Fairfax wants to merge with Rural Press. Does anyone else feel that the upcoming media ownership laws are just going to make the strong - stronger? All the jockeying to date seems to indicate this. In my humble opinion the last thing I would like to buy at a premium would be a newspaper group.
I have not heard of any new companies entering markets, it just seems to me that it is a win win for everyone except consumers - we will just have to wait and see what happens after at least 12 months into the new laws.

Rural Press also own a real estate portal propertyguide, even though it looks great it lacks content in so many areas (many listings have no photos or just on). Only recently have they actually created a system for agents to manage their listings, whereas in the past they just posted up any advertising from their papers.

If Fairfax buys Rural Press it will give them a great deal of presence in the rural areas and probably have a real effect on realestate.com.au as rural press operates many newspapers in areas where they have no competition. This basically means that a Fairfax named group could in effect advertise their products (Domain) in the newspapers much like realestate.com.au do in News Ltd papers.
Tasmania will be a great example as both major newspapers (and really the only ones) in the north of the State are Rural Press owned.

I think the ACCC may block this or at least make the newspapers make a few concessions as they do operate a couple of newspapers in the same area.

So much for diversity!

Fairfax today purchased commercialrealestate.com.au for an undisclosed amount.This now leaves only 2 players in the Commercial Real Estate space in Australia with Realestate.com.au purchasing Propertylook for a cool 9 million recently.

I just got hold of a press release from an avid reader of business2 (thank you Phillipa) and it details the sale (no mention of price as yet).

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With New Media ownership laws coming into effect soon, we will see a big change in the news landscape.

Here are some of my predictions……..
1. PBL will buy Fairfax (not the other way around) and will then hopefully do something about Domain.com.au and some other sites. Recently PBL sold their shares in Realestate.com.au and has no finger in the online real estate pie.

2. News Ltd will buy either Channel 7 or 10, which will give them a younger audience mix with their tired and declining newspapers. They will also take full control of Realestate.com.au at any price. This will give them a full suite of classifieds online and a great way to get these out to everyone.
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While we are seeing a surge in national portals, new real estate property guides (newspaper style)and the News Limited realestate.com.au really stepping up with a slew of new products and innovations, the Fairfax owned and operated Domain.com.au just sits by, watching and waiting.
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Every year around July, major media companies increase their advertising fees, whether it be newspapers, radio or television.
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