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APN, Fairfax fast track NZ news retreat

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 19 & 22 : 12-May-16

APN News & Media has confirmed plans to dual-list its NZME business on the New Zealand and Australian sharemarkets, as well as a $A182m rights issue. APN has also advised that it is holding talks with rival Fairfax Media regarding a merger between NZME and the latter’s own New Zealand business. They aim to complete any such merger by the end of 2016, although it may face opposition from the NZ Commerce Commission.

CORPORATES
APN NEWS AND MEDIA LIMITED – ASX APN, NZME, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NEW ZEALAND. COMMERCE COMMISSION, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, MACQUARIE SECURITIES PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD

Publishers unite to spread the good word

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 19 & 22 : 11-May-16

A new report shows that the print and digital advertising revenue of Australia’s major news publishers fell by a lower-than-expected 6.7 per cent in 2015, to $A2.4bn. The News Media Index report outlines the advertising revenue of News Corp Australia, Fairfax Media, West Australian News­papers and APN News & Media, which account for around 90 per cent of the sector. Traditional media groups have been able to offset a decline in ad revenue with growth in digital subscriptions.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, WEST AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER HOLDINGS LIMITED, APN NEWS AND MEDIA LIMITED – ASX APN, SMI MEDIA INCORPORATED, THE NEWSPAPER WORKS LIMITED, NEWSMEDIAWORKS, PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AUSTRALIA (INTERNATIONAL) PTY LTD

‘Fairfax news business can survive’

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 11-May-16

Fairfax Media CEO Greg Hywood has stressed that the group is still primarily a media company rather than a digital real estate business. He is also confident that Fairfax’s news operations would be able to survive without the revenue contribution of the Domain property division. Fairfax’s revenue from its publishing operations has fallen by six per cent so far in the second half of 2015-16, while Domain’s revenue has grown by nine per cent.

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, DOMAIN.COM.AU, THE NEWSPAPER WORKS LIMITED, NEWSMEDIAWORKS, SMI MEDIA INCORPORATED, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, APN NEWS AND MEDIA LIMITED – ASX APN, PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AUSTRALIA (INTERNATIONAL) PTY LTD

APN, Fairfax mulling NZ assets merger

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 10-May-16

APN News & Media will outline details of a proposal to spin off its New Zealand division at its AGM on 11 May 2016. The listed newspaper, radio broadcasting and outdoor advertising group also intends to undertake a capital raising worth up to $A200m. Meanwhile, Fairfax Media has downplayed speculation that it is also looking at demerging its NZ operations. However, Grant Samuel is said to have been commissioned to advise on a potential merger of the two groups’ NZ businesses. The firm is also advising APN on its demerger and capital raising.

CORPORATES
APN NEWS AND MEDIA LIMITED – ASX APN, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NZME, FAIRFAX NEW ZEALAND LIMITED, GRANT SAMUEL AND ASSOCIATES PTY LTD, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Shareholders divided on Telstra’s $1.8b

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 19-Apr-16

Telstra will retain a 6.5 per cent stake in China’s Autohome following a deal to sell 47.7 per cent of its stake to Ping An Insurance Group for $US1.6bn ($A2.1bn). Telstra CEO Andy Penn says the telco will adopt a "balanced approach" to using the proceeds of the sale, which may include a capital management initiative. Bradley King of Armytage says his preference would be a special dividend rather than an on-market share buyback. He adds that the telco may seek other investment opportunities in Asia.

CORPORATES
TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, AUTOHOME INCORPORATED, PING AN INSURANCE COMPANY OF CHINA LIMITED, ARMYTAGE PRIVATE LIMITED, INVESTORS MUTUAL LIMITED, TRIBECA INVESTMENT PARTNERS PTY LTD, BEULAH CAPITAL PTY LTD, SAN MIGUEL CORPORATION

Expert called upon to settle REA, Domain fight

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Original article by Andrew Jefferson
The Australian – Page: 21 : 9-Mar-16

The legal dispute between Australian-listed REA Group and Fairfax Media-owned Domain will return to court on 21 March 2016, after the case was adjourned on 8 March. The case centres on allegations by REA that an advertising campaign by Domain was misleading and deceptive, by claiming that it boasts the nation’s leading property app. Justice Bernard Murphy proposed that the two parties hire an independent expert to determine which property app has the most listings.

CORPORATES
REA GROUP LIMITED – ASX REA, REALESTATE.COM.AU, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, DOMAIN.COM.AU, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Fairfax accused of misleading app claims

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Original article by Andrew Jefferson
The Australian – Page: 21 : 8-Mar-16

Australian-listed REA Group has alleged in the Federal Court that an advertising campaign by property listings rival Domain was misleading and deceptive. The legal action centres on ads that were published by Domain owner Fairfax Media in its newspapers in February 2016. The ads claimed that the Domain app is more widely used than REA’s realestate.com.au app and has a higher user rating on Apple’s app store. REA has disputed these claims.

CORPORATES
REA GROUP LIMITED – ASX REA, REALESTATE.COM.AU, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, DOMAIN.COM.AU, FEDERAL COURT OF APPEAL (CANADA)

Technology, urbanisation drive billboard surge

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 22 : 23-Feb-16

Australian-listed APN Outdoor has posted a 2015 pro-forma net profit of $A43.3m, which is 83 per cent higher than previously. It is also 53 per cent higher than forecast in the prospectus for its December 2014 IPO. The outdoor advertising group’s EBITDA of $A73.3m was 62 per cent higher than previously. Meanwhile, rival oOh! Media has also exceeded its prospectus forecasts, with a 2015 pro-forma net profit of $A28.5m and EBITDA of $A57.7m.

CORPORATES
APN OUTDOOR GROUP LIMITED – ASX APO, OOH!MEDIA LIMITED – ASX OML, OUTDOOR MEDIA ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED

A numbers game and semantic antics as Realestate and Domain fight over whose app is bigger or better

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 18-Feb-16

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 1,968,000 Australians aged 14+ have ever downloaded the Realestate.com.au app to one or more mobile devices, and 1,295,000 have downloaded the rival Domain app. The survey, which was carried out in the three months to December 2015, also shows that 30 per cent of those with either app (or 752,000 people) have downloaded both. Meanwhile, 1,414,000 Australians aged 14+ used the Realestate.com.au app in an average four weeks during the December quarter, while 901,000 used the Domain app.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, REALESTATE.COM.AU, DOMAIN.COM.AU

News Corp CEO admits to ‘challenging’ ad market as Rupert Murdoch’s pay packet falls

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Original article by Miranda Ward
Mumbrella – Page: online : 2-Sep-15

News Corporation has reported a loss of $US149 million ($A201.7 million) for 2014-15. Robert Thomson, CEO of the company, said that advertising remains "challenging". New products will be developed to stimulate growth in digital subscriptions. Thomson received $US10.29 million as total remuneration in 2014-15, compared with News Corp co-chairman Rupert Murdoch’s $US5.07 million.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, WPP GROUP PLC, FOX SPORTS, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD