Friday September 25, 2020

Decoded
News Corp Australia unveils new innovation suite at Decoded event

News Corp Australia’s managing director of national sales Lou Barrett has announced a number of significant innovations.

At the company’s second virtual marketing event for advertising, marketing and media executives, Decoded, Barrett unveiled:

• Targeted Time in View: An Australian market-first offering allowing advertisers to buy blocks of time with their target consumer through News Corp Australia’s inventory on a cost-per-hour basis, guaranteeing quality attention in front of the people they want to buy or use their product or service.

• Lead Generation: A new ad product enabling quick and easy lead capture without consumers having to leave the page or content they’re engaged in on News Corp Australia’s digital network.

• Shop Centre: A new end-to-end e-commerce management solution run by News Xtend that takes the hassle out of managing multiple marketplaces for retailers and their e-commerce offering, from storefront setup, product inventory and advertising to drive sales in critical digital marketplaces including Amazon, eBay, Facebook, Google Shop and Shopify.

Enhancements to News Connect, which launched in 2015, were also announced including enhanced campaign analytics and product booking that improves the user experience and delivers greater reporting effectiveness.

Barrett said: “There’s a huge amount of innovation being driven in our business, increasing the value and expertise in our data and digital offering to provide strong, measurable results for our clients and partners.

“Driving real cut through is a major concern for every client we talk to, there’s plenty of noise out there, and they need to make sure their message is heard loud and clear.

“The strategic digital and data solutions launched today are all designed to grow our clients’ businesses. They are built on insights and advice, strategy, audience segmentation and creative advertising solutions and messages that are audience-led and they’re delivered in premium environments that consumers trust.

“We are committed to helping our clients gain and retain the attention of their target customers, ensuring their awareness, building their consideration and driving them to action.”

Following presentations from Paul Blackburn, general manager digital revenue & marketing solutions, and Suzie Cardwell, general manager data & ad product solutions, the Decoded event also included a panel discussion about the attention economy, why it matters to our lives and how we got here. The panel featured top digital marketing experts Antonia Farquhar, head of content, media and data at Nestlé; Professor Karen Nelson-Field, CEO and founder at Amplified Intelligence; and Kate de Brito, editor-in-chief of news.com.au.

Four breakout sessions were also available for clients to visit at the conclusion of the presentation showcasing:
Content Marketing – Make your content marketing work even harder
Data – The death of the cookie
NewsCast – Australia’s leading premium, original content podcast network
News Xtend – News Corp Australia’s digital marketing services agency solution

New innovations and enhancements launched at Decoded

Targeted Time in View

An Australian publisher-first offering allowing advertisers to buy News Corp Australia inventory on a cost-per-hour basis. This new product guarantees advertisers quality attention in front of their target consumer, with 100% of their message in view in contextually relevant environments. Or they don’t pay.

General manager data & ad product solutions Suzie Cardwell said: “News Corp Australia’s digital audience network already delivers more time with audiences than any other commercial network. In fact, according to Nielsen, sites like news.com.au provide 32% more time than our closest commercial competitor.

“It’s that length of engagement that allows us to now guarantee our customers time with their target audiences. In a market-first, this game-changing product allows us to offer clients the ability to buy blocks of time with their target consumers.

“Want 20,000 hours of exposure to tech enthusiasts, main grocery buyers or perhaps home improvers? We won’t just deliver it, we’ll guarantee it, and only ask customers to pay if their ads have been seen by that audience for that full 20,000 hours. We’re calling it Targeted Time in View, or TTIV and it’s the new way to buy your customers’ attention.”

Lead Generation

A new ad product that enables quick and easy lead capture without interrupting the user journey on the News Corp Australia digital network, which has an audience of 12.2 million every month. Through deep audience understanding and targeting via News Connect, this product provides clients with a direct stream of qualified leads.

Cardwell said: “Finding customers at the right time, when they’re likely to be receptive and keeping them as you ask them to click away from the environment they’re already in is challenging. Drop off rates can be up to 90% between clicking on a call to action and moving to another site.

“Our new Lead Generation product allows clients to put their call to action in front of engaged audiences in our relevant digital environments without asking them to leave the page or content they’re engaged in.

“Using simple formats in-article and on-page, a future customer can simply enter their details into a short form, right where they are, then continue reading or watching undisturbed. We collect these details, making sure we get the consumer to consent to their information being shared, and then we make them available to the client, ready to contact.

“Clients only pay for the leads we send them. Lead Generation is a great new way to help fill the sales pipeline.”

Shop Centre

A new end-to-end e-commerce management solution helping retailers manage their e-commerce offering. Run by News Corp Australia’s digital marketing agency News Xtend, which manages storefront setup, product inventory and advertising to drive sales in various marketplaces, optimising each shopfront or marketplace listing, their inventory and the promotional drivers to get customers to it.

Cardwell said: “2020 has redefined the way we shop. The last six months have seen an exponential increase in online sales, and now is the time to take advantage of this shift in consumer behaviour and ensure your products can be found online in as many marketplaces as possible.

“Shop Centre is a unique new end-to-end ecommerce inventory and marketplace solution suite that puts our clients’ products in front of the right people, in the right place, right now.

“Products need to be in the shopfront of multiple virtual stores and Shop Front has been designed to make sure our customers’ products not just appear, but appear the right way, across Amazon, eBay, Facebook, Google Shop, Shopify and more. All of this is run by our News Xtend team, taking the hassle out of managing the multiple marketplaces they now need to be on to maximise results.”

Campaign Analytics

News Connect’s enhanced Campaign Analytics now allows clients to visualise their results in real time with a live feed through the News Connect dashboard from the start of any digital campaign that they run with News Corp Australia.

Product Booking

All new innovations are available on the enhanced News Connect platform from today, with increased buying functionality enabling ease of transaction to save time and effort. News Connect’s user-friendly environment now features improved self-serve capabilities to plan, book and measure: sponsorships, the new Time in View product, Cost Per Completed View (across News Corp and Unruly), and social video and social stories.

News Corp Australia launches travel campaign, Australia Go And Get It

• National consumer marketing campaign across digital, video, social and print

News Corp Australia has unveiled a new travel campaign Australia Go and Get It – Safe Escapes 20/21, designed to unite and support all Australians to drive the recovery of local tourism.

Earlier this week, News Corp Australia managing director of Food and Travel Fiona Nilsson foreshadowed the move.

See also: News Corp’s travel passion: The future of domestic & international tourism

Launching on Sunday 27 September, the national campaign is led by the company’s leading travel media brand Escape, The Australian and news.com.au, and with support across the daily and weekend metros and network travel environments.

News Corp Australia has a monthly travel audience of more than 5.4 million*.

Fiona Nilsson said today: “News Corp Australia is committed to supporting the travel industry and investing in the category. We are launching this company-wide domestic travel initiative across our entire ecosystem to provide consumers with the inspiration, confidence, guidance and assurance to travel once again, when it is safe to do so.

“It’s a rally cry calling upon all Australians to come together in solidarity and support their country, travel industry and local businesses. It’s about rediscovering what’s in their own backyard, to explore and get back out there.”

Editorial director of premium food and travel, editor-in-chief of Escape Kerrie McCallum said: “Australia is a nation of passionate travellers, it’s in our DNA, and right now, Australia is all ours. We have this great country completely to ourselves, to experience the bucket-list spots that draw tourists en masse from all around the world.

“The aim of our Australia Go and Get It campaign is to inspire consumers to go and live their dream for the summer ahead. To plan and book a holiday in the coming months because, let’s face it, we all need one.

“Wherever they are, whatever borders they can and can’t cross, we want to help people find the hidden gems, the secret spots, and support local businesses. We want to help them have the summer they deserve.

“We know people are hungry to get out and feel free again, and many of us are in desperate need of a break – so too is our economy. So when consumers can, let’s get moving again. Let’s do it safely, smartly and with respect for each other. Let’s help get Australia going again, and make memories while we’re at it. Bring on the summer of 20/21.”

Australia Go and Get It launches this Sunday with hyper-local covers and content in Escape in The Sunday Telegraph (NSW), Sunday Herald Sun (VIC), The Sunday Mail (QLD) and The Sunday Mail (SA), which is a first for the brand.

As part of the campaign, #EscapeSnaps will launch on Sunday 4 October, calling on consumers to share a photo of their favourite holiday spots, and help the rest of Australia discover somewhere new.

Australia Go and Get It – Safe Escapes 20/21 will be supported by a national consumer marketing campaign across digital, video, social and print.

The highly visual campaign has been developed by News Corp Australia’s in-house creative agency, Roller.

Source: *emma conducted by Ipsos, 12 months ending June 2020, Fused Nielsen Digital Panel calibrated to Digital Content Ratings, March 2020. All people 14+ 7 caps.

WBBL
Seven and Fox Cricket welcome release of Rebel WBBL|06 fixture

Cricket Australia has today announced a full 59-game fixture for the upcoming rebel Women’s Big Bash League season in Sydney and the creation of the rebel WBBL Village in Sydney Olympic Park.

The season will begin on Sunday, October 25, with all eight teams in action and both a Sydney and Melbourne derby to be played. The season will conclude on the weekend of November 28-29, with locations and timings of the three-match finals series matches to be confirmed.

The rebel WBBL Village will see parts of Sydney Olympic Park transformed into a high-class athletes’ precinct to accommodate all eight teams and staff. The Village, created with the support of rebel, the Sydney Olympic Park Authority, Accor Hotels and Cricket NSW will see the League given exclusive use of multiple hotels, high performance facilities, dining venues and more.

CA is working in partnership with the New South Wales Government to ensure the competition proceeds in line with government regulations and COVID safety guidelines, with the safety of the NSW community and all participants the highest priority.

Alistair Dobson, CA head of Big Bash Leagues, said the foundations had been laid for a memorable rebel WBBL|06 season.

“Today’s announcement of the changes to the rebel WBBL|06 fixture and the transformation of Sydney Olympic Park into the rebel WBBL Village sets the League up for another unforgettable season,” Dobson said.

“Last season was the biggest in the history of the women’s game and now, following on from the Commonwealth Bank ODI and T20I series in Brisbane, we’ll get to see the stars of our world champion Australian team in action during rebel WBBL|06.

“We’d like to thank the NSW Government, rebel, the Sydney Olympic Park Authority, Accor Hotels and our colleagues at Cricket NSW for their extraordinary collaboration to make this season happen.

“We can’t wait to see the players arrive in the rebel WBBL Village in a matter of weeks ahead of the season openers on Sunday, October 25.”

Lewis Martin, managing director Seven Melbourne and head of network sport, said: “We can’t wait for the world’s best women’s T20 competition to begin on Seven the day after the 100th running of the Cox Plate and the AFL Grand Final,” Martin said.

“With more prime-time WBBL than ever and stars such as Meg Lanning, Beth Mooney and Sophie Devine making big off-season moves, we look forward to an unpredictable and exciting season ahead.”

Matt Weiss, general manager of Fox Cricket, said: “Coming off this year’s incredible T20 World Cup victory, women’s cricket is more popular than ever before – we are looking forward to continuing to build that popularity through this year’s WBBL,” Weiss said.

“Fox Cricket will show more live WBBL matches than ever before and will continue Australia’s only dedicated Women’s Cricket show – The Blast.”

Ticketing arrangements for matches will be announced in due course.

 

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Top Photo: Sarah Aley (Sydney Sixers), Hannah Darlington and Sammy-Jo Johnson (Sydney Thunder) in Sydney Olympic Park. Photo: Getty Images

The Bachelor
The Bachelor Australia: Locky chooses Irena in tense finale

In the finale of The Bachelor Australia Locky Gilbert pledged his love to nurse, Irena Srbinovska on 10 and 10 Play.

In the final episode, The Bachelor called his mum for a bit of advice and his mum could easily see why her son had fallen for both ladies. She felt Bella was a strong, confident woman who would be able to reign Locky back when needed, and she could also feel Irena’s soft, caring nature shine through. She thought that Irena was an absolute sweetheart, but worried she wouldn’t be able to stand up to her son.

Locky invited Irena out for their final date. Taking their relationship off the beaten path, they went on a four-wheel driving adventure. Both were in their element, and shared a glimpse into what their life together would look like. Wanting Locky to be her future husband and the father of her children, Irena worried that her past relationship patterns would see Locky find a future, without her in it.

While cosied up, Locky was ready to ask the hard-hitting questions. Raising his mum’s concern that Irena wouldn’t be able to stand up for herself, he felt reassured when she told him she could be tough when needed, and had no problem saying ‘no’. As they went for a late-night dip, Locky admitted to Irena that he’d fallen in love with her.

The next day, Locky surprised Bella with a chopper ride around the Hunter Valley. Touching down on a gorgeous field, they were treated to a breathtaking, private performance from a classical orchestra.

Drawing up his sleeve, Locky revealed he was wearing the pin Bella had gifted him the first time they’d met. Saying he’s a big believer in love at first sight, Locky admitted he’d fallen in love with Bella, and the two shared an intimate kiss.

Ending their night with a swim, Locky asked Bella how she imagined their next steps. Unable to give him a clear picture, Bella said she didn’t care what the future looked like, so long as it was with Locky.

Battling intense feelings for both ladies, Locky struggled to make his decision. Not wanting to hurt anyone’s feelings, he faced an inner battle to leave one of the ladies he had deeply fallen in love with.

As Bella arrived at the commitment ceremony, Locky immediately broke down into tears. Telling Bella that he meant it when he said he loved her, he felt Bella’s uncertainty about the future left them on two very different pages. Stunned at Locky’s rejection, Bella asked to leave. Not buying that Locky loved her, Bella was teary as she ended her chapter with Locky.

Locky couldn’t help but smile as he saw Irena approaching. Irena was everything he wanted in a partner and he couldn’t wait to spend the rest of his life with her. Telling Irena how in love with her he was, the two shared an emotional embrace to conclude The Bachelors latest season.

Mediaweek podcasts

Inside Australian Crime Stories + Mediaweek TV with Mercado, Manning and Knox

Inside Australian Crime Stories S4 Episode 2: Qantas bomb hoax

Producers of Nine’s true crime series, Gerri Coy and Bryan Cockerill, takes Mediaweek behind the scenes of this amazing heist straight from a Hollywood movie. How Mr Brown got Qantas to pay him $500,000 and the unseen movie made about it.

See also: Inside Australian Crime Stories S4 Episode 1: Roger Rogerson

Producers of Nine’s Australian Crime Stories on the compelling story of the cop without a conscience, the notorious former NSW detective Roger Rogerson, and his accomplice Glen McNamara, who were convicted of a brutal homicide captured on CCTV but maintain their innocence.

Mediaweek TV with Mercado, Manning and Knox

Mediaweek’s Andrew Mercado and James Manning are joined by TV Tonight’s David Knox. This episode they go through Nine’s 2021 schedule unveiled this month and they also look at the 2020 Emmy winners. Who was worthy? TV viewing tips too!

Recommended viewing includes Lovecraft Country, The Good Fight, Des, Staged, The Duchess, The Heights and 10’s forthcoming Lindy Chamberlain: The True Story.

Mercado on TV: Ratched is for horror fans who aren’t fussy about scripts

By Andrew Mercado

Ratched (Netflix) is another big-budget Ryan Murphy production. The cast is fabulous, the costumes are sumptuous and the sets are eye-popping, but story wise, it’s hollow and ridiculous. Ratched is wretched.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest is a seminal movie masterpiece. Ratched claims to be a prequel, but that is untruthful because they are vastly different productions. Ratched switches genres and replaces it instead with gory nonsensical schlock.

Ratched may be a colour-saturated nod to old Hollywood, with increased diversity and queerness, but all of this ground was just covered in Hollywood (Netflix) which came out in May. Could Ryan Murphy now be doing homages to himself?

It would be more accurate to describe Ratched as yet another series of Ryan Murphy’s interminable American Horror Story series. In Season 2’s Asylum, sadistic Dr Arden (James Cromwell) amputates Shelley’s (Chloe Sevigny) legs because she laughs at him. In Ratched, sadistic Dr Hanover (Jon Jon Briones) watches on as Henry Osgood (Brandon Flynn) cuts off his own arms and legs. And then his mother (Sharon Stone) wants revenge. As if.

Ratched exists in a completely different world from One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, but a serious look at Nurse Ratched’s origins could have been fascinating. Instead, it’s all torture porn freak show. And by the way, none of the interior sets match up to the exterior shots of the buildings they are supposedly set in.

Ratched is pop culture appropriation at its worst, and an insult to all those who originated the character. That includes author Ken Kesey, director Milos Forman, producer Michael Douglas, and Louise Fletcher who won a Best Actress Oscar for playing Ratched in 1975. Hell, even Jack Nicholson deserves an apology.

Tellingly, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest is not available to watch on Netflix. That’s because they don’t want anyone to notice the massive disconnect. Shame too on whatever greedy corporate entities sold off the copyright to make more money. What’s next? A high school comedy prequel to Martin Scorcese’s Taxi Driver called Travis Bickle’s Day Off?

Ryan Murphy, who can be so exceptional with acclaimed productions like Feud and American Crime Story, should stop squandering his million-dollar opportunities. And he really needs to stop repeating himself. Can he redeem himself next week with a new adaptation of seminal gay play The Boys In The Band (Wednesday on Netflix)?

As for Ratched, it should be disassociated from One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest immediately. 1975’s Academy Award-winning Best Picture is essential viewing. Ratched is for horror fans who aren’t fussy about scripts making any sense. It should be re-titled American Horror Story: Nurse Nasty and is the biggest disappointment of the year.

The Bachelor
TV ratings: Thursday Week 39 2020

By James Manning

• The Bachelor chooses Irena as biggest audience chooses 10
• Nine ranks #1 primary with Brisbane delivering #1 NRL crowd
• Seven ranks #1 network as Father Brown pushes 7TWO over 4%
• Next best thing to visiting New Zealand? Watching SBS

Primetime News
Seven News 1,026,000/1,005,000
Nine News 952,000/928,000
ABC News 771,000
10 News First 326,000/205,000
SBS World News 188,000

Daily current affairs
A Current Affair 633,000
7.30 516,000
The Project 287,000/514,000
The Drum 192,000

Breakfast TV
Sunrise 276,000
Today 200,000
News Breakfast 206,000

Late night news
The Latest 212,000
Nine News Late 147,000
ABC Late News 112,000
SBS World News Late 58,000

Thursday TV 

Seven: Home and Away held just over 500,000 to end the week after a high of 627,000 on Wednesday.

The Front Bar guest was great Melbourne coach John Northey with 290,000 watching – 182,000 in Melbourne.

Some guides mentioned a Lindy Chamberlain spoiler would air in Sydney and Brisbane, instead viewers got the movie Pitch Perfect with 89,000 watching in those two markets.

Nine: A Current Affair slipped just below 700,000 again to 633,000.

The NRL featured an all-Queensland clash as the Broncos secured the Wooden Spoon for the first time as they were defeated by the Cowboys. The audience of 344,000 saw the biggest crowd in Brisbane – 161,000. Sydney was not far behind on 153,000.

10: The Project recovered after being locked around 450,000 for three nights as it climbed over 500,000 for the first time this week.

Some of that audience tuning in no doubt stayed on for the season finale of The Bachelor as 879,000 watched Locky choose Irena. The first part of the finale was on 694,000. The audiences for the series climax last year were 936,000 and 1,170,000. Last night was the first time the Winner Announced has failed to crack 1m in eight seasons.

The list of achievements tough is long for what the 2020 final did last night:

#1 entertainment show of the night
Dominated the key demos: #1 in under 50s, 25 to 54s and 16 to 39s
#1 show on BVOD last night
Final Decision was the #1 live stream event on 10 Play this year

Network 10’s head of programming Daniel Monaghan said this morning:

“Locky’s search for love was a hit with Australians across all screens. The 2020 season of The Bachelor Australia dominated social media every time it went to air, recorded huge BVOD and live streaming numbers, and ranked #1 in its timeslot on broadcast TV.

“Thanks to the wonderful team at 10 and Warner Bros for their hard work and ingenuity in very challenging circumstances.

“Special thanks as well to our partners and sponsors for their incredible support and the highly creative and effective ideas and integrations they brought to this year’s series,” he said.

“Now that The Bachelor Australia has wrapped, we can’t wait to roll out The Bachelorette Australia, as sisters and best friends Elly and Becky Miles embark on their unique and very special quest for true love.” 

Gogglebox had a good lead-in last night and drew an audience of 654,000, but up only marginally on last week’s 645,000.

ABC: The Heights was on 213,000.

Escape from the City followed with host Simon Marnie looking for a property in the Hunter region for the audience of 296,000.

SBS: Aussies are desperate to travel anywhere as present. The first international option might be New Zealand. With that still some time away viewers did the next best thing last night and flocked to The World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys. A trip across the South Island attracted a bumper crowd of 390,000 for the series final.

Secrets of the Tower of London then did 193,000.

Week 39: Thursday
THURSDAY METRO
ABCSevenNine10SBS
ABC10.2%717.5%918.1%10 17.2%SBS One6.1%
ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY2.9%7TWO4.1%GO!2.5%10 Bold3.5%VICELAND1.5%
ABC ME0.5%7mate3.5%GEM1.8%10 Peach1.9%Food Net0.8%
ABC NEWS1.5%7flix2.1%9Life2.3%  NITV0.1%
    9Rush1.0%  SBS World Movies0.8%
TOTAL15.0% 27.2% 25.7% 22.7% 9.4%

 

THURSDAY REGIONAL
ABCSeven AffiliatesNine Affiliates10 AffiliatesSBS
ABC9.5%717.6%919.5%WIN11.0%SBS One5.4%
ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY2.6%7TWO6.8%GO!2.2%WIN Bold4.3%VICELAND1.7%
ABC ME0.7%7mate4.5%GEM3.1%WIN Peach2.7%Food Net0.8%
ABC NEWS1.5%7flix (Excl. Tas/WA)2.0%9Life1.8%Sky News  on WIN2.0%NITV0.1%
        SBS Movies0.5%
TOTAL14.4% 31.0% 26.6% 20.0% 8.5%

 

THURSDAY METRO ALL TV
FTASTV
86.7%13.3%
THURSDAY FTA
  1. Seven News Seven 1,026,000
  2. Seven News At 6.30 Seven 1,005,000
  3. Nine News Nine 952,000
  4. Nine News 6:30 Nine 928,000
  5. The Bachelor Australia Grand Finale – The Final Decision 10 879,000
  6. ABC News ABC 771,000
  7. The Bachelor Australia Grand Finale 10 694,000
  8. Gogglebox 10 654,000
  9. A Current Affair Nine 633,000
  10. The Chase Australia Seven 543,000
  11. 7.30 ABC 516,000
  12. Home And Away Seven 516,000
  13. The Project 7pm 10 514,000
  14. Hot Seat Nine 461,000
  15. The World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys SBS 390,000
  16. The Chase Australia-5pm Seven 338,000
  17. 10 News First 10 326,000
  18. Thursday Night NRL Live Nine 314,000
  19. Escape From The City ABC 296,000
  20. The Front Bar Seven 290,000
Demo Top 5

16-39 Top Five

  1. The Bachelor Australia Grand Finale – The Final Decision 10 322,000
  2. The Bachelor Australia Grand Finale 10 253,000
  3. Gogglebox 10 218,000
  4. The Project 7pm 10 129,000
  5. Nine News 6:30 Nine 119,000

 

18-49 Top Five

  1. The Bachelor Australia Grand Finale – The Final Decision 10 473,000
  2. The Bachelor Australia Grand Finale 10 372,000
  3. Gogglebox 10 333,000
  4. Nine News 6:30 Nine 235,000
  5. Nine News Nine 227,000

 

25-54 Top Five

  1. The Bachelor Australia Grand Finale – The Final Decision 10 487,000
  2. The Bachelor Australia Grand Finale 10 379,000
  3. Gogglebox 10 357,000
  4. Nine News 6:30 Nine 297,000
  5. Nine News Nine 288,000
THURSDAY Multichannel
  1. Bluey AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 184,000
  2. Bluey ABCKIDS/COMEDY 177,000
  3. Peppa Pig PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 171,000
  4. NCIS (R) 10 Bold 166,000
  5. School Of Roars ABCKIDS/COMEDY 165,000
  6. Love Monster ABCKIDS/COMEDY 163,000
  7. Father Brown PM 7TWO 162,000
  8. Noddy Toyland Detective PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 154,000
  9. Rusty Rivets ABCKIDS/COMEDY 150,000
  10. Peter Rabbit PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 149,000
  11. Peppa Pig AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 147,000
  12. Andy’s Dinosaur Adventures ABCKIDS/COMEDY 133,000
  13. Octonauts PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 130,000
  14. M- The League Of Extraordinary Gentl 7MmEaNt-ePM (R) 128,000
  15. Floogals AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 124,000
  16. Nella The Princess Knight PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 124,000
  17. Murdoch Mysteries PM 7TWO 122,000
  18. Daniel Tiger’s Neighbourhood AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 120,000
  19. Fireman Sam AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 116,000
  20. Kiddets AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 113,000
THURSDAY STV
  1. Bluey AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 184,000
  2. Bluey ABCKIDS/COMEDY 177,000
  3. Peppa Pig PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 171,000
  4. NCIS (R) 10 Bold 166,000
  5. School Of Roars ABCKIDS/COMEDY 165,000
  6. Love Monster ABCKIDS/COMEDY 163,000
  7. Father Brown PM 7TWO 162,000
  8. Noddy Toyland Detective PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 154,000
  9. Rusty Rivets ABCKIDS/COMEDY 150,000
  10. Peter Rabbit PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 149,000
  11. Peppa Pig AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 147,000
  12. Andy’s Dinosaur Adventures ABCKIDS/COMEDY 133,000
  13. Octonauts PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 130,000
  14. M- The League Of Extraordinary Gentl 7MmEaNt-ePM (R) 128,000
  15. Floogals AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 124,000
  16. Nella The Princess Knight PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 124,000
  17. Murdoch Mysteries PM 7TWO 122,000
  18. Daniel Tiger’s Neighbourhood AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 120,000
  19. Fireman Sam AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 116,000
  20. Kiddets AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 113,000

Shares all people, 6pm-midnight, Overnight (Live and AsLive), Audience numbers FTA metro, Sub TV national
Source: OzTAM and Regional TAM 2018. The Data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) without the prior written consent of OzTAM

Media News Roundup

Business of Media

To Fight Apple and Google, smaller app rivals organise a coalition

For months, complaints from tech companies against Apple’s and Google’s power have grown louder, reports The New York Times.

Spotify, the music streaming app, criticized Apple for the rules it imposed in the App Store. A founder of the software company Basecamp attacked Apple’s “highway robbery rates” on apps. And last month, Epic Games, maker of the popular game Fortnite, sued Apple and Google, claiming they violated antitrust rules.

Now these app makers are uniting in an unusual show of opposition against Apple and Google and the power they have over their app stores. On Thursday, the smaller companies said they had formed the Coalition for App Fairness, a nonprofit group that plans to push for changes in the app stores and “protect the app economy.” The 13 initial members include Spotify, Basecamp, Epic and Match Group, which has apps like Tinder and Hinge.

“They’ve collectively decided, ‘We’re not alone in this, and maybe what we should do is advocate on behalf of everybody,’” said Sarah Maxwell, a spokeswoman for the group. She added that the new nonprofit would be “a voice for many.”

[Read more]

Read more about the Coalition for App Fairness here.

Ex-Seven star seeks 'at least $500k' from network, court told

A former Seven Network presenter is suing the broadcaster for at least $500,000 over accusations it breached the Fair Work Act by failing to pay him annual leave or redundancy pay, a court has heard, reports The Sydney Morning Herald’s Georgina Mitchell.

Simon Reeve – who appeared in the network’s Olympics coverage, news coverage and game shows including Million Dollar Minute and It’s Academic – alleges in court documents that he was made redundant in a phone call on June 25 with Sunrise executive producer Michael Pell.

He says he had been directed three months earlier, in a phone conversation with a Weekend Sunrise producer, to “cease performing services”.

In a statement of claim filed with the Federal Court, Reeve says being made redundant was a breach of his contract, which “did not permit Seven to unilaterally cease making the payment of salary” to him or his company.

Reeve also claims Seven breached the Fair Work Act by misrepresenting his employment as being an independent contracting arrangement, when it is clear he was treated as an employee – including receiving an email from chief operations officer Bruce McWilliam on July 3 describing him as “part of the DNA of this place”.

On Thursday, when the case was first mentioned in court, Reeve’s lawyer John Laxon said the case was worth “in excess of half a million dollars … somewhere between half a million and a million dollars”.

Justice Geoffrey Flick remarked: “Channel Seven must pay well.”

The matter will return to court on November 11.

[Read more]

Netflix getting a free ride from Australia. It's time for them to stump up

The Netflix chief executive, Reed Hastings, has claimed this week in the Australian media that the streaming giant will “voluntarily” produce Australian content, rendering the need for mooted Australian local content rules redundant, writes Trent Zimmerman, the member for North Sydney and co-chair of Parliamentary Friends of the Screen Industry, in Guardian Australia.

Leaving aside the fact that Netflix is not the only streaming service in town, sadly Netflix’s performance to date does not inspire the type of confidence that should encourage the federal government to abandon its rule in promoting Australian content and stories.

It’s time for streaming services, which are enjoying growing and significant revenues from Australians, to stump up and support our own screen sector. They are currently getting a free ride and a competitive advantage over traditional media, which is both unfair but also denying Australians the chance to be part of our own stories.

[Read more]

Celebrity manager has a new LA office, only it’s ‘virtual’

The manager for celebrities including James Charles, Emily Skye and Quade Cooper has been found to be using a “virtual” Los Angeles address, however denied he tried to give the impression that it would be exclusively his own, reports News Corp’s Sally Coates.

Sam Mangan, owner of PR firm Spin & Co and purportedly a close friend of Roxy Jacenko, recently signed US millionaire makeup mogul James Charles and in celebration announced that he had upgraded his LA base with a permanent office on the prestigious Wilshire Boulevard.

The manager for celebrities including James Charles, Emily Skye and Quade Cooper has been found to be using a “virtual” Los Angeles address, however denied he tried to give the impression that it would be exclusively his own.

However, a search of the LA address listed on the Spin & Co website – 10940 Wilshire Boulevard. Suite 1600 – shows that the address is actually a “virtual office”, an address businesses can buy for as little as $129 US per month.

“Although we’ve worked in the US for years you’ll now find a brand new Spin&Co. Office on Wilshire Boulevard,” Mangan wrote on his personal Instagram page.

However when contacted by Confidential, Mangan denied giving the impression that he had rented a full office.

[Read more]

News Brands

Peter V’landys: ABC accused of pandering to ‘activists’ over 7.30 story

The ABC pandered to “activists” by portraying racing boss Peter V’landys as the “face” of abhorrent cruelty to horses in a 7.30 segment that jeopardised his position as the chairman of rugby league’s governing body and sparked a ‘please explain’ from a NSW cabinet minister, a court has heard, reports The Australian’s Kieran Gair.

The chief executive of Racing NSW and Australian Rugby League Commission chairman is suing the ABC and journalist Caro Meldrum-Hanna over the segment ‘The Final Race’ which aired on 7.30 last year.

On Thursday, V’landys claimed he had not been afforded the same courtesy and “procedural fairness” as two animal “activists” featured in a 7.30 exposé that revealed acts of cruelty against former racehorses and aired graphic footage from Meramist Abattoir in Queensland.

“I can remember seeing those two activists on the phone talking about Meramist and I remember thinking how were they shown that video I wasn’t, why where they given that courtesy,” V’landys said.

Peter Beattie, the former Queensland Premier and the commissioner of rugby league’s governing body, told the court on Thursday that the program almost put V’landys’ position on the ALRC’s board in jeopardy.

[Read more]

ABC editor fires off SA sledge on Twitter as the state opens its borders

An ABC staffer based in Sydney has drawn the ire of former federal ministers and his own colleagues at the national broadcaster for a tweet suggesting people from NSW “may die of boredom” if they cross the border into SA, reports The Advertier’s Greg Barila.

Riley Stuart, NSW digital editor for ABC News, tweeted on Wednesday night: #BREAKING NSW residents warned not to travel to Adelaide when SA border opens tonight as they “may die of boredom”.

Strangely, this fresh, creative and entirely original one-liner did not cause widespread hilarity among other Twitter users. Even Stuart’s fellow ABC employers were left shaking their heads rather than clutching their sides.

Former long-serving ABC Radio Adelaide breakfast co-host and Sunday Mail columnist Matthew Abraham responded that Stuart’s attempt at humour “reflects the entrenched superior Sydney mindset of the ABC, which I observed inside the tent for years”.

[Read more]

Sir Harold Evans dies aged 92: Journalism greats pay tributes

Sir Harold Evans was physically a diminutive figure – but through his journalism, books and comments about the trade he had a giant influence over generations of journalists, reports Dominic Ponsford in Press Gazette.

Many have shared their thoughts about the impact Sir Harry has had on them since his death from heart failure aged 92 was announced this morning.

Writing for Reuters, award-winning investigative journalist Stephen Grey said: “He was the icon that inspired a generation of young Britons to pick up a pen in anger – inspired by his example that the relentless and carefully crafted exposure of facts could be used to fight injustice.”

Reuters editor in chief Stephen Adler said: “Harry Evans was an inspiration, not only as a great journalist but as a great man. He had an insatiable intellect, extraordinary tenacity, high principle, and a generous heart.”

Former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan said: “One of the all-time great newspaper editors. His stunning Thalidomide investigation when he ran the Sunday Times epitomised his crusading, campaigning, fearless style.

A wonderful journalist & a witty, charming, fiercely intelligent man.”

Even Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a former Times journalist himself, shared a tribute: “Sir Harold Evans worked his way up from local papers to become a giant of British journalism.

“He will always be remembered for exposing the thalidomide scandal and for tirelessly campaigning on behalf of those who were affected. A true pioneer of investigative journalism.”

Evans was editor of the Northern Echo from 1961 to 67, editor of The Sunday Times from 1967 to 1981 and then editor of The Times for a year before resigning after clashing with owner Rupert Murdoch about editorial independence.

[Read more]

Publishing

News Corp ‘rips newsagents off with low margin on magazine’

Retail newsagents who stock the 40 years of State of Origin magazine from News Corp will make a paltry 7.5% gross profit from each copy sold, writes newsagent industry commentator and retailer Mark Fletcher at newsagencyblog.com.au.

Shame on News Corp for this.

For a company that shouts daily from its print and digital platforms on many matters including telling others what to do and how to lead, here they are giving newsagents not even a living wage to support this title.

A few newsagents I have spoken with expect they could sell 10 or 12 copies of the magazine. For that they will receive around $4.00. They also said that handling everything necessary that is associated with the title will cost around a man-hour, maybe more.

$4.00 an hour is appalling. The current, non-Covid, unemployment benefit paid by the federal government calculates out at around $4.87 an hour. With this 40 years of State of Origin magazine from News Corp, the company is paying less than the unemployment rate.

So, how much should newsagents be paid to offer this title? The gross profit from the 40 years of State of Origin magazine should be at least 45%. While that would not make it profitable for newsagents, it would at least demonstrate respect for newsagents and their investment of labour and retail space in supporting the title.

[Read more]

Sports Media

Cricketer Dean Jones dies after collapsing in a Mumbai hotel

Dean Jones, the man with the dancing feet and flashing blade who defined the excitement of 1980s cricket, has died in a Mumbai hotel surrounded by cricketing legends, reports The Australian’s Peter Lalor.

Fellow former cricketer Brett Lee was on the scene and performed CPR but the 59-year-old was pronounced dead at 6.30pm (AEST) on Thursday.

Jones was working for Star Sports in its Mumbai bunker where he was anchoring IPL matches alongside Brian Lara, Graeme Swann, Scott Styris and Lee, who were all staying in the same hotel.

“It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing away of Mr Dean Mervyn Jones AM,” Star India said.

[Read more]

'It's a real tough day': Brett Lee returns to TV hours after trying to save Dean Jones

Former Australia fast bowler Brett Lee returned to the television screen in India only hours after trying to save Dean Jones‘ life in their Mumbai hotel, describing the iconic batsman and character of the game as “an absolute legend”, reports The Sydney Morning Herald’s Chris Barrett.

Jones, who was on the subcontinent commentating on the Indian Premier League for Star India television, died suddenly of a suspected heart attack on Thursday at the age of 59.

Lee, also part of the Star India team of analysts, rushed to Jones’ side when he collapsed inside the Trident Hotel in Mumbai, performing CPR in a desperate attempt to revive him. Tragically, Jones, who was transported to a nearby hospital by ambulance, could not be saved.

Despite the traumatic episode, Lee bravely fronted up on Star’s pre-game coverage of the IPL on Thursday night just hours after Jones had passed away.

The 43-year-old appeared on a segment Star calls the Select Dugout alongside former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris, a close friend of Jones’ and another Star panellist who broke down as he spoke about the Victorian great on television.

“I think the thing we want to say about Deano is he would have wanted us to be here tonight,” Lee said.

[Read more]

Cricket Australia offers Seven discount but deal a long way off

Cricket Australia has indicated a willingness to give ground in the game’s broadcast war with Seven West Media, offering to charge less money for the summer, report Nine Publishing’s Chris Barrett and Jon Pierik.

However, a peace deal with the game’s free-to-air television partner remains a distant prospect, with Seven knocking back an initial offer from the game’s governing body ahead of a meeting on Friday between managing director James Warburton and CA’s interim chief, Nick Hockley.

Seven’s attempts to have a major slice taken out of its $75 million fee this summer have also been rejected to date by CA, which has maintained since Warburton began taking aim at the organisation in August that it would deliver a full season and fulfil its end of the contract.

Seven will begin televising the international summer this weekend when Meg Lanning‘s Australian team starts a limited-overs campaign against New Zealand in Brisbane but its future broadcasting of the game remains in doubt after it threatened to tear up its $450 million deal.

[Read more]

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