MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA

Seven merger a matter of survival for Prime

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 22-Nov-19

Prime Media Group chairman John Hartigan says the federal government is not acting quickly enough on reforms that will allow consolidation in the media sector. He has warned that Seven West Media’s takeover bid is crucial for the survival of both Prime and regional journalism. Australian Community Media’s executive chairman Antony Catalano has queried this claim, arguing that Prime should therefore have undertaken a formal sale process to allow other potential buyers to make an offer.

CORPORATES
PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY MEDIA

Prime offer too low: Catalano

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Original article by John Stensholt
The Australian – Page: 19 : 21-Nov-19

Businessman Antony Catalano says Seven West Media’s takeover offer for regional affiliate Prime Media Group is close to fair value, but he has urged Seven to increase the offer to make it both "fair and reasonable". An independent expert’s report has concluded that the $63m bid is "not fair but reasonable". Catalano and Alex Waislitz bought Australian Community Media earlier in 2019. Waislitz says there is potential for Prime to share newsroom and advertising resources with ACM, and he has urged Prime shareholders to consider alternatives to the Seven deal.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY MEDIA, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, THORNEY OPPORTUNITIES LIMITED – ASX TOP, THORNEY TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED – ASX TEK

Ita stymies ABC staff climate crisis group

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: 3 : 21-Nov-19

Several of the ABC’s senior journalists have expressed support for a proposal to establish a staff climate crisis advisory group. However, ABC chair Ita Buttrose says the proposal does not have the support of the public broadcaster’s leadership team, adding that "it is not going to happen". Some journalists had warned that the proposal could be at odds with the ABC’s editorial guidelines.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Judge’s news dictate sets risky precedent

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Original article by Nicola Berkovic
The Australian – Page: 3 : 20-Nov-19

A Curtin University academic has expressed concern about a court ruling about disclosing the identify of a psychologist who was found guilty of professional misconduct. The Family Court of Western Australia ruled that ‘The Australian’ must submit a draft article for its approval before the story can be published, as the Family Law Act prevents the identification of witnesses in family law proceedings. Associate professor of journalism Joseph Fernandez says the ruling is "troubling" and has implications for freedom of the press.

CORPORATES
FAMILY COURT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, CURTIN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN LAW REFORM COMMISSION

ABC budgets $23m for underpaid staff

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: 3 : 19-Nov-19

The ABC has declined to comment on the likely cost of recompensing casual staff who were underpaid, but insiders claim that at least one employee will receive more than $60,000. The public broadcaster’s latest annual report indicated that it has allocated $22.98m for compensating casual workers who have been underpaid for up to six years, but a spokesman says the final figure is likely to be less than this.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC SECTOR UNION, MEDIA, ENTERTAINMENT AND ARTS ALLIANCE

Disney explores local tie-ups

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 31 : 18-Nov-19

Walt Disney Company’s Australian MD Kylie Watson-Wheeler has downplayed suggestions that the global media company may seek an alliance with a local telco to offer free subscriptions to the new Disney+ streaming video service. She says Disney has had talks with telcos, but stresses that the Disney+ launch is the top priority at present. Industry sources have suggested that an alliance a telco is unlikely to occur for several months after the local launch of Disney+ on 19 November.

CORPORATES
WALT DISNEY COMPANY, DISNEY+, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, HULU LLC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM

ABC staff push for climate group

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Original article by Leo Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 23 : 18-Nov-19

A number of ABC presenters and journalists have expressed support for a proposal to establish a ‘climate crisis advisory group’ for the public broadcaster’s staff. Melbourne-based producer and presenter Barbara Heggen put forward the proposal in a recent email to colleagues, in which she stated that the group’s aim would be to report on the climate crisis using a ‘solutions journalism approach’. However, the proposal may be at odds with the ABC’s editorial guidelines.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, RACING NSW

Mixed messages on Prime-Seven merger

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Original article by Zoe Samios
The Australian – Page: 25 : 18-Nov-19

An independent expert’s report from Lonergan Edwards & Associates has backed Seven West Media’s takeover bid for regional affiliate Prime Media Group. The firm has concluded that the deal is ‘not fair but reasonable’, noting that Prime shareholders would gain exposure to a much larger and more diverse media company. Lonergan adds that the deal is in the best interests of Prime shareholders in the absence of a better offer. Seven estimates that the merger will generate annual cost synergies of about $11m.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WENTWORTH, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, LONERGAN EDWARDS AND ASSOCIATES LIMITED, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD

Code of conduct needed for market failure: Sims

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 31 : 18-Nov-19

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims has stressed the need for technology giants such as Google and Facebook to be subject to a code of conduct in their negotiations with traditional media companies. He has identified this as the most important recommendation arising from the ACCC’s inquiry into digital platforms. He notes that technology companies have made some progress in reducing the imbalance in bargaining power, adding that a code would facilitate this process.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, SKY NEWS, JUNKEE MEDIA PTY LTD, PEDESTRIAN TV, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY

Privacy, ads focus of reply to report

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Original article by Leo Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 25 : 18-Nov-19

The federal government was slated to release its response to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission’s inquiry into digital platforms by the end of 2019. However, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has indicated that this could be delayed until early 2020, noting that the government is "working through the details" of the ACCC’s final report. He has identified digital players’ dominance of advertising revenue and how they collect and monetise users’ data as key concerns.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED