A merger between Vivendi, Canal Plus and Seagram was unveiled today, creating a media giant to rival AOL-Time Warner. The French media and utilities group, which owns 50% of TV company Canal Plus, will unite with Canadian-owned Seagram in a deal worth £22bn.The new company will be renamed Vivendi Universal and its combined assets will… Continue reading Vivendi, Seagram And Canal Plus Merge In £22bn Deal
Shopping online may be becoming more popular (see UK Internet Users Giving Online Shopping More Credit), but it has some way to go to beat playing games or listening to music on the internet.The latest figures from MMXI Europe show that European internet users have increased the amount of time they spend looking at entertainment… Continue reading We’d Rather Play Games Than Shop On The Net, Says Report
Saatchi & Saatchi has agreed to be taken over by French advertising group Publicis in a deal which will see the creation of the world’s fifth largest advertising company. Publicis is to pay £1.24bn for the group in an all-paper deal.The agreement will see Saatchi & Saatchi owning 30% of the combined group, which will… Continue reading Publicis Buys Saatchi & Saatchi For £1.24bn
Attic Futura has announced plans to restructure its advertising department, becoming the third magazine publisher to redefine itself across its core markets. The group, which publishes titles including TV Hits and Sugar, will now conduct sales across two major genres: youth and entertainment and women’s health and lifestyle.A number of senior appointments have been made… Continue reading Attic Futura Restructures Sales Department
Saatchi & Saatchi confirmed yesterday that it was in merger talks. The company is expected to go on to reveal details today, but yesterday, after names such as Grey Advertising and Interpublic were put forward, France’s Publicis emerged as the favourite. Shares in Saatchi and Saatchi jumped as a result, ending up 90p at £4.21.Details… Continue reading Sharewatch
Sixty-six per cent of football fans prefer the BBC’s coverage of key games, even without Des Lynam to smooth the process. In Saturday’s key clash between England and Germany, BBC1 pulled in almost twice as many viewers as its commercial rival ITV.Overnight figures show that 17.9 million tuned into the game at home, of which… Continue reading BBC Retains Lead In Football Ratings Battle
Granada Media is thought to be strengthening its board in advance of a hostile bid for United News and Media (UNM) or Carlton Communications. Two new non-executive appointments to the Granada board include David Chance, former deputy managing director of BSkyB, and Nigel Rich, currently chairman of Hamptons group and deputy chairman of Ocean. Both… Continue reading Granada Makes Board Appointments Ahead Of Carlton/UNM Decision
Nearly 40% of the UK internet population, or 5.5 million users, have used credit cards online in the last six months. This represents an increase of more than 30% compared with December 1999, when only 4 million had.BMRB’s Internet Monitor, which released these figures, attributes this increase in use to an increase in confidence regarding… Continue reading UK Internet Users Giving Online Shopping More Credit
A beautiful Thursday evening greeted the first BMRB – Richard Poustie had chosen to bowl first.The MRG top order saw valuable contributions from Jones (19), Hiddleston (14) and Tiwari (27), whilst Shirley batted out the rest of the innings on his way to 38. MediaTel’s debutante Neil Guppy gave an exciting climax to the MRG… Continue reading Cricket: MRG Bask In Sunshine Victory
Merger talks between Seagram, Vivendi and Canal Plus (see Sharewatch) are said to be nearing completion. News of the possible deal has had a positive effect on shares in BSkyB, which counts Vivendi among its major stake-holders (see Vivendi Given Clearance For BSkyB Stake). Shares in BSkyB rose 16p on Friday, to end at £13.20.United… Continue reading Sharewatch
