Channel 5 lost out to Channel 4 in its attempt to buy the rights to Big Brother, and looking at that programme’s accelerating popularity (see Big Brother Is Watching Audience Figures Go Up) its easy to see why Dawn Airey has decided that Jailbreak, the channel’s most expensive commission yet, will form the centrepiece of… Continue reading From Big Brother To Big Sales Houses, Channel 5 Prepares For Battle
City workers earning the biggest wads in Britain are to be targeted with the biggest billboards in Britain, thanks to US outdoor contractor Van Wagner bringing New York’s idea of advertising to the UK.Four locations on the key traffic routes into the City of London now feature 85ft long back illuminated light boxes. The largest… Continue reading Van Wagner Gives Big Spenders The Big Picture
Emap and Attic Futura have announced the formation of a joint venture partnership to publish men’s lifestyle title, FHM, in Germany. The German edition will be launched in October, with an initial distribution of 500,000. International managing director of Emap, Chris Llewellyn, said of the deal: “This latest launch of FHM typifies the growing international… Continue reading Launches Brief
Daily Mail and General Trust has announced the acquisition of Under One Roof, an internet-based property services company. The price of the deal was undisclosed and net assets acquired were negligible.The group will add it to its existing internet portfolio, Associated New Media, which includes ThisisLondon, ThisisMoney and women’s portal CharlotteStreet.com.Daily Mail & General Trust:… Continue reading Daily Mail Acquires Online Property Company
United News & Media today made a move towards strengthening its B2B portfolio with the acquisition of Healthcare Data. An information services provider for the health industry, the deal, worth £6 million, will allow the group to expand its current health sector titles, which include Pulse and Chemist & Druggist.The group announced its intention to… Continue reading United News & Media Strengthens B2B Portfolio
Pearson stock went ex-rights yesterday, a fact reflected in the price drop of £2.50. The £1.7bn rights issue is to finance the acquisition of NCS (see Pearson Buys NCS, Reports Pre-Tax Profits Of £123m). After recalculation, the underlying stock was only down 35p at £17.86, while the nil paid shares were quoted at £7.15.Bright Station… Continue reading Sharewatch
The Financial Times Group has integrated the advertisement sales of its internet businesses with its established newspaper and magazine teams. Two new merged sales operations have been formed, the first incorporating the Financial Times newspaper with FT.com, and the second merging the group’s personal finance products.David Walsh, ad director for the Financial Times, will be… Continue reading FT Group Merges On- And Offline Ad Sales
High street newsagent chain WHSmith is trialling M-cast, a screen-based system for in-store promotion, in one of its London Metro stores. The system, developed by Australian company Info-Onscreen, allows stores to target consumers with offers and promotions at the point of purchase.The system uses screens placed around the store. These can either be programmed to… Continue reading WHSmith Trials In Store Screen Advertising
The Guardian Media Group has agreed to sell its remaining interest in television production company, GMG Endemol, to Telefonica. The deal, announced on Newsline yesterday (see Guardian To Sell Television Interests), will allow the company to concentrate on its newspaper, radio and internet assets.Bob Phillis, chief executive of GMG, said: “Major alliances in the US,… Continue reading GMG Confirms Sale Of Endemol
NTL reported losses of $616.5m (£410.3m) in its second quarter results today, an increase of 77% compared to the same period in 1999. However revenues have increased year-on-year to more than $3.25bn (£2.16bn) over the three-month period to the end of June, partly thanks to the acquisition of Cable & Wireless (CWC) (see Government Clears… Continue reading NTL Reports Growing Losses Despite Digital Take-Up
