What's really happening inside Australian media? Hosted by Irene Hulme, Ben Willee and Peter Whitehead - three experienced media operators who see the industry from very different sides. It's a weekly unpack of the people, businesses, money and decisions shaping the industry. The Australian media industry, from inside the bubble.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Spotify's Non-Exclusive Play & The Bathurst Branding Machine
This week on Media Bubble, Reeney, Willie, & Whitey dig into the new Spotify and Joe Rogan licensing agreement and how Spotify recoups on the deal. From there, the focus shifts to Bathurst, looking at how nine hours of car racing delivers a masterclass in audience retention and massive brand integration and why some agencies are already using Al for close to 50% of voiceovers.
Production & Sound Design: Earsay (https://www.earsay.com.au/) - More than an audio production company.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
7 Oct 2026
The NRL Won. The AFL Won. Who Actually Won?
This week on Media Bubble, we get into the NRL Grand Final and the media circus around it - from the ratings battle with the AFL and that much-discussed 11-minute pre-game entertainment show, to advertising, sponsorship, gambling and Peter V’landys.
We look at Tesla removing broadcast radio from some of its new models and what that means for the way Australians listen in the car.
Plus, Austereo is about to disappear as a corporate name, Channel 10 is shutting down regional services, Tapt Media has reshuffled its Sydney lineup, and Triple M has launched racing as it looks for new commercial opportunities.
The week in media, unpacked.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
1 Oct 2026
Melbourne’s New Radio War, the Grand Final Wars & Who Wants ARN?
ARN has finally revealed the new breakfast team for Melbourne - Ash London, Isaac Smith and Elliot Garneau. Is this the more interesting of ARN’s two new breakfast bets?
We get into the AFL Grand Final as a media event, from Kylie Minogue’s pre-game performance and its 4.35 million reach to the battle for attention between the AFL and NRL. Can the Knights and Roosters follow it? And what exactly is Peter V’landys planning for those mysterious 11 minutes of entertainment?
Then Macca’s becomes a media company. We get under the hood of retail media, the money moving out of traditional media, the data sitting inside your Everyday Rewards card - and why, apparently, every retailer now wants a slice of the advertising pie.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
23 Sept 2026
From KIIS to Kick Off - Radio Risks and Footy's Billion Dollar Bonanza
ARN finally pulls the trigger on the new KIIS 106.5 breakfast show - Dr Chris Brown, Amy Gerard and Jack Charles. We tackle the announcement from three different sides of the media business: content, sales and the media buyer’s perspective. What does the new line-up say about the direction of KIIS, and can this combination create the kind of live radio chemistry that Sydney has been used to?
And it's AFL Grand Final week - we’re looking at what the AFL’s biggest week means for the media - from audience and attention - to the huge commercial machine that builds up around the game.
Audio and sound design by EARSAY (https://www.earsay.com.au/) - more than an audio production company.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
17 Sept 2026
Big Events, Big Ads, Big Attention
Upfronts, the NFL in Melbourne and the Sydney Sweeney ad. Three big media stories, one big question: what actually gets our attention now?
We unpack how media events are changing, why sport is becoming an even bigger audience driver, and what advertisers can learn from controversy, culture and the power of a good headline.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
9 Sept 2026
Inside the ARN Bubble: The CCO Who Sold Kyle & Jackie O Breaks His Silence
Welcome to the first episode of Media Bubble - Irene Hume, Ben Willee and Pete Whitehead unpacking the week in Australian media from three different sides of the industry.
Pete Whitehead spent seven years as ARN's chief commercial officer, responsible for around $250 million in revenue across metro, regional and digital. He left just on twelve months ago and hasn't talked about any of it publicly until now.
And Ben Willee on the record Meta settlement that changes nothing about how Meta makes money.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
7 Sept 2026
Media Bubble Podcast Trailer
A brand new podcast about what's really happening inside Australian media.
Hosted by Irene Hulme, Ben Willee and Peter Whitehead - three experienced media operators who see the industry from very different sides.
From radio, television and streaming to podcasts, advertising, platforms, talent and the big deals driving the industry, we unpack the week, what happened, why it happened, who benefits, who loses and what's coming next.
New episodes every Thursday. Follow now so the first one lands in your feed.
The Australian media industry, from inside the bubble.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
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