Publishing group, Pearson, has acquired US professional testing business, Promissor, from Houghton Mifflin for £42 million, bringing with it educational contracts for the UK’s largest educational vocational awarding body, City and Guilds. Pearson will combine Promissor with its existing professional testing company, Pearson VUE, expecting the purchase to be earnings enhancing from 2007. Commenting on… Continue reading Pearson Buys US Testing Business

French entrepreneur and Havas chairman, Vincent Bollore, has continued to acquire shares in UK marketing firm, Aegis, purchasing a further 2.9 million shares pushing his stake in the company to 25.47%. Bollore has steadily been increasing his share in Aegis, fuelling industry speculation of a possible merger between the UK media company and Havas, of… Continue reading Bollore Pushes Aegis Stake To 25.47%

Newspaper reports over the weekend have claimed the Guardian Media Group (GMG) is preparing to sell off its non-national newspaper titles, including the high profile Auto Trader series, in a move which could raise £1.7 billion. The sale would see GMG part company with Trader Media, its classified automotive division, as well as a possible… Continue reading GMG to Sell Auto Trader

Sir Victor Blank, chairman of Trinity Mirror has announced that he will be retiring from the Board at the company’s annual general meeting in May. The outgoing chairman took up the position at the Mirror Group in July 1998, overseeing the merger between Trinity and the Mirror in 1999. Commenting on his departure, Sly Bailey,… Continue reading Trinity Chairman To Step Down

Ben Shephard will be hosting a new show on Emap’s London’s Magic 105.4, hosting Saturday Night Magic bringing listeners the best in feel good favourites.Saturday Night Magic will feature tracks from Madonna, Toploader, Whitney Houston and Sister Sledge, among others, with the aim to “lift your mood on a Saturday night”. The new show starts… Continue reading Ben Shephard Host Saturday Night Show On Magic

Hachette Filipacchi’s best-selling teen girls magazine is to publish in a reduced size from the March issue, downsizing to meet demand for “ease, convenience and portability.”The new size will measure 232mm x 172mm, positioning the title between A5 and its original size. According to the publisher’s research, the new format represents the “perfect size –… Continue reading Hachette Slims Sugar Down To Perfect Size

ITV has confirmed its senior commissioning and scheduling line up, strengthening the network’s team of controllers, with the creation of several new roles at director level helping to consolidate the genre teams.The management restructure will see Clive Jones assuming the role of chief executive for ITV News and Regions, while David Bergg will take up… Continue reading ITV Confirms Senior Commissioning and Scheduling Line Up

French entrepreneur, Vincent Bollore has bought a further 2.9 million shares in media and communications company, Aegis, taking Group Bollore’s total interest in the business to 25.47%. According to a report in this mornings Times, Bollore also acquired an extra 0.35% in French advertising group, Havas. Since September Bollore has steadily been increasing his share… Continue reading Bollore Increases Aegis And Havas Stake

Peter Salmon will step down from his position as chief executive of the Television Corporation, taking up the role of chief creative officer of the company later in the year. Salmon, ex BBC director of Sport, joined TV Corp as group executive last summer, replacing Jeff Foulser who took up the role of director of… Continue reading Salmon To Step Down As TV Corp Chief Executive

Internet shopping in the UK rose by a almost 50% during the ten week run-up to Christmas 2005, with shoppers spending £5 billion online, compared with £3.33 billion during the same period in 2004. According to new figures from the Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG), sales peaked during the week commencing 5 December, with… Continue reading UK Online Shopping Up By 50% Over Christmas