In today’s ExchangeWire news digest: AT&T are reportedly planning to build a ‘super SVOD’ by combining WarnerMedia with Discovery; the Australian government promise AUD $4.2m to ACMA to help them enforce the News Media Bargaining Code; and the government of Japan plan to impose new rules to make anti-fraud measures compulsory for tech companies.
AT&T to build $150bn streaming service with Discovery
AT&T are close to reaching a deal to create a streaming titan worth USD $150bn (£106.3bn). The new offering will derive from marrying the firm’s WarnerMedia content unit with competitor Discovery, according to sources close to the matter.
News by Anthony Keane
Premium Content There s not a lot of losers in this year s Budget, which features extra government spending everywhere you look. The spending spree is best illustrated by the fact that the combined deficit for the next three years - $285 billion - is higher than what was forecast in last October s Budget, despite the much stronger-than-expected economy.
WOMEN: A $345 million package of health measures targets women and girls, focusing on anxiety and depression, cancers and reproductive health. There are also new measures to address domestic violence and workplace harassment, and to encourage female leadership in business.
SINGLE PARENTS: A new Family Home Guarantee Scheme will help single parents with dependent children buy a home with just a 2 per cent deposit, if they are able to service the loan.
Budget 2021: Bushfire-prone urban fringes to get AU$16.4m in mobile network grants ZDNet 5/6/2021
The Australian government has said it will be handing over AU$16.4 million in mobile connectivity grants as part of its 2021 Budget set to be unveiled on May 11.
The grants will be focused on bushfire-prone peri-urban areas, the outskirts and transition areas between urban and rural landscapes, and given the abbreviation PUMP for Peri-Urban Mobile Program. Improving coverage on the peri-urban fringe will help communities access vital information during emergencies, seek help if needed and stay in touched with loved ones, Communications Minister Paul Fletcher said. PUMP will also improve the quality and reliability of available mobile services, providing benefits on a day-to-day basis for those living and working in these communities.
ACMA given $4.2m to enforce News Media Code
May 5, 2021 10:02
The Australian Government is setting aside $4.2 million in the 2021-22 Budget for the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to support the implementation and administration of the government’s new News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code.
This is despite numerous publishers signing agreements with tech giants Google and Facebook outside of the code, including News Corp, Seven West Media, Australian Community Media, Private Media, Solstice Media and Schwartz Media.
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, Paul Fletcher, said the funding would provide ACMA with the resources to enforce the code.