Mumbrella live blog: Tuesday, April 8
Welcome to Mumbrella’s live blog, your rolling diary of all that’s happening in media and marketing. Refresh the page for latest updates.
Top stories:
- Piracy: Australians lead the world for illegal downloads of Game of Thrones
- Piracy: Call for reform to help Aussie rights holders protect their product
- Piracy: Networks turn to Aussie content and streaming to stem tide
- Mamamia faces contempt of court probe over Robert Hughes case reporting
- Answers for Adam: Should PR agencies be rolled into creative agencies?
- TV ratings: Ten’s paid-for prisoner interview lands ratings bump
- Dr Mumbo: How Charlie Pickering ruined Secrets and Lies
5:18pm – Here’s an image to conjure with courtesy of our freinds at Nova Sydney – this time we have Wippa mocked up as Maximus Decimus Meridius for the “Gladiator running Club”. Apparently it’s something to do with his love of Russell Crowe.
3:33pm – Our yarns on piracy are generating more than a few comments, and some debate as well. Here’s a couple of the best (find the links in top stories above):
2:31pm – Julia Gillard has written a recap of last night’s Game of Thrones episode for The Guardian, comparing the show to her time as Prime Minister.
She wrote: “Drawn in, I binged on series one over three days on brief Christmas leave in 2012. I devoured the second and third as soon as I could. Fiction and reality started to collide. Returning to my office after an aborted coup in March 2013, I was greeted with posters of sword fighting with the slogan: “What do we say to the god of death? Not today.” I made it known I was barracking for the Khaleesi. After all, what girl has not yearned for a few dragons when in a tight spot?”
Of course for those of you who have not seen it, Gillard’s post does include spoilers.
1:53pm – Mamamia may face contempt of court proceedings for publishing a potentially prejudicial article during the trial of former Hey Dad! star Robert Hughes. Full story here.
1:17pm – TigerAir is playing on its reputation as Australia’s cheapest airline with the launch of its ‘Infrequent Flyers Club’. Here’s one of the spots in which a TigerAir hostess says they considered having a Neil Perry inspired menu but “have you seen that guys prices?”
1:04pm – In other news, the Advertising Standards Board has upheld a complaint against Oporto‘s new ‘Carne Cartel’ ad, ruling it had not vilified South Americans but was unnecessarily violent.
1:00pm – Our piracy special continues with key bodies in the TV and music industries urging Attorney General George Brandis to to make legislative reforms that would give Australian rights holders the ability to combat piracy and force internet service providers (ISPs) to take action. The call from groups are for reforms that would require Australian ISPs to block or take down websites that host illegitimate material. The full story here.
12:20pm – Piracy is an increasing issue for Aussie broadcasters – with Australians, and Melburnians, leading the world for illegal downloads for yesterday’s debut of Game of Thrones. We have the numbers for you here.
11:28am – Adam Ferrier has been thinking about the PR industry and where it fits into the broader communications landscape. In his weekly column Answers for Adam, he’s asking “does a modern PR agency do things that different to a modern creative agency to warrant a whole separate agency supplier – or should the two ideally be combined?”
10:40am – In other non-TV news, one of media agency land’s most senior female leaders Annick Perrin has announced her departure from the role of Sydney MD of Initiative, with no replacement yet set.
10:28am – TV ratings are in, and Ten’s controversial interview with prisoner Renae Lawrence landed it a ratings bump for both its Eyewitness News and The Project, which was also Charlie Pickering’s last night (see 9:32am). Secrets and Lies climbed for finale as well on improved night for the network.
9:32am – Charlie Pickering left The Project last night on a tearful goodbye. However, his unscheduled seven-minute valedictory speech will wind up anyone who recorded the last episode of Secrets and Lies last night.
9:11am – The Australian Financial Review tis morning also has the big news Tabcorp has been granted the digital rights for the rest of racing’s Sydney Carnival, meaning they can show punters the action on their mobiles and tablets as well as their Sky Racing channel.
8:42am – Another interesting episode of Media Watch last night, where the plight of two Herald Sun journalists facing the possibility of jail under archaic laws, semi-naked women on a surf website and the plight of Network Ten’s ratings (with reference to Media Week and Mumbrella) were explored. Catch it on the ABC iView here.
8:10am – Around the papers this morning and The Australian has followed up yesterday’s yarn about Kerry Stokes eyeing up Chanel 5 in the UK for acquisition with a report that veteran programmer John Stephens, the man at the centre of a tug of war between Seven and Ten, was lured to stay at the network by the promise of an international role.
The role, revealed in court documents, was “Charged with the ongoing expansion of Seven’s television business and program interests in international territories and also on occasion in Australia.” See the full story here.
8:02am – Morning all. As ever there’s plenty happening in the media and marketing spheres to get your teeth into. We’ll start with the news OMD Melbourne has retained its foundation client SCA, which makes hygiene and “forest products” – better known to you and me as paper.
I know you are futurists over at Mumbrella but today is the 8th, not the 9th, as claimed in the headline.
User ID not verified.
Hi Mike,
Good call, we’re always looking ahead here.
Cheers,
Alex – Mumbrella