Episoder
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Welcome to an audio-led edition of Unmade. Today we talk to two of the co-founders of Mercha - Ben Read and Sam Hardy. Plus, the top of town pushes down the Unmade Index.
If youâve been thinking about upgrading to an Unmade membership, this is the perfect time. Your membership includes:
* A complimentary ticket to all of Unmadeâs events, including HumAIn (2025), REmade (September 2025), Unlock (31 October), and Compass (November);
* Member-only content and our paywalled archives;
* Your own copy of Media Unmade.
The Unmakers: Meet Mercha - âA digital platform in an analogue industryâ
Mercha can claim to be the first branded merchandise player in Australia to have fully digitised its processes in what remains marketingâs arguably most analogue sector.
Last month the company wrapped up a $300,000 crowd-funded seed round, valuing it at around $10m.
In todayâs edition of The Unmakers, Unmadeâs Tim Burrowes talks to CEO Ben Read and chief revenue officer Sam Hardy about why the promotional marketing sector has taken so long to scale up in Australia. As Hardy puts it: âMercha is a digital platform in an analogue, old school industry.â
Over just three years, Mercha has ramped up to a turnover of $2.9m in the last financial year.
Promotional merchandise is also a sector facing headwinds as sustainability moves further up the agenda. Mercha claims to be part of the solution by focusing on products that people will want to keep. Says Read: âIt is shocking to me that 66% of promotional products end up in landfill. That is just disgusting to me. It should never happen.
âWe're trying to be better than an industry that is not trying hard enough.â
By way of example, Hardy adds: âWe had a radio station out of Sydney ask us very early on in the piece to do 250,000 whistles for a New Year's Eve event. Plastic whistles next to the harbour. And it would have been great, the revenue. But we turned it down.
âI draw the line on offering people crap that's going into the bin or offering people product that's not made fairly.â
Unmade Index red up top, green below
The Unmade Index slipped on Wednesday after Nine, the biggest locally listed media and marketing stock lost 1.6% to fall back to a market capitalisation of $1.9bn.
The move added to the daylight between Nine and its 60.1% owned subsidiary Domain. Domain slipped by 1.2% yesterday.
Ooh Media was also on a losing trend yesterday, slipping by 1.1%
In the mid market, ARN Media and Southern Cross Austereo both saw slight improvements.
Vinyl Group, which this week announced the acquisition of blockchain music collectibles business Serenade, rose by 9.5%. In the companyâs annual report released on Tuesday, it said it had written down the value of its Vampr âLinkedIn for musiciansâ platform, founded by CEO Josh Simons, by $1.8m, but remained âbullishâ.
The Unmade Index slipped by 0.7% to 461 points.
Todayâs podcast was edited by Abeâs Audio. As disclosed in the podcast, at the time of recording this interview, I was considering taking part in the Mercha crowd funding round on Birchal, via my super fund. I did choose to invest
Weâll be back with an end-of-week update tomorrow.
Have a great day.
ToodlepipâŠ
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade
This is a public episode. If youâd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe -
Welcome to Start the Week, our Monday scene-setter for the week ahead. In todayâs audio-led edition: We chew over what the ACCCâs concerns over Cartology and Coles 360 may mean for Australiaâs retail media sector; Bruce Gordon retires; and yet another significant week in AI developments
If youâve been thinking about upgrading to an Unmade membership, this is the perfect time. Your membership includes:
* A complimentary ticket to all of Unmadeâs events, including HumAIn (2025), REmade (1 October), Unlock (31 October), and Compass (November);
* Member-only content and our paywalled archives;
* Your own copy of Media Unmade.
Can retail media networks succeed if they are non-retailer owned?; AIâs latest threat; Bruce Gordon hands over
Last week, the ACCC lit the fuse on a new battleground for retailers - does their ownership of retail media networks give them too much power? In todayâs podcast, recorded the day before our REmade - Retail Media Unmade conference, we discuss the implications.
Also today: Googleâs AI Overviews are finally coming to Australia, which will alarm many publishers; and Google also unveils a powerful new research tool, Notebook LM. And Meta goes hard on AI-generated content.
And Bruce Gordon, proprietor of WIN and kingmaker at Nine, moves into retirement.
Further reading:
* Unmade: Cartel-ogy: The ACCC comes for retail media
* Unmade: Brands beware: ACCCâs supermarkets attack is PR used as an offensive weapon
* ACCC: Supermarkets inquiry August 2024 interim report
* The Australian: Consumer trust in Coles and Woolworths plummets following ACCC action
* Australian Financial Review: Google to test its artificial intelligence-powered search in Australia
* Australian Financial Review: Billionaire Bruce Gordon retires from WIN as succession questions loom
Todayâs episode features Tim Burrowes and Cat McGinn.
(pic)
Editing was courtesy of Abeâs Audio, the people to talk to about voiceovers, sound design and podcast production.
Time to leave you to start your week. Weâll be back with more tomorrow.
ToodlepipâŠ
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade
This is a public episode. If youâd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe -
Manglende episoder?
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Welcome to an audio-led edition of Unmade. Today: As Vinyl Group this morning announces yet another acquisition, we talk to CEO Josh Simons about the bust-up that saw the ousting of Brag Media co-founder Luke Girgis, and the background to his opportunistic acquisition of Mediaweek.
If youâve been thinking about upgrading to an Unmade membership, this is the perfect time. Your membership includes:
* A complimentary ticket to all of Unmadeâs events, including HumAIn (2025), REmade (next week), Unlock (31 October), and Compass (November);
* Member-only content and our paywalled archives;
* Your own copy of Media Unmade.
âI stand behind the acquisition every day of the weekâ: Vinyl boss Josh Simons on the bumpy Brag Media buyout
Among the bosses of Australiaâs ASX-listed media companies, nobody has had a more random path to the hot seat than Josh Simons. From the lead singer of rock band Buchanan, Simons went on to found Vampr, a social networking site for the music industry, before seeing that acquired by the company he went on to head, Vinyl Group.
Simons was the architect of Vinylâs $8m+ purchase of the Brag Media group, publisher of The Brag and local editions of Rolling Stone and Variety among others, at the start of the year.
The initial plan was for Vinyl Group to be a portfolio company with its Brag Media arm run separately to its music platform interests. But that quickly fell over, with the less-than-amicable departure of Brag Media co-founder Luke Girgis five months after the takeover.
That left Simons taking what he describes in todayâs interview with Unmadeâs Tim Burrowes as âa masterclass in mediaâ as he relocated from Melbourne and took charge of the Brag Media publishing operation.
Thatâs included a lesson in the publishing etiquette around journalistic independence. Simons concedes that he was ânaiveâ when he took control adding: âI'm not dogmatic in terms of my views on things. And I think it's important to be able to know when you've said something stupid.â
Vinyl Group, with a market capitalisation of a little under $92m, is behind only Nine, Domain, Ooh Media, Seven West Media, ARN Media and Southern Cross Austereo when it comes to local ASX-listed media companies. When it comes to the narrower business of publishing, Vinyl is fourth if you also include the dual-listed News Corp. As Simons observes dryly: âItâs not lost on my parents.â
During the interview, Simons offers few clues about what led to the ousting of Girgis, although he hints: âWe had to invest in areas that were previously just not being invested in. We needed to bring journalists in.â
Hires have included Lars Brandle as head of content, and promoting former Daily Mail and Cartology executive Jess Hunter to head of Brag Media. Since recording the interview, editor-in-chief Poppy Reid who was part of the Girgis era, announced her exit.
Earlier this month, Vinyl Group completed the fire sale acquisition of Mediaweek for just $1m after owner Trent Thomas was forced to sell the title following allegations of harassment towards staff. The timing and price of the deal was, Simons says, âalmost too good to be trueâ. The integration is being overseen by Vinyl Groupâs chief operating officer Joel King.
Simons hints there are more media acquisitions in the entertainment space to come, including overseas. Asked about the fact that Vinyl Groupâs tech platforms are global while the media companies are local, he notes: âRome wasnât built in a day. Weâve got broad, ambitious plans for global. Rest assured that we're looking around the world to find teams that might add value in any of those areas inside the media part of Vinyl.â
As we were publishing this morning, Vinyl Group announced to the ASX that it has agreed to buy event and brand activation agency Funkified from founder Gus Stephenson for $2.5m. Funkified has been Brag Mediaâs in-house events supplier since 2021. It had a turnover of $4m and EBITDA profit of $430,000 in the last financial year.
In the interview, Simons also fleshes out his strategy for Vinyl Group, which as well as Vampr includes music credits database Jaxsta and online retail platform Vinyl. The job of the media arm is to fund investment in the companyâs (so far) loss-making tech. âOur media company now is really the engine that allows us to invest in technology. In the past, we've seen media companies try and buy tech companies, and it hasn't worked out so well. And so what we're trying here is buying media companies to fuel tech.â
Despite being an ASX-listed company, Vinyl Groupâs shareholder register is dominated by a handful of wealthy investors including WiseTech Global founder Richard White and Songrtradr boss Paul Wiltshire.
Says Simons: âI'm quite calm and optimistic about where everything's at.â Asked whether Vinyl Group still belongs on the ASX, he adds, intriguingly: âYeah. Especially if you knew what I know.â
* Declaration of interest: Via his super fund, Tim Burrowes owns shares in most of Australiaâs listed media companies, including Vinyl Group.
Inflation relief lifts Unmade Index
The Unmade Index bounced yesterday as the market absorbed improving inflation numbers. The index - which tracks Australiaâs listed media and marketing companies - grew by 1.5% to 449.3 points - outperforming the wider ASX All Ordinaries which grew by 0.15% yesterday.
Among the larger stocks, Nine saw the biggest lift, up by 2.44%.
In the audio space, ARN Media and Southern Cross Austereo grew by 1.6% and 1.1%, while radio company Sports Entertainment Group lost 5.5%.
Todayâs podcast was edited by Abeâs Audio.
As we count down to next weekâs REmade conference, weâll be back with a retail media-led edition of Unmade tomorrow.
Have a great day.
ToodlepipâŠ
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade
This is a public episode. If youâd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe -
Welcome to Start the Week, our Monday scene-setter for the week ahead. In todayâs audio-led edition: James Warburton invests in Boost Media; troubled Disrupt Radio says itâs in a âholding patternâ; the AFL and NRL lobby on betting ads; and LinkedIn admits to training its AI on user content.
Weâve upgraded Unmadeâs membership. Annual members now get a free ticket to all of our events. That includes REmade - Retail Media Unmade on October 1; Unlock on October 31; our Compass series in November; and HumAIn next year.
If youâve been thinking about upgrading to an Unmade membership, this is the perfect time. Your membership also includes members-only content, access to our paywalled archives and your own copy of Media Unmade. Upgrade today.
If youâve been thinking about upgrading to an Unmade membership, this is the perfect time. Your membership includes:
* A complimentary ticket to all of Unmadeâs events, including HumAIn (2025), REmade (1 October), Unlock (31 October), and Compass (November);
* Member-only content and our paywalled archives;
* Your own copy of Media Unmade.
Telstra kicks off new campaign around grand final; Warburton invests in Boost; Disrupt Radio staff still unpaid
Telstra is among the first brands to reveal its plans for a big campaign launch timed around AFL grand final, according to The Australian today. The Oz also features good and bad news from streaming radio, with Disrupt Radio still in a funding crunch and Broad Radio about to go from pre-recorded live.
Over in the AFR, Seven West Media is the topic of the day, with former boss James Warburton revealing an investment in ad inventory reseller Boost Media alongside private equity company CVC; and questions about Seven Groupâs appetite to remain invested in its media arm SWM.
And todayâs AI chat covers the revelation that LinkedIn is training its large language model on posts from its users; the role of generative AI in creating media content; and a new version of OpenAI.
Further reading:
* The Australian: Disrupt Radio is two months behind in staff payments, future of station unclear
* The Australian: Broad Radio launches new live programs on the women-only radio station
* The Australian: Telstra gets animated to shake off corporate image
* Australian Financial Review: Ex-Seven chief James Warburton, CVC Emerging Companies ink media deal
* Australian Financial Review: Seven West Media stokes tension behind the scenes at Seven Group
* Unmade: Publishers await their Independents Day
* Sydney Morning Herald: âNanny stateâ: NRL, AFL storm the field over gambling ads
* Mumbrella: AI generated content doesnât work â But if it did? The mediaâs screwed
Todayâs episode features Tim Burrowes, Abe Udy and Cat McGinn.
Editing was courtesy of Abeâs Audio, the people to talk to about voiceovers, sound design and podcast production.
Time to leave you to start your week. Weâll be back with more tomorrow.
ToodlepipâŠ
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade
This is a public episode. If youâd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe -
Welcome to a Tuesday update from Unmade. In the interests of topicality weâre reworking our publishing rhythm this week. Weâve brought forward to today our usual Thursday audio-led interview to focus on the Paramount Upfronts which kicked off in Sydney yesterday. And our member-only post which usually happens on a Tuesday, will be later in the week. Further down, weâve also got better news on the Unmade Index which finally broke its eight day losing streak.
If youâve been thinking about upgrading to an Unmade membership, this is the perfect time. Your membership includes:
* A complimentary ticket to all of Unmadeâs events, including HumAIn (2025), REmade (1 October), Unlock (31 October), and Compass (November);
* Member-only content and our paywalled archives;
* Your own copy of Media Unmade.
How Paramount is making one plus one add up to more
Paramount yesterday become the first of Australiaâs TV companies to show its hand during 2025 Upfronts season.
One of the challenges of covering Upfronts presentations is that they tend to be a grab bag of announcements, without there necessarily being a unifying theme.
That was certainly the case with Paramount, with announcements covering free to air commissions for Network 10, local commissions for streaming service Paramount+, the companyâs global content pipeline, converged trading technology upgrades with Paramount Connect, and a rebrand that will see 10 Play disappear so it will be Ten across both linear and streaming.
And that in itself was the unifying theme. Albeit by accident rather than plan, the global ownership structure of the company leaves Paramount as the best placed media company to argue that the sum of its parts adds up to more than the whole.
While Paramount Plus isnât the biggest subscription streaming platform with an advertising tier, it gets to be the only one that is part of a local Upfront.
While a distant third behind Seven and Nine in broadcast TV, Ten gets a pipeline of global formats and content from its parent company.
While 10 Play isnât as big as Sevenâs FAST (free ad supported TV) channels, advertisers and agencies can buy across both Paramount+ and 10 Play.
To lean in to the acronyms, Paramount is the only company locally that can offer advertisers audiences across SVOD, BVOD, FAST and FTA. The sum of the parts has the potential to equal more than the whole
Under Hugh Marks, Nineâs portfolio felt like a company where its assets across TV, streaming, publishing and radio added up to more than the whole. More recently one plus one has equalled two at best.
Seven West Mediaâs TV and publishing assets feel similarly disconnected, even more so since being split into seperate divisions ready for some sort of M&A activity.
ARN Mediaâs (so far failed) takeover plan for SCA was about being stronger in the single medium of audio.
Southern Cross Austereoâs valuation will go up as soon as it finally offloads its fading regional TV licences (presumably mostly to Paramount) and becomes a pure play audio company.
So what to make of Paramountâs announcements?
Thereâs a further investment in live reality TV alongside Iâm A Celebrity. Big Brother returns to its original home where it ran for its first eight seasons, before three seasons on Nine where it relaunched well out of the 2012 Olympics before fading, and five seasons on Seven which took much of the life out of the format by moving to a cheaper pre-recorded format.
Big Brother will be live on Ten and streamed 24 hours a day live which is almost exactly the sort of content FAST was invented for.
There were no other major format surprises. Have You Been Paying Attention, MasterChef, Taskmaster, Survivor, and Thank God Youâre Here all return. The Project stays on air.
Talking âBout Your Generation (or Talkinâ âBout Your Gen as it will be this time) has been revived minus Shaun Micallef as host. Sam Pang will get his own show.
During the podcast conversation with sales boss Rod Prosser and programming lead Daniel Monaghan, I didnât detect much of an appetite to go after a big (and expensive) sporting code. The kite flown at the weekend by NRL boss Peter Vâlandys feels more like an attempt to scare Nine into thinking it could face an auction.
There was also some paranormal activity from Paramount.
An Australian version of sitcom Ghosts, which started life in the BBC in the UK will be cast shortly (I have my suspicions we wonât see it on screen until 2026). Iâm intrigued how the caveman character of Robin from the original will translate into a local character without controversy around First Nations people. Monaghan tackles that in the interview.
And a spooky six part scripted drama Playing Gracie Darling will land on Paramount+
As well as talking about the content announcements, the interview addressed the question of how the TV industry can stop sounding defensive about its fading linear numbers and start getting aggressive about streaming.
Prosser acknowledges: âWe don't see ourselves as a free-to-air business anymore. We see ourselves ⊠as a premium video business. Obviously, the free-to-air asset is incredibly important.
It's important to recognize a couple of things. The first thing is that the free-to-air linear still drives the biggest reach.
âThe second fact is linear audiences are declining. I think none of us can have our heads in the sand about that.
âWe were artificially propped up through Covid. I think everyone recognises that.
âAnd that decline that we knew was coming has come. And I think we'll see stabilisation in those audiences now.â
âThe reality is television is still a mass-reaching vehicle. And I think there's no reason to be defensive around that. We own it.
âBut I do think the linear audiences have found their place.â
* Declaration of interest: My travel and accommodation for the event was covered by Paramount
Unmade Index finally breaks losing streak
The Unmade Index finally broke an eight day streak of declines to record a move upwards yesterday, growing by 1.36% to 443.3 points.
The best performer was Domain, majority owned by Nine, which rose by 4.3%. That in turn helped lift Nine by 2.1%.
Rival TV network Seven rose by 2.9%.
Among the larger stocks, Southern Cross Austereo had the worst of it, slipping by 3.8%. SCAâs market capitalisation of $122m is the lowest it has ever been. The smaller audio stock of Sports Entertainment Group, owner of SEN radio, lost 7.6%.
Todayâs podcast was edited by Abeâs Audio.
Weâll be back with another newsletter tomorrow.
We also have a clarification. In Saturdayâs Best of the Week, I reported that VOZ streaming would launch on November 25, as a means for advertisers to frequency cap their campaigns across differing media plartforms. I mentioned that this had previously been announced as December 29. In fact, that date is the full launch of VOZ as a trading currency and remains the same.
Have a great day.
ToodlepipâŠ
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade
This is a public episode. If youâd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe -
Welcome to Start the Week, our Monday scene-setter for the week ahead.
In todayâs audio-led edition, we explore what happens next at Nine, the NRL tries to bring Paramount into its next TV rights auction, and Upfronts season rolls on.
If youâve been thinking about upgrading to an Unmade membership, this is the perfect time. Your membership includes:
* A complimentary ticket to all of Unmadeâs events, including HumAIn (2025), REmade (1 October), Unlock (31 October), and Compass (November);
* Member-only content and our paywalled archives;
* Your own copy of Media Unmade.
Mike drop, now what for Nine?
Mike Sneesby may be on the way out for Nine, but the company still has months of dramas ahead.
As we discuss in todayâs podcast, acting CEO Matt Stantonâs first challenge will be navigating the release of the report into the companyâs culture. The Australian reports today that âa slew of bullying claims have also been levelled against two senior women at Nineâ.
Also in the podcast, we list some of the contenders for what is one of the biggest jobs in Australian media.
Plus, we get ready for another big week in Upfronts season, with Paramount sharing its plans for 2025 today, and Digital Publishers Alliance running Independents Day on Thursday.
And the NRL is trying to talk up a bid from Paramount for its next round of rights negotiations.
Further reading:
* Unmade: Nine's $3bn decline
* Unmade: Scorecard: Mike Sneesby failed at Nine, but first he gave the company a future by launching Stan
* Unmade: After Sneesby
* The Australian: Outside pick firms as next Nine boss
* Capital Brief: Nine execs jostle for power as race to replace Sneesby as CEO begins
* Sunday Telegraph: Whatâs the Buzz: Peter Vâlandys seeks meeting with Channel 10 over NRL rights
Todayâs episode features Tim Burrowes and Abe Udy.
Editing was courtesy of Abeâs Audio, the people to talk to about voiceovers, sound design and podcast production.
Time to leave you to start your week. Weâll be back with more tomorrow.
ToodlepipâŠ
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade
This is a public episode. If youâd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe -
Welcome to Start the Week, our Monday scene-setter for the week ahead. In todayâs audio-led edition: The government clear the decks on its policy logjam, with privacy reforms dumped until after the election; new AI rules, and heavy fines on scam ads. Plus, the boss of Disrupt Radio - where staff have gone unpaid for nearly two months - claims: âStart-ups are not for the salaried and superannuatedâ.
Weâve upgraded Unmadeâs membership. Annual members now get a free ticket to all of our events. That includes REmade - Retail Media Unmade on October 1; Unlock on October 31; our Compass series in November; and HumAIn next year.
If youâve been thinking about upgrading to an Unmade membership, this is the perfect time. Your membership also includes members-only content, access to our paywalled archives and your own copy of Media Unmade. Upgrade today.
Privacy reforms move to the âtoo-hardâ basket; Donât expect salaries and super, Disrupt Radio founder tells staff
Itâs a frenetic day for government policy announcements with major consequences for the marketing industry.
Most notably, The Guardian has broken the news that the most consequential reforms to the Privacy Act have been moved to âthe too-hard basketâ, and are likely to be dumped to the other side of the election.
Also today, the government is announcing a crackdown on scam ads with fines for the digital platforms that carry them. Whatâs unclear is whether this will extend to media brands (most local news outlets) who carry Google Display Network content.
And the government has also kicked off a fortnight long consultation period around a new set of voluntary rules on AI usage.
Sticking with AI, Unmadeâs Tim Burrowes, Cat McGinn and Abe Udy also examine the launch of Sevenâs The AI Factory - is it substance or spin?
And the team discusses the latest on the ailing Disrupt Radio. Founder Ben Roberts told The Australian today that the real problem for unpaid staff isnât their empty bank accounts, but that theyâre not used to what he sees as the realities of life in a startup.
âStart-ups are not for the salaried and superannuated, and I made it very clear to people I personally hired that it might be a bit of a rollercoaster.
"Itâs been particularly difficult for those who havenât been through the rough and tumble of a start-up before,â he told The Oz.
Further reading:
* The Guardian: Get a VPN and delete your cookies, Australiaâs privacy laws are still lagging behind
âAre we the baddies?â
* Brisbane Times: Up to $50m fine for banks, telcos, social media firms in war on scams
* Australian Government: Voluntary AI Safety Standard
* Seven West Media: Seven opens the AI Factory
* Unmade: Disrupt Radio goes off air
* The Australian: Disrupt Radio hits turbulence: unable to pay staff and the station is taken off DAB+
Todayâs episode features Tim Burrowes, Abe Udy and Cat McGinn
Editing was courtesy of Abeâs Audio, the people to talk to about voiceovers, sound design and podcast production.
Time to leave you to start your week. Weâll be back with more tomorrow.
ToodlepipâŠ
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade
This is a public episode. If youâd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe -
Welcome to Start the Week, our Monday scene-setter for the week ahead.
In todayâs audio-led edition, streaming audio and video pull in advertising growth, while podcast audiences boom. Plus, we look back on results season and forward to Upfronts.
If youâve been thinking about upgrading to an Unmade membership, this is the perfect time. Your membership includes:
* A complimentary ticket to all of Unmadeâs events, including HumAIn (2025), REmade (1 October), Unlock (31 October), and Compass (November);
* Member-only content and our paywalled archives;
* Your own copy of Media Unmade.
Video and audio streaming lead digital growth; Results seasonâs theme: at least the bad news was no worse than expected
In todayâs episode of Start the Week, we cover off the new 2024 financial year data from the IAB. It reveals video streaming growing by an impressive 18.6% while connected TV is taking the biggest slice of that. Meanwhile, online audio has just had its best quarter.
We also discuss a seperate half yearly report into podcast listening habits from Commercial Radio & Audio and Triton Digital.
We look back upon a results season full of lots of bad news but few nasty surprises. And we look forward to Upfronts season which kicks of with Ooh Mediaâs Outfronts on Wednesday
Further reading:
* Commercial Radio Australia: Australian Podcast Bi-annual report
* IAB Australia: Internet Advertising Revenue Report FY24 & June Quarter
* Unmade: SCA: The disappearing agency dollars
* Unmade: 'Sometimes you have to cop to a bad quarter' - Ooh Media drops a mediocre set of numbers
Todayâs episode features Tim Burrowes and Abe Udy.
Editing was courtesy of Abeâs Audio, the people to talk to about voiceovers, sound design and podcast production.
Time to leave you to start your week. Weâll be back with more tomorrow.
ToodlepipâŠ
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade
This is a public episode. If youâd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe -
Welcome to an audio-led edition of Unmade. Todayâs conversation features demographer Bernard Salt on what really motivates Australians. Further down, the Unmade Index takes a breather after Nineâs financial results were no worse than expected.
Weâve upgraded Unmadeâs membership. Annual members now get a free ticket to all of our events. That includes REmade - Retail Media Unmade on October 1; Unlock on October 31; our Compass series in November; and HumAIn next year.
Your membership also includes members-only content, access to our paywalled archives and your own copy of Media Unmade. Upgrade today.
Has Australia got it too good to be great?
As the lockdowns of Covid fade in peopleâs memories, some of the changes in trajectory are permanent, observes demographer and columnist Bernard Salt. Technology adoption and the pursuit of more space for home working remain. The Zoom room now takes priority over the pool room.
However, pursuit of quality of life was a longer term, underlying Australian trait, possibly driven by enjoying a more benevolent climate than European settlers had known.
âWe're a free, open, easy, sporty, home-focused people, quality of life-focused people,â says Salt. âAnd it ain't going away. It was there in the 1950s. It'll be there in the 2050s.â
Another factor that shaped Australiaâs destiny is geology, says Salt in his conversation with Unmadeâs Tim Burrowes. While the more populous US was driven by farming, much of central Australia lacks the rick soils that would have been needed to settle it through intensive agriculture.
The conversation also covers how consumer mindset changes depending on life stage.
And in a question that was covered before this weekâs news that the government has controversially closed the door on new topics for the next census, Salt explains why he wants to know more about the rise of pet ownership alongside the loneliness epidemic.
* Boomtown is running a webinar today at 10am Eastern featuring Saltâs presentation at the Boomtown breakfast event a fortnight ago.
Unmade Index flat as Nine offers no more bad news
The Unmade Index stood still on Wednesday with the market offering a sigh of relief that Nineâs annual financial results were no worse than expected. The index lost just 0.1 points, to land on 456.5 points.
Nine finished the day up by 0.75% to a market capitalisation of $2.1bn. Seven West Media gained 2.94%.
The Market Limited, owner of Hot Copper, Gumtree and Carsguide, jumped nearly 30% despite reporting a drastic fall in profitability.
Todayâs podcast was edited by Abeâs Audio.
Weâll be back with more soon, including a deeper dive into the Nine numbers.
If youâre interested in retail media, donât forget that our call for entries for the REmade Awards is live only until the end of the weekend.
ToodlepipâŠ
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade
This is a public episode. If youâd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe -
Welcome to Start the Week, our Monday scene-setter for the week ahead. In todayâs audio-led edition: News publishers push back against media agenciesâ brand safety default settings; AI search startup Perplexity gets into the advertising business; and X becomes an image disinformation engine.
Weâve upgraded Unmadeâs membership. Annual members now get a free ticket to all of our events. That includes REmade - Retail Media Unmade on October 1; Unlock on October 31; our Compass series in November; and HumAIn next year.
If youâve been thinking about upgrading to an Unmade membership, this is the perfect time. Your membership also includes members-only content, access to our paywalled archives and your own copy of Media Unmade. Upgrade today.
How brand safety is throttling news revenues
Media companies are starting to push back against buying agenciesâ brand safety policies after the admission of Group M boss Christian Juhl that by default most of his clients are kept off news sites. Juhl testified to Congress that just 1.28% of brand spend goes to online news.
In todayâs podcast we discuss the difference between brands sensibly avoiding polarising mastheads, and defunding news altogether. We ask whether brandsâ claims to be good social citizens align with decisions that make it harder for public service journalism to occur.
Also today, we look at Perplexityâs plans to take on Google in search with an advertising offering; Conde Nastâs deal with OpenAI and Donald Trumpâs sharing of fake AI imagery.
Further reading (and viewing):
* The Australian: Brand suitability myth busted
* Unmade: Taken to the farm: GARM harm
* Unmade: What if Elon is right, and marketers should occasionally be told to get fuuucked?
* Digiday: Perplexityâs pitch deck offers advertisers a new vision for AI search
* OpenAI: OpenAI partners with Condé Nast
* Forbes: AI Gone Wild: How Grok-2 Is Pushing The Boundaries Of Ethics And Innovation
Group M boss Christian Juhlâs testimony on brand safety:
Todayâs episode features Tim Burrowes, Abe Udy and Cat McGinn
Editing was courtesy of Abeâs Audio, the people to talk to about voiceovers, sound design and podcast production.
Time to leave you to start your week. Weâll be back with more tomorrow.
ToodlepipâŠ
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade
This is a public episode. If youâd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe -
Welcome to a midweek edition of Unmade.
Tomorrow is Unmadeâs third birthday and weâll be sharing a post with some updates on how weâre travelling, and where we go next. So our usual, audio-led episode is a day earlier than usual, featuring the team at Man of Many at a point when independent digital publishing is a front page political issue.
Further down in the post, the Unmade Index hits another all time low as the valuation of ASX-listed media and marketing companies falls to the lowest point since we started the index two-and-a-half years ago.
Producing independent analysis of the media and marketing industry that goes beyond press releases takes time and resources. If you like what we do, you can support us by becoming a paying member. Upgrade today
Scott Purcell and Frank Arthurâs trip into the independent media establishment with Man of Many
Man of Many has a different founding story to most digital titles.
Neither of its two founders Scott Purcell and Frank Arthur came from a publishing background. Purcell was a credit analyst at Westpac and Arthur was an industrial designer for a street furniture company.
The then housemates started Man of Many as a way of talking about the menâs lifestyle products that interested them.
From something which was essentially a blog, Many of Many has become a company of increasing substance. With a staff of just under 20, the company now talks mental health and carbon neutrality, as well as continuing to champion luxury consumption.
Through persistence and participation, Many of Many has become a significant voice within the publishing ecosystem. If thereâs such a thing as an establishment within independent media, then MoM is a member.
Theyâre signed up for The Digital Publishers Alliance, the Online News Association and the Australian Press Council. Man of Many has been a long time entrant (and sometimes winner) in Mumbrellaâs Publish Awards. Theyâre shortlisted for website of the year and brand of the year amongst other categories this year.
Man of Many says it is now Australiaâs largest menâs lifestyle site (albeit, as is discussed in the interview, with much of their traffic comes from overseas).
In todayâs podcast conversation with Unmadeâs Tim Burrowes, Purcell speaks not just the language of watches and whisky but also brand values and carbon neutrality.
Pragmatically, MoM has successfully applied to be on the Australian Communications & Media Authorityâs register of news businesses. Depending what the governmenrt chooses to do about designating Meta or other platforms, that could be crucial for publishers.
Not that Purcell necessarily welcomes the prospect of a Meta designation by Treasury minister Stephen Jones: âWe're hoping that there won't be one because I think the impacts of that will be quite detrimental to the broader market. We are an ACMA registered news organization, which was meant to be a requirement under the code for negotiation. But unfortunately, that hasn't really resulted in any further bargaining power for us.â So far, anyway.
If the government does decide to create a digital levy on the platforms, Man of Many will inevitably be one of the voices arguing that lifestyle journalism is a form of public interest journalism that deserves funding. âI think that it is important for it to be quite a broad definition of public interest journalism and that the funding goes towards independent and a diverse set of media,â argues Purcell.
Further reading:
* The business book recommended by Purcell in the interview is Traction, by Gino Wickman;
* See more about Man of Manyâs credentials on their About page;
* Man of Manyâs advertising page
Unmade Index hits a new low
The Unmade Index hit a new low point yesterday, dropping by 1.06% to 465.2 points.
The previous low came when the index dipped to 465.9 points on July 5.
The Unmade Index, which covers the market capitalisation of all the local ASX-listed media and marketing companies, began at the start of 2022 on a nominal 1000 points. Yesterdayâs number marks a fall of more than 53% of their collective value.
Among the larger stocks, Domain saw the most movement, losing 3.1%. Stocks in Domain have lost 15% since it updated the market on its full year numbers last week. Ooh Media lost 2%.
Enero dropped by another 5.2% yesterday, to its lowest point since the early weeks of the Covid crisis in April 2020. Enero lost one of the zeroes from its market cap after falling below a $100m valuation.
Todayâs podcast was edited by Abeâs Audio.
Iâll be back tomorrow with Unmadeâs three year birthday update. As is the annual tradition, Iâll be sharing details of our financial performance and audience numbers. And weâll also be announcing a big upgrade on the privileges for Unmadeâs paying members.
If youâre interested in retail media, donât forget that discounted earlybird tickets are on sale for another four days for the next edition of REmade on October 1. And our call for entries for the REmade Awards is live for just another fortnight.
ToodlepipâŠ
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade
This is a public episode. If youâd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe -
Welcome to Start the Week, our Monday scene-setter for the week ahead.
In todayâs audio-led edition, rumblings about a tech tax get louder; clues from earnings season as Ooh Mediaâs profits slip; and the ABC invites the Bruce Lehrmann defamation judge to host Media Watch.
If youâve been thinking about upgrading to an Unmade membership, this is the perfect time. Your membership includes:
* Member-only pricing for our HumAIn and REmade (October 1) conferences;
* A complimentary invitation to Unmadeâs Compass event (November);
* Member-only content and our paywalled archives;
* Your own copy of Media Unmade.
Digital levy drumbeat get louder; Is this the week ARN tries yet again to capture SCA? ABC thinks out of the box for Media Watch
Publishers smell money in the air, and theyâre launching a landgrab before the dollars drift to the ground. With the government dithering about whether to designate Meta under the News Media Bargaining Code, lifestyle publishers are arguing that what they do had a value too. If Meta or anyone else gets designated, they want to be allowed into the negotiations.
Also today, we check in on earnings season with Ooh Media reporting a down half this morning, and ARN likely to update the market on its SCA takeover ambitions when it does its half yearly update on Thursday.
And The Australian reveals that The ABC has been rebuffed in what would have been a wonderful casting move. It tried to interest Justice Michael Lee in replacing Paul Barry as Media Watch host. In a parallel universe it would have been a great idea.
And it was the morning after Larry Emdur won the Gold Logie.
Further reading:
* The Guardian: The door to an Australian tech tax is clearly ajar. Can Labor make it happen?
* Unmade: A digital levy for platforms now looks likely
* Australian Financial Review: Lifestyle, culture websites argue for their slice of Metaâs pie
* The Australian: Financial markets say FTA advertising market wonât improve until consumer confidence lifts
* Unmade: Labor will do the TV industry a favour if it bans gambling ads
* The Australian: Southern Cross Austereo takeover deal is pie in the sky â for now
* The Australian: ABCâs pitch for Federal Court judge Michael Lee to take Media Watch hot seat declined
Todayâs episode features Tim Burrowes and Abe Udy.
Editing was courtesy of Abeâs Audio, the people to talk to about voiceovers, sound design and podcast production.
Time to leave you to start your week. Weâll be back with more tomorrow.
ToodlepipâŠ
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade
This is a public episode. If youâd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe -
Welcome to an audio-led edition of Unmade (with quite a few written words too).
Today, we talk to Foxtelâs streaming and advertising boss, Julian Ogrin; Sevenâs slumping share price sees it at risk of being eclipsed by ARN Media; and we share more news of our retail media conference REmade.
âWe can be number one in digital advertisingâ - Julian Ogrin on Kayoâs growth story
Tim Burrowes writes:
Julian Ogrin, the man tipped as the future boss of Foxtel Group, has been taking a higher profile of late. Over the last few days, heâs been the face (and voice) of the latest set of results from the company.
Ogrin is CEO of Foxtelâs streaming division including sports platform Kayo (âthe home of Australian domestic sportâ, as he puts it in todayâs podcast), and entertainment platform Binge.
The rise of the two platforms - each of them passed more than 1.5m paying subscribers for the first time - is an unusual success story against a backdrop where most satellite and cable TV providers around the world have failed to react to the disruption of changing consumer habits.
Last week, News Corp publicly hung a âfor saleâ sign on Foxtel Group, of which it owns two-thirds. Telstra owns the other third. The company flagged âthird party interestâ in what looks like an attempt to flush out other potential bidders.
The urgency is because these numbers may be as good as they gets for Foxtel.
For Kayo, the fourth quarter is the one where local footy fans return for the season before beginning to churn away again. And looming in the next few months is the next NRL deal negotiation. Foxtel currently shares the rights with Nine, which will inevitably chase the full package this time, to spread across its subscription platform Stan too. The all-or-nothing battle will be an expensive one if Foxtel is to win it.
And Binge is almost certainly only months away from losing its HBO content to a local launch of Warner Discoveryâs streaming service Max.
So now is the time to sell Foxtel - and for Ogrin - to sell the message of the companyâs streaming growth.
In todayâs conversation he alludes to a subtle repositioning of what Kayo (and Foxtel) stand for when it coms to sport. He talks about domestic sport five times. Having lost the English Premier League to Optus Sport in 2015, perhaps Formula One, last renewed in 2022, will be next to go.
The interview also covers the question of Kayoâs price. By global standards the $25-per-month entry level price, or full package for $35, is low. Ben Shepherd, who is often right about such things, predicted last week that we may see the price rise towards $50.
Ogrin hints: âWe used to have three tiered products and we came back to two. Maybe we go back to three.â
Naturally, we asked Ogrin about the succession plans when the time comes to replace Delany. Naturally, he navigated around the question.
We also pushed him on the number of sign ups to aggregation service Hubbl. He used the word âproudâ twice but declined to share numbers.
Ogrin also has Foxtel Media, the companyâs advertising sales house, reporting in to him. Even in a down market, the division has reported growth. Ogrin claims Kayo is the only scalable advertising solution for streaming in the market. âWeâre talking about seven hours of highly engaged viewing a weekâ.
âIn the next 12 to 24 months we can be number one in digital advertising and weâre just going to go for it.â
Todayâs podcast was edited by Abeâs Audio.
Weâll be back with another newsletter tomorrow.
If youâre interested in retail media, donât forget that discounted earlybird tickets are on sale for another four days for the next edition of REmade on October 1. And our call for entries for the REmade Awards is live for just another fortnight.
ToodlepipâŠ
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade
This is a public episode. If youâd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe -
Welcome to Start the Week, our Monday scene-setter for the week ahead. In todayâs audio-led edition: The call is coming from inside the house as Nineâs papers highlight disquiet over the companyâs share buyback and Domainâs leadership; we look at the first edition of the reincarnated Cosmopolitan Australia; and the latest in AI.
If youâve been thinking about upgrading to an Unmade membership, this is the perfect time. Your membership includes:
* Member-only pricing for our HumAIn and REmade (October 1) conferences;
* A complimentary invitation to Unmadeâs Compass event (November);
* Member-only content and our paywalled archives;
* Your own copy of Media Unmade.
Nineâs Foxtel takeover talks revealed as Cosmo returns
Six years after Bauer Media killed it off, Cosmopolitan Australia is back on the newsstands. In todayâs audio-led edition of the Unmade podcast, we take a look at that first edition of Cosmo.
Plus, a revelation that Nine talked to News Corp about buying Foxtel; what reads like a subtle hit on the management team at the Nine-aligned Domain in the Australian Financial Review, and suggestions that Nineâs share buyback program has been a fizzer.
And in the world of AI, have we hit the trough of disillusionment?
Further reading:
* Unmade: As good as it gets - Foxtel on the block
* Capital Brief: Nine and News Corp deal talks add to Foxtel intrigue
* Australian Financial Review: REAâs success exposes shrinking Domain
* Brisbane Times: The $220 million âdouble-edged swordâ thatâs bothering Nine
* Cosmopolitan Australia: Tones And I Is Ready For Her Close Up
Todayâs episode features Tim Burrowes, Abe Udy and Cat McGinn
Editing was courtesy of Abeâs Audio, the people to talk to about voiceovers, sound design and podcast production.
Time to leave you to start your week. Weâll be back with more tomorrow.
ToodlepipâŠ
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade
This is a public episode. If youâd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe -
Welcome to an audio-led edition of Unmade. Today we talk to author and Crikey proprietor Eric Beecher as he publishes a book condemning the power of media moguls. And further down, the Unmade Index bounces back a little after slumping on Monday and then losing some more on Tuesday.
If youâve been thinking about upgrading to an Unmade membership, this is the perfect time. Your membership includes:
* Member-only pricing for our HumAIn and REmade (October 1) conferences;
* A complimentary invitation to Unmadeâs Compass event (November);
* Member-only content and our paywalled archives;
* Your own copy of Media Unmade.
âThey do it to make money and they do it to wield powerâ
In todayâs audio-led conversation, we talk to one of the leaders of Australiaâs independent media sector, Eric Beecher.
A former editor-in-chief of the Sydney Morning Herald early in his career, Beecher has been involved in building and selling two big publishing businesses, and is currently proprietor of Private Media whose flagship is trouble-making daily newsletter Crikey.
Last week, Beecherâs new book, The Men Who Killed The News, was published by Simon & Schuster. In it, he takes aim at media moguls around the world who use their influence for their own ends. A major focus is the Murdoch family. Beecher has gone from working for Rupert Murdoch and selling a business to what was then News Ltd, to being an influential critic of the company and being unsuccessfully sued for defamation by Lachlan Murdoch.
The conversation also covers the imperfection of the industry-funded Australian Press Council (âthe lesser of evilsâ) his views on the sort of public interest journalism that deserves to be publicly funded (âItâs about scrutinzing power and government. I do not believe it includes lifestyle journalismâ) and whatâs likely to happen in the Murdoch familyâs new succession battle.
Beecher describes the unregulated influence of owning a media company as âthe loophole in democracyâ.
We talked to Private Media CEO Will Hayward last year:
Unmade Index slide ends
The Unmade Index recovered slightly yesterday after its drops of 3.6% and 1.2% to start the week. Yesterday the Unmade Index improved by 1.08% to 477.9 points.
Among the larger stocks, printing and marketing services group IVE did best, growing by 3.4%. Seven West Media was up by 3% after hitting a four year low on Tuesday.
Enero, owner of agencies including BMF, hit its own four year low yesterday, dropping to a market capitalisation of $106m
Todayâs podcast was edited by Abeâs Audio.
Weâll be back with another newsletter tomorrow.
If youâre interested in retail media, donât forget that discounted earlybird tickets are on sale for another 12 days for the next edition of REmade on October 1. And our call for entries for the REmade Awards is now live.
ToodlepipâŠ
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade
This is a public episode. If youâd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe -
Welcome to Start the Week, our Monday scene-setter for the week ahead.
In todayâs audio-led edition, the theme of the week is government intervention in betting ads; airline failures and the social media landscape
If youâve been thinking about upgrading to an Unmade membership, this is the perfect time. Your membership includes:
* Member-only pricing for our HumAIn and REmade (October 1) conferences;
* A complimentary invitation to Unmadeâs Compass event (November);
* Member-only content and our paywalled archives;
* Your own copy of Media Unmade.
Government set to back off on betting ad ban; Could Rex have marketed itself differently?; Digital levy looms
The Australian government is currently navigating tricky questions about where to intervene across the media and business world.
In a proposed crackdown on betting ads, the government seems to be watering down its threat to ban them from TV. Instead it might limit gambling brands to two ads per hour, which would create premium inventory for the networks. Meanwhile, the networks are asking for another discount on what they pay to access the public airwaves.
The government is also weighing up what intervention might be needed to save regional airline Rex. Should the airline have stayed focused on the country?
And a major new intervention around the digital platforms is looming, including the possibility of a digital levy.
Further reading:
* The Guardian: âA total cop-outâ if Albanese government refuses blanket ban on gambling ads, Pocock says
* Australian Financial Review: TV networks to demand fee relief as $40m wagering hole opens up
* Unmade: The levy is breaking cover
Todayâs episode features Tim Burrowes and Abe Udy.
Editing was courtesy of Abeâs Audio, the people to talk to about voiceovers, sound design and podcast production.
Time to leave you to start your week. Weâll be back with more tomorrow.
ToodlepipâŠ
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade
This is a public episode. If youâd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe -
Welcome to an audio-led edition of Unmade. Today we recap one of the most talked-about sessions at Unmadeâs HumAIn conference. And further down, the Unmade Index surges on new data suggesting inflation may be back under control.
If youâve been thinking about upgrading to an Unmade membership, this is the perfect time. Your membership includes:
* Member-only pricing for our HumAIn and REmade (October 1) conferences;
* A complimentary invitation to Unmadeâs Compass event (November);
* Member-only content and our paywalled archives;
* Your own copy of Media Unmade.
How AI is already changing life for news breakers
While the audience at HumAIn voted down the debate motion that AI is an extinction level event for media, its impact on the business of journalism is nonetheless undeniable.
In a conversation moderated by Unmadeâs Tim Burrowes, we brought together a panel of news practitioners to discuss how generative AI is already changing practices in journalism and the publishing business model. Our panellists:
* Melanie Withnall, Head of News and Information, Southern Cross Austereo
* Michael Davis, Research Fellow, Centre for Media Transition
* Shaun Davies, Responsible AI Consultant
* Ricky Sutton, Author, Future Media
The topics tackled included how news organisations are already using AI, combating AI as a source of disinformation, using AI as a storytelling tool; the place for news media if generative search wipes out direct traffic, the challenges of algorithmic biases and the ethics of accountability.
Melanie Withnall has since announced she would be moving back to the ABC as head of continuous news, audio and video. She is due to finish at SCA tomorrow.
Unmade Index back above 500
It was an afternoon of optimism on the Unmade Index after new inflation numbers quelled fears that interest rates might go up again.
Our tracker of locally listed media and marketing stocks jumped by 2.77% on Wednesday to 500.7 points. This outperformed the wider ASX All Ordinaries which rose by 1.76%.
The index has been stuck below 500 points - signifying a halving of value of Australiaâs media and marketing stocks since we started tracking them in 2022 - for the last two months.
It was a particularly good day for TV stocks, with Nine growing 4%, and Seven West Media growing 5.9%. Southern Cross Austereo, which is in both radio and TV, improved by 0.8%.
The two outdoor advertising stocks, Ooh Media and Motio, both bounced too, up by 3.6% and 5.3% respectively.
Todayâs podcast was edited by Abeâs Audio.
Iâm speaking at a couple of private industry events in Hobart today and tomorrow, and not planning a newsletter tomorrow unless something urgent breaks. If youâre in Hobart and want to say hello late on Friday afternoon, possibly over a beer, then please do drop me a note.
If youâre interested in retail media, donât forget that earlybird tickets are now on sale for the next edition of REmade on October 1. And our call for entries for the REmade Awards is now live.
ToodlepipâŠ
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade
This is a public episode. If youâd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe -
Welcome to Start the Week, our Monday scene-setter for the week ahead. In todayâs audio-led edition: Should Nineâs journos have gone on strike?;The AI content snake threatens to eat itself; and a chance to hear the Infinite Dial launch.
If youâve been thinking about upgrading to an Unmade membership, this is the perfect time. Your membership includes:
* Member-only pricing for our HumAIn and REmade (October 1) conferences;
* A complimentary invitation to Unmadeâs Compass event (November);
* Member-only content and our paywalled archives;
* Your own copy of Media Unmade.
Are Nineâs journos right to strike?
Nineâs big Olympics fortnight in Paris has been overshadowed by its journalists going on strike. Several regular columns are missing from todayâs papers. But should they even be striking?
Plus, we examine the latest developments in AI, including the launch of OpenAIâs own search offering, Googleâs attempt to position Gemini as a blog writer, and Mutinex cofounder Henry Innisâs (bad) idea for resurrecting the axed Pedestrian brands.
And as bonus content we also share a replay of this monthâs Infinite Dial webinar.
Further reading:
* Unmade: Torch relays, both good and bad
* The Australian: Nineâs strikers misread the room, and their audience
* The Guardian: Nine journalists do their block over Scott Camâs Paris Olympics appearance amid strike
* 7news: Nine CEO refuses to answer questions as newspaper reporters strike over pay as Olympics starts
* The Australian: Fairâs fare â big tech must pay for the news it uses
* LinkedIn / Henry Innis: Someone could start a very profitable local business using the remains of the Pedestrian licences
* OpenAI: SearchGPT Prototype
* CRA: The Infinite Dial 2024
Todayâs episode features Tim Burrowes, Abe Udy and Cat McGinn
Editing was courtesy of Abeâs Audio, the people to talk to about voiceovers, sound design and podcast production.
Time to leave you to start your week. Weâll be back with more tomorrow.
ToodlepipâŠ
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade
This is a public episode. If youâd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe -
Welcome to an audio-led edition of Unmade. Today we talk to one of the worldâs most celebrated advertising creatives, Sir John Hegarty.
Further down, the Unmade Index lifts back towards 500 points, but Seven West Media slumps back to its four-year low.
If youâve been thinking about upgrading to an Unmade membership, this is the perfect time. Your membership includes:
* Member-only pricing for our HumAIn and REmade (October 1) conferences;
* A complimentary invitation to Unmadeâs Compass event (November);
* Member-only content and our paywalled archives;
* Your own copy of Media Unmade
âTake off those f*****g headphonesâ - Sir John Hegarty on why creatives need to stay connected to the world
Ad agency BBH is among the most significant advertising agencies of the last half century. It may never quite have opened its doors in Australia - the closest it came was Singapore - but its local influence on advertising is still remarkable with many of its alumni having built agencies locally.
Created four decades ago by John Bartle, Nigle Bogle and John Hegarty, BBH is now owned by Publicis.
Sir John Hegarty - who also cofounded Saatchi & Saatchi and TBWA - is behind some of BBHâs most celebrated ads. In February heâll be coming to Australia as part of his Business of Creativity course.
In this wide ranging conversation with Unmadeâs Tim Burrowes, Sir John discusses the sliding doors moment early in his career as an art director when he ended up paired with copywriter Charles Saatchi; how a black sheep came to define his career; and the nature of creativity.
He also explains his provocative premise that the reason why Sydney is not a great creative hub is because the weather is too good. "A lot of creativity comes out of struggle. You canât sit outside a lovely beach bar and have a beer. Youâve got to go in and have an idea.â
Sir John also argues that the only way for creatives to stay relevant is to stay in touch not just with culture, but with their surroundings. âIf youâre a creative person, please, will you take those f*****g headphones off? Great creative people are absorbers. They absorb things around them all the time.â
He also tackles the separation of media from creative agencies: âone of the greatest mistakes our industry madeâ.
And he shares the anecdote of how his second thoughts about a weak campaign his agency had already sold in, became the acclaimed âCream of Manchesterâ ad for beer brand Boddingtons.
Further links:
* Business of Creativity
* Training Day:
* The Stormtrooper Scandal
* Apple TV: Stones in Exile
* Disney+: The Beatles: Get Back
* Hegarty on Creativity: There are No Rules
* Leonardo Da Vinci by Walter Isaacson
* Backstory book subscription
Todayâs podcast was edited by Abeâs Audio.
If youâre interested in retail media, donât forget that earlybird tickets are now on sale for the next edition of REmade on October 1. And our call for entries for the REmade Awards is now live.
ToodlepipâŠ
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade
This is a public episode. If youâd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe -
Welcome to an audio-led edition of Unmade, featuring an interview with the editorial and commercial leaders of The Australian recorded to mark its 60th birthday.
Producing independent analysis of the media and marketing industry that goes beyond press releases takes time and resources. If you like what we do, you can support us by becoming a paying member. Become a member today
The Australianâs Gunn and Gray: Is radio the next frontier?; platform friends and foes; and AI optimism
If Meta stops sharing news on its platforms to beat the News Media Bargaining Code, it should be forced to leave Australia altogether, the executive leading News Corpâs relationships with digital platforms argues.
The comments from Nicholas Gray come during a podcast conversation with Unmadeâs Tim Burrowes. As part of the News Corp restructure, Gray has been given the expanded, dual role of MD and publisher of The Australian and the companyâs stable of prestige publishing arm, along with MD of tech platform partnerships.
It comes as the industry waits on treasury minister Stephen Jonesâ decision whether to designate Meta under the News Media Bargaining Code rules. In 2021, Google (owned by Alphabet) and Facebook (owned by Meta), fended off designation by voluntarily striking deals with local publishers. In March. Meta said it would not renew its deals.
If designation of Meta occurs, the company would be forced to go into binding arbitration with local companies that appear on the Australian Communications and Media Authorityâs register of eligible news businesses over how much it must pay each of them to feature their content.
Facebook has indicated that it would prevent news links being shared, which would enable it to argue in arbitration that it would not need to pay the publishers.
During the conversation Gray argues: âWe hope the Assistant Treasurer designates. Obviously then, Meta have a decision.
âThey've threatened to turn off news as they have in Canada.
âIf they're designated and if they try to turn off news, we say that won't be enough.
We prefer they didn't exit the market entirely, but if they're not prepared to pay for the news that's unquestionably an important part of their service, all of the research says that, and our data says that, then we don't think it's sustainable for them to operate in this market.
The call that Meta should be prevented from operating in Australia altogether was first hinted at by News Corpâs boss, executive chairman Michael Miller in his speech to the Australian Press Club last month. He called for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, which created the bargaining code, to have âthe power to ultimately block access to our country and our people if they refuse to play by our rules.â
The interview with Gray and The Australianâs editor-in-chief Michelle Gunn was timed for the 60th anniversary of The Australian, which celebrated the landmark over the weekend.
During the conversation, Gunn is asked about previous reports The Australian is contemplating launching its own radio station, similar to The Times Radio in the UK. Gunn acknowledges that âlive audioâ is on the table.
She says: âWe are looking at our success in podcasting. I think it's an important tool for us to grow audience.
âWhether it takes the form of live audio or podcasts, and we're still looking at what the mix will be, and what form it will take.â
On the same radio question, Gray adds: âWe need to be in new places with our brand and our news reporting in the forms that people want to consume it, however they may, in order to develop them as potential subscribers down the track.â
News Corpâs global chair Lachlan Murdoch already owns radio stations in Australia through Nova Entertainment.
The wide ranging conversation also covers the tough publishing environment; The Australianâs increasing use of vertical video, lessons learned from failed youth brand The Oz, how AI will change journalism, and The Australianâs battles with its rivals at Nine.
How Unmade yesterday covered Rupert Murdochâs prediction that newspapers have no more than 15 years left in print
The Unmade Index rose again yesterday. Since the start of last week, our index of Australiaâs listed media and marketing stocks has risen on six of the last eight trading days.
Yesterday saw the index lift by another 1.28%to 490.6 points.
Of the locally headquartered media stocks, Seven West Media was the best performer, up by 2.78%.
News Corp, dual listed in New York and Sydney, also had a good day, rising by 3.35%, to close at an all-time high market capitalisation of AU$24bn.
Only three smaller stocks - Enero Group, The Market Ltd and Motio - bucked the trend and fell.
Time to leave you to your Thursday.
Todayâs podcast was edited by Abeâs Audio.
If youâre interested in retail media, donât forget that earlybird tickets are now on sale for the next edition of REmade on October 1. And our call for entries for the REmade awards is now live.
Have a great day.
ToodlepipâŠ
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade
This is a public episode. If youâd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe - Vis mere
