MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA

PM tells Google and Facebook: You’re bluffing

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 8-Sep-20

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has told Facebook and Google that he does not give into coercion. The two technology companies are unhappy about federal government plans to make them pay news publishers for their content; Facebook has threatened to pull Australian and international content from its Facebook and Instagram platforms in response to the code, while Google has stated it will have to cull news content from search results. Morrison said he is happy to call their bluff on the issue.

CORPORATES
GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

No conflict for journalists as spooks

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Original article by Aaron Patrick
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 8-Sep-20

Australia Defence Association executive director Neil James says journalists who provide information to their own country’s intelligence service should not be viewed as spies. James was commenting on a report that former ABC foreign correspondent Peter Barnett may have assisted Australian intelligence services in the 1960s and 1970s. Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance president Marcus Strom contends that providing information to an intelligence agency would be viewed as a conflict of interest for a journalist that would have to be declared under their code of ethics.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA DEFENCE ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, MEDIA, ENTERTAINMENT AND ARTS ALLIANCE

Australia’s top cop says raiding journalist’s home was no mistake

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Original article by Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson
Herald Sun – Page: Online : 1-Sep-20

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw appeared before a Senate inquiry into press freedom on 31 August. He told the inquiry that the AFP had been right to raid the home of News Corp Australia journalist Annika Smethurst in mid-2019, despite the fact that the search warrant was subsequently ruled to be invalid by the High Court. Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance CEO Paul Murphy told the inquiry that contestable search warrants are necessary to ensure press freedom. However, Kershaw and Department of Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo argued that allowing such warrants would be "detrimental to the workings" of the police.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, MEDIA, ENTERTAINMENT AND ARTS ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS

It’s official: Internet is Australia’s main source of news; TV remains most trusted

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 24-Aug-20

New research from Roy Morgan reveals that the internet has overtaken TV as Australia’s main source of news over the last two years. Over 12.7 million Australians (60.8%) now say the internet is a main source of news, up 1.4 million since 2018; nearly 7.9 million Australians (37.7%) specifically nominate Social Media. The number of Australians who say TV is their main source of news has dipped 1 million over the last two years to 12.4 million, or 59.4%. However, TV is still regarded as the most trusted source of news by nearly 7 million Australians (33.4%). Other traditional media used widely as main sources of news include radio, nominated by 8.7 million Australians (41.9%) and printed newspapers, mentioned by 5.2 million (25.0%), although both have declined since 2018. Within the broader category of the internet over 3.4 million Australians (16.5%, a significant increase of 4.6% points since 2018) use news feed sites such as Google News, Apple News and Feedly, a further 1.8 million (8.6%) use email subscriptions or updates and 1.1 million (5.6%) use other websites or apps. These findings are drawn from the Roy Morgan Single Source survey, Australia’s most comprehensive consumer survey, derived from in-depth interviews with 50,000 Australians each year.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Seven West’s five-year fightback

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: 19 : 24-Aug-20

Former Fairfax Media CEO Greg Hywood has completed a review of West Australian Newspapers, amid ongoing speculation about the future of the Seven West Media division. WAN’s editor-in-chief Anthony De Ceglie says Hywood’s recommendations will be taken into account in developing a five-year plan for the newspaper publisher. He adds that WAN will continue to publish print editions for some time, while there has been strong growth in digital subscriptions since WAN paywalled its news websites in mid-2019. Seven West will report its 2019-20 financial results on 25 August.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, WEST AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPERS HOLDINGS LIMITED, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED

Google may walk over media code

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Original article by John Durie
The Australian – Page: 15 & 24 : 20-Aug-20

Google’s revenue in Australia totalled $4.3bn in 2020, while its net profit fell from $129.5m to just $33.9m. Although the digital giant has not publicly threatened to withdraw its search engine from the Australian market in response to the mandatory code of conduct, such a move is clearly being contemplated. Any move by Google to pull out of the local market could test the resolve of other nations to crack down on digital companies. It would also be very risky from a commercial point of view, as it would give Google’s search engine rivals a big boost in a market which it dominates.

CORPORATES
GOOGLE INCORPORATED

Ten confirms exit from Supercars, leaving Seven in pole position

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 : 24-Jul-20

The Ten Network’s director of sport production Adam Cush has advised that it will relinquish the Supercars’ free-to-air broadcasting rights at the end of 2020. Ten and pay-TV group Foxtel secured a six-year rights deal in 2013 which commenced in 2015. Ten indicated earlier in 2020 that it may not seek to renew the rights deal. Seven West Media previously held the free-to-air broadcasting rights, but its push to reduce costs means it may be unwilling to pay too much for the Supercars rights.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, V8 SUPERCARS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM

Curb on mega-payouts to celebrities

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Original article by Chris Merritt
The Australian – Page: 2 : 24-Jul-20

A proposed national model law will be on the agenda of a Council of Attorneys-General meeting on 27 July. The national model laws includes changes to defamation laws, including replacing the existing defence of statutory qualified privilege for media companies with a new defence of public interest journalism. The model bill will also seek to address the rising cost of defamation payouts, amid a growing trend for judges to bypass existing caps on damages for causing harm to a person’s reputation.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. COUNCIL OF ATTORNEYS-GENERAL

Subscription TV viewers soar during Aussie lockdown – Netflix, Foxtel, Stan, Disney+ & Amazon Prime all up significantly

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Original article by Roy Morgan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 22-Jul-20

New data from Roy Morgan reveals Australians were adding new subscription TV services at an astonishing rate during the lockdown period which started in late March. Now almost 15.74 million Australians have access to a subscription TV service, up 878,000 (+5.9%) in only three months. All the major subscription TV services have been big winners out of the lockdown with big increases in viewers for Netflix, Foxtel, Stan, Disney+ and Amazon Prime in the three months to May 2020 compared to the prior three month period to February 2020 (pre COVID-19 lockdown). Netflix remains by far the nation’s most watched subscription television service, with 13.28 million viewers, an increase of over 1 million in only three months (+8.8%). Foxtel has also experienced its best growth for many years with over 5.5 million viewers, up 658,000 (+13.6%) since the pre-COVID-19 period. Also growing strongly during lockdown have been third-placed Stan which grew 729,000 (+19.7%) to 4,434,000 viewers, newcomer Disney+ which was up 689,000 (+38.2%) and Amazon Prime Video now with 2,166,000 viewers – an increase of 678,000 (+45.5%) since February.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, DISNEY+, AMAZON PRIME VIDEO

TV networks prepare for second half of COVID-19 marathon

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Original article by Natasha Gillezeau
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 13-Jul-20

The Nine Network has a total audience share of 27.8 per cent halfway through the ratings year, ahead of the Seven Network’s 26.5 per cent and the Ten Network’s 18.7 per cent. Free-to-air networks have been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic, which has disrupted production schedules and affected advertising revenue. However, Daniel Cutrone of media buyer Avenue C says the challenging conditions in 2020 present opportunities for advertisers who would not usually consider TV as an option.

CORPORATES
NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, AVENUE C