MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA

Seven aims to make cricket pay

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Original article by Ben Horne, Peter Lalor
The Australian – Page: 24 & 22 : 2-Dec-20

The Seven Network alleges that it has suffered significant commercial damage due to Cricket Australia’s changes to its match schedule for the 2020-21 summer. Australia was originally slated to play three Tests against India before Christmas, but CA has delayed two of these matches until the new year, while the revised schedule saw the cricket season begin with a six-match One-Day International series that is exclusive to Fox Sports. CA has cited the coronavirus pandemic as the key reason for changes to the schedule, but Seven contends that the Board of Control for Cricket in India exerted pressure to make the changes.

CORPORATES
SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, BOARD OF CONTROL FOR CRICKET IN INDIA

Open delay a serious blow to Nine’s plans for the year

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Original article by James Madden, Emily Ritchie
The Australian – Page: 19 : 23-Nov-20

The prospect of the Australian Open being delayed due to coronavirus restrictions could prove costly for Nine Entertainment. The grand slam tournament is traditionally a key vehicle for the host broadcaster to promote its program line-up for the new year. Audience numbers are also likely to be affected if the Open is shifted from mid-January to late February or March, when the official ratings year will have begun. Media analyst Martin Hickson of 1851 Capital says Nine should seek to renegotiate its broadcasting rights deal with Tennis Australia. Some top tennis players have warned that the Open will have to be cancelled if training is prohibited during the mandatory quarantine period.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS, 1851 CAPITAL PTY LTD, TENNIS AUSTRALIA

News firms in stand for fairer future

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Original article by James Madden
The Australian – Page: 19 : 23-Nov-20

Some of Australia’s top media industry executives have jointly signed an ‘open letter’ to the federal government expressing support for its proposed media bargaining code. The letter also outlines the features that must be included in the code to ensure a level playing field between traditional media companies and digital platforms such as Facebook and Google. Seven West Media CEO James Warburton, News Corp Australia executive chairman Michael Miller and Free TV CEO Bridget Fair are amongst those who signed the letter, which will be published in all major metropolitan newspapers on 23 November.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED

Viewers take slow track for Melbourne Cup

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: 22 : 5-Nov-20

The Ten Network’s coverage of the 2020 Melbourne Cup attracted about 1.41 million viewers across the five major metropolitan markets, compared with 1.44 million in 2019. OzTAM’s figures also show that the national audience for the Melbourne Cup was 1.86 million viewers, down from 1.92 million in 2019. Ten’s coverage of the iconic horse race also attracted 144,000 viewers on its 10 Play broadcast video-on-demand service.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, OZTAM PTY LTD, THE LEXUS MELBOURNE CUP

Kevin Rudd petition seeking royal commission into Murdoch media nears 500,000 signatures

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Original article by Amanda Meade
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 4-Nov-20

More than 475,000 people have now signed a petition calling for a royal commission to ensure a strong, diverse Australian news media. The petition, which is specifically targeting the media outlets of Rupert Murdoch, was posted on the parliamentary website by former prime minister Kevin Rudd. Although the petition is unlikely to achieve its aim, Rudd says his main goal is to start a national conversation about News Corp’s negative impact on Australia.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

AFL wins TV war with NRL

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Original article by Scott Gullan
Herald Sun – Page: 59 : 27-Oct-20

Ratings data from OzTAM shows that the 2020 AFL grand final attracted 3.812 million viewers nationwide, which is the largest audience for an AFL match in four years. The Seven Network boasted an audience share of 65.8% for its coverage of the premiership decider. The AFL is likely to come under growing pressure to move the grand final to a prime-time slot permanently due to the strong ratings. Meanwhile, the Nine Network’s coverage of the NRL grand final was watched by 2.967 million viewers, compared with 2.65 million in 2019.

CORPORATES
SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, OZTAM PTY LTD, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE

Seven floated merger with ViacomCBS’ Ten

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Original article by Zoe Samios
The Age – Page: Online : 26-Oct-20

Sources have indicated that Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes held informal talks earlier in 2020 about a potential merger with the rival Ten Network. The discussions between Stokes and ViacomCBS president and CEO Bob Bakish are said to have ended after they agreed that such a deal would not be possible under Australia’s existing media ownership rules. Any such deal would also have faced scrutiny by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission. The talks have heightened speculation that Stokes may be keen to exit the media sector.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, VIACOMCBS INCORPORATED

Foxtel to open Kayo content

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: 17 : 23-Oct-20

Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany has revealed that the pay-TV group’s Kayo streaming service will offer some content via a ‘freemium’ model from early 2021. Consumers will be able to access a range of Kayo content without a subscription, including some Supercars races. Foxtel recently secured a new five-year broadcasting rights deal for the Supercars championship.

CORPORATES
FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, KAYO SPORTS, SUPERCARS

Federal police drop case against ABC journalist

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: 7 : 16-Oct-20

The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions will not take legal action against ABC journalist Daniel Oakes over a series of reports known as ‘The Afghan Files’. The CDPP has deemed that the public interest does not require a prosecution in the case of Oakes; the Australian Federal Police has subsequently advised that its investigation into allegations that Oakes obtained classified information has been closed. ABC MD David Anderson says the matter should never have gone as far as it did.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE

ABC indulged ‘activist agenda’, says V’landys

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Original article by Kieran Gair
The Australian – Page: 7 : 15-Oct-20

Racing NSW CEO Peter V’landys has given evidence in his defamation lawsuit against the ABC and one of its journalists. The case centres on a story that appeared on the ‘7.30’ current affairs program in October 2019; it featured an interview with V’landys that was spliced with graphic footage of retired racehorses being killed at a Queensland abattoir. V’landys claimed that the story "pandered to an activist agenda" and alleges that the ABC failed to make it clear that he has no jurisdiction over racehorses in Queensland. V’landys is seeking aggravated damages.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, RACING NSW