ITV is to extend its online presence with the purchase of Friends Reunited for £120 million, as well as an extra payment of £55 million in three years’ time if the website’s performance meets expectations.The website, which was created by husband and wife team Steve and Julie Pankhurst five years ago, has expanded rapidly in… Continue reading ITV Plans Online Expansion With Friends Reunited Purchase
ARCHIVE ▸ The Media Leader Staff
SMG released a trading update this morning, reporting that it will perform broadly in line with analysts’ forecasts for 2005. The group expects to perform well, despite soft advertising markets in the second half of 2005, with the company’s Scottish TV and Grampian TV expected to outperform the ITV Network for the year as a… Continue reading SMG Sees Business On Target For End Of Year
NTL’s plans to create a ‘quadruple play’ business with the acquisition of Virgin Mobile have hit a stumbling block, as Virgin’s board rejected an £817 million bid, despite the deal having majority shareholder Sir Richard Branson’s backing. Virgin’s board opposed NTL’s offer, claiming that it undervalued the business, although press speculation this morning suggests that… Continue reading Virgin Mobile Backs Away From NTL Deal
The BBC secured a ratings win over ITV last night, despite the commercial giant airing the final match in group G of the Champions League between Chelsea and Liverpool.The match, which drew an average of 5.6 million adult viewers, ended in a 0-0 draw to leave Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho visibly downbeat.Meanwhile, the BBC’s Eastenders… Continue reading BBC Scores Ratings Win Over ITV Football
Research commissioned by free morning newspaper City AM claims that more workers in the City and Canary Wharf now read the title than the Financial Times.The findings, unearthed by research firm NOP, show 16% of London’s population read City AM, compared to 12% who read the FT.NOP also reports City AM’s readership reaching 98,000, almost… Continue reading City AM Claims More Readers Than FT
Iain Jacob is to be replaced as chief executive of Starcom by Linda Smith, former commercial director at GCap Media, assuming control of all Starcom operations in the UK.Smith’s appointment sees her return to Starcom following her departure from Starcom Mediavest as commercial director in 2000 to join Capital Radio Group, now part of GCap… Continue reading Smith Succeeds Jacob As Starcom CEO
Yesterday’s MediaTel INSIGHT Digital Radio and Beyond Seminar, held in association with MediaGuardian, saw the latest digital radio technology demonstrated, allowing listeners to purchase music and speech content at the press of a button without incurring the high costs of traditional mobile data downloads. The new system, demonstrated by Simon Cole, chief executive of UBC… Continue reading New Technology Offers Glimpse Of Radio’s Future
The reduced costs of operating digital radio stations, along with their ability to cater for more niche interest groups, will see a surge in popularity for speech-based offerings, according to radio chiefs speaking at yesterday’s MediaTel INSIGHT Digital Radio and Beyond Seminar, held in association with MediaGuardian. Ralph Bernard, chief executive of GCap Media, began… Continue reading Radio Bosses See Speech Renaissance In Digital
The prospect of an enforced analogue radio switch off was raised at this morning’s MediaTel INSIGHT Digital Radio and Beyond Seminar, held in association with MediaGuardian, with radio chiefs Ralph Bernard and Simon Cole, of GCap Media and UBC Media, offering different viewpoints on the effect of such a plan. “I’ve been calling for a… Continue reading Radio Seminar Sees Switchover Debated
This morning’s MediaTel INSIGHT Digital Radio and Beyond Seminar, held in association with MediaGuardian, saw radio chiefs Ralph Bernard and Simon Cole, of GCap Media and UBC Media, urge a focus on the industry’s digital future rather than being distracted by the current “fight” over analogue audiences. “The problem is that analogue fighting could distract… Continue reading Radio Heads Urge Focus On Digital Future