Cricket chiefs look to post a big score

Original article by James Madden
The Australian – Page: 19 : 14-Nov-22

Sources have indicated that Cricket Australia was "underwhelmed" by the initial ­offers for the next broadcasting rights deal and has asked broadcasters to make new submissions. Seven West Media and Foxtel paid $1.18bn for the current rights deal, which expires in two years’ time. Seven and Nine Entertainment are believed to have offered around $50m per year solely for Test match rights, while Ten and Foxtel are said to have pitched for the rights to all international and domestic matches. CA’s negotiations with broadcasters follows Nine’s recent renewal of its rights deal with Tennis Australia in a new five-year deal worth a record $425m.

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CRICKET AUSTRALIA, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED

‘Stuck in a rut’: Diversity rules to be overhauled in major media reform

Original article by Zoe Samios
The Age – Page: Online : 14-Nov-22

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland is to ask the Australian Communications and Media Authority to review current rules that measure and determine the diversity of Australia’s media, with a view to having them revamped. Rowland will tell the Communications and Media Law Association Seminar on 4 November that media policy had been "stuck in a rut" under the previous government, while any change to the way that media diversity is measured could have a big impact on the way that media companies approach further consolidation in the future.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA LAW ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY

ABC warns national anti-corruption commission could investigate journalists’ work

Original article by Paul Karp
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 19-Oct-22

The ABC has raised a number of concerns in its submission to a parliamentary inquiry on the proposed National Anti-Corruption Commission. The public broadcaster said the definition of corruption means the legitimate work of ABC journalists could come under scrutiny by the NACC if they receive confidential government information or documents in the normal course of their work. The ABC has called for editorial work to be excluded from the scope of the NACC’s powers. The Australia’s Right To Know Coalition in turn has expressed concern that warrants could be used to reveal journalists’ sources.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA’S RIGHT TO KNOW COALITION OF MEDIA COMPANIES

ABC calls for mandate to ensure it hosts federal election debate

Original article by Amanda Meade
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 18-Oct-22

A parliamentary committee is examining the conduct of the 2022 federal election, and is looking at issues such as voting rules and political donation laws. In its submission to the committee’s inquiry, the ABC has called for legislation that would see it host and broadcast at least one leaders’ debate during a federal election campaign. Then Prime Minister Scott Morrison accepted invitations to take part in debates with Anthony Albanese on the Seven and Nine networks and Sky News Australia during the 2022 election campaign, but refused to appear on the ABC. In arguing its case for at least one debate, the ABC noted in its submission that research has revealed it is the most trusted media brand, while it also pointed out it has Australia’s biggest "broadcast footprint".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SKY NEWS

The hidden message in Rupert Murdoch’s latest manoeuvre

Original article by John McDuling
The Age – Page: Online : 18-Oct-22

Rupert Murdoch’s proposal to reunify News Corp and Fox Corp is worthy of scrutiny. Both companies have changed significantly since being split in 2013. News Corp now derives the bulk of its revenue from digital real estate advertising rather than newspapers; likewise, Fox Corp’s focus has shifted to live news and sports after selling most of its entertainment assets to Disney. Combining the two companies makes some strategic sense, with the potential for greater cross-promotion across media platforms. Meanwhile, Barclays analysts have speculated that the reunification proposal may be aimed at preparing the companies for even more challenging economic conditions.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FOX CORPORATION, BARCLAYS BANK PLC

October rate raise could be final straw for lower income spenders

Original article by Emma Koehn
Brisbane Times – Page: Online : 4-Oct-22

Low-income households will come under further pressure if the Reserve Bank of Australia increases the cash rate by another 50 basis points on Tuesday. The latest quarterly consumer survey from UBS shows that low income earners have an "outright negative" financial outlook, although wealthy Australians are expected to keep spending. Australian Retailers Association CEO Paul Zahra notes that the full impact of the recent interest rate increases have yet to flow through the economy, adding that retail sales could soften in coming months.

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RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION

Low TV crowd for all-Sydney decider

Original article by Edmund Tadros
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 4-Oct-22

Ratings data from OzTAM shows that the National Rugby League grand final boasted a total audience of just 2.76 million viewers. This compares with 3.2 million in 2020 and 3.6 million in 2021, with COVID-19 restrictions boosting the audience in both years. The Nine Network’s coverage of the 2022 premiership decider had an average audience of 1.67 million metropolitan viewers, plus 696,000 viewers in regional areas; an additional 389,000 people watched the grand final on the 9Now app.

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NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Millions tune in to Queen’s farewell

Original article by Sophie Elsworth
The Australian – Page: 9 : 21-Sep-22

Data from OzTAM shows that 3.897 million Australians watched the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on free-to-air networks and Sky News Australia. The Seven Network’s coverage was watched by 975,000 viewers in metropolitan areas and 413,000 in regional areas, ahead of Nine with 879,000 viewers in capital cities and 223,000 in regional areas. Some 188,000 people watched the state funeral on Sky News. Meanwhile, the Ten Network relegated the funeral to a secondary channel, and just 185,000 people watched The Amazing Race Australia on its primary channel.

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OZTAM PTY LTD, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, SKY NEWS AUSTRALIA

Myer defies rates gloom, tips big Christmas

Original article by Carrie LaFrenz
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 16-Sep-22

Department store chain Myer released its latest full-year results on 15 September, announcing an underlying net profit of $60.2 million, up 16.5 per cent. Bottom-line profit rose 5.7 per cent to $49 million, while full-year sales were up 12.5 per cent to $2.99 billion; a final dividend of $0.025 per share was declared, to be paid on 7 November. Myer CEO John King said the company was expecting strong trade over the Christmas period, although he expressed fears about the level of consumer confidence, particularly if the Reserve Bank lifts interest rates again at its October meeting.

CORPORATES
MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Mineral Resources lifts lithium exposure amid spin-out chatter

Original article by Stuart McKinnon
The West Australian – Page: Online : 16-Sep-22

Shares in Global Lithium Resources rose by 11 per cent to close at $2.93 on 14 September after it was revealed that Mineral Resources had lifted its stake in the company from 5.12 per cent to eight per cent. Global Lithium MD Ron Mitchell said that Mineral Resources’ move up its share register was a "vote of confidence in its Western Australian exploration assets", while speculation regarding the likelihood that Mineral Resources will spin-off its lithium assets via a US listing continues.

CORPORATES
GLOBAL LITHIUM RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX GL1, MINERAL RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX MIN