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Opinion | Features
Can sport save Ten?
First there was the Grand Prix. Next came the reported $500m bid for cricket rights, then Ten secured the 2014 winter Olympics. So, can sport save the ailing network? In a feature that first appeared in Encore, Nic Christensen investigates.The television sports rights bidding process is a bit like a game of poker.
Check, fold or bet. Those were the options for the Ten Network last week when it had to finalise its bid for the cricket rights.
Andy Lark: good for the marketing of marketing
I can still remember the first story I wrote about Andy Lark, when it emerged that he was to be the new chief marketing officer of CommBank.
It was immediately clear that Australia was about to meet an interesting marketer, one who blogged and tweeted and thanks to his time at Dell in the US was digitally savvy. Even two years ago, that was a big deal. The fact that he also had a stint in public relations gave him an absolutely intriguing background before he even arrived.
Storming the media barricades - advice for young journalists
This week Mumbrella’s Nic Christensen, who began his career four years ago, gave the keynote address to would-be journalists at the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance’s Student Day. This is an edited version of his speech.Good afternoon, I can remember distinctly the last time I was in this room.
It was 2009 and I was sitting where you are. I’d come to this event, a friend and myself — from memory we sat up the back — and I can remember at the time wondering if I’d ever get a job as a journalist.
It was only four years ago and then as now getting a job was ultra competitive but I’m not sure there was quite as much media ‘doom and gloom’ as there is now…
Paywalls will help fund campaigning journalism
In this guest post, News Limited’s group editorial director Campbell Reid responds to the views of ninemsn’s Hal Crawford that the company’s push into metered paywalls is about data rather than dollars.Hal Crawford is both right and wrong in his article which argued that our digital subscription plans are all about the data.
Fake it 'til you make it... as a features editor
Cosmo’s Kate Leaver tells us how to bluff it in her job in a feature that first appeared in Encore.What do you do, as a features editor?
Really, play with words and ideas all day. At any one time, we’re working across three issues of the mag – getting one on its way to the printers, pooling all the words together for another, and planning the issue after that. It’s busy but it’s a pretty magnificent process.
Savage counsel - JFDI
Hi Chris,I run a medium-sized agency that is doing pretty well. As the leader, I am finding my workload just seems to go up and up. I am struggling to stay motivated and particularly to tackle the bigger and tougher challenges I have to face every day. How do I keep up the energy when there just seems so much to do? How do you do it?
Productive, successful executives are those able to consistently tackle difficult and big challenges. It’s a constant struggle for me so I know how you feel. How do the successful leaders do it?
Q&A with Brett Clegg
Brett Clegg, group director – business media, Fairfax Media, in a Q&A that first appeared in Encore, on the journo who refuses to work with him – his wife.Who is the most powerful person in Australian media and why?
Hard to go past Rupert Murdoch. He controls the single largest and most diverse portfolio and is intent on leveraging its scale (and, of course, influence). He’s an innovator and his will to win is obvious to all.
The experiential experience
Anyone can throw up a tent in a high-traffic area and harass the general public, but what does it take to pull off an effective experiential event? In a piece that first appeared in Encore, Matt Smith investigates.A television commercial can easily be muted and ignored, but try ignoring a purring, squirming cat in your arms. That was the experience awaiting passers by in Sydney’s Martin Place in October last year when Mars Petcare built Whiskas Kitten Palace.
The News Limited paywall isn't about revenue. It's about data
In this guest post, ninemsn’s editor in chief Hal Crawford argues Fairfax Media and News Limited’s new paywalls won’t draw much revenue, but will generate data. And they’re late to the data party.When I first learned that ninemsn’s major digital competitors Fairfax and News Ltd were going to introduce paywalls across their mainstream properties, I was excited.
Every obstacle thrown in the way of their audiences is an opportunity. People hate friction and anything that makes life difficult on a rival site is a chance to get them on yours.
Is this the worst time to be a journalist?
With scores of redundancies in 2012 and a mass exodus of experienced journos, is this the worst time to be a journalist? In a feature that first appeared in Encore, Nic Christensen asks the question.In June last year a tsunami of redundancies began to sweep across Australia’s media landscape. They came in a series of waves and in the 12 months that followed, an estimated 1,200 journalists departed the mainstream media.
Are you a conscious leader?
As the advertising and marketing industry struggles to address the issue of rocketing rates of staff churn in their businesses, Slingshot CEO Simon Rutherford argues that today’s ‘conscious leaders’ should be more focussed on creating ‘staff wellness’ in order to deliver high performing teams and healthy profits.
A conscious leader believes the business has a greater responsibility towards the community it operates in. To ensure sustainable long-term profits, people must come first. Awareness, trust, authenticity, transparency, 100% responsibility, connection, compassion, and love: these are the tools of the conscious leader.
Suits: less popular than pest controllers
Advertising suits have a thankless job that is currently being eroded by the changing industry says Naren Sanghrajka in a piece that first appeared in Encore.Not in my wildest, craziest nightmares would I ever have thought I’d say this. But I’m going to. Being a bean counter is far more appealing than starting as a suit in advertising. There it is. I said it. I actually said those words.
Yes, it’s incredibly depressing. But it’s true.
An answer for Adam: What's the future for creatives?
Each fortnight, Adam Ferrier poses a question to the industry. This week, he asks about the future of the creative.
Who or what is a creative? It’s an old thought, but as I continue on my merry journey in advertising I wonder if there is a role for a ‘creative’ and if there is, what that role is?
In the world of film and TV there is not a ‘creative’. There is a director, a writer, a producer, a DOP and so on. From this mix the creativity happens. But no-one is charged with being ‘the creative’.
Australian films stand on their own merit
The argument that Australian audiences only embrace local films once they’ve picked up a gong at an international festival is inherently flawed says Lee Zachariah in a piece that first appeared in Encore.As much as we like to pretend that we collectively fulfil the world’s need for a country comprised entirely of laid-back, mellow beach dwellers, we do seem to get disproportionately excited when someone else mentions us. Our cool exterior drops away as our local news bulletins breathlessly report that CNN or the BBC or really anyone in one of the ‘real countries’ acknowledged our existence.
We feel detached from the world, and therefore crave its validation.
The vindication of Paul Fishlock
Wow.You may have noticed that not much went up on Mumbrella over the last couple of hours.
That’s because I’ve been reading the judge’s findings in Paul Fishlock’s case against The Campaign Palace.
I’d always known that agencyland can be a brutal place. But the picture of the cynical, ego-driven, unsentimental world that comes through in the findings of Justice John Sacker is something else. I recommend you take the time to read it yourself.
The reputation of Young & Rubicam’s global creative director Tony Granger certainly takes a battering in my view. The word “bully” is a hard one to come back from.
And former Campaign Palace CEO Mark Mackay comes across as someone you might think twice about either hiring or working for, based on the evidence presented. The judge calls him contemptuous of both Granger and Fishlock.
New Foxtel pricing structure on the way
A quarter of Foxtel subscribers are to receive a price increase of $36 a year as part of a raft of changes to be introduced by the subscription TV company.
But the broadcaster claims it will not gain any increase to the bottom line as some prices are going up, and others down.
Foxtel claims that the price changes will also see 25 per cent of customers pay up to $10 a month less; and 25 per cent will have no change, 25 per cent a rise between 5c and $2.05 a month; and 25 per cent a $3.05 rise per month.
“Naturally, as we are aligning different and quite complex pricing structures, there will be some customers who will pay a little more and some who will pay the same or less than they currently do. This will be true for both regional and metropolitan customers,” spokesman Bruce Meagher said.
A new PVR – the upgraded iQ3 – will also be rolled out later in the year.
The move follows the merger of Foxtel and Austar and comes weeks after a consumer backlash over reductions in the susbcription TV broadcaster’s film offering.
Detailed pricing information can be found at http://www.foxtel.com.au under My Account
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Comments
23 Jan 13
1:53 pm
Wouldn’t it be good if we could pick and pay for only the channels we wanted with a minimum fee to protect Foxtel’s margins? I have a package which includes all the channels I want, but dozens of others I don’t want and would gladly ditch for a comensurate reduction in fees.
23 Jan 13
2:56 pm
“Naturally, as we are aligning different and quite complex pricing structures, there will be some customers who will pay a little more and some who will pay the same or less than they currently do.”
Naturally.
23 Jan 13
3:14 pm
@Dan – good for who? For you, yes. For them? Not so much.
This is a sensible and unsurprising move – they’ve upped the sports package costs (for content which is good and getting better) and reduced the movie package. Movie fans don’t wait for them or watch them on a timetable on Foxtel anymore, they’re likely to download them or watch on demand (legally or illegally).
23 Jan 13
4:12 pm
Absolute disgrace.
How can they justify a $9 price hike on the sports package?
Step into your time machine, remember when Foxtel were lauding the fact the AFL channel would come a NO EXTRA COST to sports subscribers. Well, that was a lie.
23 Jan 13
4:25 pm
Oh, and the “no increase to bottom line” is rather like saying “Hey guys, we’re giving you all a pay freeze, but it’s cool, we’re not saving money as we’re going to be spending that money on a new office for the people who currently work in the crap one! Cool, huh? Oh, those already in the new offices, well, unlucky.”
23 Jan 13
4:34 pm
Great news, as long as I get my iQ2 to iQ3 upgrade for free “as the money is being invested into providing all new customers next generation PVRs.”
Conversely, if they charge for the iQ3 … then it’s a rip-off.
23 Jan 13
4:35 pm
To be fair to Foxtel, they are a business which needs to make money.
We can always stop buying.
I like my Foxtel and enjoy lots of documentaries etc. it’s not cheap, but i think it is value for me.
As you probably guessed, I don’t have any sports channels and never had the time to watch the movies, so dropped them.
The last program I did watch on Foxtel was Megafactories; LearJet which was very interesting.
23 Jan 13
4:44 pm
Jimbob, no one will pay $9 more for their Foxtel. While the price of Sport will go up, other prices in your package will go down and balance it out in whole or part. For example if you have an iQ or MyStar box you will no longer be charged separately for it (a reduction of $10 and $14.95 respectively). If you have a standard box special arrangements will be made and, again, you will not have to pay an additional $9. As I commented above the vast majority of those who have a price increases will pay $3.05 extra or less. Many customers will receive substantial discounts.
Please wait until you get your letter or email and you will see how you are affected. If you are unhappy, feel free to call 131 999 to see if there is a package more suited to your needs.
B Meagher – Foxtel Corporate Affairs
23 Jan 13
4:52 pm
@Jimbob – commenting before thinking – absolute disgrace.
23 Jan 13
4:58 pm
Hey Bruce why don’t you just give Dave the gay art director more documentaries on Lear Jets, they will be much appreciated…
23 Jan 13
5:05 pm
Pete, I’ll get on to it…
23 Jan 13
7:02 pm
Foxtel is becoming unaffordable, its there already
23 Jan 13
7:59 pm
I’m currently on Platinum HD and to be honest have been considering cancelling because of the below-average movie channel setup now.
Having done my maths I currently pay $132 per month against $151 of value if you total all the package costs.
Under the new pricing and selecting all packages the total is $132. Amazing.
I wonder what the new ‘Premium HD’ package cost will be … my guess is no change at all.
Pathetic and even more of a reason to stop my subscription
23 Jan 13
8:08 pm
Just checked Foxtel’s Facebook page and the link to the new pricing :
http://www.foxtel.com.au/cms/g.....101769.pdf
Guess what Platinum HD now costs the same as all packages added together – $132 per month.
So instead of a 19% discount on the total cost of purchasing all packages under the ‘Premium’ there is now no discount.
Dare I say “RIP OFF’????
23 Jan 13
8:42 pm
Surprised? If Foxtel ever want to market to me with any kind of success, let me pick and choose precisely the channels I want.
23 Jan 13
11:02 pm
I bundled and get Platinum HD for $110 a month. No news yet on pricing changes.
24 Jan 13
9:06 am
Assuming they don’t change what’s available in the various entertainment option packages I’ll be seeing no change to my bill at all.
Still no incentive to add HD which is a point of difference with FTA. Seven/Prime & Nine/WIN waste their HD channels on old programmes that are in SD and 4:3 aspect. I can imagine them botching the transition from analogue to digital by maintaining the status quo once Sydney and Melbourne have their analogue channels cut.
BTW, somehow Nine manages to deliver rugby league in worse clarity than its usual SD programming and ignores the option of simulcasting despite having paid a fortune for the rights.
24 Jan 13
10:37 am
I agree paying for what channel you want is the way to go,of cause there has to to be a minimum you have to buy say about 20 maybe $1per channel per month a bit complicated but I’m sure with technology it can be done.
24 Jan 13
11:29 am
Foxtel seriously needs to add TV1 to HD as soon as possible… to have such shows as NCIS, NCIS LA, the L&O franchise and Seinfeld et al in SD only is just disgraceful.
24 Jan 13
11:32 am
Ever heard of volume discounts? My bet is that most channels would want, on an a la carte basis, a minimum of $2.95 per month but more likely $4.95 a month. As a price-point that would compare favourably to app and iTune downloads. Plus there would be a Foxtel ‘carriage fee’ for the basic service (cable and box) – no idea what that would be.
So after around 20 channels you’d end up paying more! I’m sticking with my bundle.
24 Jan 13
12:12 pm
I dumped the Platinum package a few months ago. Too expensive for content you can only view in your lounge-room. Why cant I watch Sky news on my phone and on the web at work Haven’t I paid for the content? ( Yes I know there is an iPad only app now ) Back to just the basic package @ $55 p/m. It is not worth any more than that and I haven’t missed Platinum or the cost. at all.
24 Jan 13
12:27 pm
Rip off same old repeats month after month and paying for heaps of channels we never watch. Maybe it’s time to abandon ship,
24 Jan 13
7:12 pm
Check out the current and new start packages.
Something like 11 channels simply gone !
24 Jan 13
7:38 pm
off topic, but if Bruce is paying attention….imma gonna vent. My Foxtel has been MIA since a big power outage in my ‘hood over the weekend. as a long term customer, I now it takes ‘em a while to get their act together & fix these things…so I register the problem on Monday. I’m met with a voice recorded message that assumes I’m a dickhead, tells me that it’s gonna re-set my system then hangs up on me. I call back. I’m basically told that I’m still a dickhead & I should re-set my system. duh. two days later they send a technician who confirms yes, no signal in the ‘hood, I’m not a dickhead & I should call them again. I do. they TRANSFER ME TO TELSTRA so I have to report their faults myself. I still have no Foxtel & can’t understand why I’m doing the work of their (outsourced) tech dept. it’s taken me 5 days and several phone calls.
oh, of course I had to constantly re-identify myself, my DOB, often in the same phone call. weirdly enough, Telstra was helpful lol
the Foxtel attitude of “f*ck the customer, what choice do they have?” is wearing thin.
I better get heaps of free movies & a massive credit to my account.
thankyou Mum(brella) – that was better then the shrinks couch….