MEDIAWATCH: Go-woke-go-broke Today FM fiasco sinks Mediaworks

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Up to 90 jobs to go at MediaWorks, staff told in email today

MediaWorks has today told its staff up to 90 jobs could be slashed.

The Herald understands staff today received an email from chief executive Cam Wallace.

“As with many businesses in New Zealand, we are not immune to the impacts of the current economic factors [including] a likely recession this year, which will see a dampening demand from advertisers across the board.”

The email added: “I know this news will be unsettling for many MediaWorkers and we are committed to supporting our teams throughout this process.”

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Wow!

The Today FM fiasco has been so bad it has swallowed Mediaworks with it!

Has there ever been a bigger blunder in NZ Media?

Mediaworks was the golden goose! It made so much money because the cost of producing radio advertising is so low.

MediaWorks cut off the TV arm that was costing them, bought a Billboard company and they were set for an incredible future, but then David Farrier launched a really dirty character assassination campaign against Sean Plunkett…

…alongside The Spin Off that destroyed Magic Talk and led to the disastrous Today FM.

Farrier and The Spinoff woke cancellation campaign should have been resisted by MediaWorks, but they freaked out, killed off MagicTalk and spent $9million in launching Today FM which promptly sank to 1.4% ratings which is the lowest Talkback ratings in NZ history.

By crashing Today FM, ZB was able to dominate and there was always a point where the people who sunk all this money into killing off MagicTalk and replacing it with the mediocrity of Today FM were going to say, ‘Where is my money’?

Radio advertising is an important indicator of the NZ Economy and with rumours circulating that NZME are about to start massive job cuts as well shows an industry that is suffering and hurting.

If you a Mediaworks staff member about to lose their job because Management fucked up and were spooked by a woke tantrum from David Farrier and The Spinoff, you’ll be pretty pissed right now.

MediaWorks management need a long hard look at themselves for this blunder.

When you go woke, you go broke.

Sean Plunkett on The Platform will be laughing all the way to the Bank.

Has there ever been a media meltdown as spectacular as this?

 

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27 COMMENTS

  1. Amazing they haven’t fired Tova yet, clearly nobody wants to listen to her! Ironically Sean had more listeners on his midday slot.

  2. The problem with Tova is realistically her best asset is her looks therefore the wrong person for radio.
    Her only real radio asset was her relationship with the PM although that is no longer relevant and otherwise was strained at the back end of the year.
    The big lump Lloyd Burr was OKish but is going up against a star in HDPA.

    Quite clearly <40yr old white collar females would rather listen to Fletch and Vaughan on ZM than talk back. who would have fucking thought that was the case……

  3. Good article Martyn. Thank you.
    I am so glad for Sean Plunkett that he started The Platform. He is a talented guy and has much to offer. I always appreciate his insights and analysis plus interesting guests.
    Mediaworks heads have only got themselves to blame for where things are now.

  4. uggh – talkback – what person with a brain would submit themselves to that sort of torture. Commercial radio in NZ is just a conservative wank fest.

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