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%
Granada has announced the offer price and allocations for the flotation of its media interests as Granada Media plc (see Granada Unveils Plans For Media Arm Flotation). Conditional trading began today at 8am, with shares offered at £5.15 per ordinary share.Charles Allen, chairman of Granada Media, said, “Today’s listing on the London Stock Exchange firmly… Continue reading Granada Media Begins Conditional Trading
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
ONdigital saw a 15% increase in its subscriber base in the three months to the end of June. The digital terrestrial television platform said today that it had 774,000 customers and was on target to reach one million by the end of the year.The group, which is joint-owned by Granada and Carlton Communications, also revealed… Continue reading ONdigital Adds 15% To Subscriber Base, Reveals Details Of ONnet
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
While new media busies itself with targetting children on the internet (see The parenting magazine market is not what you would describe as blooming. Practical Parenting, the monthly title covering pregnancy, birth and childcare, has seen a decline in readership over the last five years, down from 109,000 in 1995 to 77,000 in its last… Continue reading Publisher Goes Back To School To Tap New Magazine Market
Subscribers to the theory that television news is “dumbing down” have been given vindication of sorts with the release of a report that shows the percentage of bulletins devoted to tabloid staples such as royalty, showbiz and crime stories has increased over the last 25 years.The report, titled “From Callaghan to Kosovo: Changing Trends in… Continue reading Policy And Business Giving Way To Posh And Becks, Says Report On TV News
The licence to operate the Coventry digital radio multiplex has gone to the sole bidder, Now Digital. Broadcasting will begin in January 2001 to a potential audience of over 600,000 people living in and around the city.The broadcasters are to launch nine programme services, of which five are exclusive to digital. Current services which will… Continue reading Now Digital Wins Third Local Digital Radio Multiplex Licence
Forever Broadcasting is planning to float on the Alternative Investment Market. The radio group, in which Kelvin MacKenzie’s Wireless Group owns a 17.9% stake, is expected to be valued between £25-30m.The company owns two radio stations: 107.6 Juice in Liverpool, formerly known as Crash FM, and Tower FM, which serves audiences in Manchester, Bury and… Continue reading Forever Broadcasting Seeks AIM Listing
Satellite broadcaster BSkyB is believed to be in negotiations to take a controlling stake in Open. The move is rumoured to be a precursor to a stock market listing for the digital service which bought interactive television to the UK when it launched last year (see Interactive TV Launches In The UK).BSkyB currently owns a… Continue reading BSkyB Seeks Control Of Open
