The BBC received a serious blow to its sports coverage yesterday, as Channel 4 snatched away the broadcasting rights to English Test cricket in a deal worth £103 million. The contract will see Channel 4 sharing coverage with the giant of subscription sport, BSkyB.Channel 4 is planning to revitalise cricket in a ‘fresh and exciting… Continue reading BBC Loses More Sport As Cricket Goes To C4
There is a new addition to the Astra Panel viewing summary this week, with children’s channel Trouble reporting figures for the first time. In Astra Panel homes Trouble was watched for an average of 7 minutes by individuals (4+), had a weekly viewing share of 0.5%, an average daily reach of 2.5% and an average… Continue reading TV Viewing Summary W/E 04/10/98
Digital terrestrial television broadcaster, ONdigital, will lose its commercial director just after the service launches next month. Anthony Sethill, who joined in January (see Appointment Briefs), has announced that he will resign from ONdigital at the end of November, probably to move back into manufacturing. It is not clear whether he has another job to… Continue reading ONdigital Commercial Director To Leave Just After Launch
It is understood that Gerald Kaufman, chairman of the Culture, Media & Sport Select Committee, is to lead an investigation into ITV’s plans to move the flagship News At Ten programme. He, like Culture Secretary Chris Smith, has made it known that he opposes any such schedule changes.The Independent Television Commission (ITC), which will ultimately… Continue reading ITV’s News At Ten Move Challenged
IPC’s TV Times is to be the sponsor of the ITV coverage of this year’s National Television Awards, in addition to sponsoring the Awards night itself. The Awards take place on 27 October and are broadcast on ITV the following evening. The sponsorship was developed by CIA MediaVision.The TV listing magazine is currently embarking on… Continue reading TV Times Sponsors National Television Awards
The National Magazine Company has promoted Duncan Edwards to deputy managing director to prepare him for taking over control of the company when current MD, Terry Mansfield, retires. Edwards moves up from the post of director of corporate business development.NatMags publishes Company, Cosmopolitan and Zest magazines, amongst others, all of which returned solid circulation figures… Continue reading NatMags Appoints Deputy MD
Cable operator, Telewest Communications, has decided not to use an internet-based system for its interactive TV services, to be launched next year. The company has decided to opt for a system called Open TV which, according to a spokesperson, is better placed to provide the core service of television.Rival cable companies, Cable & Wireless Communications… Continue reading Telewest Opts For Proprietary Interactive System
Scottish Media Group (SMG) has given up on its plans to move into video publishing through the acquisition of VCI (see SMG Makes £31m Offer For VCI Video Publisher), and has sold its 26.4% stake in the company to rival bidder, Kingfisher (see Battle For VCI Mounts).SMG originally made an 80p per share takeover offer… Continue reading Scottish Media Surrenders VCI Bid
Channel 5’s coverage of the European Championships qualifier between Luxembourg and England last night was watched by an average of 5.31 million people, with a peak audience between 9pm and 9:15pm of 6.13 million, according to unofficial overnight terrestrial viewing data.This figure is the highest audience that Channel 5 has received since it came on… Continue reading England v Luxembourg Gives C5 Record Audience
