MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA – REGULATION

TV networks face slug for local content fund

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 15-Aug-17

The Australian Government is continuing to hold talks with Senate crossbenchers regarding its cross-media reform bill, which is slated to be debated on 15 August. The Greens remain open to negotiation, and the party has proposed that TV networks should be required to contribute to a "local content fund". This was a key recommendation of the Convergence Review in 2012. The Greens’ Sarah Hanson-Young has also advocated an increase in funding for the ABC and SBS, while One Nation wants their funding to be reduced.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

Fifield in legislative limbo with crossbench

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 24 & 26 : 14-Aug-17

The Federal Government is still holding talks with the Greens and Senate crossbenchers in a bid to secure support for its cross-media ownership reforms. Cory Bernardi, David Leyonhjelm and Derryn Hinch intend to support the bill, although the Government will require the support of another seven crossbenchers. Meanwhile, the Greens have expressed concern about One Nation’s proposal to undertake an expenditure review of the ABC and SBS. The bill is expected to be debated in the upper house in the week beginning 14 August.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ONE NATION PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS)

Hanson’s media bill demands rejected

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 4 : 9-Aug-17

The Australian Government has signalled that it may be open to supporting some of the Senate crossbenchers’ proposed amendments to it cross-media ownership reform bill. These include the Nick Xenophon Team’s push for an inquiry into the growing market power of Google and Facebook and a 40 per cent tax break for smaller news publishers. However, Communications Minister Mitch Fifield is unlikely to support One Nation’s push for the costs of the ABC and SBS to be reviewed.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), AUSTRALIAN GREENS, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED

Media companies soar ahead of vote

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Original article by Lucy Battersby
The Age – Page: 25 : 8-Aug-17

The Australian Government’s cross-media ownership reform bill is slated to be debated in the Senate on 9 August. Shares in some media companies have rallied in the lead-up to the resumption of Parliament. Prime Media Group’s shares have gained 16.5 per cent in the last two weeks, amid speculation that the regional TV broadcaster would become a takeover target if media laws are relaxed. Shares in Nine Entertainment Company, Southern Cross Media Group Fairfax Media have also risen in the last week.

CORPORATES
PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, MORNINGSTAR PTY LTD, TRIPLE M CORPORATION PTY LTD, HIT NETWORK, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED

Fifield to broker media deal with Greens or One Nation

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 7-Aug-17

The Australian Government’s cross-media ownership reform bill is slated to be debated in the Senate on 9 August. The Government is said to be confident of negotiating a deal with either the Greens or One Nation to support the bill. The Greens have previously been opposed to abolition of the "two out of three" rule. However, the party may be prepared to back the bill if there are measures to protect media diversity, which is also a key issue for the Nick Xenophon Team.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ONE NATION PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS)

Hanson uses media votes as clout for ABC review

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 4 : 4-Aug-17

The Federal Government’s cross-media ownership bill will be on the Senate’s agenda when Parliament resumes in the week beginning 7 August. One Nation continues to have concerns about the impact on media diversity of abolishing the "two-out-of-three" rule, although the minor party has signalled that it may be open to supporting the media reforms if the Government agrees to a review of the ABC and SBS. The proposed review would include the public broadcasters’ costs and the number of TV channels they operate.

CORPORATES
ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS

Hanson warms to media reform

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 3 : 3-Aug-17

Foxtel CEO Peter Tonagh says Amazon’s deal to acquire the exclusive British rights to ATP tour tennis rights demonstrates the need for Australia’s anti-siphoning laws to be reviewed. The Federal Government intends to reduce the number of sports events on the list as part of its broader media reform package. Meanwhile, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has signalled that the party may be open to supporting the reforms if the Government agrees to address its concerns about the package.

CORPORATES
FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, SKY PLC, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Fifield warns ALP on job losses

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 24 : 10-Jul-17

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has urged the Australian Labor Party to support cross-media ownership reforms, arguing that there is unanimous support within the media industry for change. Labor continues to oppose abolition of the "two-out-of-three" rule, and communications spokeswoman Michelle Rowland says the reforms would have been passed by Parliament long ago if the Government had dropped this aspect of its media package.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, AUSTRALIAN SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION AND RADIO ASSOCIATION (ASTRA) INCORPORATED, FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, COMMERCIAL RADIO AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Union backs new media plan

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 2 : 7-Jul-17

Senator Nick Xenophon has proposed a range of measures aimed at preserving media diversity in talks with Communications Minister Mitch Fifield regarding cross-media ownership reforms. Media, ­Entertainment & Arts Alliance CEO Paul Murphy has welcomed Xenophon’s proposal to provide tax breaks for small and regional publications. Abolition of the "two-out-of-three" rule remains a stumbling block for the Federal Government, with continued opposition from the Australian Labor Party and One Nation.

CORPORATES
MEDIA, ENTERTAINMENT AND ARTS ALLIANCE, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED

Bid to break media deadlock

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 5 : 5-Jul-17

Abolition of the "two-out-of-three" rule remains a major stumbling block for the Federal Government’s cross-media ownership reforms. However, Senator Nick Xenophon says the key issue is the need to ensure that diversity of media voices is increased and the industry creates and retains more jobs for journalists. The Nick Xenophon Team will propose a range of measures aimed at safeguarding media diversity, in a bid to resolve the impasse in the Senate.

CORPORATES
NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED