MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA

No second TV option for News Corp

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Aaron Patrick, John Stensholt
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 30-Aug-17

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission recently indicated that it would not oppose the acquisition of Ten Network by Lachlan Murdoch and Bruce Gordon. However, ACCC chairman Rod Sims said a similar deal to acquire Seven or Nine may not necessarily have been approved, given that their news bulletins have higher ratings than Ten. Media industry sources also suggest that any bid by News Corp to acquire one of Ten’s rivals would be blocked on competition grounds.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, SKY NEWS, MULTI CHANNEL NETWORK PTY LTD, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, CBS CORPORATION, PPB ADVISORY, KORDA MENTHA AND COLLEAGUES PTY LTD, 21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Rivals brace for battle on the streaming front

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 6 : 29-Aug-17

The local launch of the CBS All Access subscription video-on-demand service is likely to be a key part of the strategy of Ten Network’s new owner. The fee-based service is expected to complement Ten’s existing "catch-up" streaming service, and CBS intends to make its TV shows available online a week after they are broadcast on Ten’s linear channels. CBS may also seek Australian sports broadcasting rights for its streaming service.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, CBS CORPORATION, CBS ALL ACCESS, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, SHOWTIME, VIACOM INCORPORATED, NATIONAL AMUSEMENTS INCORPORATED, CBS STUDIOS INTERNATIONAL

Media laws gift Ten from News to CBS

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 14 : 29-Aug-17

The deal for US-based CBS to acquire Ten Network will not require changes to cross-media ownership laws, unlike the rival bid from Lachlan Murdoch and Bruce Gordon. The deal only requires approval from Ten’s creditors, a court and the Foreign Investment Review Board. Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says the deal means cross-media ownership reforms are not necessary. Fairfax Media CEO Greg Hywood rejects Shorten’s claim that the proposed media reforms were primarily aimed at saving Ten, arguing that they are intended to ensure that the local media sector remains competition in a changing media landscape.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, CBS CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, CBS ALL ACCESS, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, 21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED, CANWEST GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, KORDA MENTHA AND COLLEAGUES PTY LTD

State of the Nation: Media Report – the audience is transforming

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 25-Aug-17

Roy Morgan Research CEO Michele Levine and leading futurist Dr. Ross Honeywill presented the latest State of the Nation: Media Report in Melbourne and Sydney in August. The report looks at challenges and opportunities facing the industry as the rate of change speeds up and consumers explore new ways of engaging with media, including the impact of key disruptive trends powered by digital innovation. Levine says the disruptive trends sweeping a growing media industry are transforming the ways Australians consume media and, in an age when everyone is always "on", it is vital that media companies connect directly with their audiences and know exactly who their audiences really are. She adds that the data reveals that traditional media enjoy high levels of trust, while their newer social-media centric competitors do not. The importance of building this trust in a future overwhelmed by fake news and consumer choice is more important than ever for retaining and building audiences.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Nine proceeds with caution on cricket rights

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 21 : 25-Aug-17

Write-downs resulted in Nine Entertainment Company reporting a 2016-17 net loss of $A203.4m, although its underlying profit was 2.7 per cent higher at $A123.6m. Revenue of $1.24bn was three per cent lower. CEO Hugh Marks says Nine is keen to acquire the rights to the Big Bash League as well as renew its existing cricket broadcasting rights, and he hopes for a swift conclusion to negotiations with Cricket Australia. However, he has cautioned that the subdued advertising market means Nine cannot afford to pay much more than at present for sports broadcasting rights.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, TWITTER INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, BIG BASH LEAGUE

Ten’s fate hinges on reform of media law

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 21 : 25-Aug-17

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has ruled that the acquisition of Ten Network by Lachlan Murdoch and Bruce Gordon would not result in a substantial lessening of competition. The ACCC took into account factors such as the growing use of streaming video-on-demand services and competition from rival free-to-air networks. However, Murdoch and Gordon cannot acquire Ten without cross-media ownership law reforms, although one option may be for them to each have a low voting stake in Ten but a high economic interest in the network.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, OAKTREE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC, PPB ADVISORY, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED

Gordon, Murdoch in Ten seat after Oaktree exit

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Bridget Carter
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 24-Aug-17

A decision by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission on whether it would approve the acquisition of Ten Network by Lachlan Murdoch and Bruce Gordon is said to be imminent. They have emerged as the leading contenders to buy Ten following reports that hedge fund Oaktree Capital has withdrawn its offer, which was made jointly with Anchorage Capital Group. Murdoch and Gordon are believed to have offered around $A250m for Ten.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, OAKTREE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC, ANCHORAGE CAPITAL GROUP LLC, PPB ADVISORY, MOELIS AND COMPANY, KORDA MENTHA AND COLLEAGUES PTY LTD, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD

Seven remains upbeat on China despite exit

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Tess Ingram
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 26 : 23-Aug-17

Listed conglomerate Seven Group Holdings has posted a 2016-17 net profit of $A44.5m, which is 77.4 per cent lower than previously. The result was marred by impairment charges associated with Seven West Media. Seven Group’s EBIT of $A333.3m was 10 per cent higher than previously, and the group forecasts EBIT growth of 5-10 per cent in 2017-18. Meanwhile, Seven has struck a $A540m deal to sell the Chinese division of its WesTrac heavy equipment business to Lei Shing Hong Machinery.

CORPORATES
SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, WESTRAC HOLDINGS PTY LTD, WESTRAC CHINA COMPANY LIMITED, LEI SHING HONG MACHINERY, CATERPILLAR, COATES HIRE LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, BEACH ENERGY LIMITED – ASX BPT, LATTICE ENERGY LIMITED, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, GOLDMAN SACHS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Google ‘misled’ Senate on revenue

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 23-Aug-17

Executives from Google and Facebook appeared before a Senate committee on 22 August. Google’s MD for Australia and New Zealand, Jason Pellegrino, told the inquiry into the future of public-interest journalism that the digital giant boasted gross advertising revenue of $1.1bn in Australia in 2016. Senator Nick Xenophon questioned this figure, citing advertising industry estimates which suggest that Google’s annual revenue was around $A3bn. Meanwhile, Facebook said its gross revenue in Australia was $A326m in 2016.

CORPORATES
GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, MELBOURNE BUSINESS SCHOOL, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED

News Corp and Fairfax need to take notice of Robert Gottliebsen

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Michele Levine, Gary Morgan, Julian McCrann, Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 22-Aug-17

Last week the Roy Morgan State of the Nation Media Report showed clearly that although traditional media face considerable challenges, their core product is not broken. In an age of "Fake News" a clear opportunity is available for established media players to exploit the huge "trust" advantages they hold over social media. Many newspaper and magazine publishers have large audiences still engaged with their publications. Advertisers will use "print" as it is a "trusted" media – the print media needs to aggressively "challenge" advertisers using solely digital platforms such as Google and Facebook with now almost 50% of the advertising dollar.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED