Customers to Virgin Media’s XL basic TV package will now be able to receive six Setanta Sports Channels for free.From July 26, pay TV customers get live coverage of over 250 showcase events a year, including 46 live games from the Barclays Premier League, 60 matches from the Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League and the… Continue reading Virgin Media Signs Setanta Sports Deal

European telecommunications commissioner Viviane Reding has named DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting for Handhelds) as the single standard for mobile TV in Europe.The use of the DVB-H standard will be legally encouraged in the 27 member states, with the Commission saying that if necessary it will mandate the use of DVB-H in 2008.On announcing the decision,… Continue reading EU Names Mobile TV Standard

Victoria Beckham: Coming To America, a documentary following the Spice Girl on her move to the US, could only attract a peak audience of 3.4 million adult viewers to ITV1 last night, a figure easily beaten by a repeat of BBC One drama Waking The Dead.The Posh Spice reality show had an average of 3.2… Continue reading Posh Documentary Beaten By BBC One Repeat

The latest Bellwether report, for Q2 2007, shows that ad budgets are growing at their fastest rate for seven years.Marketing budgets were revised up for the second successive quarter, with one in five companies reporting upward revisions.The internet again saw by far the strongest gain in Q2, now accounting for an estimated 6% of all… Continue reading Q2 2007 Bellwether: Marketing Budgets Revised Up

Last week we found that Dow Jones was listening to alternative bids to a takeover by Rupert Murdoch from California billionaire Ron Burkle and internet entrepreneur Brad Greenspan.It is unknown how much of Dow Jones the pair want to buy, although a report on MediaGuardian.co.uk said that Dow Jones’ union hopes they will be able… Continue reading Media In The City: Dow Jones Listens To Alternative Bids

thelondonpaper was well ahead of its rival afternoon freesheet the London Lite in June, recording a month on month increase of almost 10,000 copies. The title’s circulation now stands at around 496,500.The London Lite suffered a circulation decrease of almost 11,800 copies month on month, leaving it with a total figure of over 388,400.Westminster Council… Continue reading thelondonpaper Increases Lead Over London Lite

Sky added 90,000 subscribers to its pay-TV service in the three months to June 30, a rise of 17% year on year, to take its total number of subscribers to 8.6 million.The satellite company’s churn rate, which measures how many people are leaving the company, was 12.1%, down from 13.7% in the last quarter.Sky’s broadband… Continue reading Sky Adds 90,000 Subscribers

Cable & Wireless is to launch the UK’s first national IPTV service via broadband following the signing of a £70 million deal with Inuk Networks.The five-year agreement will see triple-play service provider Inuk deliver its Freewire television, telephony and broadband services via Cable & Wireless’ nationwide multicast network.The Freewire package, which was launched last year… Continue reading Cable & Wireless To Launch National IPTV Service

Ofcom has fined the BBC £50,000 for breaches of its broadcasting code after a studio guest posed as the winner of a phone-in competition on Blue Peter.This is the first time that Ofcom has imposed a financial penalty against the BBC.The Corporation was fined £45,000 for using a studio guest to pose as the winner… Continue reading £50,000 Fine For BBC

There was some big news in the City last week, with Rupert Murdoch’s £2.5 billion bid for Dow Jones seemingly on the verge of being accepted and a private equity firm making a bid for Virgin Radio.On Friday, a report in Business magazine said that Murdoch’s bid for Dow Jones, owner of the Wall Street… Continue reading Media In The City: Dow Jones Negotiations Near End