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Risk of criminalising media

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Original article by Richard Ferguson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 7-Jun-19

The fallout from police raids on the ABC’s Sydney office and the home of newspaper journalist Annika Smethurst is continuing. The Australia Federal Police’s acting commissioner Neil Gaughan says the AFP is investigating criminal allegations, and it is too soon to know whether charges will be laid as a result of the raids. He adds that journalists and media companies should not assume that they are immune from criminal prosecution. News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller has stressed the importance of professional news reporting, and he has warned of the implications for democracy if journalism is criminalised.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CENTRE ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, AUSTRALIAN SIGNALS DIRECTORATE

Facebook, Google unlikely to steal TV sport: Marks

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 6-Jun-19

There is speculation that digital platforms such as Facebook could bid for exclusive broadcasting rights to key sports when existing deals expire. However, Nine Entertainment Company CEO Hugh Marks says digital players are unlikely to seek exclusive rights to sports such as the Australian Football League and the National Rugby League in the near-term. Broadcasting right for both codes expire in 2022.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, TWITTER INCORPORATED, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

ABC raid sparks battle between government and media

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Original article by Joe Kelly, Richard Ferguson
The Australian – Page: Online : 6-Jun-19

There are further concerns about freedom of the press following an Australian Federal Police raid on the Sydney offices of the ABC on 5 June. AFP officers were seeking document relating to the public broadcaster’s 2017 report on allegations of misconduct by Australian special forces in Afghanistan. The report was based on secret Defence documents that were leaked to the ABC. The AFP has indicated that the raid was not linked to a separate raid on the home of News Corp journalist Annika Smethurst on 4 June. The Greens have called for a Senate inquiry into the decline of press freedom in the wake of the police raids.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, MEDIA, ENTERTAINMENT AND ARTS ALLIANCE, BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Rare Earths Battle Looms as U.S. Aims to Counter China Export Threat

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Original article by
Bloomberg – Page: Online : 6-Jun-19

The US-China trade war may escalate after China’s National Development & Reform Commission signalled that it will look at imposing export controls on rare earths. The US Commerce Department has responded by releasing a report which outlines a range of options to ensure continued supply of rare earths minerals, which are used in many consumer goods. China accounts for more than 70 per cent of global production of rare earths.

CORPORATES
CHINA. NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND REFORM COMMISSION, UNITED STATES. DEPT OF COMMERCE, CITIGROUP INCORPORATED, MP MATERIALS, LYNAS CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX LYC, CHINA RARE EARTH HOLDINGS LIMITED, CHINA NORTHERN RARE EARTH GROUP HIGH-TECH COMPANY LIMITED, JL MAG RARE-EARTH COMPANY LIMITED

Rationale for Foxtel IPO remains: Telstra’s Penn

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 5-Jun-19

Telstra CEO Andy Penn has indicated that a sharemarket float of pay-TV company Foxtel is still likely at some point. He says the reasons for a Foxtel IPO are as compelling as when the proposal was first mooted several years ago. Telstra reduced its stake in Foxtel from 50 per cent to 35 per cent as part of a restructuring that resulted in the merger of Foxtel and News Corp-owned Fox Sports. Penn adds that Foxtel is still an important asset for Telstra, and the telco will retain a stake in Foxtel if it is floated.

CORPORATES
FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, KAYO SPORTS, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, NETFLIX INCORPORATED

Police raid an attack on press freedom

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Original article by Richard Ferguson, Zoe Samios
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 5-Jun-19

The Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance has described an Australian Federal Police raid on the home of journalist Annika Smethurst as an "outrageous attack" on press freedom. The raid was in response to an April 2018 article which revealed that the Australian Signals Directorate may be given powers to gain access to the emails, bank records and text messages of Australian citizens. Smethurst is a senior press gallery reporter and the political editor of News Corp Australia’s Sunday newspapers.

CORPORATES
MEDIA, ENTERTAINMENT AND ARTS ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN SIGNALS DIRECTORATE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, 2GB, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, LAW COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT

News Corp not interested in free-to-air TV: Miller

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 4-Jun-19

News Corp Australasia chairman Michael Miller says pay-TV operator Foxtel is the media group’s primary broadcasting focus in Australia, and it will not seek to acquire a free-to-air network. The merger between Nine Entertainment and Fairfax Media in 2018 prompted speculation that News Corp could bid for the Seven Network. However, News Corp has since launched streaming video service Kayo Sports, which is part of Foxtel’s strategy to compete with digital rivals.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, KAYO SPORTS, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, MACQUARIE MEDIA LIMITED – ASX MRN, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, CBS CORPORATION

BHP faces call for write-down as Rio advances potash dream

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 3-Jun-19

BHP is slated to decide within 18 months if it will commit an additional $US5.5bn to the first stage of its Jansen potash project in Canada. CEO Andrew Mackenzie recently told investors that BHP has overinvested in the project to date, and James Gurry of Deutsche Bank says it may be a good time for BHP to review the carrying value of Jansen. He adds that there is potential for an initial impairment of around $US1.2bn ($1.7bn). Meanwhile, Rio Tinto’s Albany potash joint venture in Canada could commence production within two years.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, JSC AKRON

News Corp eyes growth but flags job cuts as skills change

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 3-Jun-19

News Corp Australasia’s executive chairman Michael Miller says its Australian newspapers will achieve a third successive year of profitable growth in 2019-20. Miller notes that News Corp will be looking to bring in people with new skills to the company, while roles that are no longer needed will be abolished. Miller says that increases in digital subscriptions are reducing the company’s reliance on advertising, while he supports the turnaround strategy being adopted by pay-TV unit Foxtel.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, REA GROUP LIMITED – ASX REA

How the Murdochs lost the fight for Sky

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Original article by Christopher Williams
The Australian Financial Review – Page: R1 & R6 : 31-May-19

The Murdoch family first tried to take full control of Sky in the UK in 2011 through News Corporation, but the attempt was unsuccessful. James Murdoch made another attempt to secure full control of Sky in 2016, this time through Fox. In announcing the bid, Murdoch expressed confidence that it would be approved by regulators within six months. Britain’s Culture Secretary Karen Bradley initially referred the bid to Ofcom, before referring it to the Competition & Markets Authority in September 2017. At around that time, Rupert Murdoch was in the process of putting together a mega media deal that would eventually end up with Comcast rather than Fox securing control of Sky.

CORPORATES
SKY PLC, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, 21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED, GREAT BRITAIN. DEPT OF CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT, GREAT BRITAIN. COMPETITION AND MARKETS AUTHORITY, GREAT BRITAIN. OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS, COMCAST CORPORATION