Seven West Media Chair Kerry Stokes has taken a swipe on the Albanese authorities over a weak stance on streaming platforms.
Talking this week at Seven West Media’s annual normal assembly on Thursday he mentioned, “(Former Treasurer) Josh Frydenberg sat there and held the streamers to account, and he made them pay a price for our journalism, and he did that by means of pure energy of argument.
“The present authorities doesn’t appear to have the ability to proceed that, as a result of they (the streaming and social media firms) are advising us they aren’t going to proceed paying for that service. They suppose they’ve paid an excessive amount of for stealing.”
Stokes mentioned authorities intervention is required to “degree the enjoying subject” and this could profit all Australians.
Native information is susceptible to being misplaced if swift motion was not taken.
“Seven and our opponents, at 9 and 10, if we quit you’ll find yourself having Zuckerberg as your information editor . . . you received’t have native information, you received’t have impartial journalism.”
Through the AGM, Seven’s CEO Jeff Howard, mentioned that first-half buying and selling for the present monetary 12 months had been combined.
“Primarily based on efficiency thus far and ahead bookings, Seven’s income for the primary half of FY25 is at the moment pacing down about 6.5 per cent,” Howard mentioned.
When adjusted for one-off occasions such because the FIFA Ladies’s World Cup, the corporate’s underlying income would solely be one per cent under the identical time final 12 months.
“SWM stays on monitor to ship full-year internet price discount of $20m-$30m versus FY24,” he mentioned.
Kerry Stokes additionally took purpose at a latest 4 Corners report on ABC round 7News Highlight and office tradition.
“Our formal criticism to the ABC — making a compelling case that 4 Corners had clearly failed to satisfy the broadcaster’s personal ideas of impartiality, accuracy and equity — was unsurprisingly ignored,” the Seven West Media chair mentioned.
“Regardless of our request, the ABC’s Ombudsman has additionally refused to research the matter.
“The 4 Corners program backfired because the ABC itself is now the topic of costs of hypocrisy and entrenched cultural issues together with racism, misogyny and bullying.
This assault didn’t dent the spirit and delight of our extremely gifted, hard-working {and professional} groups.”
An ABC spokesperson mentioned, “It’s incorrect that Seven’s criticism has been ignored. The ABC stands by the reporting in this system.”
Supply: The Nightly, BandT, Mumbrella
