The Guardian Media Group (GMG), publisher of the Guardian and Observer, has this morning reported a 29% jump in pre-tax profits for the twelve months to 28 March 1999 to £68.2 million. Turnover grew 5.3% to £412 million and the group invested £33 million in new computer systems and production improvements.Lord Gavron, chairman of GMG,… Continue reading Profits Grow At Guardian Media Group
UK cable companies NTL and Telewest Communications have both announced plans to roll out video-on-demand (VOD) services across their TV franchises. The VOD system allows viewers to choose exactly when they want to watch a film or programme, which is then delivered to their home via cable at that time. As VOD is developed, the… Continue reading Cable Companies Promise Video-On-Demand
Online marketing and sales company, Real Media, has secured a deal to manage ad sales across the European sites of news and information provider, Bloomberg. The two year deal, which gives Real Media UK an 80% share of Bloomberg’s European business, covers sites in France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.Bloomberg uses Real Media’s Open AdStream ad… Continue reading Real Media UK Clinches Net Ad Sales For Bloomberg Sites
The Independent Radio Group (IRG) is the subject of a rumoured takeover bid, the second in as many weeks. The group, which owns six commercial radio stations in the north-west and Scotland, is currently linked to a deal with Talk Radio, believed to value IRG at around £22 million.Reports add further speculation to rumours about… Continue reading Independent Radio Group In Bid Rumours
Regional newspaper publisher, Northcliffe Newspapers, has acquired Central Independent Newspapers (CIN) and Admag Newspapers in a deal worth about £40 million. The deal gives Northcliffe a further 21 regional papers as well as three magazines, making it temporarily the largest regional newspaper group in the UK with a weekly circulation of 8.4 million. However, when… Continue reading Northcliffe Newspapers Acquires CIN And Admag
Shares in Freeserve, the country’s leading internet service provider, have tumbled to a record low; prices fell below their flotation price yesterday for the first time. Shares dived 13% to 135p – 15p lower than the issue price set by Freeserve’s owner, electronic retail giant Dixons.The fall wiped £140 million off the free ISP’s market… Continue reading Freeserve Shares Fall Below Flotation Price
Shares in News Communications & Media rose by 25p to 960p. The regional newspaper group announced a record turnover in its annual results yesterday (see Increased Ad Revenue Gives Newscom Record Turnover).Granada climbed after a recent series of falls. The media group was given a strong recommendation from CSFB as rumours of further deals with… Continue reading Sharewatch
IPC Magazines’ weekly music title, NME, is to become the first UK music mag to offer free internet access and free Net mail in an initiative created by the new IPC Electric division (see IPC Electric Is Unveiled). A covermounted CD on this week’s edition of the magazine offers readers the software to register with… Continue reading NME Offers Free Internet Access And Email
There’s a new magazine for all of us launched this week as Haymarket yesterday unveiled Campaign Media Business. To be accurate, as the tag line is “the magazine for the media sales industry”, it is not quite for all of us.“A mag for media sales pros is years overdue,” according to editor Jonah Bloom. The… Continue reading First Issue Review: Campaign Media Business
Internet auction company QXL.com, which is to float on the stock market on 7 October, has undergone a huge fall in value. The second victim of the deflating internet bubble, the company was initially valued at £750 million but could now float for as little as £212 million.The news comes after huge losses were reported… Continue reading QXL.com Falls In Value
