MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA

Free TV ad revenue to plummet

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Original article by Paul McIntyre
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 15-Dec-14

IPG Mediabrands expects digital media’s share of advertising revenue to rise from 36.5 per cent to 56 per cent over the next five years. The share of commercial free-to-air TV networks will fall from 26.6 per cent to just 19.9 per cent. The firm’s chief investment officer, Victor Corones, expects Australia’s advertising market to record overall growth of one per cent in 2014, rising to 3.8 per cent in 2015

CORPORATES
MEDIABRANDS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, MAGNA GLOBAL PTY LTD, THE NIELSEN COMPANY (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL ADVERTISERS INCORPORATED, WAL-MART STORES INCORPORATED, FORD MOTOR COMPANY, NESTLE SA, MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED, PERNOD RICARD SA, CADREON PTY LTD, VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED

Advertising spending set for growth spike, says WPP

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 20 : 9-Dec-14

The advertising market in Australia is tipped to grow 4.1% to $A13.7bn in 2015, according to global market leader by revenue WPP. This compares with 2.8% and $A13.1bn for 2014, and is the best result since 2010. However WPP’s annual outlook report also shows that in the newspapers segment the decline will continue, with a fall of 9.5% to $A1.8bn. Online will experience strong growth, but less rapid than the 21.5% seen in 2013 and only coming in at 13.4% to $A5.7bn

CORPORATES
WPP GROUP PLC, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, GROUPM COMMUNICATIONS PTY LTD

ACCC to monitor Ten takeover bid

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 25 : 8-Dec-14

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) chair Rod Sims has foreshadowed official confirmation that it will watch the takeover negotiations for Ten Network. A joint bid valued at $A590m for the free-to-air TV group has been prepared by pay TV provider Foxtel and US-based Discovery Communications. There are possible regulatory concerns due to the involvement of Foxtel, which in 2012 gained permission for its merger with rival Austar only after the ACCC noted the emergence of internet streaming TV services

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS, AUSTAR UNITED COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, CONSOLIDATED MEDIA HOLDINGS LIMITED, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, SILVER EAGLE ACQUISITION CORPORATION, SABAN CAPITAL GROUP INCORPORATED, ANCHORAGE CAPITAL PARTNERS PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, DEUTSCHE BANK AG

Foxtel puts ACCC in picture on Ten

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 19 : 5-Dec-14

The stock of Ten Network on 4 December 2014 closed $A0.025 lower at $A0.20, as investors assessed the modest offers made by takeover suitors. Pay TV group Foxtel has formed an alliance with US-based Discovery Communications to launch a bid worth $A590m for the free-to-air TV business, and a briefing on the proposal has been given to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission by Foxtel’s legal counsel. Meanwhile Foxtel CEO Richard Freudenstein says a recent discounting campaign has brought a marked increase in new subscriber growth

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, V8 SUPERCARS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, CONSOLIDATED MEDIA HOLDINGS LIMITED, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, SABAN CAPITAL GROUP INCORPORATED, ANCHORAGE CAPITAL PARTNERS PTY LTD, DEUTSCHE BANK AG

‘And…. cut!’ The TV viewers left in the dark now that Margaret and David won’t be At The Movies

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 4-Dec-14

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that in the year to September 2014, 5.9 per cent of Australians aged 14+ gave "At The Movies" four and a half stars, citing it as a TV program that they "especially choose to watch". Some 2.2 per cent named it as a show that they "really love to watch". The survey also found that around 75 per cent of who really love "At The Movies" went to the cinema in an average three-month period in the year to September 2014, compared with just 46% of the general population

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS)

Three-way fight for ailing Ten

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 19 : 4-Dec-14

Competing bids worth between $A510m and $A664m have been prepared for Australian free-to-air TV group Ten Network, which along with adviser Citigroup is seeking at least $A770m. Pay TV provider Foxtel and US-based ally Discovery Communications are one suitor, and interest has also been voiced by private equity firm Saban Capital Group and hedge fund Anchorage Capital Partners. They would need the approval of News Corporation co-chair Lachlan Murdoch, Crown Resorts chair James Packer and WIN Corporation owner Bruce Gordon

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED, SABAN CAPITAL GROUP INCORPORATED, ANCHORAGE CAPITAL PARTNERS PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, ASX LIMITED – ASX ASX, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, CROWN RESORTS LIMITED – ASX CWN, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, 21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED, WALT DISNEY COMPANY, CVC ASIA PACIFIC (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, KOHLBERG KRAVIS ROBERTS AND COMPANY, KKR AND COMPANY LP, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM

Offer for Ten cut after briefings

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Original article by Dominic White, Jared Lynch
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 3-Dec-14

Prospective buyers of the Ten Network were required to submit non-indicative bids by 2 December 2014. Foxtel and Discovery Communications have offered to pay between $A0.20 and $A0.25 per share for the free-to-air broadcaster, compared with an initial indicative offer of $A0.26 per share. Ten shares closed at $A0.24 on 2 December. Time Warner, which was also mooted as a bidder for Ten, has elected not to proceed with an offer, while Anchorage Capital and Saban are also seen as potential bidders

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED, TIME WARNER INCORPORATED, ANCHORAGE CAPITAL PARTNERS PTY LTD, SABAN CAPITAL GROUP INCORPORATED, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, CROWN RESORTS LIMITED – ASX CWN, PROVIDENCE EQUITY PARTNERS INCORPORATED, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, GOLDMAN SACHS AND PARTNERS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Ten set to reject Foxtel’s first bid

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 22 : 2-Dec-14

There are forecasts the directors of free-to-air TV group Ten Network will rebuff a takeover bid by pay TV rival Foxtel and US-based ally Discovery Communications on 2 December 2014. It is likely to be worth between $A0.20 and $A0.25 a share, and to be deemed too low by Ten. On 1 December the stock closed at $A0.255. Meanwhile Paul Mallam, the representative of major Ten investor and WIN Corporation owner Bruce Gordon, has stepped down as a member of the Ten board

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, HANCOCK PROSPECTING PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, CROWN RESORTS LIMITED – ASX CWN, CONSOLIDATED MEAT HOLDINGS PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

Australians pick their must-see and much-loved television shows on ABC and SBS

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 24-Nov-14

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 11.8 million Australians aged 14+ have at least one ABC or ABC2 television show that they "especially choose to watch". The survey, which was carried out in the year to September 2014, also found that 5.5 million Australians especially choose to watch between one and three shows on the ABC. Meanwhile, 9.2 million Australians especially choose to watch at least one show on SBS ONE, SBS2 or NITV

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS)

Discovery/Foxtel to ramp up Ten offer

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 31 : 24-Nov-14

Indicative offers for the Ten Network will be accepted until 2 December 2014. Foxtel and Discovery Communications are believed to be planning to make a cash and scrip offer, whereby Ten’s existing shareholders would be given shares in the free-to-air broadcaster. The move is aimed at gaining the support of 14.9 per cent shareholder Bruce Gordon, who has ruled out selling his stake. Foxtel has also proposed to merge Ten and its own Multi Channel Network advertisings sales division

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED, MULTI CHANNEL NETWORK PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, GOLDMAN SACHS AND PARTNERS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, CROWN RESORTS LIMITED – ASX CWN, TIME WARNER INCORPORATED, HBO, WARNER BROS, CABLE NEWS NETWORK, HELLMAN AND FRIEDMAN, SABAN CAPITAL GROUP INCORPORATED, ANCHORAGE CAPITAL PARTNERS PTY LTD, PROVIDENCE EQUITY PARTNERS INCORPORATED, PARAMOUNT PICTURES CORPORATION