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Police asked to fingerprint ABC suspects

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Original article by Zoe Samios
The Australian – Page: 3 : 16-Jul-19

The ABC has revealed that the Australian Federal Police sought access to the fingerprints and palm prints of journalists Dan Oakes and Sam Clark. The request was part of the AFP’s investigation into alleged offences under the Crimes Act, the Defence Act and the Criminal Code. Its actions have been criticised by John Lyons, the ABC’s head of investigations, who has expressed concern about the "criminalising" of legitimate investigative journalism. Press freedom has been under scrutiny in the wake of the AFP’s raids on the ABC’s Sydney office and the home of a News Corp Australia journalist.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY JOINT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT

Giving networks a sporting chance

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Original article by Zoe Samios
The Australian – Page: 26 : 15-Jul-19

The Seven Network’s coverage of Wimbledon attracted an average audience of 205,000 per match on its 7Two secondary channel, with the audience peaking at 455,000 for the match in which Ash Barty’s was eliminated from the tournament. That match also attracted 207,000 viewers on Foxtel. The men’s Cricket World Cup has also been a ratings success for the Nine Network and Foxtel, particularly matches featuring the Australian team. Nevertheless, TV industry executives say the weak advertising market and the cost of sports broadcasting rights are a concern.

CORPORATES
SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, INTERNATIONAL CRICKET COUNCIL

Media, foreign leaders step up freedom push

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Original article by Rosie Lewis, Jacquelin Magnay
The Australian – Page: 4 : 12-Jul-19

The ABC and News Corp Australia still do not know if any journalists will be prosecuted following the police raids in early June. ABC MD David Anderson says the public broadcaster has asked Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton to intervene, although government sources say that he has no power to do so. The Australian Federal Police raids have attracted scrutiny at the Global Conference for Media Freedom, with human rights lawyer Amal Clooney and British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt expressing concern about the implications of the raids for freedom of the press globally.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, GREAT BRITAIN. FOREIGN OFFICE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Media, security balance the goal

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Original article by Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 4 : 10-Jul-19

Foreign Minister Marise Payne will use a speech on 10 July to stress the importance of freedom of speech and freedom of expression. However, she will tell the Global Conference for Media Freedom that the public’s right to know must be balanced against the need to protect Australia’s national interest. Payne’s speech in London comes in the wake of the recent police raids on the Sydney offices of the ABC and the home of a News Corp Australia journalist.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, UNITED NATIONS. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

Waislitz chips in $30m for papers

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Original article by John Stensholt
The Australian – Page: 21 : 9-Jul-19

Thorney Opportunities, the listed investment company of businessman Alex Waislitz, will finance 25 per cent of the deal to acquire the regional newspapers of Nine Entertainment Company. Waislitz’s private company, Thorney Investment Group, will also finance 25 per cent of the deal, while former Domain CEO Antony Catalano will contribute the balance. Waislitz and Catalano recently finalised the $115m deal to buy the regional assets from Nine.

CORPORATES
THORNEY OPPORTUNITIES LIMITED – ASX TOP, THORNEY INVESTMENT GROUP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED, DOMAIN HOLDINGS AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX DHA

Monumental egos collide in a failed radio plot to get rid of Alan Jones

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Original article by Leo Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 24 & 26 : 8-Jul-19

Veteran radio presenter Alan Jones has dominated Sydney’s breakfast slot for 15 years. However, a record defamation payout in September 2018 and several subsequent incidents involving Jones prompted 2GB owner Macquarie Media to look at replacing him with morning show host Ray Hadley. A number of factors were in Jones’s favour, including Nine Entertainment’s takeover of Fairfax and its controlling stake in Macquarie Media. Nine chairman Peter Costello wanted 2GB to retain Jones, while Nine was already struggling with the departure of Karl Stefanovic from ‘Today’. Jones also had the support of Macquarie Media chairman Russell Tate. Jones renewed his contract for another two years in May 2019.

CORPORATES
2GB, MACQUARIE MEDIA LIMITED – ASX MRN, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED

Editorial, marketing cut put Bauer back in black

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: 23 : 5-Jul-19

Magazine publisher Bauer Media Australia has posted a $6.3m net profit for 2018, following a net loss of $11.3m in 2017. Bauer Media’s revenue of $224.3m was 13.7 per cent lower than previously, and included $142.1m in revenue from magazine sales and revenue of $48.8m from advertising. Bauer’s 2018 financial report also shows that it paid $3.1m in tax for the year, compared with just $1.9m previously.

CORPORATES
BAUER MEDIA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, BAUER MEDIA KG, PACIFIC MAGAZINES PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM

Media bosses in dark on charges

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 4 : 4-Jul-19

Attorney-General Christian Porter and Communications Minister Paul Fletcher held talks with media industry representatives on 3 July. The meeting failed to ease the media sector’s concerns about Australian Federal Police raids on the ABC’s Sydney office and the home of a News Corp Australia journalist in early June, and whether journalists will face prosecution as a result of the raids. Media executives have also expressed reservations about the government’s plans for the parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security to hold an inquiry into press freedom.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY JOINT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CENTRE ALLIANCE

Press freedom probe backed

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Original article by Rosie Lewis, Zoe Samios
The Australian – Page: 2 : 3-Jul-19

The parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security will undertake an inquiry into the impact of police and intelligence agencies’ powers on freedom of the press. The inquiry was approved by federal cabinet on 2 July, and follows the recent police raids on the ABC’s offices and the home of a News Corp Australia journalist. Labor proposes to establish a separate inquiry into press freedom and the public’s right to know, while media companies advocate changes to laws affecting freedom of the press rather than a parliamentary inquiry.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY JOINT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Tax fight left rare earths miner on the brink

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 17 & 20 : 1-Jul-19

Northern Minerals has spent $210m to date on its Browns Range rare earths project in Western Australia’s East Kimberley region. MD George Bauk says a dispute with the Australian Tax Office over a $10.8m research and development tax rebate nearly saw the company collapse in early 2019. The ATO also demanded that Northern Minerals repay $13.4m worth of previous R&D rebates. Bauk maintains that the Browns Range processing plant is an R&D site, as the technology it uses is still being developed and improved.

CORPORATES
NORTHERN MINERALS LIMITED – ASX NTU, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, LYNAS CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX LYC, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES