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Regional TV on verge of market failure

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 12 : 12-Jun-20

The federal government may relax the local content requirements for regional TV broadcasters’ multi-channels due to their consistent failure to meet the hours-based quotas. The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development & Communications notes that 12 regional or remote TV stations failed to comply with the Australian content quotas in 2017. This is primarily because regional broadcasters often chose not to carry some of the secondary channels of their metropolitan affiliates.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

Buy Australian, streaming services told

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Original article by Tom Burton, Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 12 : 12-Jun-20

A draft options paper from Screen Australia and the Australian Communications & Media Authority has outlined a range of possible changes to broadcasting rules. Amongst other things, the industry options paper proposes that subscription video-on-demand providers be subject to the same local content rules that apply to traditional broadcasters. Screen Australia and ACMA have also suggested that commercial networks could be released from their obligation to broadcast children’s content, given that many younger viewers now prefer to watch content online; the ABC would become the main provider of children’s programming on linear TV.

CORPORATES
SCREEN AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Foxtel locks in Super Rugby deal

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 11-Jun-20

Pay-TV group Foxtel will broadcast a scaled-down Super Rugby season after the traditional five-nation competition was cancelled due to the coronavirus. The revised 2020 tournament will comprise five Australian teams, which will play a 10-week round-robin series followed by a two-week finals series. Rugby Australia has yet to secure a broadcasting rights deal beyond 2020.

CORPORATES
FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, RUGBY AUSTRALIA

More jobs to go at News Corp in metro restructure

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Original article by Zoe Samios
The Age – Page: Online : 10-Jun-20

News Corp Australia has advised that plans to centralise the production and editorial operations of its metropolitan mastheads will result in job losses. The job cuts will affect staff of ‘The Daily Telegraph’ and the ‘Herald Sun’, with news content to be shared across the two newspapers. The move follows News Corp’s recent decision to discontinue the print editions of many regional and community newspapers, which affected more than 600 jobs. There will also be some job cuts at its flagship national masthead, ‘The Australian’.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

ABC pushes ahead with job cuts in arduous year

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Original article by Zoe Samios
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 10-Jun-20

ABC MD David Anderson has informed staff that budget cuts will force the public broadcaster to retrench more than 200 employees. Anderson also indicated that the ABC will initially seek voluntary redundancies in divisions that are likely to lose at least 10 employees, although forced redundancies will also be necessary. The ABC will releases its five-year plan later in June; it was delayed earlier in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The federal government imposed a three-year funding freeze on the ABC in 2019.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

AAP enters final stages of sale, will continue to operate but says some jobs will be lost

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Original article by Hannah Blackiston
Mumbrella – Page: Online : 9-Jun-20

A consortium of investors and philanthropists headed by former News Corp Australia CEO Peter Tonagh is set to acquire the newswire business of Australian Associated Press. The consortium has commenced negotiations with AAP for a binding sale contract, and the deal is expected to be finalised by mid-June. The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance has welcomed the deal to sell the AAP Newswire business, but notes that it will result in the loss of some jobs. The consortium will retain 85-90 jobs, including at least 70 editorial staff. AAP’s existing shareholders will retain the other parts of its business.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

News in shared digital strategy

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Original article by Leo Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 19 : 8-Jun-20

News Corp Australia veteran Peter Blunden will head the media group’s new specialist network teams of journalists, which will produce content across its metropolitan, community and regional mastheads. He says the traditional ‘silo model’ of journalism is no longer relevant, and quality content must be shared across its portfolio of mastheads. Blunden has also defended the decision to adopt a digital-only model for some regional and community newspapers, arguing that the print editions were not sustainable.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Catalano flags return of regional newspapers

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: 16 : 5-Jun-20

Antony Catalano has indicated that Australian Community Media is looking at digital opportunities, but it has no plans to adopt a digital-only model for any of its regional titles. ACM put the print editions of some titles on hold in April in response to the coronavirus-induced downturn in the advertising market; Catalano says publication of these titles will resume as soon as possible, but it will depend on factors such as the pace at which lockdown restrictions are eased. He adds that there are signs of an upturn in the advertising market.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY MEDIA

Online shopping boom permanent: Gumtree

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 15 : 4-Jun-20

Gumtree MD Mark Kehoe expects the shift to online shopping during the coronavirus lockdown to be a permanent trend. He adds that traditional bricks-and-mortar retailers are being forced to catch up by expanding into the online space. Kehoe notes that consumers were searching Gumtree for items like gym equipment and office desks in the initial stages of the lockdown, but searches for outdoor equipment such as bikes increased as the restrictions eased.

CORPORATES
GUMTREE.COM AUSTRALIA PTY LTD,EBAY INCORPORATED

Success against virus boosts rare earths

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Original article by Angus Grigg
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 2 : 4-Jun-20

Rare earths miner Hastings Technology Metals has secured a 10-year off-take agreement with German automotive parts group Schaeffler. Hastings COO Andrew Reid says Schaeffler was keen to finalise the agreement given that rare earths supply from China has been disrupted by the pandemic and Australia has performed well in containing the coronavirus. Hastings aims to commence work on a rare earths processing plant in Western Australia in 2021, with initial production by 2023.

CORPORATES
HASTINGS TECHNOLOGY METALS LIMITED – ASX HAS,SCHAFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG