The Radio Authority (RA) has announced that the proposed reacquisition of Classic Gold 774 by GWR Group would not be expected to operate against the public interest.Gloucester and Cheltenham, the area in which Classic Gold 774 broadcasts, contains two other FM stations also owned by GWR. To prevent a reduction of the level of choice… Continue reading Radio Authority News
In the wake of yesterday’s announcement that the Manchester United board have accepted BSkyB’s takeover offer (see Newsline), there were angry fans at yesterday’s match at the Old Trafford between its team and Charlton. The decision of the club’s chief executive, Martin Edwards and the rest of the board, to sell the club has led… Continue reading Manchester United Still Scoring
Reports circulating this morning suggest that double winners Arsenal may be the next football club to fall to a media company, and come in the wake of yesterday’s announcement that the Manchester United board have accepted BSkyB’s buy-out offer of £625 million (see Newsline).Carlton is said to have been in talks with Arsenal for some… Continue reading Arsenal Could Be Next Club To Fall Into Media Hands
The latest 6 month interim results for Scottish Media Group (SMG), released today, showed healthy pre-tax profits, up 27% on revenues 15% ahead. Earnings per share also increased by 18.6%.SMG announced yesterday that it has made a £31 million (80p per share) takeover offer for video publishing group VCI (see Newsline). If the acquisition goes… Continue reading Scottish Media Gets Results
Showing something of a return to past glories ITV’s The Bill, which had three feature-length episodes this week, increased its audiences by around three million. The Tuesday, Thursday and Friday episodes were watched by audiences of 9.09, 8.36 and 9.54 million respectively.In the last week before the new television schedules were shown to the public,… Continue reading TV Viewing Summary W/E 30/08/98
Following speculation this morning that Arsenal would be the next football club to come under media ownership after having been approached with an offer from Carlton (see Newsline), the club released the following statement this afternoon: “The board of Arsenal FC confirm that it has held preliminary discussions with Carlton Communications Plc concerning a range… Continue reading Arsenal and Carlton Update
Cable and Wireless has announced the appointment of Graham Wallace to the Board of Directors with immediate effect. Wallace has been chief executive of Cable & Wireless Communications since February 1997, and will continue in this role.AMRA has also made some changes. Andrea Van Sittart has been appointed business develpment manager in the London office… Continue reading Appointment Briefs
The Mirror Group’s interim results released today show that in the last half year Live TV’s national revenue grew by 82%, and it is the fourth most watched pay channel in cable homes. The channel is expected to make a monthly operating profit by the end of 1999.Pre-tax profit for the group was up by… Continue reading Mirror Group’s Live TV To Profit Next Year
John Mulholland, ex-editor of Sporting Life(see Newsline), has been appointed deputy editor on The Observer, which is owned by the Guardian Media Group. He left The Guardian earlier this year to work on The Sporting Life.The Observer saw a new editor earlier this year (see Newsline) in Roger Alton, who said of Mulholland: “I have… Continue reading John Mulholland Returns To Guardian Media Group
United News and Media’s interim results released today for the six months to 30 June showed good progress and higher than expected profits. Generally, operating profit was up 2.7% to £197.6 million.Pre-tax profit showed an increase of 2.2%, rising to £177.9 million, and earnings per share were up 3.3% to £25.1 million.Chief executive Clive Hollick… Continue reading United News Financial Results Exceed Expectations
