NINE MERGER: ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR FAIRFAX
* It could mark the end of six years of upheaval for the 185-year-old media giant, sparked by the digital disruption of its traditional revenue streams.
* Since 2012, Fairfax has shed more than 2000 jobs, shut newspapers, printing presses and other publications.
* But it also bought assets, expanded its footprint in radio and New Zealand and oversaw the successful spin-off of its 60 per cent owned real estate advertising success story, Domain.
Here's a timeline of the highlights:
2018
JULY
* $2.2 billion friendly takeover of Fairfax by Nine revealed with hopes with will generate annualised cost savings of $50 million.
* Signs off on deal with News Corp Australia to share their printing networks, with the closure of 2 Fairfax print centres in NSW and Qld, saving $15 million a year.
MARCH
* Pulls the plug on plans to merge its NZ subsidiary with media rival NZME after long-running regulatory issues.
FEBRUARY
* Fairfax announces sale or closure of more than a third of its NZ print publications.
* 54pct fall in first-half net profit to $38.5m after restructuring and redundancy costs.
2017
DECEMBER
* Teams up with Google to boost advertising and digital subscription growth across mastheads.
NOVEMBER
* Domain lists on ASX as a $2 billion separate company with Fairfax retaining 60 per cent stake.
JULY
* Fairfax announces Domain spin-off.
* Private equity groups TPG Capital and Hellman & Friedman withdraw separate buyout proposals of about $2.8 billion after Fairfax resistance.
JUNE
* Rejects proposal for 54.5 per cent of its Macquarie Media radio asset from a consortium including businessman John Singleton.
MAY
* TPG Capital and Hellman & Friedman make first proposed takeover approaches to Fairfax and bidding war commences.
* Fairfax journalist miss federal budget lock-up for the first time due to strike.
* SMH, Age, Brisbane Times, WA Today journalists strike after hearing a quarter of newsroom staff - 125 persons - will be made redundant. Worst case of industrial action seen at the company since the 1980s.
APRIL
* Fairfax announces plans to cut costs by $30 million after sharp advertising and circulation declines.
FEBRUARY
* First-half net profit jumps to $83.7 million, from $33 million in the previous corresponding period.
* Editor-in-chief positions for major mastheads, SMH and Age, dropped and new Editors appointed.
* Fairfax settles defamation action brought by businessman Wal King with an apology and payment.
2016
AUGUST
* Full-year net profit loss of $893.5 million, after $485 million writedown of its media operations.
MAY
* Flags end to weekday print editions of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age due to falling ad revenue. This never eventuated.
MARCH
* Journalist walked off the job after hearing 120 editorial jobs will be axed from mastheads in Sydney and Melbourne.
* Fairfax scotches reports it's considering buying a stake in Nine Entertainment as "total fabrication".
2015
JULY
* About 43 full-time, including 37 editorial, jobs cut from 17 NSW community papers.
* Fairfax losses defamation action brought by Liberal Treasurer Joe Hockey.
MARCH
* Nick Falloon takes over as Chairman.
* Macquarie Radio Network merger with Fairfax Media's radio network gets shareholder approval giving Fairfax access to ad streams from the highly successful 2GB and 3AW.
* First-half net profit slumps 86 per cent to $26.3 million after redundancy costs and to other charges.
2014
NOVEMBER
* Fairfax boss Greg Hywood declares the media group is in good shape.
* Annual earnings back in the black with a $224 million profit.
2012
* Fairfax announces the biggest shake-up in its history by axing; More than 1,900 jobs axed, printing presses closed and broadsheet format for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age dumped for "compact" editions.
* Annual net loss blows out to out to $2.73 billion for 2011/12.
