While there have been plenty of technical issues, there’s a reason Kyle’s content connects with audiences.
Also in this edition of Media McKnight:
- ABC FOI Cover-up
- The good and bad from the Logies
- Big news for YouTube content creators
You can watch the video version of Media McKnight in the YouTube player below:
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KYLE’S TECH ISSUES CREATE GREAT CONTENT
I know there’s been a LOT of headlines about Kyle Sandilands and his new streaming service – and yes, there have still been technical issues this week – but you have to hand it to him when it comes to doing the right thing by his audience.
On Friday, the show was shut down early due to ongoing problems, leading to a video apology from newsreader Brooklyn Ross and Executive Producer Mayo (you can watch the clip in the video above).
But you have to give it to Kyle: to make up for Friday’s short show, he got everyone in on Sunday to make a bonus show while they sorted things out.
It’s this kind of stuff that really connects with the audience – and it’s why his fans have been so patient with everything.
Despite not being a ‘normal’ weekday episode, Kyle dropped a bombshell about his former employer ARN.
He claimed Dr Chris Brown would be taking over his old breakfast show on KIIS, alongside Amy Gerard.
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ARN and Brown have denied the claims, but they would, wouldn’t they.
Kyle is very connected, and knowing how these things work, I am not willing to rule it out – in fact, I’d suggest it is most likely happening.
And it will be the KIIS of death for ARN. I’ll be explaining why in Thursday’s edition of INSIDE MAIL on The Daily Mail website.
Meanwhile, you might be thinking that with all these technical issues the show is unwatchable – that is far from the truth.
It’s a very easy watch/listen in the morning and I find it a fun alternative to the TV breakfast shows.
I’m generally across the news cycle anyway and can catch up with any major developments in my social media feed, so having this on the background while I work away is my new morning routine.
And it was good to see Kyle’s manager, Bruno Buchet, take a much-needed day off Tuesday morning.
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On Monday, he didn’t look good – looking like he had finally hit the wall after months of sleepless nights.
Kyle Sandiland’s manager Bruno Buchet didn’t look good on Monday’s show after months of sleepless nights getting the show ready (image – KS LIVE)
Fans were worried; hell, I was worried, but he wanted to keep going.
Kyle explained on Tuesday morning that it took his wife to come in and drag him home because he wouldn’t listen to anyone.
Bruno returned to the show on Wednesday looking much better.
We love you Bruno – you’ve done an amazing job… but get some more sleep!
THE ABC’S OF COVER-UPS
It seems staff within the ABC have learnt the fine art of avoiding transparency by making sure they don’t put anything in writing.
Last week I gave an update about my ongoing FOI application with the organisation about my reporting on its plans for national news over Easter.
Well, the second round of FOI documents has come through and – wouldn’t you know it – a document has suddenly turned up that wasn’t supplied as part of my original request.
While this email is short, it explains everything you need to know about the ABC.
In response to my original email, the PR/Comms person forwarded it to former head of news Justin Stevens, news executive Donna Field and Melanie Withnall.
What did it say?
“Let’s discuss offline”
I think that says it all.
No paper trail in case of an FOI request, and no acknowledgement the Government broadcaster tried to discredit my reporting by changing its plans and misrepresenting that to other media.
I think this is outrageous. They have programmes that demand transparency from the Government and they would be outraged if politicians tried this on them.
Why is this matter being discussed ‘offline’?
We all know – because they don’t want to leave a paper trail.
They don’t want accountability for misleading the media by issuing false statements.
So I have submitted a new FOI request that is not limited to emails, but now broadens the search to any notes, text messages, or any other forms of records about this matter held by Sally Jackson, Donna Field, Melanie Withnall and Justin Stevens.
I’ll keep you updated.
CAN YOU HELP?
Before we go to our next story, I have a favour to ask.
If you know any advertisers who would be a good fit for McKnight Tonight or Media McKnight, can you please get them to email [email protected].
We have great content that’s really connecting with audiences and we’re really starting to see results on YouTube.
But we need some help.
So, if you know an advertiser or someone who’d like to help us keep going, please get them to pop me an email – it will help us keep doing what we do from our garage on the Gold Coast.
THE LOGIES – THE GOOD AND THE BAD
The Logies have come and gone for another year, and there’s been plenty of commentary about Robert Irwin hosting the awards.
He delivered pretty much what I expected – plenty of enthusiasm but little in terms of comedy.
And can someone please explain the point of the Russell Coight opener?
I get the idea of doing something fun, but when Irwin passed out and started dancing, I thought it was some big elaborate skit.
Nup.
It felt like we were back in the ‘70s again.
While it wasn’t a bad idea to have a fun opener with Glenn Robins, it was like the writers didn’t know where to take it and clumsily added a segue into the dancing routine, which I guess had already been planned?
Meanwhile, I sort of have my tail between my legs after the video edition of Media McKnight went live on Tuesday night.
I did a whole piece about a continuity error I picked up when Irwin and Coight shook hands, as you can see in the screenshots below.
Russell Coight and Robert Irwin shake hands (image – 7)
In the close up shot of Coight and Irwin shaking hands, Irwin is wearing a different top (image – 7)
But apparently that’s a running gag in the ‘All Aussie Adventures’ series.
Obviously I wasn’t a viewer (although I do enjoy the character).
I’m happy to be called out for my ‘mistake ’, but isn’t it a bit weird to include an inside joke that doesn’t make sense to Logies viewers who haven’t watched the series?
Meanwhile, Deb Mailman being inducted into the Hall of Fame was the highlight, and I loved A Country Practice also being included, but did we need a third with Andrew Denton?
Nothing against Denton, but three was just too many, although I do like the idea of one person and one show being awarded the Hall of Fame.
The show rated really well, delivering 1.3 million for the red carpet and just under 1.5 million for the awards proper.
And what about Hey Hey It’s Saturday the list of Top TV shows – despite being snubbed from TV WEEK’s shortlist. To come in at number 25 is quite the achievement considering the shortlist was designed to prompt readers.
Most of the shows that made the top 70 were from the shortlist devised by TV Week of 140 shows.
So well done Daryl Somers and team – you did well despite the odds being against you.
YOUTUBE YOUR #1 SOURCE FOR NEWS?
YouTube is pivoting towards news and is set to change the benchmarks you need to achieve to be able to monetise your content.
Starting in February, creators will have to reach 8,000 watch hours over 12 months or 20 million Shorts views within 90 days, to be accepted into the YouTube Partner Program.
That’s double the previous thresholds.
Why?
It’s all about providing brand safety to advertisers.
As reported by Puck news, Ruben Ceuppens, a longtime digital media strategist and marketer wrote on Linkedin that “advertisers increasingly want predictability: known creators, established patterns, [and] lower risk of controversy blindsiding a campaign. … By raising the bar to qualify for ad revenue, YouTube is effectively narrowing its pool of monetized creators to those with a longer track record.”
Basically, you will get rewarded the longer you’re on the platform, and the algorithm understands your content.
It’s expected hundreds of thousands of amateur creators, who have built their livelihoods around views, engagement metrics, and AdSense, will feel the affect of these new changes as their channels become less profitable.
And there was also this bit in the Puck article that really caught my attention:
According to the most recent Reuters Institute study on audience behavior, more than 75 percent of people now watch news via online sources like YouTube. For the first time since Reuters started tracking news consumption habits, more people watch online news videos than tune into broadcast or cable news.
That’s why you’re starting to see a lot of ex-TV news journos popping up on YouTube.
They bring credibility, and YouTube provides a popular platform.
I don’t know what these changes mean for my channel, but I’m hoping the content I deliver will become more prominent in the algorithm… it’s been slow, by steady growth for us, and it feels like we really are getting somewhere.
Media McKnight is published on YouTube every Tuesday at 8pm AEST at YouTube.com/@McKnightTonight.
The article goes live on the TV Blackbox website every Wednesday morning.
Send your tips to: [email protected]
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