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“Space, the final frontier,” intoned actor William Shatner opening each episode of the television series Star Trek. It was the 1960s; space travel and all things related being extremely popular. Over the last six decades governments mounting activities in space have not hesitated, usually, telling those stories. Publishers and broadcasters latched onto the theme of “boldly going…”.
The Russian Federation has long told space adventure stories. But times change. Now all media reporting in Russia is suspect, even about space travel. That final frontier is now censorship. (See more about media in the Russian Federation here)
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) issued a rule last week punishing media outlets for publishing anything about “military operations or space programs,” reported Ars Technica and the Guardian (October 6). They made a list that includes reporting on "new technologies, products, components that give products new properties,” from space agency Roscosmos. Those who dare will be declared “foreign agents,” meaning bad thing happen. (See more about censorship here)
Purely by coincidence, the FSB ruling came as former Kommersant and Vedomosti reporter and Roscosmos advisor Ivan Safronov had his pre-trail detention extended until January, reported Russian news agency RAI Novosti (October 4). He was arrested 15 months ago and charged with treason in July. His father, also Ivan Safronov and also a Kommersant reporter covering military affairs, died falling from a building in 2007, circumstances considered mysterious.
Something mysterious takes place in the minds of political leaders as election season approaches. Even those generally well-regarded are seized with a special malaise. Actually, this happens everywhere.
Allegedly, current Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz demanded “benevolent” reporting in 2016 from Mediengruppe Österreich, publisher of daily tabloid/web portal Österreich/OE24, in return for ad placements. Actually, it was more like paid product placement: an opinion poll showing Herr Kurz’ election prospects in a positive light funded by the Ministry of Finance. The payment was €1.3 million. Mediengruppe Österreich is principally owned by controversial talkshow host turned publisher and broadcaster Wolfgang Fellner, (See more about media in Austria here)
Agents of Austria’s Office for Economic Affairs and Corruption (WKStA), in their official capacity, recently visited offices of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), the Chancellory and Finance Ministry, noted Austrian daily Kurier (October 6). Under investigation is use of public funds "to finance exclusively party-politically motivated, sometimes manipulated surveys by an opinion research company in the interests of a political party and its top functionary,” said the WKStA statement. Publication in “an Austrian daily newspaper” was not declared as advertising. "In return the officials involved made payments to the media company as part of media and advertising cooperations.” (See more about elections and media here)
Investigator’s eyes were raised, said the Kurier report, by testimony at the Ibiza Inquiry committee by former Freedom Party (FPÖ) foreign minister Karin Kneissl about “massively reduced” public service advertising expenditures. The suspicion is another infamous quid pro quo, compensation in exchange for “benevolent” reporting. Ibiza refers, some will remember, to the 2019 political scandal resulting from a leaked video of a meeting on the Spanish island Ibiza two years earlier, posted to the world by German news outlet Süddetsche Zeitung (SZ). (See more about the Ibiza-gate story here) Exposed in the video FPÖ leader Hans-Christian Strache nodded to a suggestion by a person posing as a rich Russian that newspaper Kronen Zeitung could be acquired in exchange for favorable press coverage ahead of parliamentary elections. It turns out the meeting was an elaborate sting. Everybody was embarrassed except crack SZ investigative reporters Bastian Obermayer and Frederik Obermaier. The fallout from Ibiza-gate continues to rattle Austria.
Media companies of a certain scale have fairly clear territorial strategies. Bertelsmann/RTL made that clear in recent weeks. Risk must be weighed against reality and every media market comes with both. Wide-reaching media transactions tell several stories.
Antenna Group has agreed to acquired pay-TV assets of Sony Pictures Television (SPT) in 12 central and eastern European markets, said the Antenna Group statement (October 2). The deal includes the AVN, Sony, Viasat 3 and Viasat 6 franchises in Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Montenegro. Financial considerations, status of regulatory approvals and planned closing date were not disclosed. (See more about mergers and acquisitions here)
“We have invested in this region for more than 20 years aiming to provide the best entertainment and news content locally,” said Antenna Group chairman Theodore Kyriakou in the statement. “This acquisition is yet another step in this direction whilst unlocking further growth in these markets.” ANT1 Group, as the company is known, operates several television and radio channels in Greece and Cyprus plus three Romanian TV channels. In 2008 the company sold Bulgarian TV operator Nova TV to Modern Times Group (MTG), now known as NENT, for €620 million, which sold it on in 2019. The Viasat brand originated with MTG.
Hardly a coincidence, SPT recruited RTL Hungary program acquisition manager Tibor Forizs two weeks ago as regional director, which prompted rumors of a pending sale. In September Canal+ Group acquired a 70% stake in SPI International, a free-to-air, pay-TV and streaming platform operator in Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Serbia, the Netherlands and Russia. SPT, for its part, recently merged India operations with Zee Entertainment.
Swedish tech trade publisher IDG is “abolishing” paywalls, reported Dagens Media (October 1). “Reader revenue is not part of our strategies,” said chief editor Marcus Jerräng. ”Our journalism is about helping our target groups make better decisions and become more successful in their professional role.” IDG publishes Computer Sweden and M3 among other titles. It is a subsidiary of IDG Communications, a global tech trade publisher.
Reader access to the digital platforms, however, requires a sign-up. This practice is becoming increasingly common, not just with trade publishers. Collecting, sorting and re-selling data, particularly with that all-important email address, is easier and more lucrative, some find, than badgering casual readers for subscriptions or memberships. (See more about paywalls here)
Publishers, too, are learning that digital subscribers behave differently than print subscribers of the past. ”It’s hard and slow to get subscribers, but it's as much or more to retain the,” said Spanish newspaper El Confidencial deputy president José Antonio Zarzalejos to a recent publishing event organized by KPMG, quoted by media news portal DirComfidencial (October 4). “It is a battle that must be fought to the end.”
Digital subscriptions have been adopted by most Spanish publishers - similar to Sweden and elsewhere. Some recently. "Digital subscription is a very interesting and exponentially growing avenue,” said El Periódico de Catalunya director Alberto Saez. “We are now more of a service than a product. And that is a radical change.”
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