Mumbrellacast

7 January 2026

This week’s Mumbrellacast is a live recording from our Compass Brisbane event, where a panel of media and marketing insiders speak about the compounding challenges — and opportunities — in the industry.

The panel — Andrew Kolb, head of strategy at VML; Kirsty Lucas, senior vice president of marketing and partnerships at Brisbane Airport; Remy Brassac, co-founder of Rumble and Rumbletown Ventures; Kelly Healy, general manager of News Corp Australia; and Eliott Bledsoe, arts marketing consultant — discussed doing more with less, the negative impact AI will (and is) having on journalism's future, the advertising industry's undervaluation, and how the upcoming Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games will be the sector's "north star".

31 December 2025

This week’s Mumbrellacast is a live recording from our Compass Sydney event, where a panel of media and marketing insiders talk about a tough 2025 – and look ahead with optimism.

The panel — Christina Aventi, chief strategy officer at BMF; Bel Harper, chief product and marketing officer at Ooh Media; Anita Ayres, head of brand and marketing at Teachers Mutual Bank; and Clare Pickens, chief executive officer at Leo Burnett — discussed the toughest challenges they faced in the year, how "value-based compensation" should be quantified now that AI is destroying hour-based billing, the controversial conversations the industry should be having, and reasons to remain optimistic (there's even a poem recommendation).

24 December 2025

This week’s Mumbrellacast is a live recording from our Compass Hobart event, where a panel of media and marketing insiders talk about an industry in flux.

The panel — Amr Elsayed, head of digital business at Kings Digital; Danika Porter, senior marketing leader and former head of brand and marketing at Federal Group; Clive Dickens, managing director at Meliora; and Craig Herbert, editor of The Hobart Mercury at News Australia — discussed workforce challenges such as the redundancy crisis and shrinking marketing teams, and cultural issues including workplace support for women, mental health and neurodiversity.

17 December 2025

In this week's Mumbrellacast, our hosts discuss the latest leader movements at ARN; Christian O'Connell's introduction to Sydney; the media coverage of the Bondi Beach terrorist attack; and the biggest developments in AI this year.

Join Nathan Jolly, Tim Burrowes, Cat McGinn and Abe Udy for a look at everything under Australia's media and marketing umbrella.

10 December 2025

Thanks to Earmax Media for sponsoring this episode, click the link HERE to see their maximum impact podcast advertising campaigns or email them directly at [email protected].

On this week's Mumbrellacast, the hosts discuss the newly arrived social media ban for teens, communications minister Anika Wells' expense account, AI assistants having a bad week, the media fight surrounding Warner Brothers Discovery, and Mumbrella turning 17.

Join Nathan Jolly, Tim Burrowes and Abe Udy for a look at everything under Australia's media and marketing umbrella.

3 December 2025

Thanks to Earmax Media for sponsoring this episode, click the link HERE to see the latest maximum impact podcast advertising campaigns or email them directly at [email protected].

On this week's Mumbrellacast Tim Burrowes, Hal Crawford, Nathan Jolly and host Abe Udy unpack the 2026 upfront presentations, which started with SBS, wrapped with ABC, and saw ARN get involved for the first time.

26 November 2025

Thanks to Earmax Media for sponsoring this episode, click the link HERE to see maximum impact podcast advertising campaigns or email them directly at [email protected].

In the latest episode of the Mumbrellacast, the hosts discuss the final radio ratings survey of the year; Mutinex declaring that it will only work with technology platforms that uphold “transparency, independence, and the best interest of the advertiser"; Roblox's CEO David Baszucki and his trainwreck interview with a New York Times podcast; and the latest developments in the merger of IPG and Omnicom.

Join Hal Crawford, Tim Burrowes, Nathan Jolly, Eleanor Dickinson and Abe Udy for a look at everything under Australia's media and marketing umbrella.

19 November 2025

This week, radio industry body CRA launched its unified audio ID for buying and selling ad inventory across podcasts and radio.

We also discuss the fallout between Nielsen and its long-time leader in this part of the world, Monique Perry, who has been sacked and is now suing the analytics company for unfair dismissal.

Elsewhere, we chat to IAB's global CEO Anthony Katsur, and look at which Australian reality TV shows got the biggest audiences for their finales in 2025.

Join Nathan Jolly, Eleanor Dickinson, Tim Burrowes and Abe Udy for a look at everything under Australia's media and marketing umbrella.

17 November 2025

In this special episode of the Mumbrellacast, Tim Burrowes sits down with Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) boss, Lizzie Young, to discuss CRA's Audio ID launch, expensive legal battle with the music industry, and more.

12 November 2025

It's Wednesday evening, which means it's time to pour yourself a glass of warm popcorn, fire up your wireless, and settle into another episode of the Mumbrellacast.

After splashing out an estimated $1.5 million on its first-ever upfront presentation late last month to tout the future of its 'entertainment' company, this morning ARN provided the market with a sobering financial update, forecasting a full-year earnings drop of between 25% and 27%.

On Monday morning, Amanda Laing, the newly minted boss of Nine's streaming and broadcast arm, informed nervous staffers that approximately 50 roles in her division will be made redundant -- some people will be redeployed elsewhere, but contractual roles will not be renewed, and some empty positions slated to be filled will remain empty.

Elsewhere, on the Mumbrellacast, we discuss how M+C Saatchi's future has suddenly become unsteady, and it's all because of pesky activist investor Harwood Capital, which recently increased its stake in M+C Saatchi from 3.6% to 4%.

This week also saw the relaunch of Big Brother, which started in 2001 on Ten, was revamped by Nine in 2012, then resuscitated by Seven in 2020. As they say, fourth time's a charm, and Ten have stripped the show back to its essence: chaotic live TV with every chance of nudity, bawdy language, unbridled fighting, and housemate boredom.

Join Nathan Jolly, Eleanor Dickinson, Tim Burrowes and Abe Udy for a look at everything under Australia's media and marketing umbrella.