Ironic tryst: TV benefits as tech giants spend to lift image

Original article by Lilly Vitorovich, Stephen Brook
The Australian – Page: 24 & 26 : 27-Aug-18

Standard Media Index data shows that digital companies’ expenditure on TV advertising rose to $24.9m in 2017-18, an increase of 603 per cent. This includes digital disrupters such as Facebook and Google, but Nine Entertainment CEO Hugh Marks notes that all companies that are aiming to lift their digital audience have ramped up spending on TV advertising. Overall expenditure on TV advertising rose by 1.8 per cent to $1.98bn in the first half of 2018, with the free-to-air sector’s share of revenue up 3.81 per cent to $1.36bn.

CORPORATES
SMI MEDIA INCORPORATED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, TWITTER INCORPORATED, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, APPLE INCORPORATED, TRIVAGO PTY LTD, THINK TV, MORNINGSTAR PTY LTD, AIRBNB AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AIRTASKER PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, BIG BASH LEAGUE, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, SEVEN STUDIOS PTY LTD

Trust key to grab media spend: PwC

Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 12-Jun-18

PricewaterhouseCoopers has forecast that consumer spending on media and internet access will rise from $A24.1bn in 2017 to $A28bn by 2022. Megan Brownlow of PwC says trust will be a major factor in how this expenditure is allocated. PwC’s Australian Entertainment & Media Outlook 2018 report concludes that traditional media companies should benefit from a series of scandals that have eroded consumers’ trust in digital media companies such as Facebook.

CORPORATES
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AUSTRALIA (INTERNATIONAL) PTY LTD, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, CAMBRIDGE ANALYTICA LLC

New Telstra deal to help retiring types

Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 30 : 5-Jun-18

Fifty current Australian Football League players will become Telstra Ambassadors under a new agreement with the telco. Telstra and the AFL will produce exclusive digital content based around the selected players, with the aim of encourage fans to engage with the AFL throughout the year. The deal will also benefit all AFL players via an increased contribution to their retirement scheme. Telstra, Seven Network and Fox Sports paid $A2.508bn in a six-year deal for AFL broadcasting rights in 2015.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE PLAYERS’ ASSOCIATION, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, THE NIELSEN COMPANY (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD

Hard-hitting, trusted news still sells, in digital and in print

Original article by Chris Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 25 & 26 : 14-May-18

Traditional news providers have allowed Facebook to "cherry pick" their content to provide news feeds that have the potential to undermine their business. News publishers have also allowed themselves to be blinded by technology, and have forgotten what good journalism is meant to be about, namely the provision of news and stories that matter to the general public. The Australian Competi­tion & Consumer Commission’s inquiry into digital platforms gives traditional publishers the opportunity to "fight back". The inquiry has shown that digital platforms should pay for the content they use from traditional news sources, and that they should be viewed as publishers, and therefore subject to the same laws as traditional publishers.

CORPORATES
FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, APPLE INCORPORATED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Media chiefs hail digital inquiry

Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 19 : 27-Feb-18

Media industry executives are supportive of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission’s inquiry into the digital media sector. News Corp Australia executive chairman Michael Miller says it looks forward to actively participating in the inquiry, while Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner says the company is keen to express its views. Miller says the inquiry represents an opportunity to reform the digital media sector into one that offers the opportunity for all participants to compete on a "more even playing field"

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, NEWS CONNECT PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, TWITTER INCORPORATED, SNAPCHAT INCORPORATED, APPLE INCORPORATED

ACCC to investigate advertising secrets of Google and Facebook

Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 17 & 28 : 5-Dec-17

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims is confident that it has sufficient powers to investigate the market power of digital platforms such as Google and Facebook. He says the ACCC’s inquiry into the impact of digital platforms on competition in media and advertising markets is likely to take around 18 months, with the Federal Government to receive a preliminary report on its findings within 12 months. Sims adds that the ACCC will seek input from all parties affected by the growing market dominance of digital players.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, WPP PLC, GROUPM COMMUNICATIONS PTY LTD

Google, Facebook face ACCC inquiry

Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 24 & 26 : 4-Dec-17

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission will hold an inquiry into the impact of digital platforms such as Google and Facebook on competition in the media and advertising sectors. The inquiry has been ordered by the Federal Government as part of its deal with former senator Nick Xenophon regarding media reforms. The inquiry’s terms of reference include examining digital platforms’ market power and their impact on the level of choice and quality of news and journalistic content. The ACCC’s final report is slated to be completed within 18 months.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, BUZZFEED INCORPORATED, MASHABLE INCORPORATED, ZIFF-DAVIS INTERNATIONAL MEDIA GROUP

State of the Nation: Media Report – the audience is transforming

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 25-Aug-17

Roy Morgan Research CEO Michele Levine and leading futurist Dr. Ross Honeywill presented the latest State of the Nation: Media Report in Melbourne and Sydney in August. The report looks at challenges and opportunities facing the industry as the rate of change speeds up and consumers explore new ways of engaging with media, including the impact of key disruptive trends powered by digital innovation. Levine says the disruptive trends sweeping a growing media industry are transforming the ways Australians consume media and, in an age when everyone is always "on", it is vital that media companies connect directly with their audiences and know exactly who their audiences really are. She adds that the data reveals that traditional media enjoy high levels of trust, while their newer social-media centric competitors do not. The importance of building this trust in a future overwhelmed by fake news and consumer choice is more important than ever for retaining and building audiences.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

The Australian Digital Inclusion Index 2017

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 2-Aug-17

Telstra CEO Andy Penn has launched the Australian Digital Inclusion Index 2017, which is powered by Roy Morgan Research. The Index shows that digital inclusion is growing in Australia, and Australians are spending more time – and are doing more – online. Since 2014, when data was first collected, Australia’s overall digital inclusion score has improved by 3.8 points, from 52.7 to 56.5. In 2016-17 alone, Australia’s score rose by 2.0 points, from 54.5 to 56.5. Scores for every state and territory also increased over this period. While their individual scores increased by varying amounts, the relative ranking of states and territories remains unchanged since the 2016 report. However, the gaps between digitally included and excluded Australians are substantial and widening. In general, Australians with low levels of income, education and employment are significantly less digitally included. Particular geographic communities are also experiencing digital exclusion.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS

News engages giants on subscriptions play

Original article by Darren Davidson, Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 21 : 26-Jul-17

News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller has told the Melbourne Press Club that News Corp is holding talks regarding a subscription-based model for access to its content on Facebook and Google. Miller added that media companies must accept some responsibility for loss of revenue due to their policy of making online content available for free. He also stressed News Corp’s commitment to quality local journalism.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, SKY NEWS, AUSTRALIAN NEWS CHANNEL PTY LTD, MELBOURNE PRESS CLUB