Business of Media
It doesn’t matter what jail Ben Roberts-Smith rots in: SAS trial
“It doesn’t matter what happens to him or what jail cell he rots in,” Ben Roberts-Smith’s wife was told by her closest confidante as she went through a bitter divorce, a court heard on Tuesday, reports News Corp’s Perry Duffin.
Emma Roberts, in her brutal response, describes the father of her children as “a lying, cheating c..t of a human” who was going down like the doomed Titanic.
The messages between Ms Roberts and her best friend were read in the Federal Court on Tuesday as Mr Roberts-Smith’s lawyers probe her alleged role in a series of damaging articles by Nine newspapers.
Sarah Palin loses libel lawsuit against New York Times
Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin lost her libel lawsuit against the New York Times on Tuesday when a jury rejected her claim that the newspaper maliciously damaged her reputation by erroneously linking her campaign rhetoric to a mass shooting, reports Associated Press.
A judge had already declared that if the jury sided with Palin, he would set aside its verdict on the grounds that she hadn’t proven the paper acted maliciously, something required in libel suits involving public figures.
Palin, a onetime Republican vice-presidential nominee, sued the newspaper in 2017 claiming it had damaged her career as a political commentator and consultant with an editorial about gun control published after a man opened fire on a congressional baseball team practice in Washington.
US representative Steve Scalise, a Louisiana Republican, was wounded in the shooting, committed by a man with a history of anti-GOP activity.
News Brands
Seven searches for the ‘right’ streaming partner
Seven West Media is focused on its hunt for a subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service, with chief executive James Warburton suggesting the free-to-air TV business’s push into the crowded sector “could completely reshape the industry”, reports AFR’s Miranda Ward.
Mr Warburton told investors the company continues to explore “the establishment of a meaningful streaming partnership”.
“This is not about any opportunity, rather about the right opportunity, and we continue to be patient and getting the result in a crowded market,” he said.
Seven is the only local commercial broadcaster without a subscription service. Nine runs Stan. Network 10 has a partnership with Paramount+ through its ViacomCBS ownership. Foxtel owns Kayo Sports, Binge and Flash.
Not our job to fix market gaps, says ABC
ABC managing director David Anderson has pledged to assign more resources to regional, rural and suburban Australia, but says it is not the responsibility of the national broadcaster to plug gaps in the media market outside the capital cities, reports News Corp’s James Madden and Sophie Elsworth.
“We’re not there specifically to replace what is market failure with regard to regional and rural Australia,” Anderson told a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday night.
“I think it is a concern … an understandable withdrawal of (commercial) media throughout regional and rural Australia – it’s not fiscally viable for them to remain, to keep the presence that they’ve had,” he said.
“We can’t make up for all of that, we can’t make up for the presence that’s leaving.”
Agencies
Dentsu Group reports operating profit up 44%
Dentsu Group released their FY2021 consolidated financial results ahead of guidance and reported operating profit is up 44% and organic growth of 13.1%.
The global advertising group reported a net profit for the entire group increased 56.2% to A$132.5 billion (JPY109.2 billion). This recovery comes after it recorded a $1.33 billion (JPY140.6 billion) loss back in 2020.
The group reported record-high revenue less cost of sales(LCoS), record-high underlying and statutory operating profit and a record dividend at JPY 117.5.
Organic growth in APAC – excluding Japan – in FY2021 was 4.7% and 3.8% in Q4 FY2021, according to the report
The results also noted that the Australian market saw “good growth in all three service lines as the impact from the refreshed management team is beginning to show, growing 12.1% over the last 12 months and 20% in Q4.
Growth was also driven by strong performances in Singapore 24% and Indonesia 20.8%.
In the forecast for the year ahead, Dentsu Group forecasts Group organic growth of 4% in FY2022, Dentsu Japan Network at 2% to 3% and Dentsu International 4% to 5%.
The fourth quarter revenues came in ahead of expectations due to increased spend from existing clients across the group with consumer confidence growing as the effects of the pandemic subside.
Forecast of Consolidated Financial Results for the FY2022 (IFRS) The Dentsu Group forecasts organic growth at 4% for FY2022, with Dentsu Japan Network at 2 to 3% and Dentsu International 4 to 5%.
The group also forecasts underlying operating margin at 17.7% with Dentsu Japan Network at 22% and Dentsu International flat year-on-year at 15.9%.
Hiroshi Igarashi, president and CEO of Dentsu Group Inc., said: “In 2021 Dentsu Group reported record high revenue (less cost of sales); record underlying and statutory operating profit and a record dividend at JPY 117.5. This performance is testament to the return to growth in our industry, the cyclical recovery in advertising as well as continued investment clients are making in commerce & experience.”
“We remain confident in the long-term growth outlook for the Group and upgrade our medium-term targets. We look for Dentsu Group to deliver 4 to 5% organic growth CAGR (2022:2024) from a target of 3 to 4% previously.”
“With the strong recovery in 2021 we will look forward in 2022 and beyond to unlock even more value within the Group, leveraging our competitive positioning, our strong product offering and the 65,000 talented individuals within the organization,” he added.
Entertainment
Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes to host the Oscars
Comic actors Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes will host this year’s Academy Awards ceremony as producers try to attract new viewers after record-low ratings in 2021, Hollywood publication Variety and other media outlets reported on Monday, reports Reuters.
The actors are finalizing details and an announcement will be made on Tuesday on ABC’s Good Morning America, Variety said. ABC, owned by Walt Disney Co (DIS.N), will broadcast the Oscars ceremony on March 27.
Radio
Kyle Sandilands’ ex Imogen Anthony slams radio host after baby announcement
Kyle Sandilands’ ex-girlfriend Imogen Anthony has slammed the radio host after he announced he’s expecting his first child with fiancée Tegan Kynaston, reports News Corp’s Mibengé Nsenduluka.
Anthony, who split with Sandilands in 2019 after eight years together, accused the KIIS FM star of being dishonest during and after their relationship.
“I wish them nothing but love and happiness,” Anthony wrote on Instagram.
“Kids were something I was no where [sic] near ready for, still not, and like stated, for me to have done that would have needed to be first priority, and work will always be number one priority to K.”
Anna Heinrich’s SAS mission to prove she’s more than just a pretty face
We’re used to seeing Anna Heinrich looking effortlessly glamorous as she strolls the red carpet or attends A-list events with husband Tim Robards, reports News Corp’s Lisa Woolford.
Many of us watched as Heinrich and Robards met and fell in love on the inaugural series of The Bachelor – now she’s been recruited to a much harsher reality TV series – SAS Australia.
Heinrich laughs as she confesses that she had vowed there was absolutely no way she would ever sign up for the brutal reality show, where “recruits” are subjected to extreme physical endurance, sleep deprivation, interrogation and psychological testing, with no allowances for their celebrity status.
And she initially knocked back the offer, her stomach dropping as she got the call to see if she would be up for the challenge.
Seven’s clever idea to getting Dancing with the Stars studio audience
Producers of Dancing with the Stars: All Stars have taken extra steps to accommodate a studio audience for its new season, reports TV Tonight.
Filmed during the height of Sydney’s 2021 lockdown there were strict rules that prevented Seven from welcoming a full studio audience.
Sources confirm a small studio audience was paid to attend. This technically made them ’employees’ and avoid some of the strictest rules.
It’s a method that was used by American productions during the peak of the pandemic.
Sports Media
‘We had tennis for decades’: Seven boss plans to win back Australian Open
Seven West Media chief executive James Warburton will make an aggressive attempt to win back the broadcast rights to the Australian Open and revive a 40-year relationship with the network, but conceded there is no way he can broadcast tennis and cricket at the same time, reports SMH’s Zoe Samios.
Warburton confirmed reports he had met with Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley last year as he warned Cricket Australia to deliver what it promised with the Big Bash League.
“Absolutely [we will pursue the tennis]. We had the tennis for decades,” Warburton said. “It’s no secret that we’re extremely pleased with Test match cricket….but Cricket Australia haven’t delivered on their contract with the Big Bash. We’ve got a much better relationship these days … but they have to make fundamental changes to the Big Bash League. They’re finally making the right noises.”
When asked if Seven could run the tennis and the cricket at the same time, Warburton said: “No.”
Melbourne Press Club board to review decision to rescind Quill over AFL story
The Melbourne Press Club is reviewing a decision to rescind an award given to journalist Sam McClure in 2020 for articles on a controversial Adelaide Crows’ 2018 pre-season AFL training camp, reports SMH’s Tammy Mills.
The stories won a Quill award for McClure, a sports and investigative journalist at The Age.
After a protracted legal process lasting 18 months, The Age agreed to publish an apology early this month acknowledging that the camp was run in good faith. It apologised to the camp organisers if the article had caused them hurt and offence. As part of the settlement, the article was removed from The Age’s website.
Last week, the board of the press club, which is responsible for the state’s top journalism awards known as the Quills, annulled McClure’s award for sports coverage due to the legal settlement and apology.