BSkyB’s increasingly dominant position in the UK pay-television market looks all set to strengthen, as this Friday’s first quarter results are forecast to show a net rise in subscribers of 205,000 (see Good Growth Expected In Sky’s Q1 Results). This will take the number of customers to its digital satellite service to 6.3 million. If… Continue reading BSkyB Takes Increasingly Dominant Position In UK Pay-TV Market

A consortium of German magazine group, Bauer Verlag, and Bavarian bank, HVB Group AG, has emerged as the successful suitor to the KirchMedia business, following months of bidding (see Kirch Move Prompts World Cup Rights Auction). KirchMedia, the insolvent arm of the now-collapsed KirchGruppe empire (see Kirch Investors Abandon Rescue Plans), is now in exclusive… Continue reading Bauer Consortium Takes KirchMedia

Vivendi Universal, the troubled media giant, admitted yesterday that it is under scrutiny in the United States over its accounting practices. The US attorney’s office for the southern district of New York has opened a criminal investigation and will work in conjunction with the Miami office of the Securities and Exchange Commission, which is carrying… Continue reading Vivendi Facing US Probe

New research from comScore has revealed that online sales of recorded music fell sharply in the first nine months of 2002, rekindling fears that consumers are flocking in droves to online file-sharing services (see Fall In US Music Sales Blamed On Internet Downloaders). comScore recently found that US e-commerce revenues totalled $18 billion in the… Continue reading Online Music Sales Hit A Low Note

Advertising revenues at many major US newspaper groups have just seen their first quarterly gain after six consecutive quarters of decline, according to estimates by Merrill Lynch. This is consistent with the pattern of recovery that was seen following the recession of 1990-1991, say analysts. Total advertising revenues fell by 9% during the full year… Continue reading US Newspapers Show First Positive Quarter Since Q4 2000

Although consumer take-up of video-on-demand (VOD) has been limited so far, cable companies are eager to promote the technology and a new study from The Yankee Group estimates that revenues will total $2.8 billion in 2006. The report, Video-on-Demand: Sustained MSO Commitment Drives Rapid Growth, claims that the leading cable operators have been swift to… Continue reading Cable Operators Throw Weight Behind VOD

Vivendi Universal is understood to have written to its bank lenders outlining a plan to take control of the French telecoms company, Cegetel, without increasing its substantial debt burden. According to a report in today’s Financial Times, the media group is proposing to create a special purpose vehicle with which it would make the acquisition… Continue reading Vivendi Talks To Bankers About Cegetel Bid

The Independent and Independent On Sunday newspapers turned in a loss of £15.7 million during 2001, according to a report on Media Guardian today. The site refers to the annual report of the papers’ parent company, Independent News & Media (INM), filed at Companies House last week. INM bought the Independent titles in 1998 and… Continue reading Losses Continue At Independent Titles, Says Report

SMG is currently outperforming the market in its television, radio, outdoor and cinema businesses, leading Merrill Lynch to upgrade its investor recommendation on the Scottish media company from neutral to buy. The broker says that SMG is gaining share amongst the ITV franchises, whilst the company’s Virgin Radio station is showing revenue growth year on… Continue reading Solid Performance At SMG Gains Merrill Lynch Upgrade

WPP is to acquire a 25% stake in Shanghai Advertising Agency, a major full-service advertising agency in Shanghai, China, the group announced today. Shanghai Advertising, one of the top 10 advertising agencies in China, was established early in China’s advertising history by Shanghai East Best International Group, which will continue to hold 50% of the… Continue reading WPP Takes 25% Of Shanghai Advertising