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Retailers ready to ride Black Friday wave

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Original article by Richard Henderson, Simon Evans
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 & 34 : 25-Nov-21

Research by Boston Consulting Group shows that 82 per cent of Australians intend to participate in the Black Friday sales in 2021, compared with 43 per cent in 2020. Australian Retailers Association CEO Paul Zahra notes that November has displaced December as the nation’s biggest month for retail sales over the last two years, primarily due to the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. Roy Morgan’s research shows that the four-day event will generate sales of $5.4bn in 2021. Some retailers have been offering big discounts ahead of the Black Friday sale on 26 November.

CORPORATES
THE BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Prime Media welcomes Seven, castigates the Nationals

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Original article by Miranda Ward
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 25-Nov-21

Prime Media Group’s CEO Ian Audsley says the proposed takeover by Seven West Media is in the best interests of the regional affiliate’s shareholders. He has told Prime’s AGM that digital disruption has had an "irreversible and negative" impact on traditional media businesses in regional Australia. Audsley also warned that Prime’s future would be uncertain if the merger does not proceed. In addition, he has criticised the federal government – and the National Party in particular – over its failure to pursue further media reforms.

CORPORATES
PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Senate shoots down Bragg’s ABC complaints inquiry

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Original article by James Madden
The Australian – Page: 4 : 24-Nov-21

A motion to suspend a Senate committee’s inquiry into the complaints handling processes of the ABC and SBS has been passed by one vote in the upper house. Three independent senators backed the motion that had been put forward by Labor and the Greens. The inquiry had been launched by Liberal senator Andrew Bragg, who says the ABC’s own independent inquiry into its complaints system is not as strong as the proposed Senate probe. The inquiry will be put on hold until after the federal election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Nine boss doesn’t see need to buy WIN TV

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Original article by Miranda Ward
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 17-Nov-21

Nine Entertainment Company has ruled out following rival Seven West Media in seeking to acquire its regional television affiliate. Nine CEO Mike Sneesby says the media group is gaining significant benefits from its "very close commercial partnership" with WIN Corporation without the need to buy the regional affiliate. Nine recently revealed plans to integrate the two companies’ sales teams, just months after the new affiliation agreement began in mid-2021. Sneesby has also flagged a push to increase Nine’s digital presence across its business.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC,NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED,WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD,SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM,PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT

News Corp gives $1m to fire-hit communities

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Original article by Rhiannon Down
The Australian – Page: 3 : 17-Nov-21

The Rural & Remote Mental Health charity will receive a $1m donation from News Corp Australia to provide mental health support for people in regional areas that are still recovering from the Black Summer bushfires. News Corp Australia’s community ambassador Penny Fowler notes that while the media company had extensively supported the immediate recovery from the bushfires, the disaster is still having a significant mental health impact on many people in bushfire-affected communities. News Corp has now donated some $4.2m to Black Summer recovery programs.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD,NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS,RURAL AND REMOTE MENTAL HEALTH

Seven West Media won’t commit to dividend timetable

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Original article by Miranda Ward
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 24 : 10-Nov-21

Seven West Media suspended its dividend payments in 2018, in order to focus on reducing debt. Chairman Kerry Stokes has told the group’s AGM that it will review its dividend policy in 2022, but he declined to make any commitment as to when dividends will resume. Stokes also defended the remuneration package of CEO James Warburton, whose total pay topped $7.6m in 2020-21; Stokes says that Warburton is paid for performance, and his pay reflected the challenges faced by Seven during the last year, including the global pandemic.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM

Christmas coming early as retailers brace for November splurge

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Original article by Matthew Elmas
The New Daily – Page: Online : 10-Nov-21

Australia Post is ramping up its parcel delivery services in expectations of a big increase in online shopping in November. The annual Click Frenzy event has signalled the start of the anticipated surge in online sales in the lead-up to Christmas. The Australian Retailers Association has forecast that the upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday events will generate some $5.4bn worth of retail sales in just four days. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says the recent ending of COVID-19 lockdowns in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra is likely to see retail spending in November either match or exceed the record levels of 2020.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA POST, CLICK FRENZY PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Nine Network says Seven top with more over 65s

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Original article by Miranda Ward
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 8-Nov-21

The Seven Network has won the 2021 ratings year with a total audience share of 38.3 per cent, ahead of the Nine Network with 37.8 per cent. However, Nine claims to have won the key 25-54 age demographic with less than four weeks until the end of the ratings year. Nine’s head of television Michael Healy contends that the network has recorded significant growth year-on-year across the key demographics, while Seven’s growth of 0.9 share has been primarily in the 65+ age demographic.

CORPORATES
NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM

ABC dismisses Fox News’ Four Corners complaint

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Original article by Zoe Samios
The Age – Page: Online : 8-Nov-21

The ABC’s internal complaints department has found that "Fox and the Big Lie" did not breach the national broadcaster’s code of practice. The two-part Four Corners documentary examined how US cable network Fox News covered the 2020 presidential election. Fox News called for an external inquiry into the Four Corners story shortly after it had been broadcast, and the ABC is said to have provided Fox with a detailed response as to why its complaints had been dismissed. The ABC recently commissioned a review of its procedures for handling complaints, its first such review in 12 years.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, FOX NEWS

Seven West lobs new deal for Prime

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Original article by Sophie Elsworth
The Australian – Page: 15 : 2-Nov-21

Seven West Media is set to acquire regional broadcasting affiliate Prime Media in a $131.9m deal. The transaction will require approval from at least 50 per cent of Prime’s shareholders, and Seven West has indicated that investors who hold some 43.5 per cent of Prime’s shares have already expressed support for the deal. Seven West CEO James Warburton says the deal will extend the group’s audience reach and provide advertisers and media buyers with access to metropolitan and regional markets via a single platform. Seven’s previous bid for Prime in 2019 was blocked by key shareholders.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT