A quiet word with the Minister

Loads more speculation on the Packer / TEN raid in today’s papers.

Here’s a round-up of what they’re saying today….

The Australian talks about how some of the key players were at Foxtel’s 15th Anniversary Dinner on the weekend, including James Packer and Stephen Conroy:
At that point the minister was tapped on the shoulder by Packer. Conroy stopped mid-sentence and the two men made a long walk between tables packed with media executives, television personalities and journalists for a private chat in the auditorium. It was unsubtle. But that seems to be the point.

….Packer was thought to have walked away from free-to-air television for good when in 2008 he passed up on the chance to maintain a 25 per cent stake in PBL Media, the private equity-controlled parent of Channel 9.

However, the success of new free-to-air digital multi-channels such as Go! as well as weak Foxtel subscriber growth in the past year has caused him to have a TV bet both ways. Packer also believes that TEN management — including former PBL chief executive Nick Falloon — should return the broadcaster to its low-cost, youth-focused roots.

It also noted:
Sources close to Mr Packer — who splurged $280 million on an 18 per cent stake in TEN last week — said the gaming and media mogul was keen to move quickly and wanted to sit down with TEN executive chairman Nick Falloon in the next few days.

The Age quotes Conroy as saying:
”I think he has decided that he wants to get back into free-to-air television. I think he has got a foot in all the camps and he likes to have all the bases covered,” Senator Conroy said on ABC TV.

He said there were some issues around competition and concentration that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission was considering.

”So we wouldn’t want to pre-empt the outcome of those. But I think James is a very, very savvy businessman and this is a very clever move,” he said. ”It’s clear that I think James has got more support than just his own holding, from all indications.”

NineMSN says:
Asked if the government had indicated its position on the anti-siphoning rules to Mr Packer, Senator Conroy said this was news to him.

“I read it online. So no he didn’t call, he didn’t advise me,” he said.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard she wasn’t advised of this and only saw the reports on Wednesday.

Senator Conroy said Mr Packer had been an active lobbyist in negotiations over the anti-siphoning list.

“He has been part of an ongoing discussion I have been having with all of the parties. We haven’t reached a final decision so there has been nothing to indicate,” he said.