LICENCES – AUSTRALIA

Free TV networks ready to campaign on licence fees

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 21 : 7-Apr-16

The metropolitan free-to-air TV networks may ramp their lobbying for a reduction in the annual broadcasting licence fee in the Australian Government’s May 2016 Budget. They are believed to have held discussions about launching an advertising campaign, which is likely to be similar to the Save Our Voices campaign that was launched by regional broadcasters.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, PIN PAYMENTS, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Government weighing up broadcasters’ revenue fees

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 25 : 6-Apr-16

Australia’s Communications Minister Mitch Fifield agrees that there is a need for changes to TV and radio broadcasting licence fees. However, Fifield has downplayed suggestions that a reduction in licence fees could be included in the May 2016 Budget, noting the Federal Government’s "constrained fiscal circumstances". TV networks have lobbied for the licence fee to be scrapped or reduced to just one per cent of revenue, but Fraser McLeish of Credit Suisse expects the fee to be reduced progressively over several years.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC

TV licence fee cuts could fall short of networks’ hopes

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 4-Apr-16

The Australian Government has not made a final decision on whether to include a reduction in TV broadcasting licence fees in the May 2016 Budget. The fees are currently set at 4.5 per cent of broadcasters’ revenue, and TV networks want them to be scrapped or reduced to just one per cent of revenue. Credit Suisse’s Fraser McLeish expects a progressive reduction in fees to about 2.5 per cent over several years. Communications Minister Mitch Fifield recently agreed that the licence fees are high compared with the networks’ overseas peers.

CORPORATES
CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, MELBOURNE PRESS CLUB, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION AND RADIO ASSOCIATION (ASTRA) INCORPORATED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM

TV on track for licence fee cut

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 25-Jan-16

The Department of Communications has recommended a reduction in the annual licence fee paid by Australia’s free-to-air TV networks. Such a move could increase industry support for proposed changes to cross-media ownership laws, although Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has warned that any reduction in licence fees would have to be accompanied by increased revenue or measures to cut costs elsewhere.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION AND RADIO ASSOCIATION (ASTRA) INCORPORATED, SCREEN PRODUCERS AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Media rules bickering a distraction: Worner

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 19 : 20-Jan-16

The "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three rule" have been the focus of the Australian Government’s proposed changes to cross-media ownership laws. However, Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner believes that the issue of TV licence fees – which are the world’s highest – should be the highest priority in any reform agenda. He argues that this will encourage TV networks to invest in the industry and local content.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Turnbull looks at licence fee cuts

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 26 : 27-Jul-15

Australia’s commercial TV networks have received some support from Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull for their push to have broadcasting licence fees reduced. It is believed that Free TV Australia will be invited to press its case for a licence fee reduction to key policymakers, while Commercial Radio Australia will push for a reduction in radio broadcasting licence fees. However, Turnbull seems unlikely to pursue changes to anti-siphoning laws for broadcasting sporting events.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS, FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, COMMERCIAL RADIO AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Turnbull calls for TV licence trade-offs

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 24-Jul-15

The CEOs of Australia’s commercial TV networks pressed their case for a reduction in broadcast licence fees when they met with Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull on 23 July 2015. Turnbull has acknowledged that the networks are facing growing competition from companies such as streaming video providers, but he told the networks that they will need to suggest ways to offset the fall in government revenue if licence fees are reduced.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Turnbull set to grill TV executives

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 23-Jul-15

The CEOs of most of Australia’s metropolitan and regional commercial TV networks will meet with Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull on 23 July 2015. They will press their case for a reduction in annual broadcasting licence fees, an issue on which there is rare consensus in the industry. However, Turnbull is tipped to take a tough stance after the networks thwarted the Federal Government’s bid to allow public broadcaster SBS to show more advertisements each hour.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Turnbull to talk up fee cuts

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 31 : 20-Jul-15

The CEOs of free-to-air TV networks will be able to press their case for a reduction in licence fees when they meet with Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull on 23 July 2015. The annual licence fee is currently set at 4.5 per cent of each network’s revenue, but they believe that the fee should be reduced or scrapped due to competition from new media players such as streaming video providers. Free TV Australia also argue that Australia’s licence fees are higher than in countries such as the UK.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS, FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION AND RADIO ASSOCIATION (ASTRA) INCORPORATED, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED

Credit card bank licences to go

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Original article by Shaun Drummond
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 14-Oct-14

The Australian Government has accepted the Reserve Bank’s recommendation to scrap the requirement for companies that issue credit cards to hold a bank licence. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says the move will increase competition by attracting new entrants to the credit card market and result in lower fees for consumers and retailers. However, some experts doubt that the reforms will lead to greater competition

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, VISA INTERNATIONAL, MASTERCARD AUSTRALIA LIMITED, RFI CONSULTING PTY LTD, GE CAPITAL AUSTRALIA, COLES GROUP LIMITED, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, TYRO PAYMENTS, SQUARE PTY LTD, PAYVISION, AIRPLUS INTERNATIONAL