MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA

Free and pay TV row over licence fees

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Original article by Max Mason, Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 30 : 14-Mar-16

Australia’s free-to-air commercial TV networks argue that a reduction in broadcasting licence fees would result in increased local content. The networks’ CEOs also say it would make them more competitive against overseas streaming video providers, which are not subject to the same regulatory regime. Broadcasting licence fees were reduced by 50 per cent in 2013, but Screen Producers Australia CEO Matthew Deaner says FTA networks should have to make a firm commitment to investing in local content in return for further licence fee cuts.

CORPORATES
SCREEN PRODUCERS AUSTRALIA, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION AND RADIO ASSOCIATION (ASTRA) INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS)

Let TV stations trade spectrum: minister

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 21 : 11-Mar-16

Federal Communications Minister Mitch Fifield addressed the RadComms conference on 10 March 2016, where he outlined a proposal for TV broadcasters to share, lease or trade any spectrum that is surplus to their requirements. However, the proposal has been criticised by Australian Subscription Television & Radio Association CEO Andrew Main, who says free-to-air networks should not be "gifted" spare public spectrum and then profit from leasing it to other companies.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION AND RADIO ASSOCIATION (ASTRA) INCORPORATED, FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY

Expert called upon to settle REA, Domain fight

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Original article by Andrew Jefferson
The Australian – Page: 21 : 9-Mar-16

The legal dispute between Australian-listed REA Group and Fairfax Media-owned Domain will return to court on 21 March 2016, after the case was adjourned on 8 March. The case centres on allegations by REA that an advertising campaign by Domain was misleading and deceptive, by claiming that it boasts the nation’s leading property app. Justice Bernard Murphy proposed that the two parties hire an independent expert to determine which property app has the most listings.

CORPORATES
REA GROUP LIMITED – ASX REA, REALESTATE.COM.AU, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, DOMAIN.COM.AU, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Fairfax accused of misleading app claims

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Original article by Andrew Jefferson
The Australian – Page: 21 : 8-Mar-16

Australian-listed REA Group has alleged in the Federal Court that an advertising campaign by property listings rival Domain was misleading and deceptive. The legal action centres on ads that were published by Domain owner Fairfax Media in its newspapers in February 2016. The ads claimed that the Domain app is more widely used than REA’s realestate.com.au app and has a higher user rating on Apple’s app store. REA has disputed these claims.

CORPORATES
REA GROUP LIMITED – ASX REA, REALESTATE.COM.AU, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, DOMAIN.COM.AU, FEDERAL COURT OF APPEAL (CANADA)

Kelly urges Nine-Fairfax mega-merger

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 23 : 7-Mar-16

Fairfax Media CEO Greg Hywood recently ruled out merging with Nine Entertainment Company if cross-media ownership laws are relaxed. However, Nine’s former CFO Simon Kelly believes that the media group should merge with both Fairfax and regional broadcaster Southern Cross Media. He argues that a three-way merger would create a multi-platform company with about 30 per cent of the advertising market and revenue of around $A4bn.

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, APN NEWS AND MEDIA LIMITED – ASX APN, REA GROUP LIMITED – ASX REA, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NOVA ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, MULTI CHANNEL NETWORK PTY LTD, OAKTREE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC, APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT LLC, THE GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INCORPORATED, TICKETEK

‘Great adventure’ runs its course as BRW is absorbed into AFR

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Original article by Michael Bailey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 30 : 7-Mar-16

Australian media industry veterans Stuart Simson and Robert Gottliebsen say Fairfax Media’s decision to discontinue the "BRW" masthead was expected. The print edition ceased publication in 2013, and Fairfax will incorporate its online content into "The Australian Financial Review". Simson, a former editor of "BRW", says the growth of programmatic media buying has made it difficult for media groups to keep publishing multiple business mastheads. Gottliebsen, the founding editor of "BRW", made several offers to buy the masthead over a number of years.

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, SWITCH GROUP, BUSINESS SPECTATOR PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, HSBC AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD

$50m share raid puts Nine takeover in picture ahead of sector reforms

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Original article by Darren Davidson, Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 19 & 22 : 4-Mar-16

Shares in Nine Entertainment Company closed 3.42 per cent higher at $A1.51, amid revelations that an unknown buyer purchased 3.4 per cent of its shares via Deutsche Bank. The $A50m transaction was executed at $A1.60 per share, prompting speculation that Nine may become a takeover target. Fairfax Media has been touted as a potential suitor if cross-media ownership laws are relaxed, but the group has downplayed such speculation.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, DOMAIN.COM.AU, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL

Ten moves first in media shake-up

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 3-Mar-16

The Ten Network is believed to have held preliminary talks with regional affiliate Southern Cross Media Group about acquiring its TV assets if cross-media ownership laws are relaxed. It is expected that Ten would have to undertake a capital raising to finance the acquisition, with Southern Cross’s TV assets estimated to be worth between $A100m and $A120m. The two groups are also holding talks regarding the renewal of their affiliation agreement. Southern Cross has indicated in the past that radio assets are its priority.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, TRIPLE M CORPORATION PTY LTD, HIT NETWORK, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, APN NEWS AND MEDIA LIMITED – ASX APN

Michele Levine On Q&A

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 1-Mar-16

View highlights of the 29 February 2016 edition of the ABC’s "Q&A" panel discussion program. Roy Morgan Research CEO Michele Levine joins the panel to discuss "Safe Schools", same-sex marriage, trans-gender issues for children and current political issues.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Roy Morgan Research CEO Michele Levine on the ABC’s "Q&A"

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 1-Mar-16

The panellists on the 29 January 2016 edition of the ABC panel discussion program hosted by Tony Jones are Roy Morgan Research CEO Michele Levine; Liberal Party of Australia MP Bruce Billson; the former Speaker of the House of Representative, Anna Burke; Australian Christian Lobby MD Lyle Shelton; and the former president of the Australian Medical Association, Kerryn Phelps. They debate the important issues of the day and respond to questions from audience members and viewers at home.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN CHRISTIAN LOBBY, AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION