This morning Mirror Group Newspapers lost its CEO, David Montgomery, amidst takeover discussions with regional newspaper publishers, Trinity International and Regional Independent Media (RIM) (see Montgomery Resigns From Mirror Group). He took the decision to step down ahead of a possible ousting by the company’s shareholders and non-executive director, Sir Victor Blank.Montgomery was seen as… Continue reading Possibilities For Mirror Group
Pearson, the international media group, announced yesterday that it is to sell off some of its business and reference titles. The businesses up for sale include: Jossey-Bass, MacMillan General Reference and McMillan Library Reference.The group, headed by Marjorie Scardino, looks set to make between £180 and £220 million from the sales.Pearson released a promising trading… Continue reading Pearson To Sell Off Business Titles
It is expected that Mirror Group chief executive, David Montgomery, will step down from the company at this morning’s board meeting following a bitter battle with Mirror’s non-executive chairman, Sir Victor Blank. Whilst some reports suggest that a degree of conciliation may have been reached, the feeling is that Montgomery has lost the confidence of… Continue reading Montgomery Expected To Step Down From Mirror Group
Sir Robin Biggam, chairman of the Independent Television Commission (ITC), talked about the changes in broadcasting which have taken place over the last decade and their implications for the ITC as a regulatory body, at a Royal Television Society Dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London last week.Although he acknowledged that the watchdog has taken… Continue reading ITC Chairman Defends Watershed As A Method Of Regulation
EMAP Active’s managing director, Barry Dennis, has left the publisher after 34 years. At the same time he becomes chairman of EMAP Promotions. Video retailer, Blockbuster, is to sponsor The Movie Chart Show on Channel 5. The show will run for a 12 week stint starting from 24 January, and is to be presented by… Continue reading Newsline Brief
The Independent Television Commission (ITC) is to carry out an inquiry into the way BSkyB charges for its premium sports and movie channels.Currently, BSkyB’s premium channels are provided at an expensive rate for the first channel supplied, with subsequent channels in the genre offered for just a slight increment in price. For example, the satellite… Continue reading BSkyB To Face ITC Price Enquiry
IPC Magazines is cranking up its marketing drive for the women’s weeklies titles (see IPC Launches £9m Women’s Weeklies Drive), with TV campaigns for Now, Woman and Woman’s Weekly all starting next month. The titles join the campaign for Chat, which launched at the beginning of the year.The £1 million push for Woman, which follows… Continue reading IPC Extends Women’s Weeklies Promo Campaigns
Revenue Estimates from agencies put total terrestrial TV ad revenue at £190.27 million for December 1998. ITV saw a 4.2% increase year on year in its total revenue which rose to £131.62 million in December 1998. Channel 4’s total ad revenue rose by 11.8% to £42.5 million, and Channel 5 enjoyed a rise of 39.4%… Continue reading TV Round-Up – December 1998 (Subscribers)
Portsmouth & Sunderland Newspapers is advising shareholders to reject an offer from Johnston Press, saying it has received approaches from potential rival bidders. Johnston, which made an unsuccessful takeover approach to P&SN last November, announced fresh plans to buy a major stake in the company last week.Edinburgh-based Johnston said it had struck a deal with… Continue reading New Approaches For Portsmouth & Sunderland
The GWR radio group has welcomed the Radio Authority’s announcement last week to replace its Promises Of Performance with Formats as a means of regulating commercial radio output (see Newsline).Chief executive of GWR, Ralph Bernard, commented: “We welcome this announcement as a move in the right direction by the Radio Authority, although it remains to… Continue reading GWR Cautiously Welcomes RA’s New Formats
