British Interactive Broadcasting (the joint venture formed by BT, BSkyB, Midland Bank and Matsushita to provide digital TV interactive services) has announced some reorganisation of its management team amid confusion as to whether it is to supply access to the internet for television viewers.The key appointments are as follows… Peter Hopper joins as commercial director,… Continue reading Reorganisation At BiB
A decision on the future of The European is yet to be made after speculation today that discussions between the paper and Bloomberg Business News have broken down. The paper was believed to be considering options of a business partnership from both Bloomberg and Times Warner (see Newsline).A spokesperson for The European told Newsline this… Continue reading European Discussions Continue
The Asian channel, Zee TV,has been formally warned by the Independent Television Commission (ITC) as it has repeatedly failed to comply in the areas of advertising content and scheduling.Rules have been breached seven times since the end of 1995, and the broadcaster failed to respond to enquiries within time limits set by ITC staff. Interventions… Continue reading Zee TV Receives A Warning
A new survey out this week shows that although digital TV awareness is high, with 75% of respondents having heard of it, 58% confessed to having little or no knowledge of it.Research company GfK Marketing Services has published the results of its monthly omnibus survey into the launch of digital TV. The survey was carried… Continue reading GfK Predicts The Future Of Digital Television
IPC Magazines has restructured its music and lifestyle publishing and marketing team. This follows last week’s news that Adrian Pettett had been appointed as the new publisher of Loaded (see Loaded Finds A New Publisher).Neil Robinson has been promoted to associate publisher of NME, Melody Maker and NME.COM. Bruce Sandall, associate publisher of Muzik, also… Continue reading IPC Restructures Music And Lifestyle Team
ITV has confessed that unless it moves the News At Ten programme from its current slot to an earlier time, it will not meet the audience targets set by chief executive, Richard Eyre, at the beginning of the year (see ITV Publishes Audience Targets For Next Three Years).Eyre told a Royal Television Society dinner yesterday… Continue reading ITV Confesses 40% Viewing Share Promise Is Impossible Unless News At Ten Goes
Retail company Kingfisher has made a counter bid for the video, music and book publishing company VCI, following the initial offer of £31 million by Scottish Media Group (see Newsline).Kingfisher has offered £46.8 million for VCI, 120p per share, outbidding SMG by 50%. VCI is advising its shareholders to sit tight until SMG reacts to… Continue reading Battle For VCI Mounts
Atlantic 252 continues to shift its focus towards a younger, trendier audience by hiring MTV’s head of music, David Dunne, as its new programming director. Dunne already work’s on the station’s successful weekend evening dance show, bpm, but will join full time next month.Atlantic decided to shift the station’s feel to a ‘cooler, hipper’ approach… Continue reading Atlantic 252 Continues Youth Focus With Appointment Of MTV’s Programme Director
Roger Lewis, the worldwide president of Decca Records, has been appointed as managing director and programme controller of Classic FM. He will also take a seat on the board of GWR Group, Classic’s owner.Ralph Bernard, GWR chief executive, says: “During his [Lewis’] tenure at both EMI and Decca, he has successfully challenged traditional precepts about… Continue reading Roger Lewis Joins Classic FM As MD
The Dixons Group announced today that it is launching the UK’s first free internet service.Called Freeserve, it is a fully featured internet service that is available free with no registration or subscription fees and no hourly on-line charges. All Freeserve customers pay is their normal charge for a local rate telephone call.Chief executive, John Clare,… Continue reading Dixons Launches Free Internet Service
