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Vivendi Universal has completed a deal that will see NBC acquire its US entertainment arm and cut debt at the Paris-based media group. As predicted, General Electric, which owns NBC, has agreed to pay $3.8 billion in cash for the assets which include film studios, cable channels and theme parks (see Vivendi-NBC Merger In The… Continue reading Vivendi And NBC Tie Up Entertainment Deal

Digital television will be received by more than half of all UK TV homes by the end of this year, with penetration set to rise to more than 82% by 2008, according to a consensus of recent market forecasts. Figures from Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers and ZenithOptimedia were compiled by the Competition Commission in its… Continue reading UK Television Platform Penetration Forecasts

Carlton and Granada were seen in focus yesterday, up 12.95% and 8.95% respectively after the Competition Commission cleared the way for their planned their £4 billion merger (see ITV Cleared To Merge With Sales Houses Intact)The news was greeted with optimism in the city and Morgan Stanley has increased its price target on Carlton to… Continue reading Sharewatch: Carlton And Granada Surge On Merger Decision

Aegis Group, the media communications and market research company, is to acquire international healthcare research business, ISIS Research, for an initial sum of £15.5 million. Aegis says that ISIS will become a key part of Synovate Healthcare, the group’s healthcare research division. The deal carries a deferred payment of up to £8.3 million over the… Continue reading Aegis Buys Healthcare Research Firm For £24m

Viacom Brand Solutions has secured Wrigley’s to promote its Orbit Ice White and Hubba Bubba brands across the Nickelodeon and Paramount Comedy channels in a sponsorship deal worth six-figures.The initiative will see Orbit Ice White sponsor the Paramount Brighton Comedy Festival throughout October and Hubba Bubba run a promotion on Nickelodeon targeting children home from… Continue reading Viacom Secures TV Sponsorship For Wrigley’s Gum Brands

Yesterday’s decision by trade and industry secretary, Patricia Hewitt, paves the way for what many regarded as the inevitable creation of a single ITV company, as Carlton and Granada prepare to merger.With only behavioural remedies imposed by Hewitt, the two ITV heavyweights have emerged from the year-long Competition Commission investigation with one of the better… Continue reading Feature: Getting Under The Skin Of The ITV Merger

Hachette Filipacchi has secured a six figure sponsorship deal to promote luxury watchmaker Maurice Lacroix across its flagship Elle and Red titles.The campaign will see both Elle and Red carry innovative new ads for the watchmaker in both their November and December issues.The creative, devised by Consultancy And Marketing Ltd, along with the Hachette Filipacchi… Continue reading Hachette Secure Lacroix For Six Figure Sponsorship

The Government has this morning officially approved the £4 billion merger of Carlton and Granada, in a move that will see the creation of a single ITV capable of competing more effectively with its commercial rivals.Trade and Industry Secretary, Patricia Hewitt, has decided not to force the two ITV partners to sell off their sales… Continue reading ITV Cleared To Merge With Sales Houses Intact

The forced divestment of Carlton & Granada’s sales houses would render the ITV merger ineffective, according to analysis by Lehman Brothers.Trade and Industry Secretary, Patricia Hewitt is due to announce her decision on the merger this week, following an exhaustive Competition Commission investigation into the likely implications of the deal.The Lehman study pretty much rules… Continue reading Sales House Issue Is Key To Success Of ITV Merger

The Government’s decision to allow Carlton and Granada to merge without selling off their sales houses has received a mixed reaction from advertisers, who are concerned that a single ITV will exercise too much power in the television advertising market. The Institute Of Practitioners in Advertising has expressed its disappointment at the Department of Trade… Continue reading Advertisers Give Mixed Reaction To ITV Merger