Radio operator, The Wireless Group (TWG), has confirmed media speculation that it has received a proposal regarding a possible cash offer for all the issued share capital of the company, from its senior management including chairman and chief executive Kevin MacKenzie. Industry reports over the weekend stated that MacKenzie was preparing to take control of… Continue reading TWG Confirms Offer Proposal

Magazine publishers, Highbury House Communications, has confirmed that it has reached agreement over the proposed takeover bid by Future, creating the UK’s third largest consumer magazine group, in a deal said to be worth £96.5 million (see Future To Bid For Highbury). The agreement will see titles such as Real Homes and Fast Car added… Continue reading Highbury Confirms Future Takeover Bid

Glasgow-based Scottish Media Group (SMG) has turned down a £100 million offer for Virgin Radio from private equity group, 3i, according to industry reports. The take-over bid started in December, but to no avail after SMG rejected the offer of Lord Alli, the media heavyweight spearheading 3i’s bid. Reports indicate that 3i has threatened to… Continue reading SMG Rejects 3i Offer For Virgin

Commercial broadcaster, ITV, has announced the disposal of its prop hire business, Superhire Limited to Space Holdings Limited for a cash consideration of £8.2 million. The funds raised from the sale will be used to reduce ITV’s borrowings and represents a further stage in it’s disposal programme of non-core assets. ITV has now raised more… Continue reading ITV Sells Prop Hire Business

Egmont Magazines has announced the launch of Disney Special Collection, targeting boys and girls aged 3-7 years with what it claims is a “highly collectable, quality monthly magazine” featuring some of Disney’s best-loved characters and branded covermounted gifts.The magazine will have an initial print run of 65,000, with the first issue due to go on… Continue reading Egmont Expands Magazine Portfolio With Disney Title

Media super-regulator Ofcom has handed down a £25,000 fine to adult broadcaster, Playboy TV, following the broadcast of hardcore pornographic material which breached the watchdog’s Programme Code.Playboy’s broadcast of an R18 rated adult film on 1 May 2004, and a previous broadcast of 18 certificate material landed it in hot water with the regulator, which… Continue reading Playboy TV Fined Over Hardcore Broadcast

Future Publishing’s flagship computing magazine, PC Plus, has proclaimed a recent trial, which enabled readers to view content via their mobile phones, as a success following 35,000 downloads in just four months.The year long trial delivers a special java-based edition of PC Plus to mobile phones, a move which Future claims continues its commitment to… Continue reading Mobile Magazine Spells Success For Future

ITV has completed the sale of Superhire Limited, its prop hire business in the continued sell-off of its non-core business elements.The sale of the business, together with the freehold property it occupies, was made for for a cash consideration of £8.2 million. ITV states that the funds generated by the sale will be used to… Continue reading ITV Continues Non-Core Business Sell-Off

Multi-channel marketing is predicted to increase in importance over the coming years, with 83.4 million US consumers researching products online, then buying offline, according to US analysts eMarketer’s new ‘Consumer Selling Online’ report. The increasing empowerment of consumers via the internet has resulted in them having the ability to compare old products, find new ones,… Continue reading Advertisers Must Look To Multi-Channel Marketing

Worldwide mobile handset shipments are set to rise over the next four years, growing from 740 million by the end of 2005 to 810 million by 2009, according to market intelligence firm iSuppli. The company found that handset shipment growth peaked in Q4 2003, hitting 175.5 million. The first half of 2004 saw quarterly shipments… Continue reading Global Mobile Handsets To Reach 810 Million By 2009