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As we enter the new decade, the media industry will be greatly influenced by changes in technology, platforms and trends that are rapidly reshaping the media landscape. The industry is constantly in a period of accelerating change, but we have identified a few major trends that will greatly change the space that PR and media professionals operate in. These trends will provide new territories and opportunities for businesses to explore, and open new ways to communicate with audiences.

TECHNOLOGY

New technologies are continuously redefining the media landscape and the ways people communicate with brands, businesses, clients and the public. While augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence technologies have been emerging in the industry over the last decade, they will scale and influence consumers in new ways.  We will see more innovative, useful, and immersive experiences being built by businesses embracing AR, such as creating interactive maps and layers to the existing world. 

PLATFORMS

The rise of audio platforms will see more businesses publish audio content, integrate audio interactions to their owned platforms, and build an audio marketing presence. With the podcast industry increasingly gaining traction and smart speaker and smart home devices becoming more advanced, audio and voice-based digital interactions will become just as natural as tapping on a phone or streaming a video.

These advanced technologies are resulting in media platforms and communication channels becoming both more nuanced and more niche. The boundary between traditional and new media is blurring, with no longer a clear distinction between paid, owned, earned and shared media.

TRENDS

With visible like counts disappearing from popular social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, content creation will shift from trying to cultivate a mass following to creating ways to engage more meaningfully with audiences. This will see a rise in subscription-based content, interactive content and a more authentic profile.

The demand for authentic content is growing and the public is craving to see brands and businesses embrace transparency, social responsibility and authentic engagement.  

2020 and beyond is set to be an exciting time in the media industry as these technologies and trends continue to develop and shape our experiences. These trends will help guide the narratives, strategy and services KDPR provides for our clients and as ever, enable us to help you navigate the media landscape and leverage these trends for your business.

With the internet bringing all the information in the world to our fingertips, it’s never been easier to expand your business, reach new people and gain clients. Digital networking platforms such as LinkedIn make it simple to find specific, targeted connections, and building your business network can be done in a matter of minutes. Establishing connections online is second nature, but progressing the conversation further than the exchange of a few ‘likes’ is still as much of a challenge than ever. Conversation remains the most valuable tool in any businessperson’s arsenal, so make an effort to connect with people in real life, not just on socials.

Take the opportunity to network everywhere

Networking opportunities are everywhere, from your local coffee shop to awards ceremonies to large-scale conferences. You never know who you will meet in the most unlikely of places, so be prepared with business cards and your best handshake next time you go to your local.

However, you shouldn’t wait for such opportunities to come to you – be proactive at seeking out networking events. Industry networking events are the most beneficial and the most enjoyable because they bring the community together for a productive discussion about an industry relevant issue. This provides an excellent talking point for your networking conversations and offers a fantastic learning experience from your business peers and the wider community.

Don’t forget to talk about you

Networking mentality tends to focus on what other people and businesses have done, or what they can do for you. It’s more valuable to emphasise what you and your business can do for them. Networking can be more than just collecting a bunch of business cards to use later down the track. Let this be an opportunity to convey the excellent work your business has done and the innovative strides you have taken to make it happen.

Now do it!

Bring your team to the next relevant networking event and show off the great projects you and your company are responsible for, learn from the innovations of others, and watch your business network with other industry professionals grow.

Upcoming networking events:
The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) inaugural Corporate Social Responsibility Gala Dinner will be a great way to converse with other business leaders, while learning innovative ways to incorporate CSR into your own organisation and also celebrating the achievements of the AmCham business community at large.
When: Thursday 7 November, 2019
Time: 7pm – 11pm
Where: W Brisbane, 81 North Quay, Brisbane, QLD 4000
More information: https://www.amcham.com.au/Web/AmCham/Events/Event_Display.aspx?EventKey=040060

Supermarket chain collectables such as Coles’ little shop and Woolworths’ Ooshies have proven to be successful with the public, with families loving the collectable and kitschy toy giveaways that have turned the once-dreaded trip to the grocery store into an exciting family outing. Families have even gone so far as to buy and sell rare collectables online for thousands of dollars!

However, both Coles and Woolworths received much public backlash for their mass plastic waste in these schemes as they launched shortly after the supermarket chains supported the nationwide elimination of single-use plastic bags in stores.  

In an attempt to restore their public image, a few weeks ago Woolworths revealed a new collectable promotion called ‘Discovery Garden’, where herb and flower seedlings grown in mini pots are the collectable elements. From a PR perspective, the upcoming campaign is a great move for the company.

 Here’s what we can learn from Woolworths’ decision to go plant instead of plastic:

Listen to your publics

Despite the collectable craze, a large number of parents have boycotted the giveaway schemes as public angst on plastic waste continues to grow.  There was an angry sentiment among the public, branding the Ooshies campaign as reckless, with a majority of the plastic toys expected to end up as landfill. This overtook Woolworths’ social media and the sentiment was seconded in the mainstream media. By making the switch to a more sustainable collectable, Woolworths have demonstrated that they not only listen to feedback from the public, but they actually do something about it.

Building on the hype of an already successful scheme and but making it more nuanced in accordance with public advice will always give you success.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Now more than ever, publics are choosing organisations based on their perceived brand values and ethics. Publics are demanding transparency, sustainability and social responsibility from places they work, shop, play and live. Corporate social responsibility is a growing concept in the PR industry; it’s about building brand equity beyond lawfulness and profit-making. Woolworth’s move from plastic to plants is a reaction to the ever-growing public awareness of wastage and sustainability in Australia – and it came at just the right time. The sustainable alternative to the Ooshies campaign shows Woolworths to be environmentally responsible for the actions – a huge step in the right direction as far as the public is concerned.

Build on the hype with strategic planning

The supermarkets got it right – families loved the concept of having a children’s incentive to make the grocery shop just that little bit easier. Children and parents alike went crazy, so the media did as well. Every media mention is an opportunity to accrue value for your organisation’s brand. Key messaging, timing and use of all platforms should be considered when your organisation is in the limelight. Taking the time to create a strategic plan alongside mass public attention can be incredibly beneficial for brand equity and brand growth.

If you would like to know more about KDPR’S brand reputation and strategic planning services, please get in touch with us today via (07) 3136 2555 or .

The heat from the MasterChef kitchen rose to an all-time high with the unexpected exit of all three judges Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris. The Network 10 program announced on its official Twitter page last Tuesday 23 July, premature to Season 11’s grand finale, the trio would not be returning as judges for Season 12. The announcement left the judges and viewers shocked and confused as to how this came to play.

Over the coming days, news unfolded that the unexplained departure was caused by an inability for Network 10 and the celebrity chef trio to come to an agreement on contracts after months of negotiation. With tensions still looming around George Calombaris’ staff payment dispute through his hospitality business, Made Establishment, many concluded that this was the final chop irrespective of Network 10 CEO, Paul Anderson putting the rumours at bay.

With so much at stake, as previously rated the most-watched TV program across Australia, the question remains whether Network 10 shot themselves in the foot with this shock announcement. From a Public Relations standpoint, the decision felt rushed and lacked strategic planning, coupled with the sensitive timing of allegations made against Calombaris.

Here’s what we can learn from the PR mishap involving MasterChef:

1. Keep your employees in the loop

There is nothing more damaging to a company’s reputation than a disgruntled staff member coming forward to the media explaining to the nation that the company failed to communicate. The first step of demonstrating a successful reputation externally is having a solid internal communications strategy in place. In the case of Network 10, notifying the trio prior to the public announcement would have avoided the incident of Matt Preston coming forward on ABC Melbourne’s radio detailing his understanding of the decision coming from MasterChef’s Twitter announcement.  

2. Timing is everything

Dropping the fiery announcement of new judges after 11 years, hours before the 2019 grand finale was perhaps not an ideal situation considering the importance of viewer ratings for television. In result, the Season 11 grand finale ratings slipped by 612,000 viewers from last year’s Season 10 grand finale. When it comes to major changes in a business, no time may be perfect but taking advantage of the most ideal time is crucial.   

3. Strategic planning is key

The Network 10 announcement was a pivotal moment for MasterChef with the judges having hosted the show since its inception in 2009. When it comes to business milestones, taking the time to create a strategic plan before making major announcements can either make or break your organisation’s reputation. Key messaging, spokespeople, use of platforms and timing all need to be considered with the environment your organisation is in both internally and externally.

4. The changes are enhancing not diminishing

For MasterChef, playing on the exciting unknown of “Who will be the next judges?” is something the program executed successfully. Whilst many media outlets reflected on the decision negatively, the guessing game of who will be fresh meat was an undertone in many discussions across news panels and social media dialogue. It is crucial to understand your audience and develop messaging to not only flag changes, but build hype for your audience to eagerly anticipate the next chapter of your company. 

If you would like to know more about KDPR’s crisis communication and strategic planning services, please get in touch with us today via (07) 3136 2555 or .

A few weeks ago, Australian swimming, Shayna Jack was withdrawn from the world championships for “personal reasons”. However, news broke over the weekend that Jack had in fact failed a drug test. Jack has since responded with a detailed 2-page statement in an attempt to restore her reputation and provide transparency. She states that she discovered her A sample results on July 12 and her B sample results on July 19. These dates indicate that Swimming Australia (SA) was aware of the failed drug test 2 days before Australia swimmer, Mack Horton took a public stand against convicted drug user Sun Yang of China.

Since Horton’s protest, he has received many threats on his Instagram and a lot of scrutiny for refusing to stand on the podium alongside Yang. Swimming Australia allowed Mack to maintain his position and supported his decision, knowing they were hiding their own drug scandal from the public. This has now intensified the vicious backlash Swimming Australia is experiencing and has resulted in people around the world labelling Horton as a hypocrite.

Swimming Australia CEO, Leigh Russell claimed the organisation didn’t release an accurate statement regarding Jack’s absence from the world championships as they needed the test results back.  Jack’s recent statement proves that SA had the test results back nine days before making a statement, contradicting Russell. Russell also claimed SA could not announce the test results because of an agreement with the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA). Former ASADA boss Richard Ings later declared this was untrue.

To make matters even worse, Swimming Australia did not have an official address to the media at the world championships on Saturday when Jack’s story broke. This resulted in Horton being approached by media for comment and fellow Australian swimmer Cate Campbell having to speak on behalf of the team.

Swimming Australia is now in hot water with their credibility and honesty being questioned, requiring extensive reputation management to stay afloat.  Here are our PR takeaways:

What Swimming Australia did wrong:

• Attempted to cover up Shayna Jack’s positive doping test by reducing her absence to “personal reasons”
• Didn’t inform the public or offering a spokesperson to media
• Allowed media to talk to swimmers and made Cate Campbell speak on behalf of the team
• Didn’t provide an honest statement to the media, resulting in contradicting Shayna Jack
• Failed to notify the swimming squad of Jack’s failed test
• Let Horton make his global stance, knowing it would hang him out to dry once Jack’s news broke
• Wrongfully pushed the blame on the ASADA agreement
• Made all coaches and athletes who were aware of the situation stay silent for the three weeks before news broke

What Swimming Australia did right:

• Sent Shayna Jack home immediately
• Took accountability for dealing with the media in the wrong way

What Swimming Australia should have done:

• Informed the Dolphins squad of the situation and offered support
• Made a single spokesperson available for media
• Limited media’s access to Shayna and the team, and ensured all media requests were directed to the spokesperson to avoid speculation and misinformation
• Released a statement as soon as they were aware and held a press conference to offer consistent and accurate messages
• Supported Shayna Jack in making a statement that aligned with SA
• Not allowed Mack Horton to make a public stance against China to avoid personal backlash

What Swimming Australia should do now:

• Ensure completely transparency and accountability is maintained
• Media train CEO Leigh Russell and ensure all messaging is consistent throughout Swimming Australia
• Ensure no other swimmers, coaches or members of Swimming Australia talk to media to achieve seamlessness
• Offer Shayna Jack the necessary media training and support she requires

If you would like to know how KDPR can assist with your own media training or brand management, please get in touch with us today via 3136 2555 or .

Instagram users in Australia will now be unable to see the number of ‘likes’ a post receives, as the social media giant trials changes to take the “competition” out of posting. Starting today, this trial update will remove the total number of likes on photos and viewings of videos on Australian user feeds and profiles, and permalink pages. If you’re sitting there freaking out about what this will mean for you and your business who utilise and rely on social media, never fear!

Here’s what you and your business need to know:

1. HOLD UP…your likes and engagement metrics will NOT be affected

This change won’t affect measurement tools for businesses and creators on Instagram, and all likes and engagement metrics will still be available in those tools.

2. You can still see your own likes

Users will still be able to see the number of likes received on their own posts, but not others. If you would like to see who exactly has liked someone else’s post, you can click through to the list of users who liked the post, you just can’t see the specific number.

3. RELAX…this is a positive change

While you may have been stressed and confused when you woke up to this news this morning, this trial feature is designed to “remove the pressure” and take the “competition” out of posting. Instagram is giving you and your business the freedom to express yourself and be creative without fear of falling short in the number of likes.

4. FOCUS ON AUTHENTICITY

The economy of likes has increasingly lost its meaning. These days anyone can call themselves an influencer based on the number of tiny little red hearts they receive on a post. There is more to Instagram, and life than likes. This is a timely reminder that social media should be used as a way to genuinely connect with your community and stakeholders. Focus on delivering quality content for your followers that demonstrates your passion and creativity, rather than trying to produce content that will be ‘popular.’

If you would like to take your business social media platforms to the next level and learn how to successfully engage with your audience, get in touch with us today to find out more about our social media training sessions. Let us plan and implement a strategic communications plan for your businesses’ social media and give your brand a voice.

KDPR is a respected PR communications agency with a reputation built on consistent innovation, effective strategy, clear communication and lasting results. KDPR offer clients a helping hand in the ever-changing world of media and social media.

Please contact KDPR’s Director, Kristin Devitt for more information on what we can offer you via phone on 3136 2555 or email her at .

It was the news that shocked the Australian media community—the announcement that Nine and Fairfax are merging together to create a joint venture, becoming Australia’s largest media powerhouse, known as Nine.

In order to wrap our heads around the merger, we’ve dived into what this means, how it will impact on media consumers, and what it means for the Australian media landscape, PR professionals and their clients, moving forward.

The merger will see Nine Entertainment Co. and Fairfax Media Limited combining television, online video streaming, print, digital news, radio ventures and real-estate advertising under one roof.

Nine will be the dominant shareholder with 51.1% and the board will consist of six directors, with three from each media organisation. The combined business will be headed by Nine Chief Executive Officer Hugh Marks, and the new board will be chaired by Nine Chairman Peter Costello.

What the merger means for Nine and Fairfax

Although it has been called a ‘merger’, Nine holds a larger share and has acquired Fairfax and its portfolio of newspapers, radio, real-estate business Domain and its share of online streaming service, Stan.

The merger has been criticised by the industry as a Nine takeover and questions have been raised about ongoing editorial direction.

Stan, created in 2014 and launched in 2015, was originally owned as a 50/50 venture between Nine and Fairfax investing $50 million each into the Australian streaming service. Under the new Nine, Stan and its content will be 100% owned and facilitated by the company.

This may strongly impact what content Stan will produce in the coming years and how Nine will implement their current programs through the streaming service.

Domain will also pay a massive role in the merger, with plans to connect the online real-estate platform with one of Nine’s leading programs, The Block. This will also lead to more targeted advertising, moving from the online digital new sites into television and with more advertising comes more money.

The repercussions of the merger

With company mergers in the current media landscape, there is always the consideration of job loss.

With Nine taking ownership of Fairfax, the employees would all be wondering where they fit into this new venture and whether their job still exists.

Nine and Fairfax have said the merger would deliver an annual saving of at least $50 million over the next two years.

The $50 million question is whether some of the money is made up of Fairfax journalists’ wages.

The legacy of Fairfax

In the announcement of the merger, there was talk of the legacy of Fairfax and the role they have played in Australian media over the last 180 years.

Fairfax is the mother company to many of Australia’s newspapers and online news sites including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian Financial Review, Brisbane Times, and The Canberra Times.

Will these newsrooms merge working spaces with the local Nine television studio offices? Will the content displayed across all former Fairfax newspapers and sites be the same content we see every night on Nine television? Is there so much talk of Fairfax’s legacy because Australian journalism as we know it will be changed forever?

There are just so many questions that remain unanswered.

Commentary to Date

The announcement has garnered a lot of commentary to date.

“The old rivers of gold that used to be the print publications are now the digital rivers of gold.” – Nine CEO Hugh Marks

“The ability to leverage the great audiences that we have and the marketing inventory that we have, to grow Stan, to grow Domain, as we have done within a publishing context but to broaden that out into TV is something that everyone will benefit from.” – CEO Fairfax Media

“To be fair, Nine has invested heavily in news in recent years—including regional news—and its reputation is generally good.” – Paul Barry, Media Watch

“But I’d just say, though, that the ability of two businesses like that to be able to consolidate will put them in a stronger position to compete and, I think, in a stronger position to support quality journalism, whether it is in print or online or on TV.” – Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull

“Our changes to media law are giving the opportunity for Australian media organisations to look at how they can make themselves the strongest they can be.” – Liberal Senator Mitch Fifield

“It’s a brutal end for Fairfax – but media is changing, and we can change it for the good.” – Guardian Australia’s Editor Lenore Taylor

“The merger of Australia’s second biggest free-to-air TV network with the second biggest newspaper publisher will result in a $4 billion-company that is second only to News Corp in size and impact.

That will put pressure on its media rivals, particularly the other commercial free-to-air networks, Seven and Ten.” – ABC Senior Reporter Anne Barker

What does this mean for PR professionals and their clients?

The media landscape is constantly evolving, diversifying, and refining its offer in a bid to attract and keep paying customers. PR professionals constantly monitor media movements and follow journalists as they move around news rounds and fulfil more general reporting duties. The changes will keep the PR industry on their toes navigating the new gatekeepers to editorial delivery.

PR professionals will be monitoring what happens to the 160 regional newspapers where Nine has no presence or interest—will they survive the merger? Will regional communities be cut out of the media landscape?

Concerns about media homogenisation are also valid in a landscape with little diversification of voice. Will Fairfax start to sound like Nine? Will media stories picked up by editorial teams be limited by whether or not they align synergistically with the Nine brand?

What is the future of investigative collaborations, such as the one between Fairfax and the ABC, which resulted in the Royal Banking Commission? Will the Fourth Estate be able to fulfil its duty and hold government and the private sector accountable for the betterment of society when the Fourth Estate appears to be shrinking? Only time will tell.

It is hard to know what the future holds for this new venture but Australia’s media and PR world will be watching closely to see what happens next.

Words by Hannah Palmer

A new channel of opportunity has entered the marketing sphere with the launch of IGTV. Brands, personalities, marketers, and corporations now have a new method of telling their story and reaching their audience with the new video sharing channel on Instagram.

Instagram, the photo and video sharing social networking platform, has released their new TV function (IGTV), making Instagram a strong competitor against platforms such as YouTube.

What sets IGTV apart from YouTube and traditional television is the formatting of the videos; full-screen and portrait, suited to specifically fit the shape of mobile devices and revolutionising video viewership.

While this orientation is not new to Instagram (Instagram stories have allowed snippets of portrait videos), videos are no longer limited to one minute and instead can be up to an hour long.  This gives media outlets the option to produce longer content on the app for viewers.

Instagram, though, is not alone in its adoption of portrait formatting with the introduction of Snapchat Discovery in 2015, where user-generated content was easily uploadable, accessible and sharable.

Instagram began as a platform to share photos and extended to video, live video, direct messaging and stories, modifying to suit the shifting social media paradigm. With YouTube gaining more than one billion daily views, Instagram has addressed the larger engagement rate of videos by producing a platform to directly compete with YouTube.

What IGTV means for creators

As Instagram has recently reached one billion monthly actives, the introduction of IGTV will allow content creators already with large fan-bases to share more with their followers with the TV function accessible in a stand-alone app as well as within the Instagram app.

IGTV allows easy user access to different content creator’s channels as video from followed channels starts playing as soon as the app is opened. With ‘For You’, ‘Following’, ‘Popular’, and ‘Continue Watching’ pages, smaller creators, or channels, can reach broader audiences as their content is recommended to users who are most likely to enjoy it.

Instagram has recruited big online influencers such as Lele Pons and LaurDIY to promote the new platform with uploads of casual vlogs, leading the way in expressing the sort of relaxed content Instagram wishes its platform to share.

Video Style

By limiting videos to the portrait orientation, the app is suited towards phone-filmed footage, encouraging more raw content.

The production quality of videos uploaded to IGTV does not have to be as heavily edited or polished as a TV show or film, but rather it will have a focus on entertaining audiences with limitless options of videos ranging from vlogs (video blogs) to event footage.

Advertising & IGTV

Currently IGTV isn’t monetised and the platform isn’t being used for advertisements or as payment for content creators. Videos will have link-out options, allowing content creators to send traffic to other social networking websites, extending their Instagram audience to other platforms.

With each video not needing to be entirely serious, businesses can attach links to their own websites, creating interesting content for users while promoting visitation of their external sites. 

Videos, once too long for Instagram, can now be reposted to a new audience. Promotion of products and events can now be marketed through longer-form video on Instagram, reaching an already accumulated following as well as other users, who are most suited to the product or event, through the recommendation of videos.

With a large population of influencers on the platform, businesses are encouraged to arrange brand deals with popular influencers to increase visibility of products as well as increase production creativity in their own content.

IGTV provides a personalised feed, within the viewer’s phone, creating a platform with opportunities for marketing through entertainment. It’s a fresh way to tell brand stories and we at KDPR can’t wait to start creating IGTV for brands wanting to elevate their messaging.

Words by Ciara Morgan