Newsquest have announced that its Citizen series of free weekly papers are to close.The free papers in Blackpool, Preston and Lancaster will close, while its Chorley edition will move to Blackburn. The total restructure is likely to result in the loss of eleven editorial staff as well as risks to ad sales positions.Gannett, the American… Continue reading Newsquest to close its Citizen series

Evelyn Webster, currently managing director of IPC’s women’s weekly arm, has been appointed the company’s chief executive. Webster, who has been in her current post at IPC Connect since March 2004, will report directly to IPC Media’s on-going chairman Sylvia Auton when she takes up her new role on January 1. Auton, who was appointed… Continue reading IPC Media appoints new CEO

RTL are rumoured to be considering a takeover of Channel 4 according to a report in the Sunday papers. A report in the Sunday Times states that RTL, who own rival broadcaster Five, has asked JPMorgan to weigh up a takeover for Channel 4, valued at £50 million. Four years ago, similar merger talks emerged… Continue reading Rumours of RTL takeover of Channel 4

The last three months has seen the BBC and ITV battle it out with their rating winning shows, X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing.The X Factor final was on Saturday night, where it finished with a flourish of nearly 14 million viewers seeing Alexandra Burke crowned queen for 2008, pretty much guaranteeing her Christmas number… Continue reading X Factor v Strictly

RTL are rumoured to be considering a takeover of Channel 4 according to a report in the Sunday papers.A report in the Sunday Times states that RTL, who own rival broadcaster Five, has asked JPMorgan to weigh up a takeover for Channel 4, valued at £50 million.Four years ago, similar merger talks emerged but they… Continue reading Rumours of RTL takeover of Channel 4

Chrome, the new web browser from Google, has been taken out of its beta version just 100 days after it first launched.Google said that feedback from Chrome’s 10 million users enabled it to go ahead with a full launch so quickly.Other Google products have been in beta mode for years, with its Gmail service still… Continue reading Chrome gets full launch

BBC World Service has signed a deal with Nokia which will see three of the BBC’s radio news channels available on Nokia handsets.From today, BBC World Service, BBC World Service’s 24-hour rolling news channel and BBC Arabic will be on the newest Nokia mobile phone models as part of their preloaded internet radio application.Karl Kathuria,… Continue reading BBC World Service radio channels available on Nokia mobiles

IPC Southbank has appointed Trish Halpin as editor of its flagship women’s glossy, Marie Claire.Currently editor of Southbank’s fashion and style mag In Style, Halpin will take up her new position on 2 February 2009, replacing Marie O’Riordan, who announced her resignation in October (see Marie Claire Editor Stands Down).Jackie Newcombe, IPC Southbank managing director,… Continue reading New editor for Marie Claire

US ad spending declined by 1.7% year on year in the first nine months of 2008, according to new data from TNS Media Intelligence. Ad spending during the third quarter of 2008 was down 2.0% versus last year, despite a positive stimulus from the Summer Olympics and political elections. Jon Swallen, SVP Research at TNS… Continue reading US ad spend declined 1.7% in first nine months of 2008

Reed Elsevier has scrapped the sale of its Reed Business Information unit, which includes the magazines New Scientist and Farmers Weekly. The publisher said it had ended talks with potential bidders because the worsening state of the economy and poor credit market conditions meant that it could no longer make a disposal “on acceptable terms”.… Continue reading Reed Elsevier scraps sale of trade magazine division