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 <title>Sports deals at risk from TV broadcast ruling</title>
 <link>http://www.aupaytv.com/index.phpindex.php?itemid=2664</link>
<description><![CDATA[EXCLUSIVE rights deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars to broadcast live events could be at risk after a court ruled yesterday that shows could be recorded and screened "near live" without breaching copyright.<br />
<br />
In a landmark Federal Court case, telecommunications company Optus won legal protection for its TV Now service, which enables subscribers to record programs and start watching them on internet-enabled devices after as little as a two-minute delay.<br />
<br />
Optus was sued in September by the AFL and the NRL, which claimed TV Now breached their copyright over their live games.Also involved in the action was rival telco Telstra, which last year paid $153 million for the exclusive rights to stream AFL matches on the internet for the next five seasons and which had warned an adverse decision could result in that deal being scuttled.<br />
<br />
However, Telstra spokesman Craig Middleton said yesterday it would go ahead with its plans for the upcoming AFL season.<br />
<br />
"We will continue to protect the sports rights that we have invested in on behalf of our customers and also the sporting fans," he said.<br />
<br />
Broadcast rights for the NRL come into play later this year and the decision potentially has implications for many other sports, including motor racing, football, cricket and tennis.<br />
<br />
"It is a major concern as it clearly has the capacity to devalue the ability of the sports to sell exclusive rights," NRL chief executive David Gallop said.<br />
<br />
AFL chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan said yesterday's decision was only "the preseason of this issue" with the sports bodies "highly likely" to appeal against the decision.<br />
<br />
The result was hailed by Optus as "a win for Australia and a win for innovation".<br />
<br />
"Technology has changed and this is a win for the law because it allows for those changes," Optus spokeswoman Clare Gill said.<br />
<br />
In a two-day hearing in December, Optus argued TV Now was a type of personal video recorder allowing customers to time-shift their viewing of any type of program, which was allowed under copyright law.<br />
<br />
Federal Court judge Steven Rares agreed, ruling: "Optus's TV Now service did not infringe copyright in the broadcasts of the AFL and NRL games in the particular ways that the rightsholders alleged."<br />
<br />
Justice Rares found it was the user of the TV Now service, not Optus, who made each recording of a broadcast by clicking on the record button of their device.<br />
<br />
This did not infringe the copyright of the AFL and the NRL because the users made the recordings using TV Now solely for their private and domestic use, Justice Rares said.<br />
<br />
He also found that it was the user, rather than Optus, who was then responsible for electronically transmitting the recording, or making it available online, by clicking the play button.<br />
<br />
However, some issues still need to be resolved, including whether Optus infringed copyright with the technology it used to make a recording in a format suitable for Apple devices.<br />
<br />
Justice Rares has already granted leave for an appeal, although this is unlikely to be resolved before the NRL season starts on March 2 and the AFL on March 24.<br />
<br />
--<br />
Sally Jackson<br />
From: The Australian<br />
February 02, 2012 12:00AM <br />
<a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/sports-deals-at-risk-from-tv-broadcast-ruling/story-e6frg996-1226260036928" onclick="javascript:window.open(this.href, '_blank'); return false;">http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/sports-deals-at-risk-from-tv-broadcast-ruling/story-e6frg996-1226260036928</a>]]></description>
 <category>News</category>
<comments>http://www.aupaytv.com/index.phpindex.php?itemid=2664</comments>
 <pubDate>Thu, 2 Feb 2012 18:01:09 +1100</pubDate>
</item><item>
 <title>NRL left exposed in media rights fight</title>
 <link>http://www.aupaytv.com/index.phpindex.php?itemid=2663</link>
<description><![CDATA[EVERY major sport in Australia will be shaking its money box desperately while shaking in its boots fearfully following yesterday's Federal Court decision that threatens to permanently dry up millions of dollars in broadcast revenue.<br />
<br />
The ruling by Justice Steven Rares of the NSW Federal Court puts at risk the ability of every sport to sell their new media broadcast rights. The first to feel the impact will be the NRL.<br />
<br />
The NRL chief executive David Gallop and his team are negotiating fresh broadcast partnerships for a deal to run for five years from the end of this season. The league had hoped to top $1 billion for the agreement which it planned as a matter of course would have a considerable new media component.However, it is now questionable whether a sporting body's new media rights are worth anything following yesterday's ruling.<br />
<br />
Justice Rares ruled against Telstra, which was in court to protect its $153m five-year deal with the AFL. The contract gave the company exclusive rights to show games through mobile phone, tablet and computer packages.<br />
<br />
Justice Rares ruled that Optus, which offers its customers a service where AFL free-to-air TV games are replayed with a delay of no more than two minutes with some devices, did not breach AFL copyright. In effect, the judge said that the Optus facility was no different than recording a program on your television. Late yesterday the NRL released the following statement: "In response to a number of requests please find the following quote from David Gallop in relation to today's Federal Court decision: 'The decision is very likely to be appealed. It is a major concern as it clearly has the capacity to devalue the ability of the sports to sell exclusive rights'. Mr Gallop will not be available for interview in relation to this matter."<br />
<br />
NRL clubs had been in discussion with the NRL and its inaugural commission over the size of a one-off advanced payment from the expected riches of the new broadcast deal. That money was seen as a lifeline to several clubs.<br />
<br />
It is believed the AFL-Telstra deal will be honoured and that Telstra, the NRL and the AFL - all parties to the Optus court action - will appeal yesterday's decision by Justice Rares. AFL chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan said: "We maintain that the Optus action is a breach of copyright. We are considering our right to appeal."<br />
<br />
Telstra spokesman Craig Middleton said the AFL deal would be honoured. "We'll be going ahead with our plans for the upcoming AFL season. We will be looking at what our options are. We will continue to protect the sports rights that we have invested in on behalf of our customers and also the sporting fans."<br />
<br />
While the 2013-17 NRL new media deal was not expected to earn the $153m the AFL attracted, Gallop was bullish last year about likely broadcast right discussions. At a meeting with club chairmen and CEOs, Gallop put three scenarios where the league could earn between $1bn and $1.4bn. After the meeting Gallop would not comment to the media on specific figures but said: "We worked through some scenarios. Obviously we have looked at the media landscape and what our expectations are and given the game is going so well on television.<br />
<br />
"We modelled a number of assumptions. They are assumptions only. We modelled a scenario where everyone will be happy. The clubs went away comfortable that, when the negotiations can start, we are in good shape," he said.<br />
<br />
Critically for major sports, the desire by fans to have access to live games and live shows through the internet is only going to grow. This would have the effect of seeing a drop in the free-to-air and pay-TV rights and an increase in a need to service fans through the mobile phones, tablets, computers big and small. And these are the very rights and their money that yesterday's ruling recasts.<br />
<br />
The NRL is about to find out how costly that proves to be.<br />
<br />
--<br />
Patrick Smith<br />
From: The Australian<br />
February 02, 2012 12:00AM <br />
<a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/nrl-left-exposed-in-media-rights-fight/story-e6frg7uo-1226259982951" onclick="javascript:window.open(this.href, '_blank'); return false;">http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/nrl-left-exposed-in-media-rights-fight/story-e6frg7uo-1226259982951</a>]]></description>
 <category>News</category>
<comments>http://www.aupaytv.com/index.phpindex.php?itemid=2663</comments>
 <pubDate>Thu, 2 Feb 2012 17:59:12 +1100</pubDate>
</item><item>
 <title>T20 cricket gives Nine a boost</title>
 <link>http://www.aupaytv.com/index.phpindex.php?itemid=2662</link>
<description><![CDATA[THE Nine network received another bundle of ratings joy from its summer cricket coverage with 1.46 million tuning in to the Twenty20 international.<br />
<br />
Despite the match between India and Australia being rain-affected and the result fizzling out, the result compares very favourably with last summer’s one day and T20 series.<br />
<br />
The Ashes Twenty20 match in early January last year attracted 1.23 million for Nine and the subsequent the second sessions of the seven-match one-day series against England last summer averaged between 1.2 million and 1.5 million viewers for Nine.The T20 match was also the most viewed program for the evening in Sydney and Melbourne and had a peak audience in the five metro capital cities of 1.89 million, according to preliminary OzTAM data. It also won all key demographics.<br />
<br />
Yet it couldn’t knock off what has become an early season juggernaut, My Kitchen Rules. The Seven cooking reality series continues to grow ahead of the official ratings season launch on February 12, adding another 1.50 million viewers to its pantry last night. <br />
<br />
The length of the cricket coverage ensured Nine the evening win though with a 30.1 per cent channel share ahead of Seven’s 21.6 per cent and Ten’s 13.2 per cent.<br />
<br />
The rain delay also gave a minor boost to the “encore” screening of the first episode of celebrity weight-loss program Excess Baggage. Initial ratings coding suggest the 964,000 viewers tuned in last night but that number was for lingering cricket viewers. The true figure for the episode’s repeat is more likely around 200,000.<br />
<br />
Elsewhere, Seven News trumped Nine News by 46,000 viewers although Nine won in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Seven News’s national ascendancy in all people is due almost entirely to its continuing dominance in Perth, where the Nine network affiliate is regularly trounced by Seven News by up to 100,000 viewers.<br />
<br />
Ten’s News At Five continued its growth with 709,000 viewers, including 147,000 in Perth but The Project is struggling in its new 6pm slot with only 461,000 viewers across the hour last night.<br />
<br />
Ten’s returning Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation struggled against the cricket with only 678,000 viewers, well down on its million-plus averages of only 18 months ago.<br />
<br />
The return of Selling Houses Australia to Lifestyle channel was a boon for subscription TV with 152,000 viewers making it the platform’s best program for the night.<br />
<br />
OZTAM OVERNIGHT RATINGS WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 1<br />
1 MY KITCHEN RULES Seven 1,503,000<br />
2 TWENTY/20 - AUSTRALIA V INDIA GAME 1 Nine 1,462,000<br />
3 SEVEN NEWS 1,177,000<br />
4 NINE NEWS 1,131,000<br />
5 TODAY TONIGHT Seven 1,045,000<br />
6 EXCESS BAGGAGE ENCORE Nine 974,000*<br />
7 HOME AND AWAY Seven 934,000<br />
8 ABC NEWS 862,000<br />
9 A CURRENT AFFAIR Nine 838,000<br />
10 THE BIGGEST LOSER (AUS) - TEMPTATION Ten 757,000<br />
11 TWENTY/20 - AUSTRALIA V INDIA - PRE MATCH Nine<br />
12 TEN NEWS AT FIVE Ten 709,000<br />
13 TALKIN' 'BOUT YOUR GENERATION Ten 678,000<br />
14 NOTTING HILL Seven 626,000<br />
15 THE GOOD WIFE Ten 590,000<br />
<br />
*cricket over-run<br />
<br />
--<br />
Michael Bodey<br />
From: The Australian<br />
February 02, 2012 10:33AM <br />
<a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/t20-cricket-gives-nine-a-boost/story-e6frg996-1226260510590" onclick="javascript:window.open(this.href, '_blank'); return false;">http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/t20-cricket-gives-nine-a-boost/story-e6frg996-1226260510590</a>]]></description>
 <category>TV Ratings</category>
<comments>http://www.aupaytv.com/index.phpindex.php?itemid=2662</comments>
 <pubDate>Thu, 2 Feb 2012 17:57:28 +1100</pubDate>
</item><item>
 <title>Optus wins landmark TV Now copyright case</title>
 <link>http://www.aupaytv.com/index.phpindex.php?itemid=2661</link>
<description><![CDATA[OPTUS will be allowed to keep offering its TV Now mobile phone and internet broadcast service after the Australian Football League, the National Rugby League and Telstra were today comprehensively beaten in their case against the telco.<br />
<br />
They sued Optus in September, claiming TV Now breached their copyright because it enabled subscribers to record games and start watching them "near live", after as little as a two-minute delay, cutting across Telstra's exclusive internet distribution deal.<br />
<br />
In a two-day hearing in December, Optus argued the service allowed customers to time-shift their viewing, which was allowed under copyright law.In a judgment that totally trounced the codes, Federal Court Justice Steven Rares ruled: "Optus' TV Now service did not infringe copyright in the broadcasts of the AFL and NRL games in the particular ways that the rightsholders alleged."<br />
<br />
Justice Rares found that it was the user of the TV Now service, not Optus, who made each recording of a broadcast by clicking on the "record" button of his or her device.<br />
<br />
This did not infringe the copyright of the AFL and the NRL because the users made the recordings using TV Now solely for their private and domestic use, he said.<br />
<br />
He also found that it was the user, rather than Optus, who was then responsible for electronically transmitting the recording, or making it available online, by clicking the "play" button.<br />
<br />
However, Justice Rares said some issues might still need to be resolved, including whether Optus infringed copyright with the particular technology it used to make a recording in a format suitable for Apple devices.<br />
<br />
Before the decision Telstra had warned that an adverse decision could scuttle its $153 million exclusive deal with the AFL.<br />
<br />
However, after the ruling Telstra spokesman Craig Middleton said the deal would not be affected.<br />
<br />
"We'll be going ahead with our plans for the upcoming AFL season,'' Mr Middleton said. "We will be looking at what our options are. We will continue to protect the sports rights that we have invested in on behalf of our customers and also the sporting fans."<br />
<br />
The argument had been put that existing copyright law had not kept pace with technological change, he said.<br />
<br />
The decision has implications for broadcast rights negotiations for many sports, including motor racing, football, cricket and tennis.<br />
<br />
The proceedings were adjourned until Friday so the parties involved could agree on the formal orders that should be made.<br />
<br />
Justice Rares has already granted leave for the outcome to be appealed.<br />
<br />
--<br />
Sally Jackson<br />
From: The Australian<br />
February 01, 2012 2:23PM <br />
<a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/optus-tvnow-copyright-verdict/story-e6frgakx-1226259568206" onclick="javascript:window.open(this.href, '_blank'); return false;">http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/optus-tvnow-copyright-verdict/story-e6frgakx-1226259568206</a>]]></description>
 <category>News</category>
<comments>http://www.aupaytv.com/index.phpindex.php?itemid=2661</comments>
 <pubDate>Wed, 1 Feb 2012 21:25:43 +1100</pubDate>
</item><item>
 <title>Police raid Chinese TV network</title>
 <link>http://www.aupaytv.com/index.phpindex.php?itemid=2660</link>
<description><![CDATA[A MAN is helping police with enquiries following a raid on a business in Sydney's inner-west alleged to be part of an international Chinese pay TV piracy operation netting $70 million a year.<br />
<br />
The man was taken Burwood police station after NSW Police acted on information collected by specialist piracy investigators and executed a warrant at a business in Ashfield.<br />
<br />
Earlier this afternoon Ashfield local area commander Detective Inspector Eric Coffen said he anticipated that the man would be charged later today based on evidence collected during the raid.Police have also secured the services of an interpreter to help with their investigations.<br />
<br />
The raid followed a private investigation commissioned by the local subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Asian language content specialist TVB Group.<br />
<br />
TVB Australia pursued the investigations after its local business halved inexplicably.<br />
<br />
The private investigation focused on the sale of USB disks containing special software used to access an illegal peer-to-peer pirate TV network offering 1100 movie and television channels operated from China.<br />
<br />
The investigators allege that the USB devices open a special web browser which delivers the pirate video streams, when plugged into a computer.<br />
<br />
It's believed that the peer-to-peer network operates from servers in China's Tianjin Province and mirrored services from a location in the US.<br />
<br />
Piracy investigation specialist, Michael Speck, who led the investigation, said that the investigation was part of a wider operation aimed at shutting down the network in China.<br />
<br />
"We're intending to use the evidence we obtain here to approach the Chinese authorities," Mr Speck said.<br />
<br />
TVB Group investigators allege that a company called QMC Mart charged $99 for the USB disks and ongoing subscription fees of $50 per month to access to the pirate network.<br />
<br />
Today's raid follows on from a similar police operation in Sydney's southern suburb of Hurstville late last year targeting a set-top-box seller.<br />
<br />
The pirate network primarily offers Asian language programming and entertainment but it's believed that it also carries content by western producers including Fox, HBO, ESPN and the BBC.<br />
<br />
Its line up was alleged to include current episodes of popular free-to-air programs How I Met You Mother, The Big Bang Theory and The Family Guy.<br />
<br />
Investigators also alleged that network distributed first release movie titles including Tin Tin, The Tower Hiest, Hangover II and Hugo.<br />
<br />
TVB Group estimates that the pirate service has in the vicinity of 150,000 customers worldwide.<br />
<br />
--<br />
Andrew Colley<br />
From: The Australian<br />
February 01, 2012 4:17PM <br />
<a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/police-raid-chinese-pirate-tv-network/story-e6frgakx-1226259744450" onclick="javascript:window.open(this.href, '_blank'); return false;">http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/police-raid-chinese-pirate-tv-network/story-e6frgakx-1226259744450</a>]]></description>
 <category>News</category>
<comments>http://www.aupaytv.com/index.phpindex.php?itemid=2660</comments>
 <pubDate>Wed, 1 Feb 2012 21:23:31 +1100</pubDate>
</item><item>
 <title>Excess Baggage under threat</title>
 <link>http://www.aupaytv.com/index.phpindex.php?itemid=2659</link>
<description><![CDATA[EXCESS Baggage dropped dramatically in the ratings from 880,000 to 625,000 last night, falling below its reality rival on Ten, The Biggest Loser.<br />
<br />
Nine's new 7pm reality weight loss series launched on Monday with 880,000 viewers, but lost more than 200,000 viewers on its second airing.<br />
<br />
This signals a problem for Nine, which has given over its 7pm slot to Excess Baggage for 10 weeks. Last night the contestants were made to stand and watch as their weight, body fat composition and fitness levels were displayed on a large screen. There were lots of tears and self-loathing.<br />
<br />
On the whole viewers were loyal to Seven soapie Home and Away which easily won the timeslot it has dominated for 24 years, with 1.09 million viewers.<br />
<br />
But it was Seven's My Kitchen Rules which kept the number one slot last night, with 1.46 million viewers around the country.<br />
<br />
Seven took out the top four spots and won the night with a combined share of 33.7 per cent.<br />
<br />
Nine's best performers were Nine News on 1,04 million and A Current Affair on 912,000. However, they were still beaten by Seven News (1.251 million) and Today Tonight (1.099 million).<br />
<br />
Nine first broadcast of the new film and TV awards, the AACTA's, had an average national audience of 314,000, coming 27th in the rankings.<br />
<br />
OZTAM OVERNIGHT RATINGS TUESDAY JANUARY 31<br />
<br />
1. MY KITCHEN RULES Seven 1,466,000<br />
2. SEVEN NEWS  1,251,000<br />
3. TODAY TONIGHT  Seven 1,099,000<br />
4. HOME AND AWAY  Seven 1,094,000<br />
5. NINE NEWS 1,044,000<br />
6. ABC NEWS  994,000<br />
7. A CURRENT AFFAIR  Nine 912,000<br />
8. THE HOLIDAY Seven 798,000<br />
9. NCIS RPT Ten 734,000<br />
10. TEN NEWS AT FIVE Ten 731,000<br />
11. THE BIG BANG THEORY EP2 Nine 724,000<br />
12. THE BIGGEST LOSER - CONTEST  Ten 712,000<br />
13. 7.30-EV ABC1 654,000<br />
14. THE BIG BANG THEORY EP1 Nine 647,000<br />
15. BONDI VET Ten 631,000<br />
16 EXCESS BAGGAGE -TUE Nine 625,000<br />
17. TWO AND A HALF MEN Nine 601,000<br />
18. HOT SEAT Nine 575,000<br />
19. DEAL OR NO DEAL Seven 513,000<br />
20. CANE TOADS: THE CONQUEST ABC1 499,000<br />
<br />
--<br />
Amanda Meade<br />
From: The Australian<br />
February 01, 2012 9:42AM <br />
<a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/excess-baggage-under-threat/story-e6frg996-1226259146309" onclick="javascript:window.open(this.href, '_blank'); return false;">http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/excess-baggage-under-threat/story-e6frg996-1226259146309</a>]]></description>
 <category>TV Ratings</category>
<comments>http://www.aupaytv.com/index.phpindex.php?itemid=2659</comments>
 <pubDate>Wed, 1 Feb 2012 21:21:20 +1100</pubDate>
</item><item>
 <title>News names new marketing head as Ed Smith moves to Foxtel</title>
 <link>http://www.aupaytv.com/index.phpindex.php?itemid=2658</link>
<description><![CDATA[News Limited's group marketing director Ed Smith has moved to Foxtel as executive director of sales and marketing, with Corin Dimopoulos to replace him.<br />
<br />
Mr Dimopoulos starts in April from British Sky Broadcasting in London where he has held a number of senior marketing positions over the past five years.<br />
<br />
He will report to Kim Williams and be responsible for acquiring, servicing and retaining customers across the company's hundreds of newspapers, magazines, websites, tablet and mobile applications, News said in a statement."Corin is one of News Corporation's finest marketing executives and his work at Sky, particularly across sports, has been exemplary," said News head Kim Williams.<br />
<br />
"His experience of growing large and highly profitable audiences in a subscription environment will prove invaluable as we continue the rollout of digital subscription products across our mastheads."<br />
<br />
Mr Williams said he was sorry to see Mr Smith but that "he joins FOXTEL with my full support. News Limited's shareholding in Foxtel is a key strategic investment and I am delighted that it will benefit from his exceptional sales and marketing expertise," he said.<br />
<br />
Mr Dimopoulos, who was born in Darwin, said he was looking forward to returning to Australia.<br />
<br />
"Having heard some of Kim's plans for the company, I am thrilled to be joining his management team," he said. "News Limited's news, lifestyle, and entertainment brands are second to none, reaching over 13 million readers across print and digital platforms every week.<br />
<br />
"The challenge of expanding the reach and relevance of these brands across existing and yet to be launched digital platforms, while ensuring we service the millions and millions of loyal print readers, was one I could not pass up."<br />
<br />
Mr Dimopoulos has spent the majority of his career in Britain and joined BSkyB in 2007 as head of sports and news marketing.<br />
<br />
He is currently working on Sky's new Formula One broadcast rights acquisition before the new seasons starts in mid-March and will relocate from London to Sydney soon after.<br />
<br />
--<br />
Sally Jackson<br />
From: The Australian<br />
January 31, 2012 11:12AM <br />
<a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/news-names-new-marketing-head-as-smith-moves-to-foxtel/story-e6frg996-1226258140359" onclick="javascript:window.open(this.href, '_blank'); return false;">http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/news-names-new-marketing-head-as-smith-moves-to-foxtel/story-e6frg996-1226258140359</a>]]></description>
 <category>News</category>
<comments>http://www.aupaytv.com/index.phpindex.php?itemid=2658</comments>
 <pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:56:59 +1100</pubDate>
</item><item>
 <title>No confirmation on reports Stokes has sold his stake in Ten</title>
 <link>http://www.aupaytv.com/index.phpindex.php?itemid=2657</link>
<description><![CDATA[THE Seven and Ten networks have refused to confirm a media report that Seven Group chairman Kerry Stokes has sold out of the Ten Network.<br />
<br />
Mr Stokes looks to have sold his 2 per cent stake in Ten, according to the Fairfax Media report, because his ownership vehicle, Seven (WAN), owned by Seven Group, was no longer listed as a registered shareholder.<br />
<br />
Seven and Ten's corporate spokespeople refused to comment on the report.Ten's ownership has become a who's who of corporate media, with James Packer, interim chief executive Lachlan Murdoch, mining heir Gina Rinehart and WIN owner Bruce Gordon, all holding stakes.<br />
<br />
Stokes bought the Ten stake late last year at 92c through Seven West Media, which is owned by Seven Group.<br />
<br />
Ten shares peaked at a four-month high of 95c mid last month but has traded in the 84c-91c range since.<br />
<br />
Brokers said the report did not prompt much market attention yesterday with expectations of a bid already factored into the Ten stock.<br />
<br />
Ten's shares closed up 1c at 89.5c, while Seven Group's shares closed up 7c at $7.92.<br />
<br />
Seven instigated legal action against Ten last year, after Mr Murdoch poached Seven's sales and multichannel chief James Warburton to become its new chief executive.<br />
<br />
The judgment from the high-profile and candid case delayed Mr Warburton's move to Ten until this month.<br />
<br />
Mr Stokes retains a stake in media investment company Consolidated Media Holdings with Mr Packer, who quit as a director of Ten the same day as Mr Warburton was appointed chief executive.<br />
<br />
<i>Additional reporting: Dow Jones Newswires</i><br />
<br />
--<br />
Michael Bodey<br />
From: The Australian<br />
January 31, 2012 12:00AM <br />
<a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/broadcast/no-confirmation-on-reports-stokes-has-sold-his-stake-in-ten/story-fna045gd-1226257701800" onclick="javascript:window.open(this.href, '_blank'); return false;">http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/broadcast/no-confirmation-on-reports-stokes-has-sold-his-stake-in-ten/story-fna045gd-1226257701800</a>]]></description>
 <category>News</category>
<comments>http://www.aupaytv.com/index.phpindex.php?itemid=2657</comments>
 <pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:55:15 +1100</pubDate>
</item><item>
 <title>TV viewers still watch according to schedule</title>
 <link>http://www.aupaytv.com/index.phpindex.php?itemid=2656</link>
<description><![CDATA[WHILE viewers have embraced on-demand devices that let us watch TV programs whenever we want, a lot of the time we still just want to relax in front of whatever happens to be on.<br />
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For that reason, "the schedule" set out by the networks will continue to dominate how we consume television in 2012 and for some time to come, according to the annual Technology, Media and Telecommunications Predictions report put out by professional services firm Deloitte.<br />
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"Rather than shattering the TV schedule, new technologies have actually given the schedule an elasticity that extends it and keeps it surprisingly powerful," said Deloitte's Australian TMT divison head Damien Tampling.One reason for this might be "because we are hard-wired to prefer routine", he said. The rising popularity of social media networks such as Twitter had served to strengthen the schedule's grip as users liked to watch the same programs at once to simultaneously share their snark.<br />
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"Our global research indicates that choice is cherished, but choosing can often be a chore," said Mr Tampling.<br />
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"We predict that the majority of all television programs watched in 2012 will remain either live or, where recorded (or) available via a catch up service, viewed within a week of the original broadcast.''<br />
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Another of Deloitte's top media predictions is for growth in the online advertising market to continue to outpace increases for traditional platforms such as free-to-air TV.<br />
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"While the overall advertising sector will grow five per cent, we predict online branding will expand 50 per cent to $20 billion globally," Mr Tampling said.<br />
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Deloitte's other predictions:<br />
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* The online coupon sector, which started as a novelty but boomed last year, will settle into a small niche, "albeit one that generates billions of dollars in revenue"<br />
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* Targeted TV ads, which serve marketing to a specific TV set or computer based on personal data such as income or age, will remain a tiny sector, accounting for less than a tenth of one per cent of the $227 billion total global TV ad market in 2012, "as the investment required to develop such specific campaigns remains prohibitive".<br />
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* Developers of social network games (think Facebook's Farmville) may need to consider charging up-front rather than trying to make money from selling virtual goods if they want to raise their share of the $63 billion global games market from its current two per cent.<br />
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* The age of the "catch-up commuter" will take off, with smartphone and tablet owners forecast to watch five billion hours of TV content on their devices while on public transport this year.<br />
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* The popularity of functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging machines, which can link brain activity with specific emotions and types of thinking, will grow in influence for market researchers.<br />
<br />
--<br />
Sally Jackson<br />
From: The Australian<br />
January 31, 2012 9:32AM <br />
<a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/tv-viewers-still-watch-according-to-schedule/story-e6frg996-1226258000054" onclick="javascript:window.open(this.href, '_blank'); return false;">http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/tv-viewers-still-watch-according-to-schedule/story-e6frg996-1226258000054</a>]]></description>
 <category>News</category>
<comments>http://www.aupaytv.com/index.phpindex.php?itemid=2656</comments>
 <pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:53:36 +1100</pubDate>
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 <title>Strong result for Seven on Monday night</title>
 <link>http://www.aupaytv.com/index.phpindex.php?itemid=2655</link>
<description><![CDATA[THE 2012 ratings war has begun in earnest with ten programs topping the million viewer mark on Monday night.<br />
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Surprisingly, one of the ten was not Nine’s new hyped debut of its celebrity Biggest Loser knock-off, Excess Baggage. The weight loss program fizzled on its launch, only attracting 880,000 viewers, barely more than the rapidly deflating The Biggest Loser on Ten, which averaged 698,000 viewers.<br />
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Excess Baggage’s launch was down on Loser’s launch last week when it averaged 897,000 viewers.With the ratings year not beginning until Sunday week – and regular household viewing patterns not stabilizing until Easter - the Seven network can be pleased with a number of new season debutants unveiled last night.<br />
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Seven’s My Kitchen Rules benefitted from relentless promotion on the network to top the night with 1.48 million viewers, according to preliminary OzTAM data.<br />
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Seven’s new reality program, hosted by Ada Nicodemou, Please Marry My Boy, also opened with a strong 1.25 million viewers.<br />
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They were split by Nine’s new staple sitcom, The Big Bang Theory, which pulled 1.34 million viewers for one episode and 1.11 million and 892,000 for two other eps.<br />
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The news and current affairs shows held firm with Seven News winning with 1.248 million viewers ahead of Nine News’ 1.11 million; Nine won comfortably in Sydney and Melbourne though.<br />
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Today Tonight nudged A Current Affair with 1.13 million viewers against 1.03 million but also lost in the two major markets. And Seven held that audience with Home and Away attracting 1.03 million viewers at 7pm, ahead of ABC News’ 1.025 million.<br />
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Seven won the evening with a 26.6 per cent channel share ahead of Nine’s 22.3 per cent, Ten’s 13.1 per cent and ABC1’s 9.5 per cent.<br />
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Multichannels were down for the night with the best shares a 3.6 per cent for Nine’s GO! and 3.5 per cent for 7TWO.<br />
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Ten’s The Project slipped below 500,000 viewers to 474,000 although Ten News At Five is displaying increasing strength with 737,000 viewers last night. And Today’s spanking new set wasn’t enough to nudge Sunrise, the Seven breakfast show averaging 406,000 against Today’s 346,000.<br />
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Seven’s debut of Sports Fever attracted 236,000 in its late night slot; Seven said the sports panel show had a 42% share in 16-39s in its late slot, with a 39% share in 18-49s and 35% share in 25-54s.<br />
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OZTAM OVERNIGHT RANKINGS MONDAY JANUARY 30<br />
1 MY KITCHEN RULES SEVEN 1,484,000<br />
2 THE BIG BANG THEORY NINE 1,349,000<br />
3 PLEASE MARRY MY BOY SEVEN 1,252,000<br />
4 SEVEN NEWS 1,248,000<br />
5 TODAY TONIGHT SEVEN 1,131,000<br />
6 NINE NEWS 1,114,000<br />
7 THE BIG BANG THEORY NINE 1,112,000<br />
8 HOME AND AWAY SEVEN 1,035,000<br />
9 A CURRENT AFFAIR NINE 1,030,000<br />
10 ABC NEWS 1,025,000<br />
11 THE BIG BANG THEORY -MON EP2 Network 9 892,000<br />
12 EXCESS BAGGAGE -LAUNCH SEVEN  880,000<br />
13 HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER SEVEN 762,000<br />
14 TEN NEWS AT FIVE TEN 737,000<br />
15 7.30 ABC1 731,000<br />
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--<br />
Michael Bodey<br />
From: The Australian<br />
January 31, 2012 10:14AM <br />
<a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/strong-result-for-seven-on-monday-night/story-e6frg996-1226258053024" onclick="javascript:window.open(this.href, '_blank'); return false;">http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/strong-result-for-seven-on-monday-night/story-e6frg996-1226258053024</a>]]></description>
 <category>TV Ratings</category>
<comments>http://www.aupaytv.com/index.phpindex.php?itemid=2655</comments>
 <pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:51:48 +1100</pubDate>
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