The BBC has this morning denied reports that it is hatching plans to sell off its commercial arm, BBC Worldwide. Rupert Gavin, chairman of Worldwide, is quoted on the BBC’s own news website as saying that “there is no question of selling off any of BBC Worldwide.”The statement follows an article in yesterday’s edition of… Continue reading BBC Denies Plans For Worldwide Sell Off
United News & Media (UNM) this morning becomes the third UK media group this week to announce plans for major internet investments, dedicating £370 million to online businesses over the next two years. United’s web strategy follows similar moves by Anglo-Dutch publisher Reed Elsevier (see Jobs To Go At Reed Elsevier As Part Of Cost… Continue reading UNM To Plough £370m Into Internet Investments
The Government has decided to refer Granada’s proposed bid for either Carlton Communications or United News & Media to the Competition Commission. The media group joined the bidding war for ITV franchises after Carlton and United announced merger plans last November (see Granada Poised To Bid For Rivals).As the ITV network moves nearer to consolidation… Continue reading Granada Referred To The Competition Commission
The Competition Commission will later today hand its report on the proposed £8.2 billion merger between Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) and NTL to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The trade and industry secretary, Stephen Byers, will then decide whether to follow the Commission’s recommendations on whether the deal should be allowed to… Continue reading Competition Commission Reports On NTL/CWC Merger
Shares in Reed International, the UK parent of Reed Elsevier, fell 57p to 548źp yesterday after the combined publishing group announced poor final results (see Jobs To Go At Reed Elsevier As Part Of Cost Cutting). The city was not placated by the group’s planned internet investment, having expected a more dramatic announcement from chief… Continue reading Sharewatch
BBC Radio has announced a series of changes to its London based station, GLR. From 27 March, the 24-hour station will be rebranded as London Live 94.9 with a new breakfast team and line-up of presenters and a promise to make better journalism a “major plank” of the station. London Live will be the first… Continue reading BBC Radio Announces Rebranding Of Its GLR Service
Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) has teamed up with Procter & Gamble (P&G), one of the world’s largest advertisers, to explore the marketing potential of interactive television. P&G is to trial interactive ads which may include use of TV internet and email, as well as the ability for the audience to respond to the ads… Continue reading CWC To Develop Interactive Ads
Southnews has today announced the proposed acquisition of Denitz Investments. As a result of the £52 million deal, the regional newspaper group will increase its portfolio by a further 33 titles in Kent, Greater London, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.Southnews is currently the tenth largest regional publisher in Britain with 52 paid and free titles in West… Continue reading Southnews Acquires Denitz Investments
Shares in Pearson bounced back after a tumble earlier in the week. Talk of new internet deals pushed stock in the publishing group which closed up 235p at £21.69.BSkyB jumped 5% despite an extension of the regulatory probe into French stakeholder Vivendi (see Competition Commission Extends BSkyB/Vivendi Investigation). Prices rose 81p to £15.83˝.United News &… Continue reading Sharewatch
BT’s promotion of new call charges and the Home Highway internet access service pushed the company to the top of the radio advertisers’ table for the fourth quarter of 1999, according to figures compiled by the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB). BT’s spend of £3.2 million narrowly exceeds that of Dixons, which ploughed £3.1 million into… Continue reading BT Is Largest Q4 1999 Radio Advertiser
