US telecoms giant AT&T announced yesterday that it was to merge with even larger US cable television company TCI. As a result, two TCI part-owned UK cable companies, Telewest and Flextech, both saw their share prices rise.Telewest Communications rose 29˝p to 159˝p and Flextech saw an increase of 62˝p to 551˝p.
Jim Chisholm has been appointed as commercial director for the two Scottish titles, Daily Record and Sunday Mail.Chisholm also runs his own media consultancy and has worked at a number of newspaper publishers in his career. He will be responsible for driving commercial development at the two Mirror Group titles.Mirror Group: 0171 293 3000
Agency estimates for May 1998 put total terrestrial TV ad revenue at £250.38 million, a rise year on year for all the channels but GMTV.ITV’s total revenue was up 19% to £177.10 million, C4’s rose 16.1% to £54.00 million and C5’s once again saw the greatest relative gain – up 19.8% to £13.18 million. GMTV… Continue reading TV Revenue – May 1998
Digital One, the GWR-led radio consortium which offered the only application for the digital national radio licence yesterday (see RA Receives One Application For National Digital Multiplex), will be able to reassess the stake held by Talk Radio if the station is bought by Kelvin MacKenzie (see Murdoch Backs MacKenzie’s Talk Project). Digital One is… Continue reading Digital One Can ‘Reassess’ Situation If MacKenzie Gains Talk
The Guardian Media Group (GMG), publisher of The Guardian and The Observer, has announced annual pre-tax profits before exceptionals of £53 million; a 76% increase year on year.As with other newspaper publishers which have reported profit gains recently, GMG attributes the increases to strong advertising growth and lower newsprint costs.Turnover at the Group was £367… Continue reading Guardian Media Group Pre-Tax Profits Up 76%
Commercial radio station of the year was awarded to Talk Radio at this afternoon’s Commercial Radio Companies Association (CRCA) Congress and Awards ceremony.The award for technical excellence was given to Capital Interactive for its work on the network of Capital websites. The judges said that the Capital work “was a great example of the use… Continue reading Talk Radio Awarded Commercial Station Of The Year At CRCA Awards
The Independent Television Commission denies that it is set to ‘backtrack’ on its proposals to ‘unbundle’ cable and satellite television channels (see ITC Recommends Smaller Channel Packages For Pay TV).Since the Commission announced that it planned to remove the minimum carriage requirements (MCRs), which ensure that smaller cable and satellite channels are distributed to the… Continue reading ITC Denies Backtracking On ‘Unbundling’ Strategy
The Granada Media Group has been warned by the ITC for failing to meet the payment deadline for its broadcasting licences. Granada Television, LWT, Yorkshire and Tyne Tees all failed to pay the Commission the monthly tender charge which was due on 27 March and which, collectively, runs to over £10 million. Payments were received… Continue reading Granada Franchises Warned Over Late Tender Payments
The Daily Telegraph is to further its dedication to sport by becoming an official sponsor of Premier League football. The Telegraph is to sit behind Carling, the League’s main sponsor, as one of a number of ‘second tier’ sponsors.Daily Telegraph logos will appear on pitch perimeter boards, as well as in each match programme.The newspaper… Continue reading Daily Telegraph To Sponsor Premier League
Radio audience research body RAJAR will announce on Friday which group has won the new contract to conduct the field research. Research data is currently gathered by IPSOS-RSL.RSL’s contract may be renewed on Friday, although it is believed that other research companies RSGB and Arbitron are in contention for the tender.RAJAR: 0171 584 3003
