The Sydney Morning Herald’s Paul McIntyre reports:

AUSTRALIA’s biggest buyer of TV airtime, GroupM, has told the commercial TV networks it will hire its own TV programming producers and wants more advertiser content in network shows as part of its $800 million annual TV rate negotiations, which are about to start.

GroupM controls nearly a third of all metropolitan TV advertising in Australia and confirmed this week it planned to restructure its global business whereby it will become a major stand-alone investor in original TV programming and digital content.

Although much of GroupM’s new content investments will not rely on advertiser funding, the global media buying giant plans to use its local and worldwide advertising buying power to negotiate programming distribution rights with broadcasters for its own shows as well as push for broader integration of client brands into local and international TV formats.

The initial focus in Australia will be on the $80 million that GroupM negotiates each year in TV program sponsorships. GroupM’s national trading director, James Parkinson, said the company was taking TV producers in-house to improve the flow of information between advertisers, TV networks and production companies to ensure better integration of "brands and brand messages" in and around local and international programming.

Mr Parkinson cited Hyundai’s editorial and sponsorship involvement in Seven’s new primetime show, Last Chance Learners, and Huggies’ production funding of the new daytime format, Mums and Bubs, also on Seven, as examples of what GroupM would be doing more of through its agency brands such as Mediacom, Mindshare and Mediaedge:cia.

But non-advertiser-backed content was also high on GroupM’s agenda, Mr Parkinson said. He pointed to the success of GroupM’s $US20 million ($24 million) investment in a top rating show for the US TV season this year on ABC, October Road. The six-part series debuted on March 13 with 13.9 million viewers and ranked as the ninth most watched show in the US, although its audience nearly halved in subsequent episodes before recovering in the final two shows.

Group M’s parent company, WPP, also paid $US25 million for a founding stake in a film studio started by the founders of Miramax, Bob and Harvey Weinstein. And the media buyer has 20 TV productions under way now around the globe; half are pure Group M content investments rather than advertiser-funded initiatives.

The company also has three global "reality show formats" it is pitching to broadcasters.

"If you think about all the technology changes that are happening around us, a piece of content is going to have a longer life span than ever before," Mr Parkinson said.

"It might move from the theatre to pay TV to broadcast and ultimately it could end up as user-generated content. In the digital space it could be there for a long time. We want to be part of a group that takes revenues from that content for as long as that content lasts. If we only buy advertising in the middle of that content, we’re probably missing an opportunity on a global scale."

He said that, as original content producers, GroupM wanted to use its access and relationships with media owners to ensure distribution rights.

"If you think about content distribution, we are a huge consumer of any major media outlet," he told the Herald. "If one of the initiatives we want to bring to the table makes sense for a broadcaster, it might advantage them in future [advertising rate and volume] negotiations.

"If we had 200 hours of programming in the future and one media supplier found a way of using that, it’s an opportunity for them. We as a business are trying to create a different model."

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Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin will be inducted into the Australian Television Hall of Fame at this year’s Logie Awards. The late wildlife conservationalist and entertainer will be honoured for his work in the wildlife documentary field and for his contribution to the nation’s entertainment industry. His wife Terri Irwin will accept the award at the ceremony on May 6.

“Our documentaries started airing in Australia and we were only ever going to do one episode about crocodiles and, in a very short period of time, we’d done 10 episodes to tremendous ratings,” Mrs Irwin told TV Week. She said people had become detached from wildlife in recent history and it was a “point of pride” for Steve that he was considered a pioneer of his genre.

The induction will provide a sombre reflection despite this year’s more youthful and comedic presenters.

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I was recently invited to submit a chapter to an exciting new E-book titled The Conversation Age. The project was created by Gavin Heaton and Drew McLellan and has assembled n impressive list of contributers from around the world.  Proceeds from the E-book will be donated to Variety, making it a worthwhile read for a worthwhile cause.

When instigating the project Gavin theorised:

"If ideas are the currency of our times then this is, undoubtedly, the age of conversation, for without the art of dialogue, the cut and thrust of debate and discussion, then the economy of ideas would implode under its own heavy weight. Instead, the reverse is true. Far from seeing an implosion, we are living in a time of proliferation — ideas build upon ideas, discussion grows from seeds of thought and single headlines give rise to a thousand medusa-like simulations echoing words whispered somewhere on the other side of the planet. All this — in an instant.

Technology in the guise of social media is giving rise to not virtual connections, but real conversation. The human desire to reach out, meet, share and converse is tapping into digital networks in an effort to transcend and obliterate the tyrranies of time, geography and, in some instances, culture. And the resulting explosion in content, commentary, activism and community is causing academics, marketers, advertisers, politicians and social commentators (amongst others) to call into question many of the demographic standards that have been relied upon for years."

….and thus an innovative new E-book is born via the contributions of a community of worldwide marketers.

Stay tuned for the imminent release of The Conversation Age.

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Top rating NXFM breakfast radio team takes to the air.

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The other half of the KOFM Breakfast duo with spiders.

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KOFM breakfast announcers David and Tanya have been challenging listeners to face their fears. Now it’s her turn.

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The Seven Network has announced the line-up for series two of the celebrity karaoke show It Takes Two, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Featuring in this years edition is RockWiz host Juila Zemiro, radio host Jo Stanley, TV presenter Ernie Dingo, animal conservationist and Elle’s sister Mimi McPherson, All Saints actress Jolene Anderson and comedian Russell Gilbert.

Replacing professional series Guy Sebastian, Glen Shorrock and Karen Knowles will be Anthony Callea, David Campbell and Kate Ceberano, along with last year’s winner Erika Heynatz.

It Takes Two is shown on Prime.

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The PBL Media vs. WIN Corporation stoush has moved to northern New South Wales with PBL Media making a “non-binding proposal” to purchase Nine Network affiliate NBN Television believed to be worth $170 million dollars last night, according to the The Australian.

A successful bid would raise new obstacles in WIN owner Bruce Gordon’s bid to build Australia’s first independent television network, which could bypass PBL to source its own programming.

Last week PBL executives held discussions at NBN’s Newcastle offices, leading to a statement released by parent company SP Telemedia, stating that “a non-binding proposal from PBL Media Pty Limited to purchase the company’s media assets”. PBL Media has not made a comment or a statement about the move.

SP Telemedia has granted them exclusive due diligence to assess the company, following a similar period of due diligence conducted in the last two weeks or so by WIN, which has now ended. Investment bank Goldman Sachs has been advising WIN on a takeover of NBN.

The move sets the stage for another bidding war between PBL Media and WIN, after WIN appeared to emerge victorious in a battle for Perth’s STW-9 last Friday. PBL Media had launched a $136 million bid for the station, but WIN ultimately topped the bid by $27 million. It is not yet known if PBL Media intends to continue that contest.

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Newcastle has 4 mainstream commercial radio stations; 2HD, NEWFM, KOFM and NXFM.

The stations have all had varied and colourful histories and now part of the radio duopoly that has emerged in the market. 2HD and NEWFM are owned by Bill Caralis’ Super Radio Network while KOFM and NXFM are now owned by Macquarie Media after a succession of owners in recent times.

Soon we will explore stations in the Upper Hunter as well as some alternative commercial offerings.

2HD

2HD is Australia’s second oldest existing radio station. 2HD began broadcasting on January 27, 1925. Just one day after Sydney’s 2UE. Despite misconceptions 2HD is named after the "Hunter District", the call sign actually derives from the name of the man who began the station, Harry Douglas. Harry was a keen amateur radio enthusiast leading up to the start of 2HD, and served as an alderman on Newcastle City Council from 1919 to 1922. The station initially was established in Hamilton, before moving to the corner of Darby and King Streets. Harry Douglas sold 2HD in 1928 to William Johnston, who in turn sold the station to the Airsales Broadcasting Company in 1930. It was this company, which owned 2HD for over 10 years and was responsible for the move to Sandgate and the landmark studio building, which was home to 2HD for almost 50 years. In fact, although 2HD now looks very different inside and out, the structure of the most middle section of the studio complex is still the original 1931 building.

2HD was closed under controversial circumstances during the Second World War under the National Security Regulations in 1941. At the time there were about 25 staff, and stories still abound over claims covert messages were being sent by the station owners of the period, based on the timing of music played etc. The station remained silent until near the end of the war when the business was sold to the Labour Party and Labour Council of New South Wales and broadcasting resumed on January 15, 1945.

The Labour Party and Labour Council of New South Wales owned 2HD from 1945 until 1999. The first 29 years of this ownership were under the management of Jim Storey, with wife Twink Storey as program director and on-air personality. Other long serving on-air staff of the time include Stuart Dibbley and Tom Delaney. The late 60s and early 70s were also the "Good Guy" era. The concept also proved very popular on other stations including Sydney’s 2SM. The Good Guys included (in no particular order) Art Ryan, Mal Lamonte, John Hill, Allan McGirvan, Ted Bull, Mike Jeffries, Malcolm Elliott, Keith Harris, Graeme Gilbert and Cliff Musgrave. Geoff Gregory also joined the station at the tail end of the Good Guys, but is better remembered as a long-term program director and host of Sunday night "Country Sounds" for many years.

The end of the Good Guy era brought a series of formats for 2HD including the "Easy Alternative" and country. 1977 also saw the end of the original landmark office building on Maitland Road Sandgate. The beginning of the end actually dates back to 1964 when the original transmitter building was demolished to make way for Maitland Road becoming a dual carriageway. The extra traffic and the road being closer to the old building took its toll and by the mid 70s the structure had become unsound. Premier Neville Wran opened the current administration building, often called the submarine, in 1977. Internal re-modelling took place in 1995 to accommodate 2HD’s acquisition of NEW-FM.

The last 30 years of 2HD’s long history has been our most successful. After the ratings doldrums following the Good Guy era, the station adopted a strong news and talk focus, which resulted in the first number one ratings result after 62 years of broadcasting in 1987. Two key names key to this success were Pat Barton, who had been recruited to breakfast after more than twenty years at number one on 2KO, and Warwick Teece, whose Openline program achieved phenomenal success. Geoff Jay and Brad Carr also have played a major part in the 2HD line-up during the 80s and 90s. In 1997 the John Laws Show became available to 2HD and line-up including Luke Grant, John Laws, and Graeme Gilbert.

NEWFM

Newcastle FM trading as NEWFM was Newcastle’s first commercial FM radio station.

NEWFM exploded onto the airwaves to the accompaniment of a blast of pyrotechnics and laser technology on the night of April 14 1989.

After a decade long pursuit to get an FM licence, the anticipation and expectation that greeted the slick music driven station was considerable.

In 1999 the stations were sold to business man Bill Caralis and became part of the Super Radio Network.

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Newcastle and the Hunter Valley has 5 free-to-air television stations.

Two of them are non-commercial national broadcasters, SBS and ABC, while the other three are commercial stations with a larger local presence; NBN, Southern Cross TEN and Prime.

NBN

NBN Television commenced broadcasting to the Newcastle and Hunter Valley region on Sunday, 4th March 1962.

NBN Television is an independent affiliate of the Nine Network, and the combination of its own locally produced programs, including the region’s number one news service, with the Nine Network’s strong line-up of Australian and international programs, has seen the NBN Group consistently achieve the highest ratings for any station in a major television market across Australia.

NBN produces more local programming than any other regional station with its weeknight hour of news; weekend 30 minute news bulletins and weekday morning program Today Extra.

NBN is a fully owned subsidiary of the ASX listed public company, SP Telemedia Limited, and the SPT Group is Australia’s first fully converged telecommunications / media company.

Southern Cross TEN

Southern Cross Broadcasting’s Network Ten affiliate stations operate in Victoria, southern and northern New South Wales and Queensland.

The company has agreed on affiliation rates with Network Ten, involving a stepped rise in fees, linked to revenue, over the next ten years

The network’s ratings grew substantially during the year across all demographics but especially with younger viewers. Coverage of AFL football and motorsport as well as several locally produced and overseas programs, including Big Brother III, Rove Live, All Aussie Adventures, Secret Life of Us, Law and Order and Everybody Loves Raymond, were big winners with viewers.

The growth in the core 16-39 demographic was particularly attractive to advertisers and resulted in revenue growth above the industry growth rate of 6.5%. 

Southern Cross Ten has centralised play out and presentation facilities to the Canberra studio complex in respect of 24 markets. Centralisation has allowed the company to convert analogue play out facilities to digital in an extremely cost effective way.

Enhancements in technology and the availability of broadband communications will now provide more efficient and effective play out and distribution operations.

Prime

Prime Television Limited is an Australian public listed company. It operates as a "free-to-air" television broadcaster in Australia and New Zealand.

The Prime Network was formed in Australia as a result of Australian Government legislation (beginning in 1989) designed to give all Australians equal access to "free-to-air" television. 

The major part of the programming on Prime Australia is supplied through an affiliation agreement with the Seven Network. This source furnishes entertainment programs such as the top rating Australian drama Blue Heelers, Better Homes & Gardens, The Great Outdoors and The Weakest Link. Nationally renowned Seven Nightly News plus local, national and international sporting programs complement the varied, wide-appeal programming mix.

The Prime Group produces a total of seven separate major local news bulletins each weekday. These are supplemented with News Updates and shorter bulletins throughout the day and night. All are entitled Prime News and deal with local stories.

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