Business of Media
Britain’s Rightmove to ‘carefully consider’ REA’s $12b takeover bid
Rightmove shareholders say News Corporation-backed REA Group must make a higher offer if it wants to buy Britain’s largest property portal despite a $12 billion bid that could water down the Murdoch family media empire’s stake to less than 50 per cent, reports The AFR’s Sam Buckingham-Jones.
REA, which owns realestate.com.au, disclosed on Monday that it had made a third bid for Rightmove – offering £6.1 billion ($11.9 billion), or £7.70 a share – while criticising the London-listed company and its board for a “lack of engagement”.
But two large local Rightmove shareholders, GCQ Funds Management and Fairlight Asset Management, said that the new, higher takeover bid still undervalued the real estate firm, although they believed REA was nearing a price worth discussing.
On Monday evening, Rightmove said it would “carefully consider” the latest approach.
Seven News’ Mark Ferguson and wife to sell beloved country homestead
Seven News presenter Mark Ferguson and his wife Jayne have reluctantly decided to list their working sheep and cattle station in the heart of the NSW Southern Tablelands with a price tag of around $8.5m, reports The Australian’s Lisa Allen.
The couple have owned the 777.5ha spread of English country style land at Crookwell, near Goulburn, for nearly 10 years, but now believe family commitments mean it is time to spend more time in the city.
The historic homestead was used for many years as shearers’ quarters — which Jayne has totally transformed — is a far cry from the family of five’s life in Sydney’s inner-city suburb of Paddington.
“I am from Tamworth, I was a town boy,’’ Ferguson told The Australian. “That’s where I got the first taste. I had a dream of being a country vet. Deep down there’s a love of the land, it was always there.”
“It will be sad to say goodbye,” he said, adding that he often travels the three hours to Crookwell after finishing reading the news with Seven on a Thursday night.
News Brands
Media awards name WAtoday’s legal, environment reporting best in state
WAtoday’s work has won multiple 2024 West Australian Media Awards in what judges called an “exceptionally strong year”, with its writers described as thorough, dogged and engaging, reports WAToday’s Emma Young.
At Perth’s ANZAC Club on Saturday it was announced crime reporter Rebecca Peppiatt had won the legal affairs category with her exclusives collectively titled ‘The case of the missing millions’ on an alleged Perth Ponzi schemer.
WAtoday’s former resources reporter Peter Milne won best science and environment report for his continuing exposes on the environmental legacy of Alcoa in WA.
The prestigious Matt Price Prize for Best Columnist went to regular WAtoday contributor Brendan Foster for his work in this masthead on topics including the push for a four-day workweek, Perth’s used car market and the Eagles’ coaching dramas, with judges finding his writing “highly entertaining, engaging and incisive”.
See also: 2024 WA Media Awards: Journalist of the Year Paul Garvey plus all winners
Media Watch: Murdoch succession, Ghost papers haunting regional towns,
The episode of ABC’s Media Watch last night, hosted by Janine Perrett, featured these three stories:
• Showdown between Rupert Murdoch’s chosen son and successor, Lachlan, and his siblings is playing out in a closed Nevada court but don’t expect to get the juicy details in Rupert’s rags.
• The ABC is once again facing serious claims about its reporting of former commando Heston Russell, with the discovery extra gunshots were added to helmet cam footage published by ABC News, triggering an independent inquiry to be headed by the broadcaster’s former editorial director, Alan Sunderland.
• More staff cuts announced by Australian Community Media as it kills the print run of eight regional mastheads, leaving behind what’s called ‘Ghost newspapers’ – websites which employ no local journalists.
[Watch the episode and read a transcript]
See also: Inside the ACM model and the string of broken assistance promises from governments
Radio
4BC to give Peter Fegan breakfast, but only until December
4BC’s Peter Fegan will take over as breakfast show host – replacing Laurel Edwards, Gary Clare, and Mark Hine, reported News Corp’s Georgia Clelland late last week.
She now reports attention has now turned to the future of afternoon host Sofie Formica.
The seasoned radio presenter was notably absent from an internal email sent to staff on Thursday, which outlined the station’s programming shake-up, including Gary Hardgrave’s continuation in the Drive slot, filling the position vacated by Peter Gleeson.
Formica, who has long been a staple of 4BC’s afternoon line-up, has hinted at uncertainty regarding her future in recent cryptic social media posts.
Now Insiders say Formica is in talks with at least two rival stations, with one reportedly offering her a significant deal.
The internal announcement about breakfast, sent to staff on Thursday afternoon, confirmed that Fegan would take over the coveted breakfast slot solo from September 30 until the end of the year.
“From Monday, September 30, Peter Fegan will look after the Breakfast timeslot until the end of the year – before we wrap up the 2024 Survey Period on Friday, December 13,” the email read.
‘Plenty to build on’: Triple M breakfast trio get extended deal
The Triple M breakfast show featuring Wil Anderson, Dale “Daisy” Thomas and Rosie Walton is extending for another month, reports News Corp’s Jackie Epstein.
The trio, who were announced to fill in for the Marty Sheargold Show until October, will continue until November 30.
The Rosie, Wil & Daisy show has impressed so far but it’s understood a new show will be confirmed for 2025.
Former footy star Thomas, who works for Channel 7 and Triple M doing footy special comments and filling in on The Rush Hour, made his morning radio debut.
He told the Herald Sun he was really enjoying the change. “I’m aware it’s a fill-in spot but I’d love to continue,’’ he said.
“There’s plenty to build on and there’s an advantage having come from a team environment. We laugh a lot and I’ve really enjoyed it.”
Why it’s not ‘game over’ for Triple M Adelaide’s Rush Hour trio
It’s “all for one and one for all” for The Three Musketeers that are Bernie Vince, Greg Blewett and Andrew Jarman, report News Corp’s Anna Vlach and George Yankovich.
Their long-running bromance is now Insta official.
The three have launched their own Instagram page @bernieblewyjars. Within six hours it already had close to 1000 followers.
The trio’s top rating Adelaide drivetime show, The Rush Hour, is being axed by Triple M and is being replaced by a syndicated Melbourne version.
Vince, Blewett and Jarman were told about a week ago that their weekday sports program would be finishing up by the end of the year.
While their first @berbieblewyjars post told their followers to “Stay tuned” and “Watch this space”, the second was a video. In it they announced they would be back on air “tonight” (Monday September 23) with Jarman – a former Crow, who has clocked up more than 21 years on-air at Triple M – saying “we need your love and support”.
The video teaser suggests they plan to strike out on their own once their gigs with Triple M end around mid-November.
Sports Media
Caroline Wilson to join Seven’s broadcast team for 2025 AFL season, ABC audio no-no
High-profile Nine talent and columnist for The Age Caroline Wilson will join Seven’s AFL coverage in 2025, reports Nine Publishing’s Calum Jaspan.
Wilson will keep her column at The Age, as well as her regular commitments with Nine-owned radio station 3AW.
She will join former Port Adelaide midfielder and Nine personality Kane Cornes, who confirmed his departure from Nine to Seven in August.
Wilson is contracted to Nine (which owns The Age) until December with a restraint period, said a person with direct knowledge of the discussions but not authorised to speak, meaning Wilson will likely not join Seven’s AFL coverage until mid-2025.
See also: Updated – Caroline Wilson is the latest high-profile signing for Seven’s 2025 footy show schedule