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Turnbull moves to dump reach rule

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Original article by Darren Davidson, Michael Bodey
The Australian – Page: 23 : 9-Nov-15

The issue of changes to cross-media ownership laws is expected to be the agenda for federal cabinet ministers in coming weeks, with the "reach rule" likely to be scrapped. Communications Minister Mitch Fifield also favours abolishing the "two-out-of-three" rule, although this may be opposed by the Australian Labor Party. The government is also believed to have agreed to abolish TV broadcasters’ licence fees, as the emergence of subscription video-on-demand services has reduced the value of these licences.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED

Seven, Nine win free TV numbers game

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 9-Nov-15

The Seven Network is poised to claim the title of top-rating free-to-air broadcaster again in 2015, although its prime-time audience share has fallen by 1.2 per cent to 29.3 per cent. The Nine Network’s share of prime-time audiences is 1.3 per cent lower at 27.9 per cent, while the Ten Network’s share is up 1.1 per cent at 18.9 per cent. However, Nine has emerged as the market leader in the 25-54, 18-49 and 16-39 age groups, which are favoured by advertisers.

CORPORATES
SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, OZTAM PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE

New Fairfax chairman Falloon calls for media modernisation

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 6-Nov-15

Shareholders at the AGM of Fairfax Media have been told that its revenue from continuing businesses has risen by 2-3 per cent so far in 2015-16. Meanwhile, chairman Nick Falloon said changes to cross-media ownership laws are necessary as the "reach rule" and the " two-out-of-three rule" have become irrelevant and provide the Australian media industry’s offshore rivals with an advantage in the domestic market. Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims also favours scrapping the reach rule.

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, METRO MEDIA PUBLISHING PTY LTD, RBB ECONOMICS LLP

Media curbs need review, Sims says

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 5-Nov-15

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims argues that the advent of the internet and live streaming of TV content means the "reach rule" and the "two out of three rule" may no longer be relevant. However, Sims says anti-siphoning regulations for sports broadcasts may still be necessary to preserve competition in the TV industry, noting that companies such as Yahoo! and YouTube have begun live streaming of sports events in the US.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, YAHOO! INCORPORATED, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED, NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION, INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, RBB ECONOMICS LLP, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ

Fairytale Cup viewing figures open era of streaming success

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Original article by Michael Bodey
The Australian – Page: 5 : 5-Nov-15

The 2015 Melbourne Cup attracted an average TV audience of 2.931 million nationally. An average of 2.068 million people watched the race in Australia’s capital cities, compared with 2.178 million in 2014. However, the Seven Network’s live stream attracted an additional 342,000 views. The post-race presentation boasted an average metropolitan audience of 1.788 million.

CORPORATES
THE EMIRATES MELBOURNE CUP, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SKY RACING, OZTAM PTY LTD

Kikki.K just outpaces Smiggle

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 4-Nov-15

Australian retailer Kikki.K has posted a 2014-15 net profit of $A1.1m, while sales rose by 28 per cent to $A60.9m. The stationery retailer’s sales and store numbers have risen strongly in the last five years. Rival stationery retailer Smiggle posted sales of $A132.6m in fiscal 2015, which is 26 per cent higher than previously, while OfficeWorks’ sales were up 8.8 per cent at $A1.7bn.

CORPORATES
KIKKI.K PTY LTD, SMIGGLE PTY LTD, PREMIER INVESTMENTS LIMITED – ASX PMV, OFFICEWORKS SUPERSTORES PTY LTD, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, BOOST JUICE PTY LTD, ECORP LIMITED, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, JURLIQUE INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD, KORDA MENTHA AND COLLEAGUES PTY LTD, 333 CAPITAL PTY LTD

Lynch in box seat for CFO at Seven

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 21 : 4-Nov-15

Australian-listed Seven West Media is shortly expected to announce a successor to former CFO Dave Boorman, who stepped down in early 2015. Warwick Lynch has been acting CFO, and he is believed to be the leading candidate to take on the role permanently. Lynch was also acting CFO prior to Boorman’s appointment in mid-2013. Boorman recently became the CFO at Ten Network.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, PEOPLE ONE PTY LTD, SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW

EPL rights loss to Optus a blow to Foxtel, Macquarie says

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Original article by Vesna Poljak
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 4-Nov-15

Andrew Levy of Macquarie Group says Singtel Optus’s deal to acquire the English Premier League rights is a "clear negative" for incumbent broadcaster Foxtel. Levy notes that English soccer is popular with Foxtel subscribers, and the pay-TV group has benefited from the Premier League’s exclusion from the anti-siphoning list. Fox Sports also recently lost the right to broadcast the popular Saturday and Monday night National Rugby League matches.

CORPORATES
SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TPG TELECOM LIMITED – ASX TPM, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FETCHTV PTY LTD

Government prepares to move on reach rule

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Original article by Dominic White, Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 2-Nov-15

The Australian Government is believed to be planning to legislate to abolish the so-called "reach rule" before the end of 2015. However, it is uncertain whether scrapping the "two-out-of-three" rule is also on the agenda at present. The Government’s proposed changes to cross-media ownership laws have some support within the Australian Labor Party, although there are some concerns within both the Opposition and the Australian Greens about the impact on media diversity if the "two-out-of-three" rule is abolished.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, PALMER UNITED PARTY, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, IMPARJA TELEVISION PTY LTD

Marks set to replace Gyngell at Nine

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 2-Nov-15

Nine Entertainment Company is expected to announce that Media Venture Partners MD Hugh Marks will succeed CEO David Gyngell. Marks is a director of Nine, and his previous roles in the media industry include CEO of Southern Star and director of Nine Films & Television. Nine is also believed to be keen to retain Gyngell’s services in some capacity, which could include becoming a director or a consultant to the media group.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NINE FILMS AND TELEVISION PTY LTD, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MEDIA VENTURE PARTNERS PTY LTD, SOUTHERN STAR CORPORATION, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, RGM ARTISTS PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL