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Browsing: MediaWorks

Movings & Shakings
The changes keep coming at MediaWorks as two more senior staffers depart—UPDATED
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Last week, MediaWorks continued its restructuring process by announcing it would operate one newsroom across its TV, radio and online assets, with Mark Jennings taking on the top role. It also announced the integration of digital across the business and, as a result of these changes, the roles of TV chief executive Paul Maher and head of interactive Siobhan McKenna were disestablished. Chief executive Mark Weldon said there would be no more job losses in TV and interactive. But it’s thought two more long-serving senior MediaWorks staff members are also set to depart: senior legal counsel/company secretary Clare Bradley, who has been with the company since 2000, and chief financial officer and director of technology Peter Crossan, who has been with the company since 1999.

News
Paul Henry reluctantly hunts for a social media expert
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MediaWorks has taken a novel approach to finding a ‘social media expert’ for Paul Henry in lead up to his new show by creating a bespoke miscrosite that features a monochromatic mugshot of the controversial TV host above a short blurb—written in his dismissive voice—that explains why he is on the hunt for someone talented in the esoteric art of social media.

News
MediaWorks: Weldon says no further job cuts on the cards
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Yesterday’s announcement from MediaWorks came with confirmation of two executive job cuts as chief executive of television Paul Maher and chief executive of interactive Siobhan McKenna were listed as casualties of the reshuffle. MediaWorks chief executive Mark Weldon told StopPress that these would be the extent of the job cuts for now.

News
Trade Me hosts record-breaking radio frequency auction as NZME and MediaWorks splash out millions
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In the digital age, the buying of radio frequencies seems almost archaic. The internet means that any major radio brand can now be accessed across the nation. And yet, in the recent Radio Spectrum auction, NZME broke a record by paying $7.4 million to retain the frequency it currently uses for Newstalk ZB in Christchurch. And while slightly more frugal than its competitor, MediaWorks Radio also pulled out the chequebook to pay $2.5 million for a frequency used for Mai FM in Waikato and $2 million for a frequency that will host George FM in Wellington. StopPress chats to MediaWorks group content director Leon Wratt and NZME Radio managing director Dean Buchanan to find out if it’s still worth paying that much for radio frequencies.

News
TV3’s 25th birthday brings out the blooper reels
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Back when TV3 turned 20, Sarah Lang wrote a great piece in the Herald about the trials, tribulations and successes of the channel. Or, as the first paragraph says, how it grew “from an insecure infant into an assured adult”. The intervening five years have seen plenty more action at MediaWorks, which went through its second receivership, brought popular shows like The Block NZ, X Factor NZ, 7 Days and Jono & Ben at 10 to New Zealand screens and continued to focus on the reach its varied suite of media assets can offer advertisers (occasionally through the medium of music). But everyone knows the best thing about media anniversaries are the blooper reels. So here are some gems from the evening and morning news shows.

News
An exercise in trust: how Jono and Ben are cracking the branded content conundrum
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Brands are increasingly looking to put their messages inside the content, rather than inbetween it. Formats like The Block NZ and Masterchef allow for what the broadcasters like to call ‘seamless integration’, even though it can sometimes be slightly gratuitous. And a rare few other shows, chief among them Jono and Ben at 10, are using their skills to weave brands into the content without annoying the audience or even creating content outside of the show. Chris Lloyd, sales manager at MediaWorks’ integration team, discusses its process.

News
Data dump: who’s got New Zealand’s ears?
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We live in increasingly visual times. And no-one’s got time to read those pesky words anymore. So every week we’ll publish some of our favourite graphs. In honour of MediaWorks’ new season launch last night, here’s one that shows what’s been happening to overall share of audience in commercial radio since 2005.

News
Horse’s Mouth: Paul Maher and Liz Fraser
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MediaWorks has had a fairly rough ride over the past few years. But the big guns were all smiles last night at the new season launch. We sat down with two of them—chief executive of MediaWorks TV Paul Maher and group head of revenue Liz Fraser—for a chat about the company’s content strategy, results and evolution.

News
MediaWorks launches MVOD offering, aims to extend its brands’ mobile reach
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Following on from the NZ Herald and Fairfax, MediaWorks has now improved its mobile video capabilities by launching MVOD, an offering billed as “a social, local, mobile-friendly video” service that is available across channels. This means that, in addition to the content available on 3Now, users can also easliy access the quirky videos produced on a daily basis for MediaWorks’ other media properties, including radio and news personalities.

News
Streaming battle continues as SVOD and on-demand players reveal what Kiwis are watching
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In recent months, on-demand streaming and subscription video on-demand services have enjoyed column inches in pretty much every publication even mildly interested in the changing media landscape. The emergence of Lightbox, the decision of Slingshot to launch Global Mode to give customers access to Netflix, Sky’s plans to launch an SVOD service in the near future and the on-demand streaming deals signed by MediaWorks and TVNZ have been just some of the areas of intrigue that this space has delivered—and a Kiwi public that previously had very limited viewing options suddenly finds itself spoilt for choice. So what exactly are Kiwis choosing and which shows are attracting the biggest audiences?

News
Henry swaps late nights for early mornings as MediaWorks announces bold new hybrid show
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MediaWorks announced yesterday that Paul Henry would host a new show that will be simulcast across TV3 and RadioLive and have “a significant digital component”. Not surprisingly, social media lit up with commentary on the bold decision to give the polarising broadcaster such a prominent role at the expense of his eponymous late-night show, Firstline and RadioLive breakfast. So what’s the strategy? And will it work?

News
Another username and password: why TVNZ plans to introduce registration for its on-demand service
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TVNZ has confirmed that it plans to require users to register with a username and password to access its on-demand service later this year. Thor Bayer, the broadcaster’s head of digital, says that the registration requirement is being introduced, because TVNZ plans to launch a range of new features that will enhance the user experience. Included among these is a feature that enables users to start watching a show in one channel and then pick it up at the same time on a different channel.

News
Hauraki breakfast team follow in successful stations’ footsteps, APN gets in on the cross-promotion action
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Radio Hauraki has fully embraced its 13th most-listened to breakfast show tag in recent months, with Jeremy Wells’ brilliant ‘Like Mike’ section being born out of a desire to replicate Mike Hosking’s morning success and a new online video series showing the team heeding memos from on high and doing a few things guaranteed to move them up the rankings, such as using t-shirt cannons and adding some sexual tension to the mix. And, as per usual, they’ve done it in slightly unusual, self-deprecating and moderately NSFW fashion.

News
Make your vote count (in the StopPress/MediaWorks TVC of the Year 2013/2014)—VOTING ENDS 6PM
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We live in a world where targeting individuals is becoming increasingly attainable, where streaming and ondemand services (and, in many cases, illegal downloads) give viewers much more control over what they watch, and where online video has become a major sucker of people’s time. As such, the sceptics tend to believe traditional, primarily ad-funded TV is an anachronism. But, according to NZ on Air and Colmar Brunton’s recent media consumption study, Kiwis are still watching plenty of linear TV; according to ASA ad spend figures, brands are still spending up large on TV advertising; and according to pretty much everyone, good video content still has the biggest emotional impact when it comes to branding. So, once again, we’re aiming to celebrate the efforts brands, agencies and production companies put into changing perceptions and/or selling more stuff over the past year and a bit with our annual StopPress/MediaWorks TVC of the Year.

News
The chosen one: MediaWorks names Mark Weldon as new group chief executive
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The industry has been buzzing with speculation as to who would replace outgoing MediaWorks group chief executive Sussan Turner, following the announcement of her resignation at the beginning of July. The rumour mill has however been brought to a halt by a MediaWorks release, which has confirmed that Mark Weldon would step into Turner’s role on 11 August.

News
MediaWorks aims to ensnare more ‘Block-a-holics’ with cross-channel marketing push
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On Sunday night, MediaWorks unveiled the four couples that will gain palm calluses, lose sleep and drink copious cups of Wild Bean Coffee during the third season of The Block NZ. And given the solid ratings the show attracted in previous seasons, MediaWorks has given the latest edition a strong promotional push across its entire offering. Here’s a breakdown of how the broadcaster aims to hold onto its stong fan base. PLUS: find out which brands are partnering with MediaWorks for this season.

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