Catalano’s proposal is knocked back.
Fairfax and Nine News collaborated for the first time ahead of the merger. The joint investigation reveals China’s Ministry of State Security had ramped up cyber attacks on Australian companies over the past year.
Two speed humps that could stop the Nine-Fairfax merger.
I think Catalano launched this bid far too late and that the Federal Court should tell him to go away.
And I suspect that’s exactly what they will do
As much as I disagree with the merger, and in some small way would like to see him get up in court, this is as good as done. Too little, too late.
ABC is reporting that the Federal Court has approved the takeover but Catalano will attempt to appeal
The AFR reporting that Catalano says he probably won’t appeal.
Done deal.
Ironic that in the 80s Fairfax owned all the components of a multi-platform media company that would have been well placed to face the future,
Newspapers, Macquarie radio and the Seven network along with assorted other properties.
Then came along young Warwick Fairfax… the rest is history and now Fairfax is no more…
I wonder if Alan Jones (Nine majority owned via Fairfax MRN) on Sunrise (rival Seven) will remain?
Hugh Marks only commented on Basil Zempilas and 6PR and said there were no plans to change.
Also similar question mark for Nick McCallum (rival Seven) long time contributor for 3AW (MRN)?
Perhaps after the merger, Alan Jones might be on Today…like he used to be! 
Though it would seem very excessive to have all 3AW / 2GB current affairs personalities on the one breakfast show. Gives the word monopoly a whole new meaning!
Would certainly give Shaun Micallef some more material…
Neil Mitchell for years (possibly still does) wrote a regular column in the Herald Sun even though his radio employer was tied to Fairfax.
Personally I have no doubt that the merged Nine/Fairfax will allow prominent personalities such as those mentioned above to honour their current contracts with rival media outlets.
But come renegotiation time, you’d have to imagine that the organisation will want all their big stars 100% on board with “Team Nine” across all platforms.
…and Ray Hadley here in Sydney currently does his morning show on Fairfax-aligned 2GB while doing a column for the News Corp-owned Daily Telegraph on Fridays.
McCallum is filling in for Tom Elliott the second week of December and the first two weeks of January. Are you expecting Hugh Marks to suddenly fire him?
Alan Jones writes columns for News Corp in addition to appearing on Seven and Sky. Are you expecting Murdoch and Stokes to fire Jones next week?
I seriously doubt that there will be any problems. Nine are continuing with Your Money despite it being produced by competitor News Corp.
“Personalities” have contracts which include clauses allowing them to undertake work elsewhere.
The earliest that would change would be at renegotiation time… and if Nine wants to stop them appearing elsewhere they’ll have to make good the money that would be lost.
They may want to do that for select people… but it won’t be many.
Plus Nine would regard, quite rightly, any appearances elsewhere as good publicity.
