When Kieran Simpson, Head of Digital at The Project, Roving Enterprises/Paramount, was nominated for Social Media Specialist at Mediaweek’s 2024 Next of the Best Awards, he didn’t expect to win, let alone for it to help solidify his standing within the broadcast and advertising landscape.
“I won the award for Social Media Specialist, which I was really surprised by,” said Simpson. “Ten approached me and said, ‘You should enter.’ I thought, really? Am I that good? But it was so nice to be nominated, and to win was a great surprise. I’ve been doing digital for nearly ten years, so it meant a lot.”
Since that win, Simpson says the recognition has not only boosted his confidence, but also led to valuable connections and conversations that have had real operational outcomes.
“I met people working in similar roles across TV and radio. It was a great night for building connections that actually lasted,” he said.
Head of Digital at The Project, Kieran Simpson
Building for digital in a broadcast environment
Now four years into his role, Simpson leads a small, agile team that transforms The Project’s on-air content into platform-specific digital assets. His remit goes far beyond simple reposting.
“Anything that doesn’t live on the television,” is how he describes it. “We use broadcast as the primary means of reaching our audience, but we also repurpose that content across different formats, social, editorial, on-demand. It’s a role that’s constantly evolving.”
That evolution is largely driven by data, platform trends, and audience behaviour. From refining segment edits to optimising thumbnails and copy, his team tailors each post to its intended audience, whether they’re scrolling TikTok, browsing YouTube, or swiping through Instagram.
“We don’t just post what’s on TV online. We refine, repurpose, and repackage for different platforms. We only push out 2–3 clips a night from a pool of nine. Each one is tailored to a specific audience: TikTok is different from Instagram, and both are different from Facebook. Understanding that takes time and a lot of data,” Simpson explained.
You can hear Kieran’s take on his job, the future and his win at Next of the Best here:
A day in the digital trenches
For Simpson, the day begins well before the 6:30pm TV broadcast.
“I start at around 8:30am. I scan headlines, prep morning stories for socials, head to work. From there it’s a mix of video planning, scripting, guest research, and collaborating with the editorial team,” he explains.
“6:30pm is peak chaos, we’re cutting segments, pushing content, editing for YouTube, and moderating comments until late. It’s full-on, but I love it.”
While his background in radio helped shape his news instincts, he’s had to learn, sometimes the hard way, that digital execution in a television ecosystem requires a long game.
“The first year here was test, learn, fail. We’ve only now found our rhythm, what works for the show, what resonates online. It takes time,” Simpson said.
Industry recognition that resonates
For Simpson, winning Next of the Best helped crystallise the importance of his work at a time when digital producers are often behind the curtain.
“You’re amongst your peers and people you respect,” he said of the awards night. “And then you win, and have to give a speech, which is not my forte. I thanked a lot of people… maybe too many. My partner was there, and I can’t remember if I thanked her… so thanks, Matty, a year later!”
But beyond the spotlight, Simpson says the greatest value of entering the awards was the community it opened up.
“If you go to work every day and you’re proud of what you do, that’s enough,” he said.
Simpson has this for anyone tossing up the idea on whether or not to enter: “Even if you don’t win, meeting people in your industry is invaluable. You realise you’re not the only one facing challenges. And those conversations help you feel seen. It’s worth it for that alone.”
ENTER THE AWARDS HERE
The awards will be presented on Friday, 13 June at W Sydney with an unforgettable evening. For more details and to buy tickets, head here.