GWR Group has announced today the proposed acquisition of DMG Radio Group from the Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT). The deal, worth £146 million, will see GWR, which owns Classic FM as well as 38 local licences, add a further 8 UK local stations to its portfolio and enhance its overseas interests.DMG currently operates… Continue reading GWR Acquires DMG Radio Group
Independent News & Media made a bonus issue to its shareholders yesterday, effectively halving the share price. As a result the closing price of £2.59 represented a rise of ¼p.News of the closed bid decision for the Premier League broadcast rights (see Premiership Rights To Be Decided By Closed Bid) brought BSkyB off to a… Continue reading Sharewatch
The chairmen of England’s Premier League football clubs have decided that the decision as to who buys the broadcast rights to Premiership games will be decided by sealed-bid auction.The new process means that those whose bids for the 66 live matches, 40 pay-per-view matches or the free-to-air highlights made it onto the shortlist after the… Continue reading Premiership Rights To Be Decided By Closed Bid
NTL has signed a deal with the UK’s largest retailer of computer software and games, Electronics Boutique (EB). The agreement will see the retailer’s two brands EB and GAME feature on NTL’s free internet service ntlworld, its digital cable TV platform and its interactive television service.The interactive television content will feature EB on NTL’s Shopping… Continue reading Top Computer Retailer Signs Up With NTL
High-flying attempts to escape Euro 2000 have been foiled as Virgin Atlantic plans to screen England’s matches as part of its in-flight entertainment on longhaul routes. The broadcasts will be sponsored by Orange and Euro 2000’s official website producer www.sportal.co.uk and will occur the day after the matches take place.The initial plans are to screen… Continue reading Euro 2000 Even Crosses The Atlantic
Ulster Television rose 13½p to £3.02½ on Friday, ending a successful week which saw a total rise in share price of 14%. Interest in the company was thought to be because of its internet activity, as on Thursday it launched the first free all-Ireland web service UTV internet. Earlier this year Ulster Television acquired Direct… Continue reading Sharewatch
Monday MediaTel’s weekly media focus and analysis, Media Track, is featured in Campaign Media Business.A national newspaper ABC round-up for May will appear on Newsline.Wednesday Advertising and communications group Cordiant Communications holds its AGM.Thursday Digital Versatile Television, which claims to be the UK’s first web-based TV channel, launches.Friday Today sees the deadline for the Competition… Continue reading The Week Ahead
Future Publishing has poached Dylan Armbrust from his role as deputy editor of VNU’s Computeractive. The fortnightly home computing magazine enjoyed a large hike in its last ABC figures, which now stand at over 325,000.This move has sparked rumours that Future is to launch a rival publication to Computeractive, headed by Armbrust. A source at… Continue reading Computeractive’s Deputy Ed Leaves For Mystery Role At Future
Internet access in the home has increased substantially since 1999 in all countries except the US, according to new research from PricewaterhouseCoopers. However, even with these increases, more American consumers (44%) continue to access the internet than their Australian (38%) or European counterparts (31% in UK, 31% in Germany and 16% in France). Internet access… Continue reading US Online Time Falls
Interactive television is finally starting to become viable, according to new research from the Myers Group and eMarketer. The research was carried out on the US market, which is seen as a barometer for what will happen in UK new media within the next few years.A survey of media executives found an increased level of… Continue reading Interactive TV Gaining Positive Reception In US
