Centaur Communications, publisher of Marketing Week, has made its largest acquisition to date: the £10 million purchase of a number of products from Miller Freeman UK. Centaur has acquired six magazines, one newsletter, four exhibitions and a number of associated products and websites from Miller Freeman’s industrial and manufacturing group. BSkyB is reported to be… Continue reading Newsline Brief
Trade and industry secretary, Stephen Byers, has blocked BSkyB’s takeover bid for Manchester United Football Club. BSkyB offered £623 million for the club and it was expected that the deal would be allowed to go ahead, with certain conditions in place.Over the last few weeks, since the Monopolies and Mergers Commission (MMC) handed its report… Continue reading BSkyB’s Man Utd Takeover Is Blocked
ONdigital announced at a press conference this morning that 110,000 households have subscribed to its digital terrestrial service since the launch in November last year (see Newsline). Stephen Grabiner, chief executive of ONdigital, commented: “We have built the world’s first digital terrestrial pay television business from scratch. Our early subscriber base is strong and we… Continue reading ONdigital And Bush Offer Digital TV Sets For £500
Mollin Publishing this week launches Shape, a new health and fitness title for women which is based on the US magazine Health & Shape. In November last year, Mollin acquired the rights to produce UK versions of two Weider Publications titles: Health & Shape and Men’s Health (see US Titles Due For UK Launch).Shape, which… Continue reading Mollin’s Shape Launch Backed By Poster Campaign
The Guardian has announced an advertising campaign to accompany its spring changes (see Newsline).Changes have been made to the weekly listings title The Guide, including an expanded preview section and increased regional listings. The Editor, which is the weekly round-up of news, is now being distributed on Friday and the Guardian‘s property and design magazine… Continue reading Guardian Launches Ad Campaign For Spring Changes
Mike Soutar, creative director at EMAP On Air and former MD at Kiss FM, has been lured away from EMAP by Dennis Publishing to become editor-in-chief of the US version of its Maxim magazine.In the US, only Rodale Press’ Men’s Health has a higher circulation than Maxim in the men’s lifestyle market. Soutar is charged… Continue reading Soutar Leaves EMAP To Edit US Maxim
Confirmation of merger discussions between Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) and Telewest Communications (see Cable Giants Meet For Merger Talks) helped both companies perform strongly yesterday: CWC closed up 40˝p at 795p; Telewest closed up 23p at 319źp. CWC’s parent company, Cable & Wireless, also rose, up by 22p.Reed International’s failure to secure a new… Continue reading Sharewatch
The Bank of England has resumed its downward drive on interest rates cutting the cost of borrowing by a quarter point today. After last month’s pause for breath, the Bank’s nine-member Monetary Policy Committee voted to reduce its base rate from 5.5% to 5.25% – its lowest level for five years.
Both Cable & Wireless Communications and its parent Cable & Wireless enjoyed rises in their share prices by the close of trading yesterday of 36˝p and 23˝p respectively, following media speculation that Cable & Wireless Communications is in possible merger talks with Telewest. Telewest’s share price also rose by 19p to 296ź. Details on the… Continue reading Sharewatch
Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) and Telewest Communications, the first and second largest cable groups in the country respectively, have confirmed that they are in preliminary talks which could see the mega-merger of the two groups.A spokesperson from Cable & Wireless Communications told Newsline this afternoon that “preliminary discussions are being held between them and… Continue reading Cable Giants Meet For Merger Talks
