MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA

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

Foxtel-Ten alliance would face scrutiny

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Original article by Madeleine Heffernan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 16-Sep-14

It was claimed in the media that Foxtel contemplated a bid for the Ten Network in conjunction with Providence Equity Partners. It is said that the pay-TV group might form a marketing or content alliance with Providence if the US private equity group makes an offer for Ten. Regulators are likely to pay close heed to any alliance between Foxtel and Providence. Foxtel is prohibited by law from owning more than 15 per cent of the commercial TV broadcaster

CORPORATES
FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, PROVIDENCE EQUITY PARTNERS INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, NOVA ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, CONSOLIDATED MEDIA HOLDINGS LIMITED, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ

‘Death knell’ for community TV as Turnbull flicks the internet switch

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Original article by Mitchell Bingemann
The Australian – Page: 7 : 11-Sep-14

The Australian Government will reallocate the spectrum that is used by community TV stations. Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull says community stations will need to become internet-only broadcasters from the start of 2016. He says this will provide them with access to a much larger audience, noting that only about 2,000 people watch community TV stations during prime-time

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY TELEVISION ALLIANCE, CHANNEL 31, TELEVISION SYDNEY (TVS) LIMITED

‘Death knell’ for community TV as Turnbull flicks the internet switch

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Original article by Mitchell Bingemann
The Australian – Page: 7 : 11-Sep-14

The Australian Government will reallocate the spectrum that is used by community TV stations. Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull says community stations will need to become internet-only broadcasters from the start of 2016. He says this will provide them with access to a much larger audience, noting that only about 2,000 people watch community TV stations during prime-time

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY TELEVISION ALLIANCE, CHANNEL 31, TELEVISION SYDNEY (TVS) LIMITED

‘Death knell’ for community TV as Turnbull flicks the internet switch

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Original article by Mitchell Bingemann
The Australian – Page: 7 : 11-Sep-14

The Australian Government will reallocate the spectrum that is used by community TV stations. Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull says community stations will need to become internet-only broadcasters from the start of 2016. He says this will provide them with access to a much larger audience, noting that only about 2,000 people watch community TV stations during prime-time

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY TELEVISION ALLIANCE, CHANNEL 31, TELEVISION SYDNEY (TVS) LIMITED

Rinehart in secret talks on Fairfax

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Original article by Sharri Markson
The Australian – Page: 19 : 10-Sep-14

A spokesman for mining magnate Gina Rinehart has downplayed speculation that she is planning to make a takeover bid for Fairfax Media. Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting holds a 14.99 per cent stake in the media group, and it has been revealed that she held talks with Matt Handbury regarding a bid for Fairfax in 2012. Handbury sold Murdoch Magazines in 2004 and Murdoch Books in 2012

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, HANCOCK PROSPECTING PTY LTD, MURDOCH MAGAZINES PTY LTD, MURDOCH BOOKS PTY LTD, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, ALLEN AND UNWIN PTY LTD

Subscription the prescription for Father’s Day

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 5-Sep-14

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that "National Geographic" is the most popular magazine among Australian men whose children under the age 18 still live at home. The latest readership data from Roy Morgan shows that 153,000 fathers read an average issue of this title in the year to June 2014. This was followed by "Better Homes and Gardens" (120,000) and "Men’s Health" (111,000)

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Sky set to replace Australia Network

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Original article by Sharri Markson
The Australian – Page: 20 : 8-Sep-14

The Australian Government in its May 2014 Budget abolished the Australia Network overseas service operated by public broadcaster ABC. It had won the contract from the previous federal government, over the privately-owned Sky News. The latter is now set to launch its new Australia Channel, which will have similar content but be subscription-based and online. Viewers in 180 countries, including via internet-enabled TV sets, are the target according to Sky News CEO Angelos Frangopoulos. There will be no public funding, in contrast with the $A223m over a decade for the ABC

CORPORATES
SKY NEWS, AUSTRALIAN NEWS CHANNEL PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, GLOBECAST AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS, FRANCE TELECOM SA, AKAMAI TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED, BRIGHTCOVE INCORPORATED