TELEVISION BROADCASTING – AUSTRALIA

News pushes for full reform

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 21 : 9-Mar-16

News Corp CFO Bedi Singh has told a conference in the US that the Australian Government must abolish both the "reach rule" and the "two-of-three rule". The Australian Labor Party may oppose the latter, but Singh says abolishing both would provide consumers with greater choice. Singh also says the anti-siphoning list for sports broadcasts should also have been on the Government’s agenda for cross-media ownership reforms.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Kelly urges Nine-Fairfax mega-merger

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 23 : 7-Mar-16

Fairfax Media CEO Greg Hywood recently ruled out merging with Nine Entertainment Company if cross-media ownership laws are relaxed. However, Nine’s former CFO Simon Kelly believes that the media group should merge with both Fairfax and regional broadcaster Southern Cross Media. He argues that a three-way merger would create a multi-platform company with about 30 per cent of the advertising market and revenue of around $A4bn.

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, APN NEWS AND MEDIA LIMITED – ASX APN, REA GROUP LIMITED – ASX REA, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NOVA ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, MULTI CHANNEL NETWORK PTY LTD, OAKTREE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC, APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT LLC, THE GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INCORPORATED, TICKETEK

$50m share raid puts Nine takeover in picture ahead of sector reforms

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Original article by Darren Davidson, Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 19 & 22 : 4-Mar-16

Shares in Nine Entertainment Company closed 3.42 per cent higher at $A1.51, amid revelations that an unknown buyer purchased 3.4 per cent of its shares via Deutsche Bank. The $A50m transaction was executed at $A1.60 per share, prompting speculation that Nine may become a takeover target. Fairfax Media has been touted as a potential suitor if cross-media ownership laws are relaxed, but the group has downplayed such speculation.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, DOMAIN.COM.AU, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL

Ten moves first in media shake-up

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 3-Mar-16

The Ten Network is believed to have held preliminary talks with regional affiliate Southern Cross Media Group about acquiring its TV assets if cross-media ownership laws are relaxed. It is expected that Ten would have to undertake a capital raising to finance the acquisition, with Southern Cross’s TV assets estimated to be worth between $A100m and $A120m. The two groups are also holding talks regarding the renewal of their affiliation agreement. Southern Cross has indicated in the past that radio assets are its priority.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, TRIPLE M CORPORATION PTY LTD, HIT NETWORK, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, APN NEWS AND MEDIA LIMITED – ASX APN

MPs fall in line on media reforms

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 4 : 1-Mar-16

The Australian Government’s bill to change cross-media ownership laws is expected to be submitted to Parliament on 1 March 2016, if the reforms are endorsed by the Coalition’s party room. The reforms have already been approved by the Coalition’s backbench communications committee. The Opposition supports abolition of the "reach rule", although it may seek to block scrapping the "two-out-three rule" in the Senate. The reforms are likely to prompt consolidation among Australian TV broadcasters.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, PALMER UNITED PARTY, FAMILY FIRST PARTY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Media reform an all-or-nothing proposition, as Fifield resists carve-out

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 2 : 25-Feb-16

Federal Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has ruled out separate media reform bills to abolish the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three rule". He insists that both reforms must be presented to Parliament in a single bill. The Australian Labor Party supports scrapping the reach rule, while regional TV broadcasters want it to be abolished quickly so they can consider mergers with metropolitan networks. However, Labor wants a Senate inquiry into scrapping the two-out-of-three rule.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, FAMILY FIRST PARTY AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Kelly set for early departure from Nine

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 21 : 25-Feb-16

Australian-listed media group Nine Entertainment Company has advised that CFO and COO Simon Kelly will step down at the end of February 2016. He was originally slated to depart at the end of May. Nine will release its 2015-16 interim financial results on 25 February, and may update shareholders on its streaming dispute with regional affiliate WIN Corporation. Nine is also tipped to extend its share buyback.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, TICKETEK, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE

New media reform brawl brews

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Original article by Darren Davidson, Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 2 : 24-Feb-16

Regional TV broadcasters have welcomed the Federal Government’s proposed changes to cross-media ownership laws, particular new local content requirements. Both the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three rule" will be abolished if the reforms proceed. However, News Corp Australia’s executive chairman Michael Miller says the reforms should be more extensive, and should include the anti-siphoning list for sports broadcasts. Seven Group CEO Ryan Stokes agrees that the reforms are too limited.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, APN NEWS AND MEDIA LIMITED – ASX APN, KIIS1065, PURE GOLD

It’s all about a cut in licence fees: Worner

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 19 : 18-Feb-16

Seven West Media has posted a 2015-16 interim net profit of $A135.2m, compared with a loss of $A993.6m previously. Underlying net profit rose by 2.1 per cent to $A140.3m, but revenue eased 4.1 per cent to $A896.7m. The TV division’s EBIT rose by two per cent to $A185.4m and revenue fell by 2.1 per cent to $A662.9m, while the newspaper division’s earnings fell 22 per cent to $A24m. CEO Tim Worner says reducing TV broadcasting licence fees should be the highest priority on the Federal Government’s media reform agenda.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, PACIFIC MAGAZINES PTY LTD, MACQUARIE SECURITIES PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, TOTALIZATOR AGENCY BOARD (WESTERN AUSTRALIA), RACING VICTORIA LIMITED

Liberals warn Nats could derail media changes

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 17-Feb-16

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield hopes to introduce legislation to abolish the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three rule" by mid-2016. However, there are concerns that the cross-media ownership reform agenda may be threatened by the National Party’s stance on local content requirements for regional TV broadcasters. Liberal Senator Dean Smith says regional broadcasters are already struggling financially and any media reforms should not subject them to increased regulation.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC