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Revenues at Rupert Murdoch’s global media empire, News Corporation, rose by 14% to $4.7 billion in the group’s second financial quarter, ending 31 December 2002. Net profit at the group jumped by 58% in the quarter to reach $320 million; this is despite the media and advertising downturn. Operating income rose by 48% to $729… Continue reading News Corp Profits Surge By 58% In Q2

The UK is battling the economic and advertising downturn pretty well, according to a new European outlook report from media auditing company Billetts. The report says that there was growth in GDP in 2002 and that this likely to increase in 2003 by just over 2%. Advertising spend stabilised in 2002 and is expected by… Continue reading European Media And Economic Outlook From Billetts

Outdoor advertising group, JCDecaux has defied ‘difficult market conditions’ to post an increase in sales for 2002. The company announced today that revenues for the final quarter increased by 3% to €440.6 million while full year sales were up 2.2% to €1577.7 million. An overall rise of 7.6% in billboard advertising (5.6% in Q4) proved… Continue reading Billboard Ads Boost Revenues At JCDecaux

ITN has called for an amendment to the forthcoming Communications Bill that would allow a single company to take over the TV news provider. At present Carlton, Granada, Reuters, United Business Media and Daily Mail & General Trust each have a maximum 20% share in ITN. The Bill proposes a 40% limit but this would… Continue reading ITN Appeals For Relaxation Of Ownership Laws

Revenues at global advertising network, Publicis, jumped by 20.2% during the course of 2002, putting the group on course to hit its earnings targets for 2003. The figures, announced late yesterday, show revenues rising from €2.4 billion in 2001 to €2.9 billion in 2002. This rise was largely a result of the incorporation of the… Continue reading Publicis Revenues Jump 20% In 2002, Buoyed By Bcom3

Pacific Century Cyberworks, the Hong Kong-based company that had been linked with a move for Cable & Wireless, has pulled out of a bid for the troubled UK telecoms group. It was earlier reported that PCCW had tabled a £2.4 billion offer (see C&W Subject Of Takeover Speculation) but it has now ruled itself out… Continue reading PCCW Abandons Bid For C&W

Telewest Communications could be ready to merge with its cable rival NTL at the start of 2004, according to managing director Charles Burdick. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Burdick said that Telewest would complete financial restructuring in the second quarter and was on target to break even by the end of the… Continue reading UK Cable Operators Could Merge Next Year

According to a report in today’s Guardian, ITV chiefs Michael Green and Charles Allen are coming under increasing pressure to stand down if and when the merger of Carlton and Granada takes place. Under the terms of the deal, thrashed out in October (see Carlton And Granada Enter Advanced Merger Talks), it was agreed that… Continue reading Shareholders Round On Senior ITV Executives

It is reported that SBC Communications has entered negotiations to acquire DirecTV, a move which would ruin Rupert Murdoch’s ambition to take charge of a US satellite broadcaster. According to the New York Times, SBC may be willing to pay upwards of $10 billion for the business which is currently owned by General Motors. The… Continue reading SBC Expresses Interest In DirecTV

Revenues at Vivendi Universal increased by 6% to €61 billion during 2002 thanks in part to a strong performance by Cegetel, the group’s telecoms division. Excluding businesses that have been sold off, Vivendi’s full year revenue was up 11% to €28.1 billion. Cegetel which includes SFR, France’s second-largest mobile operator, saw sales rise by a… Continue reading Sales Boost For Vivendi After Difficult Year