Regional broadband hubs and 24-hour news channel stay on ABC agenda
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
ABC managing director Mark Scott will push ahead with the broadcaster's controversial regional broadband hubs and 24-hour news channel, and has flagged further expansion ambitions, including in China.
The ABC managing director will also seek talks with the Rudd government over more spectrum and has called for it to reject lobbying for a tender process to run the Australia Network.
And Mr Scott brushed aside criticism from Fairfax Media chief executive Brian McCarthy, arguing he had "misunderstood" the ABC Open project, which will create regional broadband content hubs.
The ABC managing director will also seek talks with the Rudd government over more spectrum and has called for it to reject lobbying for a tender process to run the Australia Network.
And Mr Scott brushed aside criticism from Fairfax Media chief executive Brian McCarthy, arguing he had "misunderstood" the ABC Open project, which will create regional broadband content hubs.
Pay-TV industry slams fee cut for free-to-airs
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
THE pay-TV industry has criticised the Rudd government's decision to slash $250m off commercial free-to-air networks' licence fees as anti-competitive.
ASTRA chief executive Petra Buchanan, who represents Foxtel, Austar and Optus, described Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's surprise announcement as disappointing and claimed it was mainly designed to prop up business models that were "under threat".
"Taxpayers are yet again being asked to subsidise the businesses of foreign-owned broadcasters to help them meet existing content obligations -- it's an outrageous affront to Australians," Ms Buchanan said.
ASTRA chief executive Petra Buchanan, who represents Foxtel, Austar and Optus, described Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's surprise announcement as disappointing and claimed it was mainly designed to prop up business models that were "under threat".
"Taxpayers are yet again being asked to subsidise the businesses of foreign-owned broadcasters to help them meet existing content obligations -- it's an outrageous affront to Australians," Ms Buchanan said.
ASTRA slams licence fee rebates
Monday, 8 February 2010
Australia’s subscription TV lobby group, ASTRA, has branded the licence fee rebates the government will give to Seven, Nine and Ten “anti-competitive and against the interests of consumers”.
ASTRA (the Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association) has announced itself “surprised and disappointed” with the government’s decision to grant the large licence fee rebates to what it calls the “old commercial TV networks”.
The rebates are worth around A$240 million to the networks over the next two years, representing rebates of 33% in 2010 and 50% in 2011.
ASTRA (the Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association) has announced itself “surprised and disappointed” with the government’s decision to grant the large licence fee rebates to what it calls the “old commercial TV networks”.
The rebates are worth around A$240 million to the networks over the next two years, representing rebates of 33% in 2010 and 50% in 2011.
Stephen Conroy's licence fee rebate sends TV network shares higher
Monday, 8 February 2010
THE Australian government today said it will offer television broadcasters rebates on their licence fees in 2010 and 2011 to help boost local content on commercial television.
The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Stephen Conroy, said: “Licence fee rebates will be 33 per cent in 2010 and 50 per cent in 2011 to ensure that commercial broadcasters can continue to invest in new Australian content.”
The government was also committed to reviewing the future role of licence fees in Australia as the media sector undergoes a period of significant change.
The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Stephen Conroy, said: “Licence fee rebates will be 33 per cent in 2010 and 50 per cent in 2011 to ensure that commercial broadcasters can continue to invest in new Australian content.”
The government was also committed to reviewing the future role of licence fees in Australia as the media sector undergoes a period of significant change.
Fee cuts to boost commercial networks' revenues
Monday, 8 February 2010
COMMERCIAL television networks have received a $250 million-plus revenue boost after striking a lucrative deal with the federal government to have licence fees slashed by up to half.
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy yesterday announced he would cut licence fees paid by the networks -- calculated at 9 per cent of gross advertising revenues -- to the government by 33 per cent for the 2010 financial year and 50 per cent for the 2011 financial year.
Senator Conroy rushed out the announcement after inquires from The Australian that a deal had been struck.
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy yesterday announced he would cut licence fees paid by the networks -- calculated at 9 per cent of gross advertising revenues -- to the government by 33 per cent for the 2010 financial year and 50 per cent for the 2011 financial year.
Senator Conroy rushed out the announcement after inquires from The Australian that a deal had been struck.
Speculation grows on Seven's push into 4G
Monday, 8 February 2010
KERRY Stokes is best known for his media interests, a sizeable collection that spans newspapers, radio, magazines, online as well as pay and free-to-air television.
But the market should be able to form a clearer view about the Seven Network executive chairman's ambitions in the telecommunications sector when eldest son Ryan gives the keynote address at a broadband conference in Sydney this week.
Ryan is the chairman of Seven's Vividwireless subsidiary, which is launching a $50 million, fourth-generation mobile broadband network in Perth next month.
But the market should be able to form a clearer view about the Seven Network executive chairman's ambitions in the telecommunications sector when eldest son Ryan gives the keynote address at a broadband conference in Sydney this week.
Ryan is the chairman of Seven's Vividwireless subsidiary, which is launching a $50 million, fourth-generation mobile broadband network in Perth next month.
Multi-cultural SBS may launch 24/7 news
Monday, 8 February 2010
AUSTRALIA'S multi-cultural broadcaster SBS may soon join the ABC in launching a dedicated 24/7 free-to-air news channel.
The move is being discussed as part of a top-to-bottom review of SBS activities ordered by new chairman Joseph Skrzynski who took over from fashion designer Carla Zampatti in December.
Mr Skrzynski's call for a full review of all activities comes two years into SBS's current four-year strategic plan.
The move is being discussed as part of a top-to-bottom review of SBS activities ordered by new chairman Joseph Skrzynski who took over from fashion designer Carla Zampatti in December.
Mr Skrzynski's call for a full review of all activities comes two years into SBS's current four-year strategic plan.
Seven hopes weaker audience numbers are just a blip
Monday, 8 February 2010
EIGHT years after he was sacked following a sudden audience downturn at the Nine Network due to the adoption of new audience measurement technology, Seven chief David Leckie must be hoping history doesn't repeat itself.
Sources said Seven held "agitated meetings" with ratings body OzTAM after audience figures for its Australian Open tennis coverage were significantly lower than for last year, following the move to change one in four homes in OzTAM's ratings panel to include those with personal video recorders.
Last week, some of the network's returning shows also suffered big drops, with Desperate Housewives' audience down 25 per cent to 1.027 million in overnight viewing compared with live figures for the same week last year, while Gangs of Oz was down 20 per cent and Criminal Minds was down 16 per cent.
Sources said Seven held "agitated meetings" with ratings body OzTAM after audience figures for its Australian Open tennis coverage were significantly lower than for last year, following the move to change one in four homes in OzTAM's ratings panel to include those with personal video recorders.
Last week, some of the network's returning shows also suffered big drops, with Desperate Housewives' audience down 25 per cent to 1.027 million in overnight viewing compared with live figures for the same week last year, while Gangs of Oz was down 20 per cent and Criminal Minds was down 16 per cent.
Panel to quiz ABC chief Mark Scott
Monday, 8 February 2010
ABC managing director Mark Scott is likely to face questions about funding the public broadcaster's proposed 24-hour news network when he appears before a Senate committee today.
Coalition senators on the Environment, Communications and the Arts Committee are expected to ask Mr Scott whether the launch of a 24-hour news broadcast on its high-definition channel can be done without affecting existing services such as Radio National. Mr Scott, who will front estimates with chief operating officer David Pendleton and director of communications Michael Millett, has said the news channel can be funded out of savings already made in news production and through better uses of technology.
However, interest group Friends of the ABC as well as pay-TV rivals Sky News and Foxtel have questioned if it is possible to build a new channel without eating into existing services.
Coalition senators on the Environment, Communications and the Arts Committee are expected to ask Mr Scott whether the launch of a 24-hour news broadcast on its high-definition channel can be done without affecting existing services such as Radio National. Mr Scott, who will front estimates with chief operating officer David Pendleton and director of communications Michael Millett, has said the news channel can be funded out of savings already made in news production and through better uses of technology.
However, interest group Friends of the ABC as well as pay-TV rivals Sky News and Foxtel have questioned if it is possible to build a new channel without eating into existing services.
Tune in: digital radio sales beat expectations
Monday, 8 February 2010
MORE than 100,000 digital radios have been sold in Australia six months after the launch of the medium.
The number far exceeds initial expectations that 50,000 would be sold in the 12 months.
This year the figure is estimated to grow to more than 250,000, meaning there will be close to 400,000 digital radios in the market. The estimates come from Frontier Silicon, which supplies the digital radio chips and software for 80 to 90 per cent of Australia's DAB+ digital radios.
The number far exceeds initial expectations that 50,000 would be sold in the 12 months.
This year the figure is estimated to grow to more than 250,000, meaning there will be close to 400,000 digital radios in the market. The estimates come from Frontier Silicon, which supplies the digital radio chips and software for 80 to 90 per cent of Australia's DAB+ digital radios.