Network Ten shake up and implications for League

[Coxy]

First James Packer buys a shitload of shares, and now Lachlan Murdoch wants a slice of the pie.
http://www.news.com.au/business/lachlan ... 5944432727

LACHLAN Murdoch is looking to make a dramatic return as a TV player by joining forces with James Packer in his $280 million raid on the Ten Network.

If the proposed move were to proceed, it would reunite Mr Murdoch, 39, and Mr Packer, 43, as business partners two-and-a-half years after they unsuccessfully made a $3.3 billion bid to privatise pay-TV giant Consolidated Media Holdings.

Mr Murdoch wants to invest up to $155 million by taking as much as half of Mr Packer's new stake in Ten.

The two friends would then jointly own up to 20 per cent of the network.

This may have implications for rugby league given the TV rights deal goes up for grabs in the next year. Both Packer and Murdoch have had significant interest in Rugby League in the past, and I'm sure they'd see the League rights as a big value add for their network.

Of course there's speculation they also want to boost Ten's share of the AFL rights they currently share with 7.

Still, I think it's good news. They're astute businessmen. They won't let the opportunity to jag the number 1 rating football code (TV wise) go without giving it a shot.

 

[Fozz]

Remember the last time they got together?

One.tel

 

[Coxy]

Exactly! They've learnt from their mistakes [icon_wink

 

[Bannermania]

They will make a massive go at it because they're rethinking the strategy of the Channel ONE model. If they pick up both codes, that channel will have a massive share = marketing and ad time = profit.

They will get it. They know what they want.

 

[Nashy]

Sport on 10 is like having someone shit in your ears.

 

[Coxy]

They will make a massive go at it because they're rethinking the strategy of the Channel ONE model. If they pick up both codes, that channel will have a massive share = marketing and ad time = profit.

They will get it. They know what they want.

^^ This. One is currently a dead duck because it has SFA sport of interest (just AFL really).

 

[Bannermania]

They will make a massive go at it because they're rethinking the strategy of the Channel ONE model. If they pick up both codes, that channel will have a massive share = marketing and ad time = profit.

They will get it. They know what they want.

^^ This. One is currently a dead duck because it has SFA sport of interest (just AFL really).

Yeah at the moment ONE is based around obscure sports you don't often find on FTA. With 16 FTA channels currently available, it makes it harder and harder for stations to get a sweet share of the ratings, for example. ONE atm has 1% of the overall ratings.

Packer and Murdoch will either abadon the station and lower the costings, or make a play for a big sport with another network eg. NRL, and make it a massive player.

 

[mrslong]

If they could get NRL, some domestic cricket (not that shite IPL) and AFL, ONE HD could be a HUGE CASH COW. Even add to it the domestic (gah) Soccer and they could really turn FTA around.

ATM they don't even replay the NFL or MLB games during prime time, and continually flog the dreg Soccer matches and Nascar [icon_thumbs_do I don't understand [icon_shru (bring back Sunday lunchtime college football ffs)

The only real thing in their favour is the AFL and the Formula 1

 

[Coxy]

They also have the NBL TV rights. Not a huge winner, but at least it's local sport. Were they also showing the national netball league?

But yeah. IPL. Pfft. Honestly, it's a snorefest. Who cares?!??! Nascar? LOLZ! Slamball or whatever it is...pffft.

 

[mrslong]

Oh yeah, I did enjoy the netball Aus v NZ games :oops:

 

[Bannermania]

They also have the NBL TV rights. Not a huge winner, but at least it's local sport. Were they also showing the national netball league?

But yeah. IPL. Pfft. Honestly, it's a snorefest. Who cares?!??! Nascar? LOLZ! Slamball or whatever it is...pffft.

Yeah they bought a whole bunch of crap to get the channel alive with content, and they've just continually renenwed it because they haven't found anything to replace it (except for Slamball, they ditched that)

 

[Flutterby]

Or - another take on it (as discussed by Roy Masters http://www.smh.com.au/sport/packers-swo ... 16xux.html) is that they will shut down One HD and drive more people to Foxtel which Packer owns one quarter or and specifically Fox Sports, which Packers owns half of.

However if the original potential theory of this post pans out and Ten get the NRL TV rights, this will also give everyone else another chance to bitch about the Broncos as Murdoch is the Broncos #1 ticket holder and no doubt if he is part of the company that has the TV rights, people will find some conspiracy that supposedly favours the Broncos.

 

[Coxy]

You're right Flutterby. It doesn't really matter what decision is made, somehow it's a Broncos conspiracy.

Won't surprise me in the least if people see the Independent Commission as some kind of conspiracy to strengthen the Broncos...even though many already make the link between the NRL being half owned by News meaning the Broncos and Storm get unfair favouritism.

 

[Flutterby]

even though many already make the link between the NRL being half owned by News meaning the Broncos and Storm get unfair favouritism.

Yeah - even though Lachlan Murdoch resigned from News quite a few years ago, but with News selling out of the game, these people will see him buying the rights as the new way for him to get some kind of unfair advantage for the Broncos :roll:

 

[Coxy]

There's still some Titans fans who think Inglis moved to the Broncos because that's what News Limited decreed had to happen, but that Inglis really wanted to go to the Gold Coast. :roll:

 

[mrslong]

There's still some Titans fans who think Inglis moved to the Broncos because that's what News Limited decreed had to happen, but that Inglis really wanted to go to the Gold Coast. :roll:

dont you know he wanted to work on his tan brah?

 

[Bannermania]

even though many already make the link between the NRL being half owned by News meaning the Broncos and Storm get unfair favouritism.

Yeah - even though Lachlan Murdoch resigned from News quite a few years ago, but with News selling out of the game, these people will see him buying the rights as the new way for him to get some kind of unfair advantage for the Broncos :roll:

FB, Lachlan Murdoch is still a director and shareholder of News Ltd. He hasn't resigned at all.

 

[Flutterby]

No doubt he's still a shareholder, but he resigned in 2005

Lachlan already has a new venture
By Lisa Murray
August 18, 2005


Rupert Murdoch's older son, Lachlan, is getting on with life outside the family empire, setting up a new Australian company, Illyria Pty Ltd.

Wasting no time, the 33-year-old heir put the wheels in motion for Illyria's creation just three days after announcing he had quit his executive role at News Corp

http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/lac ... 27667.html

Though I believe he does still consult and may have a non-voting "directorship", but he certainly has no real role in the day to day running of the business.