Havas chairman Vincent Bolloré is understood to be preparing a takeover bid of rival Aegis. According to a report in Campaign, Havas sources predict that Aegis, the parent company of Carat, Vizeum and the market research company Synovate, will be under Bolloré’s control by the end of the year. It is expected that if Bolloré… Continue reading Vincent Bolloré Could Make Aegis Bid

Time Warner is setting out plans to split AOL’s business in two, moving its online access business for consumers away from its advertising content. New chief executive Jeffrey Bewkes, who was previously chief operating officer, said that he plans to focus on AOL’s web portal and advertising sales. Speaking at Time Warner’s quarterly financial conference… Continue reading Time Warner Planning To Split AOL Business

BT’s financial results for the final three months of 2007 show that its pre-tax profits fell 30% to £447 million while revenues rose 1% to £5.15 billion. Ben Verwaayen, BT chief executive, said: “This has been another solid performance. We have delivered our twenty third consecutive quarter of year on year earnings per share growth.… Continue reading BT’s Pre-tax Profits Decline

BSkyB has reported a before tax downturn of £36 million for the first six months of its financial year to end December, as the value of its almost 18% stake in ITV fell. For the second half of 2007, revenues were up 11% to just under £2.5 billion, but operating profit dropped a quarter to… Continue reading BSkyB Reports Before Tax Downturn Of £36 Million

The Daily Mail and General Trust has reported a solid financial performance for the last quarter of 2007, with a 4% rise in ad revenues at its Associated Newspapers division. According to its interim management statement today, the group’s revenues for the quarter were up 2% on last year. At its national newspapers division, Associated… Continue reading DMGT Reports Solid Financial Performance For Q4 2007

Broadcaster Five generated £314 million in advertising revenue in 2007, compared with £290.3 million in 2006, an 8.2% boost. The growth is a result of new revenue from Five’s digital channels, Five Life and Five US, and an almost 3% improvement in total television advertising. Five chief executive, Jane Lighting, told The Times: “Five is… Continue reading Five Boosts Ad Revenue By 8.2%

Revenues for free to view web services will rise by only £1 million from 2007 to 2008, but are expected to increase to £98 million by 2012 as commercial services pick up market share, according to a report from Screen Digest. The report predicts that over 1.5 billion television shows and specialist programmes will be… Continue reading Revenue For Free To View Web TV Services To Rise To £98m by 2012

BBC One’s Mistresses lured more than 4.4 million adults to the channel last night for its second last episode, whilst ITV1’s bawdy Ladette To Lady drew 3.6 million between 9pm and 10pm.As the four lives of the Mistresses continued to unfold, BBC One took a 20% share for the show in the timeslot, whilst the… Continue reading Mistresses Lures Over 4.4 Million To BBC One

BSkyB has reported its lowest take-up since it became a digital-only service in 2001, now reporting a total of 8.8 million pay-TV customers, with 167,000 net additions made in the last three months of 2007.This keeps the company on track to hitting 10 million by 2010, but represents a year on year decline on take-up,… Continue reading Sky Pay-TV Subscriptions Reach 8.8 Million

Long-running children’s television institution, Grange Hill, has been axed after three decades.The BBC has decided not to recommission the fictional schoolyard show and the final episodes will air at the end of this year.Anne Gilchrist, the CBBC controller, said the decision to end Grange Hill‘s 30-year run was part of a move to more accurately… Continue reading Grange Hill Axed After 30 Years