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Guardian Media Group to stick with Australia despite earnings slide

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Original article by James Chessell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 27-Jan-16

UK-based Guardian Media Group expects to post an operating loss of Stg53m ($A106.6m) for the year to 31 March 2016. The newspaper publisher has attributed the bearish outlook to a decline in print advertising revenue and lower-than-forecast growth in online advertising revenue. The group aims to reduce costs by 20 per cent, although a spokesman says it remains committed to its Guardian Australia website.

CORPORATES
GUARDIAN MEDIA GROUP PLC, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, UNITED STATES. NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY

Producers add voice to deregulation calls

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Original article by Michael Bodey
The Australian – Page: 23 : 25-Jan-16

FremantleMedia Australia CEO Ian Hogg supports the push for changes to cross-media ownership laws, arguing that the current regime is "archaic". He has also backed recent calls for an increase in the offset for TV producers. Meanwhile, FremantleMedia COO Simon Rabbitt says TV ratings demonstrate that Australian viewers want to watch local content. He has also criticised current rules which allow New Zealand TV programs to be treated as local content.

CORPORATES
FREMANTLEMEDIA LIMITED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD

TV on track for licence fee cut

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 25-Jan-16

The Department of Communications has recommended a reduction in the annual licence fee paid by Australia’s free-to-air TV networks. Such a move could increase industry support for proposed changes to cross-media ownership laws, although Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has warned that any reduction in licence fees would have to be accompanied by increased revenue or measures to cut costs elsewhere.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION AND RADIO ASSOCIATION (ASTRA) INCORPORATED, SCREEN PRODUCERS AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Big Bash can get bigger, says Ten

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Original article by John Stensholt
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 31 : 25-Jan-16

Australia’s domestic Twenty20 competition has been a ratings success for the Ten Network, with each match in the 2015-16 season attracting an average of 1.02 million viewers. Ten’s head of sports David Barham is confident that the network can gain even higher ratings in 2016-17. Ten has paid $A20m a year under its current rights deal, and some industry observers have suggested that the next BBL broadcasting deal could be worth at least $A50m a year.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, BIG BASH LEAGUE, CRICKET AUSTRALIA

Cricket’s Big Bash hits a six for Ten

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Original article by John Stensholt
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 21-Jan-16

The Ten Network’s current deal to broadcast the domestic Twenty20 tournament is worth $A20m a year. However, some experts believe that the next Big Bash League (BBL) rights deal could potentially be worth between $A50m and $A60m a year, due to the success of Ten’s coverage. Each match in the 2015-16 BBL series has attracted an average audience of 1.013 million viewers, and Ten’s audience share has increased by 15 per cent year-on-year.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE

Ten backs regional networks on news

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 21-Jan-16

Ten Network CEO Paul Anderson says the Australian Government’s cross-media ownership reforms should include measures to ensure that regional broadcasters continue to provide local news content. He also cautions that regional broadcasters should not be subject to "onerous and non-commercial obligations" which will not apply to online rivals. The National Party of Australia wants to ensure that regional broadcasters are required to maintain a local presence if media laws are relaxed.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS

Media rules bickering a distraction: Worner

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 19 : 20-Jan-16

The "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three rule" have been the focus of the Australian Government’s proposed changes to cross-media ownership laws. However, Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner believes that the issue of TV licence fees – which are the world’s highest – should be the highest priority in any reform agenda. He argues that this will encourage TV networks to invest in the industry and local content.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Masters rollout ‘too aggressive’

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Original article by Patrick Hatch, Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 20-Jan-16

Australian-listed Woolworths and US-based Lowe’s have invested some $A3.48bn in the Masters hardware joint venture since 2009. The 33.3 per cent stake of Lowe’s has a book value of nearly $A900m, and the company has advised that its accounts for the December 2015 quarter will include a write-down of its investment. Meanwhile, Colleen Penhall of Lowe’s says the joint venture partners were too aggressive in their initial approach to opening Masters stores.

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, LOWE’S COMPANIES INCORPORATED, MASTERS HOME IMPROVEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, HYDROX HOLDINGS PTY LTD

Wesfarmers takes Bunnings to the UK

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Original article by Patrick Hatch, Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 19-Jan-16

Wesfarmers has acquired British-based home improvement chain Homebase. The $A705 million deal involves taking over Homebase’s 265 stores. Wesfarmers MD of home improvement John Gillam said the Australian conglomerate intends to invest Stg500 million ($A1.03 billion) on expansion of the chain in the UK and Ireland within five years.

CORPORATES
WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, HOMEBASE, HOME RETAIL GROUP PLC, COLES GROUP LIMITED, BUNNINGS GROUP LIMITED, STANDARD AND POOR’S CORPORATION, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Woolies’ $2b Masters sale

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 : 19-Jan-16

Woolworths has decided to exit home-improvement market by selling or winding up the Masters chain. Investors welcomed the decision of the board, with Woolworths shares rising 4.3 per cent to $A23.65 on 18 January 2016. Masters generated operating losses of $A245 million to $A300 million a year.

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, MASTERS HOME IMPROVEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, LOWE’S COMPANIES INCORPORATED, COLES GROUP LIMITED, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, PERPETUAL INVESTMENTS, MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE INCORPORATED, STANDARD AND POOR’S CORPORATION, BUNNINGS GROUP LIMITED, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, HOMEBASE, HOME TIMBER AND HARDWARE, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, MITRE 10 LIMITED