MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA

Media baron warns Leak cartoon probe biggest threat to press freedom

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 1 : 24-Oct-16

Seven Group’s executive chairman Kerry Stokes has criticised the Australian Human Rights Commission’s investigation into a Bill Leak cartoon that was published in August 2016. He has described the investigation as the greatest threat to freedom of the press that he has seen in his long career in the media industry, and he says section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act stifles the media’s ability to fully informing the public about important issues. Stokes has also praised "The Australian" for publishing the controversial cartoon.

CORPORATES
SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM

Seven ready to stop the nation with social media

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 25 : 24-Oct-16

Seven West Media’s coverage of the 2015 Melbourne Cup was streamed live via its Plus7 app some 340,000 times during the race itself and 488,000 times over the course of the day. Seven expects to attract a larger live streaming audience for the 2016 Melbourne Cup, and the broadcaster will offer exclusive live video content via Facebook, including interviews and behind-the-scenes stories. Seven will not stream the race live on Facebook, although it will provide content for Twitter’s live coverage of the Cup.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, THE EMIRATES MELBOURNE CUP, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, TWITTER INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED MOTOR INSURERS LIMITED, SCHWEPPES AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TAB

Ten shares take hit on full-year loss

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 21-Oct-16

Ten Network has posted a 2015-16 loss of $A156.8m, compared with a $A312.2m loss previously. The latest result was primarily due to a $A135.2m write-down in the value of its TV licence. Ten’s revenue of $A689.5m was 5.4 per cent higher than previously. CEO Paul Anderson argues that subscription video-on-demand providers should be subject to the same rules as traditional broadcasters, noting that the latter make a significant contribution to the economy.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, MULTI CHANNEL NETWORK PTY LTD

Censorship: editor, cartoonists attack Leak investigation

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Original article by Sharri Markson
The Australian – Page: 5 : 19-Oct-16

Mark Knight, John Spooner and Warren Brown are among the newspaper cartoonists who have defended Bill Leak and his right to free speech. He is being investigated by the Human Rights Commission over a controversial cartoon that was published in "The Australian" in August 2016. Spooner says the Leak case demonstrates the need for changes to section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. Brett McCarthy, the editor of "The West Australian", has also expressed support for Leak.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

MP rallies media in support of Leak

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Original article by Andrew Burrell
The Australian – Page: 2 : 18-Oct-16

Federal MP Andrew Hastie has criticised the Human Rights Commission’s decision to launch an investigation into Bill Leak over a controversial cartoon that was published in August 2016. The Liberal MP has stressed the importance of freedom of expression and urged media companies and journalists to support the cartoonist. Hastie also says the Leak case could prompt renewed scrutiny of section 18C of the ­Racial Discrimination Act.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, GUARDIAN AUSTRALIA

Seven West to offload its stake in Sky News

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 19 & 31 : 14-Oct-16

News Corporation is expected to finalise the acquisition of Sky News Australia owner Australian News Channel in coming days. ACN is owned by Seven West Media, Nine Entertainment Company and UK-based Sky. News Corp initially launched a $A25m bid for ACN in February 2015, although Seven rejected the offer and favoured operating Sky News as a joint venture with News Corp. Seven has now agreed to accept the takeover offer for ACN, whose 2015-16 profit fell by 19 per cent to $A6.9m.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, SKY NEWS, AUSTRALIAN NEWS CHANNEL PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SKY PLC, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION

Twitter secures deal to stream Melbourne Cup

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 13-Oct-16

Social media giant Twitter will stream the 2016 Melbourne Cup live to a global audience via a revenue-sharing arrangement with the Victoria Racing Club. The Seven Network will supply Twitter’s live coverage, which has attracted Sportsbet and AAMI as sponsors. Twitter has previously secured live streaming rights to some US National Football League matches, and it is keen to gain more sports broadcasting rights. Seven will also offer streaming coverage of the Melbourne Cup.

CORPORATES
TWITTER INCORPORATED, THE EMIRATES MELBOURNE CUP, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SPORTSBET AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED MOTOR INSURERS LIMITED, VICTORIA RACING CLUB LIMITED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE, NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

Media bosses back to Senate

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 22 : 13-Oct-16

The Senate’s Environment & Communications Legislation Committee will release the findings of its second inquiry into the Federal Government’s cross-media ownership reforms on 7 November 2016. The CEOs of media companies fronted the first inquiry in March and April, and they are said to have been asked to appear before the committee again on 24 October. The first inquiry recommended that Parliament should approve the reforms, although the bill was shelved due to the double-dissolution election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNICATIONS, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND THE ARTS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, NSW FARMERS’ ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Diamond days as TV celebrates a jubilee

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 5 : 12-Oct-16

Industry executives and on-air presenters have joined politicians in marking the 60th anniversary of TV in Australia at Parliament House in Canberra. The event coincided with a decision by the Australian Labor Party’s caucus to support a proposed 25 per cent reduction in broadcasting licence fees for commercial TV and radio stations. Free TV Australia chairman Harold Mitchell notes that linear TV continues to be an important part of daily family life.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, OZTAM PTY LTD, NETFLIX INCORPORATED

New Free TV boss Savill to push for cuts in broadcast licence fees

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

Brett Savill, who has succeeded Julie Flynn as CEO of Free TV Australia, says the TV sector is likely to undergo greater change in the next 5-10 years than the switch from analogue to digital. However, he notes that TV is still the only medium than can attract the large audiences that viewed the recent Australian Football League and National Rugby League grand finals. Savill is expected to lobby the Federal Government for a further reduction in broadcasting licence fees, which Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has indicated is under active consideration.

CORPORATES
FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, BAI COMMUNICATIONS, BROADCAST AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS, KORN/FERRY INTERNATIONAL, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE