
News Corp is entering the sports-betting market, joining a consortium to launch an online wagering brand in Australia, according to people familiar with the matter. The consortium is joining a competitive field in one of the most mature sports-betting markets in the world. The company has a current working title of BetR, according to one of the people.

Australia’s antitrust watchdog is calling for powers to curb Google’s use of internet data to sell targeted ads, joining other regulators in saying the firm dominates the market to the point of hurting publishers, advertisers and consumers.

The deal with News Corp follows a standoff over legislation passed by the Australian government to compensate publishers.

Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Facebook confirmed that they have agreed on amendments to proposed legislation to require the social network and Google to pay for Australian news that they feature. Facebook’s cooperation is a major victory in Australian efforts to make the two gateways to the Internet pay for the journalism that they use.

Google today threatened to make its search engine unavailable in Australia if the government goes ahead with plans to make tech giants pay for news content. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison quickly hit back, saying “we don’t respond to threats.” Above, Mel Silva (r), the managing director of Google Australia and New Zealand, appears via a video link during a Senate inquiry into a mandatory code of conduct proposed by the government at Parliament House in Canberra, Friday, Jan. 22. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP)

In releasing a draft of a mandatory code of conduct, the government aims to succeed where other countries have failed in making the global digital giants pay for news siphoned from commercial media companies.
SYDNEY (AP) — Australia’s national news agency will continue with new owners, the board confirmed Friday, just weeks before it was due to be shut down. But the agency will be slimmed down, with only about half the former number of staff. The Australian Associated Press board said an agreement with a consortium of investors […]
In its first major international acquisition, the U.S. giant stunned the Fox mogul with a deal that gives the Leslie Moonves-led company a foothold in the fourth-largest English-speaking market.
CBS said it plans to use the takeover of Ten Network to launch its subscription streaming service CBS All Access in the Australian market.
The deal thwarts Lachlan Murdoch’s attempt to gain control of the broadcaster. The sale price will be revealed in a report to creditors within days.
SYDNEY (AP) — Oprah Winfrey joined 300 eager audience members Wednesday in Australia, where they were flown in for an action-packed, Down Under adventure including close encounters with kangaroos, surfing lessons and a journey to the remote and dusty Outback. Winfrey kicked off her 25th and final season of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in September […]