MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA

Ten brass to discuss bid by US media giant

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Original article by Dominic White, Jared Lynch, James Chessell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13/18 : 7-Nov-14

Investment banking firm Citi will advise Ten Network on bids by potential takeover suitors. Negotiations will start on 10 November 2014, and the most likely acquirer of the free-to-air TV group appears to be an alliance of pay TV provider Foxtel and US ally Discovery Communications. The speculation on 6 November lifted Ten’s share price by 7% to a close of $A0.23. Fairfax Media had also discussed a deal with Ten’s executives in October, but is now not expected to pursue the opportunity

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, CROWN RESORTS LIMITED – ASX CWN, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, ANCHORAGE CAPITAL PARTNERS PTY LTD, PROVIDENCE EQUITY PARTNERS INCORPORATED

Ten tie-up with Fairfax back in frame as Rinehart exits network’s board

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

Fairfax Media is in ongoing talks on a potential merger with free-to-air TV group Ten Network, and may divest its radio assets to entrepreneur John Singleton so as not to breach media ownership laws. A 14.99% stake in Fairfax is held by mining heiress Gina Rinehart, who also has 10% of Ten. However she is stepping down from the role of director on Ten’s board. The seat will be taken up by John Klepec, also chief development officer at Rinehart’s private Hancock Prospecting vehicle. Interest in a deal with Ten has come from pay TV business Foxtel as well

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, MACQUARIE RADIO NETWORK LIMITED – ASX MRN, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FAIRFAX RADIO NETWORK PTY LTD, HANCOCK PROSPECTING PTY LTD, CROWN RESORTS LIMITED – ASX CWN, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, MTV MUSIC TELEVISION, VIACOM INCORPORATED, CHANNEL 5 BROADCASTING LIMITED, ITV NETWORK LIMITED, ITV PLC, LIBERTY GLOBAL INCORPORATED, ROY HILL IRON ORE PTY LTD

Gittany’s girlfriend sues after site claims she was a stripper

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Original article by Michaela Whitbourn
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 8 : 29-Oct-14

A jury in the District Court of New South Wales will hear a defamation suit launched against news web site operator Daily Mail Australia. It is being brought by Rachelle Louise, the lover of convicted murderer Simon Gittany, over claims that she was the "world’s most deluded woman" and a former striptease artist. Barrister Roger Rasmussen is acting on behalf of Louise, who has been ordered by judge Judith Gibson to pay the Daily Mail Australia’s legal costs incurred for the preliminary hearing

CORPORATES
DAILY MAIL AND GENERAL TRUST PLC, DISTRICT COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES

News Corp targets $1.85trn super pool

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Original article by Madeleine Heffernan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 27-Oct-14

Investment platform provider OneVue has consented to an alliance with News Corp Australia, as the media group seeks to expand into new markets. It now aims to offer services for superannuation account holders, with the launch of its BrightDay product. The venture is to be managed by James Leplaw, GM of News Corp’s "Eureka Report" investor newsletter. The latter is part of the Australian Independent Business Media publishing business acquired by News Corp in mid-2012, but is believed to have suffered a drop in subscriber numbers

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, ONEVUE HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX OVH, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT BUSINESS MEDIA PTY LTD, EUREKA REPORT PTY LTD, CLIME ASSET MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, PRIVATE MEDIA PARTNERS PTY LTD, CARNEGIE, WYLIE AND COMPANY PTY LTD, INVESTSMART FINANCIAL SERVICES PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, MORGANS FINANCIAL LIMITED

Rinehart aide ‘set to take Ten seat’

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 21 : 21-Oct-14

The stock of Ten Network on 20 October 2014 closed $A0.02 higher at $A0.22, on news of merger talks by the free-to-air TV group with Fairfax Media. The Hancock Prospecting vehicle of mining heiress Gina Rinehart owns stakes of 14.99% and 10% in Fairfax and Ten respectively. Her seat on the board of the latter may soon be transferred to her chief development officer, John Klepec. Rinehart is believed to be positively disposed toward a merger deal, despite doubts about Fairfax’s management capabilities in the TV sector

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, HANCOCK PROSPECTING PTY LTD, ROY HILL HOLDINGS PTY LTD, CMC MARKETS PTY LTD

Ten on path to recovery, says CEO

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 22 : 17-Oct-14

Free-to-air TV group Ten Network has posted a 2013-14 post-tax loss of $A168.3m, after $A295m in 2012-13. However revenue fell further, down 4.3% to $A625m. Analysts are nevertheless applauding the turnaround and cost cutting strategies of CEO Hamish McLennan, and on 16 October 2014 the stock closed $A0.02 higher at $A0.20. McLennan says Ten will lodge a bid for the broadcasting rights to Australian Football League matches, currently held by rival Seven West Media. Ten recently acquired the Big Bash cricket and V8 Supercars rights

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, V8 SUPERCARS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD

ABC in apology over gaffe on gas

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Original article by Sid Maher
The Australian – Page: 19 : 7-Oct-14

The ABC recently repeated a claim made by the Australian Workers’ Union on a website, that all other gas-producing countries had a domestic gas supply reservation policy. This was disputed by the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association lobby group, and CEO David Byers has now accepted a formal apology for the incorrect statement from the public broadcaster

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN PETROLEUM PRODUCTION AND EXPLORATION ASSOCIATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES, RADIO NATIONAL

Fairfax revives radio sale talks

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 20 : 3-Oct-14

Insiders say Robin Bishop and Darren Keogh of investment banking firm Macquarie are consulting to Fairfax Media on possible asset divestments. The divisions being looked at are the radio stations network and the Domain real estate classifieds business. The former may be sold to 2GB owner Macquarie Radio, despite previous talks on such a deal ending acrimoniously. Domain may be spun off in a sharemarket float, and could have a market capitalisation of up to $A1.8bn. Fairfax is lobbying for reform of media ownership laws that prevent it from moving into certain segments

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, MACQUARIE RADIO NETWORK LIMITED – ASX MRN, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, REA GROUP LIMITED – ASX REA, DOMAIN PROPERTY GROUP, FAIRFAX RADIO NETWORK PTY LTD, 2GB, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, 21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED, METRO MEDIA PUBLISHING PTY LTD, TRADE ME GROUP LIMITED – ASX TME, ALL HOMES PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC

News in $1.1bn US property play

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 21 : 1-Oct-14

Nasdaq-listed real estate web site operator Move is being acquired by News Corp for $US950m ($A1.08bn). News Corp will own 80% of the business and the remainder is to be held by Australian-listed REA Group, in which News Corp has a 61.6% stake. News Corp CEO Robert Thomson says the company will use its media assets in the US to promote and create synergies with Move, which had revenue of $US227m in 2013-14. The largest share of the online US property classifieds market is held by Zillow, of which Australian James Packer owns 9.4%

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, REA GROUP LIMITED – ASX REA, MOVE INCORPORATED, ZILLOW.COM, TRULIA INCORPORATED, CAVALANE HOLDINGS PTY LTD, HARLEQUIN ENTERPRISES LIMITED, NASDAQ

AFL gains for Seven, as NRL loses audience

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Original article by Michael Bodey
The Australian – Page: 23 : 29-Sep-14

Despite Seven West Media agreeing to let pay TV provider Fox Sports simulcast almost all Australian Football League (AFL) matches, the free-to-air network is set to record a gain in audience ratings for the 2014 season. The AFL grand final played on 27 September appears likely to be the most-watched program for the year, with an average capital city viewers figure of 2.813 million. At the same time the ratings for National Rugby League matches have declined compared with 2013, dragging down the performance of main Seven rival Nine Entertainment

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, SYDNEY SWANS FOOTBALL CLUB, HAWTHORN FOOTBALL CLUB, FOX SPORTS, FREMANTLE DOCKERS FOOTBALL CLUB, WEST COAST EAGLES FOOTBALL CLUB, FUSION STRATEGY, COLLINGWOOD FOOTBALL CLUB, PORT ADELAIDE FOOTBALL CLUB, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, BRISBANE BRONCOS LIMITED – ASX BBL, SOUTH SYDNEY RUGBY LEAGUE CLUB, BULLDOGS RUGBY LEAGUE CLUB LIMITED