12 November 2025 It's Wednesday evening, which means it's time to pour yourself a glass of warm popcorn, fire up your wireless, and settle into another episode of the Mumbrellacast. After splashing out an estimated $1.5 million on its first-ever upfront presentation late last month to tout the future of its 'entertainment' company, this morning ARN provided the market with a sobering financial update, forecasting a full-year earnings drop of between 25% and 27%. On Monday morning, Amanda Laing, the newly minted boss of Nine's streaming and broadcast arm, informed nervous staffers that approximately 50 roles in her division will be made redundant -- some people will be redeployed elsewhere, but contractual roles will not be renewed, and some empty positions slated to be filled will remain empty. Elsewhere, on the Mumbrellacast, we discuss how M+C Saatchi's future has suddenly become unsteady, and it's all because of pesky activist investor Harwood Capital, which recently increased its stake in M+C Saatchi from 3.6% to 4%. This week also saw the relaunch of Big Brother, which started in 2001 on Ten, was revamped by Nine in 2012, then resuscitated by Seven in 2020. As they say, fourth time's a charm, and Ten have stripped the show back to its essence: chaotic live TV with every chance of nudity, bawdy language, unbridled fighting, and housemate boredom. Join Nathan Jolly, Eleanor Dickinson, Tim Burrowes and Abe Udy for a look at everything under Australia's media and marketing umbrella.

In this special episode of the Mumbrellacast, Tim Burrowes sits down with Paramount Australia's Beverley McGarvey, Rod Prossor, and Tamara Simoneau to talk about the network's future plans under a new owner, the death of Think TV, Rebecca Gibney's game show mode - and whether they'll punt for the NRL.

In this week's Mumbrellacast, Hal Crawford, Tim Burrowes, Nathan Jolly, Eleanor Dickinson and Abe Udy dig into the new legislation that will require streaming services, such as Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime, dedicate 10% of their total local expenditure to Australian content. You can get up to speed with the proposed law here. Isn't it great: Australian screen production just won a $300m+ lottery Meanwhile, 'tis the season for Christmas campaigns and Woolworths launched its 2025 platform using last year's creative. Eleanor asks whether the move is really all about saving money, and notes that arch rival Coles Christmas campaign dropped today. The hosts also observe that Coke's current Christmas TVC, generated entirely by AI, is severely zoologically challenged ... Finally, Southern Cross Austereo and Seven West Media's proposed merger was given a thumbs up by advisors yesterday. So, why is investor Sandon Capital mad? Tim and Hal analyse the situation.

29 October 2025 In this week's Mumbrellacast, Hal Crawford, Tim Burrowes and Nathan Jolly discuss ARN's packed upfront. Having taken over the Star Casino in Sydney, the radio network announced a slew of new content. Check out Nathan's breakdown here. Yesterday, leaders of the Australian publishing industry gathered for Mumbrella's Publish conference. Nicholas Gray, News Corp Australia's MD and publisher of The Australian and Prestige, took to the stage with Mumbrella's Hal Crawford to discuss a range of topics, including AI, the News Media Bargaining Code, and News Corp's culture. The session is included in full. Join Hal Crawford, Tim Burrowes and Nathan Jolly for a look at everything under Australia's media and marketing umbrella.

22 October 2025 In this week's Mumbrellacast, Hal Crawford, Tim Burrowes, Nathan Jolly and Abe Udy discuss Mumbrella's widespread changes as part of a larger project to bring Mumbrella and Unmade content together on the one platform. We also look at Seven West Media's upfront event in Sydney, which features the launch of a partnership with Westpac to link 7plus advertising and real-world sales, and 7 Geo Plus for location-based targeting. Seven's chief content officer Brook Hall tells Mumbrella there's a new spirit of collaboration between broadcasters, and the hosts unpack what audiences and marketers can expect from the company over the next 12 months. Meanwhile, OpenAI released a new web browser overnight -- ChatGPT Atlas. AI-powered browsers have been around for several months -- Perplexity's Comet was launched in July -- but the launch of Atlas is a big deal for the tech landscape. For a deeper dive into OpenAI's browser see Tim's analysis on our website.

17 October 2025 In this very special episode of the Mumbrellacast, the show has moved from its headquarters in Glebe to the sunny halls of SXSW Sydney. Last night, it was Nine's turn to wow advertisers and agencies with its 2025 Upfront. The broadcaster's played it safe, continually reassuring the crowd that it has everything they need to market themselves effectively. And despite the lack of fresh content, the reactions have been positive. Was the effort, or lack thereof, worth it? Meanwhile, Vinyl Group's CEO Josh Simons announced that the publishing heavyweight would be using AI to hit its break-even target by the end of the year. We discuss if the strategy will work, or if it will add to the "AI slop" already out there. In the latest round of radio ratings, 2GB climbed back to the top; Kyle and Jackie O's grip on Sydney loosened; and old-school talk radio may not be dead yet. We assess the results to see how radio's faring, and ask Mat if the medium is effective for brand building today. Dentsu's revolving door has kept spinning with its media CEO Fiona Johnston leaving, in the wake of Kirsty Muddle's departure. The holdco's ANZ CEO Rob Harvey promises "simplicity and less duplication" moving forward, but is it all smoke and mirrors? Join Tim Burrowes, Cat McGinn, Mat Baxter and Abe Udy for a look at everything under Australia’s media and marketing umbrella.

8 October 2025 Last week, marketing luminary Mark Ritson published an article for Mumbrella about Qantas, arguing that the airline's low trust scores haven't done anything to hurt it financially. In the same piece, Ritson poked the Roy Morgan bear, saying that the research organisation's views on brand trust need "to be taken with a massive dose of salt" — Roy Morgan's CEO Michele Levine responds on the Mumbrellacast in person. Yesterday, Ten and LG announced a partnership that will see the former's live streaming channels have a prominent place in LG's TV range. Nathan breaks down the deal and explains why the industry should care. Meanwhile, News Corp's Michael Miller addressed the Melbourne Press Club, rebuking AI's "big steal" while calling for faster action from the government on the News Media Bargaining Incentive. We discuss if Miller's points were hits or misses. Also, music streaming giant Spotify released six songs to educate marketers on how to use its advertising tools. It's baffling, it's very much real, and we're here to unpack the strategy behind it — and rate the songs of course ... Join Hal Crawford, Tim Burrowes, Natahan Jolly and Abe Udy for a look at everything under Australia’s media and marketing umbrella.

2 October 2025 Southern Cross Austereo and Seven West Media’s proposed merger is fascinating: a power move or alliance between two disrupted businesses? We go over the merger’s details to determine which company’s culture — TV or radio — will dominate. Last week, Mumbrella ran a story on the redundancy crisis that has struck the marketing and media sector in recent times. One of the leaders we spoke to, Edelman’s former chief client officer Amber di Scotto Perta, chatted with Hal about her experiences. Meanwhile, ChatGPT has a new buying feature in the US that allows users to purchase items directly from the bot’s answers. According to Celia Harding — the founder of language engine optimisation advisory agency Leoprd — the tool will shake the foundations of online shopping. Should brands be worried? Join Hal Crawford, Tim Burrowes, and Nathan Jolly for a look at everything under Australia’s media and marketing umbrella.

24 September 2025 This week: Yesterday's Remade event put retail media under the microscope. In separate sessions, Zitcha's Alberto Vergara shared his theory that impulse buying is going to be destroyed by AI agents, and Jonathan Hopkins of Sonder and Commbank's Patrick Crowley dove deep into Commbank's journey of building its own retail media network. So, does retail media have a bright future? Meanwhile, this week saw Donald Trump drop a Tiktok bombshell, claming that Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch were considering investing in the short form video platform in the United States. Fresh off exploring the deal in Unmade, Tim unpacks the details to see if the arrangement actually makes sense. Last Friday, Optus found itself in the most serious crises of its recently troubled history. CEO Stephen Rue held a press conference late in the day to admit the telco's emergency call service failed in several regions the day before — and had contributed to at least three deaths. Communications expert Peter Wilkinson shared his thoughts of the incident with Hal. Join Hal Crawford, Tim Burrowes, Cat McGinn and Nathan Jolly for a look at everything under Australia’s media and marketing umbrella.

18 September 2025 Expert marketer Mat Baxter rolled out a tattoo luxury skincare line, Skingraphica, after finding that popular cosmetic brands didn't supply products specifically for tattoo skincare. He spoke with Hal about the new venture, and revealed the unorthodox marketing practices he's going to deploy for it. Meanwhile, Mumbrella360 2026 has been officially announced. "Catalyst" is the theme for Australia's top media and marketing event, and our head of curation, Cat McGinn, is here to share what delegates can expect. The government has elaborated on the under-16s social media ban, publishing guidelines that explain how digital media platforms can successfully enforce the ban. The question is not so much what's in the guidelines, but what's left out. Earlier, Asha Dooley, the president of Funerals Australia, chatted with Hal about how she goes about marketing a distressing business. It's something no one wants to face, so how does Dooley make it work? Join Hal Crawford, Tim Burrowes, Cat McGinn and Abe Udy for a look at everything under Australia’s media and marketing umbrella.

11 September 2025 Youtube marked its 20th birthday by gathering 600 industry personnel in Sydney and dazzling them with its own version of a TV upfront. The video streaming platform shared its latest products with the crowd, and Hal was there to see if it was all worth it. The latest radio ratings are in, and Nine Radio climbed back in Melbourne. Kyle and Jackie O have also gained some ground in the Victorian city. We go over the results to see who's currently on top. In this week's Upfronts season, Mamamia announced a refreshed strategy spanning shows and written content. We examine the network's stated strategy shift to a "house of brands". Meanwhile, Omnicom's Eleven has officially absorbed Mango Communications Sydney, and TBWA named Kimberlee Wells as its Australian CEO. Freelance journalist and old friend of the show, Lauren McNamara is back to give a rundown of what happened on both fronts and what this means moving forward. Join Hal Crawford, Tim Burrowes, Lauren McNamara and Nathan Jolly for a look at everything under Australia’s media and marketing umbrella.

4 September 2025 The bosses of the Australian TV industry flooded Canberra this week to lobby the government for tax relief and to put an end to gambling ad restrictions. Tim was there too, and he's here to share all the details of the event - and the conversations he had with the industry's most powerful people. Upfronts season has finally arrived and SBS is the first out of the gate. We discuss what the country's multicultural public broadcaster has up its sleeves, and if it'll be enough to wow media buyers. Meanwhile, fresh off delivering its full-year financial results, Vinyl Media has made just under 10% of its workforce redundant, including its head of editorial and head of publishing. The media giant described the move as "a small adjustment", but with a looming deadline to break even only four months away, we have to ask: will Vinyl Group make breakeven by its deadline of December? Join Hal Crawford, Tim Burrowes and Nathan Jolly for a look at everything under Australia’s media and marketing umbrella.

28 August 2025 Nine's finances for FY2025 were released this morning, and the combined weight of the Olympics, Stan and Domain helped the media organisation stay upright. But should Nine be celebrating? Meanwhile, rivals ARN and SCA have released their own financial results, while rumours of Nine being interested in buying SCA continue. Nathan is here to break down the numbers and share what SCA CEO John Kelly said of the rumours during their recent chat. The Australian Association of National Advertisers released a report that stated most people say junk food advertising doesn't affect them. The University of Wollongong's professor of public health nutrition Bridget Kelly criticised the findings. Hal sat down with her to learn why she rejected the findings out of hand. Join Hal Crawford, Tim Burrowes, Nathan Jolly and Abe Udy for a look at everything under Australia’s media and marketing umbrella.

Media and publishing group Hardie Grant has made a major investment in the communications space, acquiring PR agency Keep Left. We discuss if Hardie Grant made the right move, and what prompted Keep Left to sell after 23 years. The country's sole independent newswire, Australian Associated Press, has struck a deal with Google to feed its news into the Gemini app. Does the deal make sense? Meanwhile, Ooh Media released its half-yearly results this week — and the numbers were strong. Tim spoke with the company's outgoing CEO, Cathy O'Connor, earlier. Plus, Nathan shares how the out-of-home sector is performing according to the Outdoor Media Association's latest research. Earlier this month, Skydance's US$8 billion purchase of Paramount made it one of the largest media deals of the century. Now, Paramount's ex-owner Shari Redstone has revealed what she really thought of the process, and the controversial payment to Donald Trump. With Tim Burrowes, Hal Crawford, Nathan Jolly and Abe Udy.

Global performance consultancy Ebiquity oversees US$160 billion of advertising spend for the majority of the world's top brands. CEO Ruben Schreurs sat down with Mumbrella's Hal Crawford for a wide-ranging interview that ran the gamut from agency disruption, to advertiser news avoidance, Elon Musk, outdoor, the rise of Publicis and a personal attack on Schreurs that almost cost him his life.

SBS has announced that its managing director, James Taylor, is gearing up to leave the broadcaster after 13 years to become the boss at Ooh Media. But is it the right move for both the outdoor company and the long-time media leader? And who should replace him? At the same time, Seven released its full-year financial results, and the numbers are sobering. We dissect them to see where the business lost ground and where it may actually be rebuilding. We include a snippet from Hal's full-length interview with Ruben Schreurs, CEO of marketing effectiveness and media efficiency platform Ebiquity. Schreurs spoke on the impact AI summaries will have on web publishers, but also a great deal more -- stand by for the full interview later this week. To wrap things up, we also say goodbye to a certain Mumbrella associate editor and frequent Mumbrellacast contributor as they enter the next stage of their career. Get the latest episode every Wednesday. Podcast edit by Abe's Audio.

6 August 2025 Dentsu ANZ dropped a bomb this morning, revealing that its CEO Patricio De Matteis is leaving the business with the company's New Zealand boss, Rob Harvey, stepping in as his replacement. We discuss what this means for the holdco. News Corp released its full-year financials, and despite declining revenue for its Australian operations, the media giant's results are strong. Hal dissects the major numbers and the reasons for them. Meanwhile, the radio industry has been buzzing with ARN's plans for the Christian O'Connell Show. Nath and Tim discuss the "national live" launch that doesn't seem to live up to its name. Last week, Atlassian's Scott Farquhar called for the country's copyright laws to be changed — a move that the Productivity Commission supports with a recommendation that a fair use provision be introduced to allow companies to use copyrighted material to train large language models. Is this the right move? Join Hal Crawford, Tim Burrowes, Lauren McNamara, Nathan Jolly and Abe Udy for a look at everything under Australia’s media and marketing umbrella.

30th July 2025 Over the weekend, Google ramped up the under-16s social media ban fight by sending at letter to the Australian government with legal claims for exemption (which it has just officially lost). We analyse Google's arguments to see if the tech juggernaut has a case or if it's shouting at a wall. Hal interviews executive director of media and data at Spinach Advertising Ben Willee about the commercial impact of the under-16s ban on Google. Meanwhile, Solstice Media announced it is acquiring a majority shareholding in Australian Traveller Media — and it's not the only business decision the indie media company has made in recent weeks. Tim dissects Solstice's latest moves and answers Hal's burning questions. Also, a storm of media activity will lash the industry in the coming weeks. Tim gives four clear predictions about what's going to happen. Join Hal Crawford, Tim Burrowes and Abe Udy for a look at everything under Australia’s media and marketing umbrella.

23 July 2025 The restructure of Omnicom's Oceania operations has dominated the trade press this week, particularly with the confirmation that Nick Garrett will be returning to lead the new organisation. Is Omnicom just aligning with the rest of the industry or is there something different afoot here? Meanwhile, Nathan spoke with ARN's chief audience and content officer, Lauren Joyce, about FM station Gold trumping Nine Radio's AM talkback in the Melbourne radio ratings. We break down the latest radio survey data to see who's gaining traction and who's slowing down. Also this week, Tim chats with Private Media CEO Will Hayward about his purchase of rival publisher, Pinstripe Media. Was it money well spent? Nine's $1.4 billion sale of real estate business Domain is fast approaching, and with the broadcaster intending to pay half of that money to its shareholders, we discuss what the company should do with the remaining funds. Join Hal Crawford, Tim Burrowes, Lauren McNamara, Nathan Jolly and Abe Udy for a look at everything under Australia’s media and marketing umbrella.

16 July 2025 Southern Cross Austereo's chief content officer, Dave Cameron, is leaving the business after three decades, and with the network recently selling its regional TV licence and doubling down on an 'all about audio' ethos, it's made us wonder: Did he jump or was he shown the door? This week has also seen the publication of independent studies from TRA and Cubery that capture what ads Australians find memorable. Telstra took the crown as the "most unforgettable" brand advertiser, and also the most hated. But is hate such a bad thing? Performance PR platform Linkby's CEO Chris Wirasinha – best known for co-founding Pedestrian – says AI is revolutionising the publishing industry. Most notably through the "new world" of generative engine optimisation. Is the media leader correct? And if so, what can brands learn from this? Join Tim Burrowes, Lauren McNamara, Nathan Jolly and Abe Udy for a look at everything under Australia’s media and marketing umbrella.