J57 Internet Publishing and Broadcasting

Netflix under pressure over local content

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Original article by Dana McCauley
The Australian – Page: 24 : 7-May-18

Video streaming service Netflix is resisting attempts to subject it to local content quotas in Australia. Research conducted by RMIT indicates that just 2.5 per cent of Netflix’s Australian library is locally made. Screen Producers Australia CEO Matt Deaner says it is odd that Netflix’s US catalogue contains more Australian content than its Australian catalogue. He says that local content accounts for around nine per cent of what is shown on Stan, while also noting that Europe has local content quotas for streaming services.

CORPORATES
NETFLIX INCORPORATED, RMIT UNIVERSITY, SCREEN PRODUCERS AUSTRALIA, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED

Tech giants in abuses of power

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Original article by Darren Davidson, Dana McCauley
The Australian – Page: 1 & 8 : 4-May-18

Many of the submissions to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission’s inquiry into digital platforms have highlighted the impact of Google and Facebook on jobs and advertising revenue in the media sector. Seven Group CEO Ryan Stokes argued that digital companies should be required to pay a fair price for distributing media content, while Foxtel said it is hard to attract new pay-TV customers when pirated content can be accessed for free on Facebook and YouTube. The Australian Association of National Advertisers called for digital platforms to be regulated in a similar way to traditional media companies.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL ADVERTISERS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, MEDIA, ENTERTAINMENT AND ARTS ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS PTY LTD, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, APPLE INCORPORATED

Google revenue hits $3b, loss for Facebook

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 1-May-18

Google Australia’s accounts for 2017 reveal that it booked gross revenue of $A3.06 billion. Net revenue, on which Google is taxed in Australia, totalled $A1.022 billion. Google Australia paid tax of $A37.2 million in 2017 and it made a profit of $A125.1 million. Meanwhile, Facebook Australia boasted revenue of $A476.8 million in 2017, up from $A326.9 million in 2016. It reported a $A9.6 million loss as a result of a tax charge.

CORPORATES
GOOGLE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FACEBOOK AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION

ABC gives soft-sell China website the chop

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Original article by Primrose Riordan
The Australian – Page: 3 : 24-Apr-18

The ABC will shut down a series of news websites that are published under the Australia Plus banner, including a Mandarin-language version of the site. There have been allegations in the past that a version of the site that is accessible in China has censored content that is critical of the Chinese government. A spokesman for the public broadcaster said the closure of the Australia Plus sites is in response to a review of the ABC’s digital assets.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Seven takes battle to tech giants

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 24 & 26 : 23-Apr-18

Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes says digital giants Google and Facebook should be subject to the same regulatory regime as Australian media companies, to ensure a level playing field in the advertising market. Seven’s submission to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission’s inquiry into the impact of digital platforms on the media and advertising markets has recommended that Facebook and Google should pay a fee for distributing content from traditional media companies. Seven also argues that audience measurement data for ads on Google and Facebook should be subject to independent audits.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, CAMBRIDGE ANALYTICA LLC, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Facebook outlines privacy revamp

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Original article by Deepa Seetharaman
The Australian – Page: 22 : 19-Apr-18

Social media giant Facebook has revealed changes to its privacy policy in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica data breach scandal and the imminent introduction of stricter laws in Europe with regard to the use of personal data. Facebook will initially roll out its new privacy policy in Europe, with users to be explicitly asked permission for Facebook to use their personal data for targeted advertising and its facial recognition technology.

CORPORATES
FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, CAMBRIDGE ANALYTICA LLC

Netflix foreign sales set to beat home market for the first time

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Original article by Tim Bradshaw
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 18-Apr-18

US-based streaming video giant Netflix has posted net income of $US290m for the March quarter, which is 63 per cent higher than previously. Revenue rose by 40 per cent to $US3.7bn, while Netflix has forecast revenue of $US3.9bn for the June quarter. The company has also advised that revenue for its international operations is expected to be $US1.94bn in the June quarter, while US revenue is forecast to be $US1.9bn. Netflix’s total subscriber base rose by 7.4 million in the March quarter, to 125 million.

CORPORATES
NETFLIX INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, ALPHABET INCORPORATED, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, CANNES INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Facebook’s reckoning is fast approaching

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Original article by John McDuling
The Age – Page: 20 : 6-Apr-18

Despite the recent data breach controversy involving Cambridge Analytica, Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg still believes that he is the right person to run the social media company, while he does not seem to think the scandal has affected Facebook’s advertising business to any great extent. Zuckerberg will shortly testify before the US Congress, and Facebook’s executives in Australia are also likely to face scrutiny given that more that 300,000 local users may have been affected by the scandal. Facebook is also the subject of investigations by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission and the Federal Privacy Commissioner.

CORPORATES
FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, CAMBRIDGE ANALYTICA LLC, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL PRIVACY COMMISSIONER, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, GOOGLE INCORPORATED

Seven West sells 50pc stake in Yahoo7

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Original article by Dana McCauley
The Australian – Page: 26 : 29-Mar-18

Yahoo7 is expected to be rebranded following Oath’s deal buy Seven West Media’s stake in the digital joint venture. However, Seven will retain all of its branded news and TV portals, while it may continue to provide non-exclusive content to Oath once the joint venture is formally unwound. Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner notes that Yahoo7 has an audience reach of about nine million and is upbeat about its outlook under the ownership of Oath.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, YAHOO!7 COMMUNICATIONS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, OATH INCORPORATED, YAHOO! INCORPORATED, VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED

Foxtel weighs Fox Sports streaming service

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 26-Mar-18

Foxtel is working on an "over-the-top" streaming video service for Fox Sports, which could allow consumers to view a limited selection of sports channels without taking out a pay-TV subscription. Should the new video-on-demand services be launched, it is expected to have unique branding to distinguish it from Foxtel and its existing product range. Foxtel is keen to attract consumers who have previously not been interested in taking up a pay-TV subscription.

CORPORATES
FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FOXTEL NOW, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD