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DC Thompson, publisher of long-running comic The Beano, has acquired Puzzler Media Group for £85 million, bringing its portfolio of quiz, puzzle and trivia titles under its control. Founded in 1973 and with a staff of 50, Puzzler Media currently holds a 50% market share in the Puzzle sector, far outweighing its competitors. The publisher… Continue reading DC Thompson Snaps Up Puzzler Media

Britain’s largest newspaper publisher, Trinity Mirror, has warned investors of a downward trend in media advertising next year, compacting a poor end to 2005, which saw the firm’s ad sales fall by 7.9% in the five months to November. In a pre-close trading statement to the City, Trinity said its group advertising revenues had fallen… Continue reading Trinity Warns Of Downward Slide For Print Ads

Cable giant NTL has announced the appointment of a new president and chief executive to oversee its merger with rival Telewest, giving Stephen Burch the combined role and moving incumbent CEO Simon Duffy to the position of executive vice chairman in the combined company. Commenting on the two moves, which are effective from 16 January… Continue reading NTL Appoints New CEO To Steer Telewest Merger

BSkyB’s chief operating officer, Richard Freudenstein, is to leave the company next year to return to his home country, Australia, following the launch of Sky’s high definition (HD) TV service. Freudenstein joined Sky in 1999 as the company’s general manager, before being appointed chief operating officer the following year. The outgoing TV boss will continue… Continue reading Sky COO To Step Down In New Year

Media giant Aegis Group has announced the acquisition of Scandinavian market research network Univero for £10 million. The deal sees Aegis extend its reach across Norway, Sweden and Denmark, with Univero’s subsidiary firms MMI Univero, TEMO Univero, LUI Univero, Vilstrup Univero and Fieldwork Scandinavia now forming part of Aegis’ network. The research markets covered by… Continue reading Aegis Widens Reach With Scandinavian Research

ITV is to close its 24 hour rolling news channel at the end of January, threatening around 70 jobs, although the broadcaster has pledged to redeploy as many staff as possible, and work with unions on the scale of any required redundancies. The move, announced this morning alongside a £2 million investment in news programming… Continue reading ITV To Axe News Channel By End Of January

Regional newspaper publisher, Johnston Press, has released a downbeat trading update for the second half of the year, reporting a dip in recruitment advertising revenues of 22.9% year on year. There is little chance of significant improvement in the market next year, the company said, sparking a dip in share price early this morning. In… Continue reading Johnston Downbeat In End Of Year Trading Update

Vincent Bollore, chairman of French advertising giant Havas, has said that he expects the firm to return to profit growth in the second half of 2006, and that the company would be open to acquisition opportunities in the near future. Bollore, who has recently built up his stake in rival media firm Aegis, repeatedly outlined… Continue reading Bollore Optimistic For Havas, Tight Lipped On Aegis

BSkyB has secured 88.18% of telecoms firm EasyNet, bringing the deal to acquire the firm a step closer to completion. EasyNet’s shareholders have broadly welcomed the deal, with 65% agreeing to the deal, worth £211 million. Sky has also purchased 23.9% of the company’s issued share capital lifting its acquired percentage to 88.l8%. The deal… Continue reading Sky Close To Completing EasyNet Deal

Magazine publisher Highbury House Communications has requested that trading in its shares be suspended following the termination of talks to secure refinancing of its existing debts with investors. The company said that continuing discussions were taking place, and that the vast majority of lenders “continue to be supportive.” However, in a statement to the City… Continue reading Highbury House Shares Suspended As Restructuring Talks Continue