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Cross-media ownership rules may go back on the table

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 17-Sep-15

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has advocated changing Australia’s cross-media ownership laws in the past, and comments in his first official press conference suggest that it may be back on the agenda. Turnbull noted that he first talked about the need for reforms in 1977, and said he will look forward to discussing the issue with cabinet ministers. Media law reforms were put on hold by former prime minister Tony Abbott earlier in 2015.

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

ACCC alarmed by Foxtel plan for Ten

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

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) will decide the fate of the proposed Ten Network-Foxtel equity alliance on 22 October 2015. The ACCC has raised a number of concerns about the deal in a statement of issues. They include the potential for Ten and Foxtel to dominate bidding for sports broadcasting rights and the impact of the alliance on the television advertising market, as Ten’s advertising sales team would be merged with Foxtel’s MCN. The role of 8.5 per cent Ten shareholder and News Corp executive Lachlan Murdoch is also a concern for the ACCC.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, MULTI CHANNEL NETWORK PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FOX SPORTS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, CONSOLIDATED MEDIA HOLDINGS LIMITED, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY

TV rating measures stretch to a month

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Original article by Michael Bodey
The Australian – Page: 25 : 14-Sep-15

OzTAM’s TV ratings methodology is being updated to embrace time-shifting and multiscreens. The new data will begin to be available later in 2015, and OzTAM will report ratings for programs that are viewed up to 28 days after initial transmission. OzTAM CEO Doug Peiffer says preliminary data suggests that taking time-shifting into account can lift a program’s overall ratings by up to 10 per cent. He adds that multiscreen data is unlikely to have much impact on ratings, as most people still watch traditional TV.

CORPORATES
OZTAM PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, THE NIELSEN COMPANY (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Foxtel wants anti-siphoning rules loosened

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 36 : 14-Sep-15

Foxtel Richard Freudenstein says "sensible" changes to anti-siphoning rules for sports rights should be part of any reforms to cross-media ownership laws. He argues that while major sporting events should continue to be protected, the anti-siphoning rules should be relaxed. However, Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner and Free TV Australia chairman Harold Mitchell are among those who say the existing regime for sports broadcasts should be retained.

CORPORATES
FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, AUSTRALIAN SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION AND RADIO ASSOCIATION (ASTRA) INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Woolworths Holdings looks to Kelly for lift

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 11-Sep-15

Former Westpac CEO Gail Kelly will become a non-executive director of Woolworths Holdings on 1 October 2015. Kelly’s appointment is part of the South African group’s push to become one of the top retailers in the southern hemisphere. Australia accounts for about 40 per cent of Woolworths’ revenue, and its local assets include David Jones and Country Road. It also owns the Kirkcaldie & Staines department store in New Zealand.

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS HOLDINGS LIMITED, DAVID JONES LIMITED, COUNTRY ROAD LIMITED, KIRKCALDIE AND STAINS, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, ST GEORGE BANK LIMITED, NEDBANK

Pay-TV’s spend on local content jumps to $800m

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 20 : 10-Sep-15

New figures show that Australia’s pay-TV industry invested $A796 million in new local productions in 2014-15, compared with $A656m in the previous fiscal year. Foxtel CEO Richard Freudenstein says the company’s investment in new content has spanned all genres, adding that overseas TV production groups have also invested in local content. Foxtel plans to further invest in local drama, entertainment and comedy over the next three years.

CORPORATES
FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION AND RADIO ASSOCIATION (ASTRA) INCORPORATED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, VIACOM INCORPORATED, BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION, WALT DISNEY COMPANY, 21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED, ESPN INCORPORATED, DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED, PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AUSTRALIA (INTERNATIONAL) PTY LTD

Deja vu – Quiksilver collapse shines spotlight on Billabong

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Original article by Carrie LaFrenz, Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 & 23 : 10-Sep-15

The Australian operations of global surfwear group Quiksilver will not be affected by a move to place its US division into Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. US-based Oaktree Capital will refinance the US division and will become Quiksilver’s largest shareholder. Oaktree also holds an 18.7 per cent stake in Australian-listed Billabong International, but Quiksilver president Greg Healy has ruled out a merger between the two companies.

CORPORATES
QUIKSILVER INCORPORATED, OAKTREE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC, BILLABONG INTERNATIONAL LIMITED – ASX BBG, CENTERBRIDGE PARTNERS LP, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, ROSSIGNOL, ROXY CLOTHING, DC SHOES INCORPORATED, NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE

Dump Masters for HOME, Woolies told

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 20 : 9-Sep-15

The Masters Home Improvement joint venture between Woolworths and US-based Lowe’s has made a total loss of $A604m over the last four years. Although Woolworths still expects Masters to become profitable at some stage, DGC Advisory’s Geoff Dart believes that Masters needs to reposition its business to focus on home finishing products such as paint and carpets. He notes that hardware giant Bunnings boasts only 2-3 per cent of this market.

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, MASTERS HOME IMPROVEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, LOWE’S COMPANIES INCORPORATED, BUNNINGS GROUP LIMITED, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, TARGET AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SUPER CHEAP AUTO, BOB JANE T-MARTS PTY LTD, REPCO CORPORATION LIMITED, BEAUREPAIRES, TYRE MARKETERS (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED

Networks row over Warners content

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 23 : 7-Sep-15

The Nine Network will ramp up investment in Australian comedy, drama and entertainment after ending a content deal with US-based Warner Brothers. Seven Network will gain the repeat rights to Nine mainstay "The Big Bang Theory", but Nine’s programming director Andrew Blackwell argues that Seven needs the popular sitcom in order to attract a lower age demographic. Seven counterpart Angus Ross has responded by noting that the deal will boost Seven’s demographics at the expense of its rival.

CORPORATES
NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM WARNER BROS

ACCC to rule on Foxtel-Ten deal

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 23 : 7-Sep-15

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission is expected to make a decision on the proposed equity alliance between the Ten Network and Foxtel in the week beginning 7 September 2015. If the deal is approved, Foxtel will pay $A77m for a 15 per cent stake in the free-to-air broadcaster, while Ten will acquire a 24.99 per cent stake in Foxtel’s MCN sales division. Media buyers argue that the deal will boost competition in Australia’s TV advertising market.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION MULTI CHANNEL NETWORK PTY LTD IPG MEDIABRANDS SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC FACEBOOK INCORPORATED GOOGLE INCORPORATED YOUTUBE INCORPORATED PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD NETFLIX INCORPORATED COLES GROUP LIMITED GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION THE COCA-COLA COMPANY OMNICOM GROUP JOHNSON AND JOHNSON QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN