Fifield reassures Aunty: we’re not out to destroy you

Original article by Stephen Brook
The Australian – Page: 3 : 12-Jul-18

ABC chairman Justin Milne has rejected calls by the commercial media sector for the ABC to exit the digital sphere, arguing that doing so would jeopardise the ABC’s future. He also noted that diversity of media voices in Australia has declined in recent years, and this trend would increase without a viable and competitive ABC. Milne added that Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has assured him that privatising the ABC is not on the Federal Government’s agenda.

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AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN AUSTRALIA, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, APPLE INCORPORATED, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Nine legendary lives of TV’s original star-maker

Original article by Darren Davidson, Stephen Brook
The Australian – Page: 3 : 11-Jul-18

Australian media identities have praised the contribution of industry veteran Sam Chisholm, who has died at the age of 78. New Zealand-born Chisholm became CEO of the Nine Network in 1975, and it became Australia’s top-rating free-to-air broadcaster during his tenure. Chisholm subsequently took the helm of British pay-TV company Sky and oversaw its merger with British Satellite Broadcasting and its sharemarket listing. He returned to Australia in 1997, where he took on roles at Foxtel and Nine.

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NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SKY PLC, BRITISH SATELLITE BROADCASTING, BSKYB, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

England’s Cup dream ratings hit

Original article by Patrick Durkin
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 9-Jul-18

Data from SBS shows that England’s 2-0 win against Sweden in the FIFA World Cup quarter-final attracted an average audience of 626,000 on 8 July, including 527,800 metropolitan viewers. England will meet Croatia in the second semi-final on 12 July, following the France-Belgium semi-final. Croatia advanced to the semi-finals after beating Russia 4-3 on penalties, after the teams were tied 2-2 at full-time. The World Cup final is tipped to attract a global television audience of more than one billion.

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SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE DE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, TABCORP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TAH, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, RANDSTAD RECRUITMENT PTY LTD

ABC, SBS distort market: Fairfax

Original article by Dana McCauley
The Australian – Page: 24 : 9-Jul-18

Fairfax Media has used its submission to the competitive neutrality inquiry to criticise the ABC for aggressively promoting and expanding its online digital news service at the expense of commercial rivals. Fairfax has also warned that the sustainability of commercial news journalism is being threatened by the ABC’s growing push to secure content supply deals with third parties. Free TV Australia has noted that the ABC and SBS have an advantage over commercial networks as they are not subject to local content quotas.

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FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, COMMERCIAL RADIO AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED

Satisfaction up for discount department stores

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 9-Jul-18

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey shows that 87.3% of customers of Australian discount department stores were satisfied in the year to May 2018, an increase of 0.6% over the previous 12 months. Kmart and Target had the highest customer satisfaction rating (both on 88.2%). Kmart improved by 0.7% over the last 12 months and Target was up by 0.6%. They were followed by Costco (87.0%), Big W (86.6%), Best & Less (86.0%), Target Country (84.8%) and Harris Scarfe (83.3%). The only stores to decline in satisfaction over the last 12 months were Harris Scarfe (down 5.2% points) and Costco (down 2.1% points). Roy Morgan’s "Discount Department Store Satisfaction Report" is based on in-depth interviews conducted face-to-face with over 50,000 Australians per annum in their own homes.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, TARGET AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, COSTCO WHOLESALE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, BEST AND LESS PTY LTD, TARGET COUNTRY, HARRIS SCARFE HOLDINGS LIMITED

Godfreys’ 99-year-old owner plans to fight back

Original article by Simon Evans
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 6-Jul-18

Vacuum cleaner retailer Godfreys Group will be delisted on 6 July, following its purchase by Arcadia Financial for just $13.5 million. Arcade Finance is controlled by John Johnston, who joined Godfreys in 1936. Johnston told Godfreys CEO John Hardy during a recent meeting that he thinks Godfreys should be making more use of social media. Godfreys had a 40 per cent share of the $3 billion vacuum cleaner market in 2006, but Hardy thinks it is now down to 18 per cent.

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GODFREYS GROUP LIMITED – ASX GFY, ARCADE FINANCE PTY LTD, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, THE GOOD GUYS, BARBEQUES GALORE PTY LTD, SUPER A-MART PTY LTD, LE CORNU LEWIS HANCOCK

Hold your tongue, staff told by ABC news boss

Original article by Stephen Brook
The Australian – Page: 4 : 6-Jul-18

ABC presenters Jon Faine and Phillip Adams are among the public broadcaster’s employees who will address rallies organised by lobby group ABC Friends. The rallies are being held in response to the funding cuts that were announced in the Federal Government’s May 2018 Budget. The ABC’s director of news, Gaven Morris, has issued a memo to staff advising them not to engage in the political debate concerning the broadcaster.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, ABC FRIENDS

Foxtel targets cricket in streaming push

Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 3-Jul-18

Foxtel is said to be aiming to launch its direct-to-consumer sports streaming video service in early November, to coincide with the start of its cricket coverage. The new service is tipped to have separate branding to distinguish it from other Foxtel products, and is part of the pay-TV group’s push to increase its market penetration. Foxtel’s broadcasting rights deal with Cricket Australia includes exclusive streaming rights.

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FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, FOXTEL NOW, FOXTEL GO, FOXTEL PLAY, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, HBO

Calls for Netflix to back local content

Original article by Dana McCauley
The Australian – Page: 24 : 2-Jul-18

Screen Producers Australia has used its submission to the competitive neutrality inquiry into public broadcasting to push for local content quotas to be extended to streaming video providers. It noted that Netflix has a larger library of Australian content on its US platform than it offers to local subscribers. SPA has called for government intervention to ensure that local content producers are not disadvantaged, while it has also urged legislative action to protect content producers against unfair contracts with regard to broadcasting and streaming rights.

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SCREEN PRODUCERS AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), NETFLIX INCORPORATED, AMAZON PRIME VIDEO, CBS CORPORATION, DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD

Feud for thought: Grant Denyer takes home gold at the Logies

Original article by Michael Idato
The Age – Page: Online : 2-Jul-18

Family Feud host Grant Denyer has won the 2018 Gold Logie, despite the game show having been axed. Ray Meagher and Jessica Marais won the awards for the most popular actor and actress at the 60th annual TV Week Logie Awards, while "Wentworth" won the award for the most popular drama program. Meanwhile, subscription video-on-demand provider Stan won its first Logie, with "Romper Stomper" taking out the award for the most outstanding miniseries or telemovie. The Nine Network’s "60 Minutes" was inducted into the Logie Hall of Fame.

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TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS)