This is the third annual list of Australia’s top 100 media executives. This year there again has been significant movement right across the rankings. There are only a handful of people who occupy the same spot on the 100 they had 12 months ago.

The reason for the shakeup is partly the change in criteria and the number of people who exited the industry this year.

Mediaweek has also welcomed executives from the out-of-home sector this year for the first time.

As a reminder, here are the new criteria that were taken into consideration when building list for 2023:

Mediaweek 100 criteria 2023

The media executives on this list are the ones who control the direction of the most influential media companies in the country. From operations, sales, marketing, or content, these decision makers shape the industry.

• Accomplishments and wins
• Innovation
• Revenue and profit
• Cultural contributions

New for 2023

There are a total of 56 different media companies represented on the list this year. Two companies have over 10 people on the list when you count entries from across their respective brands. There has been a fair bit of change near the top too, something that will be revealed in detail on Friday.

Big week of Mediaweek Lists

In addition to the Mediaweek 100, look out for new Mediaweek Agency 50, Mediaweek Icons and Mediaweek Star Power 25 lists, plus the debut of the Mediaweek Creative 50.

The publishing schedule for the rest of the week:

Tuesday
• Mediaweek 100 rankings 90-81

Wednesday
• Mediaweek 100 rankings 80-71

Thursday
• Mediaweek Creative 50
• Mediaweek 100 70-61

Friday morning
• Mediaweek 100 60-51

Friday afternoon
• Mediaweek 100 50-1
• Mediaweek Agency 50
• Mediaweek Star Power 25
• Mediaweek Icons featuring a new inductee

See Also: Mediaweek 100 confirms major partners and sponsors for 2023

Mediaweek has kicked off its 2023 Mediaweek 100 countdown with the 100-91 rankings. This is the third annual list of Australia’s top 100 media executives, with significant movement right across the rankings. There are only a handful of people who occupy the same spot on the 100 they had 12 months ago.

The entries from 100-91 can be seen here.

Mediaweek has released the first of its special SXSW Sydney editions of the Heavy Hitters podcast, taking listeners behind the scenes of the 2023 event. Mediaweek’s coverage of SXSW Sydney is brought to you by Ryvalmedia and News Corp Australia.

Each episode is hosted by Mediaweek editor and GM, Trent Thomas. The first episode features SXSW managing director Colin Daniels, and Ryvalmedia’s Sydney strategy lead Cameron Roberts.

The first episode of Heavy Hitters SXSW, a special edition of the Heavy Hitters series can be listened to here

“It is a very hard event to put into words because it’s a very unique event,” Daniels said on the podcast. “There are not many events in the world where you get the tech industry, the music industry, the screen industry – and its number one attendees, the marketing and advertising industry together. They say that when you put everyone together like that, that’s where the magic happens. 

“That’s what South by Southwest is about, it’s about the convergence of all these different industries that are all centred around creativity, discovery, and innovation.”

With the original event taking place on the other side of the planet, Roberts puts it to Daniels that there will be a lot of first timers at SXSW Sydney. What sort of advice would he give to people tackling the sheer scale of the event for the first time?

“Don’t just follow your schedule,” said Daniels. 

“Some of the best learnings. discoveries have happened when I’ve been walking along the street and decided to go into a show because I wasn’t sure what else to do at that particular time,” he added before telling the story of how he ended up at a surprise gig put on by Metallica, getting to see the American metal icons in front of only 1,500 people. 

SXSW Sydney runs from October 15th to 22nd 2023, and is the first time that the event will take place outside of Austin, Texas. Mediaweek’s full coverage of SXSW Sydney can be found here.

The Seven Network is reporting that the channel has taken the crown in 2023, marking the third year in a row that Seven has claimed the most-watched network.

This result means Seven has come out on top in 15 of the past 17 years, including this year.

With the official 2023 ratings year set to end on December 2, Seven reports that it is in an unbeatable position nationally.

So far this survey year, which started on February 12, Seven reports a 42.3% commercial share nationally in all people, 40.8% in the capital cities and 45.2% in regional Australia. It also reports a national lead in 25 to 54s, 16 to 39s and total shoppers.

In the calendar year to date (1 January to 7 October), Seven reports being number one nationally in total people and 25 to 54s.

Across the calendar year to date, Seven reports the top position nationally in 26 weeks and #1 in the capital cities in 21 weeks.

Every month, Seven reports a reach of more than 17 million people nationally across broadcast and digital. The audience of 7plus has jumped 17% during 2023 and it has a 36% share of the BVOD market year-to-date.

Seven’s 2023 Programming 

Seven reports that the top five most-watched programs so far in 2023 were all on Seven, with the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Semi Final between the Matildas and England at #1 with 7.32 million total TV viewers (broadcast and BVOD).

The Matildas’ Semi Final was the most-watched TV program in more than two decades and reached more than 11 million people. It was also the most streamed event ever in Australia, with 957,000 viewers on 7plus.

So far this year, all of Seven’s sport coverage has reached more than 18 million people. The AFL Grand Final reached 4.98 million and delivered an average total TV audience of 3.75 million.

Almost 18.6 million Australians watched the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 tournament across the screens of Seven, including 14.76 million reached on broadcast and 3.82 million on 7plus.

Seven’s Dancing With The Stars, Farmer Wants A Wife and My Kitchen Rules are three of the four fastest-growing 7.30pm shows across all commercial networks this year. Seven also launched what it reports as the top new entertainment series of the year: The 1% Club.

The Chase Australia is the top game show and Home and Away and RFDS are the most watched local drama series on commercial TV. Better Homes and Gardens is the top lifestyle show on commercial TV.

Seven claims that 7NEWS is the top news bulletin of 2023 nationally and in the capital cities – with its biggest lead nationally since 2019 – and Sunrise is the top breakfast TV program for the 20th year in a row. Both have ranked #1 every single week this year. The Morning Show is claiming the top spot for morning TV in 2023, meaning it has ranked #1 for the past 16 years.

“No fine print, no disclaimers”

Seven West Media managing director and chief executive officer, James Warburton, said: “Seven is the clear winner in 2023 – no fine print, no disclaimers.

“The success of our content across all screens has once again made Seven the most watched broadcast and digital network in Australia, including across the capital cities and in every state. Seven is home to the most popular news, sport and local drama content and many of our entertainment shows have grown their audiences this year.

“7plus keeps going from strength to strength and will jump to a whole new level from late next year, when we add AFL and then cricket digital rights,” he said.

“Seven invests in and creates great content. In fact, we are the leaders in content. That’s why we have been the most watched network for 15 of the past 17 years.

“From breakfast right through the day and into the night, Australians vote with their eyeballs and turn to Seven more than any other network. Thank you to all our viewers and to the talented, hard-working team at Seven,” Warburton said.

James Warburton

Seven West Media chief revenue officer, Kurt Burnette, said: “Being the most watched network translates to the biggest opportunity for brands to engage with their current and future customers. Every single day, we provide brands with the platforms and powerful cultural moments to reach millions of Australians and we will continue to do so in 2024.

“Importantly, Seven’s focus on convergence and total TV is helping clients and agencies navigate through an evolving landscape and providing them a competitive edge in a noisy media world where reach and attention is everything. We have the audiences, and we have the insights and understanding of those audiences to enable clients to be more agile and sweat every dollar they invest with us.

“We are incredibly proud of the work we have done this year with our client and agency partners who leveraged our powerful assets to weave their brands authentically into the stories of Seven. Be it the AFL, cricket, Supercars, The Voice, My Kitchen Rules or Farmer Wants A Wife, powerful integration delivers incredible results,” he said.

Kurt Burnette

By The Numbers

The numbers Seven are reporting for 2023 so far are:

National free-to-air network commercial shares (%) Survey year:
Seven Network 42.3%
Nine Network 36.6%
Network Ten 21.1%

National free-to-air network commercial shares (%) Calendar year:
Seven Network 41.9%
Nine Network 36.9%
Network Ten 21.2%

Capital city free-to-air network commercial shares (%) Survey year:
Seven Network 40.8%
Nine Network 38.3%
Network Ten 20.9%

Capital city free-to-air network commercial shares (%) Calendar year:
Seven Network 40.2%
Nine Network 38.8%
Network Ten 21.0%

Regional free-to-air network commercial shares (%) Survey year:
Seven Network 45.2%
Nine Network 33.1%
Network Ten 21.7%

Regional free-to-air network commercial shares (%) Calendar year:
Seven Network 45.2%
Nine Network 33.1%
Network Ten 21.7%

See Also: Seven Network reveals its lineup of speakers, stars and senior executives for SXSW Sydney 2023

The Seven Network has called an early TV ratings survey win in 2023. With the official 2023 ratings year set to end on 2 December, Seven has stated that it is in an unbeatable position nationally. This means Seven has been number one in 15 of the past 17 years.

In the 2023 TV ratings survey which started on 12 February, Seven has a 42.3% commercial share nationally in all people, 40.8% in the capital cities and 45.2% in regional Australia. It also leads nationally in 25 to 54s, 16 to 39s and total shoppers.

In the calendar year to date (1 January to 7 October), Seven is #1 nationally in total people and 25 to 54s. Across the calendar year to date, Seven has captured the #1 position nationally in 26 weeks and has been #1 in the capital cities in 21 weeks.

Seven’s year in numbers (Calendar and survey year to date):
• #1 nationally in all people
• #1 in the capital cities in all people
• #1 in regional Australia in all people
• #1 in audience share growth nationally in all people
• #1 in news and public affairs
• #1 in sport
• #1 at breakfast
• #1 regular local drama
• #1 in multichannels (7mate, 7two, 7Bravo, 7flix)

National free-to-air network commercial shares (%) Survey year:
Seven Network 42.3%
Nine Network 36.6%
Network Ten 21.1%

National free-to-air network commercial shares (%) Calendar year:
Seven Network 41.9%
Nine Network 36.9%
Network Ten 21.2%

Capital city free-to-air network commercial shares (%) Survey year:
Seven Network 40.8%
Nine Network 38.3%
Network Ten 20.9%

Capital city free-to-air network commercial shares (%) Calendar year:
Seven Network 40.2%
Nine Network 38.8%
Network Ten 21.0%

Regional free-to-air network commercial shares (%) Survey year:
Seven Network 45.2%
Nine Network 33.1%
Network Ten 21.7%

Regional free-to-air network commercial shares (%) Calendar year:
Seven Network 45.2%
Nine Network 33.1%
Network Ten 21.7%

Following this announcement, Mediaweek caught up with Seven’s CEO and managing director, James Warburton, as well as Seven’s chief content officer Angus Ross about what these results mean for the present and future of the broadcaster.

When asked about why they decided to announce their win now, the pair said that it was indisputable that Seven was #1 following growth from some of their key franchises.

JW: “This is the most dominant Seven has been in a very long time. When you look at every single sector and every single section of the schedule, any way you cut it, whether you look at Metro, or nationally we’re pretty much in every case the leader in the category.

“We’re growing franchises like Dancing with the Stars, Farmer Wants a Wife, and My Kitchen Rules as well as bringing the number one new entertainment show to market in the 1% Club. We also set records with the Matildas, setting the record with 7Plus for a sports streaming event.”

James Warburton

AR: “Seven’s number one, that’s that’s just indisputable. That’s with no fine print or disclaimers. We’ve grown Farmer, Dancing and MKR and I reckon we’re going to grow SAS Australia when we launch that. It’s really important for us to grow these key franchises year on year because it’s something you don’t see that often nowadays.”

When asked what the key was to growing these tentpole franchises, Ross said that it was about having the right people across the production units.

AR: “We’re always looking at how we can freshen franchises. In the case of MKR, we took the show back to basics and back to what made the show successful. It lost its way for a year and then almost played it too straight in another year. We put the ingredients back in to take it back to what made it successful this year in how we approach the casting, the marketing, and everything on that show. The same with Farmer and Dancing, they still stay true to what people love but through the casting and hosts, we’re always looking for a bit of reinvention as well.”

JW: “As an industry we reached 20 million people last week. VOZ is just at the beginning, that will be out in the market which will show a true reflection. Everyone is always having a potshot at free-to-air but the reality is as both VOZ streaming and VOZ gets to market, you will be seeing the daily reach numbers of the programmes. It is chalk and cheese, in terms of looking at metro averages. It’s getting back to the basics of how we market the industry and how powerful the industry is.”

A Sports Streaming Revolution

Off the back of the record-breaking success of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Matildas, Warburton and Ross said that with the new sporting rights deals signed with both the AFL and Cricket Australia, Seven is about to take its sports streaming to the next level.

JW: “We’re about a year away now from an absolute sports streaming revolution. We will effectively have a FIFA World Cup, Summer Olympics, and Winter Olympics combined with 4 billion minutes across the year. This will make 7Plus unbeatable from a total television point of view.” 

AR: “When we get this live streaming rights from the AFL and cricket next year, it will make 7Plus an absolutely unbeatable proposition.”

JW:” The biggest winter code and the biggest summer sport have never been available in front of a paywall during the regular season. The reason we’re not winning the race from a 7Plus total TV point of view is that we don’t have sports streaming regularly. Yes, we had the Matildas and yes, we have Super Cars in bits and pieces, but having those big codes there 52 weeks, 4 billion-plus minutes is the Tokyo Olympics and Matilda’s together.”

AR: “We have been running that race with one arm tied behind our back. and now we’re going to have two to throw all the punches.”

Angus Ross

The Importance of BVOD, VOZ and Total TV

According to the numbers presented by Seven, the broadcaster reaches more than 17 million people nationally across broadcast and digital. The audience of 7plus has jumped 17% during 2023 and it has a 36% share of the BVOD market year-to-date.

Warburton and Ross agreed that with the launch of VOZ and VOZ Streaming, the industry is going to improve at effectively communicating the strength of free-to-air TV from a Total TV perspective.

JW: “With VOZ and VOZ Streaming, the fact that it goes into everyone’s tools and analysis will absolutely turbocharge the industry. The fact that buyers and agencies can actually start to work with it will just show the effectiveness of the total television as a video solution, particularly against YouTube which marks their own homework and do things in a very, very different way. We are third-party verified, the network’s own OzTAM contracts Nielsen which is a global research company that does everything at a verified, audited, third-party level. No other industry has anywhere near the sophistication and the validity of that third-party verification that we do. That’s going to make a big, big, big change, certainly for Seven.”

AR: “On the BVOD side of things, we’ve got local content and several overseas pipelines like NBC that heavily drive that. We’ve got a couple more under construction that I think is going to drive BVOD to the next level.”

Seven in 2024

When asked about their plans for next year, the pair didn’t want to give away too much before the Upfront next week but did say they were confident of another win in 2024.

AR: “The great thing for us is, when you look at those key tentpole franchises, they’re all returning. We’ve got a few gaps which will be filled by some new shows, but I think what we’ll be delivering is known, consistent franchises across next year in the tentpole space. Along with our dominant news and sport, we’re pretty confident about how we’re heading into 2024.

“We think we will improve Q1 with a few initiatives we’re doing there. Beyond that, there are some new show announcements but we’re confident about being number one in 2024 as well.”

JW: “We’re also having a second crack at Australian Idol. We bought it back and we’re really pleased with how it went, but we thought that there were a few areas that we could tweak a bit to make more of an impact. We’re very happy with the pre-production on that and where we’re heading from that perspective as well.”

On October 11, The Sun-Herald is set to blow out 70 birthday candles, marking seven decades of informing and entertaining its readers.

From major news, to the latest in politics, and the biggest sporting moments – the iconic NRL Gladiators photo was captured by Sun-Herald photographer John O’Gready – The Sun-Herald has been there for it all since its debut in 1953.

Marking the occasion will be an eight-page souvenir wrap-around, as well as an essay from Peter FitzSimons, columnists Jacqueline Maley and Jamila Rizvi sharing their perfect Sundays, and a Sunday roast recipe from Adam Liaw.

Ahead of the celebrations, Mediaweek caught up with The Sun-Herald editor Melissa Stevens, to take a look back at what has been and what lies ahead.

With 70 years of history to comb through, Stevens said that laying it all out reinforced just how many major moments in history that The Sun-Herald has brought its readers.

“We are the paper of record for election results. It was really fascinating to look back at all the different political leaders at both the federal and state levels, and the context of the issues that dominated in these different eras. 

“Another thing that really stood out was sport. Sport is such a quintessential part of the Aussie weekend, and it was a really fun trip down memory lane to see how many big sporting events and wins were recorded in The Sun-Herald. There’s been Grand Finals and heaps of really big Olympic moments, then more recently, things like Ash Barty’s win”.

The 70th anniversary edition which was published on 8 October 2023

Even though she only took the reins of The Sun-Herald in February 2022, Stevens’ own tenure has seen a federal election a state election, and the coronation of King Charles III.

“It was my third week in the job that Shane Warne died,” Stevens said. “I wouldn’t say it was a baptism of fire, because it was a fantastic experience to work on such an important edition, but I was very aware we were recording a major moment for Australians. Certainly, for my third week in, I barely had my feet under the desk!”

When asked how, exactly, the team approached marking the 70th anniversary, Stevens replied “with a great sense of responsibility.”

“The main thing we wanted to acknowledge was 70 years of recording history, from a global scale right down to the local level, and to also have a sense of celebration about the very unique content mix that is part of a Sunday newspaper. It’s a very distinct mix of news, lifestyle, and columnists as well as our prestige inserts such as Sunday Life magazine and our Traveller section. For all of us, we really wanted to be sure that the tribute represents all those aspects.”

Having recorded 16% growth year on year in readership, and with the most recent Roy Morgan figures showing that The Sun-Herald is in what Stevens calls “a very strong state,” Sunday papers will not be going anywhere any time soon.

First edition of the Sun-Herald on 11 October 1953

“With Sunday newspapers, it is a very different experience to the rest of the week – people often talk about the Sunday newspaper being the ‘leanback read’,” said Stevens.

“Everyone’s really time-poor now, and there’s nothing more tangible than a physical newspaper that gives you that permission to stop and take some time out. The Sunday papers still very much play that role.”

Celebrating 70 years under its belt, Stevens said that the future focus of The Sun-Herald will be its subscribers – no matter where the next 70 years may lead.

“For us, it’s really very much about continuing to provide that unique Sunday content mix and be that smart Sunday read for our subscribers, both in print and digitally. That’s really our focus, our subscribers.”

–

Top Image: Melissa Stevens

Earlier in the year, the IMAA launched its Female Leaders of Tomorrow programme as part of its commitment to fostering long-term diversity and inclusivity across independent media agencies nationally.

The six-month IMAA programme aims to create a support network between accomplished industry leaders and their mentees by matching senior staff with up-and-coming women in indie media agencies for knowledge-sharing and professional development opportunities.

One of the IMAA mentors involved in the programme is Liam Loan-Lack, head of marketing APAC & Canada at CMC Markets, who tells Mediaweek about the very direct piece of advice that has stuck with him.

What’s the most important/best piece of advice you’ve received during your career?

“‘Shut the f*ck up and stop over selling.’ I spent my younger years trying to prove my value a lot to others and really, to myself. Confident and smart operators say fewer things and better. Even now I catch myself. Making an impact is about simple, powerful ideas that people understand. Not to say you shouldn’t do your research and be rigorous, just communicate succinctly.”

Who do you look up to in business and why?

“Business is hard, especially if you are an entrepreneur, so I admire anyone who has the bravery and taken the calculated risk to start their own thing. I tend not to idolise a single person in business for the simple reason that idols have a habit of disappointing you and can wreck your faith in some of their good qualities. Many people idolised Elizabeth Holmes for example, and sadly many of her great qualities also contributed to her fraudulent activities.

“If you forced me to choose however, I actually would say someone like Bernard Arnault, Founder, Chairman and CEO of LVMH, because his business tactics are legendary and there are few businesses that have had the same sway on culture than his.”

Did you have a mentor, and what did they teach you?

“From a young age, I decided to try and have a network of mentors from varied business sizes and verticals / sectors. I truly believe that category-defined thinking is just a set of handcuffs dressed up. The most thoughtful mentor I had was in the NFP sector for example, and she taught me that success is a process not an outcome. She introduced me to the “Be / Get / Do” framework of high performance and why process is the differentiator between amateurs and professionals.”

What does mentoring mean to you, and why is mentoring important?

“Put simply – without a raft of kind and generous mentors in my own life, I would never be in the position I am today, and I am so grateful for that. In this crazy, always-on world we live in, sometimes you need someone who can bring you down to earth and help you focus on what matters. There is so much (and increasing) noise in our world and so I hope to be able to bring my mentee(s) back to the centre and provide them with a bit of ‘radical candour’ – as one of my old bosses used to say.”

Why is it important to have more women leaders in the industry?

“We need ‘whole of brain’ thinking at the boardroom table and especially in media / marketing. Women have superpowers that men simply don’t have (and vice versa). Media and marketing is a critical industry to arrive at equal representation for women because we are, as a profession, at the frontier of societal attitudes and ultimately, all marketing is about behaviour change (we want consumers to do something off the back of exposure to our campaigns).

“Being at that frontier is a big responsibility and as such, we need at least equal representation to make the right calls. From better casting of ads (avoiding the stereotypical and damaging cliches) to being proud to promote products which solve a fundamental human need like ModiBodi is currently doing, it is pleasing to see the industry change, but I personally want a faster pace of change.”

What’s on your business reading and podcast list?

“I am an avid listener of The Economist podcasts. Always a good perspective. Business reading – Good Strategy / Bad Strategy by R. Rumelt is still the best business book I have read. So much fluff exists in the world of work and this book is like a razor cutting through the BS. Read it and I guarantee the way you work will change forever.”

See Also: IMAA Female Leaders of Tomorrow Mentors: Stockland’s Natalie Warren-Smith

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Top Image: Liam Loan-Lack 

Australia has voted former back-up singer and mum-of-two Tarryn Stokes as winner of The Voice 2023 on Seven. She was up against fellow Grand Finalists Charlie Pittman, Ezra Williams and Ethan Beckton.

The 40-year-old from Melbourne was shocked after host Sonia Kruger announced the result, saying that said: “It feels amazing, going from The Blinds to being in the Grand Finale and somehow believing that I can do this, it’s just thanks to Rita for believing in me.”

Coach Rita Ora replied: “Are you kidding me? You did this. You did this!”

With a final solo performance of Celine Dion’s All By Myself, Guy Sebastian called Tarryn’s voice “just perfection.”

In “a moment in history” for Tarryn, Rita joined her on stage for a duet of Tina Turner’s Simply The Best.

Alongside The Voice crown, Tarryn won $100,000 prize money and a recording contract with Universal Music Australia.

After the announcement, Tarryn performed her new single Nobody as her family – husband Paul and kids Archie, 4, and Quinn, 2 – watched on.

After a surprise visit from her family during mentoring, Tarryn said: “My kids are everything to me, being away from them for so long has been the hardest thing.”

Sharing her struggles with self-doubt and fear that it was too late to step into the spotlight after taking a break to have children, Tarryn said that “Maybe I’m starting to see what people have always seen.”

In response, Rita said “It is a dream seeing you flourish after everything you have sacrificed.”

Tarryn’s win secures back-to-back titles for her coach Rita.

In last year’s grand finale, an average of 751,000 viewers tuned in to the episode before spiking to 779,000 as Lachie Gill was crowned the winner. The 24-year-old Victorian also won $100,000 prize money and a recording contract with Universal Music Australia.

The Voice is an ITV Studios Australia production for the Seven Network.

New research from Boomtown has revealed the similarities and differences between metro and regional Australians when it comes to sentiment and spending.

The study has found regional Australians are feeling happier and generally more positive about life than city dwellers, despite the cost-of-living crisis, and are ready to spend on big-ticket items like travel, presenting prime opportunities for brands to reach regional Australians.

The new Mood Monitor research report, commissioned by Boomtown, revealed that saving for a holiday has surged from 20% to 31% in one year, while retirement is also a key focus for savings, up from just 4% to 31% over the same period.

According to the latest data, Boomtown remains resilient and upbeat, despite rising cost-of-living pressures.

The majority reported feeling more positive than negative, with 52% saying that they felt financially stable, content, and happy. Regional Australians are still in the mood to spend.

Housing affordability and the availability of affordable fuel and energy were top-of-mind for Boomtown, along with inflation, the report found.

Boomtowners are also still spending and saving, with 68% planning to invest in travel in the coming months. Additionally, one in three people in the regions said they were looking to reassess their banking or finances, and two in five said they were keen to change their insurance provider. A quarter (23%) plan to sign up to telecommunications and streaming services in the next six months.

The report also revealed that almost half (45%) of Boomtown are actively saving for something, with 23% saying they were ready to pull the purchase trigger in the next six months.

The data comes as figures from the Regional Movers Index (RMI) showed the thirst for a tree or sea change showed no signs of waning in recent months, as city dwellers continue to flock to regional Australia.

The desire to relocate regionally has pushed the RMI to its third highest level since 2018, placing it slightly above the average reported during the height of the pandemic, and 17.4% above pre-COVID levels.

Boomtown chairman, Brian Gallagher, said the data showed that Boomtown was primed for advertising investment from businesses keen to capitalise on the new insights.

“Brands that can act on the sentiment of regional consumers will be better prepared to meet consumer challenges and embrace the opportunities that exist right now,” he said.

‘The data shows that regional Australians are cautiously optimistic. Like metro Australians, they’re frustrated and worried about housing affordability and cost-of-living, but they’re also happy with what they have.

Gallagher continued: “Additionally, they’re still keen to spend and they’re looking to invest in things that make them smile, like travel, exercise, good food and streaming services. These are consumers who are open to offers that present great value and are willing to shop around for the best deals.

“For brands, the opportunities are there to reach 9.6 million potential customers, but the key is to embrace and respond to the data. Find a way to provide happiness to regional Australians during the tough times, but also look at responding to their concerns. Electric car brands and solar/electricity providers have a chance to address worries about fuel and electricity affordability, while insurance, banks and financial institutions have a ready-made market of people looking to refinance and reprioritise their savings.

“There’s never been a better time for brands to invest in Boomtown and make regional Australia a priority in their 2024 marketing budgets,” he added.

The Boomtown Mood Monitor has provided a picture of those living in regional Australia from 2019 onwards. This year, the Mood Monitor surveyed 1,455 people across the five capital cities and 687 people aged between 18 and 64 across regional Australia.

The Growth D_Stillery, in collaboration with research partner Verve Australia, has released new health and wellness research revealing health is wealth for Australians, and the costs can weigh heavy.

The comprehensive Health D_Stilled Report found Australians are prioritising health and wellbeing, looking after themselves and being more empathetic of their needs, with 84% agreeing that health and wellbeing is a top of mind priority for them. Increasingly, health is more about positivity than problem-solving, with a continuing increase in self-compassion and self-care.

This is balanced with the reality of what they can actually afford, as one in three respondents whose budgets have been impacted by living costs are doing less for their health and wellbeing than they were 12 months ago.

Director of The Growth D_Stillery Dan Krigstein said: “The research reveals Australians are taking a more holistic and kinder approach to health and wellbeing, with top aspirations revolving around happiness, quality of life and feeling good. Spending time outdoors is an increasingly essential component, and expert voices are once again taking precedence over influencers.

“However, with many Australians facing financial constraints, those hit hardest by economic challenges are re-evaluating their health and wellness spending compared to a year ago.

“For marketers, this means understanding the implications for their brands and the nuanced roles they can play in consumers’ health aspirations and the value they can deliver, in order to ensure they are not on the chopping block.”

Resource constraints are forcing people to rationalise their health and wellbeing spend and choices, seeing categories and behaviours divided by what is fundamental to health versus what can be compromised or adapted.
 
The Growth D_Stillery research identified what and how Australians are prioritising in health and wellbeing through three distinct groupings ‘Survive, Thrive or Optimise’. These are determined by the level of resilience and with it how much people are willing to compromise.
 
Survive categories and behaviours are most resilient, as foundational elements to support everyday health and wellbeing.
 
• Behaviours: These health and wellbeing behaviours maintain foundational health, often seen as critical everyday essentials, including sleep quality and quantity, healthy eating and managing stress.
• Categories: Products or services for everyday usage, such as glasses and sleep aids, or ‘as you need’ such as GPs and dental. These products tend to be more difficult to replace, and harder for people to find suitable compromises for.
• Trade-offs: These are products people have a low willingness to compromise given their perceived essentialness. They may be willing to trade down to lower cost alternatives, such as bulk billing or payment plans, or stripping back to the basics for health insurance.
 
Thrive categories and behaviours support and boost overall health and wellbeing, making people feel good and flourish.

• Behaviours: These behaviours have strong emotional impact and help to recharge or reassure individuals, from spending time outdoors and relaxing activities such as gardening and reading, to advice from health professionals.
• Categories: Products and services with added emotional benefits that people value. These include supportive services that give access to professionals such as telehealth and psychologists, everyday facilitators of self-care like skincare and personal care, as well as health supplements.
• Trade-offs: People are not willing to eliminate these products from their lives, so look for simple, wallet-friendly substitutes and trade-offs instead. The most common ways people are doing this is by purchasing generic or unbranded versions or items on special, or moderately scaling back their frequency of usage.
 
Optimise categories and behaviours help individuals to supercharge health and wellbeing pursuits, however tend to be discretionary and are most vulnerable to compromise.

• Behaviours: These behaviours help people ‘level-up’ and supercharge pursuits. These are the most discretionary and include lifestyle choices, digital content and organised activities such as health tracking, yoga and meditation.
• Categories: Typically more expensive, high-cost investments and most elastic. They tend to be more focused on wellness, such as spas, cosmetic surgery and alternative therapies; or physical fitness and training, including personal trainers, gym memberships, fitness apparel, classes and equipment.
• Trade-offs: These are categories people have a higher willingness to compromise on, and are easier to reduce or substitute than other categories. People are willing to trade out and discontinue activities in favour of lower cost or free alternatives – cancelling gym memberships in favour of outdoor exercise, opting for DIY alternatives, or scaling back their frequency of use, or size of plan.

Hatched has been appointed by Booktopia as its communications strategy partner.

The independent agency will work with the business to develop a targeted strategy that connects Booktopia with pop culture while flying the flag for the brand as the home of books in Australia.

Established in 2004, Booktopia is Australia’s leading online bookstore with a database of more than 6 million books. The business is currently building a new customer fulfilment centre to enhance the book-buying experience and expedite deliveries.

Hatched was appointed following a competitive pitch. It is the first time Booktopia has had a media agency of record.

The remit includes a full SEO audit and overhaul of Booktopia’s website framework and content ecosystem across the brand’s 17 million URLs.

Additionally, the agency will work with Booktopia to build, manage and optimise advertising inventory across the owned media assets of the business. This will create and drive a new high-margin revenue stream and see Booktopia become a market leader in the retail media space.

Adam Freedman, Booktopia head of brand and communications, said: “Hatched presented a compelling strategic proposition that demonstrated a solid understanding of the business and category as well as the challenges and opportunities for us to navigate.

“The team provides a one-stop solution across several important disciplines that will form an important part of the evolution of our customer experience. This will help us to deliver on our overarching mission to be Australia’s bookstore of choice.”

Catherine Edghill, Hatched managing partner, said: “Booktopia is exactly the type of client we love working with. We’re excited for the opportunity to set them up for future success. To do this, we will utilise our complete suite of products and capabilities to drive influence across the entire customer journey. We’re thrilled Booktopia sees the benefit of an end-to-end approach inclusive of retail media. Game on.”

ARN’s iHeart and The Daily Aus have announced the launch of “The Voice Explained” to help young Australians participating in the first referendum in their lifetime.

The Daily Aus podcast will host a special ‘Voice’ series from the 9th to 14th of October where The Daily Aus journalist Tom Crowley will explain what Australians need to know to make an informed decision on voting day.

The series features interviews with big names in the Voice political landscape, including a range of First Nations voices, from leading ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ campaigners Marcia Langton and Warren Mundine, to on-the-ground regional perspectives from Broome and Fitzroy Crossing.

The podcast will also include an exclusive interview with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, with The Daily Aus putting young Australians’ questions directly to the PM.

Monday 9 October, Part 1 – The Road to the Voice

What is the Voice and where did the idea come from? We start right at the beginning, from the idea’s conception to the moment it landed on the political agenda.

Tuesday 10 October, Part 2 – The Politics

The voice referendum has seen political battle lines drawn between the Government and Opposition. But as the arguing amps up, it can be hard to hear clearly through the noise. This episode will unravel how an Indigenous Voice became a make or break for the Prime Minister, and what it will mean if it fails.

Wednesday 11 October, Part 3 – First Nations Voices

The Daily Aus goes on the road to speak with First Nations people across the country. Join Tom as he asks locals how they feel about the voice, and what it would mean in a town like Fitzroy Crossing.

Thursday 12 October, Part 4 – Extended Interview with the Prime Minister

For those keen to go a bit deeper – we’ll release an exclusive, extended version of our chat with the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Friday 13 October, Part 5 – FAQ

This wouldn’t be a TDA series without answering our audience’s frequently asked questions. We’ll explain what you need to know to be informed on 14 October.

See Also: JCDecaux and The Daily Aus partner up for education campaign on Voice referendum

With the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum looming, The Hallway is sharing its “Don’t Listen to the Galahs” film in the trade media in a bid to appeal to the advertising community to ignore the vitriolic commentary coming from both the “Yes” and “No” sides of the Voice to Parliament debate and have respectful, well-informed conversations.

The two minute animated film features an emu and a kangaroo talking through the pros and cons of adding The Voice amendment  to the Australian Constitution, while in the trees above them “Yes” and “No” backing galahs screech insults at each other.

Don’t Listen to the Galahs was released on social media on September 18 and has attracted coverage by a number of national news platforms including Sky News, news.com.au and The Australian.

The agency hadn’t intended for trade media to be a focus, but has changed tack after observing the streams of vitriolic comments from both “Yes” and “No” camps in reaction to Voice Referendum ad campaign releases.

The Hallway CCO and partner Simon Lee said: “Our own industry community seems to be a microcosm of the way the national Voice debate has descended into a battle for who can shout their case the loudest.

“This is a damaging and sadly well-trodden path which far too often sees the all-important facts get lost in the noise. Our hope is that our Galahs film may play a part in encouraging our industry peers, and the broader Australian community to block out the vitriol and have the conversations that will help them make a fully informed choice on October 14.

“If you agree with the intent of this film, please do share it widely.”

oOh!media has announced New Zealand’s retail group, The Warehouse Group, has become the foundation client for retail media business Reooh in Australia and New Zealand.

In partnership with The Warehouse Group’s retail media arm, MarketMedia and omnichannel retail media platform Zitcha, reooh will build a fully digital in-store screen network enabling advertisers to connect with consumers along the path to purchase.

The initial phase will see state-of-the-art 65-inch digital panels installed at 60 Noel Leeming and The Warehouse stores, which will be live for Black Friday and Christmas trading. By the second quarter of 2024, more than 330 freestanding and window screens will be installed as well as connecting existing screens into the new proposition. 

Neil Ackland, chief content, marketing and creative officer, oOh!media said: “This partnership presents an incredible opportunity for reooh to collaborate with New Zealand’s largest retail group and one of the most innovative players in the ANZ retail media landscape. Leveraging the expertise of reooh, The Warehouse Group have invested in a premium instore screen network that provides advertisers with a powerful opportunity to influence the path to purchase in a contextual environment.”

The partnership allows advertisers to buy a campaign across reooh’s in-store screen network inside The Warehouse Group’s stores and then extend that campaign to audiences across the oOh! network. 

The Warehouse Group, which operates more than 260 stores, is a pioneer in retail media in ANZ. The launch of a digital screen network rounds out its retail media offering which also includes on-site and off-site media channels, providing advertisers access to a multi-category monthly audience of millions of customers. 

Jonathan Waecker, chief customer and sales officer, The Warehouse Group, said: “Today’s shoppers crave immersive, experiential interactions both in-store and online, and expect advertising to seamlessly connect them with beloved brands in format that resonates with them. We’re excited to give our brand partners the ability to reach those shoppers while in-store with high-quality digital executions – with many suppliers already placing forward bookings. Our launch partners include Google, Lego, and Microsoft.

“Working with reooh, with their level of scale and expertise in Australia and New Zealand, was an easy choice for us, and the partnership is one that will bear fruit for many years.”

Reooh enables retailers to build a best-in-class in-store screen network, quickly and at scale to generate new revenues as part of a retail media offering. Reooh brings all the capabilities and experience of oOh!’s retail network, where it currently manages and monetises over 8,000 assets across 550 retail centres in ANZ, from outside the store, inside the store.

Spending on retail media is predicted to hit $2.1 billion in Australia by 2026 as retailers and brands tap into one of the highest growing media sectors. Reooh will be making further announcements on additional retail media customers and key hires in coming months.

• 3.5 million watched the NRL Grand Final in Total TV

Total TV Ratings, October 1

3,577,000 watched Nine’s NRL Grand Final. Penrith Panthers became the 2023 Premieres against the Brisbane Broncos. Up 23%.

1,822,000 also watched Nine’s NRL Grand Final – Entertainment, up 15% and 1,605,000 saw Nine’s NRL Grand Final – Post Match, up 20%.

969,000 sat down for Nine’s Women’s NRL Premiership – Grand Final Post Match, up 12% while 807,000 saw the Women’s NRL Premiership – Grand Final, up 12%.

953,000 tuned in for Seven’s My Kitchen Rules as Nick and Christian and Tommy and Rach earned their places in Monday’s semi-final, up 34%.

Overnight TV Ratings, October 8

Primetime News
Seven News 173,000 (5.00 pm) / 944,000 (6.00 pm)
Nine News 162,000 (5.00 pm)/ 710,000 (6.00 pm) 
ABC News 560,000
10 News First 173,000 (5:00 pm)/ 160,000 (6:00 pm)
SBS World News 147,000 (6:30 pm)/ 102,000 (7:00 pm)

Daily Current Affairs
The Sunday Project 172,000 (6:30pm) / 257,000 (7pm) 
Insiders 327,000 

Breakfast TV
Weekend Today 239,000
Weekend Sunrise 75,000
Weekend Breakfast 159,000

Once again, Seven has won the night with a primary share of 28.9% and a network share of 36.4%. 7Mate and 9Gem have won multi channels with a 2.6% share each.

740,000 began their evening with Seven’s The Voice Australia 2023 Grand Finale. The final four contestants, Ethan Beckton, Ezra Williams, Charlie Pittman and Tarryn Stokes, each performed a solo and a final song with their Superstar coaches. 783,000 also saw The Voice Australia 2023 Grand Finale – Winner Announced. After Australia had voted, former backup singer and mum-of-two, Stokes was named the winner. “It feels amazing, going from The Blinds to being in the Grand Finale and somehow believing that I can do this, it’s just thanks to Rita for believing in me,” she said of her win. Then, 396,000 tuned in for 7News Spotlight. It was the most “explosive” episode of the year for the program as the Yes and No campaigns delivered their final arguments ahead of the Voice referendum. 291,000 also sat down for Born to Kill? which focused on Manchester murderer Trevor Hardy.

Earlier in the day, 602,000 sat down for the Supercars Championship: Bathurst 1000 Race while 244,000 watched the Supercars Championship: Bathurst 1000 Race – Supports/Warm.

SEE ALSO: The Voice Recap Episode 17: The winner was crowned during an incredible Grand Finale

There was a shake-up in programming on Nine last night as 204,000 sat down for the Pre-Game of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Session One followed for 281,000 while 204,000 tuned in to the Innings Break. In the thrilling match, Australia took on India with the latter winning by six wickets with 52 balls left. The final score saw India beat our home team 201/4 (41.2) to 199 (49.3). 

129,000 watched ABC’s Voices of Australia. With just days to go, the program looked at how the Yes and No campaigns have reflected our national character. Death in Paradise followed for 356,000 as Neville was tasked with solving a mystery from the past that unlocked the truth of who murdered a concert pianist and why before 280,000 watched another instalment of The Newsreader. During the episode, the News At Six team was approached by Geoff and Evelyn’s daughter Kay Walters, who offered her story of addiction for a price, plunging Helen and Dale into an ethical dilemma. 

On 10, The Sunday Project (172,000 (6:30pm) / 257,000 (7pm) ) spoke to Aussie filmmaker Alex Lykos who locked away his smartphone for 30 days to document how much our devices impact us. The program also spoke to former Israeli Ambassador to Australia Mark Sofer, who joined the desk from Tel Aviv. He discussed the unprecedented attacks on Israel, who are vowing to wreak revenge on militant Palestinian group Hamas. Then, 184,000 watched The Graham Norton Show with guests Bernie Taupin, Catherine Tate, Ashley Walters and Bill Bailey. US drama FBI followed for 113,000.

The highest rating non-news show on SBS was Bermuda Triangle: Into Cursed Waters where an elite team of explorers investigated the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle aided by a secret map decades in the making. 121,000 tuned in.