MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA

Short and sharp: Titles up, hours down 68 per cent for Aussie TV drama

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Original article by Karl Quinn
Brisbane Times – Page: Online : 25-Aug-21

New figures show that just 67 hours of adult drama was broadcast on Australia’s commercial television networks in 2019, compared with 208 hours in 1999. The number of hours of adult drama that was broadcast across all networks fell from 254 to 187 over this period; the latter figure includes streaming services. The researchers also note that each drama series had an average of seven episodes per season in 2019, compared with 21 in 1999. Veteran producer John Edwards fears that scripted television programs will continue to decline in Australia unless streaming services are legally required to invest in such content.

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NRL could switch TV channels

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Original article by John Stensholt, Jessica Halloran
The Australian – Page: 24 : 25-Aug-21

The Seven Network is said to have expressed interest in the broadcasting rights to rugby league’s State of Origin series. Seven is also believed to be interested in broadcasting one National Rugby League match each week; Ten could also potentially bid for the NRL rights, with the Nine Network’s current deal set to end in 2022. Nine has held the rugby league broadcasting rights for about three decades.

CORPORATES
SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE

The ABC’s big lie and the madness of Four Corners

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Original article by James Madden, Adam Creighton
The Australian – Page: 1 & 9 : 24-Aug-21

Fox News has attacked the ABC over a two-part ‘Four Corners’ program called "The Big Lie". The program has been accused of being "error-ridden" and "conspiracy-laden", implying that the Rupert Murdoch-owned broadcaster played a part in Donald Trump’s refusal to accept defeat in the 2020 US presidential election, ignoring the fact that Trump attacked Fox’s coverage of the election campaign in more than 400 tweets. It is believed that the second part of the program will try to link Fox News to the attack on the US Capitol by Trump supporters on 6 January.

CORPORATES
FOX NEWS, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

More than 20 million Australians continue to read news

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 24-Aug-21

The first release of Total News readership figures produced by Roy Morgan shows that 20.4 million Australians consume news in a four-week period, an increase of 1 per cent compared to the same period last year. The readership figures, produced for the first time by Roy Morgan for ThinkNewsBrands, refer to the 12 months to June 2021 and show that Total News reaches 97 per cent of the population aged 14+. Total News consists of all news brands (print and digital) and digital news websites. Digital news maintains its position of strength with readership of 19.1 million, 90 per cent of the population aged 14+. Print news has seen a 6 per cent increase compared to the same period last year, now reaching 14.1 million people, or 67 per cent of the population aged 14+. In April, ThinkNewsBrands announced the appointment of Roy Morgan to measure news readership and the retirement of emma (Enhanced Media Metrics Australia).

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, THINKNEWSBRANDS

‘Taxpayers should know’: Senator calls for audit of ABC payment for upskirting tweet

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Original article by Zoe Samios, Lisa Visentin
The Age – Page: Online : 20-Aug-21

Liberal MP Andrew Laming sued ABC reporter Louise Milligan for defamation over tweets she made which alleged that he had taken an "upskirting" picture of a woman. Milligan had agreed to pay Laming $79,000 in damages and cover his legal costs, but the ABC decided to pay her defamation costs, even though it had not been party to the action. Liberal Senator Eric Abetz has asked the Auditor-General to examine the appropriateness of the ABC’s actions, stating that taxpayers have a right to know why it paid Milligan’s bill.

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AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

News chief urges bosses to champion the rollout

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Original article by James Madden
The Australian – Page: 7 : 20-Aug-21

News Corp Australasia’s executive chairman Michael Miller has called on Australia’s business owners and leaders to "cham­pion the vaccination rollout". He says the media company is doing all it can to encourage and help its staff to get vaccinated as soon as they can, and he urges all other businesses to adopt the same approach. Miller has called on federal and state leaders to set vaccination targets and a timetable that will enable all Australians "to plan for life in a new normal state of affairs".

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Nine, News Corp resist Porter bid to protect his reputation

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Original article by Michaela Whitbourn
Brisbane Times – Page: Online : 19-Aug-21

Industry Minister Christian Porter recently filed an official notice of discontinuance of his defamation action against the ABC, several months after the parties reached a settlement. Porter is now seeking a court order to prevent News Corp Australia and Nine Entertainment from using 27 pages of the ABC’s defence document that have been officially removed from the court’s public record. The media groups had previously been given access to the ABC’s full 37-page defence; Porter and his lawyers will argue that the media companies cannot use the redacted sections for any purpose other than their previous involvement in the defamation case.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, SCIENCE, ENERGY AND RESOURCES

ViacomCBS launches Paramount+

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Original article by Miranda Ward
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 9-Aug-21

The new Paramount+ subscription video-on-demand service will offer a range of exclusive international content and new locally-produced drama when it debuts in Australia on 11 August. ViacomCBS has also invested some $300m on sports broadcasting rights, with soccer competitions such as the A-League and W-League to be shown on both Paramount+ and the Ten Network. Unlike rival streaming services such as Stan and Binge, Paramount+ will have direct access to the output of US film and television studios.

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VIACOMCBS INCORPORATED, PARAMOUNT+, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, THE A LEAGUE PTY LTD, THE W LEAGUE PTY LTD, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, BINGE

Inconsistent YouTube rules challenged by Sky

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Original article by Sophie Elsworth
The Australian – Page: 21 : 9-Aug-21

Sky News Australia CEO Paul Whittaker has asked YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki for a clearer explanation as to why 21 of Sky’s videos were removed from its platform and why it was banned from uploading content for seven days. Whittaker contends that YouTube’s policies on COVID-19 are "internally inconsistent and incapable of compliance", while he has asked for an explanation of remarks made by YouTube to other media groups as to why Sky was suspended. YouTube was apparently quoted as saying it was suspended for "content that denies the existence of COVID-19". Whittaker says Sky absolutely rejects that suggestion.

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SKY NEWS, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED

Seven strikes gold with Games coverage

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Original article by Miranda Ward
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 9-Aug-21

The Tokyo Olympic Games have been a ratings boon for the Seven Network, with new data showing that 19.95 million Australians watched its coverage of the first 11 days of the showcase event. Viewers have also embraced Seven’s streaming coverage, watching more 4.6 billion minutes via 7plus during the first 14 days of the Olympics. Seven now boasts some 9.1 million registered users of 7plus, up from 6.4 million prior to the Olympics. Chief digital officer Gereurd Roberts says the strong growth in uptake of the free streaming service demonstrates the power of the Olympics and the success of Seven’s strategy.

CORPORATES
SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, 7PLUS