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The Wireless Group (TWG) has reached a deal that will see it consolidate its influence over digital broadcasting in London. Kelvin MacKenzie’s radio company has acquired a 10% stake in DRG, owner of the London III digital multiplex licence, from Matsushita Electric Europe, a subsidiary of Panasonic. TWG already has a 23.58% shareholding in DRG… Continue reading Wireless Group Expands Commitment To Digital Radio

Speech-based radio station Oneword has announced a raft of redundancies and a wide-ranging restructure of its operations following the withdrawal of one of its major shareholders. The fledgling digital radio station is currently reviewing its commercial operations in an attempt to reduce costs after Hong Kong-based USI Holdings announced its intention to sell its 50%… Continue reading Oneword Restructures As Major Shareholder Pulls Out

Evidence of growth in the European digital TV market is reflected in interim results from Pace Micro Technology which show the company to be operating profitably again. A slump in sales of set-top boxes resulted in pre-tax losses of £16 million in the last financial year (to May 31 2003) (see Pace Sales Dip 40%… Continue reading Pace Rides The Digital Wave

US shoppers spent a record $18.5 billion online during the 2003 holiday season, according to the latest eSpending Report from Goldman Sachs, Harris Interactive and Nielsen//NetRatings. This figure, which does not include travel, is 35% higher than the $13.7 billion outlay recorded for November and December 2002 and indicates growing customer demand for ecommerce. “Online… Continue reading Online Santa Delivers The Goods In Record Style

Tim Schoonmaker, the Emap radio chief executive who resigned suddenly last week, is planning to team up with venture capital companies to bid for radio groups in the newly deregulated market place. Schoonmaker, who ran Emap’s radio and digital television operations, announced his intention to step down last week, in a move that caused surprised… Continue reading Emap Radio Boss Linked To Venture Capital Groups

Encouraging sales of magazines should enable Future Network, the international publisher, to post an increase in revenues for 2003, the company said today. Future stated that trading patterns had remained positive in the final months of the year and annual turnover is expected to exceed that for 2002 by 11%. In a statement today, the… Continue reading Future Network Stays On Track

Market information provider, Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) says it is confident that 2003 turnover will meet expectations and believes that its performance will mirror the industry as a whole in the coming year. TNS acknowledges that the speed of the integration of NFO, the research business acquired from Interpublic last year (see TNS Shares Jump… Continue reading Taylor Nelson Looks To Build On 2003 Successes

Analysts are quietly confident that 2004 will bring about an upturn in the US advertising market with demand being driven by economic confidence. In a New Year update, Merrill Lynch states that there are grounds for “muted optimism” regarding ad-supported media and restates its 5.8% ad growth forecast (see Ad Growth To Accelerate In 2004,… Continue reading Air Of “Muted Confidence” As US Ad Demand Grows

Speculation is mounting that press tycoon Conrad Black could be forced out as chairman of Hollinger International as controversy over unauthorised executive payments lingers on. Black stepped down as chief executive of the newspaper group in November after it was revealed that he and other executives had received unapproved payments totalling $32.2 million (see Black… Continue reading Hollinger Chairman Could Be Ousted

The European Commission today approved the takeover of Vivendi Universal’s publishing division by the French group Lagardere. Competition concerns mean that Lagardere will only retain a 40% stake in Editis (formerly VUP) with the remainder of the business going up for sale again. Lagardere is the world’s largest magazine publisher but has been keen to… Continue reading Lagardere Cleared To Acquire Editis