More Media Business articles

ITV has rejected NTL’s merger bid, saying that there is “little, if any, strategic logic for ITV to combine with NTL.” The rejection by ITV comes after BSkyB acquired a 17.9% stake in the broadcaster for £940 million on Friday (see ITV Share Price Falls After BSkyB Acquires Stake). The NTL bid offered 105p cash… Continue reading ITV Rejects NTL Merger Bid

UK internet shopping reached a new all time high in October, according to new research from the Interactive Media In Retail Group (IMRG). The IMRG says that sales for October were estimated to be worth £2.73 billion, with e-retail growing at its fastest ever rate in 2006, increasing by an average of £50 per month… Continue reading UK Internet Shopping Reaches October High

The UK is Europe’s slowest-growing major ad market in 2006 and, were it not for the internet, would also be in 2007, according to a new report from Group M. Group M also predicts internet advertising will comprise 18% of media investment in 2007, v regional newspapers 18% and national newspapers 12%. It adds that… Continue reading UK Is Europe’s Slowest Growing Major Ad Market

Shares in ITV have dropped 5% after BSkyB acquired a 17.9% stake in the broadcaster for £940 million. The move by Sky now makes a possible takeover by NTL of ITV (see NTL Telewest Could Merge With ITV) unlikely. The BBC quotes Sir Richard Branson, NTL’s biggest shareholder, as saying of the Sky deal: “BSkyB’s… Continue reading ITV Share Price Falls After BSkyB Acquires Stake

RTL Group, which is rumoured to be interested in acquiring ITV, has announced that it has sold its remaining 25% shareholding in Sportfive, the European sports rights marketing firm, to Lagardère SCA. Last week it was reported that RTL, Europe’s largest broadcaster, was in talks with private equity backers on a possible £5 billion bid… Continue reading RTL Sells Sportfive Stake To Lagardère

Arqiva has announced the signing of a sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with BT to acquire the full-time service components of BT’s satellite broadcast services business for £25 million in cash. The deal will include long-term customer contracts, operations and personnel located in the USA, France, Italy and the Netherlands, as well as the UK.… Continue reading Arqiva To Acquire BT’s Satellite Broadcast Business

Reed Elsevier has announced that it is on track to deliver on its target of 5% organic revenue growth for the year, although its eduction division has suffered from underperformance and a weak textbook market. In an update on trading, Reed Elsevier said that it is performing well in the Science and Health markets, with… Continue reading Reed Elsevier On Target To Deliver 5% Revenue Growth

Merrill Lynch (ML) is again raising its US online ad forecasts, to account for the third quarter IAB results and its own higher fourth quarter growth estimate. ML is now forecasting Q4 growth of 30% year on year, up from 27%, and full year growth for 2006 of 34%, up from 31%. For the full… Continue reading Merrill Lynch Raises US Online Ad Forecast

RTL, the German media group, is apparently working with private equity backers on a possible £5 billion bid for ITV. The RTL bid, according to today’s Financial Times, would see private equity groups putting forward most of the funds needed to acquire ITV. A deal structured in this way would enable RTL to acquire a… Continue reading RTL And Equity Firms Could Make ITV Bid

Sir Martin Sorrell, chief executive of WPP, has named Michael Jackson, former head of Channel 4, as his preferred candidate for the chief executive role at ITV. According to reports in the trade press, Jackson, at the moment president of programming at InterActiveCorp, is being lined up to become chief executive if the NTL/ITV merger… Continue reading Sorrell Gives Jackson Backing For ITV Top Job.