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I’m ready to lead ABC full-time, says fill-in boss

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich, Stephen Brook
The Australian – Page: 2 : 18-Oct-18

David Anderson has expressed interest in becoming the ABC’s MD if he is offered the role. Anderson has been acting MD following the dismissal of Michelle Guthrie in late September. He says that maintaining the public broadcaster’s independence would one of his top priorities in the role. Meanwhile, ABC veteran Michael Mason has resigned as director of regional and local content; he has stressed that his departure is unrelated to the ABC’s recent leadership turmoil.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Guthrie, Milne in sights of senators

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 3 : 17-Oct-18

The Senate will hold an inquiry into the recent leadership turmoil at the ABC, which led to the dismissal of MD Michelle Guthrie and the resignation of chairman Justin Milne. The terms of reference for the inquiry include investigating allegations of political interference at the ABC. The Greens will push for Guthrie, Milne and Communications Minister Mitch Fifield to appear before the inquiry, which is slated to report its findings in late March.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Hywood in the frame for ABC chairman role

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: 19 : 16-Oct-18

Fairfax Media CEO Greg Hywood has declined to comment on speculation that he could be a contender to succeed former ABC chairman Justin Milne. Hywood will step down in late 2018 if Fairfax’s proposed merger with Nine Entertainment Company proceeds. The field of potential candidates to replace Milne is said to include lawyer Danny Gilbert, former Telstra CEO David Thodey and current governor-general Sir Peter Cosgrove.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, GILBERT AND TOBIN LAWYERS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, WPP AUNZ LIMITED – WPP, OGILVY AUSTRALIA, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED

Fairfax’s Falloon keeps faith in Nine deal

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: 19 : 16-Oct-18

Shares in Nine Entertainment Company fell 12.4 per cent to $1.84 on 12 October. Citigroup analysts say this has eliminated the merger premium for Fairfax shareholders, and they have questioned whether the deal will proceed under the agreed terms. However, Fairfax chairman Nick Falloon says the merger is still "compelling", while Fraser McLeish of MST Marquee believes that the merger is in the best interests of Fairfax shareholders.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, MST MARQUEE, DOMAIN HOLDINGS AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX DHA, MEDIA, ENTERTAINMENT AND ARTS ALLIANCE

Nine, Fairfax cuts won’t hit newsrooms

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 15-Oct-18

Grant Samuel & Associates has deemed Fairfax Media’s proposed merger with Nine Entertainment Company to be in the best interests of the newspaper publisher’s shareholders. The scheme booklet for the merger indicates that the deal is expected to generate cost synergies of about $50m a year, primarily by combining the sales teams and back-office functions, and by using shared technology platforms. The scheme booklet has emphasised that there are no plans to combine the Fairfax and Nine newsrooms or retrench journalists. However, it concedes that job losses in other areas are likely.

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, GRANT SAMUEL AND ASSOCIATES PTY LTD, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, DOMAIN HOLDINGS AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX DHA

Foxtel’s critical year: News Corp has Plan B

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 15-Oct-18

News Corporation has declined to comment on suggestions that it could divest Foxtel if the pay-TV company’s financial performance does not improve. Kane Hannan of Goldman Sachs recently met with News Corp executives in the US, and he has told clients that he was left with the firm impression that the media giant may be open to selling Foxtel. The upcoming launch of Foxtel’s sports-focused streaming video service is likely to be crucial to any turnaround. Hannan expects Foxtel’s average revenue per user to fall by six per cent a year to $57 by 2022-23, compared with around $77 in 2017-18.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, GOLDMAN SACHS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, 21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED, WALT DISNEY COMPANY, AMPLIFY, MYSPACE

Glencore: AFR must remove articles

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Original article by Neil Chenoweth
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 11-Oct-18

Lawyers acting on behalf of Glencore have asked Fairfax Media to remove documents from its website which are claimed to be subject to legal privilege. The documents in question are associated with an article published by the "Australian Financial Review" with regard to Glencore’s restructuring of its Australian division in 2014, which is under scrutiny by the Australian Taxation Office. Fairfax has rejected suggestions that it has infringed on the miner’s legal rights.

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, GLENCORE PLC, KING AND WOOD MALLESONS, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, INTERNATIONAL CONSORTIUM OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION

It’s cricket, but not as we know it

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Original article by Stephen Brook
The Australian – Page: 19 : 10-Oct-18

Foxtel will broadcast 97 days of cricket during the 2018-19 summer, including exclusive coverage of some matches. The Fox Cricket channel was officially launched on 9 October, and to date Foxtel has secured eight premium sponsors for its cricket coverage. CEO Patrick Delany says live coverage will be advertisement-free, and ads will only be shown during lunch and tea breaks. Foxtel currently has about 5.4 million subscribers, while data from Roy Morgan shows that about 10 million Australians now have access to a Netflix subscription.

CORPORATES
FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FOX CRICKET CHANNEL, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, ROY MORGAN LIMITED, MULTI CHANNEL NETWORK PTY LTD, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Ten lines up rebrand ahead of upfronts

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 31 : 8-Oct-18

The Ten Network is expected to release details of its strategy under new owner CBS Corporation at its annual "upfronts" on 31 October. Ten is preparing an overhaul of its branding, which is said to include minor changes to its logo and a repositioning of its digital channels with a view to targeting specific audiences. The network will also launch its Ten All Access subscription video-on-demand service later in 2018, while Ten is also establishing an in-house advertising sales team.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, CBS CORPORATION, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, MULTI CHANNEL NETWORK PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Seven-year ratings high for kings of morning radio, Alan Jones and Ray Hadley

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: Online : 5-Oct-18

Alan Jones continues to have the most popular breakfast radio show in Sydney, with the latest GfK survey showing he had a 19 per cent audience share with his 2GB program. Macquarie Media, which owns 2GB, stated it was his best result since 2011, while 2GB colleague Ray Hadley secured a 20.2 per cent audience share for the 9am to midday slot. 2GB was the most listened to radio station in Sydney, with 15.4 per cent of the market, while the Macquarie Radio Network-owned 3AW retained top spot in Melbourne, with 13.5 per cent audience share.

CORPORATES
GFK PTY LTD, 2GB, MACQUARIE MEDIA LIMITED – ASX MRN, 3AW SOUTHERN CROSS RADIO PTY LTD, MACQUARIE RADIO NETWORK, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, ILLYRIA PTY LTD