MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA

Sports earn broadcasters bigger share of revenue pie

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 22 : 16-Oct-15

Standard Media Index data shows that the Nine Network’s share of metropolitan TV advertising revenue rose to 37.5 per cent in September 2015. It was bolstered by coverage of National Rugby League preliminary finals, while Ten Network’s ad revenue was boosted by its broadcast of the V8 ­Supercars Sandown 500. A one-week delay to the Australian Football League grand final resulted in Seven Network’s share of ad revenue easing to 40.3 per cent in September.

CORPORATES
NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SMI MEDIA INCORPORATED, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, V8 SUPERCARS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Murdochs win dual-class vote

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 22 : 16-Oct-15

News Corporation shareholders have rejected a resolution to abolish its dual-class share structure at the US-based media group’s 2015 AGM in New York. Executive chairman Rupert Murdoch told the AGM that News Corp has become more profitable with a greater focus on digital media since its 2013 demerger. The group has made a number of acquisitions globally since the demerger, while it has sold a number of assets.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AMPLIFY PTY LTD, UNRULY, VIACOM INCORPORATED, CBS CORPORATION, COMCAST CORPORATION, CABLEVISION SYSTEMS CORPORATION, THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY, SCRIPPS NETWORKS INCORPORATED, LIBERTY MEDIA CORPORATION, UNITED STATES. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Foxtel holding in Ten expected to pass muster with regulator

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 14-Oct-15

Former Australian Communications & Media Authority (ACMA) executive Michaela Watson says the regulator is likely to approve the proposed equity alliance between Ten Network and Foxtel. She does not expect ACMA to rule that the deal contravenes cross-media ownership laws or would give businessman Lachlan Murdoch control of Ten. He has an 8.52 per cent stake in Ten and fully owns radio group Nova Entertainment, while he is also the co-chairman of Foxtel’s joint owner News Corporation.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, NOVA ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, ILLYRIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM

Murdoch to face shareholder revolt

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Original article by Max Mason
The Age – Page: 40 : 14-Oct-15

News Corporation’s share structure will again come under scrutiny at the media giant’s 2015 AGM in New York. However, any resolution to abolish the dual-class structure faces a significant hurdle, as the Murdoch Family Trust holds 38.4 per cent of Class B shares, which have voting rights. Some 47.4 per cent of votes cast at the 2014 AGM were in favour of scrapping the distinction between Class B and non-voting Class A shares.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, MURDOCH FAMILY TRUST, SOUTHEASTERN ASSET MANAGEMENT INCORPORATED, NATHAN CUMMINGS FOUNDATION, LEGAL AND GENERAL ASSURANCE SOCIETY LIMITED, HERMES EQUITY OWNERSHIP SERVICES LIMITED, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AMPLIFY PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, DEUTSCHE BANK AG

Gyngell may be switching channels

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Original article by Elizabeth Knight
The Age – Page: 21 : 13-Oct-15

The contract of Nine Entertainment Company CEO David Gyngell expires in November 2016. He is required to give 12 months’ notice if he does not want to renew the contract, and is widely tipped to do so. Nine has been restructured under Gyngell, selling assets and expanding into the subscription video-on-demand sector. Should the Australian Government implement changes to cross-media ownership laws, his last major deal at Nine could potentially be the acquisition of a regional affiliate or a non-TV media asset.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NINE LIVE PTY LTD, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR

Households ‘slow’ in linking TVs to net

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Original article by Michael Bodey
The Australian – Page: 23 : 12-Oct-15

Nine Entertainment Company’s Peter Wiltshire believes that only about one per cent of Australians are using their Smart TV to access the internet. Along with the low-take-up rate of Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV – which was officially launched in Australia in mid-2014 – Wiltshire notes that the online catch-up services of free-to-air networks are not competing effectively with subscriber video-on-demand providers such as Netflix.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, APPLE INCORPORATED, COMMERCIAL RADIO AUSTRALIA LIMITED, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, MULTI CHANNEL NETWORK PTY LTD

Publishers muscle-up with new bans on users of ad-blocking software

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 23 : 12-Oct-15

Nine Entertainment Company has moved to protect its advertising revenue by preventing people who use ad-blocking software from viewing video content on its websites. "The Australian" is also examining options to combat the use of ad-blocking software, which has become more popular since Apple’s recent decision to allow its use on the iPad and iPhone. It is estimated that the software could slash online advertising revenue by around $A1.4bn in 2016.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, APPLE INCORPORATED, MI9, NINEMSN PTY LTD, DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA, RATECITY PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, CITIGROUP PTY LTD

Bauer takes a Nova approach to sector entry

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Original article by Dominic White, Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 26 : 12-Oct-15

Germany-based Bauer Media Group is said to still be keen to acquire commercial radio stations in Australia, after being rebuffed by Nova Entertainment in 2014. Bauer is believed to have made an indicative offer of about $A450m to acquire Nova, which is owned by Lachlan Murdoch. Bauer paid $A525m for ACP in 2012, and has since discontinued a number of print magazines.

CORPORATES
BAUER MEDIA KG, NOVA ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, ILLYRIA PTY LTD, ACP MAGAZINES LIMITED, DAILY MAIL AND GENERAL TRUST PLC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, SBS DISCOVERY RADIO, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC

Cutting costs will ‘only go so far’

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 12-Oct-15

Southern Cross Media CEO Grant Blackley says it is important for media companies to invest in on-air talent, as well as marketing and promotion. He has defended the group’s move to recruit Rove McManus to host 2Day FM’s breakfast program, arguing that increased ratings result in higher advertising revenue. Blackley adds that cost cuts are only a short-term solution for media companies.

CORPORATES
SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, 2DAY FM AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

NBN’s Switkowski ‘simply wrong’ on broadcast view, says Free TV

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 7-Oct-15

Free TV Australia chairman Harold Mitchell has rejected claims by NBN chairman Ziggy Switkowski that people under the age of 20 mainly only watch sport on broadcast TV. Mitchell says traditional TV screens remain the primary viewing option for Australians of all ages, despite the growing use of other devices to watch content. The latest Multi-Screen report from Nielsen, OzTAM and Regional TAM found that Australians still use a traditional TV set to watch more than 90 hours of broadcast TV each month.

CORPORATES
FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NBN CO LIMITED, THE NIELSEN COMPANY (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, OZTAM PTY LTD, REGIONAL TAM PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NETFLIX INCORPORATED