MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA

Media’s pitch for a legal overhaul

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Original article by Nicola Berkovic
The Australian – Page: 2 : 5-Feb-20

The media industry’s Right to Know coalition has used a submission to a review of Australia’s uniform defamation laws to advocate greater protection for public-interest journalism. The coalition argues that public interest in freedom of expression should be one of the factors that courts must consider as part of a defence to defamation claims. It has also called for an overhaul of the maximum payouts that apply in defamation cases.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS)

Cat strikes back at weak Domain

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Original article by Leo Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 24 & 26 : 3-Feb-20

Australian Community Newspapers’ owners Antony Catalano and Alex Waislitz have paid about $10m for a 33 per cent stake in Realestateview.com.au. Catalano will join the board of the unlisted classified advertising group. Realestateview.com.au CEO Toby Balazs notes that combining its property listings with ACN’s portfolio of regional newspapers means it will have a digital audience of 5.4 million. Catalano expects the new venture to be a serious rival to Domain, although he concedes that Realstate.com.au is likely to remain the leading player in the sector.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY MEDIA, REALESTATEVIEW.COM.AU LIMITED, DOMAIN HOLDINGS AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX DHA, REALESTATE.COM.AU, REA GROUP LIMITED – ASX REA, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC

Bauer boss urges ACCC: think digital

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Original article by Leo Shanahan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 27-Jan-20

Bauer Media Australian CEO Brendon Hill has urged the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission to approve the proposed $40m merger with Pacific Magazines. The ACCC’s statement of issues identified concerns such as the potential for the prices of some magazines to rise and for their quality to decline. Hill is disappointed that the ACCC chose to focus on four titles, and he argues that the magazine market is much broader. He has also rejected suggestions that Bauer would discontinue some Pacific titles.

CORPORATES
BAUER MEDIA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, PACIFIC MAGAZINES PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

Bauer chief determined to proceed with $40m Pac Mags deal with Seven

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Original article by Zoe Samios
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 24-Jan-20

Bauer Media Australia CEO Brendon Hill has stressed that the group’s proposed acquisition of Pacific Magazines is in the interests of the magazine industry. He adds that Bauer and its German parent are fully committed to the $40m deal to buy Pacific from Seven West Media. He has rejected suggestions that Mercury Capital’s withdrawal of its offer to acquire Bauer Media Australia will affect the Pacific deal. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission expressed concern in late 2019 about the potential impact of the merger on competition in the magazine sector.

CORPORATES
BAUER MEDIA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, PACIFIC MAGAZINES PTY LTD, MERCURY CAPITAL PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, BAUER MEDIA KG

Mercury gives up on Bauer buyout

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich, Leo Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 17 : 23-Jan-20

Bauer Media Australia CEO Brendon Hill has confirmed that private equity firm Mercury Capital has withdrawn its offer to acquire the magazine publisher. Hill added that Bauer is open to another approach from the private equity sector if the company’s proposed merger with Pacific Magazines goes ahead. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission recently expressed concern about the potential impact of the merger on competition in the magazine sector.

CORPORATES
BAUER MEDIA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, PACIFIC MAGAZINES PTY LTD, MERCURY CAPITAL PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM

Streaming services deliver surge in internet data downloads

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 22-Jan-20

Data from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission shows that internet users’ data downloads increased by 47 per cent in 2018-19. The ACCC has indicated that growing use of subscription video-on-demand services was a major contributor to the sharp increase in data usage. The ACCC also notes that 88 per cent of the data downloaded during the financial year was via fixed broadband services, while the proportion of broadband plans with unlimited data has risen from six per cent in 2014-15 to 57 per cent.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, KAYO SPORTS, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, OPTUS SPORT

Music to replace sport talk at Nine

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: 17 : 22-Jan-20

Nine Entertainment Company intends to phase out its Macquarie Sports Radio network, which has not resonated with consumers. Nine will instead relaunch former radio station brands such as 2UE in Sydney and Magic in Melbourne. The Macquarie Sports Radio stations in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane will adopt a music format, featuring songs from the 1970, 80s and 90s. Nine has advised that the stations will honour their existing sports broadcasting rights contracts.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, MACQUARIE SPORTS RADIO, RADIO 2UE SYDNEY PTY LTD, MAGIC FM

Kenny rejects Murdoch climate coverage attack

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 16-Jan-20

News Corporation’s climate coverage continues to attract scrutiny following criticism by James Murdoch, a director of the global company and the son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch. However, News Corp Australia commentator Chris Kenny contends that News Corp is one of the few media organisations that provide "fact-based, varied and realistic debate" on the issue. He adds that global coverage of climate change tends to be dominated by "alarmist and hysterical views". Former News Corp Australia employee Emily Townsend recently alleged that the company has engaged in a misinformation campaign to divert attention from climate change during the bushfires crisis.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, SKY NEWS, 21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED

James Murdoch criticises father’s news outlets for climate crisis denial

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Original article by Jim Waterson
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 15-Jan-20

The climate coverage of News Corp Australia’s newspapers has come under scrutiny in the wake of the bushfires crisis. James Murdoch and his wife Kathryn have issued a joint statement in which they criticise the media group’s continued climate change denial stance. Murdoch is a director of parent company News Corporation, and he stepped down as CEO of 21st Century Fox when it was sold to Walt Disney Company. Media mogul Rupert Murdoch told shareholders at New Corp’s 2019 AGM that there are no climate change deniers at the company.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FOX NEWS, 21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED, WALT DISNEY COMPANY

News, Murdochs give millions to aid victims

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich, Lachlan Moffet Gray
The Australian – Page: 5 : 15-Jan-20

News Corporation has announced a number of initiatives to assist communities that have been affected by the bushfires. It will donate $5m to bushfire relief programs, while executive chairman Rupert Murdoch will personally donate another $2m. Co-chairman Lachlan Murdoch recently donated $2m to the bushfire relief fund. News Corp Australia will also donate all revenue from metropolitan newspaper sales and advertising on 21 January to the bushfire relief appeal, while Foxtel will donate the proceeds from special advertising packages for its broadcasts of charity sports events and the Fire Fight concert.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE