Newspapers across Australia have dedicated their front pages to the Nine and Fairfax merger, with The Australian basically running an obituary for the fallen Fairfax.
The news that Nine would absorb Fairfax, resulting in the Fairfax name being dropped about 177 years, shook the media industry yesterday, with the announcement consuming every major media outlet across the nation.
It comes as no surprise as News Corp papers, a fierce rival of Fairfax, are reveling in the news that the company will cease to exist in its current form, with the Daily Telegraph also using its front page to slam CEO Greg Hywood for "killing" the Fairfax name.
Fairfax-owned papers, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and the Australian Financial Review, unsuprisingly took a more positive approach to their coverage.
The Australian Financial Review cover argued the deal would help the two media companies compete against the forces of Facebook and Google.
Today's @theage front page pic.twitter.com/Jz3JhBqP4F
— Anna Prytz (@annaprytz) July 26, 2018
Australian papers going big on Fairfax-Nine merger - and leaving few guessing which stable each is in. pic.twitter.com/TzXa84Q5en
— Vernon Small (@VernonSmall) July 26, 2018
Today's front page, with @Trask_Journo, @blake_foden, @sally_pryor and @dougdingwall pic.twitter.com/XGNstX6JkE
— Canberra Times (@canberratimes) July 26, 2018
What you'll find in the Friday edition of the @dailytelegraph https://t.co/mlFp0MwOuL pic.twitter.com/hFVrvj8YbP
— The Daily Telegraph (@dailytelegraph) July 26, 2018
Front pages following the Nine/Fairfax merger... pic.twitter.com/kj2eMTJIWj
— AdNews (@AdNews) July 27, 2018
Yesterday, Hugh Marks, who will lead the newly formed entity, admitted Stan and Domain were the main merger motivators, but also promised to uphold Fairfax's commitment to independent journalism.
So far, consumers and staffers have had a strong reaction to the news, with some openly hostile to the idea of Fairfax being forgotten, while media buyers have welcomed the move as it stands to offer them scale and simplicity.
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