MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA

Sports rights at a tipping point: Worner

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 17-Aug-17

The cost of broadcasting rights for major sports events has risen sharply in recent years, but Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner says media companies cannot afford to pay any more than at present when negotiating new deals. He adds that rights deals should reflect the higher profile that free-to-air coverage has brought to sports that were previously exclusively on pay-TV. Nine Entertainment Company CEO Hugh Marks says that while Nine is keen to secure the rights to all cricket formats, the cost and likely financial returns will be key considerations.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, BIG BASH LEAGUE, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, YAHOO!7 COMMUNICATIONS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS

Aussies don’t trust social media: report

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Original article by Angus Livingston
The Australian – Page: Online : 16-Aug-17

Roy Morgan Research’s State of the Nation Media Report shows that TV is still the main source of news for 69 per cent of Australians, while TV is the most trusted source of news for 41.5 per cent. Meanwhile, 32 per cent of Australians identify social media as their main source of news, although just four per cent say social media is their most trusted source of news. Print and digital newspapers are the main source of news for 48 per cent of Australians, while they are the most trust source of news for 25 per cent.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

We’re reluctant to pay for online news

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 : 14-Aug-17

A survey of 2,000 Australians by Deloitte has found that 90 per cent of respondents are not willing to pay for news due to the wealth of content that is available online for free. However, the sixth annual Media Consumer Survey also found that the issue of "fake news" is a concern for 65 per cent of respondents. Meanwhile, the survey shows that the proportion of respondents who cite social media as a primary news source has fallen from 18 per cent to 14 per cent, while 53 per cent of respondents rated television advertising as having either a high or medium influence on their purchasing decisions.

CORPORATES
DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU LIMITED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ

Ten still faces headwinds with new owners

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

The deadline to submit bids for Ten Network is believed to be 18 August, with the aim of finalising a deal by the end of the month. US private equity firms and hedge funds are among those to have expressed interest in buying Ten, while the network’s acquisition by Lachlan Murdoch and Bruce Gordon would be conditional on cross-media ownership reforms being passed by the Senate. Meanwhile, industry observers note that Ten’s new owners will face a number of challenges, including a decline in the free-to-air advertising market.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, OAKTREE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC, ANCHORAGE CAPITAL GROUP LLC, LONE STAR FUNDS, CBS CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, SMI MEDIA INCORPORATED, McKINSEY AND COMPANY, 21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED, ENDEMOL SHINE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MULTI CHANNEL NETWORK PTY LTD, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC

It’s Official: Sydney Morning Herald is still Australia’s most widely read masthead and Australians continue to embrace the shift to digital news

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 11-Aug-17

Roy Morgan Research has released the latest Readership report for Australian Newspapers for the 12 months to June 2017. Some 12,913,000 Australians aged 14+ (64.8 per cent) now read or access newspapers in an average 7-day period either in print, or online via website or app. This is virtually unchanged from a year ago. While cross-platform audiences are steady, the latest results show that growing numbers of Australians are choosing to consume their news via digital platforms rather than through the traditional print format. Over the past 12 months nine of Australia’s leading mastheads have increased their digital readership, while only three have increased their print readership. "The Sydney Morning Herald" is the most widely-read masthead, with cross-platform readership of 4,235,000, up 3.8 per cent from a year ago; the increase was driven by an increase in digital readership that more than offset the loss of print readers.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

It’s Official: Australia’s leading magazines buck conventional wisdom and grow their print readership

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 11-Aug-17

Roy Morgan Research has released the latest Australian Magazine Readership report for the 12 months to June 2017, showing that 10 of Australia’s 15 leading titles increased their print readership over the past year. A total of 12,470,000 Australians aged 14+ (62.6 per cent) now read print magazines, which is virtually unchanged from a year ago (down only 0.1%). The withdrawal of major publishers from audited circulation results for magazines last year means Roy Morgan’s readership results are the only truly independent measure of magazine performance now available. "Coles Magazine" remained the most widely-read print magazine during the period, with an average readership of 3,755,000 per issue (up 7.3 per cent). Meanwhile, nine of Australia’s leading 10 magazine ranked by cross-platform audiences retain a significantly larger readership via their print editions than their digital offerings.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, BAUER MEDIA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Macquarie Media lifts despite Jones absence

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Original article by Stephen Brook
The Australian – Page: 25 : 9-Aug-17

Macquarie Media has posted a 2016-17 after-tax profit of $A17.32m, which is 21 per cent higher than previously. Group revenue was two per cent lower at $A131.11m, which has been primarily attributed to a downturn in royalty and contra revenues. Macquarie’s revenue was also affected by an extended leave of absence by 2GB presenter Alan Jones on medical grounds. Shareholders will receive a fully franked final dividend of $A0.04 per share.

CORPORATES
MACQUARIE MEDIA LIMITED – ASX MRN, 2GB, 3AW SOUTHERN CROSS RADIO PTY LTD, RADIO 2UE SYDNEY PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, SATELLITE MUSIC AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Netflix leads as streamers take down pay TV

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 8-Aug-17

Telsyte estimates that the number of paid streaming video subscriptions in Australia totalled 3.7 million in June 2017, and it is expected to top 3.8 million by mid-2018. This includes the Foxtel Now streaming service, while the total number of traditional pay-TV subscriptions is 3.3 million. The Telsyte analysis shows that Netflix boasts a 55 per cent share of the streaming video market, ahead of Stan with 24 per cent. Telsyte MD Foad Fadaghi says a number of factors are contributing to the uptake of streaming services.

CORPORATES
TELSYTE PTY LTD, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FOXTEL NOW, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP, NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS

Unjust ABC ‘stealing our markets’

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

Australian Associated Press CEO Bruce Davidson is the latest media industry executive to criticise the ABC’s push to gain content deals in the corporate sector. The public broadcaster recently secured a deal to replace AAP as the provider of syndicated news feeds to outdoor advertising group oOh!media. Davidson says AAP may have to retrench staff if it continues to lose contracts to the ABC. Meanwhile, One Nation has called for the ABC to increase the amount of content it produces that is aimed at regional and rural audiences.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS PTY LTD, OOH!MEDIA LIMITED – ASX OML, ONE NATION PARTY, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS

Lone Star joins pack tuning into Ten

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 31-Jul-17

About nine potential buyers of the Ten Network have obtained an information memorandum and signed a non-disclosure agreement. They are believed to include US private equity firm Lone Star Funds, which boasts some $US70bn ($A87.7bn) worth of assets under management. Oaktree Capital Management, hedge fund Anchorage Capital and CBS Corporation have also expressed interest in buying Ten. Indicative bids for the failed network must be submitted by late August.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, LONE STAR FUNDS, OAKTREE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC, ANCHORAGE CAPITAL PARTNERS PTY LTD, CBS CORPORATION, FORTRESS INVESTMENT GROUP LLC, ASTRO JAPAN PROPERTY GROUP – ASX AJA, AWE LIMITED – ASX AWE, PPB ADVISORY, MOELIS AND COMPANY, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, 21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED, ILLYRIA PTY LTD, BIRKETU PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC