Friday October 4, 2019
The first issue of SMH/Age inserted magazine Good Food arrives today
Food lovers will be thrilled to hear that the magazine comes at no extra charge with The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Mediaweek spoke to the editor of Good Food magazine Ardyn Bernoth about her history with Good Food and what we can expect in the first issue of the print offering.
“My true love is food. My dad was a chef, I grew up in a restaurant, so I’m crazy, mad passionate about food,” recounted Bernoth.
“My history with Good Food goes back to when it was called Good Living, which would be about 15 years ago. I was the deputy editor and then the editor of Good Living. I left to go to Hong Kong and have three babies, then came back to Australia and edited Spectrum in 2015-2016. I think about two and a half years ago I moved to Melbourne and Monique Farmer who’s the head of lifestyle and entertainment asked me to take over Good Food again, which I absolutely did.”
Bernoth said the magazine is something she’s been thinking about for around five years and that it seems like the most perfect extension of the successful brand to go into a glossy magazine format. “Our Tuesday section is the most popular section in both The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. It’s even more highly read than the Saturday sports section – it’s astonishing!” said Bernoth.
The magazine editor explained more about just how popular food is in Australia. “With shows like MasterChef and My Kitchen Rules, people’s obsession with food has absolutely escalated,” said Bernoth. “We did some research behind launching this magazine. Our readers responded and said they want more food, they want more recipes and they did want it timed closer to the weekend, so that’s why we chose Friday. It was a very strong message from our readers.”
Bernoth has been working alongside Trudi Jenkins, the Publishing Director of Travel and Food at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. “Trudi has been amazingly instrumental in the commercial side of this. The company wanted to be assured that we had all the commercial support behind this and Trudi was amazing at bringing that support.”
Bernoth told Mediaweek they launched the 40th issue of the Good Food Guide on Monday night, so the magazine really uses that as it’s springboard. “The cover story is all about the great trends of the year – because it was the 40th birthday of the Good Food Guide, we feature the 40 hottest things in food this year.
“Our cover star is Lennox Hastie who was awarded chef of the year on Monday night. He cooks only on fire, no electricity. The brief for Nic Walker, the incredible photographer that we used for the first cover, was to get Lennox and work with the concept of flames, which is what Lennox is famous for. Nic went off and covered Lennox in soot and it’s amazingly dramatic, but it wasn’t celebratory enough for this issue. So, we had to reshoot. I spoke to Nic Walker on the day of the reshoot and he said he had spoken to a stunt man who said short of setting Lennox of fire he was doing everything he could to get a dramatic cover.”
Bernoth laughed when she said: “Nic’s parting words were ‘I don’t think he’ll catch alight’. We got the cover shot and it is very dramatic.”
Bernoth told Mediaweek the plans she has in store to consistently upgrade the popular Good Food brand. “We have a really fantastic digital platform which is GoodFood.com, and we are currently looking at improving search functions. We want to keep pushing and moving ahead in the competitive market in food and make sure we are at the cutting edge, which is where we have always been.”
TEG has a new owner: Silicon Valley tech investor Silver Lake
TEG, Asia Pacific’s leading live entertainment and ticketing company, and Silver Lake, have announced that Silver Lake will acquire TEG from funds advised by Affinity Equity Partners and its affiliates. TEG’s senior management team, led by CEO Geoff Jones, will continue to lead the company and remain meaningful equity partners in the new ownership structure.
TEG operates as the exclusive ticketing provider for over 135 venue and promoter clients and delivers 30 million tickets annually for over 30,000 events spanning live sports, concerts, theatre, festivals, and exhibitions across more than 13 countries.
TEG’s integrated live entertainment platform combines ticketing and event promotion, venue management, data analytics and marketing services. TEG promotes over 100 diverse events annually: its TEG Live and TEG Dainty divisions have promoted some of the world’s biggest names in live sports and entertainment including Hugh Jackman, Guns N’ Roses, Eminem, Katy Perry, Cirque du Soleil and Jerry Seinfeld.
Hugh Jackman in concert (Source: Kevin Mazur)
Other Silver Lake investments include global mixed martial arts organisation UFC and the New York-based Madison Square Garden Company.
“The team at Affinity have been great partners for us over the last four years and have helped us to continue to scale our business,” said Geoff Jones, CEO of TEG. “We are confident that Silver Lake is the right partner for the next stage of the company’s growth. Silver Lake brings us deep technology expertise as well as important global entertainment content and live events expertise and relationships which will help us to accelerate the growth of our platform globally.”
“High quality live sports and entertainment content is more sought after now than ever and represents a massive global addressable market for the company. We believe TEG’s innovative and integrated ticketing, content, digital marketing and analytics platform is well positioned to continue to benefit from increasing consumer demand worldwide,” said Stephen Evans, Managing Director at Silver Lake. “We’ve been impressed by TEG’s long-term track record of growth under Geoff Jones, most recently in partnership with the Affinity team, both organically and through strategic acquisitions. We’re excited to partner with Geoff and the entire TEG team and invest further to leverage TEG’s platform and accelerate the company’s growth, both in Asia Pacific and globally.”
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close later this year and is subject to customary closing conditions including approval by the Australian Foreign Investment Review Board.
TEG was advised on this transaction by Goldman Sachs and King & Wood Mallesons.
Silver Lake was advised by Latham & Watkins and Corrs Chambers Westgarth.
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Top Photo: TEG chief executive Geoff Jones
ABC now FTA home of A-League, W-League, Socceroos and Matildas
This will be the first time that the Hyundai A-League will be broadcast on the ABC and also marks a return of the Westfield W-League to the network after being the inaugural broadcast partner of the competition from 2008 to 2017.
Under the new agreement, 29 live matches will be broadcast on ABC TV and iview (5pm on Saturdays) throughout the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 Season and, for the Hyundai A-League 2020 Finals Series, delayed broadcasts of one Elimination Final, one Semi Final and the Hyundai A-League 2020 Grand Final. Fourteen (14) Rounds of the Westfield W-League 2019/20 Season (4pm on Sundays) and the entire Westfield W-League 2020 Finals Series will also be broadcast live on ABC TV.
The ABC will also broadcast every Caltex Socceroos match to which Fox Sports, on Foxtel carries rights.
The upcoming Westfield Matildas international friendlies against Chile at Bankwest Stadium (Saturday 9 November) and Coopers Stadium (Tuesday 12 November) will be broadcast live on ABC along with next year’s Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Asian Qualifiers.
Fox Sports will continue to broadcast live all Hyundai A-League, Westfield W-League, Caltex Socceroos and Westfield Matildas matches via Foxtel and Kayo Sports.
Head of Fox Sports, Peter Campbell, said:
“Fox Sports and Foxtel has a strong partnership with FFA and we are pleased to have played our part in achieving this outcome for them and for ABC-TV.
“Fox Sports is extremely proud of the contribution and leadership we have made to women’s sports over many years and we are pleased to have the opportunity to work more closely with the ABC to showcase Australian football and our talented athletes playing it. Fox Sports’ commitment is clear given the role we have played in bringing this deal to life.”
The ABC’s director of regional & local, Judith Whelan, said the agreement to screen A-League, W-League, Socceroo and Matildas games was significant for the ABC and would form the cornerstone of the corporation’s sports coverage over the next two years. “We are thrilled to welcome Australian football into the ABC family,” Whelan said. “The ABC has unrivalled reach into every corner of Australia, and we will be using that reach to help build the profile of football. We plan to use all our platforms to drive audiences to our coverage on ABC TV.”
Whelan said the ABC was particularly pleased to welcome back the W-League after an absence of two years. “We have always been a big supporter of women’s sport in this country and will use every means possible to build the biggest audience we can for the W-League.”
The A-League season begins on Friday October 11.
Stan acquires new Ned Kelly movie for summer after cinema release
Stan has revealed that Justin Kurzel’s True History of the Kelly Gang, an epic fictionalised re-telling of the life and upbringing of legendary Australian bushranger Ned Kelly, will join Stan’s line up of original Australian productions and will premiere in cinemas and on Stan this summer.
The cast features BAFTA award-winner George MacKay (Captain Fantastic), Oscar-winner Russell Crowe (Stan’s The Loudest Voice), Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road), Essie Davis (The Babadook), Thomasin McKenzie (Jojo Rabbit) Claudia Karvan (Stan’s The Other Guy), Earl Cave (Born to Kill) and Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy).
Who is who in True History of the Kelly Gang
George MacKay as Ned Kelly
Orlando Schwerdt as young Ned Kelly
Russell Crowe as Harry Power
Nicholas Hoult as Constable Fitzpatrick
Essie Davis as Ellen Kelly
Sean Keenan as Joe Byrne
Jacob Collins-Levy as Thomas Curnow
Thomasin McKenzie as Mary
Charlie Hunnam as Sergeant O’Neill
Claudia Karvan as Ms Shelton
Inspired by Peter Carey’s Man Booker prize-winning novel of the same name, True History of the Kelly Gang was written for the screen by Shaun Grant and directed by Justin Kurzel – who last collaborated on the acclaimed Australian murder mystery Snowtown, winning six AACTA Awards, including Best Direction and Best Screenplay.
Spanning the younger years of Ned Kelly’s life leading up to the time of his death, the film explores the blurred boundaries between good and evil and the motivations behind the demise of the infamous outlaw – with a fractured love story between mother and son resting at the beating heart of this tragic tale.
Justin Kurzel, director and producer said: “I am thrilled in the boldness and daring by Stan to embrace our ambitious film. For Australians to see our take on Peter Carey’s extraordinary book in cinemas and on Stan over the summer is very exciting. I hope as many eyes as possible get the opportunity to see a film the makers are deeply proud of.”
Graeme Mason CEO Screen Australia said: “True History of the Kelly Gang is a remarkable and often surprising film, with enthralling performances expertly captured by Kurzel. After the stellar TIFF world premiere, I’m really looking forward to Australians being able to enjoy this home-grown story.”
Nick Forward, Stan’s chief content officer said: “The story of Ned Kelly has become a quintessential part of Australian culture and Justin’s ambitious new take, combined with a standout cast of award-winning Australian and international performers, is guaranteed to get people talking.”
True History of the Kelly Gang is a Stan Original Film produced by Porchlight Films and Daybreak Pictures with major production investment from Screen Australia, La Cinefacture and Film4 in association with Film Victoria, Asia Film Investment Group and Memento Films International. Memento Films International are handling worldwide sales of the film.
Year-to-date up, but Q3 sees growth plateau for out-of-home industry
Year to date industry revenue has increased 3.1% posting $665.5 million, up from $645.3 million in 2018.
Digital revenue continues to grow and is sitting at 55.3% of total net media revenue year-to-date, an increase over the recorded 50.2% for the same period last year.
“The plateauing of revenue growth in quarter three is not unexpected given the current national financial outlook. The last time the industry experienced negative growth was quarter four of 2012, which was also in comparison to a very healthy quarter the previous year. The industry has enjoyed seven years of consecutive growth at a time when other traditional media channels have experienced declines in revenue, as well as audience. Out of Home is both resilient and buoyant. While the current economic outlook is affecting advertiser confidence, we know that it is also the time that advertisers need to keep their brands top of mind and Out of Home delivers; broadcasting its messages to growing audiences in the public space,” said Charmaine Moldrich, CEO of the OMA.
Moldrich continued “The Standard Media Index AU/NZ announced last week that the first eight months of 2019 have reflected lower advertising demands with the Australian market declining 4.9%. OOH has continued to grow in this challenging environment, increasing revenue year to date by 3%.
“We will continue to see growth in Out of Home over the medium and longer term, as we innovate and make it easier to plan, buy and measure our channel.”
In early 2020 the OMA will launch a new product, CORE, which will streamline the briefing and response process for buying OOH, while delivering significant time savings for agencies, clients and OMA members.
When and how to watch the NRL Grand Final + Finals TV Ratings
Preview
However, it is not the only game that day with Nine sharing coverage with Fox League and Kayo of the state championship grand final between the Newtown Jets and Burleigh Bears and the NRL Women’s decider featuring the Broncos and Dragons.
Both sides had to defeat the Minor Premiers the Melbourne Storm in close matches to book their tickets for this match with the Raiders defeating them in week one of the finals before going on to defeat the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The Roosters beat the Storm last week in a Grand Final rematch to make the decider for the second year in a row.
The Sydney Roosters are the bookmaker’s favourite to win the first back-to-back premiership since the Brisbane Broncos in 1992-93. They will feature in their team a bevy of stars such as NSW Captain Boyd Cordner, Latrell Mitchell, and James Tedesco who was named the Dally M Medal winner on Wednesday night.
The Raiders are the Grand Final underdogs after making the finals for only the second time in the past seven seasons as they aim to win their first title since 1994. They will be captained by Jarrod Croker, and feature Dally M second-rower of the year, John Bateman, Jack Wighton and Josh Hodgson.
Gerard Sutton and Ben Cummins will be refereeing a Grand Final together for the first time since North Queensland Cowboys defeated the Brisbane Broncos in 2015.
NRL Grand Final Day TV Schedule
• NRL State Champ Final LIVE: 1.30pm Kayo Sports / Foxtel/ Nine
• NRL Women’s Grand Final LIVE: 4.05 pm Kayo Sports / Foxtel/ Nine
• NRL Grand Final Pre Game LIVE: 6.30 pm Nine
• NRL Grand Final Raiders v Roosters LIVE: 7.30 pm Nine
• NRL Grand Final Replay 10pm – 12am Foxtel / Kayo Sports
NRL Finals TV Ratings
On Friday Night, the 1st Preliminary Final between the Raiders and Rabbitohs attracted a national average audience of 1.568 million people (5 City: 770,000 / Regional: 438,000 / Fox: 360,000). The Metro average of 770,000 is an increase of 15% for the same match year on year.
On Saturday Night, the 2nd Preliminary Final between the Roosters and Storm drew national average audience of 1.696 million people (5 City: 880,000 / Regional: 450,000 / Fox: 366,000). The Metro average of 880,000 is an increase of 14% for the same match year on year.
Overall, 4.190 million people tuned into Nine’s NRL Finals coverage for Week Three of Finals Footy.
This will cap off a succesful finals series for Nine which has produced strong numbers in broadcast, streaming, digital, and social over the last three weeks.
BROADCAST
• 4.878 million people (Metro: 3.216 / Regional: 1.662m) tuned into the third week of Nine’s Finals Footy content. (National cume reach – week)
• Friday Night Finals Footy (1st Preliminary Final – Raiders vs Rabbitohs) attracted an average metro audience of 770,000, an increase of 15% to the corresponding game year-on-year
• Saturday Night Finals Footy (2nd Preliminary Final – Roosters vs Storm) attracted an average metro audience of 880,000, an increase of 14% to the corresponding game year-on-year
STREAMING
• Week three of Nine’s Finals Footy programming on 9Now had 9.2 million live VPM minutes streamed:
• This is up 87% year-on-year compared to week three of Nine’s Finals Footy in 2018
• Live average VPM up 84% year-on-year compared to week three of Nine’s Finals Footy in 2018
• Live VPM streams up 118% year-on-year compared to week three of Nine’s Finals Footy in 2018
DIGITAL
• Total number of WWOS page views for NRL content over the past seven days: 1.914 million views
• Total NRL video views on WWOS across the past seven days: 512,000 views
SOCIAL
• Cumulative reach for all of Nine’s NRL content on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram over the past seven days: 10.609 million people
• Cumulative engagements for all of Nine’s NRL content on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram over the past seven days: 3.262 million engagements
• Combined video views for all of Nine’s content across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter over the past seven days: 6.604 million views
This has contributed to an overall successful finals for Nine which produced an audience increases of 15% on traditional platforms across the NRL preliminary finals over the weekend.
Nine’s Director of Sport, Tom Malone said: “The stage is set for a David and Goliath showdown this Sunday. As most of Australia jumps on the Raiders bandwagon, will a record breaking Viking Clap be enough to drive this fairy tale to a happy ending? Or will the Roosters cement their place in history as one of the greatest ever teams with back to back Grand Finals? There’s only one place to see it – live, free and exclusive on Nine’s Wide World of Sports.”
Nine’s Director of Sales – Sport, Matthew Granger said: “What a fantastic audience result for our Finals partners, Sportsbet, Holden, Telstra, McDonalds and Harvey Norman. There is some very limited availability on Grand Final day, so for those clients who don’t want to miss out, move quickly so as to avoid disappointment!”
Mercado on TV: Verdict on Ryan Murphy’s latest, religion on Love Island
Now comes The Politician (Netflix). It’s a hot mess, but it looks fantastic. No expense has been spared for the look (and why not, given Murphy’s $300 million contract), but the plot about a high school election (where everybody looks 30) is underwhelming. Maybe it’s all about what happens next season, because Bette Midler and Judith Light are given an extended and promising introduction towards the end of this first series.
Former Home and Away actor Ben Steel has a documentary airing next week as part of Mental Health Week. The Show Must Go On (Tuesday on ABC) looks into showbiz, which is awash with mental health issues. Sam Neill has a good take on how to separate acting from real life, and director Jocelyn Moorhouse, scriptwriter Sarah Lambert and former X Factor contestant Dean Ray are equally candid.
Expect everyone on Love Island Australia (Monday on Nine) to be overly candid from the get-go. Sadly, or maybe luckily, there are no preview episodes, but the press tidbits are more than enough. Like, Vanessa is a “ride or die chick”. OK. Cassie is a “singer, musician and poetry writer”. Of course she is. Cartier is “a born again Christian”. Sorry, what?
Then there is Cynthia, who thinks being on the show “makes the ground-work easier” for true love because “everyone is there for the right reason”. Oh dear. Who is going to tell her the only person there for the “right reason” is host Sophie Monk, because if it’s anything like last year, she is right out of there at the first opportunity.
Movie deal: New media man running mid-north coast boutique cinema
Situated halfway between Sydney and Brisbane on the Mid North Coast, this historic beachside cinema has been Mercado’s home for the past two and a half years, but now he is handing over the reigns to Farrar.
Details of the transaction were not revealed.
“I am thrilled to have sold The Roxy to a work colleague I have known and admired for over 20 years,” said Mercado, who also worked with Farrar at Foxtel. “Garry has exciting plans to take it to the next level – and they might even bring me back for special guest appearances.”
“What exciting times ahead for the Farrar family!” said Farrar. “My passion for old cinema started years ago while consulting to Brian Walsh at Foxtel, and launching the new seasons of A Place to Call Home in an array of majestic old cinemas around Australia. I have been coming up to South West Rocks with Queenscliff Surf Club for many years, so to be able to combine my love of the ocean with my this beautiful cinema is a dream.”
South West Roxy is the longest running cinema in the region, screening movies continuously for nearly a hundred years. The country hall first began thanks to a visiting “picture show man” with needed to borrow a (noisy) generator to screen silent movies. Today it retains its old school charm, but is air-conditioned and shows the latest blockbusters in Digital 3D.
“While holidaymakers and tourists are great, this cinema is still pumping due to support from the wonderful locals,” Mercado said. “We have many regulars, often retirees, who come to the movies every week. And there is also a brand new generation of younger moviegoers coming up through the ranks – seeing little kids perched atop bean bags to watch their first ever movie on a big screen never gets old – I will miss that.”
Mercado is coy about his next move, insisting he is “open to offers” but we smell another reinvention coming. “I’ve worked in tourism, television and cinema, so there must be at least one more medium I can conquer,” he laughed.
Recently Farrar has worked as a consultant at Mediaweek in addition to a number of consultancies in the media and events space.
In the past he worked in marketing and PR at Seven Sydney. He was later one if the senior consultants at Brian Walsh’s The Promotions Department and also worked with Walsh at Network 10 and later Foxtel.
Farrar has taken over the cinema at a busy time – school holidays. He has been hands-on his first few days before sharing the workload with staff. He was at work early this morning setting up for six sessions today.
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Top Photo: Garry Farrar (left) outside the South West Roxy with Andrew Mercado
TV Ratings Analysis: October 3
Thursday Week 40 2019
By James Manning
• Seven News 904,000/862,000
• Nine News 746,000/772,000
• A Current Affair 667,000
• ABC News 603,000
• 7.30 480,000
• The Project 225,000/397,000
• 10 News First 294,000
• The Drum 146,000
• SBS World News 143,000
Breakfast TV
• Sunrise 265,000
• Today 193,000
Seven
There was not much drop off for Home and Away Thursday with 572,000 watching after 581,000 on Wednesday.
The second episode of Bride & Prejudice – Forbidden Weddings then did 416,000 after launching with 438,000.
The 2014 movie Kingsman: The Secret Service then did 255,000.
Seven easily won the night all people and combined channel share.
A special farewell to any Seven staff signing off today – particularly PR people who have helped us over the years. Many thanks.
Nine
Australia’s own David Attenborough is how A Current Affair billed Valerie Taylor. The Thursday episode was on 667,000 as the program interviewed the shark wrangler.
It was then a night of ob-docs starting with RBT on 531,000.
It was then followed by an hour of Paramedics on 326,000 and then Kings Cross ER on 202,000.
10
The Project dipped just under 400,000 despite Chelsea Handler on the bill. When she finally appeared she didn’t disappoint as Monti Dimond posed her some great questions.
Jamie’s Ultimate Veg then saw the audience drop to 293,000 before Gogglebox rebuilt it to 556,000.
ABC
After News and 7.30, Escape from the City was the channel’s best with 416,000 watching a home hunt in Kingscliff, NSW.
SBS
A repeat of the great Flying Scotsman episode of Great British Railway Journeys did 187,000 at 7.30pm.
The final episode of this season of Gourmet Farmer then did 164,000. Fittingly it ended with a feast for Matthew Evans, his family, and a couple of mates.
The Name of the Rose then premiered with an average of 130,000 watching the first two episodes.
Week 40 TV: Thursday
| THURSDAY METRO | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Seven | Nine | 10 | SBS | |||||
| ABC | 12.5% | 7 | 19.3% | 9 | 18.1% | 10 | 11.8% | SBS One | 5.0% |
| ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY | 3.1% | 7TWO | 4.2% | GO! | 3.4% | 10 Bold | 4.1% | VICELAND | 1.3% |
| ABC ME | 0.7% | 7mate | 3.4% | GEM | 2.2% | 10 Peach | 2.2% | Food Net | 1.0% |
| ABC NEWS | 1.5% | 7flix | 2.2% | 9Life | 2.0% | NITV | 0.1% | ||
| 7Food | 1.2% | SBS World Movies | 0.7% | ||||||
| TOTAL | 17.8% | 30.3% | 25.8% | 18.1% | 8.0% | ||||
| THURSDAY REGIONAL | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Seven Affiliates | Nine Affiliates | 10 Affiliates | SBS | |||||
| ABC | 12.6% | 7 | 18.4% | 9 | 15.9% | WIN | 10.0% | SBS One | 4.1% |
| ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY | 3.4% | 7TWO | 5.9% | GO! | 3.0% | WIN Bold | 3.9% | VICELAND | 1.0% |
| ABC ME | 1.2% | 7mate | 5.2% | GEM | 3.4% | WIN Peach | 2.1% | Food Net | 1.1% |
| ABC NEWS | 1.1% | 7flix (Excl. Tas/WA) | 3.0% | 9Life | 2.4% | Sky News on WIN | 1.6% | NITV | 0.2% |
| 7food (QLD only) | 0.4% | ||||||||
| TOTAL | 18.3% | 32.9% | 24.7% | 17.6% | 6.4% | ||||
| THURSDAY METRO ALL TV | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTA | STV | ||||||||
| 84.6% | 15.4% | ||||||||
THURSDAY FTA
- Seven News Seven 904,000
- Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 862,000
- Nine News 6:30 Nine 772,000
- Nine News Nine 746,000
- A Current Affair Nine 667,000
- ABC News ABC 603,000
- Home And Away Seven 572,000
- Gogglebox 10 556,000
- RBT Nine 531,000
- The Chase Australia Seven 512,000
- 7.30 ABC 480,000
- Hot Seat Nine 428,000
- Escape From The City ABC 426,000
- Bride & Prejudice – The Forbidden Weddings Seven 416,000
- The Project 7 PM 10 397,000
- Paramedics Nine 326,000
- The Chase Australia-5 PM Seven 301,000
- 10 News First 10 294,000
- Jamie’s Ultimate Veg 10 293,000
- Vera (R) ABC 289,000
Demo Top Five
16-39 Top five
- Gogglebox 10 153,000
- RBT Nine 107,000
- Seven News Seven 102,000
- Home And Away Seven 97,000
- Bride & Prejudice – The Forbidden Weddings Seven 97,000
18-49 Top Five
- Gogglebox 10 279,000
- The Project 7 PM 10 187,000
- RBT Nine 186,000
- Seven News Seven 181,000
- Nine News 6:30 Nine 179,000
25-54 Top Five
Gogglebox 10 317,000
Nine News 6:30 Nine 240,000
Seven News Seven 232,000
RBT Nine 225,000
Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 217,000
THURSDAY Multichannel
- NCIS (R) 10 Bold 176,000
- Father Brown PM 7TWO 153,000
- Survivor: Island Of Idols 9GO! 153,000
- Bluey ABCKIDS/COMEDY 152,000
- Nella The Princess Knight PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 137,000
- Spicks And Specks ABCKIDS/COMEDY 137,000
- Peppa Pig PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 134,000
- Floogals ABCKIDS/COMEDY 134,000
- Hawaii Five-O 10 Bold 130,000
- Fireman Sam PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 129,000
- Dino Dana ABCKIDS/COMEDY 128,000
- Luo Bao Bei ABCKIDS/COMEDY 127,000
- PJ Masks AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 120,000
- Peppa Pig AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 116,000
- Play School AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 114,000
- Bananas In Pyjamas AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 112,000
- Andy’s Wild Adventures ABCKIDS/COMEDY 110,000
- Peg + Cat AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 109,000
- Bing AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 108,000
- Lah-Lah’s Stripy Sock Club AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 107,000
THURSDAY STV
- The Great Australian Bake Off Lifestyle Channel 110,000
- The Bolt Report Sky News Live 59,000
- Love It Or List It Australia Lifestyle Channel 58,000
- Live: RWC: Ire V Rus FOX SPORTS 503 52,000
- Paul Murray Live Sky News Live 46,000
- Highway Patrol FOX8 44,000
- Blue Bloods TVH!TS 43,000
- Credlin Sky News Live 42,000
- Live: The Late Show With Matty Johns FOX LEAGUE 37,000
- The Simpsons FOX8 35,000
- The Simpsons FOX8 34,000
- Live: NRL 360 FOX LEAGUE 33,000
- Live: NBL Melb United V Sem Phoenix ESPN 33,000
- Love It Or List It Australia Lifestyle Channel 32,000
- Criminal Minds TVH!TS 30,000
- Top Wing Nick Jr. 30,000
- Top Wing Nick Jr. 29,000
- Live: RWC Post Game: Ire V Rus FOX SPORTS 50 3 29,000
- Family Guy FOX8 29,000
- Border Security: Australia’s Front Line FOX8 28,000
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
Streaming: Media content regulation and incentives under scrutiny
The government is expected to undertake a broad review of Australia’s media regulations and implement changes in stages. It is one of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s recommendations in its Digital Platforms Inquiry.
“That extends across a whole range of areas because of the way that technology has transformed and in turn led to different businesses competing over different technologies, but essentially competing in the same market,” Communications Minister Paul Fletcher said on the set of Stan’s new $25 million original production The Commons.
The changes could see subscription video on-demand services such as Netflix, Stan, Amazon and Disney+ face local content obligations. However, what form that may take is unclear, given the obligations on free-to-air television, such as 55 per cent Australian content, are likely to be unworkable in the streaming world.
Nine to seal Macquarie Media deal as Mark Carnegie sells
Sources told The Australian Financial Review that Carnegie will accept Nine’s $1.46 per share offer as early as Friday for his 3.6 per cent stake in Macquarie. He will pocket about $9 million from the transaction.
This will take Nine’s stake in Macquarie, home of 2GB and 3AW, to 92.4 per cent – over the 90 per cent threshold it needs to compulsorily sweep up the remaining shares in the company.
ABC TV host finds himself ranked #3 on The AFR Cultural Power List
Mediaweek is more interested in the Cultural top 10. Ranking at number three is the winner of the 2019 TV Week Gold Logie – Tom Gleeson.
The AFR comments:
Tom Gleeson had been hell-bent on pointing out that Australian TV’s emperors and empresses were scantily clad, if not downright nude, as part of his 2019 Logie campaign, whether they found it funny or not. He’d successfully campaigned for 10’s Grant Denyer to win the Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television at last year’s 60th-anniversary event, even though – or rather because – Denyer didn’t have a program at the time. This year, he went one better, launching his own #Gleeson4Gold bid, complete with attack ads and axing Hard Quiz (“chucking a Denyer”) to fuel the campaign.
In his acceptance speech, wine glass in hand, Gleeson said his victory was a win for “taking the piss” and “not giving a shit”, before telling his industry audience to “lighten the f— up”, something many in the room were visibly having difficulty doing. As Gleeson said: “There has been a lot of concern that I’m turning this award into a joke. But what you are forgetting is I’m a comedian – I love jokes.” In a sense, he could be seen as the alternative, antic face of this year’s Power cover boy, Prime Minister Scott Morrison. And as fulfilling the jester’s essential function: exposing the folly and pretension of any court, be it Australian politics or Australian TV. “Do I have any regrets?” Gleeson asked rhetorically on the night. “No, I got a result. I’m like ScoMo on election night – this is a victory for the quiet Australians.” The PM had indeed been his inspiration, he said later. “I stayed on message and did as much media as I could, and I had heaps of self-belief.”
Read more about The 10 most culturally powerful Australians in 2019 here.
News Media
Melbourne Press Club reveals recipients of Michael Gordon Fellowships
The national fellowships – now in their second year – enable social justice journalism in memory of Michael Gordon (pictured), the respected former political editor of The Age newspaper who died suddenly in February 2018.
The 2019 Michael Gordon Fellows are:
John Ferguson – The Australian – Poverty in Timor Leste
Paul Farrell – ABC 7.30 – Wage Slavery in South Asia
Bianca Hall/Joe Armao – The Age – Refugees in Port Moresby
Else Kennedy – Student Journalist – NBN in Alice Springs
Jack Bannister – Freelance – Climate Crisis in Torres Strait
Helen Davidson – Guardian Australia – Regional Guest Workers (held from 2018)
The fellowships are supported by the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund, the ABC, Nine, the National Press Club, Grant Rule and Sophie Oh and the Ray & Margaret Wilson Foundation.
Melbourne Press Club CEO Mark Baker praised the high standard of applications.
“We are delighted to again support some outstanding projects that will deliver the kind of journalism Michael Gordon exemplified in his career,” Baker said.
Baker was joined on the selection panel by former ABC and Sky News journalist Jim Middleton, Guardian Australia political editor Katharine Murphy and Michael Gordon’s widow, Robyn Carter.
Cartoonist David Rowe on Trump, Australian pollies and his new book
The award-winning satirist for The Australian Financial Review was no stranger to the fickle nature of politics, but this was clearly a bigger moment than most.
“It just came to me. I thought I have got to comment on this, it was pretty historic,” he said this week.
What followed was a cartoon of a sly-eyed President-elect lying in bed next to a Statue of Liberty who appears to be waking to an awful realisation.
As Rowe notes: “The eyes just got it.”
The cartoon went viral, amassing thousands of likes and shares on social media, including from celebrities like pop star Rihanna.
But not everyone was a fan.
“I got a lot of flak from America, a lot of hate mail and stuff like that. There’s a lot of [Donald Trump] fans out there,” he said.
He has just released a book, Politics Now, which is a collection of 200 of his cartoons over the past five years.
There are a couple of things you won’t often see in Rowe’s cartoons – he generally avoids notable deaths (“you don’t want to be like a vulture”) and his early editors didn’t like toilets in the images (“that crossed a boundary for the Fin at that time”).
Image: David Rowe’s controversial Trump cartoon
Podcasts
Herald Sun launches new podcast series with Victorian power players
It’s a brilliant idea for a podcast and its first iteration will surely attract a big audience.
Liberal and Labor giants Jeff Kennett and Steve Bracks have been brought together for the 20th anniversary of the election battle which ended Kennett’s run as Victorian premier, and the pair has warned some dangers loom for Australia.
As they admired the city they helped build while ruling Victoria for a combined total of 15 years, Jeff Kennett couldn’t resist a gentle ribbing of his former political adversary, Steve Bracks.
“Didn’t I build it? You just came in and took the bloody surplus,” he said with a grin.
The two giants of the Liberal and Labor parties were reunited for their first joint interview to discuss the boilover 1999 state election that ended Kennett’s seven-year reign.
The interview forms part of a new Herald Sun podcast series Face Off in which one-time fierce rivals discuss key battles that have shaped Australia’s history, politics and sport.
Photo: Jeff Kennett and Steve Bracks with the Herald Sun’s Matt Johnston and James Campbell
Radio
Alan Jones urges boycott of Australia’s second-biggest advertiser
2GB breakfast host Alan Jones has attacked Coles over its decision to pull advertising spend from his show, urging listeners to give the supermarket giant “a wide berth”, reports The Australian’s Zoe Samios.
On Thursday morning, Jones took aim at the supermarket chain, which pulled advertising following controversial comments made about New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in August, urging it to get its own “value system” in order before passing judgment.
“I have been patient for a long time. But I am growing tired of some of these corporate hypocrites,” Jones told listeners on 2GB and 4BC.
Jones criticised for Coles ripping off dairy farmers, before declaring that if the company was going to take action against him, then he would “enter the ring” and reciprocate.
2GB & 3AW Saturday shakeup: Dr Feelgood is returning to airwaves
Macquarie Media is giving the 3AW broadcaster a new, four-hour show that will be syndicated across Sydney’s 2GB and Brisbane’s 4BC on Saturday evenings. Dr Cockburn, whose popular program Pillowtalk aired on Austereo between 1992 and 1998, says she hopes her rebooted program will continue to break-down taboos solve problems across the country – big or small.
She recalls one listener phoning in sometime in the 90s to say he’d gotten his penis stuck in his zipper, to which she advised him to put some ice on it or in lieu of that a cold beer, and wait for his girlfriend to come over to help him. Then there was the time a caller asked for advice on how to come out to his family.
“Dr Feelgood’s certainly making a comeback,” Dr Cockburn says. “It will definitely be grown-up and rebooted. I want to talk about relationship dilemmas, relationship issues. And I’m looking for the audience to drive what they want to hear. What I want to do is create a community. But it’s not going to be like a school lesson – it’s a Saturday night!”
Erin Molan breaks down on WSFM amid allegations of feud with Joey
Molan, who was wearing dark sunglasses, wiped her eyes as she told WSFM’s Jonesy and Amanda she was having a “rough” time in the run-up to this weekend’s NRL Grand Final.
“I am so sorry, I haven’t put my contacts in this morning. I had a rough night. I didn’t sleep very well and these are prescriptions,” Molan said, explaining her eyewear.
Radio host Amanda Keller praised Molan for her professionalism
“I think it’s because you are so professional, you are so good at your job and I think men don’t like you being good in what they still see as their world,” Keller said.
“I admire the pants off you … I just think you are the most professional female and it’s threatened everybody.”
Molan’s appearance comes after her former Footy Show co-host Beau Ryan called “bullsh**” on trolling attacking Molan for the demise of Nine’s once-top rating NRL program.
Breakfast shows on the road: Jones in Japan, Ross & John in hospital
Jones has taken his show to Tokyo this week for the Rugby World Cup and is loving the Japanese way of life.
He says there’s “no city in the world more suitable to host an Olympic Games”.
Jones spoke with the Project Director of International Communication for Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Tatsuo Ogura, to get an insight into how the preparations are going.
The Games will, of course, feature Japan’s famous love of technology, including facial recognition.
“We will use a facial recognition system for the venues to identify those people who have accreditation,” says Ogura.
“It’s going to make for smoother access to the venues for those athletes, team members and staff members.”
Meanwhile 3AW breakfast hosts Ross and John this morning are broadcasting from Melbourne’s Cabrini Hospital. The stations is taking part in the opening celebrations for the new Gandel Wing.
Ross Stevenson revealed this morning that exactly 21 years ago today he was at the hospital for the birth of his son Noah.
After attending the races tomorrow, he will attend his son’s 21st birthday paty where he will be of the speakers.
Sports Media
Sportsbet, Beteasy to merge and become Tabcorp’s biggest competitor
The Stars Group, which owns 80 per cent of what’s now called BetEasy, has announced a merger with Flutter Entertainment – the company that is the combination of Betfair and Paddy Power.
Both are big players in Australian bookmaking.
The Stars Group’s BetEasy has 8.1 per cent of Australia’s $4.3 billion wagering market, while Flutter’s Sportsbet has 18.1 per cent, according to Credit Suisse equities analysts.