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Media bosses back to Senate

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 22 : 13-Oct-16

The Senate’s Environment & Communications Legislation Committee will release the findings of its second inquiry into the Federal Government’s cross-media ownership reforms on 7 November 2016. The CEOs of media companies fronted the first inquiry in March and April, and they are said to have been asked to appear before the committee again on 24 October. The first inquiry recommended that Parliament should approve the reforms, although the bill was shelved due to the double-dissolution election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNICATIONS, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND THE ARTS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, NSW FARMERS’ ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Diamond days as TV celebrates a jubilee

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 5 : 12-Oct-16

Industry executives and on-air presenters have joined politicians in marking the 60th anniversary of TV in Australia at Parliament House in Canberra. The event coincided with a decision by the Australian Labor Party’s caucus to support a proposed 25 per cent reduction in broadcasting licence fees for commercial TV and radio stations. Free TV Australia chairman Harold Mitchell notes that linear TV continues to be an important part of daily family life.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, OZTAM PTY LTD, NETFLIX INCORPORATED

New Free TV boss Savill to push for cuts in broadcast licence fees

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 10-Oct-16

Brett Savill, who has succeeded Julie Flynn as CEO of Free TV Australia, says the TV sector is likely to undergo greater change in the next 5-10 years than the switch from analogue to digital. However, he notes that TV is still the only medium than can attract the large audiences that viewed the recent Australian Football League and National Rugby League grand finals. Savill is expected to lobby the Federal Government for a further reduction in broadcasting licence fees, which Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has indicated is under active consideration.

CORPORATES
FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, BAI COMMUNICATIONS, BROADCAST AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS, KORN/FERRY INTERNATIONAL, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE

Diversity key to APN-News deal: Sims

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 21 : 7-Oct-16

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission will make a final decision on the sale of APN News & Media’s regional newspapers on 1 December 2016. The ACCC has signalled that factors such as the impact on "diversity of voice" and the potential for content to be aggregated will influence its decision on News Corp’s $A36.6m deal to acquire Australian Regional Media,. APN CEO Ciaran Davis says the regional newspapers may not be financially viable if the deal is rejected.

CORPORATES
APN NEWS AND MEDIA LIMITED – ASX APNAUSTRALIAN REGIONAL MEDIANEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTDNEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWSAUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSIONTHE NIELSEN COMPANY (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTDSEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM

Breach may see 2CH ‘fire sale’

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 21 : 6-Oct-16

The Australian Communications & Media Authority has ruled that Macquarie Media must sell Sydney radio station 2CH. The 2015 merger of Macquarie Radio Network and Fairfax Media’s radio assets resulted in the merged group owning three radio stations in Sydney, in breach of the "’two to a market" media ownership rule. ACMA has refused to grant Macquarie a third temporary exemption and deemed that 2CH must be sold.

CORPORATES
MACQUARIE MEDIA LIMITED – ASX MRN, RADIO 2CH PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, 2GB, RADIO 2UE SYDNEY PTY LTD, NEW SOUTH WALES COUNCIL OF CHURCHES, GRANT BROADCASTERS PTY LTD, CAPITAL RADIO NETWORK

Woolies finalises hardware sell-off

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 19 : 4-Oct-16

The hardware division of Metcash will boast sales of $A2.2bn following the completion of a deal to acquire the Home Timber & Hardware business from Woolworths. The expanded division will comprise about 800 retail stores and a hardware wholesaling business. Woolworths is still engaged in legal action with joint venture partner Lowe’s regarding its exit from the ill-fated Masters Home Improvement business.

CORPORATES
METCASH LIMITED – ASX MTS, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, HOME TIMBER AND HARDWARE, MASTERS HOME IMPROVEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, LOWE’S COMPANIES INCORPORATED, MITRE 10 LIMITED, TRUE VALUE HARDWARE LIMITED, THRIFTY-LINK HARDWARE PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

Finals football shows television is far from dead

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 4-Oct-16

Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner says the high ratings for the AFL and NRL grand finals demonstrates the continued strength of traditional broadcast television. The Seven Network’s coverage of the AFL grand final attracted an average national audience of almost 4.1 million, while the Nine Network’s NRL broadcast was viewed by a national average audience of about 3.7 million.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, WESTERN BULLDOGS FOOTBALL CLUB, CRONULLA SHARKS, MELBOURNE STORM RUGBY LEAGUE CLUB LIMITED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED

Foxtel to add rival streaming services to keep customers

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 29-Sep-16

Foxtel CEO Peter Tonagh has confirmed that the pay-TV group’s next-generation set-top box will allow customers to access subscription video-on-demand services such as Netflix and Stan. Foxtel competitor Fetch TV also provides access to SVOD services via its set-top box. Tonagh has also indicated that the cost of Foxtel Play packages will be reduced, and subscribers will be able to access Foxtel’s premium sports and movie content via the streaming service.

CORPORATES
FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FOXTEL PLAY, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FETCHTV PTY LTD, OZTAM PTY LTD, AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN AUSTRALIA

Free-to-air TV bosses strengthen calls for licence fee cuts

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 2 : 28-Sep-16

The Australian Government’s May 2016 Budget included a 25 per cent reduction in TV broadcasting licence fees. Nine Entertainment Company’s submission to a Senate inquiry into the media reform bill has argued that a further reduction in licence fees should have priority over changes to cross-media ownership rules. The Ten Network noted in its submission that Australia’s broadcasting licence fees are still the highest in the world, while News Corp Australia called for broader media reform and changes to the anti-siphoning list for sports broadcasts.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Another massive diamond at Lucapa

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 23 : 27-Sep-16

Australian-listed Lucapa Diamond Company has revealed that its Lulo project in Angola has yield a 172.7-carat diamond. Chairman Miles Kennedy has suggested that the diamond could potentially sell for at least $US8m. Lucapa’s other recent discoveries at the Lulo project include a 104-carat diamond and a 38.6-carat pink diamond. The Lulo project yield 98 diamonds of at least 10 carats during July and August 2016.

CORPORATES
LUCAPA DIAMOND COMPANY LIMITED – ASX LOM, ENDIAMA, ROSAS AND PETALAS