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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

Amazon lifts minimum hourly wage

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 4-Oct-18

US-based e-commerce giant Amazon has advised that its minimum wage will be increased from about $US11 an hour to $US15 ($20.85). The move will boost the pay of about 250,000 workers, and CEO Jeff Bezos has urged other companies to follow Amazon’s example. The hourly pay rate for entry-level employees at rival retailers Wal-Mart and Target is around $US11 and $US12 respectively, while the federal minimum wage rate is just $US7.25 an hour.

CORPORATES
AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, WAL-MART STORES INCORPORATED, TARGET CORPORATION, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, DEMOCRATIC PARTY (UNITED STATES)

Coalition ignored best ABC choices

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Original article by Stephen Brook, Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 3 : 2-Oct-18

The process for selecting ABC board members has come under scrutiny following the resignation of chairman Justin Milne. In announcing his appointment, the government had said that the independent nominations panel had recommended Milne for the role. However, former panel member Neil Brown says the panel had nominated five contenders and said they were all qualified for the role, but this had not constituted a recommendation. Brown notes that some ABC board members were also appointed despite not having been nominated by the panel. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says the next ABC chairman must have bipartisan support.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS)

Suppliers revolt over Woolies’ plan to cut data

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 19 : 1-Oct-18

Woolworths will make changes to the sales data it provides to suppliers as from 2019. The retailer states the data will be of a much broader nature, with intellectual property and competitive information being protected from being shared with rival companies. However, suppliers have expressed concern about the proposed changes, stating that not having access to specific sales data will leave them "defenceless" if Woolworths decides to stop stocking their products. They are also concerned that Woolworth’s private label brands will benefit from the changes.

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, AUSTRALIAN FOOD AND GROCERY COUNCIL

Senior ABC executive plans departure

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Original article by Stephen Brook
The Australian – Page: 24 : 1-Oct-18

Sources within the ABC have indicated that the public broadcaster’s editorial director Alan Sunderland intends to retire in the next six months or so. He stresses that his impending retirement is not related to the recent management upheaval at the ABC. Sunderland was appointed to the position in April 2013, and he says that he had always intended to be in the role for no more than five years. Sunderland has effectively been editor-in-chief at the ABC, and former MD Jonathan Shier says the two roles should be separate.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Negotiators go toe to toe for Foxtel-AFL rights deal

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Original article by David Swan
The Australian – Page: 24 : 1-Oct-18

Australian Football League CEO Gillon McLachlan says broadcasting rights deals such as the $2.5bn deal struck in 2015 are very stressful when they are being negotiated. He notes that the landmark rights deal with Seven West Media, Foxtel and Telstra took years to negotiate, but it was only finalised at the last minute. The record deal was announced at a press conference which was attended by senior executives from the AFL, Seven, News Corp Australia and Telstra.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS

Worner sings praises of live sport after surge in ratings

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Original article by John Stensholt
The Australian – Page: 24 : 1-Oct-18

The Seven Network’s coverage of the 2018 Australian Football League Grand Final boasted an average audience of 3.38 million, compared with 3.54 million in 2017. The audience peaked at around 4.3 million, up from 4.19 million in 2017. Seven’s broadcast of a Twenty20 women’s international cricket match also attracted a big audience. Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner has stressed the importance of live sports for the network, adding that sports broadcasting rights will become even more valuable in the future. Foxtel also recorded strong growth in audience numbers for its AFL coverage in 2018.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FOX SPORTS, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, WEST COAST EAGLES FOOTBALL CLUB, COLLINGWOOD FOOTBALL CLUB, RICHMOND FOOTBALL CLUB, SYDNEY ROOSTERS RUGBY LEAGUE FOOTBALL, MELBOURNE STORM RUGBY LEAGUE CLUB LIMITED, BRISBANE BRONCOS RUGBY LEAGUE CLUB LIMITED, NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS, SOUTH SYDNEY RUGBY LEAGUE CLUB, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY FOOTBALL CLUB

Guthrie’s fear of looking like idiot

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Original article by Deborah Cornwall, Stephen Brook
The Australian – Page: 1 & 8 : 26-Sep-18

The ABC’s former MD Michelle Guthrie defended her performance in the role at a meeting on 13 September at which she was asked to resign. She told ABC chairman Justin Milne and board member Donny Walford that she had made much progress in a transformation program, including a restructuring that significantly cut the public broadcaster’s management ranks. Guthrie asked to be allowed to remain in the role for at least another year so she could complete the transformation program. She may pursue legal action over her sacking only halfway through her five-year term.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NEW CHAMBERS, JOHNSON WINTER AND SLATTERY, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM

Comcast outbids Fox and Walt Disney Co. with $40-billion offer for Europe’s Sky TV

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Original article by Meg James
Los Angeles Times – Page: Online : 22-Sep-18

The independent directors of pan-European satellite broadcaster Sky plc have endorsed Comcast’s successful bid in a corporate auction that was organised by the UK’s Takeovers Panel. Comcast offered $US22.75 per share for Sky, valuing its bid at nearly $US40bn. The rival bid from Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox – which has a 39 per cent stake in Sky – was $US20.63 per share, which equates to about $US35bn. The auction followed a protracted bidding war for Sky, and Fox’s deal to sell the bulk of its entertainment assets to Walt Disney Company.

CORPORATES
SKY PLC, COMCAST CORPORATION, 21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED, GREAT BRITAIN. THE TAKEOVER PANEL, WALT DISNEY COMPANY, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FOX NEWS CHANNEL, HULU LLC