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Short and sharp: Titles up, hours down 68 per cent for Aussie TV drama

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Original article by Karl Quinn
Brisbane Times – Page: Online : 25-Aug-21

New figures show that just 67 hours of adult drama was broadcast on Australia’s commercial television networks in 2019, compared with 208 hours in 1999. The number of hours of adult drama that was broadcast across all networks fell from 254 to 187 over this period; the latter figure includes streaming services. The researchers also note that each drama series had an average of seven episodes per season in 2019, compared with 21 in 1999. Veteran producer John Edwards fears that scripted television programs will continue to decline in Australia unless streaming services are legally required to invest in such content.

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NRL could switch TV channels

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Original article by John Stensholt, Jessica Halloran
The Australian – Page: 24 : 25-Aug-21

The Seven Network is said to have expressed interest in the broadcasting rights to rugby league’s State of Origin series. Seven is also believed to be interested in broadcasting one National Rugby League match each week; Ten could also potentially bid for the NRL rights, with the Nine Network’s current deal set to end in 2022. Nine has held the rugby league broadcasting rights for about three decades.

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, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE

The ABC’s big lie and the madness of Four Corners

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Original article by James Madden, Adam Creighton
The Australian – Page: 1 & 9 : 24-Aug-21

Fox News has attacked the ABC over a two-part ‘Four Corners’ program called "The Big Lie". The program has been accused of being "error-ridden" and "conspiracy-laden", implying that the Rupert Murdoch-owned broadcaster played a part in Donald Trump’s refusal to accept defeat in the 2020 US presidential election, ignoring the fact that Trump attacked Fox’s coverage of the election campaign in more than 400 tweets. It is believed that the second part of the program will try to link Fox News to the attack on the US Capitol by Trump supporters on 6 January.

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FOX NEWS, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

‘Taxpayers should know’: Senator calls for audit of ABC payment for upskirting tweet

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Original article by Zoe Samios, Lisa Visentin
The Age – Page: Online : 20-Aug-21

Liberal MP Andrew Laming sued ABC reporter Louise Milligan for defamation over tweets she made which alleged that he had taken an "upskirting" picture of a woman. Milligan had agreed to pay Laming $79,000 in damages and cover his legal costs, but the ABC decided to pay her defamation costs, even though it had not been party to the action. Liberal Senator Eric Abetz has asked the Auditor-General to examine the appropriateness of the ABC’s actions, stating that taxpayers have a right to know why it paid Milligan’s bill.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

News chief urges bosses to champion the rollout

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Original article by James Madden
The Australian – Page: 7 : 20-Aug-21

News Corp Australasia’s executive chairman Michael Miller has called on Australia’s business owners and leaders to "cham­pion the vaccination rollout". He says the media company is doing all it can to encourage and help its staff to get vaccinated as soon as they can, and he urges all other businesses to adopt the same approach. Miller has called on federal and state leaders to set vaccination targets and a timetable that will enable all Australians "to plan for life in a new normal state of affairs".

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Nine, News Corp resist Porter bid to protect his reputation

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Original article by Michaela Whitbourn
Brisbane Times – Page: Online : 19-Aug-21

Industry Minister Christian Porter recently filed an official notice of discontinuance of his defamation action against the ABC, several months after the parties reached a settlement. Porter is now seeking a court order to prevent News Corp Australia and Nine Entertainment from using 27 pages of the ABC’s defence document that have been officially removed from the court’s public record. The media groups had previously been given access to the ABC’s full 37-page defence; Porter and his lawyers will argue that the media companies cannot use the redacted sections for any purpose other than their previous involvement in the defamation case.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, SCIENCE, ENERGY AND RESOURCES

Foxtel’s Kayo, Binge drive growth back to profit

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Original article by Miranda Ward
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 24 : 7-Aug-21

Media giant News Corporation has posted a 2020-21 net profit of $US389m ($525.6m), compared with a loss of $US1.55bn for the previous financial year. Revenue rose four per cent year-on-year to $US9.36bn, while EBITDA was up 26 per cent at $US1.27bn. Meanwhile, News Corp Australia’s revenue was one per cent lower than previously, but the revenue of pay-TV group Foxtel was boosted by strong growth in subscriptions for its Binge and Kayo streaming services.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, BINGE, KAYO SPORTS

Inconsistent YouTube rules challenged by Sky

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

Sky News Australia CEO Paul Whittaker has asked YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki for a clearer explanation as to why 21 of Sky’s videos were removed from its platform and why it was banned from uploading content for seven days. Whittaker contends that YouTube’s policies on COVID-19 are "internally inconsistent and incapable of compliance", while he has asked for an explanation of remarks made by YouTube to other media groups as to why Sky was suspended. YouTube was apparently quoted as saying it was suspended for "content that denies the existence of COVID-19". Whittaker says Sky absolutely rejects that suggestion.

CORPORATES
SKY NEWS, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED

Seven strikes gold with Games coverage

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Original article by Miranda Ward
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 9-Aug-21

The Tokyo Olympic Games have been a ratings boon for the Seven Network, with new data showing that 19.95 million Australians watched its coverage of the first 11 days of the showcase event. Viewers have also embraced Seven’s streaming coverage, watching more 4.6 billion minutes via 7plus during the first 14 days of the Olympics. Seven now boasts some 9.1 million registered users of 7plus, up from 6.4 million prior to the Olympics. Chief digital officer Gereurd Roberts says the strong growth in uptake of the free streaming service demonstrates the power of the Olympics and the success of Seven’s strategy.

CORPORATES
SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, 7PLUS

News Corp buys oil information service for $1.56b

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Original article by Miranda Ward
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 4-Aug-21

Global media giant News Corporation has struck a deal to buy Oil Price Information Service, which provides referencing pricing and news and analytics for the energy and renewables sectors. News Corp will pay $US1.15bn ($1.56bn) for OPIS, which will become part of its Dow Jones Professional Information Business. OPIS is forecast to post revenue of around $US129m in the year to 30 November. News Corp has made a number of other acquisitions during 2021.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, OIL PRICE INFORMATION SERVICE, DOW JONES AND COMPANY