MASS MEDIA POLICY – AUSTRALIA

Don’t believe Google, this monopoly is not journalism’s friend

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Original article by Michael Miller
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 37 : 31-May-17

Google Australia MD Jason Pellegrino claims that news publishers can withdraw their content from Google News and Google Search at any time. Google’s 95 per cent share of the search market in Australia means that this is not an option. This market dominance means that local publishers are highly dependent on Google to distribute their free content and drive traffic to their websites. Meanwhile, Google is seeking to deter publishers from offering subscriber-only content, as this affects its own advertising revenue. Media reforms are necessary to ensure a level playing field for local news publishers.

CORPORATES
GOOGLE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Late bid by media bosses to sway ALP

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 6 : 31-May-17

Media executives will lobby federal politicians to support cross-media ownership reforms at meetings on 31 May. The support of Senate cross-benchers is likely to be crucial, as the Australian Labor Party still opposes abolition of the "two-out-of-three" rule. Communications spokeswoman Michelle Rowland argues that media ownership is already too concentrated under the existing regime. However, she says Labor would vote to scrap the "reach rule" if it is put to parliament in a separate bill.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ONE NATION PARTY, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS

Hanson holds out on reform package

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 23 : 15-May-17

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has indicated that her party will not support abolition of the "two-out-of-three rule", although it will back the rest of the Federal Government’s proposed media reform package. Communications Minister Mitch Fifield is holding negotiations with senate crossbenchers to secure support for the reforms, although the Opposition also intends to vote against scrapping the two-out-of-three rule.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN

Reform package boosts shares

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 24 : 9-May-17

The Federal Government’s latest media reform proposals prompted a rally in the share prices of listed media groups on 8 May 2017. In addition to abolishing the "reach rule" and the "two out of three rule", the Government plan to replace TV broadcasting licence fees with an annual spectrum fee and ban gambling advertisements during live sports broadcasts prior to 8:30pm. Macquarie Group says the proposed reforms are positive for TV networks.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, APN NEWS AND MEDIA LIMITED – ASX APN, TPG CAPITAL LP, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED

Abolish TV licence fees, tax Google and Facebook: Xenophon

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 26-Apr-17

The Australian Government’s May 2017 Budget is tipped to include a further reduction in TV broadcasting licence fees. Independent senator Nick Xenophon says the fees are "anachronistic" and should be scrapped for free-to-air networks. Xenophon supports increased restrictions on gambling advertisements during live sports broadcasts, but he rejects suggestions that he has struck a deal with the Government on the issue. Xenophon also favours imposing a turnover tax on Google and Facebook.

CORPORATES
NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ONE NATION PARTY

Fifield targets budget for enhanced media package

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 24-Apr-17

Changes to the anti-siphoning list for sports and a reduction in TV broadcasting licence fees are expected to be included in the Australian Government’s revised cross-media ownership reform bill. The Government hopes to gain the support of independent senator Nick Xenophon for its media bill, while it is also seeking to ban gambling advertisements during live sports broadcasts. The proposed media reforms are expected to be included in the May 2017 Budget.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, THE EMIRATES MELBOURNE CUP, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Sport betting ads to be banned ‘siren to siren’

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Original article by Nick Tabakoff, Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 5 : 20-Apr-17

The Coalition of Major Professional & Participation Sports’ executive director Malcolm Speed has warned that a proposed ban on gambling advertisements during live sports broadcasts could affect the value of media rights deals. He adds that restrictions are already in place and further regulation will ultimately affect funding for sports at "grassroots" level. Federal Cabinet ministers are expected to approve the ban in late April 2017. Senator Nick Xenophon says the new regulations should be accompanied by a reduction in broadcasting licence fees.

CORPORATES
COALITION OF MAJOR PROFESSIONAL AND PARTICIPATION SPORTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, SPORTSBET AUSTRALIA, CROWNBET PTY LTD

Coalition forced to mull ‘broader’ media reform

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 10-Apr-17

The Australian Government will consider more extensive media reforms after failing to secure the Senate’s support for its cross-media ownership bill in the last session of Parliament before the May 2017 Budget. The reforms could include changes to the anti-siphoning list for sports events and a further reduction in broadcasting licence fees. The latter is likely to be reduced over time in order to reduce its impact on the Budget.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT

Networks seek end to kids’ TV quotas

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Original article by Mitchell Bingemann
The Australian – Page: 23 : 10-Apr-17

Australia’s commercial free-to-air networks have argued that the growing range of viewing options means the quota system for children’s programming is no longer appropriate. The networks’ submissions to the Federal Government’s arts inquiry noted that children are spending less time watching TV content on free-to-air, citing factors such as the emergence of streaming services and growing viewership of ABC channels among young audiences.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Sugar the sweetener for One Nation to back media reform

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Original article by Mitchell Bingemann
The Australian – Page: 23 : 27-Mar-17

One Nation will not support cross-media ownership reforms unless the Federal Government agrees to back its push for a national code of conduct for the sugarcane industry. The Senate had been scheduled to debate the media bill in the week beginning 27 March, but One Nation will only support abolition of the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three" rule if the Government intervenes in a stand-off between Queensland sugarcane farmers and Wilmar International. The media reform bill requires the support of One Nation and the Nick Xenophon Team.

CORPORATES
ONE NATION PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, WILMAR INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA