More Industry News articles

Mobile messaging stands at an industry crossroads and decisions and actions taken over the next twelve months will determine the direction and potential of the medium, according to a new report from Analysys. If the development of the mobile phone industry was chronicled, text messaging would be regarded as the surprise success story. It remains… Continue reading Mobile Operators Seek Road To Messaging Riches

BSkyB seems set to retain its dominance of televised football in the UK, despite the announcement last week that live Premiership rights are to be split into three packages when the current broadcasting contract expires next year. Rupert Murdoch has held a ten-year monopoly on live top-flight soccer, an arrangement which has benefited TV executives… Continue reading INSIGHTanalysis: BSkyB In The Box Seat In Premiership Rights Chase

The saga of troubled advertising group, Cordiant Communications, has taken another turn today, as majority shareholder, Active Value, succeeded in gaining control of more than one quarter of the group’s shares. Active Value has been busily snatching up Cordiant shares over the last few weeks and today acquired a further 2.5 million, taking its holding… Continue reading Active Value Takes 25% Of Cordiant Shares

Channel 4 has increased its programming budget for the coming year by an additional £9 million to £439 million, the highest annual budget in the channel’s history. Announcing the new budget, chief executive Mark Thompson says that whilst the advertising market remains uncertain, it is vitally important to continue to invest money on-screen in order… Continue reading Channel 4 Boosts Programming Budget To Record High

Havas, the global advertising and communications network, will this morning announce plans to overhaul the structure of its businesses, by integrating communications, marketing and advertising divisions in each of its territories. According to a report in today’s Financial Times, the French company plans to consolidate operations into single agencies in Britain, the Netherlands, Germany and… Continue reading Havas To Consolidate Global Operations

Lad’s mag pioneer James Brown is stepping down as director of I Feel Good Publishing following its recent sale to Dennis Publishing. The former Loaded and GQ editor has resigned from the company’s board along with fellow directors, Christopher Akers and Rodger Sargent, just weeks after selling I Feel Good Publishing to Felix Dennis-owned Choice… Continue reading Lad’s Mag Pioneer Turns His Back On I Feel Good

Active Value, the majority shareholder in Cordiant Communications, this morning again increased its stake in the company. The group purchased an additional 2.5 million shares in Cordiant, taking its holding to 24.5%. This is just shy of the 25% that Active Value needs to make a blocking attempt on Cordiant’s proposed £266 million takeover by… Continue reading Active Value Bumps Up Cordiant Holding To 24.5%

The chances of the Government’s Communications Bill becoming law in its current form looked increasingly tenuous yesterday as opposition to the proposed legislation gained momentum in the House of Lords. A group of peers, headed by Lord Puttnam, chairman of the Joint Scrutiny Committee have already successfully tabled two amendments on the Bill, which is… Continue reading Lords Flex Muscles In Communications Bill Debate

The Daily Mail & General Trust has failed to overturn a ruling by the Office of Fair Trading that one of its Scottish newspaper divisions was guilty of predatory pricing against a rival. The OFT ruled last September that Aberdeen Journals, owned by DMGT subsidiary Northcliffe Newspapers, had been guilty of anti-competitive conduct (see Northcliffe… Continue reading DMGT Fails In Predatory Pricing Appeal

RTL, the pan-European broadcaster, plans to retain its stake in UK terrestrial station, Five, despite the Government’s plans to clear the way for non-EU investors to acquire the business. The relaxation of the media ownership regulations has prompted fierce speculation that RTL may decide to sell its 65% stake in the channel to Rupert Murdoch’s… Continue reading RTL Not Interested In Selling Five Stake