The Commons Select Committee for culture, media and sport yesterday called for the return to the ITV evening schedule of News At Ten. This increases the pressure on the Independent Television Commission (ITC) to oppose the new schedule when it produces its report on the changes in May. The Select Committee is led by Gerald… Continue reading MPs Push For Return Of News At Ten
The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC), the body responsible for auditing sales of the UK’s magazines and newspapers, is to lose its chief executive next month. Simon Devitt, who has held the post since September 1998, is leaving the organisation to head up a new as-yet-unnamed business-to-business venture.There is currently no direct replacement for Devitt… Continue reading Devitt Resigns ABC Chief Executive Role
Mars-owned brand Tunes has signed a £1 million sponsorship deal with the EMAP Performance radio network. Targeting the youth market, the brand will use the strapline “Go Menthol in Ibiza” on dance music station Kiss 100 FM.A new Saturday night dance show has been created to promote the brand, to broadcast weekly across the network… Continue reading Tunes Signs Sponsorship Deal With Kiss 100
Total terrestrial revenue for February 2000 (including GMTV) came in at £221 million, according to agency estimates. Of this, revenue for the ITV Network rose 7.7% compared to February 1999; Channel 4’s revenue increased by 7.5%, and Channel 5 saw its ad revenue grow annually 16%. GMTV saw a 7.2% increase in its revenue. Total… Continue reading TV Revenue Round-Up – February 2000
Canadian publishing company, Thomson Corporation, has today been confirmed as the buyer of Dialog’s Information Services Division (ISD), as had been expected earlier in the week (see Dialog To Sell Core Services To Ease Debt Burden). Dialog is selling ISD, by far the bulk of its business, for $275 million (£173.5 million) and is to… Continue reading Thomson Confirmed As Dialog Buyer
Cable group Telewest and pay-TV company Flextech, which are in the midst of a £2.3 billion merger, both reported poor year-end financial results today. The merger, which will create a vertically integrated company worth more than £12 billion, was cleared by the Department of Trade & Industry earlier this month (see Telewest And Flextech Merger… Continue reading Telewest And Flextech Report Losses Ahead Of Merger
The £8.2 billion cable merger between NTL and Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) has been approved by the secretary of state following recommendations passed from the Competition Commission at the end of last month (see Competition Commission Reports On NTL/CWC Merger). Despite concerns from trade and industry secretary, Stephen Byers, that the merger might be… Continue reading Government Clears NTL/CWC Merger
Stock in BSkyB continued to rise (up 50p) despite the clearance by the Government of the merger of cable companies NTL and CWC (see Government Clears NTL/CWC Merger). BSkyB had opposed the deal under the current cable regulations, claiming that a merged company would be as dominant as Sky and should therefore operate on an… Continue reading Sharewatch
Carlton Communications has signed a deal with WHSmith to link the two companies’ internet businesses, ‘maximising the potential of their entertainment and e-commerce portals’. They will cross-promote their sites, www.whsmith.co.uk and www.carlton.com, with the newsagent advertising the TV company’s pages in its stores.The deal will see Carlton selling advertising space across both companies’ sites and… Continue reading Carlton Signs Net Deal With WHSmith
BSkyB is to launch a customer loyalty scheme to expand its subscriber base. SkyDigital customers will be offered tickets to entertainment and sporting events as well as discounts on magazines, books and hotel accommodation. The group’s listings mag, Sky, is to be relaunched as a customer loyalty title. Carlton Interactive, the internet arm of Carlton,… Continue reading Newsline Brief
