When Jess Eva was announced as the winner of the Film and TV Production category at Mediaweek’s Next of the Best awards she wasn’t in the room, but her heartfelt video message landed just as powerfully.
As co-founder of Maker Media, Eva has built a business focused on “programming with purpose”, creating shows that deliver impact as well as entertainment.
Her work often begins far from a studio: in fire-ravaged towns, flood-hit communities, or buried deep in GoFundMe pages. And her role isn’t just on-screen, she’s driving the van, leading the production, handling sales, and knocking on doors.
In this Q&A, Eva speaks candidly about her unlikely path into media, why the next generation of TV must serve something greater than just ratings, and what drives her ambition to deliver a 7:30pm show for Nine.
It’s also a window into how creative leadership looks when it’s rooted in real connection, and a reminder that success isn’t always loud. Sometimes, it starts in a van.
Jess Eva’s winning announcement at the Next Of The Best Awards 2025
Mediaweek: An all-star line-up has judged the awards. What does it mean to you to be recognised by this group?
Jess Eva: I’m the worst person to ask this as a person who genuinely never feels good enough. Maybe there was a mistake?
I’m so incredibly grateful. TV isn’t as glamorous as it looks. For me it’s now my business and involves with long drives in a van around Australia. There are also things like sales, production, and front and back of house meetings.
We don’t cast for the show as I find that sometimes those who need help most don’t ask. So we go to areas struck by disaster and just listen. We also scroll GoFundMe pages setup by family and friends around the country.
I personally fly to meet the families to make sure they’re comfortable and happy before we arrive.
There’s so much work that’s so gratifying associated with it. But it’s real. And to have it seen as something worthy from the caliber of Mediaweek and the panel – of your time thoughts and even praise is something that is not expected. I also feel slightly guilty in taking the credit as I have some incredibly loyal and hard-working beautiful people that are actually the nuts and bolts of the operation.
MW: You’ve worked in several varied roles across the media landscape, including in radio. What are both the most significant differences and the most considerable similarities between each medium?
JE: Through radio, tv and writing I think a common theme consistently exists and that sometimes we forget we are talking and communicating to people. We are talking to your neighbour up the street, the group of girls or guys you see at the pub. Regardless of the platform, everyday people are your audience. They’re like we are: stuck in traffic, tired, working towards a weekend or a holiday or struggling to pay the bills. Do we want to connect through entertainment? relatability? humour? Or all? You run the filter through human behaviour and not through the ego of a camera or self grandeur or an unauthentic performance.
MW: What has been your proudest moment since beginning your media career?
JE: I was rejected from many media schools. I sold radio advertising in a very small market and put a CD on the bosses desk every night for a year to get a chance and that was driving a cruiser car. For some that might not be much. But for me that was the start of giving me evidence that there’s not one path. And the ability to understand that the only thing stopping you from having a go is the voice in your head.
My thoughts are, if you haven’t achieved it and you try, it’s like buying a raffle ticket. You’ll either leave exactly as you came, which means you lost nothing, Or you’ll leave with a meat tray. Therefore, where is the risk?
Jess Eva’s video message which was played during her Next Of The Best win
MW: In addition to your talent in TV, what else would you like the industry to know about you?
JE: I’d like to show them as opposed to tell them. I think it holds more value.
MW: What does the next 12 months look like for you in terms of how you’re thinking about your career?
JE: We have several shows in production and pitch stage. A banner within Maker Media that is called “programming with purpose” meaning each of our shows must have some value in terms of positive value to people.
For me personally it’s an absolute razor-sharp passion to deliver Nine a 7:30pm weeknight show. The gratitude I have in their belief is not lost on me. Earlier in the year we had a small tweak in the production back end that assumed a significant amount of responsibility for deliverables from Maker Media.
It’s the trust from broadcasters, like Nine, who are still backing and supporting new concepts and formats to be created that allows opportunities for jobs, and for lives to be changed and for Australian content to be broadcast, not only in Australia, but internationally, with Warner Brothers NZ also broadcasting season one currently.
In this current climate when we generally hear gloom and doom, these moments are generally not mentioned or acknowledged. And as a result there’s a team of incredibly talented camos, audio, producers, editors, runners etc not only with jobs but hopefully with purpose.