M&C Saatchi lifts forecasts after new client wins June 1, 2021 M&C Saatchi has lifted its forecasts for the full year as it hailed better-than-expected trading in the first four months of the year. The advertising group said business had been stronger than anticipated as the easing of lockdown restrictions sparked signs of a recovery in ad spend. The London-listed firm also secured business from a [...]
The world is not enough: Amazon’s streaming push continues with $8.45bn deal for Bond studio MGM May 26, 2021 Amazon has confirmed it will acquire iconic film studio MGM in a deal worth $8.45bn (£6bn). MGM has more than a century of filmmaking history and is the home of a string of famous titles, including Tom & Jerry, The Wizard of Oz and the James Bond franchise. In a statement today the companies said [...]
GB News gears up for TV debut as it unveils launch date May 26, 2021 GB News today took another step forward in its bid to shake up the UK broadcasting landscape as it unveiled plans to launch next month. The new TV channel, spearheaded by former BBC presenter Andrew Neil, said it will launch on Sunday 13 June. It will begin broadcasting at 8pm with a special programme titled [...]
Contentsquare secures $2.8bn price tag after Softbank-led funding round May 26, 2021 Data analytics platform Contentsquare has secured a valuation of $2.8bn (£1.9bn) following a funding round led by Japanese investment giant Softbank. The digital experience firm, which helps companies understand how people interact on their website or app, nabbed the price tag after raising $500m in a Series E round. The cash injection was led by [...]
Facebook and Google lobby UK to block Paul Dacre as Ofcom chair May 25, 2021 Facebook and Google are said to have ramped up their lobbying of the UK government amid fears Paul Dacre could be appointed as the next chair of Ofcom. Dacre, the former editor of Daily Mail, has been tipped as the frontrunner to lead the UK’s media watchdog. He is one of four final candidates set [...]
Stage and stream: Amazon inks broadcast deal for National Theatre productions May 25, 2021 Amazon Prime has inked a deal to stream four productions filmed by the National Theatre this summer, including the original stage version of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag. The tie-up will also include Frankenstein, directed by Danny Boyle and starring Benedict Cumberbatch, and Hamlet, which also features the Sherlock star, filmed at the Barbican in 2015. Amazon [...]
Ofcom calls for BBC to take on ‘independent’ expertise as part of editorial review May 24, 2021 Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom has tonight written to the BBC urging it to take on independent advice from broadcasting experts as part of its review of its editorial policies and governance following the Martin Bashir scandal. The broadcaster today announced that it would carry out the review to make sure the scandal could “never happen again”. [...]
BBC to review editorial policies after Diana interview scandal May 24, 2021 The BBC will carry out a review into its editorial policies and governance in the wake of a scandal over reporter Martin Bashir’s interview with Princess Diana. A report into the interview published last week found the broadcaster had covered up the “deceitful” tactics used by Bashir in securing the explosive 1995 sit-down. It blasted [...]
Cineworld shares fizz as big screen reopening drives ‘strong’ first weekend May 24, 2021 Shares in Cineworld pushed higher this morning after the cinema chain hailed a strong opening weekend in the UK following the easing of Covid lockdown measures. The cinema chain said its performance was led by the success of family hit Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, starring James Corden. Cineworld, which also owns the upmarket Picturehouse [...]
Euromoney snaps up networking platform Relationship Science in $7.4m deal May 24, 2021 Financial data firm Euromoney today said it has acquired networking platform Relationship Science in a deal worth $7.4m (£5.2m). The London-listed company said the bolt-on deal would add further scale to its growing people intelligence business and bring further value to clients. Relationship Science provides relationship-mapping services, giving users data on how two different businesses [...]