, Holey Moley Junior will turn the spotlight on eight of Australia’s brightest golfing prodigies as they battle it out across three wild rounds.

The competitive kids are chasing the ultimate prize: the Holey Moley plaid jacket, a golden putter, a $10,000 golf shopping spree and the title of the world’s first-ever Holey Moley Junior Champion. While the kids take the putts, their adult caddies will take the hits on diabolical course favourites, including Putter Ducky, Dutch Courage, Putt the Plank and many more.

ultimate tag
Seven to premiere Ultimate Tag on Sunday, March 7

The last standing male and female Player will take home $100,000 prize money.

The Seven Network today confirmed Ultimate Tag will premiere 7.00pm Sunday, 7 March.

Ultimate Tag turns the childhood game into a tournament between Players and Pro Taggers. Players must run, spin, dodge, tumble and dive their way through huge obstacle courses with the simple goal: Don’t get caught.

The elite Pro Taggers, whose job it is to stop the Players at every turn, have backgrounds including world champions, parkour icons, sprinters, gymnasts, and martial arts professionals. These Taggers will stop at nothing to claim their tag.

The Players, everyday Aussies from all walks of life, must avoid being tagged at all cost, leading to thrills, spills, and a show of skills.

Hosts, Abbey Gelmi and Matt Shirvington

Fresh from commentating Holey MoleyUltimate Tag host, Matt Shirvington, said: “I’m so excited to introduce Australia to these extraordinary Players and Pro Taggers. I’ve been lucky enough to line up against some of the best athletes in the world and our Pro Taggers are on the same elite level. Their mind-blowing feats of athleticism, lighting fast pace and strategic skill will keep you on the edge of your seat and yes they’ll even be wearing lycra, thank god it’s them and not me.”

Ultimate Tag‘s other host, Abbey Gelmi, added: “It’s finally here! I cannot wait for everyone to fall in love with this show like I have. Expect high-octane thrills, big characters and even bigger courses. Ultimate Tag is like nothing you’ve ever seen before.”

Commentator Bill Woods will follow and call the action as it happens across six Heats, three Semi Finals and the Grand Final.

The last standing male and female Player will take home $100,000 prize money as well as the title of Australia’s first Ultimate Tag Champion.

Ultimate Tag is produced by Endemol Shine Australia for the Seven Network.

Ultimate Tag airs 7.00pm Sunday, 7 March on Channel 7 and 7plus

glass animals
ARIA Charts: Glass Animals take #1, Tash Sultana releases Terra Firma

Daft Punk’s fourth studio album Random Access Memories returns to the ARIA album chart at #24.

Singles

After six weeks in a row at the top of the singles charts, Olivia Rodrigo’s Drivers License has lost its spot and moved to second. Hottest 100 winner Heat Waves by Glass Animals has taken #1, making Heat Waves the British band’s first chart-topping single anywhere in the world.

New on the singles chart this week is ARIA award winner Amy Shark, with her first new singles chart entry for 2021 debuting at #22. Love Songs Ain’t For Us featuring Keith Urban was co-written with Ed Sheeran, and is the fourth single released from Shark’s forthcoming second album, Cry Forever.

The other new entries to the singles chart are Your Love (9PM) by ATB at #45 and Martin & Gina by Polo G at #50.

Albums

Terra Firma, the highly anticipated second album from Tash Sultana was released this week and has shot straight to the top of the album charts. The Melbourne singer-songwriter’s second studio album is the follow-up to Flow State, which peaked at #2. Terra Firma includes collaborations with Matt CorbyDann Hume, and Jerome Farah.

Tash Sultana

Speaking about taking the top spot, Tash Sultana said “I’ve had the most incredible, emotional, and overwhelming week after releasing Terra Firma and I’m just really lost for words that it’s number 1. Like I really am lost for words. I was really unsatisfied with the work I’ve done in the past prior to Terra Firma and my mission for this record was to try to be better than I was the day before, the month before, the year before. I produced, arranged, composed, co-engineered, and played everything on this record and did it all in my own studio. This was my mission, my entire soul, the air in my lungs and to have it received this way is so much more than I ever expected. I feel seen. I feel heard in a way I’ve been trying to communicate for a long time.”

ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd added “Congratulations to Tash Sultana and the teams at Lemon Tree Music, Lonely Lands, and Sony Music Australia on their #1 ARIA album. It’s been an incredible journey for Tash, from busker to Bandcamp to breaking through and now having the #1 album in the country. We know that the rest of the world has already caught on, and we couldn’t be more excited to follow the next part of their career.”

Also entering the charts, Australian country singer-songwriter Adam Harvey‘s fifteenth studio album, Songs From Highway One, coming in at #6. 

Following the news that Daft Punk would be splitting after 28 years together, their fourth studio album Random Access Memories returns to the ARIA album chart at #24. Released in May 2013, their final studio album became their first #1 on the Albums Chart when it spent one week in the top spot. Random Access Memories featured the pair’s only #1 single, Get Lucky.

2021 ARIA Chart Toppers

Singles
January 4 24Goldn Mood
January 11 24Goldn Mood
January 18 Olivia Rodrigo Drivers Licence
January 25 Olivia Rodrigo Drivers Licence
February 1 Olivia Rodrigo Drivers Licence
February 8 Olivia Rodrigo Drivers Licence
February 15 Olivia Rodrigo Drivers Licence
February 22 Olivia Rodrigo Drivers Licence
March 1 Glass Animals Heat Waves

Albums
January 4 Taylor Swift Evermore
January 11 Taylor Swift Evermore
January 18 Barry Gibb Greenfields: The Gibb Brothers’ Songbook
January 25 Illy The Space Between
February 1 Bluey Bluey The Album
February 8 The Kid Laroi Fuck Love (Savage)
February 15 Foo Fighters Medicine at Midnight
February 22 The Rubens 0202
March 1 Tash Sultana Terra Firma

 

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Last week’s charts: Rubens get their first #1, two other Aussie albums top 10

TV Ratings
TV Ratings Survey: Sunday Week 10

By Trent Thomas

• Nine wins 21st night in a row as MAFS has two more weddings
• Celebrity Holey Moley gives the gold putter to Barry Hall

Primetime News
Seven News 862,000
Nine News 847,000
ABC News 689,000
10 News First 257,000 (5:00 pm)/ 194,000 (6:00 pm)
SBS World News 150,000 

Daily current affairs
Insiders 431,000
The Project 257,000 (6:30 pm)/ 390,000 (7 pm)

Breakfast TV
News Breakfast 214,000
Sunrise 200,000
Today 176,000

Nine had the top primary share for the 21st night in a row with 26.6%, Nine also had the top network share with 35.3%.

This win was in large part due to the dominance of Married at First Sight which has been the top non-news show each night that it has aired this year. The show had 898,000 last night and featured two more weddings as Belinda/Patrick and Beth/Russell walked down the aisle, and the episode then followed the couples on their honeymoon.

MAFS was followed by 60 Minutes with 664,000 which covered Brittany Spear’s fight for freedom and the saga engulfing the royal family of Dubai about Princess Latifa claiming she is being held hostage by her father.

Seven’s Celebrity Holey Moley had 426,000 which was down on the show’s penultimate episode last Sunday which had 498,000.

Barry Hall pushed aside NRL star Mat Rogers and Olympic speed skating gold medallist Steven Bradbury to take first place.

Halls’s victory in the mini-golf showdown followed a dramatic incident on Frankenputt earlier in the night when Denise Drysdale, tripped on the course during her head-to-head battle with Bradbury. Sustaining a shoulder injury, she was treated by medics and was forced to leave the competition immediately, graciously handing the win to Bradbury by default.

Celebrity Holey Moley was followed by the marvel film Venom with 205,000.

On 10, Amazing Race Australia had 464,000 which was down on last Sunday’s 523,000

The teams were in Townsville and found themselves back at Castle Hill, despite The Body Builders coming last no teams were sent home due to the episode being a non-elimination leg.

The Project had 256,000 (6:30 pm) and 390,000 (7:00 pm) and featured an interview with comedy legend Eddie Murphy.

10 Bold was #1 multichannel thanks to a combination of Bondi Rescue, NCIS, and NCIS: Los Angeles

On ABC Grand Designs New Zealand had 509,000 followed by Harrow with 487,000 which was up on last week’s 419,000

SBS aired Searching for Cleopatra with 182,000 and The Queen and the Coup which had 111,000.

WeeK 9-10: Friday-Sunday
FRIDAY METRO
ABCSevenNine10SBS
ABC15.9%718.2%918.4%10 8.6%SBS One4.6%
ABC KIDS/ ABC TV PLUS2.3%7TWO2.9%GO!2.4%10 Bold4.0%VICELAND1.3%
ABC ME0.4%7mate3.6%GEM2.4%10 Peach2.5%Food Net0.7%
ABC NEWS2.9%7flix3.8%9Life1.8%10 Shake0.6%NITV0.2%
    9Rush1.4%  SBS World Movies1.3%
TOTAL21.5% 28.4% 26.2% 15.8% 8.1%

 

SATURDAY METRO
ABCSevenNine10SBS
ABC15.0%717.4%919.2%10 5.2%SBS One5.9%
ABC KIDS/ ABC TV PLUS2.5%7TWO4.2%GO!3.4%10 Bold4.2%VICELAND1.2%
ABC ME0.4%7mate2.4%GEM3.0%10 Peach3.1%Food Net0.7%
ABC NEWS2.6%7flix3.1%9Life2.5%10 Shake0.7%NITV0.3%
    9Rush1.4%  SBS World Movies1.5%
TOTAL20.5% 27.0% 29.6% 13.3% 9.6%

 

SUNDAY METRO
ABCSevenNine10SBS
ABC13.9%715.0%926.6%10 10.7%SBS One4.7%
ABC KIDS/ ABC TV PLUS2.4%7TWO2.3%GO!2.4%10 Bold3.6%VICELAND0.6%
ABC ME0.5%7mate3.0%GEM3.1%10 Peach2.7%Food Net0.7%
ABC NEWS2.0%7flix1.2%9Life1.9%10 Shake0.6%NITV0.1%
    9Rush1.3%  SBS World Movies0.7%
TOTAL18.8% 21.4% 35.3% 17.6% 6.9%

 

SUNDAY REGIONAL
ABCSeven AffiliatesNine Affiliates10 AffiliatesSBS
ABC14.3%717.9%920.5%WIN7.9%SBS One4.0%
ABC KIDS/ ABC TV PLUS1.8%7TWO3.7%GO!3.1%WIN Bold5.4%VICELAND1.0%
ABC ME0.4%7mate3.5%GEM5.6%WIN Peach3.0%Food Net0.8%
ABC NEWS1.9%7flix (Excl. Tas/WA)1.2%9Life2.1%Sky News  on WIN1.3%NITV0.3%
        SBS Movies0.8%
TOTAL18.4% 26.4% 31.4% 17.6% 6.9%

 

SUNDAY METRO ALL TV
FTASTV
88.8%11.2.%
All People Ratings

Friday Top Ten

  1. Nine News  Nine  792,000
  2. Seven News  Seven 782,000
  3. Nine News 6:30  Nine  767,000
  4. Seven News At 6.30  Seven 762,000
  5. ABC News  ABC TV  629,000
  6. A Current Affair  Nine  542,000
  7. Vera (R)  ABC TV  524,000
  8. Gardening Australia  ABC TV  471,000
  9. Better Homes And Gardens  Seven 432,000
  10. The Chase Australia  Seven 397,000

 

Saturday Top Ten

  1. Seven News Seven 754,000
  2. Nine News  Nine  679,000
  3. Death In Paradise  ABC TV  622,000
  4. ABC News  ABC TV  555,000
  5. A Current Affair Nine  482,000
  6. Call The Midwife  ABC TV  450,000
  7. Border Security – Australia’s Front Line  Seven 432,000
  8. Space Invaders  Nine  359,000
  9. Yesterday  Nine  289,000
  10. Supercars Championship: Mt Panarama 500 Seven  286,000
Sunday FTA
  1. Married At First Sight Nine  898,000
  2. Seven News Seven 862,000
  3. Nine News Day  Nine  847,000
  4. ABC News Day  ABC TV  689,000
  5. 60 Minutes  Nine  664,000
  6. Grand Designs New Zealand  ABC TV  509,000
  7. Harrow  ABC TV  487,000
  8. The Amazing Race Australia  10  464,000
  9. Nine News: Late Edition Nine  435,000
  10. Holey Moley Australia Seven 426,000
  11. The Sunday Project 7pm   10  390,000
  12. Silent Witness  ABC TV  310,000
  13. Supercars Championship: Mt Panarama 500 Sun Race 2  Seven 290,000
  14. Insiders  ABC TV  274,000
  15. The Sunday Project 6.30pm   10  257,000
  16. 10 News First  10  257,000
  17. Seven News At 5  Seven 235,000
  18. Supercars Championship: Mt Panarama 500 Sun Race 2  Seven 210,000
  19. M- Venom  Seven 205,000
  20. Weekend Sunrise Seven 200,000
Sunday Multichannel 
  1. Bluey  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus 179,000
  2. Peppa Pig  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus 161,000
  3. Insiders  ABC NEWS  157,000
  4. Death In Paradise 9Gem  149,000
  5. Kangaroo Beach  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus 142,000
  6. NCIS Ep 2 (R)  10 Bold  139,000
  7. NCIS (R)  10 Bold  135,000
  8. Noddy Toyland Detective  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus 130,000
  9. Go Jetters  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus 126,000
  10. Weekend Breakfast: 10am  ABC NEWS  119,000
  11. Floogals  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus 114,000
  12. Bluey  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus 111,000
  13. Bananas In Pyjamas  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus 108,000
  14. Peppa Pig  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus 103,000
  15. The Adventures Of Paddington  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus 102,000
  16. School Of Roars  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus 102,000
  17. Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus 101,000
  18. NCIS: Los Angeles (R)  10 Bold  101,000
  19. Kiri And Lou  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus 98,000
  20. Play School  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus 98,000
Sunday STV
  1. Live: Supercars Mt Panorama: Race 2  FOX SPORTS 506 170,000
  2. Live: Supercars The Grid  FOX SPORTS 506 135,000
  3. Live: Supercars Live  FOX SPORTS 506 132,000
  4. Live: Supercars Mt Panorama: Shootout  FOX SPORTS 506 123,000
  5. Live: Motorsport: Mt Panorama Dunlop  FOX SPORTS 506 122,000
  6. Live: Supercars Live  FOX SPORTS 506 107,000
  7. Live: Supercars Mount Panorama Supports FOX SPORTS 506 107,000
  8. Live: Supercars Mt Panorama: Qual 2  FOX SPORTS 506 100,000
  9. Live: Supercars Mount Panorama Supports FOX SPORTS 506 96,000
  10. Live: Supercars Live  FOX SPORTS 506 82,000
  11. Live: Motorsport: Mt Panorama Dunlop  FOX SPORTS 506 62,000
  12. Live: Supercars Trackside  FOX SPORTS 506 56,000
  13. Outsiders  Sky News Live  52,000
  14. Paul Murray Live  Sky News Live  51,000
  15. Outsiders  Sky News Live  51,000
  16. Live: Supercars Mount Panorama Supports FOX SPORTS 506 40,000
  17. Live: AFLW: Collingwood V Melbourne  FOX FOOTY  34,000
  18. Chris Smith Tonight  Sky News Live  34,000
  19. Live: AFLW: West Coast V Gold Coast  FOX FOOTY  33,000
  20. In My View  Sky News Live  30,000

Shares all people, 6pm-midnight, Overnight (Live and AsLive), Audience numbers FTA metro, Sub TV national
Source: OzTAM and Regional TAM 2021. The Data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) without the prior written consent of OzTAM

Media News Roundup

Media Code

Facebook deals stall over ‘poison pill’ as it hints at News tab launch

Facebook is expected to launch its dedicated news product in Australia once it completes deals with local publishers, but those agreements are stalling over the “poison pill” clause, AFR‘s Miranda Ward.

Facebook News pays publishers for content that will appear in a dedicated section within the Facebook app – similar to Google’s News Showcase product – which is likely to be part of deals with local publishers.

However, the sources suggest deals are again stalling over Facebook’s “poison pill” clause, allowing the social giant to blow up a deal at any time. The clause is understood to be a more watered-down version than what has previously been presented to publishers.

[Read More]

Striking deal with tech giants will deliver for media and democracy

No one should be in any doubt — Australia’s new bargaining code for digital platforms represents one of the most momentous developments for media in this country, writes News Corp’s executive chairman Michael Miller

Those so swift to criticise the code as a victory for big business and pandering by government to old media forces are wrong and missing the point.

Last Friday’s announcement that Facebook has signed letters of intent for commercial agreements with three small, independent publishers — Private Media, Schwartz Media and Solstice Media – demonstrates starkly that we are witnessing a welcomed turning point.

[Read More]

Competition policy sealed media bargaining code deal with tech giants

Communications Minister Paul Fletcher says Australia’s decision to treat the news media bargaining code as a competition policy issue, rather than a copyright matter, was one of the key drivers in getting the legislation across the line, with overseas countries now seeking to do the same, reports News Corp’s James Madden.

Fletcher said the “competition approach was a well-established policy tool” in Australia when dealing with industries where bargaining power imbalances existed.

Several ministers from countries including Canada, France, Germany, Finland and the UK, have contacted Fletcher to discuss Australia’s strategy in legislating a mandatory news media bargaining code, in addition to the conversations that Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg had with heads of state including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canada’s leader Justin Trudeau.

[Read More]

How Facebook and Australia became friends again

Five minutes before question time in Parliament on Tuesday and after days of back-and-forth negotiations, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg rang Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg for one final WhatsApp chat, reports AFR‘s John Kehoe.

In the wake of Facebook’s shock blacklisting of local news pages and following more than a dozen calls, Frydenberg wanted confirmation from the social media network founder – worth $100 billion – that they had reached a compromise and Facebook would reboot its full services.

Frydenberg had deliberately engaged one-on-one with Zuckerberg to short-circuit the “lawyers at 50 paces”.

He set Zuckerberg a deadline of Tuesday to agree to changes, coinciding with the Coalition’s joint party room meeting to sign off on legislation. It went down to the wire, but the investment banker-turned-politician and the tech titan finally agreed to a deal. Frydenberg even joked to Zuckerberg he had been speaking with him more than his wife.

[Read More]

Why Facebook accepted Australia’s request

The final word from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg came minutes before Treasurer Josh Frydenberg rushed into question time in Parliament on Tuesday, reports SMH‘s David Crowe and Zoe Samios.

The Silicon Valley billionaire knew he had a deadline to meet. No matter how much he disliked Australia’s news media bargaining code for tech platforms, he was told the Morrison government would make it law within days. Zuckerberg had to choose whether to take a deal or go to war.

[Read More]

Hopes Google, Facebook deals will underpin a rise in journalism jobs

Media companies are facing mounting calls to explicitly commit to using the money sealed through landmark deals with Google and Facebook to invest in newsrooms and journalism jobs, reports SMH‘s Zoe Samios.

Following intense negotiations over the government’s media bargaining code, the country’s biggest media companies – Nine Entertainment Co (owner of this masthead), News Corp Australia, Seven West Media and Guardian Australia – have in recent weeks signed multimillion-dollar agreements for their content with Google. Seven, Private Media and Solstice Media and Schwartz Media have signed agreements with Facebook and others are expected to soon follow.

But as yet, just how media companies plan to spend this money, if and when the agreements become legally binding, remains unclear.

[Read More]

Business of Media

Nine in talks to return to Bruce Gordon’s WIN in regional areas

Nine Entertainment Co has declined an offer to renew its affiliate deal with Southern Cross Media Group and will hold talks with Bruce Gordon’s WIN Corporation before making a final decision on how programs such as Married at First Sight and The Block will be broadcast to regional communities, reports SMH‘s Zoe Samios.

The television, radio and publishing company started talks with Southern Cross in early January about extending the current agreement to broadcast Nine’s television programs in regional areas. That exclusive period expired on Sunday and Southern Cross has not secured a new arrangement, which means that WIN Corp can now enter negotiations.

[Read More]

Nine deputy chairman Nick Falloon under investigation over whistleblower claims

The deputy chairman of Nine Entertainment Co and one of the most prominent media figures in corporate Australia, Nick Falloon, is being investigated by his own company over allegations he allowed his son to use a corporate membership at a prestigious northern Sydney golf club, reports SMH‘s Zoe Samios.

Nine received an anonymous email in early February accusing Falloon, who is also the chairman of online property group Domain, of giving his son Troy Falloon access to a corporate golf membership at Terrey Hills Golf and Country Club from the middle of 2018, according to multiple sources familiar with the investigation who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The corporate membership was held through Domain which was 60 per cent owned by Fairfax Media until a $4 billion merger in late 2018. Falloon was the chairman of Fairfax before the merger.

[Read More]

News Brands

James Campbell to write for News Corp Australian weekend newspapers

Walkley Award-winning journalist James Campbell has been appointed National Weekend Political Editor for the News Limited weekend newspapers in each Australian state.

Campbell said he was looking forward to the new role, starting this week.

“I’m really excited to be given this opportunity to speak to the biggest newspaper audiences in Australia about the issues that matter to them,’’ he said.

Campbell had been Investigations Editor for the Herald Sun and Sunday Herald Sun. He was formerly National Political and State Politics Editor.

In 2013 Campbell was awarded the Walkley Award for Scoop of the Year for revealing secret recordings that led to the resignation of Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu.

He also won the Gold Quill from the Melbourne Press Club in 2013.

Saturday and Sunday Herald Sun editor Nick Papps said: “James has a history of breaking the big stories that matter in print and online, and this is a terrific appointment.

“Federal politics has never been more important and James’ focus will be delivering the stories that matter to the people of Victoria and Australia, and breaking them first.

“With an election expected in the next year, the vaccine rollout, Covid recovery, climate change and so many households facing real financial pain, it has never been more vital to have an experienced, proven news breaker covering federal politics for our readers.

“James knows what matters to our readers.”

Campbell has been a strident critic of Victorian Premier Dan Andrews. In a column on the weekend in the Herald Sun, Campbell wrote:

“At the time of the second lockdown last August, when it was clear that hundreds of people were dying because his government had screwed up hotel quarantine, I wrote that Andrews must know in his heart of hearts that there was no getting out from under this, some disasters are just too big.

“I was wrong. Not for the first time I should add.

“Here we are six months and another lockdown later the Premier is up and about.

“Nobody seems to think Labor is in any danger of losing the next election.

“Meanwhile the scandals roll on.

“Once upon a time the news of a royal commission into Crown casino would have been big news.

“Instead, it felt like just another day in Dan’s Victoria. He didn’t even bother turning up for the announcement.”

[Read More]

Andrew Bolt’s ‘virus thrives in multiculturalism’ columns offensive, press council says

Andrew Bolt has received a rap over the knuckles from the Australian Press Council for attributing the spread of the coronavirus in Melbourne to multiculturalism. Two columns were found to have breached two press council rules: one for ensuring that factual material is balanced and fair and one for not causing substantial offence, distress or prejudice, reports Guardian Australia’s Amanda Meade.

In June last year the Herald Sun columnist wrote: “Victoria’s coronavirus outbreak exposes the stupidity of that multicultural slogan ‘diversity makes us stronger’. Oh, really? It’s exactly that diversity – taken to extremes – that’s helped to create this fear of a second wave.”

He said Australia had a “lethal” problem in an emergency like the coronavirus because we were was becoming “a nation of tribes” with no common language.

[Read More]

Mick Gatto’s ABC defamation claim rejected

Melbourne underworld figure Mick Gatto has lost his defamation case against the ABC over an article he claimed imputed he was a hit man, reports News Corp’s Tessa Akerman

The article published online in 2019 quoted a police officer alleging Gatto had threatened to kill Nicola Gobbo if he discovered the gangland lawyer was a police informant.

Gatto took the national broadcaster to the Victorian Supreme Court claiming the article imputed he had threatened to kill Gobbo, he had organised murders in the past and was responsible for the murders of Victor Peirce and Frank Benvenuto.

[Read More]

Radio

Lag in ad spending rebound hits Nine’s radio business

The advertising spending rebound across television has largely bypassed the radio industry, devastating Nine Entertainment’s radio earnings, reports News Corp’s Lillly Vitorovich.

As big companies across banking and the automotive industry resume spending on national TV ad campaigns, medium to smaller advertisers have refrained, which has hurt radio companies.

Last week’s earnings results of Nine Radio — which consists of Sydney’s 2GB, Melbourne’s 3AW and Brisbane’s 4BC — plus HT&E’s radio business ARN and Southern Cross Media, underscored the ad recovery lag despite an increase in listeners during the coronavirus crisis.

[Read More]

Entertainment

Pranksters’ cheeky swipe at Pete Evans over political aspirations

Controversial celebrity chef and anti-vaxxer Pete Evans has found himself at the centre of a prank over his political aspirations, which he revealed in a bizarre rant last weekend, reports News Corp’s Ally Foster.

The former My Kitchen Rules star recently announced his plans to run for the Senate as part of The Great Australian Party.

The Twitter account Chaser Interns, which is linked to satirist outlet The Chaser, revealed the prank on Friday.

“Thought we’d help Pete out by setting up a campaign site on his behalf,” the group wrote on Twitter, with a link to a website with the domain peteevansforsenate.com.

But instead of providing information on Evan’s political run and how to support him, users are instead directed to the immunisation page on the Department of Health website, which states vaccines are a “simple, safe and effective”.

[Read More]

Television

Seven denies Schapelle Corby dancing because of 2014 interview deal

The Seven Network’s enduring love affair with Schapelle Corby — and her forthcoming appearance on Dancing With The Stars — has nothing to do with an exclusive post-jail interview the network negotiated with the Corby clan in 2014 triggering a raid on Seven by the Australian Federal Police, reports News Corp’s Annette Sharp.

A spokesman on Saturday denied Seven was still extracting its pound of flesh for a rumoured lucrative deal — put at $2 million at the time though denied by Seven — following Corby’s release from a Bali jail for drug smuggling.

As veteran reporter Mike Willesee was sent to Bali to negotiate with the Corbys at the time, an AFP raid — which roped in then Federal Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull, a personal friend of Seven lawyer Bruce McWilliam — searched for evidence Seven had paid Corby for her interview, an offence under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

[Read More]

Sports Media

Seven strikes new Supercars deal after Kayo Sports stoush

Motorsports organisation Supercars has renegotiated its broadcast deal with Seven West Media, averting a potential legal stoush over a move by Foxtel’s Kayo Sports to make some events free for viewers, reports SMH‘s Zoe Samios.

Industry sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the contract is confidential said Supercars had agreed to remove a requirement for Seven to generate a particular amount of money through sponsorship and advertising under a revenue sharing arrangement.

The renegotiation occurred after a legal letter was fired off to the Supercars by Seven over concerns that Foxtel’s decision to air popular races for free on its streaming service Kayo Sports was in breach of exclusivity provisions given to the free-to-air broadcaster in its new deal. The company also threatened to terminate its rights agreement.

[Read More]

Ray Warren’s family plead for ring return after home invasion

Ray Warren’s family say they are “very hurt and disturbed” after the legendary broadcaster’s NRL Hall of Fame ring was stolen from his family home, but he remains hopeful the “irreplaceable” memento will be returned, reports The Sydney Morning Herald’s Adam Pengilly.

Warren, who earlier this month confirmed he had shelved retirement plans to call another season, described a home invasion he slept through in the early hours of Saturday morning as “a bit scary” as the hunt to find the ring escalated on Sunday.

[Read more]

Bruce McAvaney to step back from AFL commentary at Seven in 2021

He has called more than a thousand games, including 20 Grand Finals, but the siren has finally sounded on Bruce McAvaney’s remarkable AFL commentary career, reports Sam Hussey from 7News.com.au.

While he will continue to be part of the 7AFL team, McAvaney won’t be in the commentary box for the 2021 AFL season.

The iconic broadcaster, who has been the voice of footy for decades, says stepping back was one of the toughest calls he’s ever had to make.

“I felt like I got to a stage in my career where I had to reduce my workload,” Bruce told 7NEWS.

“I’m going to miss it enormously, I just visualise when Richmond and Carlton run out there in round one, and the ball is bounced, I’m going to climb a wall somewhere.

“I’m going to have to move on and just be a fan like everybody else.”

During 2021 he will be leading Seven’s horse racing coverage, and McAvaney will again be behind the microphone for the Tokyo Olympics.

“I still feel like there’s a bright future, in a ridiculous way I feel like I haven’t reached my potential, I still want to get better, and that’s what I’m hoping to do over the next few years,” he added.

The rest of the 7AFL commentary team remains the same with James Brayshaw joining the Friday night crew alongside Brian Taylor, Luke Darcy, Wayne Carey, Daisy Pearce and Hamish McLachlan.

[Read more]

Sydney start-up streaming service’s stunning $60m UEFA Champions League coup

A mysterious Sydney-based start-up that streams Indian baseball, Nicaraguan football and bare-knuckle boxing has beaten some of sports broadcasting’s biggest players to secure the exclusive rights to the UEFA Champions League in Australia, reports The Sydney Morning Herald’s Vince Rugari.

Sports Flick – a streaming service that launched late last year and broadcasts predominantly fringe sports and football leagues with extremely niche local followings – has emerged as the shock winners of a blind auction-style tender process for the rights to the world’s most-watched club tournament, according to sources with knowledge of the deal.

The UEFA Champions League had been a cornerstone of Optus Sport’s football offering but the telco, along with other competitors, was left stunned by Sports Flick’s bid, which sources suggest was about $60 million for a three-year period, starting in the 2021-22 season – a significant increase on the last deal.

[Read more]

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