MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA

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

Amazon may use ex-Top Gear presenters’ show to launch SVOD here

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Original article by Dominic White, John McDuling
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 2 : 29-Feb-16

US-based Amazon has declined to comment on speculation that it plans to enter Australia’s subscription video-on-demand market. Industry sources have suggested that the group could launch the Amazon Prime Instant Video service in Australia later in 2016, to capitalise on the popularity of former "Top Gear" presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. They will soon host a new show for Amazon, which could opt to sell the local broadcasting rights to a rival SVOD provider.

CORPORATES
AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, AMAZON PRIME, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, THE BOOK DEPOSITORY LIMITED, DAI POST PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN CONSUMERS’ ASSOCIATION

Fairfax’s Hywood reassures nervous investors on print

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 30 : 29-Feb-16

Fairfax Media CEO Greg Hywood has downplayed concerns that the group could discontinue the print editions of its metropolitan newspapers. He argues that in addition to revenue from advertising and subscribers, newspapers allow Fairfax to boost audiences for digital assets such as Domain and Drive. He adds that any shift to a digital-only model would not have a significant financial impact on Fairfax, due to the cost savings achieved in its print business in recent years.

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, DOMAIN.COM.AU, DRIVE.COM.AU, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC

Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine to appear on the ABC’s Q&A

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 29-Feb-16

The panellists on the 29 January 2016 edition of "Q&A" 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.

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

Kelly set for early departure from Nine

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 21 : 25-Feb-16

Australian-listed media group Nine Entertainment Company has advised that CFO and COO Simon Kelly will step down at the end of February 2016. He was originally slated to depart at the end of May. Nine will release its 2015-16 interim financial results on 25 February, and may update shareholders on its streaming dispute with regional affiliate WIN Corporation. Nine is also tipped to extend its share buyback.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, TICKETEK, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE