MASS MEDIA – UNITED STATES

Murdoch son raps media for toxic politics

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Original article by Alex Barker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 24 : 18-Jan-21

James Murdoch has launched his strongest attack on the US media since leaving the family media company started by his father Rupert. When asked if Fox News had played a role in the attack on the US Capitol on 6 January, James Murdoch claimed that media organisations had amplified election disinformation, resulting in a significant part of the US public believing in a "falsehood". He did not make specific reference to Fox News, his father, or his brother Lachlan, who is the CEO of Fox Corporation.

CORPORATES
FOX NEWS, FOX CORPORATION

Life on the outside

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Original article by Maureen Dowd
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1, 6 & 7 : 16-Oct-20

James Murdoch quit the board of News Corporation in June, having at one point of time hoped to lead the media company. Murdoch cited differences in certain content published by some of its news outlets, along with some other strategic decisions, as his reason for leaving at the time. He has established a company called Lupa Systems, while his investments include a comic company whose publisher once worked for Marvel. Murdoch says he decided to leave News Corp because he believed he could be "more effective outside" the company, while friend Matthew Vaughn believes that Murdoch will now start his own empire.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, LUPA SYSTEMS

Could Disney’s wish upon a Star be coming here?

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 30 : 10-Aug-20

Walt Disney Company has yet to disclose whether its new subscription video-on-demand service will be launched in Australia. Disney has chosen the Star brand for the streaming service, which will be launched in non-US markets. It had been widely tipped to launch Hulu internationally, but Disney CEO Bob Chapek notes that Hulu has limited brand awareness outside the US. Star will complement the existing Disney+ streaming service, and will feature general entertainment content from Disney subsidiaries such as ABC Studios, Fox Television and 20th Century Studios.

CORPORATES
WALT DISNEY COMPANY, DISNEY+, ABC STUDIOS, FOX TELEVISION STATIONS INCORPORATED, 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS INCORPORATED

News Corp’s advertising revenue falls over 50% in fourth quarter, as company posts US$1.5bn loss

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Original article by Vivienne Kelly
Mumbrella – Page: Online : 10-Aug-20

News Corporation has posted a loss of $US401m for the June quarter, compared with a loss of just $42m for the previous corresponding period. Its loss for the year to 30 June totalled $US1.545bn, following a profit of $US228m for the previous year. Advertising revenue fell 51.6 per cent in the quarter and 19.9 per cent for the year, and news media revenue was down 41 per cent in the quarter and 18 per cent for the year. The financial results for Dow Jones have been disclosed separately for the first time; the publisher of ‘The Wall Street Journal’ has posted lower revenue for the quarter, but full-year revenue rose by three per cent to $US1.6n. In Australia, the subscriber base of Foxtel – including the Kayo and Binge streaming services – fell 12 per cent to 2.777 million in 2019-20.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

US keeps eye on Australia’s big tech rules

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 23-Apr-20

The US media industry has welcomed the Australian government’s move to require technology companies to pay news publishers for their content. Digital Content Next CEO Jason Kint says the mandatory code of conduct shows that the government recognises the significance of the problem and its impact on traditional media companies. News Media Alliance CEO David Chavern adds that there is growing concern across the political spectrum regarding the impact of digital platforms. The US Congress is also monitoring efforts in Australia and elsewhere to reign in the digital giants.

CORPORATES
DIGITAL CONTENT NEXT, NEWS MEDIA ALLIANCE, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

News Corp profit falls as company hit by sluggish Australian economy

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Original article by Zoe Samios
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 7-Feb-20

News Corporation has released its financial results for the three months to December, reporting a profit of $US103 million ($153.1 million). This compares to a profit of $US119 million in the prior year period, while revenue was down six per cent to $US2.48 billion, with the Rupert Murdoch-controlled company blaming the torpid Australian economy for the decline. Revenue for news and information services fell $16 million, with the Australian market down nine per cent. Subscriber numbers for Foxtel, which includes streaming services Foxtel Now and Kayo, declined from 3.065 million at the end of the September quarter to 2.95 million at the end of the December quarter.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FOXTEL NOW, KAYO SPORTS

Weathering the storm: inside the Murdoch family climate schism

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Original article by Zoe Samios
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 17-Jan-20

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch announced in late 2006 that News Corporation had a responsibility to ‘take the lead’ with regard to climate change. Murdoch subsequently revealed a number of initiatives aimed at reducing his media empire’s carbon footprint, including the ‘CoolChange’ program, which was known as ‘1Degree’ in Australia. Murdoch’s stance on climate change came as a surprise to many observers, given that he had traditionally been a climate change sceptic. News Corp’s stance on climate change is attracting renewed scrutiny amid criticism of its newspapers’ coverage of the bushfires crisis.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS,{SPAC}NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Disney bets billions on content for streaming battle with Netflix

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 13-Nov-19

The Disney+ subscription video-on-demand service will be launched in Australia on 19 November, following its US debut. Walt Disney Company has revealed plans to invest $US1bn in original content for the new streaming service in 2019, which will increase to $US2.5bn ($3.65bn) by 2024. The media giant forecasts that Disney+ will boast between 60 million and 90 million paid subscribers by fiscal 2024. Netflix is investing some $US15bn on original content during 2019.

CORPORATES
WALT DISNEY COMPANY, DISNEY+, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, 21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED

Murdochs agree to cap on Fox voting power

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 8-Nov-19

The Murdoch Family Trust has agreed to limit its voting rights in the new Fox Corporation to 44 per cent, with the cap to apply in perpetuity or until the Murdochs sell out of the company. The limit will help to facilitate $US2 billion ($2.9 billion) worth of share buybacks that Fox announced as part of its latest quarterly results. The buyback will include a mix of Class A and Class B Fox shares, with Fox’s independent directors keen to increase the liquidity of its Class B shares.

CORPORATES
MURDOCH FAMILY TRUST, FOX CORPORATION

Disney+ to launch in Australia

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 20-Aug-19

US media giant Walt Disney Company has confirmed the Australian launch date and pricing for its video streaming service. Disney+ will cost $8.99 per month or $89.99 a year when it is launched in Australia on 19 November. Australia and New Zealand will be among the first markets in the world to gain access to Disney+, which will be launched in the US, Canada and the Netherlands on 12 November. Disney+ will include content from the Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars franchises.

CORPORATES
WALT DISNEY COMPANY, DISNEY+, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, HULU LLC