News Corp.


Foxtel names channel chief

Australian pay TV group has named a new channels chief in the shape of ex-group programme manager Stephen Baldwin. He is returning to the News Corp.- and Telstra-owned company after five years at broadcast tech company Ai-Media, most recently as COO. Baldwin will take on the newly created role of head of channels and operations […]

Ten worries eased as Foxtel buys 15% stake

Network Ten’s long search for a new financial investor led to Australian pay TV operator Foxtel acquiring a 15% stake in the Sydney-based broadcaster. Foxtel is investing up to A$77 million (US$59.5 million) in 513.3 million ordinary shares at A$0.15 a share for a stake in the free TV business. An agreement has been mooted […]

Foxtel service adds TV series as Netflix approaches

Foxtel’s subscription-on-demand service, Presto, will add television series for the first time, as the platform prepares for the impending launch of streaming behemoth Netflix. Currently, Foxtel offers movies on-demand for A$9.99 (US$8.29) a month, but will soon begin charging for a features and television bundle. Dubbed Presto Entertainment, the service will offer programming from News […]

Turner lines up $590m Ten offer

Time Warner is set to make an offer worth A$680 million (US$590 million) through its channels arm, Turner Broadcasting System, to acquire troubled Australian broadcaster Network Ten. Time Warner’s senior VP James Burtson (pictured) has contacted Ten’s investment bank advisor Citi to express interest over a possible acquisition of the free-to-air network, according to the […]

David Ellender hires for new prodco

David Ellender has recruited Quan Phung who will join Slingshot Global Media, the former FremantleMedia boss’ recently-formed prodco. Phung most recently worked at US indie Bluegrass Television. Before that he was at News Corp. (now 21st Century Fox). While at News’ US broadcast network Fox he developed How I Met Your Mother and My Name […]

James, Lachlan Murdoch land key Fox roles

Rupert Murdoch has handed his sons Lachlan and James key new roles within his entertainment media group 21st Century Fox. Lachlan Murdoch (left) has resigned from his role as chairman at Network Ten to become non-executive co-chairman of 21st Century Fox alongside his father, who is also CEO. He also takes the same role at […]

21st Century Fox to delist in Oz

Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox is delisting shares from the Australia Stock Exchange after regulators okayed the move. The company will stop trading on the ASX on May 1, with all Class A and Class B stock then trading on the NASDAQ in the US. Murdoch (left) split his businesses in two last year, with […]

Viewpoint, Gary Lico: Guess what? Everyone was right

Sorry for the old school rant here, but everything industry pundits said would happen a couple dozen years ago has happened. All those pesky rules that curtailed media cross-ownership, studio ownership, channel ownership and just plain global domination have gone away. These were big issues as recently as the 1980s; the theory was that if […]

News Corp gets huge rebate

Foxtel co-owner News Corp has received a massive tax rebate from Australian authorities amounting to almost A$900 million (US$812.9 million). The Australian Financial Review reported that the huge payment, totalling A$882 million and revealed in the company’s latest accounts filing, was the largest cash payment ever made by the country’s tax office. Australian tax authorities […]

3D takes a hit as Foxtel closes dedicated channel

A “worldwide lack” of content is behind the closure of Australian pay TV platform Foxtel’s dedicated 3D channel. Foxtel has announced the channel will cease broadcasting and be removed from its EPG slot, 201, on both onscreen and online TV guides on Tuesday 27 August, 2013. This was “due to a worldwide lack of 3D […]