BotD: News incentives postponed; Murdoch laundry; SCA wins on the Unmade Index
Welcome to an end-of-day edition of Unmade. In tonight’s Best of the Day: James Murdoch spills the beans on the family dramas; Dentsu takes a hit in the region; and the Trump tariffs leave the government’s news bargaining policy in tatters.
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SCA wins the day
Southern Cross Austereo topped today’s Unmade Index with the stock up by 3.8% on a decent day for the broadcasters.
Seven West Media was up by 2.9% and ARN Media was up by 0.8%. Nine was flat.
At the smaller end of town, Sports Entertainment Group lost 9% while Pureprofile was off 5.7%.
The day: Trump tariffs delay code plans; Netflix reworks local roster; Murdochs’ psychodrama rolls on
Bargaining incentives off the table for now
The government’s half-hearted attempt to nudge the digital platforms into financially supporting local media operations via the threat of a digital levy has officially gone on hold.
While it was already obvious that the government would have no time to legislate on its promised policy before the Federal election, Donald Trump’s economic war on the world means the government won’t even be broaching the subject for now.
Netflix changes the channel
Netflix has switched up its local roster, ditching creative agency DDB for Amplify, and moving media agencies to Initiative from WPP’s Wavemaker. The switch marks a homecoming of sorts, with the IPG-aligned MediaHub previously on the roster.
(Update: This has been updated after previously incorrectly stating that the switch was directly from MediaHub to Initiative.)
Dentsu in decline
Dentsu’s numbers went backwards in the APAC region with a fall of 3.9% in the last quarter.
CHEP on edge
Omnicom bigwigs are due in town with a brief to restructure the holdco’s creative agencies, says Mi3. BBDO global CEO Nancy Reyes is due in Australia as the company continues to roll out an Omnicom Advertising Group structure to sit over its agencies including DDB, BBDO and TBWA. Locally, that will likely include the BBDO-aligned Clemenger Group and CHEP.
The Atlantic spills the tea on the Murdochs
If there was any doubt on which insider was leaking Murdoch family secrets after last week’s New York Times revelations, The Atlantic has answered the question with James Murdoch going on the record about the clan’s dramas that threaten to break up the News Corp empire at some point over the next five years.
Time to leave you to your evening. I’m at Sydney Airport, about to board QF147, ahead of tomorrow’s Compass Auckland event.
I know people always say that tickets are selling fast. But they really are. As I write, we’re about 15 off capacity. It’s a great panel. If you’re in NZ please do try to drop by.
If you’d like a little more, ahead of Compass, I chatted to the iconic Duncan Greive on The Fold podcast this morning about all things Australian media, Unmade and Mumbrella. You can hear it in all the usual places.
We’ll be back with more soon.
Have a great night.
Toodlepip…
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade + Mumbrella
tim@unmade.media
