MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA

Netflix hits top ranking in Australian brand survey

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Original article by Stephen Brook
The Australian – Page: 22 : 29-Jan-18

Netflix and YouTube have topped YouGov’s annual list of the top 10 consumer brands in Australia. Other brands in the YouGov BrandIndex 2017 include Aldi, Kmart, Google, Bunnings and Coles. Netflix entered the Australian market in 2015, and while it does not provide data on local subscription numbers, Roy Morgan estimates that about three million Australian households subscribe to the streaming video service.

CORPORATES
NETFLIX INCORPORATED, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED, YOUGOV LIMITED, ROY MORGAN LIMITED, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, BUNNINGS GROUP LIMITED, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, WOOLWORTHS SUPERMARKETS, PAYPAL INCORPORATED, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, CBS CORPORATION, DICK SMITH HOLDINGS LIMITED, KOGAN.COM LIMITED – ASX KGN

Sport proves a winning formula for Seven West Media

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Original article by John Stensholt
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 41 : 25-Jan-18

Seven West Media hopes to retain tennis broadcasting rights when its current contract expires in 2019. Data from Seven shows that audiences for its TV coverage of the 2018 Australian Open are six per cent higher than in 2017, while there has been 135 per cent growth in the number of minutes of Open coverage streamed via its 7Tennis app. Seven CEO Tim Worner argues that free-to-air TV still attracts the largest audiences for live sports coverage.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NETFLIX INCORPORATED

McLachlan set to sue Fairfax, ABC

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Original article by Matthew Westwood
The Australian – Page: 3 : 22-Jan-18

Australian actor Craig McLachlan says his career has been "annihilated" by allegations that he sexually harassed and indecently assaulted three female cast members during a 2014 production of "The Rocky Horror Show". He continues to deny the allegations and intends to sue Fairfax Media and the ABC for defamation, after the allegations were reported in "The Age" and "The Sydney Morning Herald" and on the "7:30" current affairs show.

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Nine to make a loss on Ashes despite record commercial interest

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Original article by Arvind Hickman
Ad News – Page: Online : 16-Jan-18

The 2017-18 Ashes Test series has been a ratings hit for the Nine Network, whose coverage of the five-match series attracted 14.8 million viewers nationwide, including 10.4 million in the capital cities. Nine also expects its revenue from advertising and corporate sponsorship packages to be 15-17 per cent higher than in 2016-17, and 7-8 per cent higher than its Ashes coverage in 2013-14. However, Nine sales director Sam Brennan concedes that the network will book a loss on its cricket coverage when production costs and the cost of its broadcasting rights are taken into account.

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

Long queue forming as Australian cricket rights go up for grabs

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Original article by John Stensholt
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 13-Jan-18

Cricket Australia expects all three free-to-air networks to bid for the Big Bash League broadcasting rights, with the Nine Network tipped to retain rights to Test and one-day international matches. Fox Sports could also bid for the cricket rights in partnership with a free-to-air network, while potential contenders for digital broadcasting rights are said to include Optus and YouTube. Cricket Australia is expected finalise a new rights deal by April.

CORPORATES
CRICKET AUSTRALIA, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, CBS CORPORATION, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, BIG BASH LEAGUE, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS

Ex-councillor may sue over Doyle articles

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Original article by Clay Lucas, Miki Perkins
The Age – Page: 3 : 12-Jan-18

News Corp Australia has rejected claims that articles published in the "Herald Sun" about former Melbourne City councillor Tessa Sullivan were defamatory. Lord Mayor Robert Doyle has stood down pending the outcome of an investigation into Sullivan’s allegations of indecent assault and sexual harassment. Sullivan’s lawyers claim that the tone of the articles was intended to discredit her and sway public opinion in favour of Doyle.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MELBOURNE CITY COUNCIL, NEWGATE COMMUNICATIONS PTY LTD, WISEWOULD MAHONY

More come forward over actor

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Original article by Kate McClymont, Michael Lallo, Rob Moran
The Age – Page: 4 : 9-Jan-18

The Gordon Frost Organisation has advised that actor Craig McLachlan will withdraw from its current production of "The Rocky Horror Show" in the wake of sexual harassment and indecent assault allegations. Victorian police have launched an investigation into the allegations made by three female members of the 2014 production of the musical, while several other people are believed to have lodged complaints with police. Production of McLachlan’s popular TV series, "The Doctor Blake Mysteries", has also been put on hold pending the investigation into the allegations against him.

CORPORATES
GORDON FROST ORGANISATION, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, DECEMBER MEDIA, VICTORIA POLICE

Hutchy’s merger with radio network

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Original article by Dana McCauley
The Australian – Page: 18 : 9-Jan-18

Australian-listed Pacific Star Networks has revealed plans to merge with TV and radio sports content group Crocmedia, which was co-founded by sports broadcaster Craig Hutchison. Crocmedia currently supplies content to Pacific Star Network’s sports-focused radio station in Melbourne, 1116 SEN. Hutchison will become CEO and MD of Pacific Star Network if the merger is approved by shareholders in March.

CORPORATES
PACIFIC STAR NETWORK LIMITED – ASX PNW, CROCMEDIA PTY LTD, SEN 1116 AM

Big ratings boost for the Big Bash

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Original article by John Stensholt
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 25 : 21-Dec-17

Nine Entertainment Company, the Ten Network and Fox Sports are likely to be the main bidders for the next Big Bash League broadcasting rights deal. The strong TV ratings for the first BBL match of the 2017-18 season should strengthen Cricket Australia’s bargaining power in negotiations for a new rights deal. Peak audience numbers for Ten’s coverage were 15 per cent higher than the corresponding match in 2016-17, while the Women’s BBL competition has also attracted strong TV ratings.

CORPORATES
NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, CBS CORPORATION, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, BIG BASH LEAGUE, CRICKET AUSTRALIA

Sky News at centre of Foxtel tussle over fees

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Original article by Dana McCauley
The Australian – Page: 15 : 20-Dec-17

The proposed merger between Foxtel and Fox Sports is in doubt due to a dispute between Foxtel’s joint owners over carriage fees for Sky News. Foxtel currently pays about $A30m a year to broadcast the news channel, but Sky News owner News Corp is seeking an increase in this fee. Foxtel’s 50 per cent owner Telstra has signalled that it is open to an increase in the carriage fee, but its proposed increase is lower than that sought by News Corp. The merger between Foxtel and Fox Sports recently gained regulatory approval.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, SKY NEWS, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SKY PLC