Prime chair acts to avoid a second strike

Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 21 : 23-Nov-16

The remuneration report of Prime Media Group was endorsed by a large majority of votes cast at the 2016 AGM. Chairman John Hartigan said the company had revised its executive pay structure in response to feedback from shareholders. Prime had incurred a first "strike" against its remuneration report in 2015. Shareholders have also voted against a resolution to hold a meeting to spill the board. Meanwhile, Hartigan has advised that he has agreed to give up half of his director’s fee. Prime posted a statutory loss of $A93.5m in 2015-16.

CORPORATES
PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Seven boss wants independent audits on Facebook numbers

Original article by David Swan
The Australian – Page: 21 : 18-Nov-16

Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner has told the Screen Forever conference that social media sites’ advertising viewership figures should be subject to a similar independent measurement system as TV networks. His comments have coincided with Facebook’s revelation of further flaws in its metrics which resulted in more of its audience data being incorrectly reported. Meanwhile, Think TV CEO Kim Portrate has stressed that Australian TV audience metrics have been independently audited for 16 years.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, THINK TV

Guthrie defends Netflix, ABC deal

Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 17-Nov-16

ABC MD Michelle Guthrie has defended the public broadcaster’s deal to produce a second series of drama "Glitch" in partnership with Netflix. She has told the Screen Forever conference that ABC viewers now expect drama shows to have the same production values as those produced by subscription video-on-demand services, and notes that producing such content is becoming increasingly expensive. The co-production deal will give Netflix global streaming rights to "Glitch".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, MATCHBOX PICTURES PTY LTD, FILM VICTORIA, AMC NETWORKS, SUNDANCE TV

Foxtel’s Tonagh looks within for TV content

Original article by David Swan
The Australian – Page: 22 : 17-Nov-16

Pay-TV group Foxtel could start producing its programs in-house instead of simply licensing them, according to CEO Peter Tonagh. He says the cost of Foxtel’s content is continuing to rise, adding that the company intends to redirect more of its expenditure to exclusive content. Tonagh has also told the Screen Forever conference that there has been an increase in Foxtel subscriptions over the last 12 months, while Netflix subscriptions have fallen. He added that some consumers have cancelled their Netflix or Stan subscription after signing up to Foxtel.

CORPORATES
FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, HBO

Seven earnings to fall up to 20pc

Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 10-Nov-16

Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes says broadcasting licence fees and government subsidies for TV production are more important issues than proposed reforms to cross-media ownership laws. Meanwhile, the 2016 AGM has been told that Seven’s underlying EBIT for 2016-17 could be up to 20 per cent lower than previously, as the advertising market remains subdued. Macquarie Group expects a two per cent decline in the TV advertising market in 2016-17.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun score increased Readership across the whole week

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 7-Nov-16

Roy Morgan Research has released its Print Readership and Cross-Platform Audience results for Australian newspapers for the year to September 2016. Some 8.3 million Australians aged 14+ (42%) read print newspapers in an average week in the 12 months to September 2016, down 3.3% year-on-year. "The Daily Telegraph" is the big winner, with an increase in readers for all weekday and weekend editions, while the "Herald Sun" also scored a rare hat-trick, albeit with smaller gains right across the week. Meanwhile, "The Sydney Morning Herald" lost print readers across the week, while "The Age" recorded a fall in readership of weekday editions but a rise in readership of the Saturday and Sunday editions. "The Sydney Morning Herald" remains Australia’s most-read masthead cross-platform, reaching a combined audience of 4,187,000 in an average week, including a net 1,152,000 print readers and 3,609,000 digital readers.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SCHWARTZ MEDIA PTY LTD

Magazines continue to accumulate more readers

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 7-Nov-16

Roy Morgan Research has released the Australian Magazine Print Readership and Cross-Platform Audience results for the year to September 2016. Print magazines reached 12,575,000 Australians aged 14+, up 2.7% compared with the 12 months to September 2015. "Coles Magazine" remained the most widely-read print magazine during the period, with an average readership of 3,672,000 per issue (an increase of 31 per cent). Meanwhile, "Better Homes & Gardens" and "Australian Women’s Weekly" have the highest Cross-Platform Audiences, at 2,125,000 and 1,975,000 respectively.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Fifield tops AdNews Power 50 list

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

AdNews magazine will relaunch its list of the most powerful individuals in the Australian advertising, media and marketing sector after a three-year absence. Communications Minister Mitch Fifield heads the AdNews Power 50 list, which will be published on 8 November 2016. He is followed by News Corp Australia executive chairman Michael Miller, Omnicom Media Group CEO Peter Horgan, Dentsu Aegis Network CEO Simon Ryan and Seven West Media’s chief revenue officer Kurt Burnette.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, OMNICOM MEDIA GROUP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, DENTSU AEGIS NETWORK, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NEWS LIFE MEDIA PTY LTD, PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AUSTRALIA (INTERNATIONAL) PTY LTD, IPG ASIA-PACIFIC

ABC Netflix deal angers rivals

Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 23 & 25 : 7-Nov-16

An ABC spokesman has defended the public broadcaster’s decision to produce a second series of drama "Glitch" in partnership with Netflix. The US-based subscription video-on-demand provider is believed to be contributing about 15 per cent of the production costs. Netflix will stream the series outside of the Australian market at the same time as it is broadcast by the ABC. The deal has been questioned by Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner and Nine Entertainment Company CEO Hugh Marks.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, FILM VICTORIA, NBC UNIVERSAL INCORPORATED

Domain slump only ‘temporary’

Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 4-Nov-16

Fairfax Media CEO Greg Hywood warned shareholders at the company’s AGM on 3 November 2016 that Domain’s first half EBITDA will be lower when compared with the previous corresponding period. Hywood described the decline in EBITDA as temporary and stressed that the outlook for Domain is positive. Fairfax shares closed 4.3 per cent lower at $A0.775 on 4 November 2016.

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, DOMAIN.COM.AU, REA GROUP LIMITED – ASX REA, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS