Having been the largest single contributor to the election of Tony Abbott's Coalition government, Rupert Murdoch is looking for his reward, according to word around the industry. The Sun King - as he has been crowned - is said to have been talking to the freshly minted Canberra legislators about the possibility of acquiring the Ten Network.

The jungle drums say his agenda also includes discussion on the abolition of anti-siphoning laws restricting the ability of pay-television operator Foxtel to exclusively broadcast first-run premier sports events.

Illustration: Michael Mucci.

The lobbying is said to extend to the Foreign Investment Review Board (or at least its ultimate master, Treasurer Joe Hockey) and media regulator the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

The acquisition of Ten has long been speculated to be on Murdoch's wish list, but under the previous government the notion of doing News Corp any favours was fanciful. It would make perfect sense for Murdoch to revisit this lobbying under the Abbott regime.