VIDEO-ON-DEMAND – AUSTRALIA

Netflix, Disney and other streamers to be forced to pay for more Australian-made content

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Original article by Karl Quinn
The Age – Page: Online : 5-Nov-25

The federal government will legislate an ‘Australian content obligation’ for streaming video-on-demand platforms. It will require streaming services that have more than one million subscribers in Australia to invest at least 10 per cent of their total expenditure in Australia or 7.5 per cent of their revenue in this country on producing local content. This will include local drama, children’s TV shows, documentaries, and educational or arts programs. Screen Producers Australia’s CEO Matthew Deaner has described the move as a "landmark day" for the nation’s screen industry.

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SCREEN PRODUCERS AUSTRALIA

No third parties emerge to foil Southern Cross-Seven takeover

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Original article by Sam Buckingham-Jones
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 5-Nov-25

An independent report from risk advisory firm Kroll has concluded that the proposed merger with Seven West Media is in the best interests of Southern Cross Media Group’s shareholders. Kroll found that it is a good deal for the radio station group’s investors, given that the company will contribute 47.3 per cent of the "relative underlying value" and have a 50.1 per cent stake in the merged entity. Southern Cross chairman Heith Mackay-Cruise has defended the proposed merger, noting that the traditional media landscape is facing a number of challenges. He has also confirmed that Southern Cross has not been approached by any other potential suitors.

CORPORATES
SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, KROLL

Media merger to counter big tech

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Original article by James Madden
The Australian – Page: 13 & 19 : 1-Oct-25

The proposed merger between Seven West Media and Southern Cross Media Group is forecast to generate annual pre-tax cost synergies of up to $30m. The merger will combine Seven’s linear TV and digital broadcast platforms with Southern Cross’s radio stations; Seven also owns print and digital newspapers. Seven West’s shareholders are expected to vote on the deal later this year or in early 2026; if approved, Southern Cross will emerge with a 50.1 per cent stake in the combined entity. Seven’s CEO Jeff Howard will take on the role in the merged group, while Seven chairman Kerry Stokes will step down in favour of Southern Cross counterpart Heith Mackay-Cruise. Southern Cross CEO John Kelly has indicated that he has also held merger talks with Nine Entertainment in recent months.

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SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL

HBO Max scores over 850,000 viewers in first quarter streaming content

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 24-Sep-25

New data from Roy Morgan shows that streaming video service HBO Max, which launched in Australia on 31 March, has captured an impressive audience of 851,000 Australians aged 14+ in its first full quarter online (April-June 2025). A look at the broader market for subscription video on demand shows that 17.6 million Australians (76.9%) watched a streaming video service in an average four weeks in the 12 months to June 2025, up 452,000 (+3%) from a year ago. The leading streaming video service is again Netflix with 14,339,000 viewers (63% of Australians) in an average four weeks – more than double any other streaming video service. The contest for second place is tight between Disney Plus with 6,474,000 viewers (28%), just ahead of Amazon Prime Video with 6,464,000 viewers (28%) and Stan on 5,097,000 (22%). In fifth place is DAZN’s streaming video service Binge with 2,754,000 viewers (12%).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, HBO MAX, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, DISNEY+, AMAZON PRIME VIDEO, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, DAZN, BINGE

Optus may sell sports streaming to Nine

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Original article by Zoe Samios
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 21-Jan-25

Sources have indicated that Optus has sought expressions of interest from potential buyers of its sports streaming platform. Amongst other things, Optus Sport holds the Australian broadcasting rights to the English Premier League and the Women’s Super League. The potential buyers that Optus has approached are said to include Nine Entertainment, which owns the rival Stan Sport streaming service. Optus is believed to be keen to focus on its core telecommunications business amid growing competition in the streaming sector and the rising cost of broadcasting rights.

CORPORATES
SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, OPTUS SPORT, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, STAN SPORT

Why this could be Murdoch’s last chance to sell Foxtel

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Original article by Elizabeth Knight
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 13-Aug-24

Foxtel had been estimated to be worth between $1.2bn and $2bn when an IPO was being considered in 2021. However, an IPO now appears to be highly unlikely, and selling Foxtel may be the best option for News Corp and Telstra. Foxtel’s traditional pay-TV business now boasts about 1.2 million subscribers, well below the peak of 2.9 million in 2015; retaining as many of these customers as possible could be crucial to getting a decent price for Foxtel, given that they pay an average of $90 per month. Foxtel’s own streaming services Kayo and Binge have much lower monthly revenue per customer, and their subscriber growth is also slowing amid growing competition in the streaming sector.

CORPORATES
FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, KAYO SPORTS, BINGE

Streaming ad revenue set to eclipse TV

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Original article by Kylar Loussikian
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 30-Jul-24

A report from PwC notes that revenue across Australia’s media industry has risen to $62.3bn in the last year, although growth in revenue slowed from 6.6 per cent to just 2.8 per cent. Meanwhile, PwC estimates that digital revenue now accounts for 70 per cent of advertising spending in the media sector, compared with 54 per cent in 2019; the firm has also forecast that this will increase to 79 per cent by 2028. PwC in turn expects advertising revenues from traditional TV broadcasts to fall to around $3.5bn by 2028, while revenue from subscription and ‘catch-up’ services is forecast to rise to a similar level within four years.

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PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AUSTRALIA (INTERNATIONAL) PTY LTD

Why Foxtel faces its streaming apocalypse

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Original article by Sam Buckingham-Jones
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 26-Apr-24

Foxtel boasted annual earnings of nearly $1bn a decade ago, when nearly one in every three households had a pay-TV subscription. However, Foxtel has been hard hit by competition from subscription video-on-demand services. Analysts expect Foxtel’s earnings to fall to about $390m in the 2026 financial year, while its own streaming platforms will lose key HBO content if Warner Bros Discovery proceeds with plans to launch its own SVOD service in Australia. Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany says the company is now essentially two separate businesses, focused on streaming and its legacy pay-TV operations. Foxtel’s 3.1 million SVOD users account for 66 per cent of its customer base, but just 23 per cent of group revenue; in contrast, its 1.5 million pay-TV customers contribute 63 per cent of revenue.

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FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD

Amazon snaps up key cricket rights

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Original article by Zoe Samios
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 5-Dec-23

Amazon Prime Video has secured an exclusive deal with the International Cricket Council. The deal includes the Australian broadcasting rights for the Cricket World Cup, the T20 World Cup and the World Test Championship Final until 2027. Data from OzTAM shows that the Nine Network’s recent coverage of the 2023 Men’s World Cup final in India was watched by more than 1.6 million people nationwide; the final also attracted record viewer numbers on Foxtel and its Kayo Sports streaming service. World Cup and Championship matches are not subject to the anti-siphoning list unless they are played in Australia or New Zealand.

CORPORATES
AMAZON PRIME VIDEO, INTERNATIONAL CRICKET COUNCIL, OZTAM PTY LTD, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, KAYO SPORTS

SBS bets on customer choice to lure viewers as it offers block on gaming, booze and fast food ads

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Original article by Sophie Elsworth
The Australian – Page: 17 : 1-Nov-23

Public broadcaster SBS will allow allow users of its streaming video service to opt out of seeing advertisements for betting companies, alcoholic beverages and quick service restaurants. SBS On Demand viewers who chose to block such content will instead see ads for other products and services. SBS MD James Taylor says viewers have always had complete control over what they watch on SBS On Demand, and they will now have greater control over the ads they see. He expects other TV networks to consider a similar move. The federal government plans to impose greater restrictions on gambling advertisements.

CORPORATES
SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS)