MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA – REGULATION

Laws not the only obstacle to mega-mergers

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 30 : 20-Mar-17

The Australian Government’s cross-media ownership reform bill is slated to be debated by the Senate on 20 Match 2017. However, even if the bill is passed by Parliament, it remains uncertain as to whether the reforms will result in large-scale mergers in the media sector. Aside from the fact that there may not be sufficient support among executives and shareholders for such deals, any mergers would be aimed primarily at competing with Google and Facebook for advertising revenue in the long-term, rather than rival media companies.

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NOVA ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, MULTI CHANNEL NETWORK PTY LTD, SKY NEWS, APN NEWS AND MEDIA LIMITED – ASX APN, REA GROUP LIMITED – ASX REA, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Reforms face stiff test from Hanson

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Original article by Mitchell Bingemann
The Australian – Page: 23 : 13-Feb-17

The Federal Government’s cross-media ownership reforms will require the support of Senate crossbenchers. However, One Nation senator Pauline Hanson is said to be concerned about foreign ownership of Australian media assets, while Nick Xenophon advocates imposing a "super profits" tax on Google and Facebook due to their growing dominance of the online advertising market. Communications Minister Mitch Fifield is tipped to introduce the media reform bill in the upper house in mid-February 2017.

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

Hanson set to scupper ownership laws

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 26 : 30-Jan-17

There is speculation that One Nation will vote against the Federal Government’s cross-media ownership reforms when Parliament resumes in February. One Nation founder Pauline Hanson has declined to comment on her party’s intentions, although the Government is likely to need its support to pass the bill in the Senate. Meanwhile, Senator Nick Xenophon will push for amendments to the bill, as well as the introduction of a "super tax" on digital players Google and Facebook.

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

Fifield turns to crossbench support to force media reform over the line

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 12-Jan-17

The Australian Government’s cross-media ownership bill was passed by the lower house in November 2016. However, the support of cross-benchers may be crucial to the Government’s chances of the bill being passed by the Senate. The Australian Labor Party opposes abolition of the "two out of three rule", but the majority of cross-benchers are said to be generally supportive of the bill in its present form. Cross-benchers may seek some compromises in negotiations with the Government.

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

Anti-siphoning list: rethink on the table

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 23 : 28-Nov-16

The Australian Government may consider changes to the anti-siphoning list for sports broadcasts as part of its broader cross-media ownership reforms. Cricket Australia wants some one-day international matches to be removed from the anti-siphoning list, while Foxtel also advocates reform. Meanwhile, a further reduction in TV broadcasting licence fees is now more likely to be made in 2017. There had been speculation that the cuts may have been included in the mid-year budget update.

CORPORATES
CRICKET AUSTRALIA, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED

Media law changes rest in crossbenchers’ hands

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Original article by Primrose Riordan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 9-Nov-16

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has criticised the Australian Labor Party for its stance on cross-media owership reform. Labor will vote against legislation to abolish the "two-out-of-three rule", arguing that it will lead to greater consolidation in the media sector and reduced diversity of voices. Although Labor supports scrapping the "reach rule", the Government will need the support of at least eight Senate crossbenchers for its media reform bill.

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

Senate committee backs media bill

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 4 : 8-Nov-16

The Senate environment and communications legislation committee has released its report on proposed changes to cross-media ownership laws. It has recommended that the upper house vote in favour of abolishing the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three" rule, although Australian Labor Party members of the committee opposed the latter reform. Labor believes that scrapping the "two-out-of-three" rule would particularly benefit News Corp Australia. However, the party supports another reduction in TV broadcasting licence fees.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. SENATE ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS LEGISLATION COMITTEE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Media bill in hands of crossbench

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 7-Nov-16

The Senate Environment & Communications Legislation Committee’s report on its inquiry into proposed cross-media ownership reforms is slated to be released on 7 November 2016. The committee is expected to recommend that the upper house should vote in favour of the bill. However, the Federal Government is likely to require the support of nine crossbenchers, as the Australian Labor Party and the Greens may oppose abolition of the "two out of three rule".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. SENATE ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS LEGISLATION COMITTEE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Breach may see 2CH ‘fire sale’

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 21 : 6-Oct-16

The Australian Communications & Media Authority has ruled that Macquarie Media must sell Sydney radio station 2CH. The 2015 merger of Macquarie Radio Network and Fairfax Media’s radio assets resulted in the merged group owning three radio stations in Sydney, in breach of the "’two to a market" media ownership rule. ACMA has refused to grant Macquarie a third temporary exemption and deemed that 2CH must be sold.

CORPORATES
MACQUARIE MEDIA LIMITED – ASX MRN, RADIO 2CH PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, 2GB, RADIO 2UE SYDNEY PTY LTD, NEW SOUTH WALES COUNCIL OF CHURCHES, GRANT BROADCASTERS PTY LTD, CAPITAL RADIO NETWORK

Free-to-air TV bosses strengthen calls for licence fee cuts

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 2 : 28-Sep-16

The Australian Government’s May 2016 Budget included a 25 per cent reduction in TV broadcasting licence fees. Nine Entertainment Company’s submission to a Senate inquiry into the media reform bill has argued that a further reduction in licence fees should have priority over changes to cross-media ownership rules. The Ten Network noted in its submission that Australia’s broadcasting licence fees are still the highest in the world, while News Corp Australia called for broader media reform and changes to the anti-siphoning list for sports broadcasts.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS