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7-Eleven pumps $200m from petrol

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Original article by Adele Ferguson, Sarah Danckert
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 21 : 20-Oct-15

The wage exploitation scandal has prompted 7-Eleven Stores to propose increasing the fuel commission paid to franchisees. Owners of outlet that sell petrol are currently paid $A0.01 for every litre they sell. Head office has proposed lifting this to $A0.015 per litre, although some franchisees are pushing for $A0.03 per litre. Internal documents show that head office’s gross income from fuel sales was $A197.5m in 2014-15, while franchisees were paid $A18.3m in fuel commissions.

CORPORATES
7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD

Netflix makes us watch more, says study

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 19-Oct-15

A survey by Edison Research has found that traditional broadcast TV still accounts for 85 per cent of the four hours of video content that Australians aged 14+ watch on average each day. The "Share of Eye" report shows that subscription video on-demand services account for four per cent of viewing time, while free video-on-demand services account for 11 per cent. The research was commissioned by Seven West Media.

CORPORATES
EDISON RESEARCH, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, YAHOO!7 COMMUNICATIONS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ

News Corp takes ‘tread lightly’ approach

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 19-Oct-15

Media industry sources have suggested that cross-media ownership reforms are on the Australian Government’s agenda again, after being shelved by ex-prime minister Tony Abbott. News Corp Australia CEO Julian Clarke and Foxtel CEO Richard Freudenstein recently held talks with Communications Minister Mitch Fifield. Both media groups are believed to be more open to reforms, although their stance on the exact nature of the changes that should be implemented is said to be unchanged.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN

Sports earn broadcasters bigger share of revenue pie

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 22 : 16-Oct-15

Standard Media Index data shows that the Nine Network’s share of metropolitan TV advertising revenue rose to 37.5 per cent in September 2015. It was bolstered by coverage of National Rugby League preliminary finals, while Ten Network’s ad revenue was boosted by its broadcast of the V8 ­Supercars Sandown 500. A one-week delay to the Australian Football League grand final resulted in Seven Network’s share of ad revenue easing to 40.3 per cent in September.

CORPORATES
NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SMI MEDIA INCORPORATED, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, V8 SUPERCARS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Murdochs win dual-class vote

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 22 : 16-Oct-15

News Corporation shareholders have rejected a resolution to abolish its dual-class share structure at the US-based media group’s 2015 AGM in New York. Executive chairman Rupert Murdoch told the AGM that News Corp has become more profitable with a greater focus on digital media since its 2013 demerger. The group has made a number of acquisitions globally since the demerger, while it has sold a number of assets.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AMPLIFY PTY LTD, UNRULY, VIACOM INCORPORATED, CBS CORPORATION, COMCAST CORPORATION, CABLEVISION SYSTEMS CORPORATION, THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY, SCRIPPS NETWORKS INCORPORATED, LIBERTY MEDIA CORPORATION, UNITED STATES. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Investors in the pink as Baby Bunting shares surge up

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 & 38 : 15-Oct-15

Shares in Baby Bunting Group reached an intra-day high of $A2.02 on 14 October 2015, with the stock ending its first day of trading at $A1.86. The retailer’s shares were issued at $A1.40 apiece in a $A52m IPO which received strong support from investors. Baby Bunting expects sales to rise by 21 per cent to $A218.5m in 2015-16, while it aims to aggressively expand its network of stores over the next five years.

CORPORATES
BABY BUNTING GROUP LIMITED – ASX BBN, TDM ASSET MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MORGANS FINANCIAL LIMITED, BABYCO, MOTHERCARE AUSTRALIA LIMITED, KATHMANDU HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX KMD, COLES GROUP LIMITED, SHELL COMPANY OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Foxtel holding in Ten expected to pass muster with regulator

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 14-Oct-15

Former Australian Communications & Media Authority (ACMA) executive Michaela Watson says the regulator is likely to approve the proposed equity alliance between Ten Network and Foxtel. She does not expect ACMA to rule that the deal contravenes cross-media ownership laws or would give businessman Lachlan Murdoch control of Ten. He has an 8.52 per cent stake in Ten and fully owns radio group Nova Entertainment, while he is also the co-chairman of Foxtel’s joint owner News Corporation.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, NOVA ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, ILLYRIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM

Murdoch to face shareholder revolt

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Original article by Max Mason
The Age – Page: 40 : 14-Oct-15

News Corporation’s share structure will again come under scrutiny at the media giant’s 2015 AGM in New York. However, any resolution to abolish the dual-class structure faces a significant hurdle, as the Murdoch Family Trust holds 38.4 per cent of Class B shares, which have voting rights. Some 47.4 per cent of votes cast at the 2014 AGM were in favour of scrapping the distinction between Class B and non-voting Class A shares.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, MURDOCH FAMILY TRUST, SOUTHEASTERN ASSET MANAGEMENT INCORPORATED, NATHAN CUMMINGS FOUNDATION, LEGAL AND GENERAL ASSURANCE SOCIETY LIMITED, HERMES EQUITY OWNERSHIP SERVICES LIMITED, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AMPLIFY PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, DEUTSCHE BANK AG

Gyngell may be switching channels

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Original article by Elizabeth Knight
The Age – Page: 21 : 13-Oct-15

The contract of Nine Entertainment Company CEO David Gyngell expires in November 2016. He is required to give 12 months’ notice if he does not want to renew the contract, and is widely tipped to do so. Nine has been restructured under Gyngell, selling assets and expanding into the subscription video-on-demand sector. Should the Australian Government implement changes to cross-media ownership laws, his last major deal at Nine could potentially be the acquisition of a regional affiliate or a non-TV media asset.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NINE LIVE PTY LTD, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR

Woolworths, Lowe’s tip $105m into Masters

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 13-Oct-15

Australian-listed Woolworths and joint venture partner Lowe’s have invested $A3.32bn in Masters Home Improvement to date. They invested an additional $A105m in the hardware venture on 30 September 2015. US-based Lowe’s has now invested $A1.11bn in Masters over the last six years. A put option to sell its 33 per cent stake in the venture to Woolworths can be exercised on 20 October. Woolworths and Lowe’s are progressively introducing a new store format for Masters in a bid to boost sales.

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, LOWE’S COMPANIES INCORPORATED, MASTERS HOME IMPROVEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, HOME TIMBER AND HARDWARE, HYDROX HOLDINGS PTY LTD, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION