MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA

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

Rivals roll up sleeves as Hamish and Andy lift Hit

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Original article by Michael Bodey
The Australian – Page: 7 : 30-Sep-15

Australian Radio Network executive Duncan Campbell has downplayed a rise in the ratings of the Southern Cross Austereo-owned Hit network. The drive-slot team of Hamish Blake and Andy Lee enjoyed a two per cent increase in ratings in four capital cities in the latest radio ratings survey. However, Campbell notes that Hit continues to have lower ratings than rival networks. Nova’s Paul Jackson notes that Hit has also been heavily promoting Hamish and Andy.

CORPORATES
SOUTHERN CROSS AUSTEREO PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, HIT NETWORK, AUSTRALIAN RADIO NETWORK PTY LTD, NOVA ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, KIIS 101.1, KIIS1065, TRIPLE M BUILDERS PTY LTD, 2DAY FM AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MACQUARIE RADIO NETWORK LIMITED – ASX MRN, 3AW SOUTHERN CROSS RADIO PTY LTD, 2GB, ABC RADIO, 97.3 FM, MIX 94.5, MIX102.3, SMOOTHFM

Cricket Live app in Optus digital rights deal

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Original article by John Stensholt
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 33 : 28-Sep-15

Cricket Australia has declined to comment on speculation that it is set to secure a deal with Optus regarding digital broadcasting rights, saying only that it is in talks with the telco. The deal is expected to cover cricket matches that were played prior to Cricket Australia’s current TV rights deal with Nine Entertainment Company. It is also believed that Optus customers will have free access to the Cricket Live app. Optus flagged a greater push into sports broadcasts earlier in 2015.

CORPORATES
CRICKET AUSTRALIA, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, APPLE INCORPORATED, BT SPORTS

Stan comedy show wins over Hollywood execs

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 32 : 28-Sep-15

Stan CEO Mike Sneesby says 70 per cent of people who took up the subscription video on-demand service’s one-month free trial offer have become paid subscribers. He also says the Fairfax Media-Nine Entertainment joint venture is approaching 400,000 gross customers. Stan is investing in the production of Australian content, and Sneesby says several of its shows have attracted interest in the US.

CORPORATES
STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, TELSYTE PTY LTD, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, HULU LLC, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, QUICKFLIX LIMITED – ASX QFX, HBO