- News America Marketing
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News America Marketing, often referred to as just News America, is a marketing business owned by the News Corporation. It is one of three companies in the United States (the other two are Valassis Communications and Insignia Systems) that control almost all the in-store ads and grocery coupons in the United States.[1]
One major division of the company is SmartSource iGroup, formed in 2000 from acquisitions and investments.[2] It publishes SmartSource Magazine, a weekly consumer-branded newspaper insert offering advertising and coupon promotions, delivered in over 1,600 newspapers in the U.S.[3] The SmartSource brand began in 1998.[4]
Contents
Operations
In the fiscal year ending June 2005, the company had 28% operating margins, the highest of all News Corporation businesses. Its annual revenues were $1.1 billion, an increase of 9% from the prior year.[5] As of 2007, News America produced the majority of revenues for News Corporation's magazines and inserts division, and it controlled an estimated 50% to 60% of the insert market and as much as 90% of the in-store business.[6]
Legal cases
In 2005, Theme Promotions, a merchandising firm, won a $6.8 million jury verdict against News America.[6] The California jury found News America guilty of violating civil antitrust and unfair-competition laws.[5]
In 2006, the state of Minnesota accused News America of engaging in unfair trade practices. The company settled in 2008 by agreeing to pay costs and not to falsely disparage its competitors.[7][8]
Between 2009 and 2011, the News Corporation paid out about $655 million to settle charges of corporate espionage and anticompetitive behavior by News America.[7]
- In 2009, a federal case in New Jersey (Floorgraphics v. News America Marketing In-Store Services Inc, 04-cv-3500, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, Trenton[9]) brought by a company called Floorgraphics went to trial, accusing News America of hacking into Floorgraphics’s password-protected computers. Much of the lawsuit was based on the testimony of Robert Emmel, a former News America executive who had become a whistle-blower. After a few days of testimony, the News Corporation settled with Floorgraphics for $29.5 million; several days after that, it bought Floorgraphics.[7][10][11][12] On 20 July, US Senator Frank Lautenberg wrote a letter to the Department of Justice requesting that the on-going FBI probe include the Floorgraphics hacking allegations.[13] On July 21, 2011, it was reported that representatives of the United States Department of Justice and the FBI had begun investigation into the Floorgraphics allegations.[14]
- In 2010, the News Corporation paid $500 million to settle a case brought against it by Valassis Communications,[7] after that company had won a $300 million verdict in state court in Michigan.[15] The lawsuit by Valassis was based on claims that News America had gained market share by forcing its packaged-goods customers to sign long-term insert contracts or risk huge price increases on their in-store advertising displays[6] The settlement included News America entering into a 10-year shared mail distribution agreement with Valassis Direct Mail, a Valassis subsidiary.[16]
- At the beginning of 2011, in a case in Minnesota brought by Insignia Systems, News America faced more than $600 million in fines.[17] The News Corporation paid out $125 million to settle the allegations of anticompetitive behavior and violations of antitrust laws.[7] This was the third time that the two companies had been involved in lawsuits. In August 2000, Insignia was sued by News America regarding exclusive promotional agreements with several major supermarket retailers,[18] a suit that was settled confidentially in November 2002. In November 2003 Insignia was sued again, regarding Insignia's right to market in-store advertising and promotional services.[19]
References
- ^ Jim Edwards (February 9, 2011). "Why News Corp.’s Settlement With Insignia Creates a Grocery Ad Cartel". BNET (CBS). http://www.bnet.com/blog/advertising-business/why-news-corps-settlement-with-insignia-creates-a-grocery-ad-cartel/7533. Retrieved 2011-07-18.
- ^ "News America Marketing Forms E-Business Unit". Direct Marketing News. May 3, 2000. http://www.dmnews.com/news-america-marketing-forms-e-business-unit/article/66071/. Retrieved 2011-07-19.
- ^ "Our Products – SmartSource Magazine". News America Marketing. http://www.newsamerica.com/ourproducts/consumersathome/Pages/smartsourcemagazine.aspx. Retrieved 2011-07-18.
- ^ Theresa Howard (April 16, 1998). "News America Makes Move to Branded Coupons". Direct Marketing News. http://www.dmnews.com/news-america-makes-move-to-branded-coupons/article/58927/.
- ^ a b Peter Lattman (October 31, 2005). "Marketing With Muscle". Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2005/1031/066.html.
- ^ a b c Jennifer Reingold (July 20, 2007). "News Corp.'s trouble in aisle three". CNN. http://money.cnn.com/2007/07/19/news/companies/newsamerica.fortune/. Retrieved 2011-07-18.
- ^ a b c d e David Carr (July 18, 2011). "Troubles That Money Can’t Dispel". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/18/business/media/for-news-corporation-troubles-that-money-cant-dispel.html.
- ^ Jim Edwards (February 3, 2010). "Valassis-News America Deal Raises History of FTC Antitrust Issues". BNET (CBS). http://www.bnet.com/blog/advertising-business/valassis-news-america-deal-raises-history-of-ftc-antitrust-issues/4185?tag=content;drawer-container. Retrieved 2011-07-18.
- ^ David Glovin, News Corp. Response to Hacking Was ‘Deficient,’ Expert Said, Bloomberg News, July 21, 2011
- ^ Floorgraphics Inc. v. News America Marketing In-Stor, (3rd Cir. 2011), vLex
- ^ News America Marketing v. Robert T. Emmel, (11th Cir. 2011), vLex
- ^ Ed Pilkington, A life unravelled … whistleblower who incurred wrath of the Murdoch empire, The Guardian, profile of Robert Emmel, August 16, 2011
- ^ Sen. Lautenberg Letter
- ^ Michael Isikoff, US looks into alleged hacking by News Corp.'s ad arm, NBC News, July 21, 2011
- ^ Jim Edwards (January 29, 2010). "Valassis Could Win $3B From News America in Court, Analyst Says". BNET (CBS). http://www.bnet.com/blog/advertising-business/valassis-could-win-3b-from-news-america-in-court-analyst-says/4110. Retrieved 2011-07-18.
- ^ Jim Edwards (January 31, 2010). "Why FTC Should Examine Valassis and News America’s $500M Settlement". BNET (CBS). http://www.bnet.com/blog/advertising-business/why-ftc-should-examine-valassis-and-news-americas-500m-settlement/4124. Retrieved 2011-07-18.
- ^ Jim Edwards (February 4, 2011). "News Corp.’s $600M Dirty Tricks Trial Starts Monday… Unless It Settles". BNET (CBS). http://www.bnet.com/blog/advertising-business/news-corps-600m-dirty-tricks-trial-starts-monday-8230-unless-it-settles/7484. Retrieved 2011-07-18.
- ^ "Marketeers locked in legal dispute". St. Paul Pioneer Press. August 15, 2000. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PD&s_site=twincities&p_multi=SP&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB73A05F1CA8344&p_field_direct-0=document_id.
- ^ Benno Groeneveld (November 7, 2003). "Insignia sued by Murdoch-owned competitor". Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2003/11/03/daily47.html?jst=b_ln_hl. Retrieved 2011-07-19.
External links
- News America Marketing official website
- SmartSource official website
- Profile at Bloomberg Businessweek
- David Glovin, News Corp. Response to Hacking Was ‘Deficient,’ Expert Said, Bloomberg News, July 21, 2011, on Floorgraphics lawsuit
News Corporation Percentages indicate percentage ownershipCorporate directors:
Rupert Murdoch · José María Aznar · Natalie Bancroft · Chase Carey · David DeVoe · Arthur Siskind · Rod Eddington · Andrew Knight · James Murdoch · Lachlan Murdoch · Rod Paige · Thomas Perkins · Viet Dinh · John L. ThorntonDow Jones & Company National consumer products All Things Digital · Barron's · Financial News · FINS.com · MarketWatch.com (BigCharts · VSE) · SmartMoney · Vedomosti · The Wall Street Journal · The Wall Street Journal Asia · The Wall Street Journal Europe · Wall Street Journal Radio Network · WSJ.Dow Jones Local Media Group Enterprise products Fox Filmed Entertainment 20th Century Fox · 20th Century Fox Animation · 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment · 20th Century Fox Television · 20th Television · Fox 21 · Fox Star Studios · Blue Sky Studios · Fox Faith · Fox Searchlight Pictures · Fox Studios Australia · Fox Television Studios · Fox MusicFox Broadcasting Company Fox Television Stations Fox Cable Networks FX · Fox Movie Channel · Fox Sports Net1 · Fox Soccer · Fox Soccer Plus · Speed Channel · FUEL TV · Fox College SportsFox News Network Fox International Channels Fox (Asia · Germany · Italy · Latin America · Poland · Portugal · Spain · Turkey) · Fox Life (Greece · Italy) · FX (Asia · Australia · Greece · Latin America · UK) · Fox Crime (Asia · Italy) · Fox Retro · Fox Sports · BabyTV · Utilisima · Speed · tvN6 · Fox Family Movies · Fox History & Traveller · Cult · Voyage · National Geographic International Channels (52%)4 (National Geographic Channel (Asia · Germany · Greece · Scandinavia5 · UK5) · Nat Geo WILD4 · Nat Geo Mundo4 · National Geographic Adventure · Nat Geo Music · Premier Media Group (50%)Fox Sports International Fox Pan American Sports (33%)7 (Fox Deportes · Fox Sports Latinoamérica)News Corp. Digital Media FoxSports.com (Scout.com · WhatIfSports · Yardbarker) IGN Entertainment (AskMen.com · GameScoop · GameSpy · GameStats · IGN · Planet Network · TeamXbox · UGO Networks (1UP.com · GameTab) · Vault Network)Investments Big Ten Network (51%)8 · Fox Telecolombia (51%) LAP TV (55%) · National Geographic Channel (70%) (National Geographic Wild)4 · Telecine (13%)9 Showtime Australia (50%)10 · STATS (50%)11 LAP TV4 Owned with the National Geographic Society 5 Originally a joint venture with sister company British Sky Broadcasting (1997 – 2007) 6 Joint venture with CJ Media Korea 7 Owned with HM Capital Partners 8 Owned with Big Ten Conference 9 Owned with Globosat, Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, MGM and DreamWorks 10 Owned with Sony Pictures Entertainment, NBCUniversal, Viacom, and Liberty Global 11 Owned with Associated Press
USA Amistad · Avon · Caedmon · Ecco · Greenwillow · Harper · Harper Perennial · HarperOne · I Can Read! · It · Joanna Cotler · Katherine Tegan · Laura Gerringer · Morrow · Newmarket · Rayo · Thomas Nelson · Zondervan
UK Collins · Collins Bartholomew · Fourth Estate · The Friday Project · Blue Door · Thorsons/Element · Voyager
Australia Angus & Robertson
Metropolitan newspapers Community newspapers Sun newspapers (Northern Territory)Regional newspapers Sports Other properties Newspoll (50%) · Papua New Guinea Post-Courier (63%) · Premier Media Group (50%)
Channels Defunct channels SKY Vivo · SKY ShowJoint ventures
(Radio stations)Sky Music · 50 Songs · Yesterjay '90 · Yesterjay '80 · Capital '70 · Vintage '60 · Rock Classic · Rock Shock · Soulsista · Hit Italia · ItalianVintage · Livetime · Heart 'n Song · B-Side · Ritmo Latino · Dance · Yesterday 2000 · Jazz & Fusion · Jazz Gold · Soul Train · Extrabeat · Sinfonia · Opera · Cinema Deejay · Baby Mix · Disc JokerSee also Sky HD (Italy) · List of channels on Sky ItaliaIndia Channel [V] · STAR Gold · STAR Jalsha · STAR Movies · STAR One · Star Plus · Star Pravah · STAR Utsav · STAR World · Asianet Communications (81%)8 (Asianet · Asianet Sitara · Asianet Suvarna)( · ESPN Star Sports (50%)9 · Hathway (17%) · MCCS (26%)10 (STAR News · STAR Ananda · STAR Majha) · Vijay (81%) · Tata Sky (30%)11China STAR Chinese Channel · STAR Chinese Movies · Xing Kong (47%)12 · Channel [V] · Phoenix Television (18%)Star Select Broadcast Middle East (50%)11 (FARSI1 · Zemzemeh) · Rotana (15%)8 With Jupiter Entertainment 9 With ESPN 10 With ABP Group 11 With China Media Capital 11 With Tata Group 12 With MOBY GroupUS newspapers The Daily · New York Post · Community Newspaper Group (Bronx Times-Reporter · The Brooklyn Paper · Courier-Life Newspapers · TimesLedger Newspapers)Satellite investments BSkyB (39.1%) · Foxtel (25%) · Sky Deutschland (49.90%) · Sky Network Television (44%)
Other assets News America Marketing · NDS (49%) · News Outdoor · STAR DEN (50%) · Hulu1 · MySpace (5%)
1 Joint venture with NBC Universal and The Walt Disney Company.
Annual revenue $30.4 billion USD (17% FY 2009) · Employees 64,000 · Stock symbols NYSE: NWS / NYSE: NWSa / ASX: NWS / LSE: NCRA
See also List of assets owned by News Corporation2011 News Corporation scandal Events Companies and
organisationsBritish Sky Broadcasting (39.1%) · News International (News of the World · The Sun · The Times · The Sunday Times) · News LimitedOtherCulture, Media and Sport Committee · Federal Bureau of Investigation · Harbottle & Lewis · Independent Police Complaints Commission · Metropolitan Police · Ofcom · Press Complaints Commission · Serious Fraud Office · Solicitors Regulation AuthorityPeople Alleged victimsRebekah Brooks · Jonathan Chapman · Daniel Cloke · Andy Coulson · Tom Crone · Wendi Deng Murdoch · James Desborough · Ian Edmondson · Clive Goodman · Baron Grabiner · Simon Greenberg · Les Hinton · Sean Hoare · Joel Klein · Stuart Kuttner · William Lewis · Greg Miskiw · Tom Mockridge · Glenn Mulcaire · James Murdoch · Rupert Murdoch · Colin Myler · Jamie Pyatt · Jonathan Rees · Neville Thurlbeck · Neil Wallis · James WeatherupOtherInvestigations
and legal casesHM Advocate v Sheridan and Sheridan · Leveson Inquiry · Operation Elveden · Operation Tuleta · Operation WeetingOtherOther Categories:- Media companies of the United States
- Companies based in New York City
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