3.55pm Nine Upfront Preview:
Nine Entertainment is again the first TV broadcaster to hold its 2022 Upfront. And also like last year – this is again a virtual event with Sydney and Melbourne still under Covid lockdown restrictions.
The biggest change of course this year is that there will be no Hugh Marks on stage. This will be the first Upfront appearance of Mike Sneesby as the chief executive of the entertainment group. We hope he doesn’t get too nervous in front of a crowd, there is expected to be an audience of around 7,000 watching today.
And unlike last year’s Upfront, the 2022 event is largely going out live.
Last year Nine talked about its line-up of hit programs as the reason that Nine was once again leading the ratings year with all key demographics and Total People.
With no big underperformers in the schedule, and Nine again claiming key demo leadership, it is expected Nine will again roll out its big guns starting with Married at First Sight and ending with The Block.
Nine will have a raft of announcements about how advertisers can better engage with Nine. It is expected Nine will also have further detail about its national sales team.
Nine chief sales officer Michael Stephenson told Mediaweek just last month:
“On July 1 the WIN TV network started retransmitting the Nine signal again in a new affiliation deal. The company is also looking at making buying the national audience easier. We are aligning the WIN regional sales team alongside our existing team,” Stephenson told Mediaweek.
“We have co-located the teams in the five metro markets into our offices. They are now all under the leadership of Ash Earnshaw, our director of sales for regional television.”
4pm: Nine Upfront
Underway with a version of Great Southern Land with a Nine reel of program highlights.
“From all of us that call this magnificent land home…we are Nine, Australia’s media company.”
Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon hosting.
“No after party this year, but fingers crossed for next year.”
4.05pm: Nine Upfront Mike Sneesby
“Who would have thought we would have been streaming another Upfront this year too.”
Another reference to Australia’s media company and what it can offer its advertising partners.
“We strive to provide better outcomes for our commercial partners just like you.
“Australia’s media company with unrivalled scale”.
Slide shown by Sneesby includes details about the size of thew newspaper and radio audiences (12.4m monthly readers) and the number of registered user (14m). There si even a slide about the growth in Stan subs!
“We are Australia’s media company where Australians connect.”
4.10pm Nine Upfront: Reel showing off news and current affairs highlights
Who can tell the stories that matter? Highlights from TV, radio and the newspapers.
“From TV to the front page, Nine sets the daily agenda. Australia’s media company…Nine presents a unique opportunity. Join us and connect the dots. Join us as we take news to the next level.”
Tory McGuire, Executive Editor, Metro Publishing talks about the metro masthead highlights.
“We are excited to expand two of our publishing super brands. Good Food with a raft of TV extensions. Plus cookbooks and digital extensions and events.
“Sunday Life in 2022 will be completely shoppable. Also a range of Sunday Live events to drive foot traffic into your businesses.”
For more see mdiaweek.com.au: Nine’s Good Food brand to see cross-platform expansion in 2022
4.15pm Nine Upfront: Reel promoting digital properties that target younger readers and consumers. Pedestrian and more.
4.20pm Nine Upfront: Sport
“Over 8,000 hours – more live than ever before. Live on radio and TV. In 2022 Nine is on the ball.”
For more visit mediaweek.com.au: Nine secures US Open rights, completing their Grand Slam
Nine’s James Bracey and Roz Kelly talk up the sports offer, with Gus Gould talking about NRL in particular.
No Netball next year as it moves to Foxtel. But Nine has secured the US Open tennis, just days after the 2021 tournament screened here on ESPN. Nine is now home to all four Grand Slams. “Nine will be the only place in Australia you can access all Grand Slams – nearly 5,500 hours of live tennis.”
Nine is also home to domestic and international Rugby Union of course.
Nine’s NRL have just one year to run under the current contract.
4.25pm Upfront: The Identity Files
Nick Young, director of sales – digital, talking about better targeting audiences. He recaps the Adobe partnership with Audience Match and other initiatives over recent years.
We have a new partnership with Salesforce putting the power of people-based marketing across Nine’s complete ecosystem.
“The ability to unlock the power of Nine’s 14m+ signed in users has never been easier.”
See mediaweek.com.au: Nine’s Audience Match product to be integrated with Salesforce
4.35pm Nine Upfront: Building brands and businesses
Richard Hunwick (director sales TV and radio) talks about the Total TV revolution as live streaming grows at twice the rate of catch-up.
He lists some of the growing stats about audience streaming TV – including big numners for programs as diverse as State of Origin and Beauty and the Geek.
“VOZ is the final piece of the TV puzzle,” Hunwick said about what is expected will become the standard for buying television and post analysis.
“You can now buy total television with 9Galaxy.”
Nine’s new head of regional TV sales Ashley Earnshaw explains how WIN TV sales force will now be integrated with Nine sales. “No one else in market can provide you with this service.”
See also mediaweek.com.au: Nine launches total TV sales proposition offering advertisers national reach
4.40pm: Nine Upfront Programming
Scott Cam explains how in 2022 The Block will be going bush.
Sophie Monk spruiks Love Island coming this summer.
Andy Lee on the return of The Hundred.
Hamish Blake: “Our show [Lego Masters] is a little like MAFS.”
Voiceover: “In 2022 we are hungrier than ever. A new family obsession – Snackmasters. A new food blockbuster like nothing you have ever seen.”
Highlights from next season of MAFS.
Promo reel for celebrities on Lego Christmas.
Celebrity Apprentice will feature “the biggest new names for 2022. Australia has never seen anything quite like it.”
4.50pm Nine Upfront: Programming continues
A quick look at the schedule indicates new shows coming include Snack Masters, Buying Byron, Lego Masters Christmas, Country House Rescue, Australia Behind Bars and Parental Guidance.
New dramas coming are After the Verdict and a return of Nine’s successful crime franchise with Underbelly: Vanishing Act.
Nine going hard on rural real estate and crime drama and docos. Seems like a smart choice.
See separate posts today at mediaweek.com.au about all the major new series.
4.55pm Nine Upfront: Radio
“A mouth-watering line-up of fresh entertainment all year round.”
Karl and Allison return. Turia Pitt and Will and Woody were revealed as two contestants on next year’s Celebrity Apprentice.
Deb Knight and Tom Malone talk about radio. “18 new shows and the audience is loving it,” said radio boss Malone.
Knight: “We combine the reach of TV and the impact of social media. 13% of people now listening online.”
Malone: “From next year you will be able to use 9Galaxy to buy radio.”
Knight: “We are the home of the super consumer.”
Malone: “If you are not speaking to this demographic, you are missing out every week.”
See more at mediaweek.com.au: Nine Radio announces total audio offering
5.00pm Nine Upfront: Powered
Director of Nine Powered Liana Dubois announces the return of State of Originality in 2022. Dubois reminds about the power of creativity. “To be effective your ads need to hold attention.” Explains about the power of attention and why Nine has commissioned research into attention.
Nine sales chief Michael Stephenson arrives onstage.
“Welcome to the roaring 20s.” A time advertising will take off post-Covid.
Stephenson talks about the Nine ratings dominance in TV and radio.
“It’s important your partner needs to be the leader in content.”
Repeats some of the key points raised by his colleagues during the presentation.
“The future of advertising is automated and addressable. We are going to give agencies access to real time avails. Your media partner needs to be the leader in technology, and Nine is.
“Welcome to the roaring 20s. A golden age of television.
“14m signed in users – everything you can do with Google and Facebook you can do with Nine.”
5.15pm Nine Upfront: Live Q&A
Allison Langdon is joined onstage by Stephenson and Sneesby for a live Q&A.
Question about start of 2022 for Nine.
Sneesby says all good with Australian Open back in January and then the big, successful formats to follow.
Question about big bets for 2022.
Stephenson said there will be many enormous opportunities for brands right across the year with Nine.
He also explains how businesses have been successfully investing in brand building using Nine properties during Covid.
Question about diversity at Nine
Sneesby notes how this topic came up at an executive meeting about things that are important to the business. “One of those was diversity and you will see it naturally reflected on our screens.”
Langdon then made the boss promise there would be a Nine Upfront after-party in 2022.
That’s it…good night from the Nine Upfront.
Visit mediaweek.com.au for complete coverage.
Mediaweek Podcast: The sales chief and the media buyer
Don’t miss the new podcast all about Nine and its commercial opportunities in 2022. Mediaweek’s James Manning is joined by Nine sales chief Michael Stephenson and the head of investment at Australia’s biggest media buying group, Group M’s head of investment Seb Rennie.
Listen here, via the LiSTNR app or your favourite podcast platform.
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