MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA

Over 3 in 4 Australians are consuming magazines across print and online

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 10-Nov-17

Roy Morgan Research has released the Australian Magazine Readership report for the 12 months to September 2017. A total of 12,577,000 Australians aged 14+ (62.9 per cent) read print magazines, up 2,000 from a year ago. The audience reach of magazines is extended to 15,005,000 Australians aged 14+ (77.8 per cent) when you include magazine reading online (either via the web or an app). The withdrawal of major publishers from audited circulation results for magazines in 2016 means Roy Morgan’s readership results are the only truly independent measure of magazine performance now available. "Coles Magazine" remains the most widely-read print magazine, with an average readership of 3,975,000 per issue (up 8.3 per cent). Meanwhile, nine of Australia’s 10 leading magazines ranked by cross-platform audiences retain a significantly larger readership via their print editions than their digital offerings – a clear contrast to their print newspaper cousins.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, BAUER MEDIA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Ten execs hope raunchy show will pack a punch

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Original article by Aaron Patrick
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 10-Nov-17

The Ten Network showcased its 2018 program line-up at its "upfronts" on 9 November. Ten announced that it will launch a local version of dating show "Bachelor in Paradise", while Julia Morris will host "Blind Date". Ten will also launch a website that will feature short-form content such as news and sports videos aimed at mobile phone users. Ten’s chief content officer Beverley McGarvey says the network will focus on "brand-safe, family friendly" programming.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, CBS CORPORATION, 21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Over 15.5 million Australians read newspapers in some form

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 10-Nov-17

Roy Morgan Research has released the latest readership report for Australian newspapers for the 12 months to September 2017. Some 15,568,000 Australians aged 14+ (77.8 per cent) now read or access newspapers in an average 7-day period either in print, or online via website or app. This is down 1.7 per cent from a year ago. Cross-platform audiences have increased for three out of the top five leading mastheads in Australia, and analysing the print and digital modes of readership shows that over the past 12 months five of Australia’s leading mastheads have increased their digital audience and two have increased their print readership. "The Sydney Morning Herald" is still the most widely-read masthead, with a cross-platform audience of 4,040,000, down 3.5 per cent from a year ago.

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ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Fairfax shareholders back Domain spin-off

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 9-Nov-17

Some 99.89 per cent of votes cast at a scheme meeting of Fairfax Media shareholders were in favour of the proposal to demerge Domain and list it on the sharemarket. Domain CEO Antony Catalano says it is right time to float the property listings business, adding that he is fully prepared for his new role as the head of a listed company. Fairfax will retain a 60 per cent stake in Domain, with the balance of the stock to be distributed to the media group’s existing shareholders.

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, DOMAIN HOLDINGS AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX DHA, MARTIN CURRIE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED

Foxtel pulls new service out of box

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 20 : 9-Nov-17

Pay-TV group Foxtel has officially launched its new streaming "puck" device. The Foxtel Now puck will be available to purchase from 10 November and provides streaming access to Foxtel’s pay-TV service as well as free-to-air channels. Users can also install apps to access rival streaming services such as Stan. Foxtel CEO Peter Tonagh says the Foxtel Now puck is aimed at younger customers than its traditional cable and satellite TV service.

CORPORATES
FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FOXTEL NOW, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS

Stokes questions merger logic

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Original article by Jemima Whyte
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 3-Nov-17

Seven West Media will reduce its costs by $A25m via staff cuts, as part of a broader strategy to slash its costs by $A105m over two years. Meanwhile, chairman Kerry Stokes has told shareholders that Seven has not held any merger talks with Fairfax Media or News Corp, and he suggested that merging a TV network with a print media company may offer few synergies. He also said Seven is trialling a combined TV and print newsroom in Perth, which could influence whether Seven pursues mergers or acquisitions in the media sector.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, CBS CORPORATION, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, CGI GLASS LEWIS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN SHAREHOLDERS’ ASSOCIATION, ENERGY QUEENSLAND, HERBERT SMITH FREEHILLS PTY LTD

Fairfax goes it alone as investors back Domain split

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Original article by Dana McCauley
The Australian – Page: 21 : 3-Nov-17

The majority of Fairfax shareholders at its 2017 annual meeting voted in favour of demerging the Domain property listings business. Fairfax will retain a 60 per cent stake in Domain, while shareholders will receive one share in Domain for every 10 Fairfax shares that they own. Meanwhile, Fairfax CEO Greg Hywood has stressed that the company’s print newspapers will continue to be published for some time, while chairman Nick Falloon indicated that Fairfax would be open to merger deals following the relaxation of cross-media ownership laws.

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, DOMAIN.COM.AU, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TRONC INCORPORATED, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Digital news ad revenue climbs 8.5%, but print falls 14%

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Original article by Zoe Samios
Mumbrella – Page: Online : 2-Nov-17

Data from NewsMediaWorks shows that the Australian news media’s digital advertising revenue rose by 8.5 per cent year-on-year to $A119.6m in the September 2017 quarter. The rise in digital ad revenue coincided with the launch of revamped versions of major newspaper websites by Fairfax Media and News Corp Australia. Meanwhile, print advertising revenue was 14.3 per cent lower at $A365.1m and revenue from newspaper inserts was down 12.4% at $A17.3m. Programmatic ad revenue was 44.5% higher at $A12.1m.

CORPORATES
NEWSMEDIAWORKS, SMI MEDIA INCORPORATED, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

News Corp value down 50pc since spin-off four years ago

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Original article by Aaron Patrick
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 24 : 2-Nov-17

Morgan Stanley estimates that News Corporation is now valued at $US3.7bn, compared with $US7.3bn in 2013 when Rupert Murdoch’s media empire was demerged. News Corp shares have shed 17 per cent since the demerger, although the loss would have been much greater if it did not hold a 62 per cent stake in the strongly-performing Australian property listings group REA. Morgan Stanley also notes that News Corp shares are trading at a 15 per cent discount to the combined value of its businesses.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, MORGAN STANLEY AND COMPANY INCORPORATED, REA GROUP LIMITED – ASX REA, 21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FOX SPORTS, HARPERCOLLINS, STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ

Fairfax clean bowled by Gayle force victory

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Original article by Sam Buckingham-Jones
The Australian – Page: 5 : 31-Oct-17

Fairfax Media has advised that it may appeal against a court ruling that it defamed West Indian cricket player Chris Gayle in a series of articles which claimed that he had exposed himself to a female masseuse. The four-person jury also found that Fairfax published the contentious articles out of malice. Amongst other things, Gayle had sought aggravated and special damages from the media company.

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION