Media industry hiring in the July – September quarter lifted 8.4 per cent compared to the previous quarter, but hiring levels remain down 9.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2024, finds research from Mercury Talent.
Both Melbourne and Sydney experienced quarterly gains in the eight-nine per cent range, but Melbourne was down four per cent on 2024 and Sydney was down 12 per cent on 2024 recruiting levels. News Corp, Nine, and TikTok were the most active recruiters for the quarter, while Drive and Medium Rare both went on a hiring spree.
“It’s still tough conditions for job seekers with media industry hiring still below 2024 levels, but the 8 per cent quarterly increase in advertised positions in the September quarter could be a sign that we might have turned the corner. Hiring activity drops off in November and December, but hopefully we’ll see year-on-year increases in 2026, which would signal the worst is behind us,” Justin Randles, Mercury Talent, said.
Out-of-home, radio, and publishers led the quarterly rebound while the tech platforms reeled in hiring in the September quarter. Only the events sector reported a year-on-year gain, with hiring up seven per cent. Demand for product/ops people remained strong, and while all job functions are down year on year, content, sales, and marketing roles experienced increased quarterly demand. Over half of advertised roles are for junior roles, a trend that has progressed across all job functions over the past five quarters.
Among the most active hirers, Medium Rare had a big quarter, as did Drive, Stan, Foxtel, and the ABC, which had the biggest percentage quarterly increases, although Foxtel and the ABC were down on 2024 recruitment levels. At the other end of the spectrum, Are Media, Paramount, and Momentum Media had low-activity recruitment quarters, although Paramount and Are Media hiring in the September quarter was up compared to a year earlier.
The most in-demand job in July to September is the junior publishing industry journalist/producer with 73 jobs in Sydney and 17 in Melbourne. Junior and mid-level media salespeople were also in high demand, especially from publishers and TV broadcasters/streamers. Senior roles remain scarce across the board.
