A quarter of all households in Britain now has internet access but, of those logging on, the highest proportions are found in the south of the country and in the highest income brackets. These are the results of a new quarterly survey from the Office for National Statistics tracking internet access.Over the first three months… Continue reading Digital Divide Widens As Take-Up Doubles
The underlying rate of inflation rose to 2.2% last month, according to official figures. The key index, used by the Bank of England to set interest rates, which excludes mortgage payments, rose from 2.0% in May to 2.2% in June, but is still well below the Government’s target rate of 2.5%. The increase is seen… Continue reading Inflation Climbs To 2.2%
Granada has announced the offer price and allocations for the flotation of its media interests as Granada Media plc (see Granada Unveils Plans For Media Arm Flotation). Conditional trading began today at 8am, with shares offered at £5.15 per ordinary share.Charles Allen, chairman of Granada Media, said, “Today’s listing on the London Stock Exchange firmly… Continue reading Granada Media Begins Conditional Trading
By the end of 2000, television sets are set to overtake PC’s as gateways to the internet, according to Pace Microtechnology. The manufacturer of set-top box technology required to receive satellite and cable television, said that Britain was the world’s fastest-growing market for interactive and digital services.The company, which makes boxes for BSkyB, ONdigital, Telewest,… Continue reading ‘Digital Gateways’ Set To Lead The Race For Net Subscribers
ONdigital saw a 15% increase in its subscriber base in the three months to the end of June. The digital terrestrial television platform said today that it had 774,000 customers and was on target to reach one million by the end of the year.The group, which is joint-owned by Granada and Carlton Communications, also revealed… Continue reading ONdigital Adds 15% To Subscriber Base, Reveals Details Of ONnet
Forever Broadcasting is planning to float on the Alternative Investment Market. The radio group, in which Kelvin MacKenzie’s Wireless Group owns a 17.9% stake, is expected to be valued between £25-30m.The company owns two radio stations: 107.6 Juice in Liverpool, formerly known as Crash FM, and Tower FM, which serves audiences in Manchester, Bury and… Continue reading Forever Broadcasting Seeks AIM Listing
Satellite broadcaster BSkyB is believed to be in negotiations to take a controlling stake in Open. The move is rumoured to be a precursor to a stock market listing for the digital service which bought interactive television to the UK when it launched last year (see Interactive TV Launches In The UK).BSkyB currently owns a… Continue reading BSkyB Seeks Control Of Open
The best performer amongst media shares last week was Reuters Group, which ended the day’s trading on Friday up again, by 25p at £13.07.The possible merger deals between Carlton, Granada and United News and Media continue to provoke speculation in the media world. Shares in all three companies ended down on Friday, Carlton by 7p… Continue reading Sharewatch
Monday MediaTel’s weekly media focus and analysis, Media Track, is featured in Campaign Media Business.Tuesday ONdigital, the digital terrestrial broadcaster which is joint-owned by Carlton Communications and Granada, announces its quarterly figures and details of its plans to provide full internet access through television sets (see ONdigital Signs Deal To Provide Full Net Access Through… Continue reading The Week Ahead
While new media busies itself with targetting children on the internet (see The parenting magazine market is not what you would describe as blooming. Practical Parenting, the monthly title covering pregnancy, birth and childcare, has seen a decline in readership over the last five years, down from 109,000 in 1995 to 77,000 in its last… Continue reading Publisher Goes Back To School To Tap New Magazine Market
