MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA

ABC eclipses rivals on bias inquiry list

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Original article by Leo Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 23 & 25 : 24-Feb-20

Of the 40 published reports produced by the Australian Communications & Media Authority between July 2015 and June 2019 that were prompted by complaints, 25 related to the ABC. ACMA found four breaches as a consequence of its published reports, with three relating to the ABC in regard to issues of fairness, impartiality and reply, including one relating to a report on former prime minister Tony Abbott. The revelations regarding the ABC come at a time when ACMA is conducting a review into commercial influence on free-to-air and subscription television news.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Seven slumps on downgrade

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: 17 & 23 : 19-Feb-20

Seven West Media has posted a 2018-19 interim net loss of $66.3m, with underlying EBIT down 21 per cent at $119.7 and revenue falling 3.2 per cent to $771.7m. The media group advised that its full-year earnings will be 13 per cent lower than previously forecast amid challenging condition in the advertising market, while CEO James Warburton has flagged the potential for "transformative" mergers and acquisitions. Seven will seek to reduce costs by 20 per cent in the second half, and it will consider asset sales.

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SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM

Ten bounces back from Big Bash League loss

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Original article by Zoe Samios
The Age – Page: Online : 17-Feb-20

New figures show that the Ten Network increased its share of the free-to-air TV advertising market by four percentage points in January, to 20.5 per cent. Ten’s share of advertising revenue fell to 16.4 per cent in January 2019, due to factors such as the loss of the Big Bash League broadcasting rights. This compares with 27.9 per cent in 2018, which was its last year as the BBL’s free-to-air broadcaster. The Nine and Seven networks’ share of ad revenue was 42.7 per cent and 36.9 per cent respectively in January.

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TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, BIG BASH LEAGUE

Lions tour for next rugby TV deal scrum

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 17-Feb-20

Rugby Australia hopes to sign off on a new broadcasting rights deal by the end of April, with Foxtel, Optus and Network Ten understood to have signed non-disclosure agreements for the negotiating process. It is believed that Rugby Australia has secured the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour to help make its five-year rights deal more appealing to broadcasters; it had previously been reported that the deal would not include the tour. Rugby Australia’s new rights deal will include over 400 matches, including New South Wales and Queensland club rights.

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RUGBY AUSTRALIA, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED

Prosecutors drop more charges against media over Pell trial

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Original article by Liz Main
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 14-Feb-20

Twenty-eight charges brought against four of the 36 journalists and media companies charged with breaching suppression orders in relation to Cardinal George Pell have been dropped. The orders were imposed in June 2018, with the media directed not to report on two trials that Pell faced over historical child sex offences until a verdict was handed down in the second trial. When Pell was found guilty in the first trial, the media reported that a high profile person had been found guilty, but that they were not allowed to report it. Prosecutors claimed that the media hints amounted to a breach of the orders.

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SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA, VICTORIA. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC

Optus in rugby maul as it chases new subscribers

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 24 : 14-Feb-20

Tender documents for Rugby Australia’s new five-year broadcasting rights deal will be sent to prospective bidders within days. Optus CEO Allen Lew says the telco would be interested in buying the rights, which would boost the offering of its sports streaming service. Optus Sports boasts some 825,000 active subscribers, making it the nation’s largest sports-focused streaming service. Foxtel has been Rugby Australia’s broadcast partner for 25 years, and some media reports have suggested that it will not seek to renew the rights.

CORPORATES
SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, OPTUS SPORTS, RUGBY AUSTRALIA, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD

Foxtel reshuffles senior executive team as it resets its operating model

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: Online : 13-Feb-20

Foxtel has promoted Les Wigan to the role of executive director of operations and technology, with responsibility for technology platforms, services and operations across the pay-TV group’s operations. Wigan is currently chief operating officer at Foxtel’s Kayo Sports streaming service. Meanwhile, Foxtel’s director of customer service Lesley Portwain will take on the newly-created role of chief customer service officer. The management reshuffle was prompted by the resignation of chief operations officer Euan Smith.

CORPORATES
FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, KAYO SPORTS

Kayo streaming service kicks off deal for Telstra customers

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Original article by David Swan
The Australian – Page: 24 : 12-Feb-20

Telstra has secured an exclusive deal to provide its customers with discounted access to Foxtel’s Kayo Sports streaming service. New and returning Kayo subscribers who are Telstra customers will be eligible to receive a monthly discount of $10 on its basic and premium packages for 12 months. Kayo boasted 350,000 subscribers at the end of December. Telstra is the minority shareholder in Foxtel, which is controlled by News Corp.

CORPORATES
FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, KAYO SPORTS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Seven warning as rugby rights deal in balance

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Original article by Leo Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 23 : 10-Feb-20

Super Rugby matches are exclusively shown on Foxtel under Rugby Australia’s current broadcasting deal. With Foxtel having chosen not to renew its deal, RA is believed to be want at least one Super Rugby match to be shown on free-to-air TV under its next rights deal. However, factors such as low ratings for rugby matches and a crowded sports schedule may deter interest from commercial networks. Meanwhile, Seven West Media CEO James Warburton says sporting bodies need to deliver "incremental revenue and growth opportunities" for their broadcast partners.

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RUGBY AUSTRALIA, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD

Over 15.6 million Australians read magazines in print or online

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 7-Feb-20

Roy Morgan has released the Australian Magazine Readership report for the 12 months to December 2019. A total of 15,644,000 Australians aged 14+ (75.1%) now read magazines in print or online, down 0.6 per cent from a year ago. Readership of print magazines was almost 13.1 million Australians aged 14+ (62.8 per cent), down 3.8% from a year ago. The free ‘Coles Magazine’ remains the most widely-read print magazine, with a readership of 4,573,000 (down 4.8%), while ‘Better Homes & Gardens’ remains the most widely-read paid magazine with a print readership of 1,698,000 million (up 8.4 per cent). Meanwhile, Taste.com.au remains the best-read magazine title across print and digital formats, with a total cross-platform audience of more than 3.1 million (down 2.6 per cent). These are the latest findings from the Roy Morgan Single Source survey of 50,422 Australians aged 14+ in the 12 months to December 2019.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED