TELEVISION BROADCASTING – AUSTRALIA

Alarm bells for Aussie drama

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Original article by Michael Bodey
The Australian – Page: 29 : 2-Nov-15

Australia’s free-to-air commercial networks are increasingly relying on New Zealand dramas to meet local-content quotas. Screen Producers Australia CEO Matt Deaner and Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason argue that the rules should be changed so NZ content does not qualify as first-run Australian drama. They have also called for the TV producer offset to be increased to 40 per cent.

CORPORATES
SCREEN PRODUCERS AUSTRALIA, SCREEN AUSTRALIA, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS)

Media reach rule set to be axed

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 2 : 30-Oct-15

The Australian Labor Party supports the Federal Government’s plan to abolish the so-called "reach rule" as part of its proposed cross-media ownership reforms. However, there is less support within Labor’s ranks for scrapping the "two-out-of-three rule". Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has signalled that he is keen to proceed with media reforms, but concedes that it will depend on support in the Senate.

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

Nine to launch new lifestyle channel and stream all channels online 24/7

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 29-Oct-15

Nine Entertainment Company has used its annual "upfronts" to reveal plans to invest in Australian productions in 2016 after ending its content deal with US-based Warner Bros. Nine will also launch its fourth free-to-air channel on 26 November 2015, with 9Life to focus on lifestyle content. Meanwhile, the 9Jumpin catchup service will be replaced with a live streaming service called 9Now, which will include online streaming of Nine’s TV channels.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, WARNER BROS, SCRIPPS NETWORKS INCORPORATED, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS)

Ten at last finding backbone

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Original article by Max Mason
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 19 : 27-Oct-15

Ten Network has posted a 2014-15 loss of $A312.2m, while its underlying EBITA loss was $A12m. CEO Paul Anderson notes that Ten’s audience share has reached a four-year high of 24.8 per cent in 2015. Ten’s share of advertising revenue rose to 22.2 per cent in September, and Anderson says Ten wants these two measures to reach parity. He has also ruled out live streaming of its three TV channels in the near-term, arguing that it is not commercially viable at present.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SMI MEDIA INCORPORATED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD

Automatic ad-trading an overnight hit for Foxtel’s sales arm

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 26-Oct-15

The MCN sales division of pay-TV group Foxtel launched its programmatic trading system earlier in 2015. MCN has indicated that it now sells 30-40 per cent of advertising via the Landmark automated trading system. CEO Anthony Fitzgerald wants to increase MCN’s share of the total video advertising market, including internet advertising. MCN now sells all of the Ten Network’s advertising, as part of the equity alliance between Ten and Foxtel.

CORPORATES
MULTI CHANNEL NETWORK PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, THE QUANTIUM GROUP PTY LTD

Nine to stream all channels in law challenge

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Original article by Dominic White, Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 26-Oct-15

Nine Entertainment Company is expected to use its "upfronts" event to reveal that it will introduce live streaming of its three TV channels. WIN Corporation CEO Andrew Lancaster and Prime Media chairman John Hartigan say the move by metropolitan networks to offer live streaming across Australia demonstrates the need to abolish the "reach rule". Seven West Media will commence live streaming of its channels in early November 2015.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ

Foxtel-Ten deal gets ACCC green light but watch this space

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 23-Oct-15

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has approved an equity alliance between Ten Network and pay-TV group Foxtel. The competition regulator ruled that the deal is unlikely to result in a substantial lessening of competition. However, chairman Rod Sims says the ACCC could intervene if future transactions between the two groups raise competition concerns, such as making a joint bid for the rights to sports broadcasts. Sims has also questioned whether streaming of TV broadcasts has reduced the effectiveness of the "reach rule".

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MULTI CHANNEL NETWORK PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, ILLYRIA PTY LTD

Seven to follow viewers into the digital future with streaming

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Original article by Max Mason, Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 25 : 22-Oct-15

Seven West Media has revealed its program line-up for 2016 at its annual "upfronts" event. Meanwhile, the media group will begin live streaming of its TV channels online from 3 November 2015, which will be supported by targeted pre-roll video advertisements. Seven West Media will also launch a programmatic advertising service called 7 Screen, as well as an online shopping service that will allow viewers to purchase grocery products that are featured on its TV shows.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, PACIFIC MAGAZINES PTY LTD, YAHOO!7 COMMUNICATIONS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, OZTAM PTY LTD, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED

Gordon expands media empire with Nine stake

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 21-Oct-15

US-based Apollo Global Management will reduce its stake in Nine Entertainment Company to nine per cent after agreeing to sell about 13 per cent of its holding to Bruce Gordon. The Bermuda-based businessman will pay around $A200m for the holding via his private company, Birketu. This will increase the WIN Corporation owner’s total stake in Nine to 14.95 per cent. Gordon also has a 14.95 per cent stake in Ten Network.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, BIRKETU PTY LTD, APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT LLC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

Netflix makes us watch more, says study

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 19-Oct-15

A survey by Edison Research has found that traditional broadcast TV still accounts for 85 per cent of the four hours of video content that Australians aged 14+ watch on average each day. The "Share of Eye" report shows that subscription video on-demand services account for four per cent of viewing time, while free video-on-demand services account for 11 per cent. The research was commissioned by Seven West Media.

CORPORATES
EDISON RESEARCH, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, YAHOO!7 COMMUNICATIONS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ