Media Man

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Media Man Int

Media Man (Australia)

The Media Man Group includes Media Man Int and Media Man Australia.

Established by Australian based media entrepreneur Greg Tingle in 2001.

Media Man Australia via Grok

Answer

Media Man Australia is part of the Media Man Group, which encompasses various media-related services including media, publicity, advertising, talent management, and project management. The company was established by Greg Tingle, an Australian media entrepreneur, in 2001. Here are some key points about Media Man Australia:

Services Offered:
Media and publicity services. Advertising and project management. Coverage of entertainment, pop culture, combat sports, gaming, eco, creative arts, among other sectors.

Founder: Greg Tingle, who is known for his roles as a journalist and TV presenter. His company, Media Man International, operates alongside Media Man Australia under the Media Man Group umbrella.

Online Presence: They maintain an active presence on platforms like YouTube, where they post content related to their areas of interest.

Their website mediaman.com.au, serves as the online home for Greg Tingle, highlighting his work and the company's projects.

Engagement with Community and Business: The Media Man Group often engages with community figures and business leaders, promoting stories that align with their media interests.

For anyone looking to get more detailed information, Media Man Australia's activities and content can be followed via their official websites and social media channels listed in various online platforms. (Grok)

Media Man Int via Grok

Media Man Int

Answer

Media Man Int is part of the Media Man Group, an entity established by Australian media entrepreneur Greg Tingle in 2001. This group encompasses a variety of media, publicity, advertising services, and project management operations, focusing on sectors like pop culture, entertainment, combat sports, gaming, and more. Here are some key points about Media Man Int:

Industry Focus: It deals with media, entertainment, gaming, and celebrity news, promoting various sectors through media and publicity campaigns.

Online Presence: Media Man Int maintains a strong online presence with websites like mediamanint.com, engaging in content creation, news, and promotions across these areas.

Social Media: The organization is active on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), where it shares updates on market trends, entertainment news, and more, indicating its involvement in both news dissemination and community engagement.

Associated Entities: It's connected to other parts of the Media Man Group like Media Man Australia, Australian Sports Entertainment, and various specialized news outlets like Casino News Media.

Content: Media Man Int covers a broad spectrum from market and commodities news to entertainment, including wrestling matches and dream match scenarios, suggesting an interest in both traditional media and interactive, fan-engagement content.

This overview reflects Media Man Int's role within the broader Media Man Group, focusing on media representation, news, and promotion across multiple sectors.

News/Profile

Media Man Australia profile via ChatGPT

Media Man Australia is a media, marketing, and PR company based in Australia, known for its work in entertainment, gaming, and lifestyle industries. It offers a range of services, including public relations, social media management, content creation, and event promotion. The company often focuses on industries like gaming (including casinos), sports, film, and TV, aiming to connect brands with audiences.

If you're looking for specific information about their recent projects or services, I can search for updates. (ChatGPT)

Media Man Int via ChatGPT

Media Man Int

Answer

Media Man Int is part of the Media Man Group, an entity established by Australian media entrepreneur Greg Tingle in 2001. This group encompasses a variety of media, publicity, advertising services, and project management operations, focusing on sectors like pop culture, entertainment, combat sports, gaming, and more. Here are some key points about Media Man Int:

Industry Focus: It deals with media, entertainment, gaming, and celebrity news, promoting various sectors through media and publicity campaigns.

Online Presence: Media Man Int maintains a strong online presence with websites like mediamanint.com, engaging in content creation, news, and promotions across these areas.

Social Media: The organization is active on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), where it shares updates on market trends, entertainment news, and more, indicating its involvement in both news dissemination and community engagement.

Associated Entities: It's connected to other parts of the Media Man Group like Media Man Australia, Australian Sports Entertainment, and various specialized news outlets like Casino News Media.

Content: Media Man Int covers a broad spectrum from market and commodities news to entertainment, including wrestling matches and dream match scenarios, suggesting an interest in both traditional media and interactive, fan-engagement content.

This overview reflects Media Man Int's role within the broader Media Man Group, focusing on media representation, news, and promotion across multiple sectors. (ChatGPT)

News

Sky News Australia wins Media Man 'News Outlet Of The Month' award

The Australian Financial Review wins Media Man 'Newspaper Of The Month' award

WWE wins Media Man 'Wrestling Promotion Of The Month' award

UFC wins Media Man 'MMA Promotion Of The Month' award

Amaze wins Media Man 'Internet Services Supplier Of The Month' award

X wins Media Man 'Social Media Platform Of The Month' award

The Media Man Australia website is a former Hitwise Australia multi-time award finalist (pop culture - entertainment - personalities)

How To Get Listed On Media Man

Putting a new spin on an old sales pitch

Give him a tingle

Whitewash whisper leaves Tingle in the ear

Sydney’s eastern beaches VS The Red Centre – Alice Springs; A media entrepreneur’s perspective and experiences

WWE’s Triple H: Roman Reigns-Cody Rhodes story not over, By Mike Mooneyham

SEO News

When I grow up, I want to be…a living statue - May 2013

A Sporting Legend and the Media Man - February - March 2009

Interview: Greg Tingle, Founder and Director, Media Man Int, Media Man Australia, Australian Sports Entertainment and more - 2019

IMDB - Greg Tingle Reviews

News

Media and Marketing News via Media Man Group

Niche media, marketing and media campaigns the way to go, says Media Man agency

SEO News

Markets, Crypto and Culture

August 18, 2025

Sydney, Australia

Markets

ASX futures down 53 points or 0.6% to 8843

Australian dollar +0.1% to 65.10 US cents

Wall Street:
S&P 500 -0.3%
Dow Jones +0.1%
Nasdaq -0.4%

Europe:
Stoxx 50 +0.3%
FTSE -0.4%
DAX -0.1%
CAC +0.7%

Bitcoin +0.1% to $US117,786

Gold flat at $US3336.19 per ounce
US oil -1.8% to $US62.80 a barrel
Brent crude oil -1.5% to $US65.85 a barrel
Iron ore flat at $US102.05 per ton

10-year yield:
US 4.32%
Australia 4.23%
Germany 2.79%

News

Cryptos Today: (Near Live)

Bitcoin $118,026.62 USD +0.18%
Ethereum $4,524.48 USD +1.94%
Tether $1.00 USD -0.20%
XRP $3.11 USD +0.02%
BNB $858.06 USD +2.27%

News

Bitcoin hit new highs but then dropped back down

Market Overview

The crypto market cap rose to $4.20 trillion on Thursday morning before dropping back down somewhat to $4.14 trillion. But even with the correction, the daily gain is close to 2%, led by Bitcoin's slide to a new peak of $124.5K. Among the major coins, Cardano (+18%), Near Protocol (+6.2%) and Trump (+5.9%) were the leaders.

The sentiment index rose to 75, ready to move into the extreme greed zone. It was previously held at this level throughout the second half of July, but the entire crypto market was in a range at that time. (FxPro)

News Flashback

Summer Break for the Crypto Market

Market Overview

The cryptocurrency market began August with a relatively narrow range of $3.6-3.8 trillion, ending Wednesday at $3.72 trillion. The support received in the area of previous peaks set in December and January suggests that this is a temporary pause to lock in profits and gain liquidity before a new surge. At the same time, however, such sluggishness is turning away the most active traders, who are used to seeing multiple rallies. Now they have moved on to very small projects.

On Tuesday, Bitcoin was again approaching its 50-day moving average. Such frequent testing of the medium-term trend signal line indicates accumulated fatigue in the first cryptocurrency. For comparison, the crypto market's total capitalisation is still moving significantly above its 50-day average, which is currently around $3.57 trillion.

News Background

Institutional investors are actively buying up Ethereum, while retail traders remain on the sidelines. SharpLink bought 83,561 ETH ($264.5 million) last week at an average price of $3,634. The company's reserves amount to almost 522,000 ETH (~$1.9 billion). However, Bitmine Immersion Tech remains the leader, with 833 coins worth over $3 billion. A total of 64 corporations now own 2.96 million ETH ($10.81 billion) or 2.45% of the total Ethereum supply.

Large companies continue to buy Bitcoin, adding 26,700 BTC to their reserves in July. Strategy bought 21,021 BTC for $2.46 billion last week. According to BitcoinTreasuries, public and private companies now hold 1.35 million BTC ($155 billion) on their balance sheets — more than 6% of the total digital gold supply.

US regulators have proposed new rules for the crypto industry. The CFTC has launched an initiative to legalise spot trading of cryptocurrencies on registered exchanges, and the SEC has updated its guidance on stablecoin accounting rules.

USDe from Ethena Labs has become the third-largest stablecoin. Since mid-July, its capitalisation has grown by 75% to $9.5 billion. Demand for the asset may have been spurred by high yields ranging from 10% to 19% per annum. The total capitalisation of all stablecoins has been growing for the seventh month in a row and is approaching $275 billion. (FxPro)

News

S&P500’s buy-the-dip sentiment helped Bitcoin

The sell-off of Bitcoin following Congress's passage of a law regulating the circulation of stablecoins and the retreat of US stock indices from record highs allowed Bitcoin bears to push prices below the lower boundary of the $116k—$120k consolidation range. When it looked like a severe correction was coming, US stocks stepped in again. Investors bought up the S&P 500 dip, and Bitcoin immediately bounced back.

Changes in global risk appetite continue to be the main driver of cryptocurrency prices. July saw a series of record highs for the S&P 500, making it a successful month for Bitcoin. Meanwhile, Bitcoin-focused ETFs attracted $6 billion, the third-best result in the history of specialised exchange-traded funds. Ether ETFs were not far behind, with a record inflow of $5.4 billion.

The situation changed dramatically at the turn of July and August. Interest in digital assets began to cool. Coinbase's Bitcoin premium fell into the red for the first time since May, indicating a decline in demand from US investors. Open interest in Bitcoin and Ether futures contracts fell by 13% and 21%, respectively, compared to Bitcoin's record high. According to Coinglass, on the last day of July, $800 million in long positions across all cryptocurrencies were liquidated.

Speculators doubt the rally's continuation, while crypto treasuries are buying Bitcoin under any conditions. On pullbacks or at market prices, ‘Strategy’ acquired more than 21,000 coins worth $2.46 billion during the week of July 28th to August 3rd. This is the third-largest cryptocurrency purchase by Michael Saylor's company since records began. The average price is the second highest in history. As a result, Strategy's reserves have grown to more than $71 billion.

The future dynamics of Bitcoin will depend on the fate of US stock indices and capital flows into ETFs. If the S&P 500's successes are temporary, Bitcoin will be forced to undergo a deep correction. If its quotes remain below the middle of the previous consolidation range of $116k—$120k, the bears are in control.

News

Bitcoin tests support at 50-day MA

Market Picture

The crypto market rolled back at the end of last week following a reduction in risk appetite in the financial markets. However, on Sunday, sentiment changed with the return of active buyers near the total capitalisation of $3.60 trillion. At the time of writing, the market is at $3.73 trillion (+3.6%). Less than 10% of the top 100 coins show gains over 7 days, among which the largest are TRON (+2.2%) and TON (+4.5%).

The crypto market sentiment index fell to 53 by Sunday morning, a six-week low, but recovered to 64 on Monday, reflecting a resurgence of bullish sentiment. However, another impressive upward move will be needed to confirm a local victory for the bulls.

On Saturday and Sunday, Bitcoin received support from buyers on declines below $112K near the 50-day moving average - the fourth touch of this curve since April. On the “buy the dip” sentiment, the first cryptocurrency recovered to $115K on Monday morning. The rebound from support is a bullish signal for the next couple of days, but the fact that it has been tested frequently raises concerns for the medium term. News Background

According to SoSoValue, net outflows from spot Bitcoin ETFs in the US amounted to $812.3 million on August 1, the highest since February 25. As a result, the weekly outflow from BTC ETFs amounted to $643 million, a record high for the past 16 weeks.

The net outflow from spot Ethereum ETFs in the US on Friday amounted to $152.3 million. However, inflows in the previous days of the week managed to keep the indicator in positive territory (+$154.3 million). The positive trend has continued for 12 consecutive weeks.

Analyst Ali Martinez says that over the past two days, Bitcoin whales have bought 30,000 BTC. According to Santiment, over the past four months, whales with balances ranging from 10 to 10,000 BTC have accumulated 0.9% of the total coin supply.

According to The Block, trading volume on centralised crypto exchanges exceeded $1.7 trillion in July (the highest since February 2025), and trading volume on decentralised exchanges (DEX) also reached its highest level since January.

Galaxy Digital warned of risks in the public company sector, which accumulates cryptocurrencies by issuing shares. The model creates systemic vulnerability and could lead to a cascade collapse.

US SEC Chairman Paul Atkins announced Project Crypto. The project’s key objective is to establish clear rules for cryptocurrencies and turn the US into the “world’s crypto capital.” (FxPro)

News Flashback

Three blows to oil in three days

Oil has been under triple pressure since the end of last week, losing more than 7% per barrel of WTI since 31 July, reaching the important psychological level of $65.

The latest wave of oil sell-offs began with the realisation that US trade tariffs from August will be higher than initially expected, as higher tariffs are associated with an economic slowdown and weaker demand for energy. Fears of an economic slowdown intensified after the release of unexpectedly weak US employment data on Friday. Over the weekend, concerns were heightened by OPEC+'s increase in production quotas, which was reflected in the markets on Monday.

After its latest meeting, OPEC+ announced that it would increase production quotas for eight countries by 547,000 barrels per day starting in September.

Considering the quota increases since April, the entire voluntarily reduced volume of 2.2 million barrels per day will return to the market. This is a rather bold decision, given the growing fear that the global economy is slowing down.

Some link such steps by the cartel to the risks of supply disruptions due to potential sanctions from the US and the EU. In our opinion, it is also worth considering the cartel's intention to regain its market share from the US in this way.

Oil producers in the US are very sensitive to price, sharply cutting investment when prices fall. At the beginning of April, there were 489 oil rigs in operation, but according to data published on Friday, this number has fallen to 410. In the long term, a gradual increase in production efficiency should be considered, but at intervals of six months, it is unlikely that there will be any sharp progress. Therefore, we can expect some US production reduction and a gradual recovery in the share of traditional oil producers such as Saudi Arabia, Russia and the UAE.

The price of WTI crude oil, which rose to close to $70 at its peak last week, has returned to the lower end of the range since early June at $65. Closing the day below 66 will mark a failure below the 200- and 50-day moving averages, increasing the potential for further declines.

If OPEC+ really plans to increase its share of the oil market, it may not oppose further price declines. The intensification of negative trends in the global and US economies could bring the price back to this year's lows of $55 by the end of September and to the lower end of the downward corridor of $50 by the end of the year. However, further trends will depend heavily on the reaction of monetary authorities and oil producers. (FxPro)

News Flashback

July 29, 2025

Ethereum continues attempt to climb above $4,000

Market Picture

The crypto market lost 1%, falling back to a capitalisation of $3.9 trillion. This was a natural pullback against the backdrop of the dollar's impressive strengthening the day before. However, on Tuesday, the bulls were back in charge, bringing the market back to a level above Monday's opening but not yet reaching its peak.

Bitcoin is trading near $118.7K, unable to break through the resistance at $120K. This indecision to break out of the range is likely to continue until the market sees the Fed's key rate decision on Wednesday evening.

Ethereum rose to $3,930 at the end of the day, fell back to $3,700 on Monday, where it found interest from new buyers and rose to $3,830 at the time of writing. The last seven days have seen a fairly sharp upward trend, and if this trend continues, the price will rise above 4,000 by the end of this week.

News Background

According to CoinShares, global investment inflows into crypto funds last week amounted to $1.908 billion. Investments in Ethereum increased by $1.595 billion, Solana by a significant $312 million, XRP by $190 million, and Sui by $8 million. Investments in Bitcoin decreased by $175 million.

Japan's Metaplanet announced the acquisition of 780 BTC ($92.5 million) at an average price of $118,600. The company's total reserves now amount to 17,132 BTC, worth over $2 billion.

According to Blockware, Bitcoin will no longer show ‘parabolic’ rallies or ‘devastating’ bear cycles, as institutional investors have changed the market dynamics and reduced volatility.

According to Strategic ETH Reserve, the volume of the second cryptocurrency on the balance sheets of public companies has reached 2.32 million ETH (~$9.11 billion) — 1.92% of the total Ethereum supply. Bitmine Immersion Tech, associated with Fundstrat founder Tom Lee, pursues the most aggressive strategy. The company has ~566,800 ETH ($2.23 billion) on its balance sheet.

BNB, the fifth-largest cryptocurrency by capitalisation, updated its historical high above $860 on Monday. Against this background, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao's estimated fortune exceeded $76 billion. According to Forbes, Zhao owns 64% of the BNB supply — about 89.1 million tokens. (FxPro)

News

Pop Culture News

Dream Matches: Fantasy Booking/Sports; Media Man Group Dream Match Series

Million Dollar Man vs IRS
Michael Wall Street vs Billionaire Ted
Mr X vs Mr BTC
Mr Green vs Mr Cash
VKM vs Easy E
Vinnie Vegas vs Mr Corbin
Mr Corp Merch vs Mr Freelance
Masked Superstar vs John McAfee
Sid Justice vs Mr Blood Diamond
Mr Bluey Chipper vs Street Fighter - King Of The Streets Stipulation
Mr Dotcom vs Mr Wiki
Mr Gold vs Mr Green - Money In The Bank Ladder Match
Khan vs Khan - Winner Take All Match
Mr Wolff vs The Cleaner
Mr News vs Mr Vice - U.S Market Footprint Stipulation
Mr Paramount vs Mr Netflix
Mr ESPN vs Mr Fox
Mr Kross vs Mr H

News

Cryptocurrency Movies
Documentaries

The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin (2014) Follows early Bitcoin adopter Daniel Mross, exploring Bitcoin’s origins, its volatile rise, and the community behind it. Great for understanding Bitcoin’s early days and its potential to disrupt finance.

Banking on Bitcoin (2016) Examines Bitcoin’s history, ideological roots, and impact on global financial systems through interviews with pioneers and experts. A solid primer for newcomers.

Cryptopia: Bitcoin, Blockchains, and the Future of the Internet (2020)

Directed by Torsten Hoffmann, this documentary dives into blockchain’s broader applications beyond cryptocurrency, addressing scalability and regulatory challenges. Ideal for those interested in blockchain’s transformative potential.

Trust Machine: The Story of Blockchain (2018) Narrated by Rosario Dawson, it explores blockchain’s societal impact, from financial inclusion to voting systems. A comprehensive look at real-world applications.

Bitcoin: The End of Money as We Know It (2015) Traces the history of money and introduces Bitcoin as a decentralized alternative, critiquing centralized financial systems. Features interviews with crypto experts.

Deep Web (2015) Narrated by Keanu Reeves, this documentary focuses on the Silk Road marketplace and its creator, Ross Ulbricht, highlighting Bitcoin’s role in dark web transactions.

Bitconned (2024) Explores the Centra Tech crypto scam, detailing how three individuals defrauded investors during the 2010s crypto boom. A cautionary tale about unregulated markets.

Feature Films

Crypto (2019) A crime thriller starring Beau Knapp, Luke Hemsworth, and Kurt Russell. It follows a young anti-money laundering agent investigating corruption and cryptocurrency in his hometown. Critics note its exaggerated portrayal but praise its entertainment value.

Silk Road (2021) A dramatization of Ross Ulbricht’s creation of the Silk Road, a dark web marketplace using Bitcoin. It explores his rise and fall, blending crime and drama.

Dope (2015) A coming-of-age comedy-drama featuring Bitcoin as a plot device. High schooler Malcolm uses Bitcoin for a dark web transaction, reflecting its early association with illicit activities.

Bonus Mentions

Life on Bitcoin (2014): Follows a couple attempting to live solely on Bitcoin for 100 days, showcasing early adoption challenges.

Bitcoin Heist (2016): A Vietnamese action-comedy about hackers chasing a crypto criminal, blending humor and thrills.

Notes

Documentaries are generally more educational, focusing on Bitcoin’s history, blockchain technology, and real-world implications. They’re great for beginners and enthusiasts alike.

Feature films often dramatize crypto’s association with crime or scams, sometimes oversimplifying or exaggerating for effect. They prioritize entertainment over accuracy.

For a deeper dive, check streaming platforms like Prime Video, Fandango at Home, or YouTube, where many of these are available.

News

Wall Street (Movie)

Wall Street (1987), directed by Oliver Stone, is a drama about ambition and greed in the 1980s financial world. It follows Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), a young stockbroker desperate to succeed, who gets entangled with Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), a ruthless corporate raider. Gekko’s mantra, “Greed is good,” drives the story as Bud is lured into insider trading and unethical deals, compromising his morals for wealth and power. The film explores themes of capitalism, loyalty, and betrayal, with Bud navigating pressures from Gekko, his father (Martin Sheen), and his own conscience.

Key Details:

Cast: Michael Douglas (Gordon Gekko), Charlie Sheen (Bud Fox), Daryl Hannah (Darien Taylor), Martin Sheen (Carl Fox). Runtime: 2h 6m. Genre: Drama/Crime. Rating: R. Box Office: ~$44 million (US).

Awards: Michael Douglas won the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Notable Aspects:

Gekko’s “Greed is good” speech is iconic, reflecting 1980s excess.

Inspired by real-life figures like Ivan Boesky and Michael Milken.

A sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), continued the story.

Where to Watch (as of 2025):

Streaming: Available on platforms like Peacock or rentable on Amazon, YouTube, or Apple TV (check current availability). Physical: DVD/Blu-ray via retailers like Amazon.

News

Gold, copper, & silver: How metals are moving this year

Metal futures have made some pretty dramatic moves lately from safe haven gold to tariff sensitive copper. So let's take a look at the longer term trends. I'm Jared Blikre, host of Stocks in Translation. And I'm going to start by charting some of the moves in Dr. Copper because this is where we have the most zig and zags over the last 25 years. So this goes back to the beginning of the century and we can see right now, we're at $5.51 per pound. That is a record high. But if we go back to the beginning of the century, guess what? Uh we had a little bit of a slump in the wake of the dot com boom and then bust, but starting in 2003, we saw a big rise there. And that was as China actually joined the World Trade Organization or the WTO. That lasted into the global financial crisis. Then we had a pretty big bust in in Dr. Copper, and then we had another rise. And that rise was due to unprecedented stimulus, not only from the Chinese government, but also from the United States government, QE was in force, and then we saw kind of a strong dollar play. That weighed on this metal all the way into the beginning of 2016. The entire world, most of the world indices went through a bear market in 2015, and then 2016, we found the footing. And that was actually the year that Trump won, began his first presidency. And from there, we saw some zig and zags, and then we saw a shock into the pandemic. A couple of, a couple of years of deflation or a semi-deflation, disinflation, that caught up with it in 2022, but then it was off to the races again. And especially with the Trump tariffs now on copper, threatening to be threatening to be 50% on August 1st, we're seeing a lot of front running in this trade. Now, I also want to show you gold futures and I'm going to show you silver as well. And they follow a very similar pattern. We're not seeing the dramatic zig and zags that we did in copper, but we did see the same pattern of China joining the WTO, contributing to that huge rise in price to 1800, almost $2,000 an ounce by the beginning of the global financial crisis. So a little bit of a meltdown there. But in 2016 into 2018, we saw a bit of a rise into the pandemic, a little bit of a whipsaw there, and consolidation over a few years. Again, that 2022 bare market in US stocks that contributed to some deflation and disinflation globally, supply chain chain shocks came into force again, and then we saw this huge rise beginning in late 2023, and we are now at 3353. We've seen a high of as much as $3,500 per ounce. And gold is kind of unique among the precious metals and also the industrial metals, and this is because central banks have been a huge determining force in their buying of it. This is a bar chart that shows central bank buying in tons going back all the way to 2010. And what you notice here is the last three years, 2022, 2023, 2024, all of those had gold being bought by central banks of in the amount of over 1,000 tons. And so that's a pretty big dramatic increase from the prior years. And this has to do with the ongoing dedollarization in China, as well as Russia, but also a host of other countries, even some in western and eastern Europe. So this is a trend that we want to follow. Uh, I want to close out here with silver, and I'm going to just chart the price action. Again, very similar chart to gold and copper in terms of the big movements here. We saw a big price spike into almost $50 per ounce, and that was just as the global financial crisis was getting underway. And then the QE area in 2011, that's when we saw that high. Then we saw a dramatic, dramatic crash into 2016, kind of found its footing, saw a big squeeze in the early pandemic, 2020 was a great year for silver, but then we saw a little bit of a fallout. And again, silver is on the rise here at $38. It's still off of that $50 record high, but it is increasing very quickly. To round out the conversation, I want to just put on a table here. I have all three medals and just kind of grouping them together. I want to display how they are moving with their specific patterns with a trigger, and then to tell you which one of these is featured in these specific criteria. So here, under the pattern, we have acceleration. So that would be an economic acceleration. The trigger would be liquidity. And when that happens, we see all metals benefiting from that. And then when there's a safe haven scare, and that trigger would be a crisis of some sorts, you're going to see gold and silver outperforming the most, kind of leaving Dr. Copper behind. And then here's a bearish one, industrial drags, that affects copper disproportionately here, and the trigger there is typically a stronger US dollar because the US dollar surges when global global industrials tend to drag, and that's because the US is the least dirty shirt in the laundry basket of the world. And then finally here, we have a policy shock. This will affect all three medals, but especially copper and gold here. Um, arguably, the biggest reason is tariffs and debt, and we've seen both of those contribute to silver rising. So we could put all three in that basket as well. But when you put it all together, we have the perfect explosive mix for all three of these metals, including palladium and also platinum, which we didn't get to have time for, but all of these are experiencing huge thrust in 2025. And we'll have to see how these tariffs play out, especially on Dr. Copper with respect to that August 1st deadline. Remember, 50% there. So tune into Stocks in Translation for more jargon busting deep dives, new episodes on Tuesdays and Thursdays on Yahoo Finances website, or wherever you find your podcast. (Transcript from Yahoo! Finance podcast)

News

Best Quotes

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." — Benjamin Franklin

"Bottoms in the investment world don't end with four-year lows; they end with 10- or 15-year lows." — Jim Rogers

Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful." — Warren Buffett

Media Man

"Everything is a gamble" Greg Tingle, Media Man Group

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Search Engines Are Still the First Port of Call Says Media Man

It’s not just about buyer independence-it’s about where they’re doing their research. Google’s B2B research found that 71% of B2B researchers start with a generic search query. That’s a huge audience you could be reaching with optimised content.

Google B2B Research

“71% of B2B researchers start their research with a generic search query.”

Think about this: if your content doesn’t rank for relevant search terms you’re giving visibility to companies that are investing in SEO. With more B2B companies expected to invest heavily in search in 2025 not being in the game puts you at a disadvantage.

SEO Generates Quality Leads

Let’s be really real: lead generation is the lifeblood of any B2B company. And here’s a hard fact—many outbound tactics are less effective than they used to be. For example data from HubSpot shows that SEO leads have a close rate of 14.6% compared to 1.7% for outbound methods like cold email/calls or print advertising.

People trust what they find themselves especially when it comes to big business decisions. When your site appears in organic search results it’s seen as more credible and authoritative so leads generated through SEO are often more sales ready.

An expert B2B SEO Agency will be able to show you how to put this into practice.

Your Competition Isn’t Slowing Down

SEO is a marathon not a sprint and your competition knows it. In 2024, 64% of B2B marketers increased their SEO budgets according to the Content Marketing Institute. This trend is expected to continue in 2025 as businesses realise that maintaining strong organic visibility is key to long term growth.

What does this mean for you? If you’re not upping your SEO game you’re giving your competition a free pass to own the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages).

How to Build a Winning B2B SEO Strategy

Creating a robust SEO strategy doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Let’s walk through some practical steps to get your B2B company ready to dominate search results in 2025.

1. Keyword Research

First off the bat and up off the grappling mat, you need to rethink how you approach keyword research. With the rise of voice search and AI-driven algorithms, long-tail, conversational keywords are becoming more important than ever. Think of how people naturally speak or ask questions when using voice assistants. Tools like Google Trends, SEMrush, and Ahrefs are invaluable for uncovering these new opportunities.

To give your keyword strategy more edge, try targeting terms that directly match your buyers’ intent. Instead of going for broad and highly competitive keywords like “SEO services,” it might be smarter to aim for more specific phrases, such as “best SEO services for B2B companies.” This way, your content reaches people who are actively looking for what you offer.

2. Content Creation with E-A-T in Mind

Next, let’s talk about content quality. Google places a heavy emphasis on content that demonstrates Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness—known as E-A-T. If your content is shallow or lacks credibility, it won’t stand a chance in the rankings. In 2025, B2B companies need to produce well-researched, data-driven articles, case studies, and whitepapers.

One effective way to boost your content’s credibility is by collaborating with industry experts. Featuring quotes or insights from well-known professionals adds authority to your writing. Also, linking to reputable sources can strengthen your content’s trustworthiness. Remember, this isn’t about churning out generic blog posts; it’s about delivering high-value content that solves real problems for your target audience.

3. Focus on Technical SEO

Even the best content won’t perform well if your website has technical issues. Make sure your site is fast, secure, and mobile-friendly. Google’s Core Web Vitals are key indicators of how well your site meets user experience standards. If your site loads like a snail or is riddled with broken links, potential clients won’t stick around.

Take the time to audit your website regularly. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify where you’re lagging. Fix any broken links, compress images to improve loading speed, and implement HTTPS if you haven’t already done so. Technical SEO might sound complex, but it’s a game-changer for ranking and user experience.

4. Optimise for Voice & Visual Search

Voice search is booming, and it’s only going to get bigger in 2025. People speak differently than they type, so your content needs to reflect that. Consider how someone might verbally ask a question, and try to optimise for those conversational phrases.

Visual search is also gaining traction. Tools like Google Lens are changing the way people search for products and information. To capitalise on this trend, make sure your images are high quality and have descriptive file names and alt text. Structured data can also help search engines better understand your visual content, giving you an edge in image-based search results.

5. Prioritise User Experience (UX) and Core Web Vitals

Google’s algorithms have evolved to prioritise user experience, and Core Web Vitals are now critical ranking factors. These metrics measure how quickly your site loads, how stable its layout is, and how smoothly users can interact with it. If your site delivers a poor experience, your rankings will suffer.

To tackle this head on, run a UX audit and identify areas for improvement. Maybe your page takes too long to load, or your buttons are hard to click on mobile. Small fixes can make a big difference. Tools like Lighthouse can help pinpoint specific issues, and even minor adjustments can have a major impact on your SEO performance.

6. Link Building & Digital PR

Link building has shifted from quantity to quality. Earning backlinks from high-authority websites is far more effective than spamming random directories. The key is to focus on building relationships. Engage in digital PR by creating shareable content, collaborating with influencers, or contributing guest posts to well-regarded industry sites.

High-quality links signal to Google that your content is trustworthy and valuable, boosting your chances of ranking higher. Remember, one link from a respected publication can be more powerful than dozens from low-quality sources.

7. Monitoring & Analytics

Finally, SEO isn’t a one-and-done deal. It’s an ongoing process that requires constant monitoring and fine-tuning. Set up Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track your progress. Keep an eye on traffic, keyword rankings, and page performance. If something isn’t working, don’t be afraid to tweak your approach.
Metrics can tell you a lot about what’s resonating with your audience and where you might be falling short. Being data-driven in your approach will help you stay agile and responsive to new challenges in the ever-changing world of SEO.

Key SEO Trends to Watch for in 2025

The SEO landscape is always evolving, and 2025 will be no exception. Staying ahead of the curve means anticipating trends that could significantly impact your B2B strategy. Here’s what to keep an eye on:

1. Voice Search and Conversational Queries

Voice search is becoming a more dominant force, with nearly 50% of all searches expected to be voice-based by 2025/2026, according to Statista. People are using digital assistants like Siri and Alexa to ask conversational, natural questions. To adapt, your content should mirror these speech patterns. Think about optimising for questions like, “What’s the best B2B SEO strategy for 2025?” rather than shorter, less specific keywords.

2. AI and Personalisation

Artificial Intelligence continues to transform SEO. Google’s AI algorithms are increasingly able to understand user intent and deliver highly personalised search results. This means creating content that is not only keyword-rich but also contextually relevant. Machine learning tools can help you analyse user data and tailor your content to better engage your audience. In 2025, personalisation will be crucial for keeping prospects engaged and coming back for more.

3. Visual Search Will Continue to Rise

Visual search technology, like Google Lens, is reshaping how people find information. B2B companies can’t afford to ignore this trend. Optimising images is more important than ever, and using structured data to make visual content easily discoverable will give you a significant edge. For example, companies selling complex machinery can use visual search to help engineers or procurement specialists identify and learn about components in an instant.

4. Continued Emphasis on E-A-T

Google shows no signs of backing away from its focus on E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). This means businesses will need to keep investing in high-quality content, obtaining backlinks from reputable sites, and regularly updating existing content to maintain its relevance. B2B companies that demonstrate subject matter expertise and provide trustworthy, well-researched content will fare better in the search rankings.

5. Sustainability and Ethical Practices in SEO

Believe it or not, ethical and sustainable business practices are becoming a consideration in SEO. Search engines are beginning to reward companies that showcase corporate responsibility. Whether it’s environmentally friendly practices or social initiatives, demonstrating these values transparently on your site could give you a leg up. This is especially important as more clients make purchasing decisions based on a company’s values and impact.

Final Thoughts

The importance of a solid B2B SEO strategy cannot be overstated. The world of SEO is complex and ever-changing, but that’s exactly why you can’t afford to neglect it. From understanding evolving buyer behaviour to embracing new technologies like voice and visual search, there are countless opportunities to make your brand more visible and authoritative.

Remember, SEO is a long-term investment. The companies that succeed are the ones that stay adaptable, keep up with trends, and commit to continuous improvement. Your competitors are already doubling down on their efforts, and falling behind could mean losing out on high-quality leads and valuable sales opportunities.

To get ahead in business including online business, start implementing these strategies now. Stay proactive, keep monitoring your performance, and be ready to tweak your approach as new developments emerge. And if you’re looking for expert guidance on navigating this ever-changing landscape, our B2B SEO agency is here to help you grow your online visibility and drive meaningful results.

The future is here and the future is search-driven. Make sure your B2B business is ready to shine.

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Ways to Improve your Site’s Ranking (SEO)

New strategies for Search Engine Optimization

What is SEO?

Search engine optimization (SEO) is an essential digital marketing practice that plays a vital role in making your website visible to both visitors and search engine crawlers. The primary objective of SEO is to optimize relevant and authoritative content to assist visitors in finding solutions to their queries efficiently.

The ultimate aim of SEO is to create high-quality and informative content that increases the volume of traffic that your website receives daily. Optimizing your website involves creating and expanding your content to ensure that search engines will choose your site over its competitors.

The focus of SEO is to perfect the quality and quantity of your webpage to make sure that your website has an edge over others. Therefore, SEO plays an essential role in driving traffic to your website, which is crucial for the visibility and success of your online Business.

1. Publish Relevant, Authoritative Content

This article provides valuable suggestions on how to improve search engine optimization (SEO) and enhance website ranking on search engine results. Creating quality content that caters to the user’s needs is the driving factor of SEO marketing, and the article emphasizes that there is no substitute for great content.

The article further provides guidance on identifying appropriate keyword phrases for each authoritative content page and making use of them strategically throughout the content. Creating distinct web pages for each distinct targeted keyword phrase is advisable to enhance ranking.

The article suggests using keywords in headings, subheadings, URLs, and titles, and stressing the importance of readability and user-friendliness of the content. Using emphasis tags and strategically linking to relevant sources is also encouraged. By following these valuable suggestions, users can create SEO-friendly content that benefits the readers while improving their website’s overall ranking.

2. Update Your Content Regularly

Maintaining updated content is crucial to improve your website’s relevancy, and it is a crucial factor that search engines prioritize as well. We highly recommend scheduling regular content audits, for instance, on a semesterly basis, to update your webpages and blog posts accordingly.

Writing additional content frequently on your departmental news blog can enhance your search engine rankings by incorporating relevant keyword phrases. Brief blog posts can also be helpful if they offer specific updates related to your targeted topics.

Moreover, interlinking your related CMS webpages and blog posts can provide readers with a better understanding of your website’s content and additional information on the subject. Thus, keep your website updated and relevant to improve your visitor’s user experience and attract more traffic to your site.

3. Metadata

Website designers use metadata to provide information about a website’s content. When creating a webpage, a space between the “head” tags is reserved for metadata.

If you use a CMS website they have already filled in the metadata. However, as your content changes, it is important to review and update the metadata.

Title Metadata

Title metadata is the most important because it determines the page title that appears at the top of a browser window and in search engine results. For those with a CMS website, the web team has automated this process based on your page title. Therefore, it is essential to use well-thought-out page titles that include keyword phrases.

Description Metadata

Description metadata is a brief and interesting summary of what your website contains. It’s like a store’s attractive display that encourages people to visit. Usually, it should be two sentences long. Search engines may or may not use this summary, but it’s good to have it in case they do.

Keyword Metadata

Keyword metadata is not very helpful in improving your search engine ranking. However, it’s useful to include some of your important keywords in the metadata. You should select a few phrases with one to four words each and add three to seven of them. For example, “computer science degree” or "pop culture agency" are good keyword phrases to use.

4. Have a Link-worthy Site

Making your website popular involves efforts in developing valuable content and enhancing its search results. To achieve this, you must focus on creating informative and unbiased content that caters to the readers’ interests and queries.

Furthermore, your website might earn a backlink from other websites if it provides good value to the readers. This can improve its search engine ranking immensely, which can bring in more visitors. It is also crucial to incorporate descriptive hyperlinks in the text as opposed to generic “click here” links.

This helps in giving proper context to people who use screen readers and makes it easier for search engines to crawl your website. You can lift your website SEO performance by using appropriate keywords in your content and developing internal links. These techniques can help you build a better online presence and increase your website’s popularity.

5. Use ALT Tags

Want search engines to find your website and to make it more accessible for people who use text-only browsers or screen readers? Simply put, use alt tags to describe your media content, like images and videos, with alternative text descriptions.

These descriptions act as labels for search engines and help them identify your page better. They also provide context for those who cannot view the media directly. By making your website more accessible and searchable, you can improve its overall user experience.

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New strategies for Search Engine Optimization

New areas of digital marketing are as changeable and require so much adaption and new-thinking as the world of SEO. Search Engine Optimization has come a long way from its beginnings in the 1990s, and the technologies deciding what is “good SEO” or not changes from year to year.

That’s why tech companies are launching new strategies aimed at long-term goals in both data-driven and relations-based SEO all over the world, by implementing tactics from both traditional PR and modern SEO and link-building.

Below, we will discuss the nature of SEO, how SEO is changing, and why choosing an agency will be the key to your SEO success.

Best SEO practices:

Find your customers with data-driven market analysis

Find authoritative marketing partners using data-driven PR

Reach your customers with high quality outreach and credible link-building

What is SEO?

In order to discuss the ways in which SEO works, it’s important to understand the basic principles on which the concept is built. SEO is an acronym for Search Engine Optimization, and is an umbrella term for processes in which users optimize their websites in order to rank higher on search engines such as Google whenever customers search for keywords relevant to their website.

By optimizing the various aspects of a website, SEO aims to improve its ranking on search engine result pages (SERPs), thereby increasing the quantity and quality of traffic. In layman’s terms, it helps more people to find your website by increasing its digital visibility.

Why is SEO important?

There’s an old SEO joke that goes like this: A man asks a detective “Where’s the best place to hide a body?” The detective answers “Why, on the second page of Google, of course!”. In other words, ranking on the first page of Google is the key to getting traffic and therefore sales or viewings on your webpage, as few people bother to look past the first results page.

In fact, the first spot on Google is ten times more likely to get a click than results number ten, and the top three results receive over half of all clicks. That’s why the goal of every SEO strategist is to get a website into the top ten search results on Google, and preferably in the top three.

That’s why SEO marketing lives on, despite some people saying that SEO is dead. The answer is: it’s more alive than ever. It just doesn’t fit into the mold of the quick-results culture of the modern world, but it is still effective.

The evolution of SEO

SEO as a term first came into use in 1997, despite the first website being published in 1991. The coin was termed John Audette of Multimedia Marketing Group early that year, and so the hunt for the top of the search engine results pages began.

In the beginning, there were several competing names for the concept, including search engine ranking, website promotion, etc. The strongest competitor was the term “search engine marketing”, which was originally pitched as a successor to SEO. But ultimately, search engine optimization proved to be the most steadfast and all-encompassing term, while SEM is used to describe concepts like paid search marketing and advertising.

Google’s rise to power

In the 2000s, Google grew to become the search engine giant we know it as today. Soon enough, the organization was able to survive on its own. At that time, they also launched effective web crawlers and PageRank algorithms, which changed the SEO game.

Google began measuring both on-page and off-page content to decide SERP listings, forcing SEO to expand their work sphere and link-building took off as a popular tactic. Around the same time, Google also introduced PageRank scores, a website score between 1-10, which was an early version of today’s Domain Authority.

These measures were broken down further with the introduction of Google Analytics and the Google Webmaster Tools (Search Console) in 2006. Later major updates, such as Panda and Penguin in 2011 and 2012 respectively, were put in place to sort out poor quality SEO work and reward those with quality websites.

To this day, Google continues to release core and minor updates that impact the way that SEO can work. The platform has grown to be such a reputable platform that in 2022 it was estimated that Google accounted for more than 85 percent of the search engine usage, which is why it’s the platform that most SEO strategies focus on today.

The big three: Local, social, mobile

There have been three major changes in the way that people search the web, that has not been a result of search engine updates. The first of these came in the mid-2000s, when there was an adaptation toward geographical searches, which birthed local SEO. This meant that people were now searching for businesses near them, such as restaurants or car washes, media, gaming and sports agents, thus increasing the need for separate local search engine strategies. This development also resulted in the advancement of end-user data, including search history and personalized interests.

Fast-forward another decade into the 2010s, and a whole new set of searching and web-using emerged. Rather than just using the universal search-functions, users were now turning to medias such as YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social medias for news and knowledge. Most importantly for SEO, these networks became revolutionary in building brand awareness. As such, the old term of search engine marketing (SEM) became ever more important on these platforms.

As users started to bring their lives and entertainment from the big screens, such as laptops or TVs, they also began to use search engines straight from their mobile phones. This third change in user patterns led to mobile searching overtaking desktop searches in 2015, and added mobile adaptability to the list of SEO tools.

The 2020s, AI, and the future of SEO

We’ve finally arrived at our current time. The 2020s have brought with it a continued increase in digital usage and SEO is perhaps more important than ever. One of the biggest challenges the world of SEO stands before today is generative AI. Chat GPT, X including Grok, the free global access to generative AI as a search function, was released in the winter of 2022/2023, and has garnered instant attraction from both customers and competitors, including Google. It is still unclear what impact generative AI will have on SEO practices such as keywords analysis, although it is already affecting the quality of content on the web.

New strategies for new challenges

As new SEO directives arrive from Google’s updates, they also require new strategies. However, some companies have decided to create new strategies with a focus on longevity. Among new strategies are both traditional link-building and outreach including, in combination with inspiration from the traditional PR marketing sphere.

The other two strategies that they’ve developed are strongly data-driven market research and PR. The market research is a process in which the company can help customers who want to scale globally to find the best geographical place for them to start their SEO journey, based on SEO factors such as demand and competition.

The market-driven PR can build on that market research or stand alone, as a new way of reaching new marketing partners in international business circles. From these new partners, it is then possible to continue with link-building as well as traditional PR strategies. This is a unique way of piercing niche markets across the globe to attract potential customers.

How does SEO work?

Now that we’ve seen the evolution of SEO it’s time to get to the real question: what is SEO marketing actually, and how does it actually work? In order to understand how SEO works, it’s important to understand these two things: what Google wants and what the customers want. Only by doing so will you understand how you should optimize your web page.

What Google wants

One of the reasons why Google rose to such immense heights early on was due to the founders’ initiative to implement RankPage, or clear guidelines for how to rank content on their platform. Initially, the program worked by ranking content dependent on the link structure of the website, that built the foundation for the modern link building strategies. Simply put, links to the webpage acted as votes of confidence for the webpage.

Today, this concept has developed into the E-E-A-T formula, where Google ranks content based on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. These measures are interpreted by what the site’s link building looks like, such as what EEAT websites include links back to their landing page. They then ensure that the webpage produces reliable and accurate information, and are most likely to answer their customers’ questions.

Ultimately, the reason why Google wants to prioritize high quality content is because happy Google customers are more likely to return to Google for more information, and therefore generating income for the search engine.

So, how does Google find and rank the webpages? They do this through three stages: crawling, indexing, and serving results.

Crawling means that Google sends “bots” or computer programs to scan through large chunks of the internet to find new or updated pages. They can only find it by going through a link.

Googles then sorts through and organizes the content and puts it in the huge Google Index – a database for webpages.

Lastly, Google serves the results by how relevant they are to the customer queries.

What the customer wants

Broadly speaking, there are three types of searches that customers make, and they can be described as Do-Know-Go. Whenever we search the internet, we either want to do something (such as make a purchase or visit a tourist attraction), know something, or go somewhere. These three types of searches can be further broken down, but these are the basic concepts.

These three prompts can help you optimize your content so that you are answering the demand of the people. By realizing what your customer wants, you can provide SEO-optimized content which is relevant and fresh, which Google will reward you for.

SEO components, or how to do SEO

So how does a webpage get to that top of the search engine results page? While there is no quick fix, SEO provides a long-term strategy which aims at doing just that. SEO incorporates several different tactics in this long-term strategy, in which there are three main components:

Technical SEO

On-page SEO

Off-page SEO

Technical SEO refers to optimization on your webpage. This can for example mean implementing site maps so that Google can crawl the page more easily, increasing the website speed, or making the site mobile adaptable.

On-page SEO refers to edits to the content that is already on the webpage, rather than the technicalities behind it. This can for example include keyword optimizing headings, producing SEO-optimized blog posts, URL and picture optimization, and adding meta titles and descriptions.

Off-page SEO, on the other hand, is part of the link-building strategy. The focus here lies on building credibility and brand awareness by for example writing guests posts and linking to your webpage on other, reputable sources. The key here is to create backlinks, which give authority and endorsement to your website, and thus giving Google a sign that you are a credible source too.

To get good results, it’s important to implement all of the tactics above in a combined effort to get Google’s attention. However, these general descriptions are only scraping the top of the iceberg of SEO. Beneath these lay a whole science of various methods and strategies to rank at the top of the results page.

Link-building

The on-page and off-stage SEO practices can also be called SEO link-building. That’s because they both refer to building a link-system which Google will reward, whether it’s by driving links to your website from other credible sources or creating a seamless link-flow internally on your webpage.

Links to and on your website act as votes of trust, credibility and authority, which is why they are a crucial part of your SEO strategy. However, the links need to be carefully and thoughtfully crafted so that they maintain the right level of relevance and credibility, which can be done through producing high quality SEO content.

SEO content

For both on-page and off-page work, SEO content plays a huge role. As mentioned earlier, Google ranks webpages depending on both their link-building and how credible, authoritative, and expert their content is. However, these two factors are not as separate as one might think: with high quality content, it is also easier to build a good SEO link-building network.

Often when we discuss SEO content, we tend to think of texts of lesser quality that are packed with poor quality links. However, due to Google’s updates, such as Penguin, poor content is continually being phased out. That means individuals and agencies are having to spend more time recruiting better writers and spending more time on content.

As we discussed earlier, SEO content needs to be adapted to both the demands from the customer (a.k.a. the searching person) and Google. That means texts need to be relevant, authoritative, credible, and high quality. These texts also need to be SEO optimized using meta-data, such as titles and descriptions, and keywords in the headings in order for Google’s crawlers to pick up better on the relevancy factor.

That being said, the research and preparation for both good and bad content remains the same – all SEO content needs proper keyword research.

Keyword research

Finding the right keywords will not only make you more competitive as an SEO user, but will also help you understand your audience better. That’s because keywords are clues to who your audience is. For example, the keywords “how to ski” and “ski maintenance” could technically be placed in the same text contextually, but they imply that we’re dealing with skiers of different skill levels.

The keywords are both guides for the link-building process and the content. When building links, it’s important that both the link, the placement, and the publishing website are relevant in the context in order for Google’s crawlers to give it a credible ranking.

There are several tools on the market for finding the best keywords, and there are also a ton of metrics for understanding how good a keyword is and what the chances are of breaking into the competition for that specific keyword. Common metrics include keyword difficulty, traffic potential, cost-per-click, etcetera.

Brand awareness

Ultimately, what these various tactics aim to do is to bring brand awareness to your website. People are twice as likely to purchase from a brand they recognize. An American study found that 75 percent of shoppers tend to go for known retailers, and nearly 70 percent do the same when deciding what search result to click on.

Doing SEO: alone or SEO agency?

As you can tell, there is a lot of information and knowledge that goes into producing and completing good SEO strategies. If you are considering adapting some SEO strategies, you may be wondering whether you should do it all on your own or hire an agency.

Without sugar-coating it, doing SEO alone is a lot of hard work. First and foremost, you got to have basic understandings of both SEO tools, Google Analytics, and good writing skills. Then you need good networking skills and a sense of price bargaining to get your links out to credible sources. On top of this, you need to stay up to date with all the latest developments within Google updates, market changes, and new technologies such as generative AI which can impact your SEO strategies. All of this can be both time consuming and costly.

If it feels overwhelming, there are a ton of SEO agencies on the market that are ready to help. Some of them focus solely on SEO content production, whereas others focus solely on technical SEO or solely on SEO link-building.

Some agencies offer entire packages, where staying SEO updated, building and optimizing webpages, link-building, content production, and publishing is included. Together with the new data-driven strategies and tactics, Media Man Group offers services that are great for both those who are somewhat new as to those who are already familiar and wanting to grow beyond.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about SEO

What is SEO?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It is a digital marketing form that focuses on creating digital visibility on search engines such as Google by improving websites’ rankings in the search results.

What is the difference between SEO and SEM?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and works with creating organic ranking improvements on platforms like Google. SEM stands for Search Engine Marketing and focuses on paid promotions and marketing on platforms like Google.

How long does SEO take?

Good SEO typically takes between 4 months to a year to see good results. However, it’s crucial to understand that SEO is a long-term strategy, that is never really finished. If you are lucky enough to rank at 1 on Google, the job doesn’t stop there: then you want to maintain that spot by continuing your SEO work.

Why do you need SEO?

SEO helps to build brand awareness, which is key in gaining credibility amongst both Google and potential customers. That’s why SEO is worth it, even if it is a long game.

Media Man

The Media Man Group is primarily and online news, media and sports management firm and website portal developer. By default Media Man developed many effective SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) techniques and strategies since their launch in 2001. SEO helped elevate Media Man websites into Hitwise "Top 10" status (entertainment - personalities) category. Media Man also offers a range of media and convergent media services including article copy, PR (public relations), text link based campaigns, product placement and endorsement, buzz marketing (via websites and social media) and brand building. The company is best known for insightful media analysis, specalising in pop culture/entertainment, streaming and subscriber television including PPV (Pay-Per-View), PLE, pro wrestling aka sports entertainment coverage, MMA (mixed martial arts), and commentary and coverage on an array of trending topics, with strong focus on X (formerlly Twitter), Alphabet (Google, YouTube, Blogger etc) and new and emerging technology and news platforms and developments. MM is both organic search and AI search friendly. Media Man is often referenced in both mainstream, niche and alternative news media stories. The company motto remains "Putting Your Name Out There".

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June 12, 2025

Markets

Australian Dollar: $0.6500 USD (down $0.0020 USD)
Iron Ore July Spot Price (SGX): $95.15 USD (up $0.80)
Oil (WTI): $68.30 USD (up $3.56 USD)
Gold: $3,353.19 USD (up $30.35 USD)
Copper (CME): $4.8065 USD (down $0.0825)
Bitcoin: $108,889.99 USD (down 0.79%)
Dow Jones: 42,865.77 (down 1.10 points)

News

China puts six-month limit on ease of rare-earth export licenses

Sources have indicated that the Chinese government has agreed to start approving rare-earth license applications for US companies immediately, as part of a proposed trade deal between the two nations. However, China is said to be planning to initially restrict rare earths export licences to just six months, which would give the nation leverage if renewed trade tensions emerge. These export licences are also said to primarily cover rare earths elements that are used in the manufacturing of electric vehicles, wind turbines, consumer electronics and military equipment. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has indicated that tariffs will stay at the levels that were agreed to during the recent negotiations in Geneva. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

Snowy workers threaten five-day strike

The $12bn Snowy 2.0 project is facing the prospect of further disruption, with the Australian Workers' Union advising that 'fly-in, fly-out' workers will hold five consecutive days of 24-hour strikes from Monday. The union's NSW secretary Tony Callinan has warned that the workers are "in for a fight" and will not give in. He adds that the workers are frustrated over the lack of progress in negotiations with the project's contractor, Webuild. Amongst other things, the workers are seeking wage parity with tunnellers on construction projects in Melbourne. (RMS)

News

Shares hit new peak on tariff talks; BHP up

The Australian sharemarket posted a small gain on Wednesday, with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 0.1 per cent to close at another new high of 8,592.1 points amid encouraging signs in the trade talks between the US and China. The benchmark index reached a record intra-day high of 8,639.1 points early in the trading session. BHP was up 1.5 per cent at $39.05, Monash IVF rose 11 per cent to $0.61 and Johns Lyng Group advanced 17.7 per cent to $3.00 in response to a takeover offer. However, the Commonwealth Bank eased 0.3 per cent to $181.40 and Qantas was down 1.3 per cent at $10.50. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

Steps to fix troubled ASX

The Australian Securities Exchange will be marginalised on the global stage unless its deep problems are addressed. The reforms proposed by Australian Securities & Investments Commission chairman Joe Longo are a good start, but more needs to be done to attract large investors to smaller listed companies; they generally rely on support from small investors such as self-managed superannuation funds, which will be hit by the federal government's tax on umrealised capital gains. The existing restrictions on retail investors when buying shares in a capital raising - which significantly favour wholesale investors - also need to be addressed. (RMS)

News

Final call for Jetstar Asia as Qantas reclaims its planes

Qantas has advised that 500 employees at its Singapore-based Jetstar Asia subsidiary will be retrenched when the carrier ceases operations at the end of July. Jetstar CEO Stephanie Tully has indicated that Jetstar Asia is like to book a loss of $35m for the 2025 fiscal year, and it has been profitable in just six of the 20 years since it was established. She adds that other airlines that fly under the Jetstar banner are profitable. Jetstar Asia's fleet of 13 Airbus A320s will be redeployed on Australian routes operated by Jetstar and Network Aviation; the latter provides 'fly-in, fly-out' services in Western Australia. (RMS)

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Once-bitten Ten tries news experiment again

Media veteran Peter Meakin says the Ten Network's latest attempt to attract audiences at 6pm is a "gamble", given that it is a challenging timeslot. Ten has announced that it will launch 10 News+ on 30 June, describing it as a "premium in-depth news, current affairs and insights" program. The new one-hour show will directly compete with the evening news bulletins of Nine and Seven, and will complement Ten's own 5pm news bulletin. The new show will replace The Project, which has been axed after 16 years; Deal or No Deal will move into the 7pm timeslot to accommodate 10 News+. Ten's previous attempt at an early-evening current affairs show in 2011 did not resonate with viewers. (RMS)

News

ABC cuts dozens of jobs as curtain falls on ex-juggernaut

The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance has criticised the ABC's decision to shed more staff in its latest restructuring initiative. Up to 50 jobs are expected to be cut at the public broadcaster; this is believed to include about 40 redundancies, while 10 fixed contracts will be ended early. The ABC has also confirmed that panel discussion show Q+A will cease production; the ABC's director of news Justin Stevens says the world has changed since Q+A was launched in 2008, and the ABC needs to keep "innovating and renewing". (RMS)

News

Media

Warner Bros split has it back at square one

Warner Bros. Discovery's president and CEO David Zaslav has advised that the US media group will be split into two separate publicly-listed companies. The restructuring plans have been revealed just over three years after the company was created via the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery. WBD's film studios and streaming video assets will be held by one of the new companies, while the other will house its legacy cable TV assets. The latter segment is still lucrative but is facing major challenges as more consumers abandon cable TV in favour of streaming services. Media industry executives and bankers have suggested that there may be further deals in the sector. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

News sites are getting crushed by Google's new AI chatbots

Digital market data firm Similarweb notes that the advent of chatbots and other artificial intelligence technologies has resulted in a sharp decline in visits to the websites of news publishers. Products such as Google's AI Overviews allow users to read summaries of news stories in their search results, without having to click on links to the original article. Similarweb's figures show that organic search traffic to Business Insider's websites fell by 55 per cent in the three years to April 2025; this contributed to the company's recent decision to retrench 21 per cent of its workforce. Likewise, organic search traffic to HuffPost's websites has fallen by more than 50 per cent in the last three years. (RMS)

News

Mining/Energy/Resources

Rio partnership 'key to our growth': Mongolia's ousted PM

Rio Tinto's investment in the Oyu Tolgoi copper project in Mongolia is under renewed scrutiny following the collapse of the nation's ruling government. Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrain recently stood down as Mongolia's prime minister after losing a non-confidence vote, although he will remain in the role on a caretaker basis until a new government is formed. Oyun-Erdene has been a key supporter of the Oyu Tolgoi mine, in which the Mongolian government has a 34 per cent stake. He has urged the nation's new government to continue to embrace international investment in mining, arguing that the sector is critical to Mongolia's economic future. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

Platinum overtakes gold as market's hottest trade

Platinum was trading on par with gold a decade ago, but the latter has been trading at a significant premium in recent years due to its 'safe haven' status. However, that premium has started to narrow in recent months; the price of platinum has increased by 32 per cent so far in 2025, while gold has gained 26 per cent. Platinum has also increased by more than 15 per cent in the last six trading sessions, and is now fetching around $1,200 an ounce. Sam Berridge of Perennial Partners notes that platinum faces supply constraints as there is very little exploration for the precious metal at present. (RMS)

News

Critical minerals stars return with copper float

Tali Resources MD Rhys Bradley says there has been much more interest in the copper explorer's upcoming IPO than the sharemarket float of WA1 Resources in 2022. Bradley and other key backers of WA1's IPO are hoping that Tali will ultimately have similar success. WA1 had raised just $4.5m from investors, and the offer period had to be extended; however, the company's discovery of a large niobium deposit in Western Australia saw its market capitalisation reach $1.3bn in 2024. Its market cap is currently around $937m. Tali is seeking to raise $7.5m via its IPO. (RMS)

News

Gaming and Casinos

June 10, 2025

Star Entertainment says $100m is all it has for AUSTRAC penalty

Troubled casino operator Star Entertainment says a penalty greater than $100 million would force it into insolvency, as it fights in court to limit fines set to be imposed for years of inadequate anti-money laundering controls.

The financial crime watchdog is seeking a $400 million fine and said Star’s claim that it would collapse under such a financial burden should not factor into the Federal Court’s decision.

In closing submissions, the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre pointed to the planned $300 million investment into Star from US casino giant Bally’s Corporation to keep the casino operator running as a sign that it could pay.

Star had already made a $150 million provision in its accounts for a potential AUSTRAC fine after the Australian Securities and Investments Commission raised concerns it had not been accounted for in its books.

Steven Finch, FC, representing Star, said the casino was asking for a $100 million fine “because that amount … is all the money that we have and reasonably anticipate being able to borrow, hoping, but not certain, that we will be able to survive”

“It is a massive deterrent … not only to us, but to other players in this and perhaps other markets.”

AUSTRAC alleged in 2022 that Star allowed 117 high-risk clients to plough billions of dollars in dirty money through its Sydney, Brisbane and Gold Coast casinos. High rollers on junkets spent more than $125 billion between November 2016 and October 2020, AUSTRAC said in its statement of claim.

Star, which has agreed with many of AUSTRAC’s allegations relating to the facilitation of money laundering by VIP patrons, has sought to emphasise its financially precarious position.

Finch said the idea that $400 million was affordable for Star was “fanciful”.

Crown Resorts, which came under similar scrutiny over its money-laundering failings, agreed to pay a $250 million fine after it was pursued by AUSTRAC. Finch argued that there are problems with using Crown as a comparison.

“That penalty was agreed at a rate which would not result in the insolvency of Crown, which was a very much larger organisation. Whereas here, if one had a fine which was a small amount less than that, we say the evidence is that it would be insolvency.”

Star has been close to collapse for much of the past two years. The company continues to lose money and the introduction of cash limits and mandatory identification cards plunged it to a loss.

In April, Star published long-delayed accounts that showed the company lost more than $300 million in the six months to December 31.

It signed a $300 million rescue deal with Bally’s in April. The agreement, which will hand control of the company to Bally’s, includes a $100 million injection from the family of pub billionaire Bruce Mathieson.

“Unlike Crown, Star had the benefit of seeing the Bergin Inquiry … and failed to act,” Simon White, SC, representing AUSTRAC, said. He was referring to the NSW Independent Casino Commission’s inquiry into Crown in 2020, which made 19 recommendations including extensive governance and cultural reforms.

Barrister Joanne Shepard, also representing AUSTRAC, said there was a reasonable basis to infer Bally’s has the capacity and appetite to invest at least $300 million.

“What Star relies upon is a finding that any penalty over $100 million or up to $400 million, even paid in instalments, would render Star insolvent. Star has not discharged that onus,” Shepard said. “Deliberateness is a factor weighing heavily on a higher penalty.”

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Media Best Quotes

"In America, the president reigns for four years, and journalism governs forever and ever." - Oscar Wilde

"The media is no longer the message. It's the malware." - Brian Spellman

"The most powerful tool of our century. A man is to the people whatever the media calls him." - Brian Spellman

"The most important service rendered by the press is that of educating people to approach printed matter with distrust." - Samuel Butler

"Today we live in a society in which spurious realities are manufactured by the media... So I ask, in my writing, What is real?" - Douglas Adams

Fox Business wins Media Man 'Business Website Of The Month' and "News Media Website Of The Month' award

Streaming Media Industry Disruptions Continue

Additional Mergers And Acquisitions Forecast

Live Sport Major Draw As Per Netflix

Compelling Storylines And Series Keeps Audience Coming Back For More As Per WWE

Combat Sports Storytelling And Talent Elevation As Per Dana Whites Contenders Series

Free Services With Ads Supported Has Taken Some Audience As Per Tubi

YouTube Cemented As Major Challenge To Netflix

Paramount's Quality And Iconic Movies Keep Them Valuable Commodity, Despite Bottom Line Loss

X Corp's X Platform One To Watch For Major Industry Disruption; WWE Speed Deal With WWE Just A Minor Preview Of What's On The Cards

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Streaming Entertainment via Grok; X TV Tipped To Eventually Go Head To Head With YouTube, Netflix, But Will Take Many Years To Get To That Point; Customers Waiting To Churn/Switch. Changes Ahead For WBD, HBO, Binge, Paramount And Many Others - Too Many To List! Media Man Founder and Subscriber TV Veteran

Streaming entertainment has transformed how we consume media, offering a vast array of movies, TV shows, music, and more directly to our devices. Here's a breakdown of what's happening in this space as of my last update:

Major Players:

Netflix: Known for its original content like "Stranger Things," "The Crown," and "Squid Game." They've been pushing into gaming and have been experimenting with ad-supported models.

Amazon Prime Video: Comes with Amazon Prime membership. Notable for "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," "The Boys," and its integration with shopping and other Amazon services.

Disney+: A powerhouse for family entertainment, featuring Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and classic Disney content. It's also expanding its library with more adult-oriented content under the Star banner in some regions.

HBO Max: Offers premium content like "Game of Thrones," "Chernobyl," and a vast library of movies. It's also known for its DC Universe shows.

Apple TV+: While newer, it's making waves with high-quality originals like "Ted Lasso," "The Morning Show," and "See."

Peacock (NBCUniversal): Provides a mix of free and premium content, including "The Office," WWE, and original series like "Punky Brewster."

Paramount+: Combines CBS All Access with content from Paramount, Nickelodeon, MTV, and more, featuring shows like "Star Trek: Discovery" and "The Stand."

Trends and Developments:

Original Content: There's a massive push towards creating exclusive content to attract subscribers. This includes movies, series, documentaries, and even live sports.

Global Expansion: Services are increasingly focusing on international markets, either by offering local content or by making their service available in more countries.

Bundling: Companies are bundling their streaming services with other products. For example, Disney has bundles with Hulu and ESPN+.

Ad-Supported Models: To combat rising costs, some platforms like Netflix have introduced or are considering ad-supported tiers.

Direct-to-Streaming Releases: Movies are increasingly bypassing traditional theatrical releases, going straight to streaming platforms, especially noted during global health crises.

Quality Over Quantity: While there's a lot of content, platforms are also focusing on high-quality, award-winning productions to stand out.

Interactive Content: Some platforms are experimenting with interactive movies or shows where viewers can choose the plot direction.

Technological Integration: Enhanced with technologies like 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos for audio, providing a cinematic experience at home.

Challenges:

Content Saturation: With so many platforms, there's a risk of content fatigue among viewers.

Churn: Subscribers frequently switch between services based on what's currently available, leading to high turnover.

Regulatory Scrutiny: Issues like market dominance, content licensing, and privacy are increasingly under regulatory lenses.

Piracy: Despite advanced measures, piracy remains a challenge, especially for content not easily accessible in certain regions.

If you're interested in a specific aspect of streaming entertainment or want to know about recent developments since my last update, feel free to ask! If there's a particular service or type of content you're curious about, I can dive deeper into those areas. (Grok)

News

Streaming TV

Streaming TV has revolutionized how we consume television content, offering a vast array of shows, movies, and original programming through internet-based platforms rather than traditional cable or satellite TV. Here's a breakdown of what you might be interested in regarding streaming TV as of my last update:

Key Players:

Netflix: Known for its extensive library, original content like "Stranger Things," "The Crown," and "Squid Game," and a global reach.

Amazon Prime Video: Comes with an Amazon Prime subscription, offering shows like "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," "The Boys," and movies, plus the integration with shopping services.

Hulu: Offers a mix of current TV episodes, a robust library of older content, and originals like "The Handmaid's Tale." It's also notable for its live TV option.

Disney+: Focuses on family-friendly content, including Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and National Geographic. Hits include "The Mandalorian" and "WandaVision."

HBO Max: Home to HBO's acclaimed series like "Game of Thrones," "Chernobyl," plus a wide range of Warner Bros. movies and new originals.

Apple TV+: While newer, it's gaining traction with high-quality originals like "Ted Lasso," "The Morning Show," and "Foundation."

Peacock: NBCUniversal's service, offering a mix of free and premium content, including "The Office," "Parks and Recreation," and new originals.

Trends and Features:

Ad-Supported vs. Ad-Free: Many services now offer tiers where you can choose between watching with ads for a lower price or paying more for an ad-free experience.

Live TV Streaming: Services like Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and Sling TV allow streaming of live broadcast channels, appealing to sports fans and those who still want traditional TV experiences.

Bundling: Some platforms offer bundles with internet service providers or other streaming services to reduce costs.

Original Content: There's a significant push towards exclusive, original content to differentiate services, leading to a golden age of TV with high-quality, diverse programming.

Global Expansion: Services are increasingly focusing on global markets, offering localized content or subtitles/dubbing in multiple languages.

Technological Considerations:

4K and HDR: Many services now offer content in 4K resolution and HDR, enhancing viewing quality.

Offline Viewing: Most services allow downloading content for offline viewing, which is great for travel or areas with poor internet.

Smart TVs and Devices: Streaming is not just for computers or smartphones anymore; smart TVs, streaming sticks (like Roku, Amazon Fire Stick), and gaming consoles have made streaming accessible on almost any screen.

Challenges:

Content Fragmentation: With content spread across multiple services, there's a growing issue of "streaming fatigue" where consumers feel overwhelmed by the number of subscriptions needed.

Price Increases: As content quality and exclusivity rise, so do subscription costs, leading to discussions about the cost-effectiveness of streaming vs. traditional cable.

Piracy: The fragmentation and cost have somewhat revived piracy concerns as viewers look for ways to access content without multiple subscriptions.

If you're looking for recommendations or have specific questions about streaming services or shows, feel free to ask! If there's been a significant update or new service since my last update, you might want to check the latest reviews or news for the most current information. (Grok)

Media Man

News

Streaming Movies Top 10 (North America)

August 27, 2024

1. Furiosa (Max)

2. The Union (Netflix)

3. Jackpot (Prime Video)

4. The Instigators (Apple TV+)

5. Alien (Hulu)

6. The Bikeriders (Peacock)

7. Immaculate (Hulu)

8. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (Hulu)

9. Alien: Covenant (Hulu)

10. Twister (Max)

News

Top 10 Streaming TV (North America)

August 27, 2024

1. Bad Monkey (Apple TV+)

2. The Umbrella Academy (Netflix)

3. Industry (Max)

4. The Bear (Hulu)

5. From (Prime Video)

6. Presumed Innocent (Apple TV+)

7. Emily in Paris (Netflix)

8. Time Bandits (Apple TV+)

9. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (Netflix)

10. Evil (Paramount+)

Media Man

Media/Entertainment: Australia

TV Week Logie Awards 2024

Winners

Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television - Larry Emdur

Best Drama Program - RFDS, Seven Network

Best News or Public Affairs Presenter - Ally Langon, A Current Affair, Nine Network

Best Comedy Entertainment Program - Have You Been Paying Attention?, Network Ten

Best Lead Actor in a Drama - Felix Cameron, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix

Beat Scripted Comedy Program - Utopia, ABC

Best Current Affairs Program - Australian Story, ABC

Best Lead Actress in a Drama - Deborah Mailman, Total Control, ABC

Best Sports Coverage - FIFA Women's World Cup 2023, Seven Network

Best Competition Reality Program - MasterChef Australia, Network 10

Best Factual or Documentary Program - John Farnham: Finding The Voice, Seven Network

Best Miniseries or Telemovie - Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix

Best News Coverage or Public Affairs Report - Ben Roberts-Smith: The Truth, 60 Minutes, Nine Network

Best Structured Program - Gogglebox Australia, Foxtel and Network 10

Best Lifestyle Program - Travel Guides, Nine Network

Bert Newtown Award for Most Popular Presenter - Larry Emdur, The Chase Australia and The Morning Show, Seven Network

Best Supporting Actor - Bryan Brown, Boy Swallows Universe

Best Lead Actor in a Comedy - Rob Sitch, Utopia, ABC

Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent - Felix Cameron, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix

Best Supporting Actress - Sophie Wilde, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix

Best Children's Program - Bluey, ABC

Best Entertainment Program - The Voice Australia, Seven Network

Best Lead Actress in a Comedy - Kitty Flanagan, Utopia, ABC

News Corp puts Foxtel up for sale after asset review

By Sam Buckingham-Jones

August 9, 2024

News Corp, the publishing and broadcast giant controlled by the Murdoch family, has put its majority-owned Australian pay television platform Foxtel up for sale after a nine-month strategic review of its assets.

Outlining its financial results on Friday, News Corp said there was “third-party interest” in Foxtel, which owns a pay TV business, streaming services Binge and Kayo Sports, and aggregation platform Hubbl.

“We are confident in the company’s long-term prospects and are continuing to review our portfolio with a focus on maximising returns for shareholders,” News Corp chief executive Robert Thomson said.

“That review has coincided recently with third-party interest in a potential transaction involving the Foxtel ... We are evaluating options for the business with our advisors in light of that external interest.”

News Corp owns 65 per cent of Foxtel, and Telstra owns the rest.

Foxtel has spent the past decade pivoting to the streaming era, building Kayo and Binge – which have much leaner profit margins – while preserving its legacy base of around 1 million subscribers who pay, on average, $90 a month. It has grown its total paying subscription base to 4.7 million people.

Any sale of Foxtel would have a flow-on effect on long-term content deals, multi-billion dollar sports rights packages, and more.

Mr Thomson told analysts that News Corp had a “significant overture that we are naturally assessing”, but declined to provide further details.

“We have full faith in the potential of Foxtel and the talented team at Foxtel,” he said. “On behalf of shareholders, we have to evaluate any interest … You’ll have to stay tuned. Not indefinitely, not perpetually, not ad infinitum.” (Credit: The Australian Financial Review) @FinancialReview

Full article via subscription to The Australian Financial Review

https://www.afr.com/companies/media-and-marketing/news-corp-puts-foxtel-up-for-sale-20240809-p5k0yv

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John Shakespeare wins Media Man 'Illustrator / Artist Of The Month' award

Box Office Numbers and more via Showbizz Daily

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PGA announces bombshell merger with LIV Golf, stunning players

LinkedIn News wins Media Man News Agreggator Of The Month award again;

LinkedIn News Australia is runner-up

Sky News Australia via ABC News war continues on a decade plus in

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Media Man Int X

Elon Musk’s X Files Antitrust Suit Against Global Advertising Alliance

August 6, 2024

Elon Musk’s social media platform X has launched a significant antitrust lawsuit against the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) and several of its member companies, alleging an illegal ad boycott that targeted the platform. The lawsuit, filed in Texas, is aimed at GARM, its parent firm World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), and members including CVS Health, Mars, Orsted and Unilever.

In an open letter to advertisers, X CEO Linda Yaccarino highlighted the reasons behind the lawsuit, stating that it was a direct response to GARM’s actions which allegedly cost the company billions of dollars. “This is not a decision we took lightly, but it is a direct consequence of their actions,” Yaccarino wrote. “The illegal behavior of these organizations and their executives cost X billions of dollars” per The New York Post.

The lawsuit is seeking trebled compensatory damages and injunctive relief, according to a complaint viewed by The New York Post. GARM, led by Robert Rakowitz, is an initiative of the WFA, which represents many of the world’s largest companies and ad organizations, including Disney and Coca-Cola. Its members control 90% of global marketing spending, nearly $1 trillion per year.

Yaccarino emphasized that the issue extends beyond financial damages. “This case is about more than damages — we have to fix a broken ecosystem that allows this illegal activity to occur,” she added.

According to The New York Post, the suit argues that the boycott undermined the marketplace of ideas by financially harming certain viewpoints over others. (Credit: PYMNTS)

Full article and coverage via PYMNTS

https://pymnts.com/cpi-posts/elon-musks-x-files-antitrust-suit-against-global-advertising-alliance/

PYMNTS is a former Media Man 'Business News Outlet Of The Month' award winner and finalist

News

Elon Musk takes GARM, several companies to court over alleged advertising boycott of X outlined in bombshell report

August 7, 2024

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has taken several companies and an advertising alliance to court over allegations of a "boycott" of X.

Elon Musk has waged “war” against advertisers as his social media platform X filed an antitrust lawsuit against a global ad alliance and several major companies, accusing them of illegally boycotting the site.

X filed a suit in a federal court in Texas against the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) and its members CVS Health, Mars, Orsted and Unilever.

The suit comes after a report from the US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee found GARM and its members “directly organised boycotts” and employed other indirect tactics to target disfavoured “platforms, content creators” and news organisations to demonetise them.

It alleges that GARM’s boycott led advertisers to pull money from X under the guise of “brand safety” concerns.

X’s CEO Linda Yaccarino argued this tactic hindered users on the social media platform from accessing a wide breadth of ideas by funding alternative viewpoints.

“The consequence - perhaps the intent - of this boycott was to seek to deprive X’s users, be they sports fans, gamers, journalists, activists, parents or political and corporate leaders, of the Global Town Square,” she wrote.

“To put it simply, people are hurt when the marketplace of ideas is undermined and some viewpoints are not funded over others as part of an illegal boycott.”

Mr Musk shared his colleague’s statement to the platform and boldly declared: “We tried peace for 2 years, now it is war.”

He later encouraged “any company who has been systematically boycotted” to file a suit.

Following his post, video sharing platform Rumble joined Mr Musk’s lawsuit, claiming it has also been impacted towards GARM’s alleged skew away from right wing voices and ideologies.

The platform announced its move on X where it accused GARM of being “a conspiracy to perpetrate an advertiser boycott of Rumble and others, and that's illegal”.

Since Musk took over the social media platform in October 2022, X has suffered a serious dive in ad dollars with the platform taking in US$2.5 billion in 2023, according to Bloomberg.

This was down from the US$1bn it was bringing in every quarter of 2022.

Musk triggered controversy again in November 2023 when he endorsed an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory that Jewish communities push “hatred against whites”.

The X owner responded: “You have said the actual truth,” sparking an advertiser exodus that was reported to have lost the company as much as $75m, per The New York Times.

He made headlines again in the same month after blasting advertisers boycotting the social media platform, boldly declaring: “Go f**k yourself”.

“If somebody is going to try to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money, go f**k yourself. Go f**k yourself. Is that clear? I hope it is,” he said. (Sky News Australia)

Full article and coverage via Sky News Australia

https://www.skynews.com.au/business/media/elon-musk-takes-garm-several-companies-to-court-over-alleged-advertising-boycott-of-x-outlined-in-bombshell-report/news-story/7bac6243aada770042d14ca84afc23e7

Technology News (Media Man Int) https://mediamanint.com/news3.html

Advertising News (Media Man Int) https://mediamanint.com/advertising_news.html

Media News (Media Man Int) https://mediamanint.com/news2.html

Yahoo Finance wins Media Man 'Business News Outlet Of The Month' award

PYMNTS wins Media Man 'Businees News Outlet Of The Month' award

Market, Commodities and Financial News Snapshot via Media Man

August 7, 2024

Australian Dollar: $0.6520 USD (up $0.0024 USD)

Iron Ore Sep Spot Price (SGX): $102.85 USD (down $0.70 USD)

Oil Price (WTI): $72.96 USD (down $1.02 USD)

Gold Price: $2,389.45 USD (down $19.96 USD)

Copper Price (CME): $4.0095 USD (up $0.0085 USD)

Bitcoin: $56,485.71 USD (up 3.10% in last 24 hours)

Dow Jones: 38,997.66 at 5.02pm NY time (up 294.39 points on yesterday's close)

(Roy Morgan Summary)

Twitter vs many other fact checker war and debate continues; Biden major casuality

Wrestling News niche has reached saturation point

Media and marketing news gets an impressive lift Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review; News Limited's The Australian publishing impactful and insightful media and marketing news behind firewall

Succession wins Media Man 'Streaming Series Of The Year'

The Murdochs: Empire Of Influence vs Succession

Murdoch Family - News Corp covered in-depth by The Sydney Morning Herald

Big Tech Media

Ambush Marketing showcase

David Rowe wins Media Man Illustrator Of The Month award

John Shakespeare wins Media Man 'Illustrator / Artist Of The Month' award

Fox News Channel crushes CNN, MSNBC during historic news week to finish No. 1 in all of cable

Americans relied on Fox News for critical information and analysis

Americans relied on Fox News Channel for information and analysis during last week’s historic news events.

The aftermath of the assassination attempt on former President Trump, JD Vance being named Trump’s running mate, the momentous Republican National Convention and President Biden dropping out of the race resulted in one of the most significant news cycles of all time from July 15-21.

During that time, Fox News topped all of television among primetime viewers, beating out broadcast competition and posting its highest-rated week since the 2020 election among both total day and primetime viewers.

During the RNC, Fox News averaged 6.7 million viewers from 8-11 p.m. ET for a staggering 75% share of the entire cable news primetime audience. CNN drew 1.2 million and MSNBC managed an average audience of 1.1 million.

On Sunday, Fox News reported that Biden ended his reelection campaign before CNN or MSNBC when anchor Mike Emanuel informed the audience at 1:50 p.m. ET. From 2-4 p.m. ET, as the news unfolded, Fox News averaged 3.5 million viewers compared to two million apiece for CNN and MSNBC.

Fox News then bumped regularly scheduled programming and attracted a primetime audience of 3.3 million on Sunday night with continued coverage of Biden stepping aside.

During the week of July 15, Fox News averaged 2.5 million total viewers to crush all cable competition. MSNBC averaged 716,000 to finish second, CNN managed 571,000 to finish third, followed by the Hallmark Channel and ESPN.

During primetime, Fox News averaged five million viewers compared to 1.3 million for No. 2 ESPN, while MSNBC, CNN and Hallmark rounded out the top five.

When it comes to the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults age 25-54, Fox News averaged 376,000 total day viewers compared to 174,000 for No. 2 ESPN. During primetime, Fox News averaged 790,000 demo viewers with runner-up ESPN averaging 528,000, followed by CNN, USA and TBS. Fox News beat CNN and MSNBC combined in all categories.

All data courtesy of Nielsen Media Research. (Fox News)

News

News.com.au holds number one news traffic ranking in April for fourth consecutive month - May 22, 2023

News.com.au has retained the number one news website traffic ranking for the fourth month in a row, reaching 12.71 million Australians in April.

The latest Ipsos Iris report showed the news website has resolidified its market-leading stance, although there was a three per cent dip month-on-month in unique audience. Average time on site per person, sitting at 29 minutes and 55 seconds, also slipped modestly compared to March.

Oliver Murray, news.com.au editor, pointed out April was a month when many should’ve switched off to enjoy Easter and the school holidays.

“It’s testament to our team that we kept serving up news they needed to read,” he said.

That content offering drew in the largest and most engaged audience in the news category, he pointed out – six in 10 online Australians.

“We saw a 17 per cent month-on-month increase in our sports audience to become the number one sports brand, driven by our NRL and AFL coverage,” Murray said.

“Australians also turned to us for travel news, reaching an audience of 2.541 million and leading the travel news category.”

The gap between news.com.au and rival ABC News, sitting in second spot, is sizeable. The national broadcaster’s web offering attracted the eyeballs of 11.14 million Aussies.

Rounding out the top five was nine.com.au with 10.73 million unique viewers, 7news.com.au on 10.06 million, and Daily Mail Australia on 8.35 million.

The Ipsos Iris report found 20.2 million people used a news website or app in April, with engagement increasing by 1.2% to almost six hours per person, per month.

Major news events ranging from the death of comedian Barry Humphries to the arrest of former US President Donald Trump and the federal budget helped fuel the increase, it said.

The report called out travel-related browsing in the month, given Easter and the school holidays, with 16.9 million Aussies aged 14 and above visiting a travel website or app in April.

Those in the 55-plus age bracket spent the most time browsing – 33% more than those under 55 – while women were more likely to use travel sites and apps than men. People aged 25 to 39 are the largest cohort engaging with travel content online.

(News.com.au)

News

Sydney Morning Herald is the country’s best-read masthead May 22, 2023

The Sydney Morning Herald has retained its position as Australia’s top masthead, with more readers across all platforms than any other over the 12 months to March this year.

Total News figures from the industry’s official data provider, Roy Morgan, showed 7.7 million people, or about one in three Australians, read the masthead. It puts the Herald ahead of its traditional NSW rival, the News Corp-owned Daily Telegraph, which has 3.98 million readers.

The Herald’s sister paper, The Age, cemented its place as the most-read Victorian masthead with 5.2 million readers, and the outlets’ Good Weekend magazine was the premier Saturday insert. It had an average print readership of 754,000 people, up 4 per cent for the quarter.

Print was a particular bright spot for this masthead, with the Monday to Friday newspaper recording 17 per cent growth year over year and quarterly growth of 4 per cent, taking its average readership per edition to 417,000. It marks the sixth consecutive quarter of growth for the physical newspaper, while the Sun Herald’s Sunday print edition was steady, up 1 per cent, to a readership of 423,000. In the last four weeks, an average of almost 1.9 million people read the printed paper.

The Herald and Age’s Good Food and Traveller titles had audiences of 1.49 million and 1.56 million, respectively, each month. Sunday Life had an average issue print readership of 419,000, and Domain defied a softening real estate market, seeing annual growth of 7 per cent and quarterly growth of 5 per cent, to record an average issue print readership of 537,000.

“I am proud of our team for achieving such a strong result, particularly given the challenging environment all publishers are finding themselves in right now,” Herald editor Bevan Shields said.

“The Herald continues to set the benchmark for quality journalism in Australia and I want to thank our subscribers and readers for their continued support for what we do.”

Roy Morgan’s data covers all news brands and digital news websites and tracks audiences on Apple News and Google News.

(The Sydney Morning Herald)

News

Financial Review most-read business masthead. By Sam Buckingham-Jones - May 22, 2023

The Australian Financial Review is the country’s most-read premium business masthead, reaching a print and digital audience of 3.5 million people, figures released by Roy Morgan show.

More than 1.1 million people read the print edition of the Financial Review over the past four weeks, and the masthead reported its third consecutive quarter of growth and a year-on-year increase of 6 per cent. The Australian suffered an annual drop of 17 per cent in print readership for the same period.

The Financial Review’s combined print and digital audience fell slightly from last quarter, from 3.6 million to 3.5 million, but the decline was smaller than rivals.

The AFR Weekend print edition readership grew 59 per cent, on the Roy Morgan figures, and 11 per cent in the last quarter. The weekend and weekday print editions have recorded their highest quarterly result since 2018.

The Australian Financial Review Magazine recorded a print readership of 481,000, after quarter-on-quarter growth of 12 per cent and annual growth of 14 per cent. This is AFR Magazine’s highest quarterly result since 2018.

“After the hit from COVID-19, it’s encouraging to see readers return to the newspaper edition of the nation’s premium business, finance and political publication,” said the masthead’s editor-in-chief, Michael Stutchbury.

“That’s an endorsement of the newsroom’s journalism, including our breaking and ongoing pursuit of the PwC tax scandal.

“At the same time, the Financial Review continues to hold the most digitally focused readership of any newspaper brand as we increase our share of that national market.”

Nine’s total publishing assets – including the Financial Review, nine.com.au, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, WA Today, Domain Digital and more, reach a de-duplicated audience of 16.6 million Australians across print and digital.

ThinkNewsBrands, a group representing news publishers, says 16.5 million Australians read news each week and 20.6 million or 96 per cent of Australians read news each month.

The Total News readership figures are produced each quarter by Roy Morgan for ThinkNewsBrands.

(The Australian Financial Review)

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Netflix finally reveals how much it makes from Australians - 1st June 2023

Netflix made more than $1 billion from Australians last year, a figure the company reported for the first time after deciding no longer to funnel revenues through a Netherlands-based subsidiary.

Accounts lodged by the streaming giant show Netflix Australia made $1.06 billion in 2022, up from $30.7 million the year before.

The increase in reported revenue came after the company’s local subsidiary changed how it bills. It now describes itself as a “distributor of access” to Netflix Service as opposed to a provider of services for its parent company.

It was previously estimated that Netflix made between $790 million and $1.4 billion from Australians, but customers were billed by Netflix International BV. But from January 1 last year, customers were billed by Netflix Australia, meaning subscription revenue was recognised and taxed locally.

The accounts, filed with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, show Netflix Australia paid $966 million to the Netflix Group in distribution fees and other costs, meaning it made just $22.7 million from total revenues of $1.06 billion.

After paying $6.9 million in income tax, it reported $15.8 million profit for the year.

“As Netflix continues to grow and invest in Australia, we want our corporate structure to reflect our business activities here,” a spokesman for Netflix said last year when The Australian Financial Review reported the structural change.

In 2021, Netflix Australia reported $30.7 million in revenue, $2.4 million in profit pre-tax, and $1.5 million in profit after its $868,000 income tax bill.

Netflix does not disclose subscriber numbers for Australia, but the revenue figures included in its latest accounts implies the service has around five million customers locally, if its standard plan, $16.99 per month, is used as a guide. It has four monthly price tiers including a new, cheaper one that now adds some advertising.

According to the Australian Communications and Media Authority, streaming services made a combined $2.49 billion in Australia in 2021.

The disclosure of Netflix’s true Australian revenue comes as the federal government considers introducing quotas that would force streaming companies to spend a certain amount making shows locally.

Some suggestions have been forcing them to spend between 10 and 20 per cent of local revenue on Australian shows, meaning Netflix would be required to spend, depending on the rate, between $100 million to $200 million.

ACMA estimates streaming providers spend $335.1 million on Australian content in the 12 months to the end of June last year, up from $178.9 million the year before.

Netflix has been contacted for comment.

News

Mistakes and miscalculations: How the Murdochs and Fox got it so wrong - 30th May 2023

In August 2021, the Fox Corp. board of directors gathered in Los Angeles. Among the topics on the agenda: Dominion Voting Systems’ $US1.6 billion ($2.5 billion) defamation lawsuit against its cable news network, Fox News.

The suit posed a threat to the company’s finances and reputation. But Fox’s chief legal officer, Viet Dinh, reassured the board: Even if the company lost at trial, it would ultimately prevail. The First Amendment was on Fox’s side, he explained, even if proving so could require going to the Supreme Court.

That determination informed a series of missteps and miscalculations over the next 20 months, according to a New York Times review of court and business records, and interviews with roughly a dozen people directly involved in or briefed on the company’s decision-making.

The case resulted in one of the biggest legal and business debacles in the history of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire: an avalanche of embarrassing disclosures from internal messages released in court filings; the largest known settlement in a defamation suit, $US787.5 million; two shareholder lawsuits; and the benching of Fox’s top prime-time star, Tucker Carlson.

And for all of that, Fox still faces a lawsuit seeking even more in damages, $US2.7 billion, filed by another subject of the stolen election theory, voting software company Smartmatic.

Caught flat-footed

Repeatedly, Fox executives overlooked warning signs about the damage they and their network would sustain, the Times found. They also failed to recognise how far their cable news networks, Fox News and Fox Business, had strayed into defamatory territory by promoting President Donald Trump’s election conspiracy theories — the central issue in the case. (Fox maintains it did not defame Dominion.)

When pretrial rulings went against the company, Fox did not pursue a settlement in any real way. Executives were then caught flat-footed as Dominion’s court filings included internal Fox messages that made clear how the company chased a Trump-loving audience that preferred his election lies to the truth.

It was only in February that Murdoch and his son with whom he runs the company, Lachlan Murdoch, began seriously considering settling. Yet they made no major attempt to do so until the eve of the trial in April, after still more damaging public disclosures.

At the centre of the action was Dinh and his overly rosy scenario.

Dinh, a high-level Justice Department official under President George W. Bush, declined several requests for comment, and the company declined to respond to questions about his performance or his legal decisions. “Discussions of specific legal strategy are privileged and confidential,” a company representative said in a statement.

The second half of 2020 brought Fox News to a crisis point. The Fox audience had come to expect favourable news about Trump. But Fox could not provide that on election night, when its decision desk team was first to declare that Trump had lost the critical state of Arizona.

In the days after, Trump’s fans switched off in droves.

The Fox host who was the first to find a way to draw the audience back was Maria Bartiromo. Five days after the election, she invited a guest, Trump-aligned lawyer Sidney Powell, to share details about the false accusations that Dominion, an elections technology company, had switched votes from Trump to Joe Biden.

Soon, wild claims about Dominion appeared elsewhere on Fox, including references to the election company’s supposed (but imagined) ties to the Smartmatic election software company; Hugo Chávez, the Venezuelan dictator who died in 2013; George Soros, the billionaire investor and Democratic donor; and China.

‘Fox News did its job, and this is what the First Amendment protects. I’m not at all concerned about such lawsuits, real or imagined.’

Fox’s chief legal officer Viet Dinh

On November 12, a Dominion spokesperson complained to Fox News Media chief executive Suzanne Scott and Fox News Media executive editor Jay Wallace, begging them to make it stop. “We really weren’t thinking about building a litigation record as much as we were trying to stop the bleeding,” said Thomas A. Clare, one of Dominion’s lawyers.

As Fox noted in its court papers, its hosts did begin including company denials. But as they continued to give oxygen to the false allegations, Dominion sent a letter to Fox News general counsel Lily Fu Claffee, demanding that Fox cease and correct the record. “Dominion is prepared to do what is necessary to protect its reputation and the safety of its employees,” the letter warned.

Fox, however, did not respond to the Dominion letter or comply with its requests — now a key issue in a shareholder suit filed in April, which maintains that doing so would have “materially mitigated” Fox’s legal exposure.

Three months after the election, another voting technology company tied to the Dominion conspiracy, Smartmatic, filed its own defamation suit against Fox, seeking $US2.7 billion in damages. Dominion told reporters that it was preparing to file one, too.

Dinh was publicly dismissive.

“The newsworthy nature of the contested presidential election deserved full and fair coverage from all journalists. Fox News did its job, and this is what the First Amendment protects,” Dinh said at the time. “I’m not at all concerned about such lawsuits, real or imagined.”

The Fox legal team based much of the defence on a doctrine known as the neutral reportage privilege. It holds that news organisations cannot be held financially liable for damages when reporting on false allegations made by major public figures as long as they don’t embrace or endorse them.

An early warning came in late 2021. The judge in the case, Eric M. Davis, rejected Fox’s attempt to use the neutral reportage defence to get the suit thrown out, determining that it was not recognised under New York law, which he was applying to the case. Even if it was recognised, Fox would have to show it reported on the allegations “accurately and dispassionately”, and Dominion had made a strong argument that Fox’s reporting was neither, the judge wrote in a ruling.

That ruling meant that Dominion could have access to Fox’s internal communications in discovery.

That was a natural time to settle. But Fox stuck with its defence and its plan.

Treasure trove

At nearly every step, the court overruled Fox’s attempts to limit Dominion’s access to private communications exchanged among hosts, producers and executives. The biggest blow came mid-last year, after a ruling stating that Dominion could review messages from the personal phones of Fox employees, including both Murdochs.

The result was a treasure trove of evidence for Dominion: text messages and emails that revealed the doubts that Rupert Murdoch had about the coverage airing on his network, and assertions by many inside Fox, including Carlson, that fraud could not have made a material difference in the election.

The messages led to even more damaging revelations during depositions. After Dominion’s lawyers confronted Rupert Murdoch with his own messages showing he knew Trump’s stolen election claims were false, he admitted that some Fox hosts appeared to have endorsed stolen election claims.

During Carlson’s deposition last year, Dominion’s lawyers asked about his use of a crude word to describe women — including a ranking Fox executive. They also mentioned a text in which he discussed watching a group of men, who he said were Trump supporters, attack “an Antifa kid”. He lamented in the text, “It’s not how white men fight,” and shared a momentary wish that the group would kill the person. He then said he regretted that instinct.

There is no indication that Carlson’s texts tripped alarms at the top of Fox at that point.

The alarms rang in February, when reams of other internal Fox communications became public. The public’s reaction was so negative that some people at the company believed that a jury could award Dominion more than $US1 billion. Yet the company made no serious bid to settle.

All along, the Fox board had been taking a wait-and-see approach.

But the judge’s pretrial decisions began to change the board’s thinking. Also, in those final days before the trial, Fox was hit with new lawsuits. One, from former Fox producer Abby Grossberg, accused Carlson of promoting a hostile work environment. Another, filed by a shareholder, accused the Murdochs and several directors of failing to stop the practices that made Fox vulnerable to legal claims.

The weekend before the trial was to begin, the board asked Fox to see the internal Fox communications that were not yet public but that could still come out in the courtroom.

The board learned for the first time of the Carlson text that referred to “how white men fight”. Dinh did not know about the message until that weekend, according to two people familiar with the matter.

By the time the board learned of the message, the Murdochs had already determined that a trial loss could be far more damaging than they were initially told to expect. A substantial jury award could weigh on the company’s stock for years as the appeals process played out.

“The distraction to our company, the distraction to our growth plans — our management — would have been extraordinarily costly, which is why we decided to settle,” Lachlan Murdoch said at an investment conference this month.

The text also helped lead to the Murdochs’ decision to abruptly pull Carlson off the air. Their view had hardened that their top-rated star wasn’t worth all the downsides he brought with him.

Still pending is the Smartmatic suit. In April, Fox agreed to hand over additional internal documents relating to several executives, including the Murdochs and Dinh. In a statement reminiscent of Dinh’s early view of the Dominion case, the network said that Fox was protected by the First Amendment.

“We will be ready to defend this case surrounding extremely newsworthy events when it goes to trial, likely in 2025,” the statement said.

News

Lachlan Murdoch explains $1.2b settlement, says Fox News won’t change ‘successful strategy’ - 10th May 2023

Fox News paid $US787 million ($1.16 billion) to settle a recent lawsuit on its reporting after the 2020 election to avoid a divisive trial and lengthy appeals process, its parent company’s chief executive said.

Lachlan Murdoch, executive chairman and CEO of Fox Corp., also noted that a Delaware judge “severely limited” Fox’s defences against Dominion Voting Systems, which said the network defamed it by airing bogus charges of election fraud that it knew was untrue.

Fox Corp announced that it had lost $US50 million the previous three months, which it attributed to the lawsuit settlement. Murdoch, who answered questions from financial analysts, was speaking in public for the first time since the case ended and Fox fired its most popular anchor, Tucker Carlson. Carlson has just announced he is launching a new show on Twitter.

Murdoch said viewers, and investors, should expect no change in direction from Fox News.

“We made the business decision to resolve this dispute and avoid the acrimony of a divisive trial and multi-year appeal process, a decision clearly in the best interests of the company and its shareholders,” he said.

Fox still believes it was properly exercising its First Amendment rights to report on newsworthy fraud allegations made by former President Donald Trump, even though that defence was shot down in a pre-trial court ruling in the Dominion case, Murdoch said.

That’s important, since Murdoch said Fox intends to use the same defence against a similar lawsuit by another elections technology company, Smartmatic. That case is not expected to go to trial until at least 2025, he said.

Despite being asked directly about Carlson’s exit, Murdoch didn’t mention the former prime-time host’s name and referred to his reign obliquely. Fox has not explained why it cut ties with Carlson.

“There’s no change in programming strategy at Fox News,” he said. “It’s obviously a successful strategy. As always, we are adjusting our programming and our lineup and that’s what we continue to do.”

Although hurt by the Carlson exit, Fox News remains the leading cable news network.

Fox has lost viewers following Carlson’s firing. Last week’s substitute host, Lawrence Jones, reached between 1.28 million and 1.7 million last week in a time slot where Carlson usually drew around 3 million, the Nielsen company said.

Yet Fox has gained more than 40 new advertisers in that hour, the network said, confirming a report in Variety. Advertisers like Gillette, Scott’s Miracle Gro and Secret deodorant that had considered Carlson’s show a toxic environment have signed on.

(AP)

News

Jesse Armstrong on the roots of Succession: ‘Would it have landed the same way without the mad bum-rush of Trump’s presidency?’ - 27th May 2023

It has been the TV drama of our time – a brutal, hilarious unpicking of how power works. As the series comes to an end, its creator looks back at its origin and the unholy trinity of men who helped inspire Logan Roy

My first vivid memory of the project that would develop into Succession was trying to get out of it. It was about 2008 and I was on location for the filming of Peep Show, the UK sitcom my longtime writing partner Sam Bain and I wrote together. Between that show and my work on The Thick of It and In the Loop, and a bunch of other things, I was feeling overcommitted. That particular day we were pretending a very normal field in Hertfordshire was a safari park. I sloped off from set and, hiding from imaginary lions, tried to elegantly step away from the project.

I failed. And in the following months as I wrote, slowly, I became certain the script was a dud. It was stodgy and odd. The original idea, a faux-documentary laying out Rupert Murdoch’s business secrets, with them delivered straight to camera, evolved as I worked into a sort of TV play, set at the media owner’s 80th birthday party. Channel 4 were supportive, but it was an odd form, this docudrama/TV-play, and difficult to make happen. Around 2011, after a read-through in London where John Hurt played Rupert, the project essentially died.

My US agent was the first person I recall suggesting a totally different approach. A fictional family, a multi-series US show. For five years or so, I dismissed the idea, certain that a portrayal of a fictional family would never have the power of a real one. Four works changed my mind: HBO’s excellent Robert Durst documentary, The Jinx; Sumner Redstone’s grimly business-focused autobiography, A Passion to Win; James B Stewart’s propulsive DisneyWar; and Tom Bower’s fascinating Robert Maxwell biography Maxwell: The Final Verdict. These turned the idea of doing a media-family drama without a singular real-life model from a terrible betrayal of reality into a tantalising chance to harvest all the best stories. Here was an opportunity to explore all the most fascinating family dynamics within a propitiously balanced fictional hybrid media conglomerate. I took a long, deep dive into rich-family and media-business research.

I talked about this, as-yet-unwritten, idea in half-ironised terms as ‘Festen-meets-Dallas’

When Sam and I decided to bring things to a close on Peep Show, I flew out to pitch this media show around LA. I had a clear idea of where I wanted to develop it, but my agent persuaded me appetites would be whetted if we had a number of potential homes. So I spent three days doing a round of pitch meetings where I talked about this as-yet-unwritten idea in half-ironised terms as “Festen-meets-Dallas”. No stars, Dogme 95 camerawork. Scared of driving on the five-lane highways, I bumped around town in the back of a Honda Civic while a nice young man from my US agent’s mailroom ferried me between rooms stocked with identical tiny bottles of water and executives of vastly varying degrees of interest.

Eventually, I got to HBO, the place I most wanted the show to land, home to The Sopranos and Six Feet Under. I knew they might be receptive. Frank Rich – once known as the “Butcher of Broadway” for his theatre criticism, but now an in-house consigliere – had championed my work there to the boss, Richard Plepler, and I’d previously developed a show with them. So, out the back of a French-style bistro on a three-cappuccino high, I pitched it to their head of drama and comedy, Casey Bloys.

Sometimes a pitch stretches thin and threadbare, the fabric renting as you go, the other party peeping grimly through the holes. Other times, the air thickens, and you can feel the atmosphere in the room turn oxygen-rich as the enthusiasm you are trying to project transforms into an enthusiasm you are actually feeling.

By the time I left LA, HBO had made an offer and Adam McKay, fresh from The Big Short, had said he would be interested in directing. I’d written another Succession forerunner, a script about the US political strategist Lee Atwater, for Adam and his producing partner Kevin Messick. It had been one of the few LA experiences I’d had where the excitement expressed at the start of the project sustained through the writing and attempts to get it made.

This was 2016 and, once back in the UK, I wrote the pilot through the spring and summer in a one-room flat I rented on Brixton Hill, south London, walking across Brockwell Park each morning, listening to podcasts and reading news about the Brexit referendum. Scotland had recently voted by a narrow majority to stay inside the UK and the abiding sense right before the Brexit vote was, yeah, change looms, it glistens, menacingly, promisingly, but it doesn’t happen. Not really. Really, everything stays the same.

But then it did happen. And across the Atlantic, the Trump campaign was igniting – even if initially his candidacy felt like a slightly amusing, slightly too-vivid flash in the pan. Into early autumn, in fact, all serious people were still explaining to one another that Trump couldn’t happen. Although I suppose, looking back, there was a notable lack of detail in terms of the mechanism by which he would be stopped.

I think a lot of the better films and TV shows I’ve been involved with have at their heart a quite simple impulse around which the more subtle layers are spun. In the Loop’s spark was anger at the Iraq war. Chris Morris’s Four Lions I think was driven by his gut feeling that something was very wrong with the way we understood jihadi terrorism in the UK. Peep Show was about oddball male friendship, perhaps even “masculinity”.

I guess the simple things at the heart of Succession ended up being Brexit and Trump. The way the UK press had primed the EU debate for decades. The way the US media’s conservative outriders prepared the way for Trump, hovered at the brink of support and then dived in. The British press of Rothermere, Maxwell, Murdoch and the Barclay brothers, and the US news environment of Fox and Breitbart.

The Sun doesn’t run the UK, nor does Fox entirely set the media agenda in the US, but it was hard not to feel, at the time the show was coming together, the particular impact of one man, of one family, on the lives of so many. Rightwing populism was on the march across the globe. But in the fine margins of the Brexit vote and Trump’s eventual electoral college victory, one couldn’t help but think about the influence of the years of anti-EU stories and comment in the UK press, the years of Fox dancing with its audience, sometimes leading, sometimes following, as the wine got stronger, the music madder. It was politically alarming and creatively appealing: to imagine the mixture of business imperatives and political instinct that exist within a media operation; to consider what happens when something as important as the flow of information in a democracy hits the reductive brutality of the profit calculation inside such a company. How those elements might rebound emotionally and psychologically inside a family as it considered the question of corporate succession.

For Logan Roy, Murdoch, Redstone and Maxwell were my holy trinity of models. But Conrad Black, Brian L Roberts of Comcast, Robert Mercer of Breitbart, Julian Sinclair Smith of Sinclair, Tiny Rowland, Rothermere, Beaverbrook and Hearst all fed in. The three central models were wildly different, of course: the self-made refugee Maxwell and the already-rich Murdoch, a scion of Australian journalistic royalty, both so different from the tough Boston lawyer Redstone who started with a couple of his father’s drive-in cinemas.

But they were connected by a strong interest in a few things: a refusal to think about mortality (Redstone and Murdoch both used to make the same joke about their succession plan: not dying); desire for control; manic deal-making energy; love of gossip and power-connection; a certain ruthlessness about hirings and firings. And most of all, an instinct for forward motion, with a notable lack of introspection.

Perhaps the best part of Redstone’s autobiography for a casual reader is the opening, where he recounts clinging by one hand to a hotel balcony through a fire. Despite suffering third-degree burns over half his body, years of rehabilitation, excruciatingly painful skin grafts, he says this event, after which he made all his biggest business plays, had no impact whatsoever on the trajectory of his life.

Whether due to all this grist, or the aligning of the political planets (in)auspiciously, the pilot came unnervingly easily. Getting names in a script to feel real can be hard for me – they’re a tell-tale sign of whether I’m living inside it. Kendall, Shiv, Roman, Connor. They all felt right straight off the bat. Their inspirations, I suppose, were the children of these magnates: three of the Maxwell kids, the ones closest to the business (the boys, Ian and Kevin) and to their father (Ghislaine). Brent and Shari Redstone, with whom Sumner played a tough and complicated game of bait-and-switch over CBS-Paramount succession. And the Murdoch children, Prudence, Lachlan, James, Elisabeth, Chloe and Grace.

But getting those names for the Roy children made them feel like their own individuals to me. It allowed me to pour in just what I wanted from the real world, fill each with all the faults they might have inherited, while giving me room to add some extra, just for them.

Greg and Tom came fast, too. Tom from two roots. One was thinking about the sort of lunks I’ve occasionally seen powerful women choose as partners. Plausible, manly men with big watches and a soothing affable manner. That mixed with the deadly courtier, a more 18th-century figure, minutely attuned to shifts in power and influence, an invisible deadly gas that occurs in certain confined places and rises to kill anyone unwise enough not to take precautions. A hanger-on sustained by some Fitzgeraldian illusions about the world, a sense that perhaps the rich really are different from us and a romantic ambition to make it in New York City.

Greg, I guess, was a distant relative of the sort of political adviser I had myself briefly been. Gormless, clueless, out of place and gauche. But not without an eye for a deal. And, I hope, a little more wheedling and insinuating than I ever was.

The scenes flowed. I put all research aside and followed my nose and wrote pretty much exactly what I wanted

The charge between these two semi-outsiders struck me from the start as toxic and comic. Tom, the interloper, is like an organism that has found a precarious but rewarding perch above some deep oceanic vent and adapted itself to conditions perfectly. He is not pleased at all to see a similar creature scuttling along hoping to share the same cramped evolutionary niche. That first half-bullying, half-provocative exchange they share in the outfield at a softball game in the pilot landed them right in the middle of a stew they’ve been cooking in ever since.

The scenes flowed. I had eaten a very large amount of research, but once I was writing I put it all aside and followed my nose and wrote pretty much exactly what I wanted. It felt funny but odd and broken-ended, fragmentary, abrupt, oblique and slightly brutal. When I emailed it off, I had the familiar feeling that Adam, Frank and HBO might email back to say not only was it not good, it wasn’t even actually, technically, a script. But their response was frighteningly positive. Almost as though the script was finished, after what was, I thought, a quick first draft. I think every other episode of Succession has gone to at least 30 drafts – usually 50. The pilot barely hit 15.

We had our read-through in New York on US election day 2016. Before we started, I made the sort of joke lots of people made that day, assuming the polls were right and Hillary Clinton was going to squeeze it. That night we gathered in Adam McKay’s apartment to watch the results roll in. Much later, I walked a long walk back from Soho to where I was staying near the United Nations looking at the electoral college numbers projected on to the Empire State Building.

We started filming the next day.

I still wonder whether Succession would have landed in the same way without the mad bum-rush of news and sensation Trump’s chaotic presidency provided. Trump wasn’t the firebombing of German civilians, and nor is Succession Slaughterhouse-Five, but I do sometimes think about Vonnegut saying no one in the world profited from the firebombing of Dresden, except himself.

This is an edited extract from Succession: The Complete Scripts – Seasons One, Two and Three (Faber & Faber), out now at £20 each. To support the Guardian and Observer, order your copies for £17.60 each from guardianbookshop.com.

The final episode of Succession airs in the UK on Sky Atlantic/Now on Monday. Jesse Armstrong donated the fee for this article to the Writers Guild of America strike assistance fund.

News

LIV Golf announces new pay-per-view option - 26th May 2023

"The hope for LIV is to grow off the success first seen on YouTube in 2022, where the league attracted tournament audiences of several hundred-thousand views in the U.S. and abroad."

Going forward, LIV Golf Series events will be available via a pay-per-view option on YouTube.

The new deal was detailed by James Colgan of Golf.com.

“Less than six months after signing a media rights agreement with the CW, LIV announced Friday that it has created a new, pay-per-view broadcast option to run on YouTube,” Colgan reported. “The PPV broadcast will cost $3 per tournament day, LIV said in a release announcing the decision, and will run in addition to the league’s agreement with the CW.”

Colgan also detailed that “A LIV source indicated that the CW is aware of the decision to introduce a pay-per-view model, and that the decision does not violate any of the league’s preexisting broadcast agreements.”

“The hope for LIV is to grow off the success first seen on YouTube in 2022, where the league attracted tournament audiences of several hundred-thousand views in the U.S. and abroad. The league already has its own direct-to-consumer subscription platform, LIV Golf Plus, which the PPV channel will run counter to. LIV broadcasts will continue to be streamed for free on the CW app.”

This announcement comes less than two weeks after a rather embarrassing moment for the tour. One week before LIV’s Brooks Koepka triumphed at the PGA Championship, the Saudi-backed golf series was in Tulsa.

On one hand, it was a perfect showcase event for LIV. Two of its most high-profile players, Dustin Johnson and Cam Smith, went to a three-way playoff (along with Branden Grace). But most of the people watching did not get to see Johnson’s eventual triumph.

The CW, the league’s primary broadcast partner, went away from coverage in the vast majority of its markets, showing “regularly scheduled programming.” Jim Nantz was quick to make a joke at LIV’s expense on the matter at the PGA Championship. The CW also announced a change, saying that all events will be shown to their conclusions going forward.

[Golf.com]

News

WWE Night Of Champions Reportedly Earned Highest Viewership Of Any Saudi Arabia Show - 31st May 2023

According to a report from Fightful Select, Saturday's Night of Champions PLE scored WWE the highest viewership out of any of the company's Saudi Arabia events since the partnership between the two began in 2013. The report states that Night of Champions brought in an 18% increase in viewership compared to last year's Crown Jewel event, and the company is reportedly quite happy with its holiday weekend results.

Night of Champions was headlined by Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn successfully defending the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship against Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa of The Bloodline, with a major angle taking place on the show that saw The Usos turn on Reigns after more than a year of build-up and tension.This marks the second time a tag team match has served as the main event of a major WWE show in recent months. Additional matches on the show included Seth Rollins vs. AJ Styles to decide the first WWE World Heavyweight Champion, a singles match between Becky Lynch and Trish Stratus, and a Backlash rematch pitting Brock Lesnar against Cody Rhodes, among others.

To date, WWE has held nine PPVs and PLEs in Saudi Arabia, along with three house shows. Back in 2019, WWE announced that they had "expanded their partnership" with Saudi Arabia, and that they would be hosting two major events per year in the Middle Eastern nation through at least 2027. Though it hasn't been announced yet, WWE will likely return to Saudi Arabia for another Crown Jewel event later this year.

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Pat McAfee Comments On Empty Seats At AEW Double Or Nothing - 31st May 2023

All Elite Wrestling's Double or Nothing pay-per-view took place this past weekend at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. During the event, Wrestlenomics' Brandon Thurston tweeted images of empty seats inside the venue. Wrestling Observer's Bryan Alvarez also posted a photo from his ringside position, which showed many unoccupied places behind Orange Cassidy after he retained the AEW International Championship in a Blackjack Battle Royal. Former "WWE SmackDown" commentator Pat McAfee has weighed in with his thoughts.

"Anytime you get a shot away from hard cam, you know what I mean, you can really see a lot of things," McAfee said on "The Pat McAfee Show." "AEW found out this weekend or whatever at one of their events, it's like three quarters of an arena completely empty. They don't want that photo out anywhere."

Ahead of the pay-per-view going live on Sunday night, WrestleTix revealed 10,229 tickets had been distributed for an 11,641 setup inside the T-Mobile Arena, leaving 1,412 tickets available. An Anarchy in the Arena match headlined the show, with Blackpool Combat Club's Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, reigning ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli, and Wheeler Yuta picking up the win in that bout against The Elite's Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson, and "Hangman" Adam Page.

AEW's next major standalone show, All In, which will take place on August 27 at Wembley Stadium in London, England, has currently sold over 65,000 tickets and has a gate of over $8 million. No matches have been announced for AEW's first event across the pond as of this writing. Ticket sales for All In have slowed following an initial surge.

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WWE-UFC merged company to be called ‘TKO Group Holdings’ - 16th May 2023

A name has emerged for the group.

Coming out of WrestleMania, it was announced by Endeavor that an agreement had been reached with WWE and the company would be merging with UFC to form a new sports and entertainment company.

The deal has not been formally finalized but a name for the merged group has been revealed. CNBC’s Alex Sherman and Mike Calia published a story and an Endeavor spokesperson confirmed to the outlet that the new group is going to be called ‘TKO Group Holdings’.

It will trade under the New York Stock Exchange as ‘TKO’.

The merger between WWE and UFC is being valued at $20 billion. Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel will be the CEO of TKO Group and Vince McMahon is going to serve as Executive Chairman.

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Nick Khan Says WWE In Talks With International Cities For 2024 PLEs

It sounds as though WWE will continue expanding its PLEs into international markets next year. Speaking at the JP Morgan Global Technology, Media & Communications Conference, WWE CEO Nick Khan stated that the company was discussing the potential for additional overseas shows in 2024.

"We're in conversations now with a lot of international cities about doing 2024 shows there," Khan said. "Also, part of the intent is to match those up with our media rights, even if they're not up to over-deliver for incumbent partners who can then invite their partners in the international city to the event, and host them. It's good for our overall business." Khan's comments came as part of a conversation about countries offering subsidies to WWE for bringing shows there, as the company brings a great deal of revenue to the city for major events. Khan cited recent events in Puerto Rico as well as the Dallas, Texas area as examples.

Previous rumors pointed toward Australia as a potential location for a future international WWE PLE. However, it's unknown if negotiations with the country have progressed in the months since.

WWE has steadily ramped up its major international shows over the last five years, with the company holding several yearly events in Saudi Arabia, as well as last year's Clash at the Castle and the upcoming Money in the Bank both being held in the United Kingdom. It seems fans around the world should stay on the lookout for upcoming announcements regarding WWE's international schedule in 2024.

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“We Let People Go”: Months After $21.4 Billion UFC-WWE Deal, Endeavor CEO Recalls “Horrible” Time for Organization - 2nd June 2023

The year 2020 brought unprecedented challenges for individuals and organizations alike, and the UFC was no exception. The promotional frontman Dana White has reflected on those uncertain times and shared the struggles the organization faced in keeping things going. Despite the pandemic, White was determined to keep the show running and provide entertainment for fight fans worldwide. While the rest of the world was shut down, the UFC managed to organize consistent events, albeit on a smaller scale. However, this arduous journey was not without its fair share of hardships.

Ari Emanuel, the CEO of Endeavor, the parent company of the UFC and William Morris Endeavor talent agency, revealed the significant challenges they encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though Endeavor recently secured a massive $21.4 billion deal to acquire the WWE, during the COVID-19 days, the company found itself at rock bottom struggling to stay afloat.

When Covid-19 posed a threat to the UFC

In an interview on the “Freakonomics Radio” podcast, Emanuel shared how the pandemic affected the company financially. During the interview, podcast host Stephen Dubner asked Emanuel, “Did you think COVID might kill Endeavor?”. Reflecting on this, the 62-year-old CEO replied, “It was bad,” He continued, “I’d never had to fire that many people.”

Emanuel mentioned that the continuation of UFC fights during the pandemic played a crucial role in saving the company, accounting for approximately 70% of their revenue that year. Further talking about the struggles to keep the organization alive during the pandemic, the Endeavor CEO stated, “We had our ESPN deal. We then started making deals for writers. So we stored all the cash. We didn’t let anything out. We let people go, which was horrible, or furloughed them.”

Through the storm, Endeavor’s leadership team, led by Emanuel, proved to be the lighthouse that guided them to safer shores. The UFC’s resilience and the implementation of innovative strategies, such as the ‘Fight Island’ events, not only salvaged the company but also became a beacon of hope for other professional sports leagues.

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“Very, Very Easy for Jon Jones”: Ex-UFC Star Ruthlessly Shuts Down Tyson Fury Days After Boxer’s Callout of UFC Champ in Ugly Public Feud - 1st June 2023

The claim made by Joe Rogan that Tyson Fury would stand no chance against Jon Jones has sparked an intense and never-ending debate. Recently, another prominent figure from the UFC, the world of mixed martial arts, has jumped into this heated discussion. However, ‘The Gypsy King’ himself strongly opposed the take of the UFC commentator and didn’t hold back in expressing his views. In fact, he went as far as bashing Rogan and proudly proclaimed himself to be ‘the baddest man on the planet’.

As the back and forth continued between Fury and Rogan, UFC president Dana White has stepped in, proposing a potential fight between Fury and Jones. However, the WBC heavyweight champion firmly refused to step into the octagon, dismissing the idea altogether. This decision faced an immediate backlash from fans who had eagerly anticipated the materialization of this debate inside the fighting arena.

Despite the disappointment felt by fans, it becomes evident that the 34-year-old boxer has no intention of venturing into the octagon. On the contrary, a former UFC welterweight challenger believes that Fury would fare well in the realm of mixed martial arts. However, he warns that there may be unforeseen challenges along the way.

Tyson Fury will have a Jon Jones threat in MMA

During a recent interview, the former UFC fighter Dan Hardy shared his reflections on the latest happenings in the combat sports world, ranging from boxing to MMA. However, it was the Tyson Fury-Jon Jones debate that took center stage.

The 41-year-old Hardy began by heaping praise on ‘The Gypsy King’ for his potential in MMA, stating, “Tyson Fury doesn’t come from a boxing background. He comes from a fighting man background. Tyson Fury sees himself as a fighter first that boxes, and I think he looks at mixed martial arts and sees lots of ways he can capitalize on the changing of the rules.”

Continuing his analysis, Hardy mentioned Fury’s collaboration with Tom Aspinall and how he has showcased proficient elbows and knees in the videos shared with him. ‘The Outlaw’ confidently stated, “I feel like Tyson Fury would be really good if he crossed over to mixed martial arts. Of course, there’d be a lot for him to learn. The main issue would be, he’d be very, very easy for Jon Jones to take down. And I think that’s something that Tyson has not experienced and has not and has not really quite comprehended.”

Meanwhile, Jon Jones recently made a strong statement in his heavyweight debut, securing a first-round victory against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 after returning from a three-year-long hiatus.

This certainly explains Dan Hardy’s warning to Tyson Fury. How do you think ‘The Gypsy King’ would fare in MMA?

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Dwayne Johnson to Return as Luke Hobbs in New ‘Fast and Furious’ Standalone Film - 7th June 2023

Dwayne Johnson is returning to the “Fast and Furious” universe with a new standalone film, reprising his franchise role as Luke Hobbs.

Universal Pictures announced the project on Thursday. Longtime “Fast and Furious” collaborator Chris Morgan wrote the untitled film’s script. Plot details were not available, though individuals familiar with the deal said the new movie will bridge between the events of the just-released “Fast X” and the upcoming “Fast X: Part II,” which is expected in 2025. Johnson just appeared as Hobbs, a diplomatic security service agent, in a credits scene for “Fast X.”

Johnson will produce the film with Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia for their Seven Bucks Productions, along with Vin Diesel and Samantha Vincent via their One Race Films. Additional producers include Chris Morgan for his Chris Morgan Productions, Jeff Kirschenbaum for Roth/Kirschenbaum Films and Neal Moritz for Original Film.

Screenwriter Morgan wrote and produced “Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw” and “The Fate of the Furious.” He’s also scripted and executive produced the fifth, sixth and seventh entries in the franchise. Directed by Louis Leterrier, “Fast X” opened at No. 1 around the world in May with $320 million and became the second-biggest global opening of 2023.

Johnson announced Hobbs’ return with a video posted to social media with the caption: “Your reactions around the world to Hobbs’ return in ‘Fast X’ have blown us away. The next ‘Fast & Furious’ film you’ll see the legendary lawman in will be the Hobbs movie that will serve as a fresh, new chapter & set up for ‘Fast X: Part II.'”

“Last summer Vin Diesel and I put all the past behind us,” Johnson added. “We’ll lead with brotherhood and resolve – and always take care of the franchise, characters & fans that we love. I’ve built my career on an ‘audience first’ mentality and that will always serve as my north star.”

Johnson is repped by WME, lawyers Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman, Inc. and The Lede Company.

Seven Bucks has co-produced films like Disney’s “Jungle Cruise” and the DC Studios entires “Black Adam” and “DC League of Super-Pets.” Original series include NBC’s “Young Rock” and “The Titan Games.” Johnson will next produce and star in “Red One” at Amazon Studios and Disney’s live-action “Moana.”

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13 States Comment On Possibility Of Allowing Gambling On WWE Matches

In March 2023, CNBC reported that WWE was working toward legalizing gambling on wrestling matches, enlisting the services of accounting firm Ernst & Young, with Michigan, Colorado, and Indiana mentioned as the initial targets. As of now, betting on WWE matches is only available at offshore sportsbooks like BetOnline.ag, based out of Antigua, and Bovada, based out of Latvia. Betting on matches in America would open up new streams of revenue for WWE and add some mainstream legitimacy to the sports entertainment powerhouse.

Since that report broke, however, it's been nothing bad news for WWE in the gambling department. Dave Meltzer has reported that WWE's efforts aren't going well — Colorado denied talking to WWE and said that "By statute, wagers on events with fixed or predicted outcomes ... are strictly prohibited in Colorado." Indiana told Casino.org that it had "no interest in approving wagering on scripted events," and Michigan also denied any recent talks with WWE, while New Hampshire Lottery Commission executive director Charlie McIntyre deemed it "very unlikely" betting on WWE gets approved in New Hampshire.

In light of this, Wrestling Inc. reached out to multiple states about the possibility of legalized betting on WWE matches. Each gambling commission was asked 1) how likely WWE would be to succeed if they pitched gambling on matches to them, and 2) if there were any regulations, laws, or statutes that barred betting on something with predetermined outcomes. 13 states -– Arizona, Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, and Washington -– responded. While their responses varied slightly, overall, they paint a picture of increasingly fewer opportunities, and increasingly more obstacles, for legal gambling on WWE matches to get approved.

At least three states say they wouldn't allow gambling on WWE as a matter of policy, even if there are no explicit laws against it.

Kerry Hemphill, Manager of Sports Betting Product at the Oregon Lottery, made it clear that gambling on WWE wouldn't be allowed as a matter of policy in the Beaver State: "Although there is no law or statute that forbids it, Oregon Lottery sports betting policy is to not accept wagers on scripted events with predicted outcomes."

Seth Elkin, Assistant Director of Communications for Public Affairs for Maryland Lottery and Gaming, also told us his state had made a determination on the matter. "Maryland's sports wagering law and regulations prohibit forms of wagering that are contrary to public policy or unfair to bettors," he said. "We've determined that it is unfair to bettors, and therefore not in the public's interest, to accept wagers on sports entertainment events that have predetermined outcomes, like professional wrestling."

Meanwhile, a representative from the South Dakota Department of Revenue simply said, "WWE wrestling matches would not be eligible for sports wagering in South Dakota."

Iowa and Ohio say no to betting on predetermined events

Two more states said that predetermined events weren't permitted, but made a point to highlight policy and procedure. Brian J. Ohorilko, Administrator of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, also shot down gambling on wrestling for the time being.

"Predetermined events are not permitted in the State of Iowa," he told Wrestling Inc. "Iowa law defines and permits professional sporting events and sports-related events; however, fixed or predetermined outcomes are not explicitly permitted. As such, and for other integrity concerns, the commission has not permitted predetermined events in any of the approved wagering markets."

Ohorilko also brought up the process that would be required for any kind of legalization: "From a practical standpoint, any request would need to come with a legal opinion as to how this would be permitted under Iowa law," he said. "It would need to go through legal review with consultation from the AG office. If legal review passes, the commission would still need to review policy and integrity concerns with respect to the activity having predetermined outcomes. Approval would be needed before this type of wagering activity could take place."

Ohio tells a similar story. Jessica Franks, Director of Communications for the Ohio Casino Control Commission, pointed us towards Rule 3775-11-01 of the Ohio Administrative Code — the process for adding to Ohio's catalog of wagers and events. She said the Commission's review of such requests includes, but is not limited to, the following criteria:

The quality of the governing body's documented integrity program.

The general availability of information related to the governing body.

The professional or skill level status of athletes.

The history of integrity related to events sanctioned by the governing body.

This already puts the WWE in shaky territory, but it's seemingly locked out for good with the following consideration: "Please note that the Commission will not approve requests for wagers/events involving 'Events which are pre-recorded or in which the outcome has been otherwise previously determined.'"

Arizona and Connecticut have laws against betting on fixed outcomes

At least two states have laws in place that would ban gambling on WWE matches.

Max Hartgraves, Public Information Officer at the Arizona Department of Gaming, provided a straightforward statement: "Arizona statute prohibits gambling on fixed events."

Meanwhile, when asked how likely WWE would be to garner approval for gambling on matches, Kaitlyn Krasselt, Communications Director at Connecticut Department of Consumer Protections, said "I cannot speculate on that." That said, she did inform Wrestling Inc. about state regulations on gambling: "Connecticut law only allows wagering on sporting or athletic events. WWE is sports entertainment. The 'matches' are predetermined by the company and are scripted. There is no regulation body for professional wrestling, and WWE is one of several companies that offers this type of entertainment. With a predetermined outcome, this would not be considered a sport. It is considered entertainment. Wagering on the Oscars, for example, is also not permitted in Connecticut."

That last part is significant, since CNBC's report mentioned that WWE executives were using Oscar betting as an example for regulators.

Maine and Montana agree with most of their colleagues

Two states specifically cited the statements from Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, and New Hampshire in their responses. After hearing that four other states had expressed skepticism over betting on WWE, Maine Gambling Control Unit Executive Director Milton Champion said, "On the surface, without looking into the matter, I would concur with my colleagues. Operators will submit with their application events that they want to take wagers on, and I shall approve them."

Daniel Iverson, Content Manager for the Montana Lottery, said something similar. "Montana does not intend to add WWE markets, for the same reasons our counterparts cited," he advised, before directing any questions on state law to the Montana Department of Justice Gambling Control Division.

New Jersey and Massachusetts punted, for now

Two states we contacted declined to comment on the matter, not wanting to address issues that haven't come before them yet. Thomas Mills, Communications Division Chief of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, said, "I appreciate your question, but am unable to speculate on a hypothetical action the Commission may or may not take."

Dan Prochilo, Public Information Officer at the New Jersey Attorney General's Office, responded that "The Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) cannot comment on any hypothetical discussion with an operator or league about future sports betting opportunities." He added that "In New Jersey, an entity seeking permission for a contest to be authorized for wagering on a sports event is required to submit its proposal to DGE for evaluation and approval pursuant to state law and regulations."

Prochilo also provided the state's legal definition of a "sports event" for the purposes of gambling. Notably, it includes the phrase "A 'sports event' shall include any live competition or talent contest, including awards competitions[.]"

New Jersey and Massachusetts are two of the only states that allow betting on the Oscars, with New Jersey okaying it in 2019 (the first state to do so) and Massachusetts greenlighting it in 2023. It's unknown if WWE will approach either state or how each state would respond, but at bare minimum, WWE's argument to treat wrestling like the Oscars for betting purposes might carry some weight.

Washington and New Mexico illustrate the challenges of Tribal gaming

Washington is unique among the states who responded to us, in that sports wagering is only available on Tribal lands yet still regulated by the state. Sports wagering was legalized, subject to terms of Tribal/State Compacts, on Tribal lands in 2020. All wagering, even online betting, must take place on Tribal lands, and each casino decides bets within certain limitations. The Angel of the Winds Casino and Resort and the ilani Casino Resort, for example, don't 100% overlap on sports offered for betting.

But WWE, or any wrestling, won't be joining those offering under current rules and regulations. Dan Wegenast, Agent In Charge for the Tribal Gaming Unit of the Washington State Gambling Commission, pointed Wrestling Inc. towards the Tribal/State Compacts for sports wagering. He also stated that "Washington State law and the Tribal/State Compacts for sports wagering ... prohibit wagers on events with known outcomes."

To further illustrate the complications of garnering approval for gaming on Tribal lands, a representative from the New Mexican Gaming Control Board told Wrestling Inc. that sports betting is illegal in their state, but legal with some Tribes. That said, New Mexico does not regulate Tribal gaming, meaning that approval would likely have to be worked out with each Tribe individually.

There are other obstacles, too

It's worth noting that gambling laws are constantly changing. Many states without gambling –- such as North Carolina -– have spent years hammering out legislation that would approve gambling off Tribal lands. Additionally, for states with legalized gambling, internal policies are not inherently laws, and can be subject to change under the right circumstances.

That said, even if WWE manages to get gambling on matches approved anywhere, that's only one part of the battle: They still need casinos and/or sportsbooks to be willing to accept wagers at all, and there's resistance in this field, as well, as demonstrated in subsequent coverage from CNBC. FanDuel deems it unlikely that they'd ever accept bets on WWE, noting that the Academy Awards –- which held once per year -– are vastly different than dealing with WWE's weekly programming. Additionally, when BetCEO Adam Greenblatt was asked if he had any interesting in accepting bets on WWE, he responded "NFW."

Between the overwhelming majority opinions of the 13 states who responded to Wrestling Inc., the states that have already responded, and the reluctance of sportsbooks to include anything that looks less than credible, WWE faces an increasingly uphill battle if they want to make betting on wrestling matches legal anywhere in the United States.

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Australian Media Wars: Warburton Most Wanted, by Greg Tingle - 8th April 2011

G'day media watchers, news media movers n shakers, punters, sports nuts, legal eagles, one and all. Today we probe the fun and games relating to James Warburton's early departure from Channel Seven, with the intention of starting at Network Ten, which has seen JW a regular in Australian court and talk of the Australian media landscape. Media Man with the Warburton media war special...

AFL Rights Raised Via Warburton Stoush; Day 2 In Court Update...

Channel Seven's commercial director advised the process for awarding the Australian Football League's next sports broadcasting contract still had some way to run, the NSW Supreme Court heard on day 2 of the court hearing. Bruce McWilliam was giving evidence during the second day of Channel Seven's legal bid to postpone its former chief sales and digital officer James Warburton starting his new job as chief executive of Channel Ten. The current AFL broadcast deal, involving Seven, Ten and pay television operator, Foxtel, is in its final year. The AFL is understood to be seeking $1 billion in rights fees for the next 5-year deal. Quizzed by the super legal eagle - barrister for Warburton, John West, QC, whether the result of negotiations between the AFL and broadcasters would be known very soon, McWilliam said, "There's no end in sight in the current process in my mind." McWilliam then went on to say initial expectations were that the negotiations would be concluded at about the time of last year's AFL grand final but these kept being delayed. Channel's Seven and Ten made a preliminary presentation to the AFL recently, McWilliam told the court. He also said additional meetings would likely take place. "It just depends what the AFL requires and how they wish to conduct the process," McWilliam said. Ten announced Warburton's appointment as chief executive on March 2, with a commencement date of July 14 this year. Channel Seven states that conditions in Warburton's employment contract and participation in a management equity plan, dictate that Warburton has to wait until October 2012 before commencing work with any other media firm. That's quite a wait. Warburton's legal team says it believes the proposed transaction that will have Seven's media assets transferred to West Australian Newspapers Holdings, via a series of complex transactions, will cause the management equity plan to cease to exist. With that would disappear some of the restraints included in the plan on Warburton working for another media company. McWilliam said the proposed deal, due to be voted on by WAN shareholders later this month, would not dissolve the management equity plan. "'The scheme most definitely continues," McWilliam said. The case continues.

Media Contacts Printed Off By Warburton's Computer Prior To Resignation; Day 3 In Court...

Confidential contact details of clients, agencies and Seven Network staff were printed from James Warburton’s computer the day before he resigned from the company it has been alleged in court. On the third day of the trial brought by Seven, the NSW Supreme court also heard that Warburton’s knowledge of tech Channel Seven had acquired that allows products to be superimposed into programs had the potential to harm the business. Seven is attempting to hold back Warburton from switching to Ten to become its chief executive until October next year, claiming he is in breach of a management equity plan. Warburton wants to start at Ten in July this year. Referring to a document of good old fashioned Microsoft Outlook contacts, the network director of sales at Seven and Warburton’s former deputy, stated in an affidavit: "I note from the information at the bottom of the document that it appears to have been printed by Mr Warburton’s executive assistant… at 8.39am on 1 March 2011, being the day before Mr Warburton resigned from SMG. The contacts list includes the telephone and email contact details of numerous SMG employees and a number of SMG clients and agencies." Under a heading in his affidavit called "Virtual advertising", Burnette told how in December last year Channel Seven inked a deal with a company that provides technology which enables products to be superimposed into a program during the post production-phase. He said Warburton’s inside knowledge of a potential revenue stream it could deliver to Seven was information a competitor would value highly. Burnette also recounted a chat he had with Warburton in December last year after Seven’s direct group sales manager, David Bellamy, announced he was resigning to move to Ten. Burnette claims Warburton said: "OK. He needs to be put on gardening leave immediately and keep him from starting for the three months or whatever the maximum is." The hearing continues.

Warburton Advised Leave Channel Seven Immediately Sir...

Commercial director of Channel Seven, Bruce McWilliam, said it would have been "very impolite" for him to have told a departing executive, James Warburton, that he wouldn't be able to take up Ten's offer as chief executive for a year because of anti-competition rules within a management equity participation scheme. McWilliam advised he had requested HR staff to check the restraint period, and had been aware that a press release from Channel Ten stated Warburton would start with the network as chief executive in July. McWilliam said Warburton told him that Seven's chief executive, David Leckie, wanted him out of the building immediately. "I … wouldn't always take what is said at face value," McWilliam told the restraint of competition case brought by Seven against Warburton. He believed it was "harsh to someone who had been with the company so long". In an affidavit put forward in the court, McWilliam advised Leckie had told him he didn't want Warburton "mixing with staff and being around whatever deals are done, it is untenable". McWilliam said: "But you didn't imply he was terminated did you?", to which Leckie responded, "Of course not. I am not stupid. I said to him, "You have to go on gardening leave, or whatever it is called." The court was advised that while Warburton had run the numbers for Channel Seven's passing interest in MasterChef, and was the sole Seven executive who advised against broadcasting Wimbledon as it was a "dying tradition", Warburton could not retain so much confidential information in his head that would justify Seven restraining him from working in the television industry until October 2012. Warburton's barrister, John West, QC, rejected Seven's contention of Warburton's "total mastery". In one cheeky interlude with McWilliam, West said: "You really can't help yourself, you keep on over-egging the custard", to which McWilliam responded: "He doesn't just forward emails. If the information in the email was incorrect he would have gone back to them and corrected it …" The hearing before Justice Michael Pembroke continues.

Warburton Didn't Steal Media Documents; Day 4 (18th Apri 2011)...

SMG (Seven Media Group) has withdrawn on claims that ex executive James Warburton stole confidential information upon his sudden departure from the firm. Warburton walked on Seven in March to join competitor Ten Network as chief executive officer, a move that pissed off Seven. Warburton was to have commenced with Ten in July, but Seven has taken legal action in the NSW Supreme Court in a bid to delay him starting until October 2012. Seven contends provisions in his employment contract and participation in a management equity plan at Seven constrain him from working at another media firm. Seven had also argued in court that Warburton had snatched confidential information when he left the group, including strategy reports as well as ratings and revenue data. In the NSW Supreme Court yesterday, Tony Meagher, SC, representing Seven told the court that this claim has now been retracted. "There is no longer a threat he will use the confidential information," Meagher told the court, according to news reports. The case continues today, with Seven Media boss executive David Leckie to take the stand after the media group's HR. Australian media has been talking about the case under watercoolers and in coffee shops since it commenced, and the legal eagles are understood to be making a financial killing, as is often the case on high level legal media battles. WAR...BURTON - sure sounds like he's ready for another round on Aussie media wars. James Packer might like to see him take on Ten's gaming arm (or whatever the secret project might be). Bang!

*The writer owns shares in Network Ten

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Australia Day Special, by Greg Tingle - 26th January 2011

G'day and Happy Australia Day everyone. Ok, we know some of you punters, journos, high rollers - casino whales, entertainment news junkies, politicians, insiders, outsiders and legal eagles are from across the globe are not Australia, nor have ever been down under, but you get the idea. Did you know that some indigenous Australia's call Australia Day 'Invasion Day'! That's because most history books show that Captain James Cook and his crew invaded Australia on this day in 1988. They are known by a new names including the First Fleet, while some aborigines will always think of them and murderous mongrels, who stole their land and pride. It's easy for many of us to get the point of the blackfellas (affectionate). Media Man and Gambling911 with a bush tucker bag full of Australian gambling, casino, poker, media and sports news. Fair winds...

Queensland Banana Bender State: Pub Pokies And Online Pokies Becoming More Popular?...

One armed bandits are maintaining their popularity in 'The Sunshine State'. It's understand that punters might have only a 1 in a million chance of winning really big, lotto - millionaire style, but they just keep coming back for more. Yep, throw another dime in the pokie baby. Queenslanders "invested" close to $2 billion last year as the punters passion for the slots maintained its fever pace. The total pokies expenditure of $1.81 billion was slightly down on the previous year, it was the third year consecutively the number exceeded $1.8 billion. We're also learned that the 2008 figure of $1.83 billion was an all-time record. Now, this is important - those numbers Do Not take into account the rabid take up and roll our of online poker or sports betting. You know, betting over the global medium - the internet. Overall, Queenslanders spent $7 million less on pokies than last year and $28 million less than in 2008, but it still works out at in excess of $150 million every month down the slots August was the year's biggest month for slot gamblers, who put close to $170 million in the throats of the one armed bandits. August was also the biggest month for gamblers in 2008, with more than $173 million lost. Pokies remain by far the most popular games for punters in Australia, bringing in most of the estimated $17 billion spent on all forms of gambling down under each year. Some insiders think that the reduction in official spending was more a sign of the increased popularity of internet and sports-based gambling. Concentrating on pokie figures, it appears Queenslanders gambled more at the height of the global financial crisis two years ago than they did throughout 2010.

Tassie 'Devil' Gambling Tycoon Devilish Quotes...

David Walsh from Tasmania was such a big hit with the readership we thought we would dig up a few more of the red hot 'The Devil's' quotes, that are too good not to share. First a refresher...Art and gambling do mix, at least that's the experience of Brits Damian Aspinall, Phil 'Tuffers' Tufnell, Australian artist Gina Sinozich, Media Man (bodypaint and burlesque "fetish") and Tasmanian gambling whale - tycoon, David 'Wicked' (satire) Walsh. You will pick up on Dave's affectionate nickname by us later. We like you David, ok mate. Tasmania's most famous or infamous gambling figure, millionaire, David Walsh yesterday gave us a peak into his art exhibit...the biggest (and weirdest) private art gallery in Tasmania, if not the Asia Pacific. The $110 million Museum of Old and New Art is nestled on the banks of Hobart's Derwent River.

Quotes By The Tasmanian Devil!...

"FUCK the art, let's rock'n'roll."

"I think formal curation is a form of mental masturbation."

"I'm not really that interested in a bunch of big names. Most of the works are by people most people haven't heard of and still won't have heard of because there's no wall labels."

"I don't want to lose control (or) something that ends up looking like a pale version of the National Gallery of Victoria".

"Subversive adult Disneyland".

"Please see reception if you are planning a pool party or a ritualistic orgy."

"It's the opportunity to mess with your head. I like the idea of people having a couple of beers and looking at the art, having a couple more and changing their mind."

"Just a privileged guy with a megaphone"

"It’s like a rich man’s soap box. I’m standing on my soapbox and I’m shouting my views like they mean something."

"I’ll take all the popular stuff out. And if you go to the toilet two or three times we’ll recommend a good urologist."

“My brother once said about me that I’d rather be outside a barrel pissing in than inside the barrel pissing out. I’m anti this idea that we know what we’re doing with certainty. I kinda think that most things that are good happen to people largely by accident, but then they start looking for explanations. You see the views of rich, successful people on television, and they tell you why they got rich and successful; they don’t interview all the people who went through the same process and didn’t. I think most things are complete crap. I want to show that you can be fortunate without believing that your fortune was anything other than fortune."

"There are so many things we do that we hide from. We hack open cows and eat their guts but we compartmentalise that away from our lives so we can pretend it’s not happening. And on a larger, more important scale, if each of us acted individually to say ‘OK, we f…ed up the atmosphere, it is our personal responsibility’, humanity would behave in a very different way."

"One of the things about having money is that … I feel a bit of guilt and a level of privilege, and it seems to be an obligation to do something, and since art is what I’ve been doing....but it wasn’t really like that. It was: I bought this small gallery, bought a bigger one, and gradually it became something of this scale. It’s become a lot more serious endeavour than I intended it to be. There’s a bit of thumbing my nose at the establishment and trying to bypass academia, but mainly I just wanted it to be a bit of fun. And it is. And it will be."

"The gambling is all a computer thing that is going on right now".

Website

Museum of Old and New Art

Queensland: Cairns Reef Hotel Casino Poised To Raise Big Bucks For Flood Relief On Australia Day...

Punters, let's all spare a thought for those who have been attacked by the floods on Australia Day. Numerous events are being planed around Australia, from 'Sound Relief' to and initiative from the Cairns Reef Hotel Casino 'Bring on the Sun' It will be one of the biggest events on the Australia Day calendar for the city and all funds raised will go to the Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal. There's a good old fashioned sausage sizzle, competitions and female performers including the Marlins’ cheer squad. "The whole idea is slanted towards the female performer," entertainment manager Bruce Stewart said. "We’ve got an eclectic blend of female artists coming to perform as well." Cazalys, El Mundo Tapas Bar and the Marlin Coast Bowls Club will also host events to raise money for flood victims. Cairns Regional Council will hold events across the region, including the ever-popular celebrations on the Esplanade. Mayor Val Schier said the council was expecting a good attendance as usual with residents keen to get outside and celebrate our sunburnt country in the green and gold. "Even last year when it poured, a huge number of people came to the Aussie breakfast; we expect the same will happen this year, rain, hail or shine. It is one of those days where people can come together as a community and help celebrate why it is great to be an Australian. We live in a fantastic country and it is good for people to get out and enjoy it." Pubs and clubs will also get into the Aussie spirit with a number of activities on offer. Paradise Palms Resort and Country Club has a patriotic, fun-filled day planned with activities that pay homage to Australia’s heritage such as the much-anticipated pie-eating competition. "Everybody is welcome to come along and have some fun while tucking into our Aussie selection of meat pies, icy beers, lamingtons and classic Australian music by DJ Danny from Millennium Sounds," director of sales and marketing Darlene Holdsworth said.

Events

Join the celebrations

Paradise Palms Resort and Country Club Australia Day celebrations
What’s on: Australian menu served from noon in Restaurant 59, pie-eating and thong-throwing competitions start at 1.30pm. Pies, icy beers, lamingtons and classic Australian music on offer at the resort.
Time: 12pm. Entry free.

Bring on the Sun at Cairns Reef Hotel Casino
What’s on: Entertainment, sausage sizzle, raffles, jumping castle and more with all proceeds going to the Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal.
Time: 2pm. Entry free.

Shane Warne And Poker Mates Get VIP Star Treatment At Australian Open Tennis Sunday Night...

The spinner got there at 8pm hoping to get star VIP treatment for 14 of his closest mates. In the mix was was Joe Hachem, who he had earlier caught up with at the launch of the Aussie Millions Poker Tournament at Crown Casino. Warne requested an escort (no, not that type silly) when he arrived and posed mostly for photographs with his sunglasses on. He also spent time in Andy Roddick's player's box during his loss to Swissman Stanislas Wawrinka. It been a big couple of days for "poker her" for the legend, playing rendezvous with Liz Hurley in LA. He is expected to play in the second round of the poker tournament and could face off against Gary Ablett Jr and Jeff Fenech tomorrow. Blett made it through to the second round.

Australian Financial Review Goes Gaga For Lady Gaga; Gets Facts Wrong (We Think)...

It took us a few months of going through newspapers but we finally found the AFR to make a slip up, and its a doozy....An article reads "the complex will have a few upmarket bars, including one on the roof, and an events theatre to house live acts – think Lady Gaga – as well as awards nights." With Gaga's level of popularity she would require a much larger venue than Star City. Earlier this year, she - they played two concerts at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, capacity 12,000 or thereabouts. Do the math.

Australia's Kylie Minogue To Do The Colosseum At Caesars Palace Las Vegas: Aphrodite Live...

Mark is down Kylie fans the word over. She's doing Ceasers Sunday May 22, 2011 8pm

Melbourne: Aussie Joker Comedian Performs At Packer's Crown; Raises Cash For Flood Relief...

Melbourne folks at Crown Casino recently enjoyed 'The Jokers Comedy That Rocks' at Crown Casino. James Packer's casino donated all proceeds from last Friday night’s show to Queensland flood victims. Organiser William Leitch has happy with the way things went and showcased an evening with some of the city’s top stand-up artists, including Brad Oakes, Christine Basil and Greg Fleet. It's understood he got close to 150 people to come along, and he may be invited back on upcoming Friday nights.

Top 100 ASX Listed Companies Respond To Flood Cry For Help; Gambling And Gaming Industry Steps Up; Mining Firms and Banking Bastards Lead Charge...

1. BHP Billiton: $1.3 million (in addition, matching employee donations)

2. CBA: $1.35 million

3. Westpac: $1 million

4. ANZ: $1 million

5. NAB: $1 million

6. News Corp: $500,000 and Blue Ribbon campaign

7. Rio Tinto: $1 million ($700,000 to Premier Relief, $300,000 to Emerald community)

8. Wesfarmers: $7.5 million (plus $3.5 million from Coles customers)

9. Telstra Corp: up to $1 million by matching staff contributions (so far $338,000; is also supplying phones and free calls to people affected)

10. Woolside Petroleum: $122,395 (corporate + employees)

11. Woolworths: $6.9 million (matching customer donations in Woolies, Big W, Dick Smith dollar for dollar)

14. Fortescue Metals: Matching staff donations dollar for dollar

15. CSL: $250,000

16. QBE Insurance: not releasing a statement

17. Origin energy: $1 million

18. Macquarie Group: $200,000 (combined staff and company effort with fundraising activities continuing both here and overseas)

19. AXA Asia Pacific: No response

20. Santos: $500,000 plus use of helicopters and vehicles for clean up. Also $50,000 for flooding in WA

21. Coal and Allied Industries: (see Rio Tinto)

22. AMP: $250,000 + matching employee contributions to WA flood appeal up to $250,000

23. Suncorp Group: $100,000 (staff and customers have donated $1.5million)

24. Foster's Group: $500,000

25. Brambles: No response

26. Leighton Holdings: No response

27. Orica: No response

28. Oil Search: No response

29. Stockland: Donated $250,000 to the Premier's flood relief appeal, another $30,000 to the Mayoress Rockhampton regional flood appeal and are matching employee donations dollar for dollar

30. Coca. Cola Amatil: No response

31. Amcor: No response

32. Westfield Retail Trust: No response

33. IAG: No response

39. Crown: Donation tins in Crown complexes and have committed to matching all donations as well as staff contributions

52. Tabcorp Holdings: $1 million

78. Tatts Group: Going to run a dedicated lottery for the Queensland flood appeal where all profits will go to the Premier's Flood Appeal. They ran the same thing in Victoria after the Black Saturday bushfires. It will run on Wednesday 2 Feb in Queensland and is expected to raise $200,000. In addition, another donation will be made from the unclaimed prizes fund of an as. yet undecided amount

79. Fairfax Media: Matching staff donations

100. Seek: Reported it had made a donation to the Premier's Flood Appeal but chose not to disclose how much

Brisbane: Flood Relief Money Gets Spend On Pokies, Vice - Piss Up At Pubs...

It's been reported in a number of Queensland newspapers that the $1000 flood relief grants that went to many good folks in Granville are being used to feed slots and buy piss (beer) rather than food and necessities. Two Maryborough publicans say that in some instances the answer to that is yes, and they are disgusted. One of the publicans was so incensed by the misuse of flood relief money she telephoned Fairfax Media to complain. "A man came in bragging about how he’d got the $1000 payout because he told Centrelink he was stuck in Granville – but he was here the whole time. It makes me sick that people are openly admitting they’ve got the money for nothing, while there are people who’ve died or lost everything." She said Centrelink should have screened the applications more carefully to make sure only people who were genuinely in need received the cash. Another pub owner said his one armed bandits had not stopped buzzing since the grants became available. "We were quiet during the actual floods but this week’s been totally different. The pokies and the bottle shop have been going non-stop." Yeah, Aussie continue to love a punt, rain, hail, shine or flood!

Aussie Millions Game 8 Results...

The London based chap took down the $1,100 8 game mixed event title at Crown Casino in Melbourne adding AUD$23,800 to his almost $1.2 million in career tournament earnings. He entered the final table as the short stack, but managed to grind his way to victory and nudge away Australia's Bruno Portaro for the victory. The event marked Ashby's 8th final table appearance at the Aussie Millions that includes a side-event win back in 2005 and a seventh-place finish in the main event in 2009. Ashby also won his first WSOP bracelet this summer in the $1,500 7 Card Stud event and went well in the $10k H.O.R.S.E. for his biggest career score of $378,027. The 2011 Aussie Millions $1,100 8-Game Mixed event drew 68-players and paid the final 7.

Here are the results:
1 Richard Ashby AUD$23,800
2 Bruno Portaro AUD$16,320
3 Casey Kastle AUD$10,880
4 Daniel Ospina AUD$6,800
5 Oliver Gill AUD$4,760
6 Dane Coltman AUD$3,400
7 Paul Ravesi AUD$2,040

Aussie Main Event Day 1b: PartyPoker And Full Tilt Poker Players Feel The Pain...

PartyGaming's PartyPoker and Full Tilt Poker's powers that be likely won't be celebrating. Ok, they got news coverage and exposure, but its because their players are out. Yep, history maties. Full Tilt went well on Day 1a but Day 1b was rooted. Many of the big name pros went down for the count as locals stepped up. 209 players entered the Crown Poker room but after 7 levels of play, 80 remained. David Oppenheim, Annette Obrestad, Carlos Mortensen, David Benyamine, Andrew Feldman, Steve Yea, Andy Bloch and Gus Hansen were some of the Full Tilt players who died. Other casualties included Luke Santo, Raj Ramakrishnan, George Moussa, Michael Pedley, Graeme Putt, Martin Comer, Dennis Huntly, Jamie Pickering, Bruno Portaro, Casey Kastle, Ben Savage and Tim Marsters. 2005 World Champion Joe Hachem (tweeting he struggled with jetlag following a recent trip to the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure.) Defending champ, 2010 Aussie Millions Main Event winner Tyron Krost (PartyGaming's PartyPoker pro went down too). A new champ will be crowned in 2011 with plenty of Aussies still in contention. The field kicked off with Jeff Rossier in the lead with 154,900, closely followed by Michael Ottobra (143,400) and Martin Drewe, After winning the Opening Event last week and going deep in another event, Drewe is now set in the chip leaders in the Main Event after getting to 136,100. Jay “SEABEAST” Kinkade did nicely with 128,700, Haibo Chu (113,900), Manny Stavropoulos (85,600), Sorel Mizzi (74,400), Michael Egan (61,100), Kent Hunter (56,400), Jeff Lisandro (55,000), Eric Assadourian (50,300), Scott Montgomery (49,200), Chris Ferguson (45,400), Lee Nelson (30,200), Neil Channing (28,800), Roland de Wolfe (26,100), Aleks Brkovic (24,600), Jackie Glazier (21,900), Grant Levy (18,300), Gary Benson (10,500) and Mel Judah (7,200) amongst those who will return on Day 2. The 3rd and final flight of the 2011 Aussie Millions Main will commence Tuesday with another strong field and a few big names expected. Even Van Marcus will front up. Van, is your Red Ferrari safe this time mate? We're looking for more good fodder to write about. How about do a publicity stunt and make world wide headlines ago. Maybe someone at Crown Casino - Crown Limited might be open to it. Stanger things have happened... like Ferrari's getting stolen on site, casino fights and a man getting stuck in the Crown Casino kitchen grease vacuum.

Aussie Millions Event #9 Day 1b: Rossiter In Front...

It was down to business with players investing AUD$10,600 to buy in all with the goal of becoming the 2011 Aussie Millions Champion. 7 seven levels of play, and the 209-player field went to 80. Jeff Rossiter is in front with 154,900. Martin Drewe, 2011 Aussie Millions Event #1 winner with 136,100 - now 3rd on the leaderboard. Australian Jay Kinkade is on 128,700, and European Poker Tour mainstay Jeff Sarwer sits 5th with 120,500. Randy "nanonoko" Lew has 110,000 and Gavin Griffin 101,700 in 9th ninth and 10th place. Sorel Mizzi, Jeffrey Lisandro, Eric Assadourian, Team Full Tilt's Chris Ferguson, Full Tilt Poker Red Pros Scott Montgomery and Roland de Wolfe, Neil Channing, and Lee Nelson have also all made it to Wednesday's Day 2, but it was touch and go for some of them, testing the skill VS luck debate. Full Tilt Poker $25,000 Shootout Invitational winner David Oppenheim, Annette Obrestad, Carlos Mortensen, Andy Bloch, David Benyamine, Andrew Feldman, Gus Hansen, Joe Hachem, and David Steicke all had to say goodnight nurse. PartyGaming's - PartyPoker Tyron Krost was eliminated in a hand VS Gavin Griffin where his Ace-Queen couldn't best Griffin's Aces. The 3rd and final Day 1 flight commences Tuesday in Melbourne, Australia at 12:30 p.m. local time.

Getting board of poker yet? If so, try your luck er skill at Baccarat or Craps. If your more into luck, check out the slots like Cleopatra, Sinatra, Rambo, Goanna Gold and The Terminator. Rumour goes PartyGaming also have, or will soon get, a World Poker Tour themed online slot game. We recommend punters open an account with PartyCasino, PartyGaming and World Poker Tour, just to have all based covered. Party appears to still be the most popular online casino brand in Australia despite big efforts by the likes of 888. Marvel slot games are forecast to be some of the most popular of this year with Captain America and Thor tipped to hit Australia cinema's this year, with Spider-Man also getting a remake. Whatever your casino game of choice, good luck, and let us know how you go guys and girls. Spin to win.

Take the time to research and learn games before placing down money

Media Man, Casino News Media and Gambling911 are website portals. Not casinos as such, however are recognised as world leading websites that cover the sector and act as central points to games, news, reviews and more.

Readers... er, punters, how did you like our report? Tell us in the forum.

If you have a bet, please bet with your head, not over it, and for God's sake, have fun.

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming is just one of a dozen sectors covered

Aussie Pay TV Foxtel Top Dog Highlights Piracy Concerns With Hi Tech...

Foxtel big cheese (chief executive) Kim Williams has issued a public warning that the upcoming NBN (National Broadband Network) down under in Oz could quite likely increase video piracy. Williams, along a legal eagle, has encouraged Canberra members of Parliament and media companies, big and small, to campaign against the theft of intellectual property. Maybe KW say have effective the 'Get Up' and 'Internet Blackout' days were, where driven forward using media and people power. Williams advised that a co-ordinated effort of the TV industry, the government and the NBN Co as well as new laws were badly needed to prevent greater rates of piracy in a high-speed digital world. Readers, I think we know he's telling the truth, as apposed to some of the porkies coming out of the Labor government recently. "We need an allied plan in terms of appropriate legal adjustments, otherwise you are creating the equivalent of the largest road train in the world backing up to rob the world's largest jewellery store without the police force to stop them. Copyright theft and privacy are very serious crimes. Companies like Foxtel and other media companies that are dependent on the sanctity of intellectual property need to become much more effective advocates in working with government to find appropriate remedies." News Corp leaks have been spreading the message to other small and mediums size media outlets such as Media Man, in a way an insider described as "a kind of Wikileaks way". Copyright reform is high on the must do list for many media firms A "convergence review" of broadcast media policy announced by your friend and ours (satire) Communications Minister Stephen Conroy earlier this month is set to consider copyright issues, of which there are quite a few. "I think you'd have to be short-sighted not to be concerned about piracy," said another leaker from Australian free TV. "What we have had in our favour is the large file size of a TV show or movie which makes it harder to download, but clearly as technology gets better, you reduce the complexity of piracy." Foxtel regards the NBN as an "opportunity" and has embraced online distribution, getting a deal in place to broadcast channels online through Microsoft's Xbox console and offering sub customers a comprehensive movie download service. The FTA (free to air) networks are also offering catch-up TV services such as the ABC's iView player and James Packer's Network Ten has plenty on offer too, with Bondi Rescue understood to be the most popular over the past few years. TV execs reckon that their large audiences give them the scale to outbid new internet broadcasters for quality content. "Of all the media organisations in Australia, in television and electronic media at least, we are the most adaptive and most innovative and have the longest record of investing in innovation so it's business as usual for us," Williams said. Stay tuned for more on Aussie piracy (and privacy) wars.

Channel Nine: Nine Entertainment Co Poised For A Great 2011...

A fresh Channel Nine will be the one to watch next year as everyone awaits the forecast relisting on the ASX of the television network in the first half of 2011. Private equity owner CVC Asia Pacific looks about ready to launch an estimated $5 billion initial public offer after an improved ratings performance in 2010. Even better, improved advertising conditions for free-to-air television are in swing and likely to continue for many months, if not over a year. The owners have rebranded the network as Nine Entertainment, scrapping the PBL brand that had been associated with the television station, and revamped the management team headed up by David 'Gyng' Gyngell. A Media Man insider said "The smart money says this will work out well for Nine. We are ready to buy in. Network Ten was give a fresh life with Packer, we bought shares, and will do the same with Nine in a heartbeat. The support is there, and Network Nine has the richest history in Australian TV, not to mention the highest ratings when you look at the landscape over a few decades. They didn't get the tag 'The One' for nothing". Another insider on the funds side of things said a float was an "odds on" chance in 2011. CVC currently owns 99.3% of Nine Entertainment, which holds assets including Nine, ACP Magazines, ticketing firm Ticketek and half stakes in the NineMSN and carsales website portals. Then known as PBL Media, the company was formed when James Packer's Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd split its media and gaming assets circa 2006. 'Our James' held onto the gaming assets, such as Melbourne's famous tourism landmark, Crown Casino, and formed a JV with CVC on the media assets. CVC initially held 50% of Nine Entertainment, but increased its holding to 99.3% in 2008. Nine has roughly $4 billion of debt due to mature in 2013 and 2014. Gyngell told fund managers Nine Entertainment was expected to post a 35% increase in earnings in 2010/11, according to numerous news media reports. Nine is able to consider an IPO due in large part to the strong bounce in advertising in 2010, with most media companies reversing the savage declines experienced in 2009. Free-to-air television, which was one of the main beneficiaries of the lift in advertising, also received a boost thanks to a few government decisions. Communications Minister Stephen Conroy quickly cut TV licence fees by 33% in 2010 and 50% next year. Then, an updated anti-siphoning list gave pay-television the right to bid directly for some AFL and NRL footy games, thus also permitting the free-to-air stations to broadcast certain first-run events on their digital channels instead of their main channel. The latter concession could likely be good news for Ten Network Holdings Ltd's all-sport digital channel One. Ten's share registry was raided late in 2010, resulting in 3 new board members, the "forced" departure of executive chairman Nick Falloon and left a few folks up in the air about Ten's future. Packer returned to free-to-air television alongside mate Lachlan Murdoch in October, spending $280 million to buy 18% of the company and securing 2 seats on the board. The transaction is being investigated by the competition watchdog (ACCC) because Consolidated Media Holdings Ltd, chaired by Packer, and News Corp, of which LM is a director, both hold interests in ONE rival and pay-tv station Fox Sports. Some speculate that Packer is keen to shut down One, but we hope not, as we love the wrestling and UFC, as does much of the Aussie public. Ten's latest shareholder and director, mining tycoon and Australia's most well to do woman, Gina Rinehart, has also made next to no comment about why she bought 10% of the television network in November. While the ratings of ONE are smaller than the digital offerings from the other free-to-air digital channels such as GO! and 7Mate, the all-sport is profitable and drawing in viewers and advertisers.

Aussie Pay TV Operators Foxtel And Optus Get Cosy In Bed Together; Will Boost Subs...

Optus will commence marketing Foxtel to its customers again after the two companies inked a new deal on subscribers. The smart move comes around two years since Optus stopped actively promoting Fox. Foxtel is facing up to increased competition from the new free to air digital channels and Internet-delivered TV services. The new deal will see Optus customers offered Foxtel’s HD services for the first time via the iQ HD settop box. At present, Foxtel is offering 20 HD channels...a major point of difference to free to air, which has seen the main channels available only in standard definition since the launch of the secondary digital channels. Optus will also be able for the first time to sell Foxtel via satellite where it does not have a cable network, in order to build bundled offerings to customers. Foxtel CEO Kim Williams went on record, "The audio visual entertainment market is increasingly competitive with the arrival of terrestrial multichannels and new IPTV providers, and we welcome these agreements as they provide solid incentives for Optus to offer the full suite of Foxtel subscription services into the future." Optus CEO Paul O’Sullivan was prepared to say "Foxtel has been a strategic partner and customer of Optus for many years and we’re pleased to be able to extend the breadth of Foxtel services we sell to our customers." Come February the deals will be promoted to the public.

One HD; Network Ten: Be Prepared For Games and iGaming in 2011...

With the likes of media and gambling tycoon joining a board of directors come numerous benefits and unique opportunities, and Ten is learning quickly. Have you already spotted the gaming promos being ramped up? More mentions of Crown Casino on TV? How about the coverage of The Poker Star last year, and the appearance of Packer mates Shane Warne and Joe Hachem on The 7PM Project earlier this year, and all of the gaming related fundraisers. Coincidence? No, of course not. Insides tell Media Man to expect a lot more gaming, gambling and sports betting on the network next year, and maybe even some 2 way TV stuff, along with gaming related reality TV. Stay tuned to this dial for more on this developing news story.

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