Electrical goods retailer Dixons has confirmed it is considering a stock market flotation for a minority stake in its hugely-popular free Internet service Freeserve. Dixons stock rocketed 8% on the news as investors anticipated what could be the most popular share issue of the year.The company said it had appointed City advisers Credit Suisse First… Continue reading Dixons Considers Freeserve Float
Capital Radio has appointed Mark Frost, currently head of online at the BBC, as the managing director of its new media division, Capital Interactive. Frost has been chosen by Capital to spearhead the ‘next stage of growth’ in the group’s interactive output.Frost’s role at the BBC holds him in charge of the largest editorial team… Continue reading Capital Radio Poaches BBC Online Head To Drive Internet Development
Carlton Online has announced two strategic partnerships with the internet service providers CallNet and BusinessServe. Carlton Online, a division of Carlton Communications, produces the websites Jamba.co.uk, Popcorn.co.uk and SimplyFood.co.uk, all of which launched last year (see Newsline). The three websites will boost the content of both CallNet and BusinessServe. CallNet offers free internet access direct… Continue reading Carlton Online Becomes Content Provider For ISPs
This weekend saw some major sports action on the box as a number of top events took place. ITV’s Sunday coverage of the Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur FA Cup Semi-Final drew in an average viewing figure of 5.9 million and an average viewing share of 40% for viewing at that time. Later in the… Continue reading ITV Claims 40% Viewing Share For FA Cup Semi-Final Match
GWR commercial radio sales house, Opus, has created a new strategic sales planning unit which aims to “create long term creative solutions for the media planning agencies and departments.” Opus currently sells airtime and sponsorship across 18 FM and 15 AM GWR regional stations, along with the flagship national station, Classic FM.The unit is to… Continue reading Opus Forms New Strategic Planning Unit
Channel 4 has been the subject of criticism according to the Advertising Standards Authority’s (ASA) latest monthly report. An insert placed in the Times, the Sunday Times and the Independent for C4’s Film Four service, which showed pictures from films due to be shown on the channel, drew a number of complaints that they condoned… Continue reading Violent Imagery In Ads Draws Complaints
Anglo-Dutch publisher, Reed Elsevier, is reported to be considering the disposal of its business publishing and exhibitions interests ahead of a possible resumption of merger talks with Dutch group Wolters Kluwer.According to the Observer this weekend, Reed’s publishing division, which produces Computer Weekly and Variety magazines, could raise around £4 billion if sold off. Potential… Continue reading Speculation Surrounds Reed Elsevier’s Business Titles
BARB viewing data show that the nation has turned to the BBC for information about the war in Kosovo. When news broke of NATO’s decision to begin air strikes, the main terrestrial stations beefed up their war coverage.BBC1 stole a march on ITV by dropping its scheduled 7 o’clock programme and replacing it with a… Continue reading TV Viewing Summary w/e 28/03/99
Planning and buying agency, Tempus, enjoyed a 5.8% (15p) rise on Friday, closing at 272˝p. On Thursday, Tempus reported a 27% growth in turnover and a 40% rise in pre-tax profits (see Tempus Reports 40% Increase In Profit).Granada continued to strengthen following the progress report from ONdigital, the digital terrestrial TV company it joint-owns with… Continue reading Sharewatch
A third of adults and 53% of 15-34 year olds believe that ITV is improving its schedule since dropping the News At Ten, according to the latest report by CIA Sensor (see Newsline).Six out of ten people were pleased that they can now watch films and programmes on ITV without being interrupted by the News… Continue reading ‘New ITV Schedule Gets The Thumbs Up’ Says CIA Survey
