Outdoor advertising group, Maiden, today reported its strongest half-year results. After a difficult first half to 1999, the group improved significantly in the last six months and reported second-half operating profits before amortisation of £7.1 million.This was £1 million higher than the group’s previous best in 1997. Chief executive Ron Zeghibe said that the turnaround… Continue reading Maiden Results Show Year Of Two Halves
The editor of the Times is taking a break from the position to undergo treatment for a tumour. News International, the parent company of the newspaper, said that Peter Stothard would return to full-time editing in a few months.His imminent departure was announced on Tuesday but the reason behind his decision was not revealed, fuelling… Continue reading Times Editor Takes Break For Treatment
‘Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives’, but enough about Channel 5’s replacement for the glorious and sadly missed Sunset Beach. ITV has announced details of its new programme schedule for the spring and summer months, which spreads either joy or dismay through the media industry. Presented from the plush… Continue reading ITV Unveils New Schedule For Spring and Summer 2000
BSkyB saw its stock tumble yesterday after announcing the issue of 19 million new shares, raising £340 million to finance its purchase of a stake in German KirschPayTV (see SkyDigital Subscribers Rise To 2.8 Million). Prices closed down 165p to £17.98.Future Network was one of the highest climbers on the FTSE yesterday. Stock in the… Continue reading Sharewatch
Independent News & Media’s £300 million bid for the Belfast Telegraph has been referred to the Competition Commission. The group made its bid earlier this month (see Trinity Mirror Sells Belfast Telegraph To Independent), and its referral is obligatory under newspaper merger rules.Disposal of the Belfast Telegraph Newspapers, which includes the Belfast Telegraph and Sunday… Continue reading Indy’s Bid For Belfast Telegraph Referred To Competition Commission
A year after ITV made the decision to ditch the News At Ten, CIA MediaLab’s Sensor survey has found that 29% of people would like to see it return, and 30% claim to miss it. However, the public does not support parliamentary pressure on ITV to bring the bulletin back, with only 6% agreeing with… Continue reading Public Does Not Want MP’s Pressure On ITV To Return News At Ten
Global advertising and communications company, WPP, yesterday benefited from a reiterated recommendation of the stock by Deutsche Bank. Deutsche said that WPP was well-placed to benefit from the fragmentation of media markets, particularly into the emerging digital delivery systems. WPP finished up 34p at £10.70.Stock in online information provider Dialog has continued to fall since… Continue reading Sharewatch
Manchester United is positive that live television rights to Premiership matches will be taken from BSkyB when the contract is renewed this year. The football club, announcing its half-year results yesterday, reportedly said that the new rights deal for the games would be split between operators.The rights to live Premier League games have been monopolised… Continue reading BSkyB Will Lose Monopoly Over Premier League Matches, Says Man Utd
Independent News & Media, publisher of the Independent newspaper, has this morning posted a 68% rise in pre-tax profits to £86.1 million for the whole of 1999. The Dublin-based company publishes a number of newspapers around the world and has begun investing in the development new media businesses, which it said are now starting to… Continue reading Independent News Profits Strong In 1999
BSkyB today announced an increase in the number of subscribers to its digital service. There are currently 2.8 million subscribers, with total sales of 3 million.Today’s figures show a slight increase on the previous quarter (see SkyDigital Subscribers Up To 2.6 Million). A statement from the group said that the rise was in line with… Continue reading SkyDigital Subscribers Rise To 2.8 Million
