IPC is believed to be preparing for a flotation in 2001. The magazine group announced a fall in its full-year profits yesterday. Pre-tax profits for the year to September 30, were £2.8 million.The group gained its independence last year when it bought the company from Reed Elsevier with the help of venture capital group Cinven… Continue reading IPC Prepares For Flotation
Channel 4 has stolen the rights to two key US series, Friends and ER, away from satellite broadcaster BSkyB (see Feature: Channel 4 Is Good Friends With Comedy Shows). In a deal with the programmes’ owners, Warner Brothers International Television, C4 takes both the terrestrial and pay-TV rights to the series, and other Warner TV… Continue reading Channel 4 Steals Friends And ER Rights From Sky
Satellite broadcaster, BSkyB, has strengthened its position with Premier League football this morning by taking a 5.0% stake in Sunderland Football Club. Sky is paying £6.5 million to buy into the club and become its exclusive commercial and media agent for an initial period of five years. Under the contract, revenues made from the media… Continue reading BSkyB Buys Into Sunderland FC
The much-anticipated merger between Telewest and Flextech (see Telewest And Flextech Close To Merger) was delayed yesterday due to legal complications. The two companies are expected to complete the deal, in which Telewest will pay £2 billion for Flextech, in the next few days. Telewest stock closed up 26žp at 340p; Flextech finished up 5p… Continue reading Sharewatch
Johnston Press has joined the race to bid for Newscom today by submitting an application to the Department of Trade and Industry, just a week after US publishing giant, Gannett, tendered its own proposal for the regional publisher (see Gannett Seeks Permission To Bid For Newscom).Johnston Press, which publishes titles ranging from the Glenrothes Gazette… Continue reading Johnston Press Joins Bidding Race For Newscom
The Government’s plan to ban tobacco advertising has been ruled legal by a court this morning, following an appeal by the tobacco industry. The ban on all tobacco advertising in the UK was intended to come into force on 10 December (see Government Sets A Date For Cessation Of Tobacco Advertising), but an appeal by… Continue reading Tobacco Ad Ban Upheld By Court
London radio station BBC GLR is to be renamed next year as part of a major rebranding of the BBC’s services in the capital. BBC London Live, as it will be called, will be relaunched with increased news and speech and a reduction in music programming. The coming of the anti-Christ is just one of… Continue reading Newsline Brief
Pre-tax profits at the Daily Mail & General Trust group (DMGT), owner of the Daily Mail and Mail On Sunday, grew by 9.5% for the year ended 3 October 1999, the company announced this morning. DMGT also owns the Evening Standard and London Metro newspapers.DMGT’s national and London newspapers are run by the company’s Associated… Continue reading Daily Mail & General Trust Profits Up 9.5%
Fru Hazlitt, sales director at Capital Radio, has resigned the group to join Yahoo Europe. She is to take up the position of European sales director when her contract expires in six months’ time.Hazlitt told Newsline: “I have got the best media job in Britain at the moment and I am very sad to leave… Continue reading Yahoo Swipes Capital Radio Sales Director
Daily Mail & General Trust climbed 18p yesterday as the newspaper group prepared to release its annual financial results this morning. Prices closed at £42.18p.Cable group Telewest fell as the whole telecoms sector suffered a decline and negative rumours surrounded its proposed merger with Flextech (see Telewest And Flextech Close To Merger). Prices dropped 28žp… Continue reading Sharewatch
