MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA

Nine profit takes hit as $150m buyback launched

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Original article by Dominic White, Jared Lynch
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 27-Feb-15

Australian-listed Nine Entertainment Company has posted a 2014-15 interim net profit of $A88.8m, which is 6.4 per cent lower than previously. The media group’s revenue fell by 1.9 per cent to $A829m. Nine Entertainment will undertake an on-market share buyback worth $A150m over the next year, but CEO David Gyngell says the group is still interested in acquisitions

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, APN OUTDOOR GROUP LIMITED – ASX APO, OOH!MEDIA LIMITED – ASX OML

Seven set for uptick

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Original article by Tess Ingram, Anthony Macdonald
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 25 : 26-Feb-15

Seven Group Holdings has posted a 2014-15 interim net profit of $A69.2m, which is 74 per cent lower than previously. The WesTrac division’s sales revenue was down 47 per cent at $A323m, although revenue from equipment servicing and parts sales rose by 16 per cent to $A750m. Meanwhile, Seven Group will undertake an on-market share buyback via Goldman Sachs. The group’s shares closed 11 per cent higher at $A6.85 on 25 February 2015

CORPORATES
SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, WESTRAC HOLDINGS PTY LTD, GOLDMAN SACHS AND PARTNERS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, CATERPILLAR, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL

Long-form journalism proves a hit

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 30 : 23-Feb-15

Data from Roy Morgan Research shows that readership of "The Saturday Paper" rose to 99,000 in the second half of 2014. Schwartz Media CEO Rebecca Costello says the print edition of the weekly newspaper now boasts more than 20,000 subscribers. Founding editor Erik Jensen says he believed that there was demand for a weekend newspaper with a focus on long-form journalism. The newspaper celebrates its first anniversary on 1 March 2015

CORPORATES
SCHWARTZ MEDIA PTY LTD, ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, SPINACH ADVERTISING PTY LTD, BANK OF MELBOURNE LIMITED, MERCEDES-BENZ AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ROLEX WATCHES AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Fairfax unveils buyback surprise

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Original article by Max Mason, Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 20-Feb-15

Australian-listed Fairfax Media has reported a 2014-15 interim underlying net profit of $A86m, which is 0.6 per cent lower than previously. Revenue from operations fell by 12.9 per cent to $A943.3m, while the media group will undertake an on-market share buyback over the next 12 months. It plans to repurchase up to 121 million shares, which equates to five per cent of the stock on issue

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, DOMAIN.COM.AU, CITIGROUP PTY LTD

Seven West ‘well placed’ to recover despite $1bn write-down

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 & 26 : 19-Feb-15

Seven West Media has posted a 2014-15 interim net loss of $A994m. The result was marred by writedowns totalling $A1bn, including goodwill associated with its TV and print media assets. The group’s underlying net profit fell by 8.4 per cent to $A137.5m, with revenue totalling $A943m. Seven West’s TV business posted revenue of $A677m, which is one per cent lower than previously. Seven West anticipates an upturn in TV advertising revenue in the second half of 2014-15

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, BLOOMBERG LP, SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, PACIFIC MAGAZINES PTY LTD, YAHOO!7 COMMUNICATIONS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Telstra chief hopeful that pay TV market will reach 70 per cent

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Original article by Max Mason, Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 30 : 16-Feb-15

Just 30 per cent of Australian households currently have access to subscription-based TV. Telstra CEO David Thodey is optimistic about the outlook for the sector, forecasting that the launch of video streaming services will lift market penetration to around 70 per cent. Thodey expects US-based Netflix, which will formally enter the Australian market in March 2015, will eventually introduce advertisements. He also refutes suggestions that Telstra will scrap its T-Box device

CORPORATES
TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, FETCHTV PTY LTD, STAN, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ

Stokes’ Seven may face $1 billion writedown

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 16-Feb-15

Analysts expect Seven West Media to post a 2014-15 interim net profit of about $A207m. However, there is speculation that the media group could write down the carrying value of its assets by at least $A1bn when its half-year results are released on 18 February 2015. Seven’s net assets were valued at $A2.9bn in June 2014, but a sharp fall in its share price in the last 12 months has reduced its market capitalisation to $A1.43bn

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA

Rupert and the wolves at News Corp

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Original article by Neil Chenoweth
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 13-Feb-15

News Corporation’s succession plan does not consider the possibility of co-chairman Rupert Murdoch being incapacitated. The plan states that, on his death, four directors representing each of his adult children will assume responsibility for the company. Murdoch’s incapacity is not mentioned. The company could be an attractive takeover target, due to assets such as its stakes in REA Group and Foxtel

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, REA GROUP LIMITED – ASX REA, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, 21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED, SOUTHEASTERN ASSET MANAGEMENT INCORPORATED

Foxtel, Discovery plot Ten strategy

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Original article by Dominic White, Jake Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 9-Feb-15

Ten Network’s 14.9 per cent shareholder, Bruce Gordon, opposes a $A590m takeover bid by Foxtel and Discovery Communications. However, the bidders may consider a revised takeover strategy whereby they would acquire Ten’s main assets while Ten itself remains listed on the sharemarket. While Ten’s directors would have to approve any such deal, the bidders would only need the support of 51 per cent of Ten’s voting shareholders

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED, LAZARD ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, CROWN RESORTS LIMITED – ASX CWN, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ

Fairfax’s 15.7pc tax rate draws Senate spotlight

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 19 : 5-Feb-15

Claims by the Tax Justice Network that major Australian corporations are using strategies such as profit shifting to minimise their tax burden have sparked a Senate Economics Committee investigation. In a submission prepared by senior research fellow Sinclair Davidson of the right-wing ­Institute of Public Affairs, newspaper publisher Fairfax Media is accused of enjoying an effective tax rate of a mere 15.78% rather than the statutory 30% in 2013-14. Fairfax had in 2014 published articles on alleged tax avoidance by rival News Corp Australia

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TAX JUSTICE NETWORK, INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ECONOMICS, RMIT UNIVERSITY, ROYAL MELBOURNE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY