Rules for an Upfront

James Warburton has been a key player in TV Upfronts for as long as they have been held in Australia. He worked first as an agency executive and then as a client. He later became a Seven sales executive, next the chief executive of Network 10, and is now chief executive of Seven West Media.

We asked him how long an Upfront should run for. “An hour is the ideal time,” Warburton told Mediaweek. “We have always done it for an hour. There have been somewhere it might have crept over by five or 10 minutes. But in general never more than an hour.”

It crept over a little this year. Running time was close to an hour and 20 minutes.

How many talking heads?

How many people should be paraded in front of hundreds of media buyers, clients and media. “In our case, where we eat, sleep and breathe content, we have a lot of talent – the people who connect with viewers – so we may as well use the talent to express our message in the best possible way.

“The rule is the CEO opens the event and the chief revenue officer, Kurt Burnette, wraps it all up. There are a few executives in the middle, but it is mainly a talent-driven show.

“You need to put on a good show, entertain your guests and be very respectful of peoples’ time.”

The CEO opens, the chief revenue officer, Kurt Burnette, closes

Upfront team for 2024

There have been a number of executive changes at Seven. Former head of Olympics at Seven Andy Kay used to have a team working on the Upfront, but he retired earlier this year. Also gone is former chief marketing officer Charlotte Valente, replaced by a new CMO, Melissa Hopkins.

Does that mean the Upfront was quite different this year? “Yes and no,” replied Warburton. “We are still the same network. There are a few things starting to come together for the television industry we will focus on. In particular VOZ and VOZ Streaming, a new measurement system that talks to reach.

“Mel Hopkins brings a very relevant client-focused lens to us. When you distil it all down it will be about content. Making sure our entertainment shows, our news, our sports and dramas are all delivering the numbers across linear television and BVOD.”

Seven chief marketing officer Melissa Hopkins

Seven’s Upfront decision makers

“It’s the senior leadership team. Every content decision we make at any time we agonise over. With all the great content we have it’s a relatively easy thing to distil and start to build. It’s based on how the year has gone and what we are changing.

“A great example is Australian Idol. We were really happy with it this year. After a 20-year hiatus, do we think we could make a much better show the second time around, absolutely.”

Warburton said a lot of work goes into the Upfront every year and there is significant planning to enable Seven to secure the time of 60 of its stars to attend. “About 40 of those will actually present.”

Apart from their on-air duties, much of that talent will be hopping on planes to Perth today and tomorrow for Telethon 2023.

Room for new programming

With a schedule crammed with returning hits, Seven has managed to find the funds and space in the schedule for six news shows – seven if you count a new look First Dates.

Warburton: “It’s a balance. What we have been able to do this year is grow four existing tentpoles – My Kitchen Rules, Farmer Wants a Wife, Dancing with the Stars and SAS Australia.

“You will hear the words at the Upfront – consistent, reliable, and growing. What clients are looking for is consistency in the types of programs, reliability and consistency in the numbers and consistency in growing in new categories for advertisers.

“There is always room for something new. If things don’t pay their way they go very quickly.”

Seven wants Dream Home to be massive

Will Dream Home have a dream run?

From the six new shows, Dream Home, being made for Seven by Endemol Shine Australia, is perhaps the most likely to become a big franchise for the channel.

“We had a long successful run with House Rules,” Warburton reminded Mediaweek of another program in the popular property space. “We subsequently rested it. Our feelings were that the house reveals were never inspirational and not up to expectations in terms of what people might want to do in their own homes. Dream Home is about a family being able to live in a home they could only ever dream of, yet probably never afford. It’s a very emotive dream versus a reality show which is more around building and bitchiness.

“We already have a lot of clients on board who want to integrate into the renovation space in the right way.

“Chris Brown will be fantastic as host and it’s a very import show for us to get right.”

Keeping Seven easy to buy

Announcements at the Upfront this week included a partnership with Databricks and the launch of Phoenix.

“With Databricks, what it can do is look at individual segments and viewers and predict what they are going to watch which is very valuable to an advertiser,” explained Warburton. “It’s an innovative addition to the 7plus stable. The Phoenix launch is an add-on and a further development for Code 7plus.

“We have to be the easiest people to deal with. A fragmented media space gives viewers so many choices and in the past television has been hard to deal with. Now you can press a button and it optimises a campaign and delivers which sees makegoods becoming a thing of the past. From the vast majority of buyers, you will hear a collective cheer of relief.

“It’s been hard because we haven’t had the technology. The digital players have had this for ages, but now we have more digital rights [cricket and soon AFL] which has been very critical.”

Let’s talk about Western Australia: Anthony DeCeglie and Natalie Barr

AI for programmers

While AI is useful for predicting audiences, Warburton explained when it comes to scheduling, nothing beats Seven’s real-world experience.

“We use everything we can to forecast how a show might perform. We never launch something for it not to be a success. We have experienced people like Angus Ross [network head of programming], Brook Hall [director of content scheduling] and Andrew Backwell [director of production] who have decades of experience between them. You can see in their scheduling and acquisitions how they use that experience. Similarly, we see what Craig McPherson [director of news and public affairs] is achieving with Spotlight.

“Our team picks the eyes out of the content which allows us to have more successes than failures in what we do.”

7plus key AVOD player, Seven open to SVOD partnership

Warburton emphasised the importance of what 7plus offers advertisers at the Upfront. We asked him if there was still an appetite at Seven for an SVOD partnership.

“I have always said I don’t believe in last mover advantage. In this case, given the sea of red across the industry, we are probably in a pretty good place from the perspective.

“Clearly we have a good relationship with NBCU, but they made it pretty clear they are not launching [Peacock] any time soon. We would be a very good partner for the right content pipe when the time is right. There is nothing at this time.”

Selling the Seven Upfront

The midweek Upfront event for 1,000 guests during SXSW Australia is just the start of selling in Seven’s 2024.

Each state flew in what Warburton called “a strong contingent”.

He added: “We will then take it to the local markets and out agency by agency until the sales team has delivered it to the entire market. They will present a cut-down version with all the videos to their clients.”

See also: Seven Upfront 2024: Every Announcement

Seven Upfront: Star power mixing with power players from the Mediaweek 100

The Seven Network has held its 2024 upfronts at the ICC during South by South West and made a series of major announcements at the event.

To talk about all these announcements, Mediaweek caught up with Seven’s chief revenue officer, Kurt Burnette, chief marketing officer, Mel Hopkins, and national digital sales director, Rachel Page.

When asked what to expect from this upfront, Mediaweek was told there will be announcements that are ready to go.

Page: “Everything tomorrow is underway, so it’s not it’s coming soon upfronts, it is a 2024 upfronts. Everything we talk about is happening, Databricks is underway, we’ve had two months of learning there. Phoenix has been underway for a couple of years, so everything is real and happening.”

Rachel Page

Hopkins said to expect myth-busting about free-to-air TV.

Hopkins: “We are redefining and demystifying the category. We’ll talk about the absolutely massive reach and impact that our programmes garner, every single week. We’re going head-to-head with Ted Lasso. Home and Away is the number one most streamed drama in all of Australia. We’re as big, if not bigger, than the digital players, particularly YouTube. It is important that the market understands it’s not just TV or nothing, but we are big and large and still garner great reach, and there is lots and lots and lots of air in our tires to go for. We want people to get excited and fall in love again.”

Melissa Hopkins

Seven’s content slate

One headline from the upfronts is that Seven continues to invest in content.

Seven’s line-up of returning show includes 7NEWS, Sunrise, The Morning Show, The
Chase Australia, Home and Away, Better Homes and Gardens, Farmer Wants A Wife,
The Voice, Dancing With The Stars, The 1% Club, Australian Idol, RFDS, My Kitchen
Rules, Big Brother, 7NEWS Spotlight and the TV WEEK Logie Awards.

While the newcomers to its schedule include Dream Home, Stranded On Honeymoon Island,
Made In Bondi, Once In A Lifetime and all-new First Dates.

Also new next year are Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story, The Wave, Australia’s Most
Dangerous Prisoners, The Hunters, The Rise And Fall Of Kings Cross, King Con: The
Life And Crimes Of Hamish McLaren and The Australian Roast Of John Cleese will feature on Seven’s schedule

Burnette: “We know how to grow an audience across total TV. Next year, we will bring those shows back and add a few more little stories in there, and a couple of new hosts or judges or whatever it needs to give it another little push forward.

“When we add content, we look at all the data on a daily basis about what’s happening in the economy and what the viewing habits are. We’re starting to see a pickup on 7Plus about some of the content that we’ve got in relation to renovation and building. That’s why we’ve commissioned Dream Home for next year with Chris Brown as the host. This is a very clear decision on content that’s right for the moment. It’s about content with heart. We’ve got lots of brands that have come around it and want to become a part of it, which is awesome.

“Then shows like Stranded on Honeymoon Island and Made in Bondi which are about relationships, noise, with sexy products all through there are going to get a lot of attention, particularly through digital and social.”

Kurt Burnette

Page: “We respect the role that each screen plays for the viewer and for the advertiser. It’s about creating the right content. 70% of the content sitting behind 7Plus is exclusive to 7Plus.

“The exclusive content for example, with Big Brother we’ll be running across both screens, but then we’ll do an hour special on 7Plus to unlock that content to go after that audience. It all works together.”

This content announcement comes after Seven announced an early TV ratings win, almost two months out from the TV ratings survey ending on December 2. A reason for the win was that major tentpole programs such as MKR, Farmer Wants a Wife, and The Voice achieved strong growth.

See Also: “Any way you cut it”: Why Seven declared an early TV Ratings win

These strong growth stories come off the back of Hopkins’ appointment as CMO earlier this year. When asked about what marketing tactics have been changed amidst these strong results, Hopkins said that it was a team effort across the company.

Hopkins: “Part of it has to go to our programming team, along with insights from 7REDiQ and our sales team around what consumers really want. There’s been a real shift since Covid-19 to programming in how people have evolved from that.

“We’re out in the market listening to what consumers want, we’ve just finished a really large piece of work with Forethought, where we’ve gone out and done a whole lot of qualitative and quantitative research around expectations of any content for any Australian. That has been super helpful to understand that most Aussies actually see content as an opportunity for self-care or some connection, be that together or on their own terms.

“Our really big job has been sharing with people outside the large audiences that we always get on Seven that don’t realise what we’ve got on. In response to this, we are doing a lot more off-platform marketing. We’ve been doing some great work digitally. We’ve been doing a lot of fantastic activations. Even our promo strategies changed. We’ve stopped doing traditional promos, we’re doing ads. The promos for our shows should be just as good as some of the best ads in Australia and ensure that they’ve got a strong creative idea in it. That is garnering really great results.”

Burnette said that Seven will also make sure that they maximise these strong viewership results and new content by using and integrating new ad products.

Burnette: How we create that is that there’s the linear broadcast in one respect and then after that is catch-up, live stream, short form, product integration. We’re using our new ad products inside those formats with everything from e-commerce to freeze frame on the connected TV and a whole bunch of stuff. Every show that’s been selected has been decided, as the NBCU content deal was, for a particular reason. There are 24,000 hours of new content next year on 7Plus, before we get into a full season of the AFL on 7Plus.

Seven Network’s Sporting Revolution

Seven will have a full 52-week schedule of sports including the AFL, cricket, horse racing,
Supercars, the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and more.

Seven will also enter a new era for its sporting rights when the AFL and cricket debut in full on 7plus, marking the first time Australia’s biggest and most popular sports will be available for free on a streaming platform.

Seven’s digital rights to cricket start in October 2024, with Test matches, Women’s Internationals, BBL and WBBL running on 7plus for the first time.

Burnette: “For an advertiser, it means that for the first time, they’ll be able to have the ads that exist on broadcast between goals of the AFL and between wickets of the cricket and be able to also get their brands in that live stream. The most powerful 30 seconds in advertising are those ads between goals and wickets. Any of the integration that we’re doing within the sports will also travel through all of Australia. Then the work that we’re doing through second screen and gamification advanced ad units, e-commerce, that will get launched when we launch into next year. ”

Hopkins: “It just goes to show Seven’s ambition to provide democratised content for all of Australia and content that they really care about. It would be a little bit like if all of a sudden the news went behind a paywall. People expect to get trusted news and to be able to access that. We believe that Australians should be able to access the best of Australian sport without having to pay for it. That talks to the heart of what Seven stands for and the role we play in Australians’ lives.”

AFL Grand Final 2023

Another announcement that Burnette in particular said is an important piece of Seven’s sports offering, is its deal with West Australia based business, Streamer.

Burnette “Streamer exists in the West at the moment and is becoming national. Streamer just plays beautifully into the fan of sport, whoever you are, and whatever age or gender you might be. Streamer offers the local community sport, you can watch your kid’s favourite sport or your local community sport. It’s live now and it’s going national and going to be absolutely massive for community brands. We think that it’s one of the big sleepers coming into next year.”

Digital Investment

Seven also announced a partnership with Databricks, a cloud, data and AI company, that uses AI to drive contextual, relevant advertising experiences for its audiences.

The deal with Databricks helps establish Seven as a media industry leader in the use of AI. It comes after the launch of Seven’s market-leading personalisation engine – built with Amazon Web Services (AWS) – which is delivering highly customised recommendations and enhanced content discovery to 7plus users.

Seven also announced new data and insights partnerships with View Media Group and
Raiz Invest which further strengthened its audience intelligence platform 7REDiQ and Seven’s enhanced advertising and viewer experience strategy.

Page: “We want to be organic in the way we deliver that product and make sure there are contextual environments. We are working with Databricks on AI and audience predictions. We’ve been working with those every couple of months now.

“We can predict where the audiences on 7Plus will be seven days out to within a 91% accuracy. We from a programming content point of view, can look at individuals and personalise that and see what they’re watching and improve that. From an ad load point of view.

“We can watch audiences and watch how they tolerate ad load, and therefore, serve ad load based on demo or segment tolerance. Then from a point of view of putting personalised ads in, how do we take content and drop an ad in that is contextual to the environment? For example, with Dream Home, we can put lifestyle products into the show. The AI with Databricks is predicting and will help you improve content, ad load and ad delivery.”

Rise of the Phoenix

Seven has also unveiled Phoenix, a platform that they hope becomes the world’s most advanced total TV trading system.

Burnette: “It’s a culmination of many years of work and investment, over $60 million in investment. Phoenix represents the most advanced platform that’s ever been put together. For broadcast and digital trading, we believe around the world, it’s certainly going to set the agenda. We’re using some of the largest tech vendors in the world and put this together. 

“It will bring together the audiences and the screens of Seven with the push of a button. Metro, regional, digital, one-channel, multiple channels together or separately, using VOZ to measure. The other thing that we’re offering for the first time using agile reporting is an overnight report on VOZ (metro, regional, and digital), but also sharing voice and attribution around site visitation based on brands going to air. If you are ever in question about your effectiveness of using television in a commercial environment, using Phoenix, we will have a report that can show you the very next day exactly what effect your brand has had on a consumer. It’s incredibly powerful. We’ve worked on it for a long, long time. It’s going to be a game changer for agencies and our own people. It will create not just ease of trade but more effectiveness that’s never been before.”

Seven delivered a slate of new announcements at its 2024 upfront event on Wednesday, as part of the South by Southwest Sydney event.

The broadcaster revealed a raft of new and returning content announcements, new digital rights, and new partnerships.

Below is a breakdown of what to expect from Seven over the next 12 months.

Seven Upfront 2024: New and Returning shows

Announced at the Upfront on Wednesday evening, Seven has announced its content line-up for 2024 across all screens, with news, sport, drama, entertainment, and special events coming to Seven and 7plus.

Seven West Media Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, James Warburton, said: “Seven creates great content. We eat, sleep and breathe content that connects with heartland Australia more than anyone else. We are the leaders in content. That’s why we have been the most watched network for 15 of the past 17 years, including the past three years in a row.

“Again this year, our content has made us #1 nationally in all people, 25 to 54s and 16 to 39s. No matter how you cut the numbers, more Australians turn to Seven than any other total TV network and we consistently deliver the most watched news, sport and entertainment content across all screens.”

See Also: “Any way you cut it”: Why Seven declared early TV Ratings win

NEW IN 2024

Dream Home

In a new renovation series for the Seven Network, Dream Home will see viewers watch six suburban homes transform before their eyes. Hosted by Dr Chris Brown, six pairs of everyday Aussies will battle it out room by room to create new homes, with a trio of expert judges set to score each new space. The winning couple will not only receive the home of their dreams, but also a life changing prize. Produced by Endemol Shine Australia (a Banijay company), Dream Home is coming to Seven and 7plus in 2024.

Stranded On Honeymoon Island

New reality format, Stranded On Honeymoon Island arrives on Seven and 7plus in 2024. The radical dating experiment sees couples matched together following a speed dating event, before being stranded on a deserted island in nothing but their wedding attire. Isolated and pitted against the forces of nature, and without the distractions of modern-day dating, can true love be found? Stranded On Honeymoon Island is created by Danish production company Snowman Productions and produced by Endemol Shine Australia (a Banijay Company) for the Seven Network. Seven acquired the rights to Stranded On Honeymoon Island from Red Arrow Studio International, who distribute the format internationally.

Made in Bondi

The reality series Made in Bondi will follow the lives and loves of Sydney’s young, social elite. Set in one of Sydney’s most exclusive neighbourhoods, opulence knows no bounds and drama is always on the menu, with every episode set to provide a front-row seat to parties, fashion, and romances. From trendy bars to luxurious harbourside mansions, this group of young socialites will navigate the interconnected web of relationships that define their lives. Based on the reality series Made in Chelsea, Made in Bondi will be co-produced by Universal International Studios’ labels Matchbox Pictures and Monkey for Seven and Channel 4 in the UK. It will launch on Channel Seven and 7plus in Australia and E4 in the UK. NBCUniversal Global Distribution will handle international sales of the new series. The “Made in” format is distributed globally by NBCUniversal Formats, also part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Once In A Lifetime

In a new animal adventure series, Dr Chris Brown will be pushed to his limits in the pursuit of the ultimate animal encounter. But he will not be travelling to the furthest corners of the globe alone. In a twist, Chris will be taking the country’s biggest personalities along… as his veterinary assistant. This is a journey into the unknown as these unlikely duos take on the challenge of helping the world’s most iconic animals – all while hopefully not putting themselves on the menu.

Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story

An insight into how hitmaker and trailblazer Michael Gudinski inspired the soundtrack of a nation and revolutionised the Australian music industry, Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story follows his pursuit of success over five decades as he launches Mushroom Records and the careers of countless artists, promotes legendary international acts, and takes Australian music to the world. Featuring exclusive interviews with some of the world’s most influential artists, extraordinary rare footage, and an electrifying soundtrack, this documentary reveals the man behind the music and the unstoppable force that was Michael Gudinski. Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story is a Mushroom Studios production.

First Dates

First Dates is back, as more singles take a chance on love. In this fly-on-the-wall dating series, hopeful singles – including some familiar faces – will have a chance of meeting the man or woman of their dreams in a set up blind date. The new series sees a new restaurant fitted out with discreet cameras to record the dates from start to finish, capturing all the awkwardness, funny moments and heart-warming connections. At the end of the evening, it will all come down to the killer question: “Would you like to go on a second date?” First Dates is a Warner Bros. International Television Australia production for the Seven Network.

The Wave

The Wave is a documentary film examining the atrocities and aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which killed at least 225,000 people and devastated the lives of many millions more. It revisits key locations in South East Asia where the effects of the tsunami can still be felt and includes individual stories of courage, resilience and – ultimately – redemption. It tells how people fought for their lives and their livelihoods; how their overwhelming grief is still – two decades on – often mixed with survivors’ guilt; and where they are today, 20 years on from the wave that changed everything. The Wave is an Arrow Pictures production for the Seven Network.

Australia’s Most Dangerous Prisoners

In Australia, there are over 40,000 men and women currently behind bars. Many of them have done very bad things. They have shattered countless lives, destroyed families and been responsible for unspeakable criminal acts. What did they do? How did they get here? And what are their lives like now? The new series will outline in detail the crimes that landed these men and women in Australia’s high security jails through first-hand accounts by ex-inmates, former correctional officers, journalists and forensic psychologists, who try to make sense of their world. Australia’s Most Dangerous Prisoners is a WTFN production for the Seven Network.

The Hunters

Investigative crime journalist Adam Shand and “The Human Lie Detector” Steve van Aperen join forces to crack famous crimes wide open. Using skills honed across decades of experience, they uncover new leads and evidence, leaving police no choice but to re-open cases. Each episode examines a different high-profile case. Adam and Steve revisit crime scenes for a hands-on recounting of each crime, and with exclusive access to original detectives, eyewitnesses, survivors and crime experts, they paint a visceral picture of murders, kidnappings, horrific attacks and underworld assassinations. The Hunters is a WTFN production for the Seven Network.

The Rise And Fall Of Kings Cross

Around the world, most nations have one place, a district or neighbourhood that never sleeps, where life is never dull, art meets crime and money will buy you anything. For Australia, that place is Sydney’s Kings Cross, the internationally notorious bawdy, riotous, gaudy, bloody neighbourhood that for generations has mixed fine art and great entertainment with rampant debauchery. This new documentary features rare and unseen vision, re-enactments and exclusive interviews in a cavalcade of stories spanning 150 years. The Rise And Fall Of Kings Cross is produced by Shadow Productions for the Seven Network.

King Con: The Life and Crimes Of Hamish McLaren

Hamish McLaren is one of the most successful con men of all time. Throughout a 30-year career, he scammed unsuspecting girlfriends, high profile businessmen, acquaintances and his best friends out of more than $60 million … and that’s just the people who came forward. Authorities suggest it could be twice that amount, as he wreaked havoc on a global scale targeting people in Canada, Asia, Europe and the UK, as well as at home in Australia. This special event series tracks the rise and fall of Australia’s most successful con man, and how Tom Zadravec, a young NSW Police detective, forensically pieced together Hamish’s scams and then brought him down. King Con: The Life and Crimes Of Hamish McLaren is a Perpetual Entertainment production for the Seven Network.

The Australian Roast Of John Cleese

Some of Australia’s funniest performers pay homage to international comedy legend, John Cleese, in a way that only Aussies know how: firing good-natured insults and jokes at our guest of honour (and each other!). Roastmaster Shane Jacobson is joined by Tom Gleeson, Joel Creasey, Christie Whelan Browne, Steve Vizard, Lehmo, Alex Lee, Lawrence Mooney, Damien Power, Stephen Hall and Rhonda Burchmore in this hilarious television event. The Australian Roast Of John Cleese is an Ocean View Entertainment production for the Seven Network.

RETURNING IN 2024

Farmer Wants A Wife

Ten long-term relationships. Nine marriages. Twenty-six babies. Farmer Wants A Wife is a show that is all about true love, not short-term social media fame. This year, the show grew its audience 13% and reached more than nine million viewers. The 2024 season is ready to roll, with more episodes, more farmers, and Samantha Armytage and Natalie Gruzlewski on a quest to find our farmers their one true love. Next year will also bring a Farmer Wants A Wife special event featuring the weddings and babies of past participants. Farmer Wants A Wife is a Fremantle Australia and Eureka Productions co-production for the Seven Network.

The Voice

The spinning red chairs are back in 2024, as host Sonia Kruger and superstar coaches search for Australia’s next singing sensation. The 2023 season of The Voice smashed it out of the park, reaching 11.7 million people, routinely winning its timeslot and generating big numbers on 7plus. Next year will be bigger, better and noisier. The Voice is produced by ITV Studios Australia for the Seven Network.

Dancing With The Stars

The stars and the sequins will hit the dance floor again in 2024 – and Sonia Kruger will welcome a brand-new co-host: Dr Chris Brown. Together, Sonia, Chris and the judges will keep the stars spinning, rhumba-ing and two-stepping. The series was up 10% year-on-year in 2023, including a 19% lift in 18 to 39s, and reached almost seven million people. Dancing With The Stars is produced by BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand for the Seven Network, from a format created by the BBC and distributed by BBC Studios.

Dancing With The Stars – 2023

Australian Idol

Twenty years after Guy Sebastian pipped Shannon Noll to become Australia’s first Idol, the international star-making show returns to Seven for a second big season. Radio king Kyle Sandilands and TV WEEK Logie Award winner and acclaimed singer Amy Shark will be joined by a new judge: Australian Idol OG and pop legend Marcia Hines. The trio will traverse the country to find the next Guy, Casey or Royston. Hosts Ricki-Lee and Scott Tweedie are back to help create an Idol dream. Australian Idol is produced by Eureka Productions for the Seven Network.

Australian Idol – 2023 winner Royston Sagigi-Baira

The 1% Club

The 1% Club caught Australia’s attention this year, becoming the top new entertainment show of 2023. The show and host Jim Jefferies will be back in 2024, as people of all ages and backgrounds find out if they are a rocket scientist or a space cadet. Unlike most quizzes, general knowledge isn’t what players need to excel; instead, it’s all about logic and common sense. To get to the end, contestants will have to bring their A-game to win big and join the elite ranks of the 1%. The 1% Club is produced by BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand, based on a Magnum Media format.

My Kitchen Rules

The cooking show reached 7.6 million people on Channel Seven and 7plus this year, serving up 13% more viewers year-on-year (overnight broadcast increase; total TV increase was 10%). Everyday cooks, great food, kitchen dramas and the wise guiding words of Manu Feildel, Colin Fassnidge and Nigella Lawson – plus the ringing of the doorbell – were a winning recipe. The series returns in 2024. My Kitchen Rules is produced by ITV Studios Australia for the Seven Network.

MKR – 2023 winners Radha and Prabha

SAS Australia

This year SAS Australia Chief Instructor Ant Middleton and his team of DS dumped 14 celebrities in a Middle Eastern desert for the biggest physical and emotional test of their lives. What will 2024 bring? A new batch of celebrities. More extreme conditions. More extraordinary tests of stamina and resilience from the real SAS selection process. More revelations. SAS Australia is produced by Screentime, a Banijay Group company, based on a Minnow Films format.

Home and Away

After 36 years of sun, surf and sizzling drama, Home and Away continues its reign as the most-watched regular local drama series on Australian screens. Four nights a week, an average of more than one million Australians visit Summer Bay – it’s also the biggest show on 7plus. Next year promises fresh faces, new drama and all the moments that make Home and Away so loved. Home and Away is a Seven Production.

RFDS

Aafter two seasons, RFDS has seen the stories of the doctors, nurses, pilots and support staff in the Royal Flying Doctor Service dealing with emergency retrievals across some of the most inhospitable places in the country. Seven has announced it has commissioned a third season of the series. RFDS is produced by Endemol Shine Australia (a Banijay company) for the Seven Network, with Banijay Rights managing international distribution.

The Chase Australia

Larry Emdur and his chasers – The Supernerd, The Shark, Goliath, The Governess, The Beast, The Tiger Mum and The Smiling Assassin – have made The Chase Australia the top afternoon game show in every week of 2023. The series will be back in 2024 for another year of tough questions, eager contestants – and with two brand new chasers, including The Professor. The Chase Australia is produced by ITV Studios Australia for the Seven Network based on the original ITV quiz show.

Big Brother

Host Sonia Kruger and Big Brother will welcome a new batch of housemates when Big Brother returns in 2024. A strong performer with younger viewers and on 7plus, Big Brother continues to draw in Australians more than 20 years after it first arrived on our screens. Next year’s series will deliver hook ups, break ups, make ups, shake ups and love in a battlefield, plus the return of Big Brother Uncut, a spicy exclusive 7plus only series. Big Brother is produced by Endemol Shine Australia (a Banijay company) for the Seven Network.

Sonia Kruger

Better Homes and Gardens

The longest running lifestyle program on Australian TV, Better Homes and Gardens has airing since 1995. Celebrating 30 years in 2024, host Johanna Griggs and presenters Adam Dovile, Charlie Albone, Dr Harry Cooper, Graham Ross, Juliet Love, “Fast Ed” Halmagyi, Karen Martini, Melissa King and Pete Colquhoun once again present all the cooking, gardening, home improvement, decorating, design, technology, health, wellbeing, fitness and motoring advice Australia needs. Better Homes and Gardens is a Seven Production.

Better Homes and Gardens – Charlie Albone, Johanna Griggs, Adam Dovile

Highway Patrol

Day in, day out, the members of the Victoria Police Highway Patrol (formerly the Traffic Management Unit) keep the roads and the people on them safe – and Highway Patrol has been with them for 14 years. Highway Patrol is produced by Greenstone TV for the Seven Network with the cooperation of Victoria Police.

Border Security: Australia’s Front Line

Border Security: Australia’s Front Line reaches a milestone in 2024: its 20th birthday. The new series will once again showcase the people from Australia’s customs, immigration and quarantine departments who devote their days and nights to keeping the country safe. Border Security: Australia’s Front Line is produced by EQ Media for the Seven Network.

Special Events

This year the TV WEEK Logie Awards returned to Seven for the first time since 1995. The Logies had its biggest audience since 2017 and reached more than 3.6 million people. The glitz, glamour and excitement of the Logies will be back on Seven and 7plus in 2024.

The Perth Channel Seven Telethon is taking place on 21 and 22 October – live from RAC Arena for 26 hours – and will return in 2024. Established in 1968, the Telethon has raised more than $500 million to ensure a better life for children, now and in the future. Funds raised support more than 100 charitable organisations that deliver media research into childhood diseases and much-needed equipment, programs and health services for sick, vulnerable and disadvantaged children in Western Australia.

Next year will also bring the Good Friday Appeal in partnership with the Herald Sun, which this year raised more than $23 million for the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.

Carols In The Domain will be live, free and exclusive on Seven on 23 December this year with a galaxy of stars helping Australia celebrate the festive season. It will be back in 2024.

The red-carpet dazzle and all the star power of both the 96th and 97th Annual Academy Awards will be on the screens of Seven in 2024 and 2025.

NEWS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS

7NEWS reaches 2.2 million people every weekday and has an average audience of 1.35 million (across the full hour), with Seven saying it leads its closest rival by 36%.

7NEWS Saturday has a national audience of 1.08 million, while 7NEWS Sunday has a national audience of 1.34 million and a 23% lead on its rival.

Hosted by Natalie Barr and Matt Shirvington, Sunrise won the 2023 breakfast battle taking the title of Australia’s highest rating breakfast show for a 20th year in a row.

The Morning Show has also achieved the same result, holding #1 for the past 16 years and winning every week of the year. As the day draws to a close, The Latest from 7NEWS goves viewers late-night TV news viewing.

Seven’s investigative series 7NEWS Spotlight has grown its audience year on year.

7NEWS.com.au has had a record year and is now one of the most-read news sites in the country, with its audience growing in every single state in combined page views – eclipsing the one billion mark during 2022-23 for the first time in the site’s history, a 20% increase year-on-year.

2023 also represents the best ever year for video plays on 7NEWS.com.au, up 31% over the same period last year.

Seven’s Director of News and Public Affairs, Craig McPherson, said: “I’m incredibly proud of the entire Seven news and public affairs team and our continued growth this year throughout all of Australia and in the key markets. To hold the position as the most watched news program is a great honour.

“We are very pleased that viewers trust us to keep them informed with truthful and honest reporting. It’s exciting to see that trust has extended across our other platforms via online and social media. It’s here 7NEWS, Sunrise and our other shows are also thriving and allowing us to reach an ever-greater audience.”

7TWO, 7MATE, 7BRAVO, 7FLIX

Key content on Seven’s multichannels next year includes:

7Two: Vera, Shetland, Father Brown, McDonald & Dodds, Karen Pirie, Grace, The Yorkshire Vet, Bargain Hunt, Escape To The Country, I Escaped To The Country.

7mate: Outback Crystal Hunters, Train Rescue Down Under, Outback Comedy Outlaw, Kings Of Pain, American Pickers, Pawn Stars, Storage Wars, Family Guy, American Dad.

7Bravo: Below Deck Down Under Season 2, Made In Chelsea Season 25, Botched Season 8, Real Housewives of Miami Season 6, Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 13, Buried in the Backyard Season 5, Accident, Suicide or Murder Season 4, Celebrity Prank Wars, The Edge with Orlando Bloom, House of Villains, Luann And Sonja: Welcome To Crappie Lake, Ballroom Dancing Queens and Live From E! live red carpet coverage.

7flix: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares and 24 Hours To Hell And Back, First Dates (Australia and UK), movies (family movies Fridays and Saturdays).

Seven Upfront 2024: Meet Phoenix, Seven’s total TV trading system

The Seven Network has announced the rollout of Phoenix, a platform the network is reporting to be the world’s most advanced total TV trading system.

Seven also announced new data and insights partnerships with View Media Group and Raiz Invest, further strengthening its audience intelligence platform 7REDiQ and Seven’s advertising and viewer experience strategy.

Seven West Media Chief Revenue Officer, Kurt Burnette, said: “Phoenix brings together the massive reach and audience of the screens of Seven for brands to invest in across the capital cities, regional Australia and digital. It is an absolute game changer for marketers and media agencies.

“Phoenix uses inventory optimisation and AI audience prediction engines to deliver guaranteed outcomes – every channel, every zone, every market, separate or converged, however our customers choose to engage – and to do more with their budgets and reach more people, more efficiently and effectively, with even more accountability.

“It is our vision that by 2030, every ad and integration served by Seven West Media will be personalised, optimised and addressable. We are well and truly on that journey,” he said.

“Phoenix means our customers can buy Seven’s audiences at the touch of a button, with 7REDiQ data overlay and real-time reporting. Phoenix creates a connected, seamless experience for advertisers – and means an increase of effectiveness and the death of makegoods.”

Kurt Burnette

Burnette said that as part of Phoenix, every fully converged total TV campaign bought will include real-time effectiveness reports to give transparency and scalable insights for action.

“We know that to be a true ‘first choice’ partner for customers, now more than ever we need to prove our effectiveness and the positive action we help create,” he said. “And that is why we will go beyond traditional media metrics and provide more insights into what is driving real business outcomes for clients.

“We know advertising on Seven works. We want to prove it and show you how.”

Phoenix will also use audience prediction tools from Databricks to drive ways of trading and enhance the accuracy and consistency of Seven’s prediction capabilities to deliver on audience outcomes for clients. 

To enhance Seven’s data and insights offering, the new partnerships with View Media Group and Raiz Invest will give clients a deeper understanding of how Australians are spending and behaving, and will become an important part of 7REDiQ.

Seven West Media National Sales Director, Digital, Rachel Page, said: “With 13.5 million registered users from 7plus, 7REDiQ is the centre of excellence for audience intelligence. The addition of View Media Group and Raiz Invest make it an even more powerful tool for clients, with more and deeper insights.

“Thanks to Raiz Invest, which is Australia’s favourite roundup and investment app, we will soon release transaction level-based audience insights that brands will be able to activate across all devices.

“View Media Group is shaking up the property listings market and is the clear leader in using AI and ML modelling to predict seller and buyer market trends and demand,” she said.

“Both View Media Group and Raiz Invest are great examples of giving our brand and agency partners the ability to address and connecting to forward thinking data and insights that will put brands ahead of the curve when it comes to connecting with Seven’s audience.”

Phoenix: The key client benefits

Combining technology from global ad sales software leaders Salesforce and Imagine Communications, the Phoenix platform will work to:

• Deliver new ways to trade in a dynamic and converged way across all the Seven platforms, leading the evolution of trading and creating the future of total TV audience trading.
• Enable clients to buy across all the screens of Seven easily and effectively.
• Allow the full utilisation of data assets, leveraging the introduction of VOZ and Seven’s unique data assets to expand multi-screen audience delivery opportunities.
• Centralise and harmonise client data across Seven’s capital city, regional and digital assets to provide a holistic data view to clients, allowing the optimisation of campaign delivery.
• Offer converged reporting that provides a complete picture, across all platforms, in one place, creating a streamlined and efficient view of customer activities and quick action and response times.
• Reduce the time spent on linear and converged booking processes from hours to minutes.
• Drive customer-centricity and focus through innovative and market-leading CRM tools.

Seven Upfront 2024: Databricks partnership brings AI to Seven’s advertisers

The Seven Network has announced a partnership with cloud, data and AI company, Databricks, which uses AI to drive contextual, relevant advertising experiences for its audiences.

The alliance with Databricks comes after the launch of Seven’s personalisation engine – built with Amazon Web Services (AWS) – which is delivering highly customised recommendations and enhanced content discovery to 7plus users.

Seven West Media Chief Digital Officer, Gereurd Roberts, said: “AI has been embedded in our business for the past 18 months. It’s at the heart of our entire user experience on 7plus, powering the personalisation engine we have implemented with AWS.

“AI-driven personalisation is live across the entire 7plus ecosystem on every device and every screen. It has redefined the AVOD experience in Australia, putting us on a different level to our competitors and on par with the best global SVOD platforms.

“For our viewers, it means a dynamic interface and real-time shelf ordering that serves the most relevant content recommendations, based on their individual viewing behaviour, and importantly, the AI model’s prediction of their future viewing behaviour,” he said.

With 13.5 million registered users, 7plus saw its live streaming lift 40% during the 2022-23 financial year and VOD viewing increase 15%.

Roberts said: “We are moving 7plus from being one product for all, with everyone seeing the same thing, to truly being one-to-one. Audiences today expect personalised, relevant experiences. When you get this right, they reward you.”

After Seven’s work with AWS, the personalised content shelves on 7plus have seen a 48% increase in minutes watched over, while the personalised ‘Trending now’ shelf has seen viewer interactions jump three times versus the previous human curation.

“With Databricks, we are extending our ground-breaking implementation of AI beyond the user experience to include the advertiser experience,” Roberts said.

The first phase of Seven’s work with Databricks has been completed, enabling Seven to predict what the audience on 7plus will be over the next seven days, to a level of accuracy of over 91%.

Roberts said: “Through this work, we can tell you today what the next week of audience on 7plus will look like, all the way down to a show level. For our clients, that translates into buying with confidence.

“Phase two of our work with Databricks, which is underway right now, will allow us to not only predict the audience across the next seven days and beyond, but we will also be able to break it down by segment and demographic. You can not only see the audience you want to find, but also the scale with which we can deliver it.”

Roberts said that, building on the first two phases of the Databricks project, phase three will use AI to identify acceptance of ad load by audience segment and dynamically change the size of the ad breaks accordingly.

Seven West Media Chief Revenue Officer, Kurt Burnette, said: “This doesn’t just take contextual advertising to a new level, it turns it on its head. We want to be meticulous about the right ad load, and the right type of ad, for the right audience.

“There’s a lot more in play, like using AI not only to serve the ads but to find the most meaningful moment in any show to integrate brands inside the content, in real-time.

“That is how we are using AI: to drive engagement in our content, and to drive engagement with advertising. It’s that combination of user experience and ad experience that we call the customer experience – and we have an absolute focus on both,” he said.

Adam Beavis, Vice President and Country Manager for Databricks in ANZ said “Seven has long been a leader in Australian media and its continued investment in game- changing technology like AI only reinforces this leadership position.

“Australian enterprises are doing some phenomenal things with AI, which is only going to strengthen their market positions. Databricks’ lakehouse unifies data, analytics, and AI on a single platform, and it always excites us when we get to help market leaders build AI solutions and derive the insights they need to continue evolving their businesses.”

Seven Upfront 2024: New and exclusive content coming to 7plus in 2024

Seven Network will be delivering new and exclusive premium content on their streaming platform 7plus in 2024.

The network has promised new user experience features and new advertising products, as well as the launch of “the biggest revolution ever seen in the Australian streaming market” in September.

The offerings will include first-run content from the biggest and best studios in the world, including NBCUniversal, Disney, Fox, Sony Pictures, ITV Studios and many more.

Seven West Media Chief Digital Officer, Gereurd Roberts, said: “7plus is already the most advanced AVOD service in Australia and next year we will extend that lead, as we continue to build out our world-class product.

Gereurd Roberts

“In 7plus we have a platform that goes well beyond the scope of traditional BVOD and is a premium streaming destination in itself, with the content pillars of live, on demand and FAST channels driving growth.

“More than 70% of the content on 7plus is exclusive to it and almost 60% of all viewing comes from non-broadcast content,” he said.

“At the same time live streaming is booming on 7plus, driven by amazing content this year such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the AFL Grand Final, the Brownlow Medal and much, much more.

“7plus is constantly breaking records. The FIFA Women’s World CupTM Semi Final between the Matildas and England on 16 August had an extraordinary 957,000 viewers on 7plus, shattering the record for the most streamed event ever in Australia. The AFL Grand Final on 30 September had 441,000 viewers on 7plus, which was the biggest ever audience for an AFL match on a streaming platform.”

Seven West Media Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, James Warburton, said: “The addition of AFL and cricket to 7plus will be biggest game changer in the history of Australian streaming. Together, they will represent four billion new minutes of viewing on 7plus a year.

James Warburton

“That is the equivalent in minutes of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and FIFA Women’s World CupTM combined – not 17 days or five weeks but 52 weeks of the year, every year. It’s a whole new ball game, for Seven, for sport fans and for our commercial partners.”

“To deepen engagement for the millions of existing and new users, new features coming to 7plus in 2024 include start over, live pause and rewind, skip credits, picture-in-picture, and even more personalisation features to keep users engaged.”

2024 will also see a suite of new advertising products on 7plus.

Seven West Media Chief Revenue Officer, Kurt Burnette, said: “The new advertising products include dynamic live overlays, extending 7plus’ leadership with additional premium interactive ads, and more formats for non-intrusive sport and FAST channel commercialisation. They are all about the continual creation of an enhanced advertising and viewer experience through rich second screen application and shoppable content.”

Seven Upfront 2024: Full digital rights to AFL and cricket headline sport slate

In 2024, Seven will be bringing the AFL and cricket to 7plus with the introduction of full digital rights.

The AFL rights will kick in with the Brownlow Medal and the AFL Grand Final in 2024, followed by the AFLW (which is already running on 7plus) then the full 2025 season.

Seven’s digital rights to cricket start in October 2024, with Test matches, Women’s Internationals, BBL and WBBL running on 7plus for the first time.

See Also: What 7Plus is doing to change the streaming game in 2024

Seven West Media Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, James Warburton, said: “The addition of AFL and cricket to 7plus will be biggest game changer in the history of Australian streaming. Together, they will represent four billion new minutes of viewing on 7plus a year.

“That is the equivalent in minutes of the Tokyo Olympics and FIFA Women’s World CupTM combined – not 17 days or five weeks but 52 weeks of the year, every year. It’s a whole new ball game, for Seven, for sport fans and for our commercial partners.”

The new digital rights to the AFL and cricket join the overall sport slate on Seve, which has reached more than 18 million people so far this year.

Sports on Seven include the AFL, AFLW, Test cricket, BBL, WBBL, Supercars, the NFL Super Bowl, The Everest, the Golden Slipper, the Golden Eagle, the Caulfield Cup, the Cox Plate, The Big Dance, the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, surfing, netball, golf, and hockey.

Managing Director Seven Melbourne and Head of Network Sport, Lewis Martin, said: “At Seven, we are passionate about sport. We are champions of it – the games, the codes, the athletes, the fans. We know firsthand how sport brings an entire nation together, as we all saw with the extraordinary performance of the Matildas in the FIFA Women’s World CupTM this year.

“Nobody does sport better than Seven. That’s why we’re #1. And it’s not just about one-off events; it is Australia’s best sport, 52 weeks a year, on every screen, meaning Seven reaches more racing hearts of Australian sport fans than anyone else.

“We also believe in democratising sport, ensuring it is live and free for everyone. Next year will be a massive one for the fans, when the AFL and cricket arrive live and free on a streaming platform for the first time. Millions of Australians will be able to see their favourite sports on 7plus for free, for the first time. It is going to be huge and will change the way Australians watch sport forever,” he said.

“And, of course, Seven is still the only place to offer the most powerful marketing weapon in the country: the 30 seconds after a goal in AFL and after a wicket in the cricket.”
Next year will also bring the national rollout of streamer.com.au, Australia’s fastest-growing community sport live-streaming platform.”

streamer.com.au

Established by The West Australian, Streamer is the home of community sport and showcases everything from amateur karate to State tennis and grassroots footy. Unlike other similar platforms, Streamer lets leagues, clubs and players create profiles and do everything from fundraising to sharing their highlight clips from games on social media. It also allows sporting organisations to control and house their own content on the site.

Streamer has seen major growth, and in the past eight months alone, viewership has risen by more than 200% and Streamer has onboarded more than 220 clubs. Now it is going national, with BHP as its foundation partner.

West Australian Newspapers editor-in-chief Anthony De Ceglie said: “Our aim is for Streamer to be the most popular one-stop shop for live streaming community sport and events in Australia. Streamer has been built to accommodate streaming programs from clubs and leagues at any price point. It’s a true social media disrupter that is technologically far superior to any other sites live-streaming grassroots sports and, importantly, it hands over power to sporting organisations and players. This means they can do everything from clipping highlights to creating player profiles or even fundraising via Streamer.”

AFL 

The 2023 AFL season wrapped on 30 September, when Collingwood defeated the Brisbane Lions in a AFL Grand Final that reached 4.98 million Australians.

The Grand Final became the most watched TV program in 2023 outside of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, scoring an average total television audience of 3.75 million viewers, including 3.3 million viewers nationally (up 22% on the 2022 Grand Final) and 2.47 million in the capital cities. An additional 441,000 viewers watched live on 7plus – the biggest ever audience for an AFL match on a streaming platform.

The AFL and the AFLW return to Seven in 2024 – and for the following seven years – along with the Brownlow Medal (exclusive to Seven).

Sam Pang, Mick Molloy and Andy Maher will be back at the bar hosting the award-winning The Front Bar, and serving up another season of insights, interviews and laughs. The Front Bar team will also return in November this year for a cricket special ahead of the Summer of Cricket.

Cricket

The summer of cricket on Seven rolled out on 1 October, when the Australian women’s cricket team took on the West Indies in the first of six white-ball matches.

Martin said: “That’s just the start of a sensational summer of cricket on Seven. With reinvigorated, shortened and power-packed BBL and WBBL seasons featuring the biggest names in the game, coupled with the history and reverence of the men’s and women’s summer Test series, it’s going to be the greatest ever season on Your Home of Cricket.”

Supercars

Following the Repco Bathurst 1000 on 6-8 October – which reached 5.13 million people – the Supercars Championship will roar back onto Seven in 2024.

With six Supercars Championship rounds across the screens of Seven next year, motorsport fans will be treated to the biggest and best dates on the motorsport calendar.

So far this year, Seven’s racing coverage has reached 7.9 million Australians across broadcast and BVOD, and has increased year-on-year.

Racing

The Spring Racing calendar is the pinnacle of the 7Racing portfolio, which covers Australian thoroughbred racing every Saturday of the year.

The long-term agreement with Racing Victoria and Racing NSW, which includes key race days in conjunction with Racing Queensland and Racing SA and means Australians enjoy 52 weeks of racing across the country.

The agreement includes Magic Millions, The Big Dance, The Everest, the Golden Slipper, the Golden Eagle, the Caulfield Cup, the Cox Plate, the Championships, the All Star Mile, the Queensland Oaks, the Queensland Derby, the South Australian Derby and the South Australian Oaks and Goodwood Handicap.

The year of sport on Seven also features the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race from Boxing Day, the Santos Tour Down Under, the rest of the 2023-24 NFL season – including the Super Bowl LVIII on 12 February 2024 – NFL Armchair Experts, AFL Armchair Experts and The Sunday Session.

Seven Upfront 2024: Channel 4 co-commission brings “Made in” format to Bondi

The Seven Network and Channel 4 in the UK have co-commissioned a new version of the British reality format “Made in”, which will be set in Bondi, Sydney.

The reality series Made in Bondi will follow the lives and loves of Sydney’s young, social elite. Set in one of Sydney’s most exclusive neighbourhoods, opulence knows no bounds and drama is always on the menu, with every episode set to provide a front-row seat to parties, fashion and, romances. From trendy bars to luxurious harbourside mansions, this group of young socialites will navigate the interconnected web of relationships that define their lives.

The series will be co-produced by Universal International Studios’ labels Matchbox Pictures and Monkey for Seven and Channel 4. It will launch on Channel Seven and 7plus in Australia and E4 in the UK. NBCUniversal Global Distribution will handle international sales of the new series.

The “Made in” format is distributed globally by NBCUniversal Formats, also part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Made in Bondi is based on the original BAFTA winning series Made in Chelsea, created and produced by Monkey. Now in its 26th series on E4, Made in Chelsea has continued to entertain audiences across the UK and all over the world for over a decade, garnering critical acclaim and a passionate fan-base. Beyond the fast cars, high fashion and winter and summer breaks, the series strives to shine a light on important topics that resonate with audiences; from grief and sexuality, to relationships and parenthood.

Seven’s Chief Content Officer, Entertainment Programming, Angus Ross, said: “After more than a decade spanning 26 seasons, the BAFTA award-winning Made in Chelsea is a true phenomenon of the reality TV genre and we can’t wait to bring the Australian version to the screens of Seven and beyond in 2024. Set against the backdrop of some of Australia’s most affluent and beautiful suburbs – and with an amazing cast of Sydney locals – Made in Bondi will be an addictive, glamorous and wild ride that will have viewers hooked from the first minute.”

Karl Warner, Head of Youth and Digital at Channel 4, said: “I’m thrilled to see ‘Made in’ growing into a global franchise. Made in Chelsea has been the jewel in E4’s crown for over 10 years and has become one of the most important digital brands in the C4 portfolio, loved by our audiences across a range of platforms. We’re delighted to be partnering with Seven and working with new friends, Matchbox and old [but fabulous] friends, Monkey.”

Mediaweek is on the ground at SXSW Sydney, with coverage brought to readers, listeners and viewers by Ryvalmedia and News Shorts. 

Here’s what happened on Wednesday, October 18.

Indies Unleashed: How To Elevate Smaller Agencies

By Tess Connery and Alisha Buaya

At Clear Hayes House, the question was asked: There are over 9,000 advertising agencies in Australia, so why do we only hear from the same ones over and over?

Joining Alex Hayes, Principal of Clear Hayes Consulting, on the panel were Laura Aldington, Co-Founder of Supermassive, Matt Lawton, Managing Director at Five by Five Australia, and Alisha Buaya, Agency Editor at Mediaweek.

“As a journalist I really like writing about human interest stories and I think the independent agency sector showcases that journey,” said Buaya.

“Understanbley the market is saturated with 9000s indies across Australia. There is a lot of competition out there, and while I understand that indies want to keep their talent and work close to their chest, I want to celebrate the industry and what indies have to offer and what they have achieved.”

“There are only two things that can fill a stadium in this county, sport and music”. Dan Rosen, President of Australiasia at Warner Music Group, started one of the first sessions of Day 4 exploring how these two cultural pillars, working closer together, can be greater than the sum of their parts. Adam Goodes, the 17-year veteran of the Sydney Swans and now CEO of the Black Excellence Fund and Nina Agzarian of NLV Records talked how brands can better engage with talent.

Goodes spoke to the importance of long-term partnerships in his assessment of brand opportunities and the rising importance across the industry of shared values between talent and any potential deals. Shared values are becoming more important for athletes and that’s going to change the ability for some brands to engage with them.

Rosen said that when he was playing in indie bands, the idea of someone like Nirvana engaging in a corporate partnership would be completely out of the question. It has become accepted in culture by fans, and an important revenue stream for artists in the current climate. On Monday, John Graham, the Minister for Music and the Nighttime Economy told the audience that in the last 12 years, the amount of live music venues in Sydney has halved. Asked about this, Agzarian had a clear message on how to help revitalise live music here: Go to a gig. Be a fan. Engage with artists.

Music was a big theme in Day 4, with Nathan Thompson, Vice President Tour Marketing at Live Nation speaking about how consumer trends have drastically altered the live music and events industry post pandemic. Whilst the cost-of-living crisis is core to emerging trends, event-goers will still find a way attend an event they really want to attend, but it will often be events with niche followings that require a more strategic approach to sell tickets.

Nathan Thompson explained that “music and entertainment businesses need to focus have an audience-first approach rather than a channel-first approach”.

In a relatively packed room, Lara Thom, Global CMO of Guzman y Gomez led a panel discussing whether we can prove the money being spent on marketing makes an impact on a business’ bottom line.

Paul Sinkinson from Analytics Partners quite passionately spoke to how quickly brands introduce new campaigns well before they’ve seen any pay-off for the activity that’s running. While the panel spoke to this being a function of impatient marketers, agencies also influence the desire for new creative. Their business models are based on head hours, and it poses the question; is there the right incentive alignment for agencies today to focus on the key objectives of a company? Sinkinson brought up examples where a campaign’s returns significantly increased in the 3rd and 4th years of it running. Great creative work is fundamental in building strong memories for brands, but with news today of another big global consolidation of agencies, it makes the question more pertinent.

While we might not need creative changes in campaigns as quickly as they are happening today, Roxy Young, Chief Marketing and Consumer Experience Officer at Reddit spoke to the importance of consistently building community for brands. Young spoke to the increase influence of community in purchase decisions, from the car Young bought to skin routine, which were all recommended through Reddit.

To end the day, I decided to head to my old local, the Lord Gladstone in Chippendale. It’s a great pub, where a lot of Sydney bands play and in an alternative universe, the type of venue Nirvana would play in their early days. Out the back there was a big Meta façade. Seeing the 10th biggest company in the world by market cap in partnership with the Lord Gladstone, made me think about what Rosen said: the culture of brand partnerships has changed and that presents a lot more opportunity for everyone.

The 19th edition of Advertising Week New York 2023 has filled Manhattan’s recently redeveloped PENN DISTRICT to its absolute brim, attracting spirited, spilling crowds containing some of the keenest minds in marketing, media, advertising, and communications.

Mediaweek continued their on the ground coverage of the event, attending a number of key sessions throughout Tuesday. Here is a recap of some of the highlights from AWNewYork’s second day:

See Also: AWNewYork 2023: Day one recap – Super Bowl, OneRepublic, Barbie & Paris Hilton

Netflix: The Next Era in Advertising

Hot off the press release, Peter Naylor, VP of global advertising sales at Netflix was first to break the news of he upcoming first-of-its kind live sporting event, the Netflix Cup to the AWNewYork audience, “The Netflix Cup is going to stream live around the world on November 14th. We announced this just two hours ago.”

He enthused, “Netflix Cup is going to take the drivers from Formula 1: Drive To Survive and the golfers from the PGA and put them into a match play golf tournament.”

“What’s so great about these shows is they’re so influential on culture… and this offers an impactful opportunity for advertisers.” Naylor cited that the Netflix Cup has been powered by sponsors like T-Mobile and Nespresso. He welcomed Jessica Padula, VP of marketing and Interim VP of sustainability at Nespresso USA, to elaborate on Nespresso’s approach to this partnership opportunity.

Netflix: The Next Era in Advertising – Peter Naylor – Vice President of Global Advertising Sales, Netflix and Jessica Padula – Vice President of Marketing and Interim Voce President of Sustainability, Nespresso

Padula made clear the brand ambition Nespresso has to align with the right cultural moments, “We’re in awareness-building mode, so anytime you think about global reach and scale, and getting eyeballs on your brand, you have to think of it in a couple different ways… You know, the adage of right time, right place, right message.”

Nespresso has recently leveraged the Netflix talent pool, bringing on Julia Garner (Inventing Anna, Ozark) and Simone Ashley (Bridgerton, Sex Education) to join George Clooney as faces of the single-serve coffee brand.

Said Padula of the Netflix Cup, “We get to be associated with something people are excited to spend time with versus advertising, which can sometimes be just push[ing] yourself in their face when they don’t want to hear from you.

“Since we signed up for it, we’ve been spending almost daily conversations with the team, building out something that makes it meaningful, both for the people who are on site at the event, because there’s obviously going to be a tone of attendees, but also so that it shows up in a really natural way where it’s connected to who we are as a brand.”

During the session Naylor also announced the launch of single title sponsorships for Netflix shows, with the first being Frito-Lay’s sponsorship of the Emmy-nominated series, Love is Blind.

Creators, Collabs and Content: Captiv8, e.l.f. Beauty & Chris Olsen

Chris Olsen is a digital creator and actor who boasts a 12 million strong following on TikTok. Meanwhile, e.l.f beauty is the only major cosmetic brand to gain one million followers on the platform. Earlier this year, the two social media megaminds came together for the hugely successful collaboration, Make up over Makeup. 

The project brought Olsen and his ex-boyfriend Ian Paget back into the public arena following their highly publicised breakup, where heartfelt reflections of their relationship were accompanied by the intimate exchange of touch ups using e.l.f. cosmetics. 

Right off the bat, the video landed in YouTube’s Top 10 trending videos, and the video alone has garnered two billion impressions to date.

Moderator, Meridith Rojas, chief brand officer of Captiv8’s, described it as “the anti-ad.”

Creators, Collabs and Content: Captiv8, e.l.f. Beauty; Chris Olsen – Chris Olsen – Digital Creator and Actor, Laurie Lam – Chief Brand Officer, e.l.f. Beauty and Meridith Rojas, Chief Brand Officer, Captiv8

Rojas commented: “I think your community, your fans, they were already kind of curious about or you have a lot of assumptions about why you guys broke up, and e.l.f saw an opportunity to create a space to have that conversation.”

Laurie Lam, chief brand officer at e.l.f. Beauty, attested that “value and virality” have been part of e.l.f’s DNA since its inception. 

Regarding partnerships, such as the one with Olsen, Lam expressed, “I do think it’s all about authenticity. And for us at e.l.f, it’s always brand and purpose first… If you lead with your heart and your purpose first, you don’t have to sell the product. It wasn’t even on [Olsen’s] brief.”

Olsen affirmed, “it was this beautiful, symbiotic mix of sharing our personalities and sharing these products.”

Speaking more broadly on the topic of brand collaboration, authenticity, and purpose-driven influencer marketing, Olsen drew parallels to creators like himself being perceived by brands “as a billboard, in a way.” He emphasised the critical distinction for brands, that they are “partnering with people,” not a unit of inventory.

Olsen noted, “I think as a creator, I can definitely tell when a brand has picked me because they genuinely love my content. And then on the flip side, you can tell when a brand has picked you based on numbers and based on engagement, and aren’t that familiar with your content. And obviously, the former is so much more successful as a partnership.”

Getting Real About Audio with the Stars of SiriusXM’s Radio Andy

Andy Cohen, the Emmy-award winning former host of Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, fittingly hosted the rambunctious panel featuring the greatest and latest pop culture audio sensations of SiriusXM.

Since moving on from Bravo, Cohen now has two dedicated channels on SiriusXM including Radio Andy, of whom he has been stationed with for over eight years. His shows include  Andy Cohen Live, Andy Cohen’s Deep & Shallow Podcast, and Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.

Cohen also shares a 16 year long working partnership with panel member Jeff Lewis. Lewis himself is no stranger to the public eye, rising to popularity on reality TV show Flipping Out. Today he is known as the “uncensored” host of his acclaimed radio shows Jeff Lewis Live and Jeff Lewis Has Issues. 

Lewis defined his media to the AWNewYork audience as a “mindless escape” with Cohen playfully pointing out that Lewis “has no filter, on or off the air,” leading to what Lewis describes as a “complicated” relationship with advertisers.

“When I started the show, I didn’t really take it seriously… When I read the live reads we would add like ‘naked’ at the end of each sentence. We would joke around.” Nonetheless, Lewis can proudly boast an engaged audience, quipping, “They’re telling me my passion score is 83… Does anyone even know what that means?”

Both Cohen and Lewis conveyed to the audience their shared satisfaction in the decision to transition to five days on air.

Cohen, whose show on Bravo ran twice a week, recalled “Sirius wanted me for a very long time to strip it and go every day. And I’m so glad that I did. This daily conversation with the listeners is so gratifying for me, and I absolutely love it.”

Lewis added, “I’m very committed to my audience, and they’re very committed to me, and I don’t want to go off air for too long, because I’m afraid they’re gonna go find someone else.”

Getting Real About Audio with the Stars of SiriusXM’s Radio Andy – Jeff Lewis – Host, Jeff Lewis Live; Jeff Lewis Has Issues, The Smith Sisters and Andy Cohen – Host, Andy Cohen Live; Andy Cohen’s Deep and Shallow Podcast; Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

Also on the panel were relative newcomers to the audio hosting space were sisters Lauren, Maria, and Rachel smith, whom Cohen picked up to host their own show in Andy Radio, Smith Sisters Radio. By no means are the sisters strangers to the entertainment and pop culture landscape; they possess an almost encyclopedic knowledge.

All with comedy TV writing and producing backgrounds, the Smith sisters’ quick wit, contagious humour, and vivacious chemistry sustains what Cohen describes as “must-listen radio.” 

Defining their individual expertises in the mainsteam, Rachel stated, “Mine is anything UK… and anything Lesbian, especially YouTubers and soccer players.” Said Lauren, “I’m our legacy celebrity expert… and then everything on television,” while Mariah contributed, “you also watch the prestige appointment TV.”

Mariah is a Kardashian connoisseur, who Cohen mentioned “basically came up with all of the questions for the Kardashians for reunion,” a culture cornerstone moment in pop culture condcuted by Cohen.

15 Seasons of Shark Tank

Clearly popular viewing among the AWNewYork delegates, the cast of American Broadcasting Company’s Shark Tank drew a frenzy so extreme it warranted an announcement from the fire and safety martial to clear the room post session.

In a conversation led by Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO of Thrive Global, the Sharks discussed and debated the experiences they have shared growing remarkable brands over the last 15 years as part of their hit reality TV show; a show that launched a global franchise of local adaptations including Shark Tank Australia. 

In her opener, Huffington remarked, “Shark Tank keeps alive the American dream,” underscoring how to date it has been responsible for US$226 million in deals, and US$8 billion in sales.

15 Seasons of Shark Tank – Daymond John – Founder of FUBU, fashion and branding expert and 3x New York Times Best Selling Author, FUBU, Mark Cuban – Founder of Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, owner of the 2011 NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban Companies, Lori Greiner – Self-made Entrepreneur, Brand Builder, Marketing genius and Inventor of over 1,000 products, Barbara Corcoran – Real Estate Mogul and Founder of The Corcoran Group and Kevin O’Leary – Venture Capitalist, Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO of Thrive Global

Commenting on the show’s success, Lori Greiner, self-made entrepreneur, brand builder, marketing guru and “inventor of over 1,000 products,” pointed to the inspirational nature of the show that resonates with an aspirational audience. Said Greiner, “Most people when they watch our show they become excited and get ideas.”

Mark Cuban, founder of Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company and owner of the 2011 NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks, expressed, “We’re a country of dreamers… We add to that hope.”

Daymond John, founder of FUBU, fashion and branding expert, and three times New York Times Best Selling Author, reflected on how “the show changed as we started to grow,” highlighting the dramatic evolutions in the consumer landscape that unfolded during the show’s lifespan, from the advent of crypto to the rise of social media. He offered the example, “Things have stopped going direct to retail… now brands could do a million the night [their episode] airs.”

Barbara Corcoran, real estate mogul and founder of The Corcoran Group, referred to the show as a “free MBA on Friday night” and credited the rising calibre of entrepreneurs they encounter to the show’s influence, remarking, “they have gotten better… and so savvy on social media.”

Sharing her insights on what sets such talent apart in finding business success, Corcoran advised, “The best entrepreneurs take less time feeling sorry for themselves.”

Cuban echoed, “It’s not a special source, it’s primarily effort.”

Addressing concerns around the current economic climate, venture capitalist Kevin O’Leary stressed “the cost of capital isn’t free anymore… entrepreneurs have to be more resourceful.”

He declared, “Great ideas are great ideas, but you need executional skills.”

See Also:  TV Ratings August 29, 2023: Shark Tank premieres with one entrepreneur given an offer he couldn’t refuse

Commercial Radio Australia has released the latest Australian Podcast Ranker tables for performance in the month of September 2023.

Still enjoying top spot is LiSTNR’s Hamish & Andy, with 940,095 monthly listeners and 2,014,123 monthly downloads this month.

Second place is still held by iHeart’s Casefile: True Crime with 804,408 monthly listeners and 2,172,928 monthly downloads.

There has been a shake up in third place, with Mamamia Out Loud dropping to fourth place, and Shameless lifting a spot to round out the top three. September sees Shameless record 630,940 monthly listeners and 1,542,942 monthly downloads.

The biggest lifter of the month was News Corp’s The Teacher’s Trial, as the podcast follows the case of Lynette Dawson’s murder. The Teacher’s Trial jumped 75 places, landing at #47.

ARN’s iHeart remained the top podcast publisher in September. ARN’s Head of Digital Audio, Corey Layton, said: “With 20 nominations in the upcoming Australian Podcast Awards, todays result further showcases of our incredible slates ability to engage listeners and brands alike. Congratulations to our team and partners for their continued success.”

LiSTNR has retained its top position as Australia’s largest podcast sales representatives network, reaching more than 7.7 million monthly listeners in September.

SCA Executive Head LiSTNR Podcasts, Grant Tothill, said “It’s good to see that across the year podcast listening continues to grow. While the top five podcasts are consistent, it’s great to see our new podcasts debuting as well as they have, along with the continued strong performance of our titles in our key verticals – Sport, Parenting and Kids Entertainment, News, Entertainment and Culture, Factual & Drama and Radio podcasts.

“With Hamish & Andy continuing their run as Australia’s most listened to podcast along with the diverse audience all of our titles appeal to, there’s even more reason for advertisers to be talking to audiences in a trusted and personal environment they can’t achieve with other media.”

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

The Santos Tour Down Under has announced the Seven Network will retain domestic broadcast rights to the renowned race with an extended agreement to bring the action-packed event to viewers for another year.

The longstanding partnership, in place since 2019, ensures the Seven Network will continue to hold the exclusive domestic rights to broadcast every stage of the Santos Tour Down Under in its entirety, both on the screens of Seven and 7plus. 

The 2023 broadcast made history as the first time that every stage of the Santos Tour Down Under women’s race was broadcast in full on free-to-air television both nationally and internationally.

Network head of sport and managing director, Seven Melbourne, Lewis Martin, said the network was rapt to extend the partnership and continue to bring cycling to Australian audiences live and free.

Martin said: “Our extended partnership with the Santos Tour Down Under will take the Australian summer of cycling into a new era, reach new audiences across our digital platforms, and bring fans all the exciting competition, exceptional entertainment and world-class talent they love, all live and free on Seven, Australia’s Home of Sport.”

The 2024 race routes were announced in June and include a stage start in Murray Bridge to highlight flood recovery across river communities, the first time Union Cycliste Internationale WorldTour women will tackle Willunga Hill, and the hardest final weekend in Santos Tour Down Under history with both Willunga Hill and Mount Lofty set to feature in the men’s race.

Executive director, Events South Australia, South Australian Tourism Commission, Hitaf Rasheed said she was excited the partnership with the Seven Network would continue:

“The 2024 race routes will test elite international cyclists like never before and we want to ensure as many Australians as possible can see each stage in full detail, in a way that suits them.

“We are seeing an increasing number of fans tuning in across Australia each year to watch the race, with cycling’s popularity continuing to grow. We are excited to attract more fans to our great race through its high-quality broadcast.”

Cycling fans can enjoy a broadcast of a combined 1,116 kilometres of action across nine days of racing. The women’s race will be in the spotlight on weekend one, kick-starting racing on Friday 12 January with a fast-paced stage from Hahndorf to Campbelltown.

The men’s broadcast will begin on Tuesday 16 January and return to the Barossa for an opening stage that starts and finishes in Tanunda.

See Also: Gravity Media Australia partners with Events South Australia to deliver Santos Tour Down Under

Initiative announces the promotion of Megan Davey to the newly created role of general manager, Initiative Melbourne. 

Reporting directly to managing director Sarah James, Davey’s remit will be work alongside James driving Melbourne’s growth agenda as the agency continues to expand its market footprint.

James said the general manager is a key appointment for the agency as it continues its expansion, and having a a talented partner like Davey as part of the national leadership team will enable the agency to grow, foster innovation and uphold its ambition to deliver exceptional client results.

James said: “I am delighted Megan is ready for her next challenge in her leadership journey and has accepted the role.  We often say to our team that they will do the best work of their career at Initiative, and as a result your career will flourish; this mantra has proven true for Megan.

“She is a talented leader and has been driving force behind incredible success of some of Melbourne’s major clients. Her passion, energy and business acumen earn her the respect and admiration of her team and clients alike.  Her promotion is well deserved and on behalf of all my colleagues I welcome her to my leadership team.”

Davey’s increased remit includes leading process across the agency and upskilling the wider team. She will also retain leadership on some of the largest clients in Melbourne’s client portfolio.

On her new role Davey commented: “I am excited to help lead Initiative Melbourne into its next growth phase and look forward to working closely with Sarah to ensure our team deliver outstanding media solutions that drive success for clients.

“I am also very excited that my expanded role will allow me to broaden my impact and provide mentorship across the agency focusing on development and growth for the team.  I’ve always considered myself an accessible colleague and I will continue this philosophy into my new leadership role.”

Davey’s career at Initiative spans seven years commencing in 2016 in a client director role and moving through the ranks to her most recent role as client partner. Her new role is effective immediately. 

See Also: Melissa Fein celebrates Initiative Australia’s hard work and efforts following their landslide win at the MFA Awards

–

Top Image: Megan Davey and Sarah James

PHD Australia has announced its partnership with Beatgrid, the single-source cross-media audience measurement solution.

The partnership comes in response to the growing need for single-source cross-platform measurement.

Beatgrid addresses one of the most pressing concerns for global brands and marketers today, the accurate measurement for attribution of advertising investments. The partnership will empower PHD in its efforts to address the global push from brands and leading national advertiser associations to expedite the implementation of a new wave of cross-media measurement solutions.

The adtech and ad effectiveness startup provides PHD and its clients with accurate, cross-media measurement tools and technology, that provide single-source online and offline measurement using first-party opt-in panel data, positioning the media group ever further ahead of the competition in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Daniel Tjondronegoro, co-founder of Beatgrid, said: “This partnership proves that the demand for alternative media measurement solutions with transparent first-party data has grown in today’s fragmented landscape. With PHD, Australian marketers should be proud that they are leaders in the adoption of the new ad measurement solution; and we can already see a contagion effect, branching off to their peers in Europe and the US.”

The agency and its associated clients will continue to innovate its measurement offering using Beatgrid’s Automated Content Recognition (ACR) technology and panel.

Alex Pacey, chief product officer of Omnicom Media Group AUNZ, said: “Our partnership with Beatgrid endorses our sincere belief in the power and importance of accurate, actionable, measurement and the role it plays as part of PHD’s client solutions. PHD is the first agency to form a strategic partnership with Beatgrid and gain this level of unique access to its platform and technology.”

After witnessing how PHD Australia successfully applied Beatgrid’s cross-media measurement solution to key clients, an official partnership in the Australian market was the natural next step, driving cooperation and development between both parties.

Lillian Zrim, PHD’s head of research, added: “Our clients seek insights and recommendations that are holistic and simplified but measurement is often fragmented like our media landscape. Measurement is converging across environments, but it is still siloed by media channel.

“For too long we have worked towards merging online and offline measurement across media channels to form a total view of advertising reach and impact and now we have it. This gives us and our clients the most complete view of campaign measurement in order to understand the nuances of specific media channels and how they contribute to campaign success.

“In Beatgrid we have a measurement partner who provides both technology and service that supports our efforts for accurate, clear client results.”

The Wiggles have appointed Haven Global to further their presence in the global consumer products market. Their longstanding PR partner The Comms Department has also been appointed to manage sponsorships and brand partnerships for the iconic band.

Haven Global will work with the children’s group to develop and manage a wide range of consumer products including toys, apparel, FMCG products and other licensing opportunities. The Comms Department manage sponsorships and brand partnerships for the brand.

Yvonne King, Director, Haven Global said: “We’ve always admired The Wiggles from afar, and it is so exciting to join the family and be part of the next wave of their incredible journey. We’re so proud to be representing such an iconic Australian brand and are pumped to take the consumer products program to new heights both here in Australia and abroad.”

Yvonne King

Bec Brown, Managing Director, The Comms Department said: “For more than 30 years, The Wiggles have remained a constant and trusted brand in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US and beyond. Audience insights clearly demonstrate that The Wiggles appeal is now uniquely multigenerational, loved not only by children, families, and grandparents, but also today’s Gen Zs – the teenagers and young adults who grew up with them. For brands wanting to align with The Wiggles, the halo effect of working with such a trusted brand cannot be underestimated.”

Bec Brown

Luke Field, General Manager of The Wiggles said: “As The Wiggles continue to evolve and enter new markets, we’re excited to partner with both Haven Global and The Comms Department to bring a fresh perspective to consumer products, licensing opportunities, sponsorships and brand partnerships worldwide. The Wiggles’ recent expansions have only reignited the band’s energy and with more music, a global documentary premiere, television series, tours, partnerships and more, The Wiggles are going from strength to strength, committed to educating and entertaining children for decades to come.”

The Wiggles have recently concluded a hugely successful tour in the US and Canada and are premiering Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles at SXSW Sydney on October 19. The highly anticipated documentary will be released globally on Amazon Prime Video on October 24.

Total TV Ratings October 11, 2023:

Seven
Olympian Stephanie Rice suffered a painful injury that threatened to end her time on the course on SAS Australia. The Total TV ratings audience was 861,000.

Nine
On The Block, Brett called a body corporate meeting to see if he could switch his backyard and front yard in judging so that the pool — which is clearly a backyard feature in any home — would become part of front yard week. The Total TV audience for the episode last week was 1,155,000.

10
On The Amazing Race the celebrities breathed a sigh of relief when they realised it was a non-elimination leg of their journey. The Total TV audience was 692,000.

Overnight TV Ratings October 18

Primetime News
Seven News 850,000 (6.00 pm)/807,000 (6.30pm)
Nine News 634,000 (6.00 pm)/643,000 (6.30pm)
ABC News 476,000
10 News First 166,000 (5:00 pm)/121,000 (6:00 pm)
SBS World News 121,000 (6:30 pm)/86,000 (7:00 pm)

Daily Current Affairs
A Current Affair 577,000
The Project 146,000 (6:30pm)/ 242,000 (7pm)
The Drum 96,000

Breakfast TV
Sunrise 221,000
Today 199,000
ABC Breakfast 135,000

Share summary
Nine kept its Week 42 winning streak intact with a primary share of 20.7% and a combined channel share of 30.1%.
Seven was in second place with 17.2% and 26.6%. 7TWO was again the #1 multichannel on 3.8%.
10 was on 9.7% and 16.3%.

Nine

A Current Affair reporter this week Alexis Daish found a mother of three cooking in her garage after a bogus builder took her money without finishing a renovation. The mid-week episode had an overnight audience of 577,000.
On The Block there was more angst about budgets this week and how some seem to have more than others. To help ease financial stress all teams received a budget boost to help the outdoor work in the penultimate week of renovation. The Wednesday episode was on 663,000 after 574,000 last week.
Luxe Listings Sydney is into season two of the show, a series made for Prime Video originally. The audience was up to 236,000 after 193,000 last week.

Seven

Home and Away was under the spotlight for much of Seven’s 2024 Upfront last night in Sydney. Presenters pointed how popular the show was and how it dwarfed many major TV brands including things like AppleTV+ series Ted Lasso. Home and Away was on 434,000 for the Wednesday episode.
Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly found a place in primetime with an episode at 7.30pm on 288,000.
A Year on Planet Earth launched at 8.30pm with narrator Stephen Fry explaining events on earth impacted by the planet’s journey around the sun. The series pulled in 194,000.

10

The Project continued its coverage of the conflict in and around the Gaza Strip and also found a celebrity shopper in WA. The episode started on 146,000 and climbed to 242,000 after 7pm. Tonight the program wil be co-hosted by Collingwood captain Darcy Moore for the full hour.
After a 12-hour flight delay, the celebrity contestants on The Amazing Race arrived in Penang where they were faced with a detour. Those who chose Piles of Tiles had to use logic to solve a mah-jong-themed puzzle, while Float Your Boat involved the spiritual Malay tradition of paper-boat making. From there, it was a foot race to the Pit Stop. Alli and Angie hit the mat first, with Ben and Jackie Gillies last to arrive which meant they were eliminated from the Race. The all people audience was 353,000 with the show #2 with audiences under 50 for the night.
Episode three of Jason Herbison’s drama Heat followed with 100,000 after 125,000 a week ago.

ABC

Episode 29 of season eight of Hard Quiz saw contestants answering specialist questions from Tom Gleeson about Scooby-Doo, The Salvation Army, the movie The Big Lebowski and the mysterious US nu metal rockers Slipknot. The audience was 421,000 after 464,000 last week, keeping it in the TV ratings top 10.
The third season of Question Everything launched with hosts Jan Fran and Wil Anderson who were joined by guests Alex Lee, Geraldine Hickey and Nath Valvo. The range of issues covered included Studio 10 giving viewers the silent treatment to suggestions on how The Voice might have secured a winning YES vote. Like 10’s HYBPA? did on Monday night, Question Everything finished with a tribute to comedian Cal Wilson. The new series launched with 303,000.
The first season of WTFAQ then wrapped with episode eight pulling a 9pm crowd of 262,000.

SBS

A British game show host got the prime slot at 7.30pm for the final episode of the three-part Alexander Armstrong in Sri Lanka. The final did 81,000 after 110,000 for episode two.

Keep up-to-date with daily TV ratings analysis in Mediaweek here.