Thursday November 26, 2020
Podcast Week: Natarsha’s Agenda, Tim’s music podcast, Matthew’s True Crime
Natarsha Belling’s Morning Agenda
After a long career with Network 10, news presenter and reporter Natarsha Belling departed three months ago…and hasn’t stopped working since. This week she started as the host of PodcastOne Australia’s new daily series Your Morning Agenda with Natarsha Belling. Her other recent work has included interviewing business leaders for the Ernst & Young series Reframe Your Future.
For Your Morning Agenda, Belling is basing herself in the SCA Sydney newsroom for an early start every weekday. The podcast launches as PodcastOne Australia doubles down on meeting the demand for news.
“During Covid this year there has been a massive increase in podcast listening and people have an enormous thirst for news after going through one of the biggest news stories of the past century,” Belling told Mediaweek.
“At the same time people are very time poor and this podcast is being specifically targeted to be able to give listeners the latest breaking news, but also expert analysis on business and finance. We also have sports journalists we are talking to every morning.”
Belling said the episodes will run no longer than 15 minutes and will be published by 6.30am. This news on demand podcast is being executive produced by SCA’s Amy Goggins, who Belling said was as passionate as she is about the new project. “We are country girls and have bonded straight away – she’s from Orange and I’m from Mudgee.” That’s another attraction to the project for Belling – anyone, anywhere can download and listen.
There are lots of familiar faces Belling has run into at SCA, starting at the top with CEO Grant Blackley who was in charge of Network 10 for many years during Belling’s time there. “Grant shared his vision for this podcast with me and told me how well The Briefing is performing and it’s part of the record numbers PodcastOne is doing now.”
Belling worked the breakfast shift for 10 when it used to have breakfast TV shows and she told Mediaweek: “I’m a morning person so this is ideal for me and the best way to start the day. It’s brilliant being part of something that has started from scratch. It has also been good working with Sam Cavanagh (heads of entertainment and news) and Natasha Jobson (head of audio news) and Dave Cameron (head of content).”
Listen to Your Morning Agenda here.
Tim Blackwell getting back into music
Longtime Nova radio host Tim Blackwell releases his new podcast series next Monday November 30. Called Introducing with Tim Blackwell, the series featured Blackwell talking one-on-one with musicians.
“I thought, you know what the world needs more of, another podcast,” laughed Blackwell this week talking about his new project. Although Blackwell has interviewed many of the world’s most successful performers during his radio career, Introducing will be all new material.
“I have been itching to do something like this for a long time because the style of our drive show (Kate, Tim and Joel) doesn’t let you get too deep with musos,” Blackwell told Mediaweek. “I remain a music groupie and it is great to have a platform where we can have musos, new and established, to talk about themselves and also play some music.”
Getting music onto a podcast has caused Blackwell some grief. “You would think a person playing their own song on a guitar to me would be OK. I can’t understand why it is such an issue, but we have found a way around it.” You will have to listen to find out just what that is!
Rights issues has meant a lot of the content from the first series remains on the cutting room floor. However, Blackwell says there may be an opportunity to present an extended radio edit of some of the episodes on Nova next year.
After years of keeping musician chats to around 5-6 minutes, Blackwell admitted he almost had to teach himself to interview again for these extended catchups. “I won’t be like Joe Rogan and put up very long episodes, but we will run for between 30-60 minutes depending on the artist and how much time we have with them.”
Six episodes have been recorded and will be released one a week until the start of 2021. “In the New Year hopefully we will start it up again. There is no shortage of people on my wish list.”
Blackwell said the brain behind Introducing is Darcy Milne who used to be in charge of imaging for the Nova drive show. Milne now runs Pro Podcast Production, who are presenting the series in association with Nova Entertainment youth brand GOAT. “Darcy and I have been tossing this idea around for some time. Even though we are both surrounded by recording equipment every day, it’s amazing how long some things take to get off the ground.”
As to promotion, you might get to hear about it on Australia’s favourite drive radio show! “I’d be mad if I didn’t,” laughed the Tim from Kate, Tim and Joel.
The first episode of Introducing will drop next week and features Blackwell with Yungblud in Sydney during his visit earlier this year.
Blackwell always wants to record the episodes in person with his guests. His wish list of locations includes Brisbane’s Big Sound Festival and also Austin’s South By Southwest (SXSW).
Listen to Introducing with Tim Blackwell here.
iHeartRadio’s About A Girl
US-based podcast maker house Double Elvis Productions has announced About A Girl, a new iHeartRadio Original podcast chronicling the women behind the scenes of music’s greatest icons, who inspired, loved, supported, and challenged these artists on their way to greatness. Hosted by writer and director Eleanor Wells, the series brings focus to the many women without whom the landscape of popular music might be very different. About A Girl will be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network, with the first two episodes debuting November 30.
The series will highlight the stories of 12 women who inspired and supported some of the most celebrated and enduring music of the modern age, from Angie Bowie and Jane Asher, to Rita Marley and Pam Courson (Jim Morrison’s companion).
Whooshkaa launches true crime podcast Ghost Gate Road
Whooshkaa and award-winning author and journalist Matthew Condon (pictured) are releasing a revelatory podcast about one of Australia’s most sadistic and elusive killers.
Ghost Gate Road is a nine-part series, written and narrated by The Night Dragon author Matthew Condon and unveils the life and crimes of one of Australia’s most sadistic and elusive murderers, Vincent O’Dempsey.
Ghost Gate Road grew out of Condon’s investigation of the murders of Barbara McCulkin and her two young daughters in 1974 in the aftermath of Brisbane’s infamous Whiskey Au Go Go nightclub firebombing. Fifteen people died in the flames and the trail led back to ice-cold killer Vincent O’Dempsey.
Condon has spent more than 10 years researching the dark side of the Sunshine State, peeling back layers of organised crime and corruption in Queensland and New South Wales and piecing together evidence from hundreds of interviews.
Condon’s podcast blows the cover on O’Dempsey’s personal and criminal life, from the formation of a psychopath in the Queensland country town of Warwick to his evolution as the most feared gangster in the Australian criminal underworld. One of Australia’s finest crime historians and storytellers guides listeners through this compelling and previously untold tale.
Listen to Ghost Gate Road here.
Spotify launches Australian Music+Talk episodes
Spotify AUNZ has collaborated with former Australian Olympian Cathy Freeman and 16-year-old climate change activist Jean Hinchliffe to launch two Music + Talks shows titled My 2020 to discuss the music moments that shaped their year.
The first locally created Music + Talk, a feature which Spotify launched earlier this year, will see both Australians sharing six songs that have been pivotal to their 2020, alongside commentary that reflects on these moments, and how the content they listened to has framed these experiences.
In Freeman’s show, she reflects on a year that has been like no other. She discusses the music that got her through Melbourne’s strict lockdown, a song that takes her right back to the 2000 Olympics, now 20 years on, and her hopes and plans for 2021.
“2020 really has been a year like no other and as someone who loves music, the opportunity to reflect on the music that shaped my year was really special,” said Freeman.
“Music brings me joy, peace and inspiration and in a year where I went from celebrating significant milestones to home-schooling my daughter and juggling my role with the Cathy Freeman Foundation, all in lockdown, I continued to find the beauty in the world through the storytelling in music.”
Audible’s new fictional crime podcast
On December 1 Audible is releasing a new fictional crime podcast called Winding Road, starring Dacre Montgomery (Stranger Things), Yael Stone (Orange is the New Black), Noni Hazlehurst (A Place to Call Home), David Berry (Outlander) with original music by Bernard Fanning and Elana Stone.
The podcast tells the story of famous musician William Hamilton who vanished 25 years ago, and nobody knows why – or where he is now. When two podcasters, Adam and Simon, decide to solve the mystery, they travel to the secluded Hamilton estate for a long weekend with Lilly, William’s youngest daughter. She’s given them unprecedented access to the reclusive Gloria Hamilton, William’s wife, who hasn’t been interviewed since he disappeared.
Listen to Audible podcasts and audio books here.
Podcast Awards: Life Uncut and Birds Eye View major winners
Laura Byrne and Brittney Hockley
The winners of the Australian Podcast Awards were announced last weekend, celebrating the best Australian podcasts of 2020 across 24 different categories.
Birds Eye View, a revealing docu-series about life in a Northern Territory women’s prison, has been named Podcast of the Year, and Life Uncut, hosted by The Bachelor alumni Laura Byrne and Brittney Hockley, was named the Listeners’ Choice after a public vote of over 45,000 listeners.
Dave Gertler, founder of the Australian Podcast Awards, said: “Last night’s ceremony was a wonderful and inspiring showcase of the breadth and diversity of Australian podcasts. When it comes to producing world class content, local creators continue to punch well above their weight. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate the growth of the industry in Australia. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees across the 24 categories.”
Australian Podcast of the Year award winners
Podcast of the Year supported by PodcastOne Australia
• Winner: Birds Eye View (StoryProjects with women in Darwin Correctional Centre)
The Listener’s Choice
• Winner: Life Uncut Podcast (Laura Byrne, Brittany Hockley & iHeartPodcast Network Australia)
See a full list of the 2020 winners here.
Black to the future: News Corp publishing afternoon newspapers
The 24-page special editions will feature 17 full-page advertisements and, in a nod to News Corp Australia’s newspaper traditions, a special team of old-style paper boys and girls will distribute 100,000 copies of the PM editions for free at major thoroughfares in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.
The initiative builds on News Corp Australia’s successful Black Friday campaign last year and the increased audience experienced during COVID-19.
Earlier this year, News Corp Australia’s managing director national sales Lou Barrett told Mediaweek:
“News Corp Australia is working with clients on their 2020 Christmas plans, Black Friday/Cyber Monday – November 27 and 30 will be huge this year.
“It’s going to bigger than ever. People have been shopping online more than ever this year and retailers are seeing it more and more as an early Christmas trading opportunity.”
This week Barrett said advertisers had an appetite for high-impact campaigns in trusted environments.
“We’re creating new commercial opportunities to meet this increasing demand among advertisers,” Barrett said. “We’ve all been through a year like no other, however our print readership has been a standout during this time. While online shopping has gone gangbusters, print’s starring role in support can’t be underestimated in helping us engage with 17 million Australians monthly.
“The special editions will feature gift guides, mega wraps, reader offers and discounts to be activated in-store or online from retailers.”
Barrett said it was increasingly important for advertisers wanting to speak to a mass audience to seek out trusted, premium environments such as those news brands offer.
The free PM edition will hit the streets at 2pm at the following locations:
• New South Wales Chatswood – World Square – Bondi Junction – Westfield Parramatta
• Victoria Melbourne Central SC – Westfield Doncaster – QV Melbourne – Westfield Knox
• Queensland King Georges Square – Westfield Chermside – Carindale Myer Centre Brisbane – Westfield Garden City
• South Australia Rundle Mall – Westfield Marion – Elizabeth City Centre – Westfield Tea Tree Plaza
ABC Upfronts 2021: New channel, new night for Q+A, new dramas & comedy
• Premiering five premium Australian dramas, including the return of Deborah Mailman and Rachel Griffiths in new Total Control.
• New and returning factual content to stir the heart and mind, welcoming back Emmy-winning Old People’s Home For 4-Year-Olds and Love On The Spectrum plus Women in Parliament with Annabel Crabb and Back to Nature with Aaron Pedersen and Holly Ringland.
• Homegrown comedy and entertainment, with new series of Spicks and Specks and new shows with Kitty Flanagan, Nakkiah Lui, Sarah Kendall and Erik Thomson.
• ABC Comedy rebrands as ABC TV Plus, showcasing diverse documentaries, arts, entertainment and comedy in primetime every night of the week.
• Q+A moves to prime time on Thursday nights
• New ABC children’s content – new series The Wonder Gang and Kangaroo Beach.
ABC stars Rachel Griffiths, Wil Anderson, Erik Thomson, Kitty Flanagan, Leigh Sales, Nakkiah Lui, Craig Reucassel and Superwog have helped announce the ABC’s 2021 content slate, showcasing the best of Australian content and creativity in the way that only the ABC can.
Wakefield
ABC managing director David Anderson said no other media organisation has the breadth and depth of trusted content for all Australians. “Support for Australian creativity has been at the heart of the ABC for the past 88 years and will continue into 2021. After a challenging year of disconnection, the ABC will bring more Australians together from more places across this wonderfully diverse country. The ABC is the creative voice of Australia and in 2021 we will bring more homegrown content to audiences than ever, across TV, online and ABC iview.”
ABC director of entertainment & specialist Michael Carrington said: “The ABC in 2021 is rich, diverse and inclusive, showcasing Australia’s best and emerging talent on and off screen. ABC iview will be home to more original Australian content than ever before. Our rebranded secondary channel ABC TV Plus will celebrate Australian culture and creativity, including live performances, premiere documentaries, stand-up comedy and a new weekly arts show. In 2021, the ABC will deliver more Australian voices, faces and stories than any other network – that’s our point of difference. Amid so much content from overseas, Australians are right at home on ABC.”
ABC program highlights for 2021
Six major drama projects
Total Control
• Deborah Mailman and Rachel Griffiths return for the highly-anticipated second series of Total Control
• Anna Torv and Sam Reid headline the cast of The Newsreader
• Ioan Gruffudd returns for another season of Harrow
• Guy Pearce will reprise his iconic role as Jack Irish
• Set in the scenic Blue Mountains, the ground-breaking new series Wakefield, starring Rudi Dharmalingham, Mandy McElhinney and Geraldine Hakewill tackles the taboo subject of mental illness head on
• The six-part series Fires is inspired by the extraordinary people who survived last summer to tell the tale
Seven factual series
Back to Nature
• Annabel Crabb examines the struggles of Australia’s female politicians in Women in Parliament
• Aaron Pedersen and bestselling author Holly Ringland guide viewers through the Australian landscape in the new natural history series Back to Nature
• Bondi Hipster Christiaan Van Vuuren investigates the state of Australia in The As Yet Unnamed Democracy Project (working title)
• Love on the Spectrum and Old People’s Home for 4- Year-Olds return
• Four-part series Beyond the Towers revisits the terrorist attacks that changed the world, 20 years on
• Quoll Farm takes an intimate look at the life of an unassuming Australian marsupial
Six new or returning comedy projects
Aftertaste
• New episodes of Spicks and Specks
• Charlie Pickering and Annabel Crabb will think the unthinkable in a new series of Tomorrow Tonight
• Sarah Kendall puts on her big hair for more Frayed
• Erik Thomson joins ABC’s comedy alumni, starring as a disgraced chef in the much-anticipated new series Aftertaste
• Nakkiah Lui leads a fresh line-up of talent in Preppers
• Kitty Flanagan brings her singular and hilarious voice to the fast-paced comedy Fisk, about a high-end lawyer who is forced to work in a shabby suburban law firm
ABC TV Plus (previously ABC Comedy)
Launching January 1st and airing from 7.30pm to 2am daily on channel 22 on your digital TV, channel 134 on Foxtel or channel 126 on Optus, the newly-rebranded secondary channel ABC TV Plus will celebrate Australian culture and content. Complemented by an exciting suite of international shows, ABC TV Plus will cater for all Australians with diverse new programs, from Saturday stand-up comedians to primetime premieres of religion, science and natural history documentaries, along with the best of the arts – three nights a week.
Renewed commitment to arts programming
The ABC’s support for Australian arts and artists will be showcased in 2021, with the launch of a new weekly arts program on ABC TV Plus, alongside feature-length documentaries and live performances of music, ballet, musical theatre, film and opera.
• Claudia Karvan delves into the world of Australian literature, from the classics to the page-turners in the three-part as-yet-unnamed Australian book Series.
• Justine Clarke embarks on a memorable road trip to uncover Australian country music in Going Country
• Rachel Griffiths shares her passion for portraiture in Finding the Archibald. The fascinating story behind Australia’s pre-eminent Indigenous dance company Bangarra is explored in the feature-length documentary Firestarter: The Story of Bangarra
• Step into Paradise celebrates the enduring success of designers Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson
ABC ME and ABC Kids
• Australia’s #1 kids’ show Bluey will be back in 2021, headlining the ABC’s commitment to homegrown children’s content
• Aussie kids can have all their curly questions answered with the help of new ABC Kids’ show The Wonder Gang
• In its 55th year on air, Play School will be back with five new specials, including an episode in honour of Emergency Service workers
• Little kids around the country will get to meet wannabe hero joey Pounce in the animated series Kangaroo Beach
• Returning favourites include the Emmy Award-winning Hardball, Itch and Good Game Spawn Point
Q+A moves to 8.30pm Thursdays
• Thursday nights will become a destination for original journalism and discussion of the big topics, with Q+A in the new primetime slot of 8.30pm, alongside stories and characters from around Australia and the world in Back Roads and Foreign Correspondent alternating at 8pm
• Monday nights remain the home of Australian stories and investigations, with the return of Australian Story and Four Corners – which will mark its 60th year in 2021
Returning series in 2021
ABC shows that audiences know, trust and love will be back in the new year, including: Gardening Australia, Gruen, Shaun Micallef’s Mad as Hell, The Weekly with Charlie Pickering, Anh’s Brush with Fame, Hard Quiz, The Set, Dream Gardens, Catalyst, You Can’t Ask That and Landline in its 30th year.
ARIA Awards 2020: Big winners include Tame Impala, SAMPA & Amy Shark
12 time ARIA Award winner Delta Goodrem hosted the evening which saw Tame Impala, taking home a total of 5 ARIA Awards, including Album of the Year, Best Group, Best Rock Album, Engineer of the Year, and Producer of the Year. The multi-instrumentalist and producer behind Tame Impala, Kevin Parker, also performed his song On Track, from the latest album The Slow Rush.
Delta Goodrem
Sampa The Great, was also a big winner, taking home three ARIA Awards for Best Female Artist, Best Hip Hop Release, and Best Independent Release for her debut album The Return. Sampa was the first woman of colour to win an ARIA Award for Best Hip Hop Release at last year’s Awards.
This year’s ARIA Hall of Fame inductee, Archie Roach brought home two ARIA Awards for Best Male Artist and Best Adult Contemporary Release categories for his album Tell Me Why. From his hometown, Warrnambool Roach was joined by ARIA Award winners Paul Kelly & Paul Grabowsky to perform his 1972 track Took the Children Away.
Amy Shark
Amy Shark won the ARIA award for Best Pop Release for her latest release Everybody Rise and Best Australian Live Act, and opened the show with a performance of Everybody Rise.
Festival favourites Lime Cordiale (pictured) won their first ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist after being nominated for eight ARIA Awards this year and performed of their single Robbery.
Fans were also treated to performances from international superstars Sam Smith, Billie Eilish and Australia’s favourite pop export Sia. Four-time Grammy award winner Sam Smith performed their recent single Diamonds from Abbey Road Studios in London ahead of the highly anticipated release of their third studio album Love Goes.
Five-time Grammy winner Billie Eilish stunned the crowd with her signature vocal abilities with an exclusive performance of her new single Therefore I Am from LA.
Performing from Los Angeles, Sia’s renowned vocals shone through as she performed her latest release Together from her forthcoming album and motion picture Music. The ten-time ARIA Award winner and nine-time Grammy nominee blew audiences away with her spectacular and uplifting performance.
In a powerful tribute to the late feminist trailblazing icon and ARIA Hall of Fame Inductee Helen Reddy, the evening’s triumphant I Am Woman performance remembered Reddy’s groundbreaking 1972 anthem of the same name and celebrated the life and impact of a phenomenal Australian talent. Joining the tribute were some of Australia’s most exceptional female talent, including previous ARIA Award winners Amy Shark, Christine Anu, Delta Goodrem, Emma Watkins, Jessica Mauboy, Kate Ceberano, Marcia Hines, Montaigne, The McClymonts and Tones and I. These women were supported by a choir of more than 30 female which included Amy Sheppard, Christie Wheelan-Browne, Clare Bowen, Dami Im, Emma Donovan, Erika Heynatz, Fanny Lumsden, GRAACE, Kate Miller-Heidke, Katie Noonan, KLP, Maddy Jane, Missy Higgins, Mo’Ju, Odette, Samantha Jade, Teeny Tiny Stevies, Thandi Phoenix, Wendy Matthew and many more.
Harry Styles fans delivered for the second time, voting him the recipient of this year’s Best International Artist award, following the release of his critically acclaimed sophomore album Fine Line, which was released late last year.
This year’s ARIA Award for Best Video presented by YouTube Music went to Guy Sebastian for his video for Standing With You released earlier this year.
Song of the Year presented by YouTube Music was Aussie band 5 Seconds of Summer for 2 x ARIA Platinum and certified Gold in the US single Teeth. Their 2020 album CALM debuted at the top of the ARIA album charts, making it their fourth consecutive album to debut at number one in Australia.
Christine Anu announced the winner of the Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award, and Sarah Donnelley from Wilcannia Central School, Wilcannia NSW was the proud recipient.
2020 ARIA AWARDs WINNERS
Album Of The Year
WINNER: TAME IMPALA
DMA’s – THE GLOW (I OH YOU / Mushroom)
Jessica Mauboy – Hilda (Sony Music)
Lime Cordiale – 14 Steps To A Better You (Chugg Music Pty Ltd)
Sampa The Great – The Return (Ninja Tune / Inertia Music)
Tame Impala – The Slow Rush (Modular Recordings/Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Best Male Artist
WINNER: ARCHIE ROACH
Archie Roach – Tell Me Why (Bloodlines / Mushroom)
Guy Sebastian – Standing With You (Sony Music)
Ruel – Free Time (RCA / Sony Music)
The Kid LAROI – F*ck Love (Columbia / Sony Music)
Troye Sivan – In A Dream (EMI Music Australia)
Best Female Artist
WINNER: SAMPA THE GREAT
Amy Shark – Everybody Rise (Wonderlick Recording Company / Sony Music)
Miiesha – Nyaaringu (EMI Music Australia)
Sampa The Great – The Return (Ninja Tune / Inertia Music)
Sia – Together (Monkey Puzzle, Inc., under exclusive license to Atlantic Recording Corporation for the United States and WEA International for the world outside of the United States)
Tones And I – Bad Child / Can’t Be Happy All the Time (Bad Batch Records / Sony Music)
Best Dance Release
WINNER: DOM DOLLA
Alice Ivy – Don’t Sleep (Dew Process / Universal Music Australia)
Dom Dolla – San Frandisco (Sweat It Out / Warner Music)
Flume – Rushing Back feat. Vera Blue (Future Classic)
Northeast Party House – Shelf Life (Stop Start Music / Sony Music)
Stace Cadet & KLP Energy – (Medium Rare Recordings / Sony Music)
Best Group
WINNER: TAME IMPALA
5 Seconds Of Summer – CALM (Interscope / EMI Music Australia)
DMA’s – THE GLOW (I OH YOU / Mushroom)
Lime Cordiale – 14 Steps To A Better You (Chugg Music Pty Ltd)
Tame Impala – The Slow Rush (Modular Recordings/Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
The Teskey Brothers – Live At The Forum (Ivy League Records / Mushroom)
Breakthrough Artist presented by PPCA
WINNER: LIME CORDIALE
Alex the Astronaut – The Theory of Absolutely Nothing (Minkowski / AWAL Recordings)
Lime Cordiale – 14 Steps To A Better You (Chugg Music Pty Ltd)
Mallrat – Driving Music (Dew Process / Universal Music Australia)
Miiesha – Nyaaringu (EMI Music Australia)
The Kid LAROI – F*ck Love (Columbia / Sony Music)
Best Pop Release
WINNER: AMY SHARK
Amy Shark – Everybody Rise (Wonderlick Recording Company/Sony Music)
Lime Cordiale – 14 Steps To A Better You (Chugg Music Pty Ltd)
Sia – Together (Monkey Puzzle, Inc., under exclusive license to Atlantic Recording Corporation for the United States and WEA International for the world outside of the United States)
Tame Impala – Lost In Yesterday (Modular Recordings/Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
Troye Sivan – In A Dream (EMI Music Australia)
Best Hip Hop Release presented by Hennessy
WINNER: SAMPA THE GREAT
Baker Boy – Meditjin feat. JessB (Danzal Baker/Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
Briggs – Always Was EP (Adam Briggs / Island Records Australia)
Illy – Last Laugh (Sony Music)
Sampa The Great – The Return (Ninja Tune / Inertia Music)
The Kid LAROI – F*ck Love (Columbia / Sony Music)
Best Soul/R&B Release
WINNER: MIIESHA
Genesis Owusu – Don’t Need You (OURNESS / AWAL)
KIAN – Every Hour (EMI Music Australia)
Miiesha – Nyaaringu (EMI Music Australia)
Tash Sultana – Pretty Lady (Lonely Lands Records / Sony Music)
Tkay Maidza – Last Year Was Weird, Vol.2 (Dew Process / Universal Music Australia)
Best Independent Release
WINNER: SAMPA THE GREAT
Archie Roach – Tell Me Why (Bloodlines / Mushroom)
DMA’s – THE GLOW (I OH YOU / Mushroom)
Lime Cordiale – 14 Steps To A Better You (Chugg Music Pty Ltd)
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Ghosteen (Ghosteen / AWAL Recordings)
Sampa The Great – The Return (Ninja Tune / Inertia Music)
Best Rock Album
WINNER: TAME IMPALA
Cold Chisel – Blood Moon (Cold Chisel / Universal Music Australia)
DMA’s – THE GLOW (I OH YOU / Mushroom)
Ocean Alley – Lonely Diamond (Independent / Unified Music Group)
Tame Impala – The Slow Rush (Modular Recordings/Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
Violent Soho – Everything Is A-OK (I OH YOU/ Mushroom)
Best Adult Contemporary Album
WINNER: ARCHIE ROACH
Archie Roach – Tell Me Why (Bloodlines / Mushroom)
Donny Benét – Mr Experience (Dot Dash Recordings / Remote Control Records)
Gordi – Our Two Skins (Liberation Records)
Josh Pyke – Rome (Wonderlick Recording Company)
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Ghosteen (Ghosteen / AWAL Recordings)
Best Country Album
WINNER: FANNY LUMSDEN
Casey Barnes – Town of A Million Dreams (Chugg Music Pty Ltd)
Fanny Lumsden – Fallow (Cooking Vinyl Australia)
Jasmine Rae – Lion Side (ABC Music / Universal)
The McClymonts – Mayhem To Madness (Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
Travis Collins – Wreck Me (ABC Music / Universal)
Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album
WINNER: KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Chunky Shrapnel (Flightless Records)
Parkway Drive – Viva The Underdogs (Resist / Cooking Vinyl Australia)
Polaris – The Death Of Me (Resist / Cooking Vinyl Australia)
The Amity Affliction – Everyone Loves You…Once You Leave Them (The Amity Affliction. Marketed & Distributed by Warner Music Australia under exclusive license)
The Chats – High Risk Behaviour (Bargain Bin / Cooking Vinyl Australia)
Best Blues & Roots Album
WINNER: THE TESKEY BROTHERS
Busby Marou – The Great Divide (Warner Music Australia Pty Ltd)
Frank Yamma – Tjukurpa: The Story (Wantok Musik/MGM)
Lucky Oceans – Purple Sky (Songs Originally By Hank Williams) (ABC Music / Universal)
The Teskey Brothers – Live At The Forum (Ivy League Records / Mushroom)
Tracy McNeil & The GoodLife – You Be The Lightning (Cooking Vinyl Australia)
Best Children’s Album
WINNER: TEENY TINY STEVIES
Diver City – Welcome to Diver City (ABC Music / Universal)
Teeny Tiny Stevies – Thoughtful Songs for Little People (ABC Music / Universal)
The Vegetable Plot – Season Two (ABC Music / Universal)
The Wiggles – Choo Choo Trains, Propeller Planes & Toot Toot Chugga Chugga Big Red Car! (ABC Music / Universal)
Tiptoe Giants – Colour the World (Tiptoe Tunes / ABC Music)
Best Comedy Release
WINNER: ANNE EDMONDS
Anne Edmonds – What’s Wrong With You? (Guesswork Television)
Bev Killick – Crummy Mummy (Rivershack Records / MGM)
Celia Pacquola – All Talk (Guesswork Television)
Crossbread feat. Chris Ryan and Megan Washington – Just Jesus (ABC Music / Universal)
Tom Gleeson – Joy (Guesswork Television)
PUBLIC VOTED AWARDS
Best Video presented by YouTube Music
WINNER: GUY SEBASTIAN
Baker Boy – Meditjin feat. JessB (Danzal Baker/Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
Guy Sebastian – Standing With You (Sony Music)
Lime Cordiale – Robbery (Chugg Music Pty Ltd)
PNAU feat. Vlossom – Lucky (etcetc Music)
Sampa The Great – Time’s Up (feat. Krown) (Ninja Tune / Inertia Music)
Tame Impala – Is It True (Modular Recordings/Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
The Chats – The Clap (Bargain Bin/Cooking Vinyl Australia)
Tones And I – Ur So F**kInG cOoL (Bad Batch Records / Sony Music)
Troye Sivan – Easy (EMI Music Australia)
Violent Soho – Pick It Up Again (I OH YOU / Mushroom)
Best Australian Live Act
WINNER: AMY SHARK
Amy Shark – Amy Shark Regional Tour (Wonderlick Recording Company/Sony Music)
Baker Boy – Falls Festival (Danzal Baker/Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
Cold Chisel – Blood Moon Tour (Cold Chisel / Universal Music Australia)
DMA’S – Unplugged & Intimate | Laneway Festival (I OH YOU / Mushroom))
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – St Jerome’s Laneway Festival (Flightless Records)
Paul Kelly – Paul Kelly – Making Gravy 2019 (GAWD AGGIE / EMI Music Australia)
PNAU – All Of Us Australian Tour (etcetc Music)
RÜFÜS DU SOL – 2019 Summer Festival Tour (Rose Avenue Records under exclusive license to Reprise Records.)
Sampa The Great -The Return Australian Tour 2019 (Ninja Tune / Inertia Music)
The Teskey Brothers – Run Home Slow (Ivy League Records / Mushroom)
Song of the Year presented by YouTube Music
WINNER: 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER
5 Seconds Of Summer – Teeth (Interscope / EMI Music Australia)
Flume Feat. Vera Blue – Rushing Back (Future Classic)
Hilltop Hoods Feat. Illy & Ecca Vandal – Exit Sign (Hilltop Hoods / Island Records Australia/UMA)
Lime Cordiale – Robbery (Chugg Music Pty Ltd)
Mallrat – Charlie (Dew Process/Universal Music Australia
Ruel – Painkiller (RCA / Sony Music)
Sam Fischer – This City (Sony Music)
The Jungle Giants – Heavy Hearted (Amplifire Music / Together We Can Work Together / The Orchard)
The Rubens – Live In Life (Ivy League Records)
Tones and I – Never Seen the Rain (Bad Batch Records / Sony Music)
Best International Artist
WINNER: HARRY STYLES
Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia (Warner Music Australia Pty Ltd)
Eminem – Music To Be Murdered By (Interscope/Universal Music Australia)
Halsey – Manic (Capitol/EMI Music Australia)
Harry Styles – Fine Line (Columbia/Sony Music)
Juice WRLD – Legends Never Die (Interscope/Universal Music Australia)
Justin Bieber – Changes (Def Jam Recordings/Universal Music Australia)
Lewis Capaldi – Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent (Universal Music Group/Universal Music Australia)
Lizzo – Cuz I Love You (Atlantic/Warner Music Australia Pty Ltd)
Taylor Swift – Folklore (Republic Records/Universal Music Australia)
The Weeknd – After Hours (Universal Music Group/Universal Music Australia)
Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award
WINNER: SARAH DONNELLEY – WILCANNIA CENTRAL SCHOOL, WILCANNIA NSW
CJ Shaw – Palmerston District Primary School, Canberra ACT
Kathryn McLennan – Virginia State School, Virginia QLD
Sarah Donnelley – Wilcannia Central School, Wilcannia NSW
Thomas Fienberg – Evans High School, Blacktown, NSW
ARTISAN AWARDS
Best Cover Art
WINNER: ADAM DAL POZZO, MEGAN WASHINGTON AND MICHELLE PITIRIS FOR WASHINGTON
Tim Rogers for Donny Benét – Mr Experience (Dot Dash Recordings / Remote Control Records)
Made In Katana for Jessica Mauboy – Hilda (Sony Music)
Louis Leimbach for Lime Cordiale – 14 Steps To A Better You (Chugg Music Pty Ltd)
Luke Henery for Violent Soho – Everything Is A-OK (I OH YOU)
Adam Dal Pozzo, Megan Washington and Michelle Pitiris for WASHINGTON – Batflowers (Washington / Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
Engineer Of The Year
WINNER: TAME IMPALA
Alice Ivy – Don’t Sleep (Dew Process / Universal Music Australia)
IAMMXO (aka Mohamed Komba) for Miiesha – Nyaaringu (EMI Music Australia)
Eric J Dubowsky for Ruel – Free Time (RCA / Sony Music)
Kevin Parker for Tame Impala – The Slow Rush (Modular Recordings / Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
Greg Wales for Violent Soho – Everything Is A-OK (I OH YOU / Mushroom)
Producer Of The Year
WINNER: TAME IMPALA
Kevin Shirley for Cold Chisel – Blood Moon (Cold Chisel / Universal Music Australia)
DNA & Louis Schoorl for Jessica Mauboy – Hilda (Sony Music)
IAMMXO (aka Mohamed Komba) for Miiesha – Nyaaringu (EMI Music Australia)
M-Phazes for Ruel – Free Time (RCA / Sony Music)
Kevin Parker for Tame Impala – The Slow Rush (Modular Recordings / Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
FINE ARTS AWARD
Best Classical Album
WINNER: RICHARD TOGNETTI & ERIN HELYARD
Alicia Crossley – Muse (Move)
David Greco & Erin Helyard – Schubert: Die schöne Müllerin (ABC Classic / Universal)
Jayson Gillham, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Nicholas Carter – Beethoven Piano Concertos (ABC Classic / Universal)
Richard Tognetti & Erin Helyard – Beethoven & Mozart Violin Sonatas (ABC Classic / Universal)
Slava & Sharon Grigoryan -Our Place: Duets For Cello And Guitar (ABC Classic / Universal)
Best Jazz Album
WINNER: PAUL KELLY & PAUL GRABOWSKY
Katie Noonan – The Sweetest Taboo (ABC Jazz / Universal)
Luke Howard – All That Is Not Solid (Live At Tempo Rubato, Australia / 2020) (Mercury KX / Universal Music Australia)
Mike Nock; Hamish Stuart; Julien Wilson; Jonathan Zwartz – This World (Lionsharecords / The Planet Company)
Nat Bartsch – Forever More (ABC Jazz / Universal)
Paul Kelly & Paul Grabowsky – Please Leave Your Light On (GAWD AGGIE / EMI Music Australia)
Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album
WINNER: CHELSEA CULLEN
Chelsea Cullen – I Am Woman (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Sony Masterworks)
Dan Golding – Untitled Goose Game (Original Soundtrack) (House House / Decca Classics Australia / Universal Music Australia)
Grigoryan Brothers – A Boy Called Sailboat (ABC Classic / Universal)
Matteo Zingales & Antony Partos – Mystery Road (Original Score: Seasons 1-2) (ABC Music / Universal)
Sally Seltmann & Darren Seltmann – The Letdown (Music from Seasons 1+2) (ABC Music / Universal)
Best World Music Album
WINNER: JOSEPH TAWADROS
Grace Barbe – FANM:WOMAN (Afrotropik / MGM)
Joseph Tawadros – Live at the Sydney Opera House (ABC Music / Universal)
Melbourne Ska Orchestra – Live At The Triffid (ABC Music / Universal)
The Crooked Fiddle Band – Another Subtle Atom Bomb (Bird’s Robe Records / MGM)
Xylouris White – The Sisypheans (ABC Music / Universal)
Fremantle’s Jo Porter to replace founders at Sony Media’s Playmaker Media
Porter joins Playmaker from Fremantle Australia where she has been director of scripted since 2012. In 2018 she was included in The Hollywood Reporter’s list of Top 25 Women in Global Television.
Her most recent credits include the record setting female prison drama Wentworth (2013-2020) for Foxtel, which was sold to over 171 worldwide territories and has been re-made in four languages. It was the first Australian production to ever be awarded the Logie for both Most Popular and Most Outstanding Drama Series in the same year, also picking up the latter award in 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019, as well as the 2016 AACTA for Best Drama Series.
Porter was executive producer on the Foxtel and Amazon Prime limited series Picnic at Hanging Rock, which was selected to open the 2018 Berlinale Film Festival and play in the Tribeca Film Festival. It sold in over 160 territories including to premium broadcasters BBC and Canal+, and won the ACCTA awards for Cinematography, Production Design and Costume Design.
Porter also developed and Produced the Seven Network’s ratings hit Packed to the Rafters, along with International Emmy nominee Always Greener and multiple Logie and AFI Awarded All Saints. From its premiere, Packed to the Rafters was consistently Australia’s highest rating program, winning many awards for both the series and cast.
Jo Porter said, “I have really enjoyed my past nine years at Fremantle, working with a great group of people, and I am very proud of the projects that were brought to life and those I am leaving in the starting blocks. I am hugely excited at this unique opportunity to take this next step in my career. With the backing of Wayne and the Sony Pictures Television team we have fantastic scope to attract brilliant talent to create and build a new wave of distinctive productions out of Australia to share with the world.”
Wayne Garvie, president, international production, Sony Pictures Television, says, “We are so excited to have Jo lead a new era at Playmaker. She is not only one of Australia’s most admired producers, with a terrific track record, but a great person with great relationships. I can’t wait to see what her and the Australian creative community will come up with for audiences both at home and internationally.”
Playmaker Media was founded in 2009 and became a Sony Pictures Television group company in 2014. The company has garnered awards and international critical acclaim with shows such as the AACTA Best Drama Award winning The Code (ABC), four seasons of Love Child (Nine Network), five seasons of Logie winning drama series House Husbands (Nine Network), Most Outstanding Drama Series Bloom and The Commons (both for Stan), Emmy nominated Slide (Foxtel), Reckoning (Netflix) and the Mandarin-language version of thriller series Chosen, for China’s largest streaming service, iQiyi.
Paykel Media MD Sarah Keith appoints new head of strategy and planning
Hojnik will start at Paykel Media on 4 January. Based in Melbourne, he will report to Sarah Keith, who joined Paykel Media as national managing director in early November, based in Sydney.
See also: Sarah Keith on plans for clients and agency growth at Paykel Media
Hojnik was previously head of planning at the London media agency The Specialist Works, working with clients including AO.com, LloydsPharmacy, Boohoo Group and HomeServe.
Before The Specialists Works, Hojnik worked at Carat UK, UM Melbourne and Initiative Melbourne.
Keith said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Dan to this important new role and the Paykel Media team. He is an excellent strategic thinker and his experience, talent and enthusiasm will make him a major asset for our clients.
“Dan’s appointment is a stepping stone in our ongoing investment in building on Paykel Media’s extraordinary talent, client service, close relationships with Australia’s biggest media owners and our upfront, results-focused media approach. As an independent, we are very close to our clients and can move quickly when we see an opportunity to expand our offering.”
Hojnik added: “It was important for me to find an agency that saw value in developing its strategic product in line with the evolving needs of its current and future clients amidst the labyrinths that are today’s consumer journeys.
“I am privileged to be welcomed into the Paykel Media family and incredibly excited to be working with Sarah and the team to evolve their strategic proposition. It’s certainly an interesting time to move back to Australia but I’m thrilled to bring my experience home working for an agency whose future I genuinely believe in.”
Seven’s summer: Front Bar cricket specials, WBBL finals weekend
The Front Bar is screening the first of two special cricket episodes tonight and next Thursday December 3.
The star-studded line-up headed by Mick Molloy, Andy Maher and Andy Lee will take the field this Thursday at 8.30pm, and back up at the same time next week.
Both specials will air nationally on Channel 7, with the team vowing to come off the long run as they tackle the burning issues ahead of the WBBL Finals, BBL 10 and the Aussie men’s blockbuster Test Series against India.
Front Bar skipper, Mick Molloy, said: “Footy season may be over but I’m still here at Channel 7 because I’ve refused to leave the studio, Donald Trump style.”
There will be plenty of tall tales this Thursday night when legendary Aussie spearhead Merv Hughes joins the team at the bar, while Australian Test captain Tim Paine will also be part of the fun.
Meanwhile, this weekend Seven will have complete coverage of the three-match WBBL final series with four teams chasing the title with the final two to battle it out on Saturday.
The WBBL Final Series kicked off last night when the top-of-table Melbourne Stars defeated Perth Scorchers in Semi Final 1 on 7mate.
On Thursday cricket fans will enjoy another cut-throat white-ball contest when the Heat square off against Sydney Thunder in Semi Final 2 on 7mate at 7.00pm AEDT.
On Saturday night, the last two teams standing will meet on the Big Bash’s biggest stage – the WBBL Final –live on 7mate at 7.00pm AEDT.
Seven’s WBBL Finals coverage will be led Lisa Sthalekar, Julia Price, Mel Jones, Michael Slater, Trent Copeland and host Abbey Gelmi.
Managing director Seven Melbourne and head of network sport, Lewis Martin, said: “The WBBL has underlined yet again that it is hands down the best T20 tournament in women’s cricket.
“Australians have been highly engaged with WBBL 06, with the season reaching 999,000 people every week and 2.6 million people nationally. It’s been an unforgettable season and the best is yet to come as the 2020 champion is crowned this week, live and free on Seven.”
TV ratings: Wednesday Week 48 2020
Primetime News
Seven News 904,000/873,000
Nine News 793,000/818,000
ABC News 603,000
10 News First 292,000/193,000
SBS World News 150,000
Daily current affairs
7.30 631,000
A Current Affair 629,000
The Project 267,000/415,000
The Drum 139,000
Breakfast TV
Sunrise 288,000
Today 198,000
News Breakfast 195,000
Late Night News
ABC Late News 109,000
Nine News Late 102,000
The Latest 93,000
SBS Late News 51,000
Wednesday TV
Seven: Home and Away slipped just below 600,000 for its second night of the week and stayed there again on Wednesday with 550,000.
Seven then went with a big night of Britain’s Got Talent and guess what – it was part of Seven’s winning primary channel line-up, even if there was just 244,000 watching.
Nine: A Current Affair had a third successive night in the 600,000s with 629,000.
The 2020 ARIA Awards was a disappointment. The award’s show has never been a huge audience magnet and last night it attracted 287,000. Last year the Nine audience was 413,000. There was much to like about the production though including the much-anticipated all-star Helen Reddy tribute that ended the night introduced by Julia Gillard.
10: The Project guests included Paloma Faith with 415,000 watching.
An hour of Jamie’s Easy Meals for Every Day was on 311,000 and then 262,000.
ABC: Entertainment shows here last night ruled the ratings, with bigger numbers after no State of Origin for the first time after three weeks of football. At 8pm Hard Quiz was on 670,000 (584,000 last week) and then Gruen, with Russel Howcroft back with the team in a Kmart special episode, was on 678,000 (586,000 last week).
Reputation Rehab did 381,000 (improving from 318,000 last week).
SBS: A repeat of Building Britain’s Canals was on 175,000. The Great Train Robbery: The Hidden Tapes followed on 144,000.
Week 48: Wednesday
| WEDNESDAY METRO | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Seven | Nine | 10 | SBS | |||||
| ABC | 15.5% | 7 | 18.3% | 9 | 16.1% | 10 | 9.0% | SBS One | 4.9% |
| ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY | 2.8% | 7TWO | 4.3% | GO! | 2.9% | 10 Bold | 4.7% | VICELAND | 1.1% |
| ABC ME | 0.6% | 7mate | 4.6% | GEM | 2.6% | 10 Peach | 3.3% | Food Net | 1.0% |
| ABC NEWS | 1.5% | 7flix | 1.5% | 9Life | 2.2% | 10 Shake | 0.3% | NITV | 0.2% |
| 9Rush | 1.3% | SBS World Movies | 1.1% | ||||||
| TOTAL | 20.5% | 28.8% | 25.1% | 17.3% | 8.3% | ||||
| WEDNESDAY REGIONAL | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Seven Affiliates | Nine Affiliates | 10 Affiliates | SBS | |||||
| ABC | 12.0% | 7 | 19.7% | 9 | 13.2% | WIN | 7.4% | SBS One | 4.3% |
| ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY | 2.1% | 7TWO | 6.8% | GO! | 3.9% | WIN Bold | 6.2% | VICELAND | 1.1% |
| ABC ME | 0.8% | 7mate | 4.7% | GEM | 5.3% | WIN Peach | 3.9% | Food Net | 0.7% |
| ABC NEWS | 1.2% | 7flix (Excl. Tas/WA) | 2.3% | 9Life | 2.1% | Sky News on WIN | 2.0% | NITV | 0.1% |
| SBS Movies | 1.1% | ||||||||
| TOTAL | 16.2% | 33.5% | 24.5% | 19.5% | 7.4% | ||||
| WEDNESDAY METRO ALL TV | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTA | STV | ||||||||
| 87.3% | 12.7% | ||||||||
WEDNESDAY FTA
- Seven News Seven 904,000
- Seven News At 6.30 Seven 873,000
- Nine News 6:30 Nine 818,000
- Nine News Nine 793,000
- Gruen ABC 678,000
- Hard Quiz S5 ABC 670,000
- 7.30 ABC 631,000
- A Current Affair Nine 629,000
- ABC News ABC 603,000
- Home And Away Seven 550,000
- The Chase Australia Seven 474,000
- Highway Patrol Special (R) Seven 461,000
- Hot Seat Nine 422,000
- The Project 7pm 10 415,000
- Reputation Rehab ABC 381,000
- Jamie’s Easy Meals For Every Day 10 311,000
- The Chase Australia-5pm Seven 310,000
- 10 News First 10 292,000
- Sunrise Seven 288,000
- 2020 ARIA Awards Nine 287,000
Demo Top Five
16-39 Top Five
- Gruen ABC 123,000
- Nine News 6:30 Nine 110,000
- Seven News Seven 99,000
- Highway Patrol Special (R) Seven 97,000
- Seven News At 6.30 Seven 89,000
18-49 Top Five
- Gruen ABC 217,000
- Nine News 6:30 Nine 192,000
- Seven News Seven 178,000
- Nine News Nine 163,000
- Seven News At 6.30 Seven 159,000
25-54 Top Five
- Gruen ABC 252,000
- Nine News 6:30 Nine 235,000
- Seven News Seven 229,000
- Seven News At 6.30 Seven 214,000
- Nine News Nine 203,000
Wednesday Multichannel
- NCIS (R) 10 Bold 177,000
- Bluey AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 170,000
- Seven’s Cricket: WBBL – Melb Stars V Perth Semi Final 7mate 162,000
- Bluey ABCKIDS/COMEDY 155,000
- Peppa Pig AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 130,000
- The Coroner PM 7TWO 130,000
- NCIS: Los Angeles (R) 10 Bold 129,000
- Hey Duggee ABCKIDS/COMEDY 128,000
- Lewis PM 7TWO 126,000
- Love Monster AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 125,000
- NCIS: Los Angeles Ep 2 (R) 10 Bold 117,000
- Dog Loves Books ABCKIDS/COMEDY 114,000
- The Mummy 9GO! 110,000
- Neighbours 10 Peach 109,000
- Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom ABCKIDS/COMEDY 108,000
- Peppa Pig PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 108,000
- The Big Bang Theory Ep 2 10 Peach 107,000
- Spicks And Specks ABCKIDS/COMEDY 106,000
- Go Jetters PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 106,000
- Sir Mouse ABCKIDS/COMEDY 98,000
Wednesday STV
- Live: WBBL: SF1 Stars V Scorchers FOX CRICKET 65,000
- The Great British Sewing Bee Lifestyle Channel 55,000
- Alan Jones Sky News Live 55,000
- Credlin Sky News Live 54,000
- Paul Murray Live Sky News Live 50,000
- Chris Smith Tonight Sky News Live 50,000
- Paw Patrol Nick Jr. 37,000
- Selling Houses Australia Lifestyle Channel 36,000
- PML Later Sky News Live 33,000
- Blaze And The Monster Machines Nick Jr. 33,000
- Coronation Street UKTV 33,000
- Blaze And The Monster Machines Nick Jr. 30,000
- NCIS FOX Crime 30,000
- Abby Hatcher Nick Jr. 30,000
- Ready Set Dance Nick Jr. 29,000
- Paw Patrol Nick Jr. 29,000
- Ricky Zoom Nick Jr. 29,000
- Escape To The Chateau Lifestyle Channel 29,000
- Antiques Roadshow Lifestyle Channel 28,000
- The Big Bang Theory FOX Funny 27,000
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
ABC, SBS to be included in the ACCC’s draft mandatory news code
With Treasurer Josh Frydenberg promising to table the legislation before December 10 – the end of the parliamentary year – it’s understood the public broadcasters will be covered by the proposed legislation alongside the nation’s commercial media companies.
Under the code, tech giants Google and Facebook will be required to pay for the news content they use.
The issue of whether the ABC and the SBS should be included in the code – developed by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission – has been a contentious one, with the public broadcasters omitted from the draft code when it was first released by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in July.
Coalition backbench dissent brewing over ABC's inclusion in media code
Some government backbenchers are opposed to the public broadcasters, and the ABC in particular, receiving compensation under the law to force Google and Facebook to pay media companies for using their news content, but their inclusion would increase the chances of the government gaining the support of the crossbench.
Splendour in the Grass creators to launch new music festival in 2021
The grant to Secret Sounds Group, which also runs Falls Festival, is the largest awarded to NSW arts and entertainment projects by the federal government as part of its strategy to kick-start the devastated sector.
Twenty-eight organisations in NSW are to share in $17.8 million – the state’s slice of $60 million allocated from the Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) fund.
Federal arts minister Paul Fletcher said 22 of the funded organisations were in metropolitan locations and six in regional NSW.
Organisers of the Byron Bay Bluesfest have received $1 million to run the Easter long weekend event in a COVID-19 safe fashion and rebuild after this year’s cancellation.
News Brands
ABC TV cops backlash against 2021’s line-up of white news presenters
The national broadcaster posted images of next year’s news and current affairs presenter teams on Twitter as part of its 2021 programming schedule launch.
But social media users, including ex-staff, were quick to turn on the ABC after noting presenters for ABC’s Breakfast News, The Drum, 7.30 and Insiders news programs were mostly of caucasian background.
Former deputy editor of ABC Life Osman Faruqi reposted images from the four ABC News programs on Twitter, before calling the line-up “so embarrassing”.
“Do the people who run ABC News not understand how weird this looks?” he wrote. “At some point, when you’re assembling these photos, you’d pause and think ‘Hmm something not quite right here’ … they shouldn’t be able get away with it. But who is going to hold them to account? Everywhere else is even whiter.”
Podcasting
Stuff You Should Know’s Josh and Chuck and one billion downloads
The twice-weekly, research-based, general-knowledge podcast kicked off in 2008 when friends and colleagues Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant teamed up just as the digital medium was finding its feet.
More than 1400 invariably entertaining and informative episodes later – with deep dives into subjects as diverse as beavers and chaos theory to The Enlightenment and ˆ– SYSK has built up a passionate global following, regularly near the top of podcast charts and giving rise to a live show that the pair have taken around the world, including Australia.
See also:
Mediaweek’s new Podcast Week column
Natarsha’s Agenda, Tim’s music podcast, Matthew’s True Crime
Television
Fennessy brothers new project: John Ibrahim’s Last King of the Cross
One of Australia’s top script writers and directors, Kieran Darcy-Smith, has been working secretly on the project for over 12 months.
The Daily Telegraph has learned negotiations are already underway with major streaming platforms including Stan and US giants Viacom, Netflix and HBO.
Mark Fennessy, producer of TV hits MasterChef, The Voice, Ninja Warrior and dramas Lambs of God, Blue Murder/Killer Cop and Catching Milat is behind the project.
Ibrahim and Fennessy were seen meeting near Cafe Uliveto in Kings Cross this week.
It’s the first major project undertaken by Fennessy and his brother Carl, who recently left the highly successful production company Endemol Shine and acquired the rights to Ibrahim‘s book even before its release.
Busting Indigenous myths and celebrating culture
Actor and comedian Elaine Crombie (who has appeared in everything from Top of the Lake to Rosehaven) hosts this new three-part series that aims to disprove some of the common myths of Australia’s First Nations history, and to celebrate its truths.
Crombie keeps things light – things never get dry or didactic – while reminding us that much of what was once taught about Indigenous Australians was completely wrong.
“For years we’ve been taught that a certain sort of culture is right – a ‘civilised culture’,” she says. “But attitudes to First Nations culture was that they have nothing to teach us.”
Each episode is fun and short and sweet – but the fact that 10 is showing this series, made in collaboration with First Nation production company Kalori Productions (with First Nations people in key roles), is heartening; it’s also the beginning of a well overdue new era. Network 10 owner ViacomCBS earlier this month announced its Reconciliation Action Plan, which focuses on inclusion and employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 10 is the first commercial network to adopt such a plan.
Four Corners roasts Netflix series The Crown over inaccuracies
Series four of the wildly popular, semi-factual drama about the lives of the British Royal family follows the marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, including their 1983 trip to Australia.
One episode features a recreation of a Four Corners interview with former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, played by Richard Roxburgh, as he discusses the coming royal tour. In the interview, Mr Hawke, who is depicted as the yet-to-be elected Prime Minister, refers to the Queen as a “pig”, to rapturous laughter from the Australian audience.
However, Four Corners claim the late Mr Hawke never said the offensive line about the Queen, and The Crown got the date of the interview wrong.
“Hey @netflix Huge fan,” Four Corners wrote in a tweet. “While we’re loving the fact that you’ve featured us in @TheCrownNetflix, we’re in the business of facts and there are a few things we want to clear up.”