The official Top 40 is to be commercially sponsored for the first time in a deal struck between the BBC and a recently launched music website, Worldpop. Sponsorship of the Radio 1 Top 40 Countdown and Top of the Pops will begin in May.A dedicated pop website, Worldpop is owned by former BBC Radio One… Continue reading BBC’s Top 40 Gets Commercial Sponsor
Capital Radio has won the bidding battle for control of Border Television. The commercial radio group, which owns 15 radio stations across England, bought the company for £146 million.Capital joined the bidding war earlier this week after Border had rejected a hostile takeover bid from Scottish Radio Holdings (see Capital Radio Prepares Border TV Bid).… Continue reading Capital Radio Wins Battle For Border
Andy McDuff, managing director of IPC Music and Sport, is to leave the company in July. During his time in the role he launched brands including Loaded, Muzik, Uncut and Later, and developed the NME and UpLoaded websites. Scott Ferguson has left Scottish TV to join NTL. He will head the production unit and commission… Continue reading Appointments Brief
Two Way TV today announced partnerships which will lead to interactive versions of popular Pearson quiz shows being produced for digital television. Family Fortunes, 100%, Strike it Lucky and Whittle will be available to digital cable viewers on Challenge TV while Fifteen to One will be available in interactive form to digital cable viewers of… Continue reading Two Way TV To Launch Interactive Versions Of Popular Quiz Shows
Classic FM has launched a marketing campaign for its breakfast music programming and CD label which will see it teamed with a breakfast cereal. In addition to airtime advertising, a partnership with breakfast cereal producers Nestlé will see around 300,000 of one million Shredded Wheat Fruitful packs carry a free CD called Breakfast Choice on… Continue reading Classic FM Promotes Music With Cereal
Continuing disaffection with TMT shares caused more selling of technology media and telecom issues yesterday. BSkyB dropped for the second day running, by 105p to £14.93.As news came yesterday of Scottish Radio Holding’s final offer for Border Television (see Scottish Radio Raises Bid As Border Shares Rise), Scottish Radio shares fell 25p to £15.37˝, while… Continue reading Sharewatch
The UK’s red-top tabloids have had a hard time of it over the last decade as the sector as a whole has stumbled into a seemingly relentless decline in both readers and sales. At the same time, mid-market papers Daily Mail and Mail On Sunday have shown a consistent growth in sales and reader-base at… Continue reading Feature: Tabloids Shed Readers As Tastes Shift
Telewest’s chief executive has announced he is to leave the company on completion of its planned merger with Flextech next week. Tony Illsley is believed to be quitting after being given the secondary position of group managing director in the newly formed group (see Telewest And Flextech Agree Terms Of £2.26bn Merger).The position of chief… Continue reading Telewest Chief Quits As Flextech Merger Plans Finalised
The upcoming sale of a minority stake in beeb.com, the commercial BBC internet service, has given rise to speculation that Flextech or NTL will bid for a stake of up to 30 per cent. Earlier this year the BBC denied that it was going to float the service (see BBC Denies Plans For Worldwide Sell… Continue reading Beeb.com Minority Stake May Go To Flextech Or NTL
The Independent Television Commission (ITC) has published a new draft of its Sponsorship Code. Although key principles regarding editorial independence and the distinction between advertising and sponsor credits remain, the code aims to simplify rules on sponsorship credits, reflecting the fact that the ITC sees itself as a ‘light touch regulator’.Martin Hart, ITC’s head of… Continue reading ITC Takes Simpler Approach In New Draft Sponsorship Code
