J57 Internet Publishing and Broadcasting

Optus sets bar high for Premier League games

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Original article by David Ramli
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 13-Nov-15

Singtel Optus has posted a 2015-16 interim net profit of $A426m net profit, which is eight per cent higher than previously. EBITDA and revenue were up 7.8 per cent and 9.3 per cent respectively. Meanwhile, Optus is yet to finalise the packages and prices for its coverage of English Premier League (EPL) matches, for which it recently gained the exclusive Australian rights. CEO Allen Lew has stressed that Optus’s live streams of EPL matches will be in high definition.

CORPORATES
SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, VODAFONE HUTCHISON AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FETCHTV PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

2.677 million Australians have Netflix as subscriptions surpass one million homes

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 12-Nov-15

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that the number of Australian homes with a Netflix subscription rose by 11.4 per cent in October 2015 to 1,039,000. Some 2.677 million Australians aged 14+ now live in a home with a Netflix subscription. The survey also shows that 19.3 per cent of Australians bought a DVD in an average three-month period during the six months to September 2015, compared with 20.6 per cent in an average three months in the six months to September 2014. Likewise, the rate of downloading TV shows or movies has fallen from 10.8 per cent a year ago to 9.1 per cent in the six months following the launch of Netflix in Australia.`

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS

Optus pads up with Cricket Australia

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Original article by David Ramli
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 23-Oct-15

Singtel Optus has secured a three-year digital broadcasting rights deal with Cricket Australia, which will allow the telco’s customers to access the Cricket Australia Live Pass from late October 2015. Optus CEO Allen Lew says that in addition to live streaming of cricket matches, the telco plans to offer a range of interactive content. He has also signalled that Optus will pursue digital rights deals for other sports.

CORPORATES
SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, TPG TELECOM LIMITED – ASX TPM, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, THE A LEAGUE PTY LTD, ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Netflix flags foray into news

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Original article by Max Mason
The Age – Page: 23 : 16-Oct-15

US-based subscription video-on-demand provider Netflix has posted a $US29.4m ($A40.2m) profit for the September 2015 quarter, with sales totalling $US1.7bn. The number of paid subscribers rose from 62.7 million to 66 million, and the group expects this to top 70 million by the end of 2015. Meanwhile, chief content officer Ted Sarandos says a news programs is among the content that Netflix is looking to offer in coming years, although he has downplayed suggestions that it may bid for sports broadcasting rights.

CORPORATES
NETFLIX INCORPORATED, VICE MEDIA INCORPORATED, HBO

Optus repeats Netflix offer

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Original article by David Ramli
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 15-Oct-15

US-based subscription video-on-demand provider Netflix has renewed its alliance with Singtel-Optus. The Australian telco will bundle a six-month Netflix subscription with some of its broadband packages from November 2015 until the end of January 2016. Optus is also expected to offer a Netflix subscription to new mobile customers. Vicki Brady of Optus notes that broadband traffic on its fixed-line network has risen by 50 per cent since April.

CORPORATES
NETFLIX INCORPORATED, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, TPG TELECOM LIMITED – ASX TPM, IINET LIMITED, M2 GROUP LIMITED – ASX MTU, VOCUS COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED – ASX VOC, VODAFONE AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, SINGAPORE TELECOMMUNICATIONS LIMITED

Publishers muscle-up with new bans on users of ad-blocking software

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 23 : 12-Oct-15

Nine Entertainment Company has moved to protect its advertising revenue by preventing people who use ad-blocking software from viewing video content on its websites. "The Australian" is also examining options to combat the use of ad-blocking software, which has become more popular since Apple’s recent decision to allow its use on the iPad and iPhone. It is estimated that the software could slash online advertising revenue by around $A1.4bn in 2016.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, APPLE INCORPORATED, MI9, NINEMSN PTY LTD, DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA, RATECITY PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, CITIGROUP PTY LTD

Cricket Live app in Optus digital rights deal

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Original article by John Stensholt
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 33 : 28-Sep-15

Cricket Australia has declined to comment on speculation that it is set to secure a deal with Optus regarding digital broadcasting rights, saying only that it is in talks with the telco. The deal is expected to cover cricket matches that were played prior to Cricket Australia’s current TV rights deal with Nine Entertainment Company. It is also believed that Optus customers will have free access to the Cricket Live app. Optus flagged a greater push into sports broadcasts earlier in 2015.

CORPORATES
CRICKET AUSTRALIA, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, APPLE INCORPORATED, BT SPORTS

Stan comedy show wins over Hollywood execs

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 32 : 28-Sep-15

Stan CEO Mike Sneesby says 70 per cent of people who took up the subscription video on-demand service’s one-month free trial offer have become paid subscribers. He also says the Fairfax Media-Nine Entertainment joint venture is approaching 400,000 gross customers. Stan is investing in the production of Australian content, and Sneesby says several of its shows have attracted interest in the US.

CORPORATES
STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, TELSYTE PTY LTD, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, HULU LLC, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, QUICKFLIX LIMITED – ASX QFX, HBO

Subscription outpaces free sites in flight to quality

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 23 : 14-Sep-15

A Nielsen Online Ratings survey shows that Australian consumers are embracing news websites that require a subscription to access the majority of content. The number of unique visitors to the five most-visited sites with a comprehensive paywall rose by 19.4 per cent year-on-year in August 2015. Meanwhile, the number of unique visitors to the top five new sites with a moderate paywall fell by 2.8 per cent. The top five sites with free access recorded growth of 2.5 per cent.

CORPORATES
THE NIELSEN COMPANY (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD

YouTube expects to lock in Millennials for life

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 37 : 14-Sep-15

YouTube estimates that its audience reach among viewers aged 18-49 is now larger than that of US cable TV networks. Jamie Byrne, the director of content strategy at YouTube, believes that so-called Millennials will continue to use the website as they get older rather than switch to more traditional broadcast media. He also expects YouTube’s most popular content creators to remain with the group while expanding into other forms of media.

CORPORATES
YOUTUBE INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, SNAPCHAT INCORPORATED, TWITTER INCORPORATED, INSTAGRAM LLC, VINE, MTV MUSIC TELEVISION