Uncategorized

Scott’s media skills ‘crucial’

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Michael Bodey
The Australian – Page: 3 : 23-Dec-15

Media and journalism experience was given a relatively low priority in the selection criteria for the successor to ABC MD Mark Scott. However, former members of the public broadcaster’s board have said that Scott’s editorial experience at Fairfax Media had been a key factor in the decision to appoint him to the role in 2006. Scott will step down in May 2016.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NEW SOUTH WALES. STATE RAIL AUTHORITY

ABC boss looks at options for ‘monetisation’

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 22-Dec-15

Google executive Michelle Guthrie will succeed ABC MD Mark Scott in May 2016. She has indicated that budgetary limitations may require the public broadcaster to consider new ways to make money from its content, and she has not ruled out options such as paywalling online content or introducing advertising to its TV channels. Guthrie will hold the dual roles of MD and editor-in-chief.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NEWS INTERNATIONAL PLC, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, STAR TV, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SKY PLC, ALLENS, HONG KONG TELECOMMUNICATIONS LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Nine batting for stronger Windies at Boxing Day, new year Tests

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 14 : 21-Dec-15

Carat Australia CEO Simon Ryan is confident that the Nine Network will attract good ratings for its cricket coverage during the 2015-16 summer. The First Test against the West Indies in Hobart finished two days early, but advertising packages have been pre-sold across the summer’s cricket coverage, so Nine’s revenue will not be affected if the remaining two Tests do not run for five days.

CORPORATES
NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, CARAT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN

Fox Sports wins football trifecta

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 24 : 18-Dec-15

Fox Sports will be seeking an increase in subscribers after securing the broadcasting rights for the Australian Football League, the National Rugby League and the Australian Rugby Union. CEO Patrick Delaney notes that Foxtel pay-TV subscriptions account for about 75 per cent of Fox Sports’ revenue, as live matches do not have advertising breaks. Fox Sports will pay about $A285m for the five-year deal with the ARU, and will gain some revenue from on-selling the rights to selected matches to the Ten Network.

CORPORATES
FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, AUSTRALIAN RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION, SUPER RUGBY, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, SANZAR, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Nine strikes a secret cricket deal with SBS

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 18-Dec-15

Regional broadcaster WIN Corporation has yet to finalise a new affiliation agreement with Nine Entertainment Company, with the existing deal set to lapse at the end of 2015. It has been revealed that Nine has negotiated a deal for public broadcaster SBS to televise its cricket coverage in regional areas if WIN does not renew its affiliation agreement. Nine’s broadcasting deal with Cricket Australia requires it to provide all Australians with access to its cricket coverage.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), CRICKET AUSTRALIA, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN

Obsolete media rules shackle Foxtel, says Ten chairman

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Dominic White, Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 17-Dec-15

Shareholders at Ten Network’s 2015 AGM have voted in favour of a deal for Foxtel to acquire a 15 per cent stake in the free-to-air broadcaster. Meanwhile, Ten chairman David Gordon has urged the Australian Government to abolish cross-media ownership rules, noting that the growth of digital media groups has made the rules redundant. He has also called for TV broadcasting licence fees to be scrapped, arguing that digital rivals have a competitive advantage.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, AUSTRALIAN SHAREHOLDERS’ ASSOCIATION, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, BLACKMORES LIMITED – ASX BKL

Ten delays on third billionaire nominee

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 16-Dec-15

Lachlan Murdoch and Gina Rinehart are expected to retain their nominees on the new six-person board of Ten Network. The free-to-air broadcaster has allocated three seats to representatives of its four billionaire shareholders. However, Ten is not keen to appoint a nominee of WIN Corporation owner Bruce Gordon, as he also holds a stake in Nine Entertainment Company. WIN’s affiliation agreement with Nine ends on 31 December 2015, and Nine is seeking an increase in WIN’s advertising revenue under a new deal.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, BIRKETU PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, HANCOCK PROSPECTING PTY LTD

ABC ups pay to lure Google exec as managing director

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 16-Dec-15

The ABC has declined to comment on reports that Michelle Guthrie will succeed MD Mark Scott. Guthrie is currently Google’s MD of agency relationships for the Asia-Pacific region, and is based in Singapore. She has extensive experience in the Australian and international media industry, including roles at Foxtel, BSkyB and Hong Kong-based Star TV. It is believed that Guthrie will be paid an annual salary of about $A1m, compared with Scott’s remuneration of $A823,613 in 2013-14.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, BSKYB, STAR TV, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), AUSTRALIA. REMUNERATION TRIBUNAL, PROVIDENCE EQUITY PARTNERS INCORPORATED, ALLENS

Harris Scarfe tips growth through Debenhams deal

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 14-Dec-15

Australian department store group Harris Scarfe has secured an alliance with UK-based Debenhams. Harris Scarfe expects its sales to be boosted by about $A100m by the deal to open about 10 stand-alone Debenhams stores in Australia via a franchise agreement. Harris Scarfe also expects revenue to be bolstered by a deal to sell a range of Debenhams’ brands in its stores. The group also intends to open up to 15 new stores in coming years.

CORPORATES
HARRIS SCARFE HOLDINGS LIMITED, DEBENHAMS RETAIL PLC, PEPKOR SOUTH EAST ASIA PTY LTD, BEST AND LESS PTY LTD, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, THE GAP INCORPORATED, TOP SHOP, J SAINSBURY PLC, HABITAT, MOMENTUM CORPORATE SOLUTIONS PTY LTD, POSTIE PLUS GROUP LIMITED, STEINHOFF INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LIMITED, TARGET AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES

Hopes high for a better year in media

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 16 : 14-Dec-15

Data from ZenithOptimedia shows that advertising expenditure across all media is expected to reach a record $A13.4bn in Australia during calendar 2016. Meanwhile, a survey of the CEOs of 23 media companies has identified key issues for the industry in 2016. They include cross-media ownership reform, government measures to stimulate economic growth following the end of the resources boom, and the need for Australia to become more innovative.

CORPORATES
ZENITH OPTIMEDIA, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NOVA ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEEK LIMITED – ASX SEK, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, REA GROUP LIMITED – ASX REA, IPROPERTY GROUP LIMITED – ASX IPP