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Friday, July 08, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Monday, May 02, 2011
TV Week Logies: Underbelly Dirani Wins Logies; Dieter Brummer Crown Casino Assault, by Greg Tingle - 2nd May 2011
This years Underbelly was both a big winner and loser at the TV Week Logies. James Packer's Crown Casino was rocking and rolling, before, during and after The Logies. Australia's night of nights - the TV Week Logie Awards hit James Packer's Crown Casino with a vengeance. Good thing that security was on high alert for The Palladium and JJ's parts of the casino. We are also pleased to report that there was no repeat of last years Twitter-Gate, where one writer was fired for inappropriate Tweets. Plastic handcuffs were not required as far as we can muster, but there was at least one arrest...of an Underbelly star. Media Man with the Crown Casino - Underbelly special live from Crown. Greg Tingle flew down to Melbourne to cover both TV and real life underbelly, learning that life still does sometimes imitate art even in Australian Underbelly...
Photo by Eva Rinaldi Photography
Underbelly: AussieWood and Real Life Big Hits At TV Week Logies...
Life appears to have imitated art at James Packer's Crown Casino in the early hours of this morning when Underbelly actor Dieter Brummer allegedly became involved in an "incident" with up to five security guards.
Victorian police were called to the Crown Casino complex and the 34-year-old bloke from North Bondi was charged with intentionally causing injury, recklessly causing injury, unlawful assault, behaving in a riotous manner and being drunk in a public place. Yes, quite a list.
Crown spokesman Gary O'Neill told the Herald that CCTV footage and a security report was being handed over to police.
O'Neill said he had seen the footage, which he claimed indicated Crown's security guards had "followed the appropriate procedures for dealing with these situations".
He politely declined to comment any further, but shared "People see these things differently, it is now up to the police to do their work."
Following the Logie awards, Brummer was having a drink or five at the JJs Bar inside the Crown Complex, which each year is the venue for the Network Nine afterparty. Channel Nine is the broadcast partner of the Logies.
The Underbelly hit show, which showcases the underworld down under in Australia and has been watched by millions of Aussies, has been one of the network's biggest hits and received plenty of Logies this year.
Brummer and other stars of the show, including Firas Dirani were in a party state of mind throughout the evening.
Reports have come to light that Brummer was asked to leave the Nine party, although this has not been proven at the time we go to press.
Witnesses told the press they saw Brummer being pinned to the carpet outside JJs Bar and heard him screaming at the five guards to "get off me".
Some observers were also seen filming the alleged incident on their mobile phone cameras.
The man was taken from Crown Casino at 2.25am to nearby Prahran police station to be charged.
He will appear before Melbourne Magistrates Court on August 29.
Life can imitate art, for better or worse.
Underbelly's Firass Dirani Kicks Ass At Logies...
For Underbelly: The Golden Mile’s leading man Firass Dirani there was reasons for trifecta celebration after snatching the Most Popular New Male Talent and Graham Kennedy Award For Most Outstanding New Talent Awards, as well as bringing in his 27th birthday, which was on Friday. And in a most entertaining acceptance speech thanked 'Teenage Dream' queen Katy Perry.
Kings Cross based set drama series Underbelly: The Golden Mile was awarded the TV Week Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Drama Series, Miniseries or Telemovie.
The night's first winner Firass Dirani, who was voted the most popular newcomer for his performance in Underbelly: The Golden Mile, begged American pop chanteuse Katy Perry to have his babies before thanking the show's producers "for taking a chance and injecting some flair and some of that caramel flavour into our TV screens".
Insiders say the "caramel flavour" was a reference to the multi cultural thing, given that Durani is not a Caucasian "white" Australian.
Tipsters are confident Underbelly will continue for "one or two years more", with more gambling themes to be incorporated into the smash hit franchise.
Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports for more "can't miss" information on the Australian casino scene.
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming. Media Man also publishes Media Man News
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited
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Photo by Eva Rinaldi Photography
Underbelly: AussieWood and Real Life Big Hits At TV Week Logies...
Life appears to have imitated art at James Packer's Crown Casino in the early hours of this morning when Underbelly actor Dieter Brummer allegedly became involved in an "incident" with up to five security guards.
Victorian police were called to the Crown Casino complex and the 34-year-old bloke from North Bondi was charged with intentionally causing injury, recklessly causing injury, unlawful assault, behaving in a riotous manner and being drunk in a public place. Yes, quite a list.
Crown spokesman Gary O'Neill told the Herald that CCTV footage and a security report was being handed over to police.
O'Neill said he had seen the footage, which he claimed indicated Crown's security guards had "followed the appropriate procedures for dealing with these situations".
He politely declined to comment any further, but shared "People see these things differently, it is now up to the police to do their work."
Following the Logie awards, Brummer was having a drink or five at the JJs Bar inside the Crown Complex, which each year is the venue for the Network Nine afterparty. Channel Nine is the broadcast partner of the Logies.
The Underbelly hit show, which showcases the underworld down under in Australia and has been watched by millions of Aussies, has been one of the network's biggest hits and received plenty of Logies this year.
Brummer and other stars of the show, including Firas Dirani were in a party state of mind throughout the evening.
Reports have come to light that Brummer was asked to leave the Nine party, although this has not been proven at the time we go to press.
Witnesses told the press they saw Brummer being pinned to the carpet outside JJs Bar and heard him screaming at the five guards to "get off me".
Some observers were also seen filming the alleged incident on their mobile phone cameras.
The man was taken from Crown Casino at 2.25am to nearby Prahran police station to be charged.
He will appear before Melbourne Magistrates Court on August 29.
Life can imitate art, for better or worse.
Underbelly's Firass Dirani Kicks Ass At Logies...
For Underbelly: The Golden Mile’s leading man Firass Dirani there was reasons for trifecta celebration after snatching the Most Popular New Male Talent and Graham Kennedy Award For Most Outstanding New Talent Awards, as well as bringing in his 27th birthday, which was on Friday. And in a most entertaining acceptance speech thanked 'Teenage Dream' queen Katy Perry.
Kings Cross based set drama series Underbelly: The Golden Mile was awarded the TV Week Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Drama Series, Miniseries or Telemovie.
The night's first winner Firass Dirani, who was voted the most popular newcomer for his performance in Underbelly: The Golden Mile, begged American pop chanteuse Katy Perry to have his babies before thanking the show's producers "for taking a chance and injecting some flair and some of that caramel flavour into our TV screens".
Insiders say the "caramel flavour" was a reference to the multi cultural thing, given that Durani is not a Caucasian "white" Australian.
Tipsters are confident Underbelly will continue for "one or two years more", with more gambling themes to be incorporated into the smash hit franchise.
Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports for more "can't miss" information on the Australian casino scene.
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming. Media Man also publishes Media Man News
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited
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Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Media Man Blacktown Comment
Media Man Blacktown Comment
Hi Reid
Thanks for your enquiry. Judging by existing news media reports Deborah isn't commenting further. I think she is managed by the Harry M. Miller group.
If this may interest you, I think many areas of Sydney have good and bad patches. When I lived at Maroubra Beach it was that way. If you live in a beach side suburb such as a Bondi Beach, Bronte or a Maroubra Beach for example, I think some others parts of Sydney are going to look pretty second best. As far as Bankstown, I think parts of the area are "terrible" (if I compare it to Bondi for example). I wouldn't say the whole area is terrible, but I used to get out there a bit as my late father drove trucks, and I much preferred Newport Beach and Kurrajong.
Looks like some sort of "my suburb is better than yours" sort of war is being played out in the Sydney press. I guess they have to write about something hey. We should all be grateful we are in Sydney. Better than a Iran or Iraq for example, where you might look up in the sky to see where the bombs are dropping. At least in Sydney most folks can get a feed and of course there are government support services in Sydney, Australia also.
If you care to use any of my thoughts / quotes, no problem. Good luck on the hunt.
Best Regards
Greg (currently on location at Abbotsford.... another suburb I like)...
Greg Tingle
Director
Media Man
e: greg@mediaman.com.au
w: www.mediamanint.com
w: www.gregtingle.com (in development)
li: http://au.linkedin.com/in/gregtingle
Hi Reid
Thanks for your enquiry. Judging by existing news media reports Deborah isn't commenting further. I think she is managed by the Harry M. Miller group.
If this may interest you, I think many areas of Sydney have good and bad patches. When I lived at Maroubra Beach it was that way. If you live in a beach side suburb such as a Bondi Beach, Bronte or a Maroubra Beach for example, I think some others parts of Sydney are going to look pretty second best. As far as Bankstown, I think parts of the area are "terrible" (if I compare it to Bondi for example). I wouldn't say the whole area is terrible, but I used to get out there a bit as my late father drove trucks, and I much preferred Newport Beach and Kurrajong.
Looks like some sort of "my suburb is better than yours" sort of war is being played out in the Sydney press. I guess they have to write about something hey. We should all be grateful we are in Sydney. Better than a Iran or Iraq for example, where you might look up in the sky to see where the bombs are dropping. At least in Sydney most folks can get a feed and of course there are government support services in Sydney, Australia also.
If you care to use any of my thoughts / quotes, no problem. Good luck on the hunt.
Best Regards
Greg (currently on location at Abbotsford.... another suburb I like)...
Greg Tingle
Director
Media Man
e: greg@mediaman.com.au
w: www.mediamanint.com
w: www.gregtingle.com (in development)
li: http://au.linkedin.com/in/gregtingle
Sunday, April 03, 2011
Saturday, April 02, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Merger Between bwin and PartyGaming Planned to Complete on 31 March 2011
March 15, 2011 - Merger Plan Requirements Now Met in Austria
Following the almost unanimous approval of the merger at the extraordinary general meetings of both bwin Interactive Entertainment AG (bwin) and PartyGaming Plc.
(PartyGaming) on 28 January 2011, the proposed merger was formally entered into the companies' register by the Vienna Commercial Court on 15 March 2011. Subject to the formal approval from the supreme court in Gibraltar, the merger is expected to complete on 31 March 2011.
Share trading on the stock exchange
bwin shares (ISIN AT0000767553) will cease trading on the Vienna Stock Exchange at close of business on 25 March 2011. For administrative reasons, trading in bwin shares on the Vienna Stock Exchange must be suspended for three days prior to completion and also on the day of completion itself (31 March 2011). On 1 April 2011, existing bwin shareholders will receive 12.23 bwin.party depositary interests (ISIN GI000A0MV757) for each bwin share free of charge. These depository interests can then be traded on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BPTY.L.
The exchange ratio of 12.23 bwin.party depositary interests for each bwin share will result in so-called 'fractional entitlements', rights to fractions of bwin.party depositary interests that cannot be traded on the London Stock Exchange. In accordance with the terms of the merger, these entitlements will be disposed of, and the proceeds of sale credited to the original beneficiaries (former bwin shareholders) in a process that may take up to two weeks. The disposal of fractional entitlements is also without cost to bwin shareholders.
Anti-trust approvals received
Following the approval of the merger in Germany by the Federal Cartel Office and in Austria by the Federal Competition Authority, bwin has now also received anti-trust approval from the relevant authorities in Romania.
Dividend
The new bwin.party depositary interests will carry a dividend entitlement with effect from 1 January 2010. The company's dividend policy will be determined by the new board of bwin.party digital entertainment plc over the next few months.
Media Man, Casino News Media and Global Gaming Directory do have a b2b relationship with PartyGaming, as they do with dozens of other companies in the gaming, igaming, media and entertainment industry.
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PartyPoker.com
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Following the almost unanimous approval of the merger at the extraordinary general meetings of both bwin Interactive Entertainment AG (bwin) and PartyGaming Plc.
(PartyGaming) on 28 January 2011, the proposed merger was formally entered into the companies' register by the Vienna Commercial Court on 15 March 2011. Subject to the formal approval from the supreme court in Gibraltar, the merger is expected to complete on 31 March 2011.
Share trading on the stock exchange
bwin shares (ISIN AT0000767553) will cease trading on the Vienna Stock Exchange at close of business on 25 March 2011. For administrative reasons, trading in bwin shares on the Vienna Stock Exchange must be suspended for three days prior to completion and also on the day of completion itself (31 March 2011). On 1 April 2011, existing bwin shareholders will receive 12.23 bwin.party depositary interests (ISIN GI000A0MV757) for each bwin share free of charge. These depository interests can then be traded on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BPTY.L.
The exchange ratio of 12.23 bwin.party depositary interests for each bwin share will result in so-called 'fractional entitlements', rights to fractions of bwin.party depositary interests that cannot be traded on the London Stock Exchange. In accordance with the terms of the merger, these entitlements will be disposed of, and the proceeds of sale credited to the original beneficiaries (former bwin shareholders) in a process that may take up to two weeks. The disposal of fractional entitlements is also without cost to bwin shareholders.
Anti-trust approvals received
Following the approval of the merger in Germany by the Federal Cartel Office and in Austria by the Federal Competition Authority, bwin has now also received anti-trust approval from the relevant authorities in Romania.
Dividend
The new bwin.party depositary interests will carry a dividend entitlement with effect from 1 January 2010. The company's dividend policy will be determined by the new board of bwin.party digital entertainment plc over the next few months.
Media Man, Casino News Media and Global Gaming Directory do have a b2b relationship with PartyGaming, as they do with dozens of other companies in the gaming, igaming, media and entertainment industry.
Websites
PartyCasino.com
PartyPoker.com
World Poker Tour Casino
Profiles
PartyGaming PartyCasino PartyPoker PartyBingo Circus PartyCasino Marvel Slots The Big One Melon Madness Casino World Poker Tour PartyCasino Promotions
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Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Social Trend: Businesses moving in
According to one new report you can look for more businesses in the social space. Researchers with Gartner forecast that by 2015 at least 40% of 'large enterprises' will be on Facebook. This probably doesn't surprise many of you; but one more facet might: these businesses will use the social network for business as well as pleasure.
According to the report businesses will utilize Facebook to circulate business information, but will also use it for personal information. Customer service, especially, will be the focus as businesses look for more engaging ways to interact with their customer base. Customers, of course, are already looking for businesses in the social space.
"We expect the high-profile nature of social networks and social [Customer Relationship Management] CRM for customer service to rapidly advance adoption from early adopter to mainstream deployments despite the volatile and rapid evolution of social networks in general," said Drew Kraus, Research Vice President with Gartner.
But, before going social, brands need to have a plan of action - because simply throwing up a social networking shingle is not enough. Marketers need to monitor the social space, there should be an employee base whose task it is to watch the socnets and respond to issues quickly.
Facebook and YouTube continue to be the biggest social networks according to Experian Hitwise data. Facebook accounts for more than 60% of social visits, while YouTube accounts for nearly 20%. MySpace has fallen to only about 1% of the social share while Twitter remains under 1%.
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According to the report businesses will utilize Facebook to circulate business information, but will also use it for personal information. Customer service, especially, will be the focus as businesses look for more engaging ways to interact with their customer base. Customers, of course, are already looking for businesses in the social space.
"We expect the high-profile nature of social networks and social [Customer Relationship Management] CRM for customer service to rapidly advance adoption from early adopter to mainstream deployments despite the volatile and rapid evolution of social networks in general," said Drew Kraus, Research Vice President with Gartner.
But, before going social, brands need to have a plan of action - because simply throwing up a social networking shingle is not enough. Marketers need to monitor the social space, there should be an employee base whose task it is to watch the socnets and respond to issues quickly.
Facebook and YouTube continue to be the biggest social networks according to Experian Hitwise data. Facebook accounts for more than 60% of social visits, while YouTube accounts for nearly 20%. MySpace has fallen to only about 1% of the social share while Twitter remains under 1%.
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Thursday, February 17, 2011
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Friday, January 07, 2011
Australian Media Man Head Talks Domain Names, by Greg Tingle - 6th January 2011
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Wednesday, January 05, 2011
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Tuesday, March 09, 2010
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Friday, December 04, 2009
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Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Friday, October 09, 2009
Media Man Australia Website Network Milestone
Media, publicity and portal development company, Media Man Australia, is delighted to announce its latest in a series of significant milestones.
Media Man Australia has expanded its network website portfolio to 15 websites, headed up by flagship website portals www.mediaman.com.au, www.casinonewsmedia.com and www.australiansportsentertainment.com
The latest website portals to be launched by Media Man Australia are Global Gaming Directory, Multi Currency Casino, Hollywood Slot Games and Cleopatra Slot News.
As part of Media Man Australia's global strategy and coverage of the casino, hotel and resort sector the company is also building up a Global Gaming Directory, World Casino Directory and World Gaming Directory. These will link into a Multi Currency Casino interface.
In addition MMA is the owner and operator of over 25 website domains covering the media, publicity, lifestyle, gaming, tourism and financial sectors.
The Media Man Australia website network attracts approximately 3 million hits per month and the Media Man Australia company website is in the Hitwise Australia top ten (entertainment category).
Some of the key brands Media Man Australia and its ever growing website network have worked with include PartyGaming - PartyCasino - PartyPoker, Virgin Games - Virgin Casino, William Hill Online, Playtech, Casino Rewards - Captain Cooks Casino, InterCasino - Marvel Entertainment, 888, PKR, Centrebet, Betezy, World Poker Tour, The Bingo Affiliates, Vegas Partner Lounge, Aspinalls, Titan Casino, Titan Poker, BetUS.com, Play4Property.com, PropVid, Virgin Blue, Webjet, Wotif, Foxtel, DGM, Ruby Rabbit De Nom, Universal Peace Centre Retreat, Richard Bradley Productions, Maxx-G Aerobatics, Messages On Hold, WWE Shop, UFC Shop, and the Australian Stunt Academy.
Media Man Australia enjoys supporting worthy community initiatives and some of its favorite charities and community minded organisations include Virgin Unite, beyondblue, The Shane Warne Foundation, The Salvation Army, Variety, Barnardos, Earth Hour, Climate Action, Sea Shepherd and Friends of Bondi Pavilion.
Media Man Australia has expanded its network website portfolio to 15 websites, headed up by flagship website portals www.mediaman.com.au, www.casinonewsmedia.com and www.australiansportsentertainment.com
The latest website portals to be launched by Media Man Australia are Global Gaming Directory, Multi Currency Casino, Hollywood Slot Games and Cleopatra Slot News.
As part of Media Man Australia's global strategy and coverage of the casino, hotel and resort sector the company is also building up a Global Gaming Directory, World Casino Directory and World Gaming Directory. These will link into a Multi Currency Casino interface.
In addition MMA is the owner and operator of over 25 website domains covering the media, publicity, lifestyle, gaming, tourism and financial sectors.
The Media Man Australia website network attracts approximately 3 million hits per month and the Media Man Australia company website is in the Hitwise Australia top ten (entertainment category).
Some of the key brands Media Man Australia and its ever growing website network have worked with include PartyGaming - PartyCasino - PartyPoker, Virgin Games - Virgin Casino, William Hill Online, Playtech, Casino Rewards - Captain Cooks Casino, InterCasino - Marvel Entertainment, 888, PKR, Centrebet, Betezy, World Poker Tour, The Bingo Affiliates, Vegas Partner Lounge, Aspinalls, Titan Casino, Titan Poker, BetUS.com, Play4Property.com, PropVid, Virgin Blue, Webjet, Wotif, Foxtel, DGM, Ruby Rabbit De Nom, Universal Peace Centre Retreat, Richard Bradley Productions, Maxx-G Aerobatics, Messages On Hold, WWE Shop, UFC Shop, and the Australian Stunt Academy.
Media Man Australia enjoys supporting worthy community initiatives and some of its favorite charities and community minded organisations include Virgin Unite, beyondblue, The Shane Warne Foundation, The Salvation Army, Variety, Barnardos, Earth Hour, Climate Action, Sea Shepherd and Friends of Bondi Pavilion.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Media Man Australia Profiles Updated
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Saturday, September 19, 2009
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Monday, September 14, 2009
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Monday, April 27, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities to Employ Gambling Theme - Gambling911.com - 12th February 2009
Gambling911.com has learned that upcoming episodes of Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities will feature "some casino and gambling themes". The show's second season was the highest rated launch in Australia's history.
George Freeman, played by Peter O'Brien, ran a number of Australian casinos (gambling houses... "with no name" and unadvertised, sort of the opposite of casinos to that of the James Packer's Crown Casino (which is all above board and advertised, mainstream and is legal etc).
As we have come to learn, the world of casinos and bookmaking in Australia is quite fascinating to say the least, and this should play in superbly with the Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities theme.
Media man, Greg Tingle gives us a taste of the old school gambling lifestyle in Australia:
"My grandfather, Eric Fraser Cameron Tingle ran a SP bookmaker operation from Newport Beach plant nursery which also doubled as a barber shop... tripled as a SP hangout. Today Newport Beach TAB is next door. A decade ago I used to regularly have a punt at the TAB with the late, great (and notorious) Big Time Bristow.
"I caught up with Tim at his home at Newport, just around the corner from my old home at Pittwater, 3 weeks before Tim's unfortunate (and natural) death. I pointed to Chris Master's book entitled 'Not for publication' and the chapter entitled, Guilty Buildings'. I recalled to Tim, ‘That's you isn't it Tim?' TB replied, ‘You nailed it in one Greg'. That's the scoop... its never been published or put in the public domain before." (Credit: Gambling911.com)
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Casino News
Australian Casino News
George Freeman, played by Peter O'Brien, ran a number of Australian casinos (gambling houses... "with no name" and unadvertised, sort of the opposite of casinos to that of the James Packer's Crown Casino (which is all above board and advertised, mainstream and is legal etc).
As we have come to learn, the world of casinos and bookmaking in Australia is quite fascinating to say the least, and this should play in superbly with the Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities theme.
Media man, Greg Tingle gives us a taste of the old school gambling lifestyle in Australia:
"My grandfather, Eric Fraser Cameron Tingle ran a SP bookmaker operation from Newport Beach plant nursery which also doubled as a barber shop... tripled as a SP hangout. Today Newport Beach TAB is next door. A decade ago I used to regularly have a punt at the TAB with the late, great (and notorious) Big Time Bristow.
"I caught up with Tim at his home at Newport, just around the corner from my old home at Pittwater, 3 weeks before Tim's unfortunate (and natural) death. I pointed to Chris Master's book entitled 'Not for publication' and the chapter entitled, Guilty Buildings'. I recalled to Tim, ‘That's you isn't it Tim?' TB replied, ‘You nailed it in one Greg'. That's the scoop... its never been published or put in the public domain before." (Credit: Gambling911.com)
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Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Online Gambling Heating Up in Australia - Gambling911 - 6th February 2009
The online gambling industry is really starting to get hot in Australia it seems.
The land down under is seen as the land of opportunities, but it is often forgotten by the folks up north. That's not so much the case with the online gambling sector. Last month we watched with excitement as the Aussie Millions Poker Tournament turned out yet another millionaire. It's now among the most popular live tournaments in the world today.
Many of the world's top online casino brands have been doing the ring around down under to see what media, PR, spin and online exposure mileage they can secure in the land known to be settled by convicts, back in the days when Captain Cook set shore and 1000s of Aboriginals were murdered in the progress.
Well known media analyst and entrepreneur, Greg Tingle of Media Man Australia is taking his share of the phone calls and letters of enquiry.
"We're been doing business with some some of the world's top online casino brands for a number of years now... Virgin Games, PKR, 888, WPT and Betfair. Recently the amount of enquiries coming in has been huge," Tingle told Gambling911.com Friday. "We've locked down business deals with PartyPartners, Slotland, JackpotCity, The Bingo Affiliates, BetCruise, and recently we joined our mates down the road here at Bondi Beach... Rewards Affiliates.
"Captain Cooks Casino has been hugely popular, but I haven't figured out whether it's the Bondi Beach locals or international whales coming to our region to check out the bronzed Aussies. We were privileged to spearhead the Ezybet sports betting media and publicity campaign which attracted major Australian and international interest."
Most of the excitement centering around the Australian sports betting sector has to do with deals being reached with the NRL (National Rugby League).
"The NRL (National Rugby League) is like a religion in Australia, and punters love having a punt," said Tingle. "The massive campaign was impossible to miss, and sources at the NRL are even looking at following some aspects of the TitansBet (Gold Coast Titans) business model".
Tingle also says, "There was also good interest by worldwide online casino entities to penetrate Australia, but the Ezybet exposure and worldwide story has really lit a fire under the industry."
More online casinos and poker sites will be entering the Australian market in the coming months, Tingle advised. (Credit: Gambling911)
The land down under is seen as the land of opportunities, but it is often forgotten by the folks up north. That's not so much the case with the online gambling sector. Last month we watched with excitement as the Aussie Millions Poker Tournament turned out yet another millionaire. It's now among the most popular live tournaments in the world today.
Many of the world's top online casino brands have been doing the ring around down under to see what media, PR, spin and online exposure mileage they can secure in the land known to be settled by convicts, back in the days when Captain Cook set shore and 1000s of Aboriginals were murdered in the progress.
Well known media analyst and entrepreneur, Greg Tingle of Media Man Australia is taking his share of the phone calls and letters of enquiry.
"We're been doing business with some some of the world's top online casino brands for a number of years now... Virgin Games, PKR, 888, WPT and Betfair. Recently the amount of enquiries coming in has been huge," Tingle told Gambling911.com Friday. "We've locked down business deals with PartyPartners, Slotland, JackpotCity, The Bingo Affiliates, BetCruise, and recently we joined our mates down the road here at Bondi Beach... Rewards Affiliates.
"Captain Cooks Casino has been hugely popular, but I haven't figured out whether it's the Bondi Beach locals or international whales coming to our region to check out the bronzed Aussies. We were privileged to spearhead the Ezybet sports betting media and publicity campaign which attracted major Australian and international interest."
Most of the excitement centering around the Australian sports betting sector has to do with deals being reached with the NRL (National Rugby League).
"The NRL (National Rugby League) is like a religion in Australia, and punters love having a punt," said Tingle. "The massive campaign was impossible to miss, and sources at the NRL are even looking at following some aspects of the TitansBet (Gold Coast Titans) business model".
Tingle also says, "There was also good interest by worldwide online casino entities to penetrate Australia, but the Ezybet exposure and worldwide story has really lit a fire under the industry."
More online casinos and poker sites will be entering the Australian market in the coming months, Tingle advised. (Credit: Gambling911)
CAP Down Under A Great Success - iGaming Business - 19th December 2008
Leading online marketing resource and community website for Internet casino affiliates, CasinoAffiliatePrograms.com (CAP), has announced that its first-ever CAP Down Under event in Australia was a resounding success.
The four-day affiliate marketing conference was held over the last week of November at the five-star Shangri-La hotel in Sydney and saw 180 people attend. CAP stated that 80 percent of attendees were Australian while 66 percent were affiliates and that the event was organised partially in response to requests from members of its CAP Forums, a highly trafficked social networking community administered from its main site boasting almost 8,000 members, an industry-leading figure.
“This was an incredible event, CAP Down Under attracted a ton of participants from all over the world,” said Alex Pratt, the event’s organiser.
“From the opening party sponsored by RewardsAffiliates.com in the Opera Bar with its stunning views of Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House to the attendance of Australian Boxer Jeff Fenech who played heads-up poker against the delegates for prizes, there wasn’t a dull moment. And with a huge variety of experts in the affiliate marketing and search engine marketing fields, there was no shortage of informative discussion either.”
CAP Down Under was the first Australian iGaming affiliate marketing conference in history and saw leading exhibitors from all over the world including ReferBack.com, CanBet/IAS, CentreBet.com and 888.com.
“The team at CAP Down Under have done awesome,” said Greg Tingle from Media Man Australia, a participant who also served as a moderator while assisting with coordination duties.
“It’s been a great conference. Some of the stuff that we’ve seen, slots and poker and search engine news, it was very impressive and I’m sure we’ll be hearing a lot more about CAP Down Under here in Australia.” (Credit: iGaming Business)
The four-day affiliate marketing conference was held over the last week of November at the five-star Shangri-La hotel in Sydney and saw 180 people attend. CAP stated that 80 percent of attendees were Australian while 66 percent were affiliates and that the event was organised partially in response to requests from members of its CAP Forums, a highly trafficked social networking community administered from its main site boasting almost 8,000 members, an industry-leading figure.
“This was an incredible event, CAP Down Under attracted a ton of participants from all over the world,” said Alex Pratt, the event’s organiser.
“From the opening party sponsored by RewardsAffiliates.com in the Opera Bar with its stunning views of Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House to the attendance of Australian Boxer Jeff Fenech who played heads-up poker against the delegates for prizes, there wasn’t a dull moment. And with a huge variety of experts in the affiliate marketing and search engine marketing fields, there was no shortage of informative discussion either.”
CAP Down Under was the first Australian iGaming affiliate marketing conference in history and saw leading exhibitors from all over the world including ReferBack.com, CanBet/IAS, CentreBet.com and 888.com.
“The team at CAP Down Under have done awesome,” said Greg Tingle from Media Man Australia, a participant who also served as a moderator while assisting with coordination duties.
“It’s been a great conference. Some of the stuff that we’ve seen, slots and poker and search engine news, it was very impressive and I’m sure we’ll be hearing a lot more about CAP Down Under here in Australia.” (Credit: iGaming Business)
Ferguson dumped as Nine scrambles for No. 1, by Conrad Walters - 12th January 2009
The Nine Network, conceding the need to rebuild its 6pm news bulletin if it is to have any hope of dethroning Seven's ratings supremacy, has dumped the newsreader Mark Ferguson in favour of the 60 Minutes journalist Peter Overton.
Last night it began trumpeting the journalistic background of its new frontman, who claims ownership of the anchor desk at Channel Nine tonight, with Mark Ferguson remaining as reader of the weekend news.
The promotional shots featuring footage of Overton in some of the world's hot spots is a clear attempt to distinguish him from Seven's frontman, Ian Ross, also a former Nine news reader.
Media analysts yesterday gave the network cause for optimism, saying Overton was likely to be well received and respected.
"For Nine to start to get a bit of traction of Seven, this is where they've got to make the inroads," said an analyst at PHD, Barry O'Brien.
"They've given Mark Ferguson the opportunity. It hasn't quite worked out. So I suppose in 2009 you've got to try things. Overton's got appeal, [but] television is always a roll of the dice."
Another media analyst, Greg Tingle, agreed that Overton's appeal would help Nine. He predicted an initial boost as curious viewers tuned in. He believed that community work done by Overton and his wife, Jessica Rowe, would extend the appeal.
"I would definitely expect the ratings to boost up, and I think the Australian public is ready for the change," Mr Tingle said.
The move was a "calculated risk", he said of the station that once seemed unassailable in the ratings. "Because, let's face it, Channel Nine can't afford too many more stuff-ups."
Nine Network executives yesterday stressed Overton's journalistic credentials. "[Overton] is the undeniable choice for us," said the director of news and current affairs at Channel Nine, John Westacott.
For the past eight years Overton has been a presenter on 60 Minutes, where he has reported from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Indonesia and as anchor of the September 11 coverage in 2001. He will continue to file stories for the network's flagship current affairs program.
The change in personnel is directed at Channel Seven, where Ian Ross has consistently won the 6pm competition for viewers. "As commercial television always is, we're locked in a very demanding fight for ratings," Mr Westacott said.
"The combination of Peter Overton and Mark Ferguson gives us the best crack at rebuilding our 6 o'clock news." (Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald)
Last night it began trumpeting the journalistic background of its new frontman, who claims ownership of the anchor desk at Channel Nine tonight, with Mark Ferguson remaining as reader of the weekend news.
The promotional shots featuring footage of Overton in some of the world's hot spots is a clear attempt to distinguish him from Seven's frontman, Ian Ross, also a former Nine news reader.
Media analysts yesterday gave the network cause for optimism, saying Overton was likely to be well received and respected.
"For Nine to start to get a bit of traction of Seven, this is where they've got to make the inroads," said an analyst at PHD, Barry O'Brien.
"They've given Mark Ferguson the opportunity. It hasn't quite worked out. So I suppose in 2009 you've got to try things. Overton's got appeal, [but] television is always a roll of the dice."
Another media analyst, Greg Tingle, agreed that Overton's appeal would help Nine. He predicted an initial boost as curious viewers tuned in. He believed that community work done by Overton and his wife, Jessica Rowe, would extend the appeal.
"I would definitely expect the ratings to boost up, and I think the Australian public is ready for the change," Mr Tingle said.
The move was a "calculated risk", he said of the station that once seemed unassailable in the ratings. "Because, let's face it, Channel Nine can't afford too many more stuff-ups."
Nine Network executives yesterday stressed Overton's journalistic credentials. "[Overton] is the undeniable choice for us," said the director of news and current affairs at Channel Nine, John Westacott.
For the past eight years Overton has been a presenter on 60 Minutes, where he has reported from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Indonesia and as anchor of the September 11 coverage in 2001. He will continue to file stories for the network's flagship current affairs program.
The change in personnel is directed at Channel Seven, where Ian Ross has consistently won the 6pm competition for viewers. "As commercial television always is, we're locked in a very demanding fight for ratings," Mr Westacott said.
"The combination of Peter Overton and Mark Ferguson gives us the best crack at rebuilding our 6 o'clock news." (Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald)
Strong local content, by John Elder and Tom Reilly - The Sunday Age - 5th October 2008
Cheap and nasty — and even worse, boring — is what Australian-made free-to-air television was looking like for a few years. Big Brother with its turkey-slapping pants down was probably the lowest point … along with that great trite hope of locally made drama, The Alice, a pretty-looking stinker with its travelogue photography and toothless characters born from a drongo dreaming.
"It was looking pretty ordinary for a while," says commentator Greg "Media Man" Tingle. "But what a difference a year makes. We now have what's almost an epidemic of Australian-made shows. Just look at Underbelly on Nine, Rush on Ten, and Packed to the Rafters on Seven. They're mixing it with the best foreign imports and coming out on top.
"There are so many quality shows being produced, it's hard to keep up with them."
Tingle says the unsettled mood of the free-to-air networks during the late '90s and early 2000s — unnerved by the threat of cable TV and the internet revolution — has been turned around such that "there's a feeling we're entering a golden age of Australian television".
Seven's homey sitcom Packed to the Rafters has been watched by an average of 2 million viewers since it debuted Tuesdays at 8.30pm just after the Olympics. Many of those viewers stay tuned for the enduring hospital soap All Saints. Seven is also quite gleeful about the 1.6 million who regularly watch Monday's gritty City Homicide.
At Nine, where the ratings are sustained right now by endless repeats of Two and a Half Men, the good ship Sea Patrol held its own in the first half of the year with more than 1 million viewers. And we learned that almost 600,000 Victorians had not yet downloaded Underbelly illegally when they tuned in to the first pixellated episode last month; add them to the million interstate viewers who watched in April, and it may have earned back its legal fees.
While the two newest cop dramas, Nine's The Strip and Ten's Rush, are struggling, the numbers show that Australians have rediscovered the habit of watching dramas with a local accent.
The turning point came a year ago, Tingle says, with the return of David Gyngell to the helm of Channel Nine. "What the Australian networks desperately needed was a creative boost to competition," he says. "Without a strong Nine asserting itself, the industry doesn't flourish. The other thing that's happened is the networks have stopped just looking at numbers and started focusing on quality. That's what healthier competition has achieved."
Dr Vincent O'Donnell, an honorary fellow at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology's School of Applied Communication, agrees Australian TV has had a resurgence in the past year as a result of increasing competition between broadcasters.
"Historically, Channel Nine was always regarded as the home of well-written drama shows that were well-received by audiences, while Seven liked to consider itself as the broadcaster which excelled at sports," he says. "But a few years ago those perceptions started to change as Nine faltered. I believe when they commissioned Underbelly, it was probably as a result of that shift. It was an attempt to reassert themselves in this area of fast-moving, well-written drama."
O'Donnell says commissioning a big-budget program such as Underbelly "is a gamble for networks but one which hopefully they'll continue to make.
"A big-budget drama like that would cost … $300,000 to $400,000 for an hour of television. If a network bought a drama in from America, they'd probably get something for little more than a tenth of that. But it's important to remember that Australian audiences have always tuned in to these well-written locally produced shows, so hopefully networks will have to keep investing in them, even if they do cost a lot."
According to Geoff Brown, executive director of the Screen Producers Association of Australia, the Underbelly strategy was the result of a change in attitude to project financing by the major industry players. "A few years back, the Film Finance Corporation made a decision it would invest in 13-part Australian mini-series, along with the network licensees. What it did was ramp up budgets and led to shows like Underbelly, with substantially better production values and better writing.
"In film production, the critical relationship is between producer and director; in television, it's between producer and writer. We have very good writing teams in television, and certainly the investment in writing is one of the main reasons why the current crop of Australian productions are doing so well. A good idea doesn't work without good writing."
Brown points to programs such as The Circuit, Rush, Sea Patrol and East West 101 as examples of good writing translating to success with viewers and critics. "We make the best drama for the cheapest dollar anywhere in the world. We have to compete with the CSI franchise, which costs … $5 million to $6 million an hour to make. For the high-end of Australian drama, you're looking at $600,000 an hour … so our stories have to be more narrative-driven."
Brown says Australia has a history of producing good television "but the networks lost their way in the '90s and early part of this millennium. They backed away from Australian drama in particular and put their focus on infotainment and reality programming. They kept serving up more Big Brothers and in the end this didn't work for the networks. The audience has shown itself to be more sophisticated … and now Seven and Nine are re-establishing their brands on the back of good old Australian drama."
Some analysts point to a lack of quality programs from the US — a result of the writers' strike that crippled Hollywood — as a key reason behind the resurgence of Australian-made drama.
"This makes our local offerings even more appealing," says one industry insider. "There was also a hiatus where few local programs were being made, so again, when new ones came around, there was even more interest in them.
"The shows are actually good. The networks have invested heavily in them: probably figuring that they have to meet their local content quotas, they might as well invest and do it properly. The scripts and the acting have reflected this willingness to take it seriously and make hits."
And that added slice of healthy self-image — attributed to the efforts of former prime minister John Howard — is another reason audiences are keen to watch shows for Australians, by Australians, about Australians.
"We're not selling shrimps on the barbie any more," says Greg Tingle. "We're a more sophisticated society and our television programs demonstrate that.
"Our locally made shows are hot exports in their own right, and they help sell the country. Our entertainment is part of the tourism spiel … the rest of the world sees us moving ahead with quality. The confidence for that was certainly bolstered under the previous government."
Jonathan Nolan, chief executive of Pisces All Media, which runs the Hottest on TV website, agrees. "No matter what else you might say about him, John Howard made Australians feel great about themselves. It really started with the 2000 Sydney Olympics, but Howard actually presided over a cultural shift that saw the death of the cringe factor — the adolescent craving for approval from America and Britain," he says.
"Even the dumbest talking-heads on TV have the confidence not to cringe and fawn all over celebrities visiting from overseas. Compare that to the old days, with Molly Meldrum constantly saying how wonderful it was that such-and-such a pop star was in the country."
Nolan says evidence for this new-found confidence can be seen in private investment in television production. "We had a sheltered workshop here, where everything was driven by government grants. All that did was compomise quality. That's no longer the case. People invest in these shows because they believe in them, not just because they're getting a tax break …
"The pay-off is that we now perform extremely well on the overseas market. You get a show selling well overseas — like Stingers or Police Rescue — (and) you have an earner for life. At the Roma Fiction Fest (a television awards and buying festival) in July, there were buyers from all over Europe looking at the Australian shows with the greatest interest.
"The Italian shows looked like something from the '70s … they were desperately clinging to their own culture, while the Australian shows were more sophisticated and well-placed for the international market."
Dr Sue Turnbull, co-ordinator of the Media Studies Program at La Trobe University, says the Australian push into the global market was pioneered in the '80s by Neighbours, Home and Away and older programs such as The Sullivans and Prisoner. One British critic whinged at the time that UK television was overrun by Australian content. "There were 11 different Australian soap operas being shown on British TV in a week," says Turnbull.
In the '90s, the Australian invasion died down such that only Neighbours and Home and Away held a significant audience. We were making some good shows, but the Brits weren't interested. "There was the great failure of Sea Change to find a market in the UK. It never got a release."
Now, Aussie producers are deliberately targeting the global market ahead of local viewers. A second series of Sea Patrol was planned ahead of the first series release, with a view to an international release — which it gained through Hallmark.
Turnbull says that the later episodes of Kath & Kim were blatantly written for the UK, featuring appearances by Kylie Minogue "and the fellows from Little Britain".
While Australian-made "usually goes well at home — from the days of Graham Kennedy on IMT to Packed to the Rafters — audiences won't watch bad Australian TV. Like The Alice."
With MICHELLE GRIFFIN (Credit: The Sunday Age)
"It was looking pretty ordinary for a while," says commentator Greg "Media Man" Tingle. "But what a difference a year makes. We now have what's almost an epidemic of Australian-made shows. Just look at Underbelly on Nine, Rush on Ten, and Packed to the Rafters on Seven. They're mixing it with the best foreign imports and coming out on top.
"There are so many quality shows being produced, it's hard to keep up with them."
Tingle says the unsettled mood of the free-to-air networks during the late '90s and early 2000s — unnerved by the threat of cable TV and the internet revolution — has been turned around such that "there's a feeling we're entering a golden age of Australian television".
Seven's homey sitcom Packed to the Rafters has been watched by an average of 2 million viewers since it debuted Tuesdays at 8.30pm just after the Olympics. Many of those viewers stay tuned for the enduring hospital soap All Saints. Seven is also quite gleeful about the 1.6 million who regularly watch Monday's gritty City Homicide.
At Nine, where the ratings are sustained right now by endless repeats of Two and a Half Men, the good ship Sea Patrol held its own in the first half of the year with more than 1 million viewers. And we learned that almost 600,000 Victorians had not yet downloaded Underbelly illegally when they tuned in to the first pixellated episode last month; add them to the million interstate viewers who watched in April, and it may have earned back its legal fees.
While the two newest cop dramas, Nine's The Strip and Ten's Rush, are struggling, the numbers show that Australians have rediscovered the habit of watching dramas with a local accent.
The turning point came a year ago, Tingle says, with the return of David Gyngell to the helm of Channel Nine. "What the Australian networks desperately needed was a creative boost to competition," he says. "Without a strong Nine asserting itself, the industry doesn't flourish. The other thing that's happened is the networks have stopped just looking at numbers and started focusing on quality. That's what healthier competition has achieved."
Dr Vincent O'Donnell, an honorary fellow at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology's School of Applied Communication, agrees Australian TV has had a resurgence in the past year as a result of increasing competition between broadcasters.
"Historically, Channel Nine was always regarded as the home of well-written drama shows that were well-received by audiences, while Seven liked to consider itself as the broadcaster which excelled at sports," he says. "But a few years ago those perceptions started to change as Nine faltered. I believe when they commissioned Underbelly, it was probably as a result of that shift. It was an attempt to reassert themselves in this area of fast-moving, well-written drama."
O'Donnell says commissioning a big-budget program such as Underbelly "is a gamble for networks but one which hopefully they'll continue to make.
"A big-budget drama like that would cost … $300,000 to $400,000 for an hour of television. If a network bought a drama in from America, they'd probably get something for little more than a tenth of that. But it's important to remember that Australian audiences have always tuned in to these well-written locally produced shows, so hopefully networks will have to keep investing in them, even if they do cost a lot."
According to Geoff Brown, executive director of the Screen Producers Association of Australia, the Underbelly strategy was the result of a change in attitude to project financing by the major industry players. "A few years back, the Film Finance Corporation made a decision it would invest in 13-part Australian mini-series, along with the network licensees. What it did was ramp up budgets and led to shows like Underbelly, with substantially better production values and better writing.
"In film production, the critical relationship is between producer and director; in television, it's between producer and writer. We have very good writing teams in television, and certainly the investment in writing is one of the main reasons why the current crop of Australian productions are doing so well. A good idea doesn't work without good writing."
Brown points to programs such as The Circuit, Rush, Sea Patrol and East West 101 as examples of good writing translating to success with viewers and critics. "We make the best drama for the cheapest dollar anywhere in the world. We have to compete with the CSI franchise, which costs … $5 million to $6 million an hour to make. For the high-end of Australian drama, you're looking at $600,000 an hour … so our stories have to be more narrative-driven."
Brown says Australia has a history of producing good television "but the networks lost their way in the '90s and early part of this millennium. They backed away from Australian drama in particular and put their focus on infotainment and reality programming. They kept serving up more Big Brothers and in the end this didn't work for the networks. The audience has shown itself to be more sophisticated … and now Seven and Nine are re-establishing their brands on the back of good old Australian drama."
Some analysts point to a lack of quality programs from the US — a result of the writers' strike that crippled Hollywood — as a key reason behind the resurgence of Australian-made drama.
"This makes our local offerings even more appealing," says one industry insider. "There was also a hiatus where few local programs were being made, so again, when new ones came around, there was even more interest in them.
"The shows are actually good. The networks have invested heavily in them: probably figuring that they have to meet their local content quotas, they might as well invest and do it properly. The scripts and the acting have reflected this willingness to take it seriously and make hits."
And that added slice of healthy self-image — attributed to the efforts of former prime minister John Howard — is another reason audiences are keen to watch shows for Australians, by Australians, about Australians.
"We're not selling shrimps on the barbie any more," says Greg Tingle. "We're a more sophisticated society and our television programs demonstrate that.
"Our locally made shows are hot exports in their own right, and they help sell the country. Our entertainment is part of the tourism spiel … the rest of the world sees us moving ahead with quality. The confidence for that was certainly bolstered under the previous government."
Jonathan Nolan, chief executive of Pisces All Media, which runs the Hottest on TV website, agrees. "No matter what else you might say about him, John Howard made Australians feel great about themselves. It really started with the 2000 Sydney Olympics, but Howard actually presided over a cultural shift that saw the death of the cringe factor — the adolescent craving for approval from America and Britain," he says.
"Even the dumbest talking-heads on TV have the confidence not to cringe and fawn all over celebrities visiting from overseas. Compare that to the old days, with Molly Meldrum constantly saying how wonderful it was that such-and-such a pop star was in the country."
Nolan says evidence for this new-found confidence can be seen in private investment in television production. "We had a sheltered workshop here, where everything was driven by government grants. All that did was compomise quality. That's no longer the case. People invest in these shows because they believe in them, not just because they're getting a tax break …
"The pay-off is that we now perform extremely well on the overseas market. You get a show selling well overseas — like Stingers or Police Rescue — (and) you have an earner for life. At the Roma Fiction Fest (a television awards and buying festival) in July, there were buyers from all over Europe looking at the Australian shows with the greatest interest.
"The Italian shows looked like something from the '70s … they were desperately clinging to their own culture, while the Australian shows were more sophisticated and well-placed for the international market."
Dr Sue Turnbull, co-ordinator of the Media Studies Program at La Trobe University, says the Australian push into the global market was pioneered in the '80s by Neighbours, Home and Away and older programs such as The Sullivans and Prisoner. One British critic whinged at the time that UK television was overrun by Australian content. "There were 11 different Australian soap operas being shown on British TV in a week," says Turnbull.
In the '90s, the Australian invasion died down such that only Neighbours and Home and Away held a significant audience. We were making some good shows, but the Brits weren't interested. "There was the great failure of Sea Change to find a market in the UK. It never got a release."
Now, Aussie producers are deliberately targeting the global market ahead of local viewers. A second series of Sea Patrol was planned ahead of the first series release, with a view to an international release — which it gained through Hallmark.
Turnbull says that the later episodes of Kath & Kim were blatantly written for the UK, featuring appearances by Kylie Minogue "and the fellows from Little Britain".
While Australian-made "usually goes well at home — from the days of Graham Kennedy on IMT to Packed to the Rafters — audiences won't watch bad Australian TV. Like The Alice."
With MICHELLE GRIFFIN (Credit: The Sunday Age)
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