MASS MEDIA POLICY – AUSTRALIA

Media reform decision imminent

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 19 & 20 : 4-Dec-15

Communications Minister Mitch ­Fifield says technology has made Australia’s existing cross-media ownership laws redundant. He has also given indications that any reforms will include measures to ensure that local TV news services are retained in regional areas if merger rules are relaxed. The Coalition’s partyroom discussed abolition of the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three" rule on 2 December 2015, and the issue is also likely to be on the agenda at the final meeting of cabinet ministers for the year.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, PIN PAYMENTS, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, IMPARJA TELEVISION PTY LTD

Turnbull to open way for media mergers

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 7 : 2-Dec-15

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has told a private meeting of Coalition MPs that he is keen to abolish the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three rule". The Federal Government may formally reveal its position on cross-media ownership reforms before the end of 2015, although with Parliament about to rise for the summer break any such changes will be on hold until 2016. The Opposition supports scrapping the reach rule, although it has not yet declared its stance on the two-out-of-three rule.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SOUTHERN CROSS AUSTEREO PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT

Delay on rules for ownership

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 30 : 30-Nov-15

Cabinet ministers may discuss proposed changes to cross-media ownership laws in the week after Parliament rises for the summer break, but any reforms will now not proceed until February 2016. Communications Minister Mitch Fifield had hoped to put the reforms to cabinet before the end of the parliamentary year. Meanwhile, Nine Entertainment Company CEO Hugh Marks argues that TV broadcasting licence fees must be included in the reforms, which are centred on the "reach rule" and the "two-out of-three rule".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, BAUER MEDIA KG, NOVA ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, COMCAST CORPORATION, SONY CORPORATION, TIME WARNER INCORPORATED, VIACOM INCORPORATED

Media reform debate could go to the wire

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 31 : 23-Nov-15

The Australian Government’s proposed changes to cross-media ownership laws may still be discussed by cabinet before parliament rises for the year, although other issues are likely to take priority in the coming week. Meanwhile, pay-TV group Foxtel has proposed removing sports events such as the FA Cup and the US Masters Golf from the anti-siphoning list. Australian Subscription Television & Radio Association chairman Tony Shepherd has also advocated changes to the list.

CORPORATES
FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION AND RADIO ASSOCIATION (ASTRA) INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE

Gordon has new tune for talks with Nine

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 22 : 20-Nov-15

Nine Entertainment Company is seeking to conclude negotiations for a new affiliate agreement with regional broadcaster WIN Corporation. However, Nine is also holding merger talks with Southern Cross Media Group. WIN owner Bruce Gordon also has 14.9 per cent stakes in both Nine and Ten Network, positioning him to play a key role in TV industry consolidation if cross-media ownership rules are relaxed.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Scrap outdated media laws: Seven boss

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 19 : 19-Nov-15

Seven Group chairman Kerry Stokes has called for the Australian Government to take action on TV broadcasting licence fees and increase the producer offset for TV drama as part of its changes to media industry regulation. He supports abolition of the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three rule", but argues that these changes must be part of a broader package of reforms. However, Stokes favours retaining the anti-siphoning list for broadcasting sports.

CORPORATES
SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN

Government to debate media reform format

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 18-Nov-15

The Australian Government’s proposed cross-media ownership reforms are expected to be presented to cabinet in late November 2015. The Government is initially expected to focus on scrapping the so-called "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three rule", but it is still to decide whether to pursue both reforms in a single bill or put two separate bills to Parliament. The Opposition favours abolishing the reach rule, although there is less support for scrapping the two-out-of-three rule.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Media reform beyond ‘reach’

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Original article by Darren Davidson, Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 2 : 17-Nov-15

The focus of the Australian Government’s upcoming media reforms were tipped to be the so-called "reach rule". However, it is believed to be planning to also abolish the "two-out-of-three rule" in a reform package that is expected to be unveiled in late November 2015. Australian media groups are concerned that failure to fully abolish cross-media laws would provide rivals such as video-on-demand providers with a competitive advantage. The Government’s media reforms are likely to be dependent on the support of cross-bench senators.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SOUTHERN CROSS AUSTEREO PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN

Southern Cross, Nine in $2.2bn merger talks

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Original article by Christine Lacy, Damon Kitney, Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 19 : 13-Nov-15

Nine Entertainment Company has held merger discussions with regional broadcaster Southern Cross Media Group, and sources have suggested that there is an even chance of a deal proceeding. The "reach rule" would prohibit a full merger at present, but the deal being discussed is said to involve Nine acquiring Southern Cross’ radio stations immediately. Nine would subsequently buy Southern Cross’s TV stations if and when cross-media ownership rules are relaxed.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, SOUTHERN CROSS AUSTEREO PTY LTD, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MI9, NINEMSN PTY LTD, 2DAY FM AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TRIPLE M CORPORATION PTY LTD, THE HIT NETWORK, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, CVC ASIA PACIFIC (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT LLC, OAKTREE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, LUMINIS PARTNERS PTY LTD

Hartigan denies friction with Seven

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 31 : 11-Nov-15

Prime Media Group’s 11.4 per cent stakeholder Seven Group Holdings voted against the regional broadcaster’s remuneration report at its 2015 AGM. The "two strikes" rule will apply at the 2016 AGM after more than 34 per cent of Prime’s shareholders rejected the report. Meanwhile, Prime CEO Ian Audsley said the group could be acquired or seek to buy assets itself if there are changes to cross-media ownership laws. He added that Prime may be interested in buying radio assets but is unlikely to expand into regional print newspapers.

CORPORATES
PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, V8 SUPERCARS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE