025: Mark Fennessy

Episode 25 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Mark Fennessy.

Mark is an entrepreneur, television and film producer.

I’ve worked with Mark on a few occasions and he’s become somewhat of a mentor and actually a mate. Had I known the full extent of his achievements, I actually would have been a little intimidated to do this interview, he’s a giant in the world of media, broadcasting and production.

Mark started out in 1981 as an Assistant Cameraman in the news department of network 7 in Melbourne, rose quickly through the ranks to become a highly respected producer with Seven and Nine, with dozens of major credits including 4 Olympic Games broadcasts.

At 26 Mark Headed up MTV Australia, eventually joining the team at MTV International when it was a global phenomenon.

Mark returned to Australia to create Crackerjack with his brother Carl. As a little independent production company, they made a big name for themselves as producers of comedy and trail blazed the new world of unscripted television.

Among the slate were Backberner, Comedy Inc, Chaser Non Stop News Network, Jamie’s Kitchen Australia, and the legendary Enough Rope with Andrew Denton. Crackerjack was sold to Fremantle Media in 2003, with Mark taking the reins as CEO and his brother Carl COO.

They quickly built a slate of 19 different productions including the very new Australian Idol, Australia’s Got Talent, Newstopia, The Farmer Wants a Wife, The Apprentice, Project Runway, Choir of Hard Knocks, The Biggest Loser and MasterChef.

In 2010 Mark & Carl left Fremantle to head up the local affiliate of the Shine Group launched by Elisabeth Murdoch.

What followed was a blitzkrieg of TV content with an extraordinary slate tv franchises and super brands including Beauty & The Geek, The Bachelor, Shark Tank and The Voice. During this same period they launched highly successful Dramas including INXS: Never Tear Us Apart, Catching Milat and Peter Allen: Not The Boy Next Door .

Within just 3 years Shine was the No. 1 production company the Southern hemisphere.

Following a global merger, Mark and Carl Fennessy agreed to oversee a new company Endemol Shine Australia. What followed is another incredible output of content and hits including: Lambs of God, Mystify, Australian Survivor, Offspring, The Beautiful Lie, Wake in Fright, Gogglebox, Australian Ninja Warrior, Married At First Sight, Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds, Blue Murder - Killer Cop.

In 2017 Mark was awarded an Order of Australia, recognising him for his significant service to the broadcast industry. He was recently ranked No 1 in the Australian Financial Review’s Cultural List.

The brothers Fennessy recently departed Shine after almost 11 years and whilst the world waits to see what these industry trailblazers might do next, Mark is overseeing the highly anticipated scripted series Last King of The X.

He also runs a small independent record label in keeping with his passionate and longstanding relationship with the music business.

Mark has a relentlessly creative mind, always ticking over with new ideas and possibilities. Combine that with his fierce work ethic and ability to articulate his vision, well, it’s kind of epic! He is a very private family man and this is a rare opportunity to see what makes a man like this tick.

W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/

W: https://leerogers.com.au/

SOCIALS

Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast

FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast

Twitter: @blankcanvaspod

THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM

Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald.

Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc

Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.