One of the world’s largest media-buying operations looks set to be created following yesterday’s deal between Publicis and Saatchi & Saatchi (see Publicis Buys Saatchi & Saatchi For £1.24bn). Publicis-owned Optimedia and Zenith, which is 50%-owned by Saatchi, are expected to begin merger talks on the possibility of combining their operations on completion of the… Continue reading Zenith And Optimedia Look Set To Merge On Completion Of Saatchi Deal
ITV has until tomorrow to give the Independent Television Commission (ITC) its final proposal for tackling the decline in audience figures its news output has suffered (see ITV Must Address News Audience Decline, Says ITC). It is thought that the broadcaster is hoping to appease the regulator by promising to pour more money into news… Continue reading Time Is Almost Up For ITV News Proposal
Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation today unveiled a new company to house its satellite television assets, which include BSkyB. Sky Global Networks will consolidate the group’s satellite TV interests in preparation for a float on the New York stock exchange.An initial public offering for the combined group is expected to be completed by the end of… Continue reading News Corp To Float Satellite TV Assets
Sky Homes has announced a further two agreements to provide council-owned flats with its digital satellite services. The arrangements with Manchester and Aberdeen local authorities come in addition to seven similar deals with other local authorities and 66 pilot scheme partnerships with housing associations and local authorities. These could give BSkyB the competitive edge in… Continue reading Sky Homes Announces Further Local Authority Deals
The BBC has been criticised by its Board of Governors for not producing a consistent level of quality of programming on its flagship channel, BBC One. The governors voiced their opinion in the corporation’s annual report, released today.While the board said that BBC One had “scaled new heights” with programmes such as Walking with Dinosaurs… Continue reading BBC Criticised By Governors In Annual Report
Saatchi & Saatchi did not reach its 500p merger price yesterday (see Publicis Buys Saatchi & Saatchi For £1.24bn), because a fall in the value of Publicis shares reduced the value of the offer, which was all-stock. Shares in Saatchi & Saatchi ended down 1½p at £4.19½.Daily Mail group, which recently offloaded its DMG radio… Continue reading Sharewatch
A merger between Vivendi, Canal Plus and Seagram was unveiled today, creating a media giant to rival AOL-Time Warner. The French media and utilities group, which owns 50% of TV company Canal Plus, will unite with Canadian-owned Seagram in a deal worth £22bn.The new company will be renamed Vivendi Universal and its combined assets will… Continue reading Vivendi, Seagram And Canal Plus Merge In £22bn Deal
Shopping online may be becoming more popular (see UK Internet Users Giving Online Shopping More Credit), but it has some way to go to beat playing games or listening to music on the internet.The latest figures from MMXI Europe show that European internet users have increased the amount of time they spend looking at entertainment… Continue reading We’d Rather Play Games Than Shop On The Net, Says Report
Saatchi & Saatchi has agreed to be taken over by French advertising group Publicis in a deal which will see the creation of the world’s fifth largest advertising company. Publicis is to pay £1.24bn for the group in an all-paper deal.The agreement will see Saatchi & Saatchi owning 30% of the combined group, which will… Continue reading Publicis Buys Saatchi & Saatchi For £1.24bn
Attic Futura has announced plans to restructure its advertising department, becoming the third magazine publisher to redefine itself across its core markets. The group, which publishes titles including TV Hits and Sugar, will now conduct sales across two major genres: youth and entertainment and women’s health and lifestyle.A number of senior appointments have been made… Continue reading Attic Futura Restructures Sales Department
