BSkyB has confirmed that from today it will take a controlling stake in Open, the interactive TV service company, in a move rumoured to be imminent last week (see BSkyB Seeks Control Of OpenTony Ball, chief executive of BSkyB said plans for the future of Open included, “increased usage, more content partners, a wider range… Continue reading BSkyB Takes Control Of Open, Plans To Improve Look, Feel and Services
Proposals from regional newspaper groups Gannett and Johnston Press to bid for Regional Independent Media have been referred to the trade and industry secretary Stephen Byers. The regulatory body has until 27 September to decide if the proposed takeover bids act against the public interest and to report on its findings.Last month Gannett began a… Continue reading RIM Bids Referred To Competition Commission
The news that the Competition Commission has approved the potential merger plans of Carlton, Granada and United News & Media (see DTI Clears Way For ITV Merger) had a dramatic effect on the share prices of the companies involved. Granada Group jumped 21p to £6.38. Granada’s recently floated media interest, Granada Media (see Granada Media… Continue reading Sharewatch
Alec Davidson is now president of the Newspaper Society for 2000-2001. The managing director of Northcliffe Newspapers took over the role at a meeting of the Society’s Countil of Members on Wednesday. In a speech, Davidson said that he wanted to make the industry stronger “economically and politically”. Capital Radio’s former group head of programmes,… Continue reading Appointments Brief
Stephen Byers has published the assessment and recommendations he received from John Bridgeman, the director general of fair trading, in regard to the ITV mergers.He agreed with the Competition Commission’s decision that it would be undesirable to allow a merger which created a single company with a dominant position within the ITV network. The Competition… Continue reading Details Of DGFT’s Advice On ITV Mergers Published
Both Carlton and United have issued statements welcoming this morning’s verdict from the DTI which clears the way for a merger between the two ITV groups. But all eyes are on Granada as it decides which of its rivals it will mount a bid for.Carlton and United are carefully studying the report issued by the… Continue reading Carlton And United Welcome Merger Clearance
The Telegraph group is launching a series of promotions aimed at attracting women to its titles. Focusing on six distinct areas – skincare, travel, fashion, interiors, beauty and health – it will offer monthly discounts on products and treatments.Called More for Me, the campaign intends to raise the proportion of female readers of the Telegraph… Continue reading Telegraph Launches Promotion To Lure Women
The Department of Trade and Industry has effectively ended the six year undertaking by ITV companies not to exceed 25% ownership of all TV net advertising revenue (NAR), by allowing the proposed mergers between Granada and either United News & Media or Carlton, or between United News & Media and Carlton to go ahead.Stephen Byers,… Continue reading ITV Merger Ruling Abolishes 25% Advertising Revenue Limit
IPC is set to launch a magazine for the burgeoning consumer technology magazine sector (see Feature: Home Computing Magazine Market Goes From Strength To Strength). The group has succeeded in poaching Jim Lennox, editor of Computeractive, for the new venture. The VNU title has already lost deputy editor Dylan Armbrust to Future (see Computeractive’s Deputy… Continue reading Launches Brief
Emap announced that it had increased ad revenues with its cross-media strategy in a first quarter report yesterday (see Cross-Media Ads Push Revenues At Emap). Shares in the company ended up 43p at £11.48.Reuters continues to ride a wave of market confidence (see Sharewatch). Shares ended up 20p yesterday at £13.60.Another good performer yesterday was… Continue reading Sharewatch
