Channel 4’s plans to create a digital horse racing channel were put on hold today after it withdrew its £250m bid for exclusive rights to cover the sport. The BBC and NTL have also reneged on their part of the deal due to “factionalism” within the racing industry.Channel 4 was planning to launch an interactive… Continue reading Channel 4 Withdraws Its Bid For Horse Racing Rights
Capital Radio has today announced the acquisition of Beat 106 for £33.75 million. The radio group is to place 3.85 million new shares to purchase the music radio station which broadcasts across Edinburgh, Glasgow and Central Scotland.The deal will allow Capital to increase its potential audience in the UK to some 58% of the adult… Continue reading Capital Buys Beat 106, Announces Online Plans
IPC is rumoured to be about to take over rival publisher Gruner and Jahr. A deal with German owners of G&J, Bertelsmann, is said to be close to completion, and an announcement could appear within days.IPC announced a revamp last month, changing its name to IPC Media and jumping on the “branding” bandwagon (see Bailey… Continue reading IPC Eyes Gruner and Jahr For Possible Takeover
A new alliance has been formed to bid for regional digital radio multiplex licences as they are rolled out across the UK. GWR Group, the Wireless Group and Scottish Radio Holdings are to team up as the Digital Radio Group.The Digital Radio Group is set to bid for licences for the North East, advertised in… Continue reading Former Rivals Team Up For Next Round Of Digital Multiplex Bids
The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld complaints against Ministry magazine over a direct mailing bearing the caption “Free Drugs”. Complainants, including one from the Glasgow Association of Family Support Group, said that the mailing condoned drug-taking and gave the impression that people who sent for the mag would receive free drugs.In its defence the clubbing… Continue reading ASA Slams Ministry Magazine For “Free Drugs” Mailing
The possibility that BSkyB is to take full control of Open has not inspired confidence in investors (see BSkyB Seeks Control Of Open). Shares in BSkyB dropped again yesterday, by 32p to £12.23.Granada fell 4p to £6.30 yesterday as the market waited for the overnight pricing of Granada Media shares. Conditional dealing in the shares… Continue reading Sharewatch
Early reports suggest that the public is generally supportive of the ITC’s plans to review its code for advertisers which could see products and services such as hair loss clinics and remedies, pregnancy testing and private detectives advertised on television for the first time.The ITC announced in May that it was considering deleting 16 items… Continue reading Hair Loss Clinics And Hari Krishna Could Soon Have TV Adverts
By the end of 2000, television sets are set to overtake PC’s as gateways to the internet, according to Pace Microtechnology. The manufacturer of set-top box technology required to receive satellite and cable television, said that Britain was the world’s fastest-growing market for interactive and digital services.The company, which makes boxes for BSkyB, ONdigital, Telewest,… Continue reading ‘Digital Gateways’ Set To Lead The Race For Net Subscribers
A quarter of all households in Britain now has internet access but, of those logging on, the highest proportions are found in the south of the country and in the highest income brackets. These are the results of a new quarterly survey from the Office for National Statistics tracking internet access.Over the first three months… Continue reading Digital Divide Widens As Take-Up Doubles
The underlying rate of inflation rose to 2.2% last month, according to official figures. The key index, used by the Bank of England to set interest rates, which excludes mortgage payments, rose from 2.0% in May to 2.2% in June, but is still well below the Government’s target rate of 2.5%. The increase is seen… Continue reading Inflation Climbs To 2.2%
