The Independent Television Commission (ITC) has added its voice to those calling for a single regulatory board for the whole of broadcasting and the internet. As the countdown to the Government’s White Paper on communications reform begins, the commission has published its own submission paper.It supports the creation of a single Office of Communications, dubbed… Continue reading ITC Calls For Single Broadcasting Regulator
Carlton Communications and United News & Media have called off their plans to merge in the wake of the DTI’s decision on their proposals a week ago (see DTI Clears Way For ITV Merger). The merger was given the go-ahead by Stephen Byers, provided United divest of its Meridian licence, a condition which the groups… Continue reading Carlton And United Call Off Merger Plans
The battle for consolidation within the UK television industry reached its final round this morning when Carlton and United abandoned their plans to merge. The stage is now set for Granada Media to step in and create a duopoly within ITV.Stephen Byers’ condition that United sell its Meridian licence, which serves the south and south-east… Continue reading United “In Talks” As Deal Collapses
Telewest Communications has been forced to put its digital plans on hold due to a shortage of set-top boxes. The cable group said that it has stopped actively marketing its digital services until the problem is resolved.The whole of the cable industry is being affected by the shortage, as demand for services increases. There is… Continue reading Telewest Puts Digital Strategy On Hold As Box Shortage Affects Cable Industry
Programmes June must have been torture for those people who don’t enjoy sport. If you somehow managed to avoid football’s Euro 2000 tournament on either of the main two terrestrial channels, you probably couldn’t miss Test Match cricket, Formula One grand prix or the first week of Wimbledon 2000.Surprisingly, considering how badly England played and… Continue reading TV Viewing Round Up – June 2000
ITV has dominated the news this week, with yesterday’s insistence by the ITC that the Nightly News must be moved (see ITC Says ITV Must Reschedule Nightly News) and the aftermath of the approval of the proposed franchisee mergers last Friday (see DTI Clears Way For ITV Merger) ending in this morning’s announcement that Carlton… Continue reading Sharewatch
Wendy Johnson has been promoted from picture editor to editor of IPC tx title TV & Satellite Week. Johnson joined the publication before it launched in 1993 and will take up her new position immediately. She said, “It will certainly be challenging. I’m particularly pleased to be starting this job at a time when sales… Continue reading Appointments Brief
The Incorporated Society of British Advertisers (ISBA) has called for an urgent meeting with ITV to discuss “critical issues” in the network’s performance. As ITV awaits a decision from the ITC regarding its late evening news bulletin (see ITC Tells ITV To Bring Forward Nightly News), the body, which represents the UK’s biggest advertisers, says… Continue reading ISBA Demands Urgent Meeting With ITV As Fate Of News At Ten Imminent
New media is not killing traditional print media, according to a new study from Fairfield Research. The US-based survey has found that the amount of time spent reading has increased in recent months.While consumption of TV and radio dropped this year, readership of books, trade and business magazines and newspapers has increased since last year.… Continue reading New Media Is Not Supplanting Print, Says Survey
Granada Media regained ground after fears earlier in the week that it would over pay for Carlton or United News & Media (UNM) in the ITV merger (see Sharewatch). Shares ended up 4¾p at £5.95¾. UNM ended up 2½p at £9.32½, still buoyant from the sale of Miller Freeman (see United Disposes Of Miller Freeman… Continue reading Sharewatch
