Former Five and Sky executive David Elstein has set out an optimistic vision for the future of commercial radio in his delivery of the Guardian Media Group lecture at the annual Radio Academy Radio Festival in Birmingham.Covering a wide range of topics in his keynote speech last night the veteran broadcast chief described his views… Continue reading Elstein Sets Out Optimistic Vision For Commercial Radio

A new report from Amercian-based research firm IMS Research has predicted an influx of Freeview-ready DVD recorders to the UK, potentially boosting the digital terrestrial television service with an extra 1.8 million viewers by 2009.According to the research, around 3.6 million recorders will hit British shores before the end of the decade, with about half… Continue reading DVD Recorders Expected To Boost Freeview Numbers

Channel 4 has come under fire from a media watchdog which has branded its programming ‘sleazy’ and is calling for the withdrawal of the broadcaster’s licence.Mediawatch-UK, previously known as the National Viewers’ and Listeners’ Association, was founded by infamous taste and decency campaigner Mary Whitehouse in 1965. The organisation is now calling for advertisers and… Continue reading Watchdog Calls For Viewers To Desert ‘Sleazy’ Channel 4

Former Five chief executive David Elstein has entered into a bidding war for control of the Hallmark Channel, reputed to have tabled an offer of around £500 million, the move puts him in direct competition with reported bids from several other companies including Sony.Among the parties understood to be interested in acquiring the Hallmark Channel… Continue reading Former Five Boss Enters Bidding War For Hallmark Channel

News International, owners of The Times, Sunday Times and The Sun, has announced a partnership with Powerade to promote the drink’s close association with this year’s Olympic games.The deal spans News International’s portfolio of newspapers and will see the Coca Cola-owned brand promoted across all news, features and supplements in the newspapers as well as… Continue reading News International Partners Powerade For Olympics

The Times has signed an exclusive partnership with car manufacturer Volkswagen to celebrate 30 years of its Golf car via print and online promotions.The partnership will see the car being promoted through a custom-built microsite housed on Times Online for three months, as well as receiving coverage in the newspaper’s print edition. A specially-dedicated channel… Continue reading Times Partners Volkswagen For Cross Media Promotion

David Elstein, formerly a Five and Sky TV executive, is preparing to outline his vision of the UK’s radio industry to some of the biggest names in the industry at next week’s Radio Academy Festival in Birmingham.NewsLine will report live from the event, as the broadcasting heavyweight airs his views on the future of commercial… Continue reading Elstein To Outline Vision For Radio At Birmingham Festival

The BBC has announced an end to month-long wrangles over the future of its technology division with the selection of Siemens Business Services as the new owner of BBC Technology.The sale must now receive approval from the BBC governors, culture secretary Tessa Jowel and the European Commission under the terms of its merger regulations. It… Continue reading BBC Announces Siemens As Winning Bidder In Tech Sell-Off

ITV is planning a raft of early-evening soap spin-off programmes to boost flagging tea-time ratings, building on the success of popular soaps such as The Bill and Coronation Street.The broadcaster is understood to have commissioned scripts from programme maker Thames Television for a Bill spin-off entitled Sun Hill General, centering on the fictional St Hughes… Continue reading ITV Planning Soap Spin-Offs To Boost Autumn Schedule

Pay-for-performance search firm Overture has bolstered of its sales operation with the appointment of Richard Firminger as sales director with responsibility for accelerating growth and service levels across the company.The appointment sees Firminger, formerly of AdLINK, DoubleClick, CMP Media and VNU Business Publications, given responsibility for managing and directing Overture’s UK sales with a brief… Continue reading Overture Boosts Growth With New Sales Director