Deutsche Bank will next week auction off a 40% stake in Axel Springer which publishes the prominent German newspapers, Bild and Die Welt. The bank has taken responsibility for the stake from Kirch Media which has been unable to repay loan debts after falling into bankruptcy earlier this year (see KirchMedia Files For Bankruptcy Signalling… Continue reading Axel Springer Stake Up For Sale
ARCHIVE ▸ The Media Leader Staff
Emap has confirmed that Hachette Filipacchi is to keep hold of the glossy women’s monthly, Red after a £17 million deal was thrashed out between the two publishers. Emap insiders have suggested that the group was keen to maintain control of Red, and had increased its offer to Hachette several times in an attempt to… Continue reading Emap Sells Stake In Red Magazine
Following protracted negotiations, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation has agreed to buy Telepiù, the loss-making Italian pay-TV operator, from Vivendi Universal for E920 million (£580 million). Speaking at a conference in New York yesterday, Murdoch said that Telepiù was “a world class property in an untapped market without cable competition.” News Corp will take an 80%… Continue reading News Corp Completes Telepiu Transaction
In a bid to attract advertisers, the IAB, which represents the interests of interactive media companies, is to rebrand streaming media as “interactive broadcasting”. Research among more than 500 executives, 70% of whom work for ad agencies with primary responsibility in the media buying, planning and supervisory categories, found that 79% agreed that the change… Continue reading IAB Reveals New Name For Streaming Media
Germany is still the leading European internet power, with approximately one-quarter of the continent’s online population, according to a report from Information et Publicité. The research firm also found that German surfers spend an average of 522 minutes a month online. The Spanish and French are also keen surfers averaging 495 and 476 minutes respectively.… Continue reading Germany Is Top European Internet Market
New research claims that the newspaper industry has underestimated the threat posed by the web, reports Mediapost. A study, conducted by Gordon Borrell of Borrell Associates and Clark G. Gilbert of the Harvard Business School, has warned US newspapers that they have become complacent and need to adapt to the changing media landscape. “They’re not… Continue reading Newspapers Must Face Up To Challenge Of The Net, Says Report
UPC has filed for bankruptcy protection in the US and Netherlands ahead of a debt for equity swap designed to secure the future of Europe’s largest cable TV company. Financial restructuring is expected to result in UnitedGlobalCom, a subsidiary of Liberty Media, increasing its share of the company to 65.5%. UPC’s remaining bondholders will retain… Continue reading UPC Files For Bankruptcy
Telewest Communications, the struggling UK cable firm, has reached an agreement with bondholders to eradicate £3.5 billion of its £5.3 billion debt in return for 97% of the company’s shares. It has also deferred the repayment of £68 million of interest on bonds as it seeks further approval from investors. The debt for equity swap… Continue reading Telewest Agrees £3.5 Billion Debt Deal
The total number of cable subscribers to high speed internet services in the US is approximately 10 million, according to a new survey by the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA). The organisation asserts that since 1996, operators have spent more than $65 billion upgrading cable systems to enable consumers to access digital broadband services.… Continue reading US Cable Modem Customers Reach 10 Million Mark
Online map sites have experienced some of the fastest growth seen on the internet in the last year, according to a report from Nielsen//NetRatings. The research shows that 7.1 million European web users accessed a mapping website during July, an increase from 2.5 million in October 2001. Online map sites are especially popular with office… Continue reading Online Map Sector Could Produce The ‘New Google’