TODAY’S TRADE PRESS: Times tough as branding agency sacks its barista; Clear Blue Day founders depart; Ninemsn puts axe to mobile and video sales teams; the News Corp profits plunge
Digital Media
Top story from this afternoon’s edition of the Digital Media newsletter is redundancies at Melbourne branding agency Belong. Digital Media reports that up to ten staff – including the in-house barista – have been made redundant from the Photon agency this week.
The newsletter also has more information on the cuts at Ninemsn, which is says has seen 20-25 redundancies including most of the mobile sales team and the video sales team.
And digital agency Clear Blue Day has lost two of its founders with MD Peter Bray and client services director Justine Marino leaving today.
B&T Today
Freeview, the marketing body for free to air digital television, is holding a five-way pitch for its advertising account, reports B&T. It says that 303, Banjo, M&C Saatchi, McCann Worldgroup and Razor Group / Us are in the running. The Furnace, which came up with the opening salvo of the campaign, which alienated big spending TV advertiser Ford, is not in the race.
And Ten’s new digital sports channel One will launch on March 26 with the Richmond and Carlton AFL game, says B&T.
Crikey, The Content Makers, The SMH and The Australian and AdNews all have takes on what today’s profits (loss) announcement from News Corp means in Australia. According to Margaret Simons on The Content Makers:
“For the first time we have a bit of an idea as to what the Australian group is planning. In answer to an analyst’s question, Rupert says ‘the local management is in the process of combining all their back offices between the states, which will take out costs.’ So what does that mean? Less independence, I would suggest, for the state-based metro tabloids. Perhaps less independence for the Australian, which still runs a Canberra press gallery presence separate from the News Limited ‘pool’. Rupert puts a brave face on it, but surely the local lieutenants will stop pretending that there are no cut backs in the wind?”
The Business Spectator also tackles the same topic. Robert Gottliebsen says that Murdoch is relatively well prepared for situation:
“Rupert Murdoch has never forgotten the early 1990s and smelled the problems ahead some time ago. He has kept his powder relatively dry, although he couldn’t be persuaded from buying the Wall Street Journal. As of December 31 Murdoch had $US3.6 billion under his pillow.”
And Stephen Bartholomeusz says it’s worth bearing in mind that Murdoch’s cable properties are booming, even while his newspapers are struggling:
Murdoch appeared to be joking when he said of his newspapers,’If we continue the way we’re going we might not have any competition left at the end of it all.’ Other newspaper groups wouldn’t find that very amusing at all.”
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large. He returned to Mumbrella as Publisher in January 2025
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bugger…I’m the barista at Sticky Advertising.
Please Media Hunter don’t let me go!
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In house barista? No wonder they’re in trouble. Sheesh.
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We’ll know that times are really tough when a large Sydney law firm has to cut back on their in-house butlers. Mind you, it was a lovely cuppa!
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