Kantar ‘closes in’ on $1.5bn deal for US data rival Numerator April 19, 2021 Kantar is said to be nearing a $1.5bn (£1bn) deal to buy US rival Numerator from buyout fund Vista Equity Partners. The deal, which is expected to be announced imminently, will see Kantar take full control over the Chicago-based market intelligence provider, Reuters reported. Numerator, which was taken over by Vista in 2017, provides market [...]
Online safety bill risks being ‘as shallow as a puddle’, warns campaigner April 15, 2021 In the recently published Integrated Review, a detailed policy document setting out the UK’s national security and international policies, the government identifies online harms as one of the most serious threats to our way of life. The report highlights the government’s commitment to ‘promote a free, open, peaceful and secure cyberspace’. However, it does not reflect the [...]
Live events: UK to launch pilot insurance scheme as part of sport and culture reopening April 14, 2021 Live events: UK to launch pilot insurance scheme as part of sport and culture reopening
Audioboom books first profit as podcast downloads grow April 14, 2021 Podcast platform Audioboom has booked its first ever profit for the first quarter after cashing in on continued growth in on-demand audio. The Aim-listed firm posted adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of $30,000 (£22,000) in the first three months of the year, up from a $500,000 loss the previous year. The maiden [...]
Watch: Mick Jagger and Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl come out of lockdown with new song ‘Eazy Sleazy’ April 13, 2021 Mick Jagger today surprised his fans by releasing a new track titled ‘Eazy Sleazy.’ The tune, written by Jagger in lockdown, features Jagger on vocals and guitar in collaboration with Foo Fighters main man Dave Grohl. Watch the video here: Jagger said today: “It’s a song that I wrote about coming out of lockdown, with [...]
UK must make tech firms pay for news, says competition watchdog April 13, 2021 The UK must introduce a new code to ensure news publishers are fairly compensated for the use of their stories on tech platforms, the competition watchdog has said. Daniel Gordon, senior director of markets at the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), said his organisation agreed with the principles behind a new Australian law requiring tech [...]
Facebook News enters local news market in UK April 13, 2021 Facebook News is adding a local news section designed to give more prominence to regional stories as well as those from national publications. The social network’s news section launched in the UK earlier this year as a dedicated space for news articles on the site. Facebook pays publishers for their content, which is shown in [...]
Former culture minister Ed Vaizey ‘in the running’ for Ofcom chair role April 12, 2021 Former culture minister Ed Vaizey is said to be under consideration for a shortlist of candidates to chair media regulator Ofcom. Officials and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will this week start finalising the list of applicants for the position ahead of final interviews later this month, Bloomberg reported. However, it [...]
Buzzfeed UK revenue falls as pandemic hits digital advertising April 12, 2021 Buzzfeed UK’s revenue dropped last year as the online media group battled the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the online advertising market. The website’s UK division, which also covers its international operations outside the US, posted a 16 per cent decline in revenue to £18.9m in 2020. However, Buzzfeed said an aggressive cost-cutting strategy [...]
Viewers switch off amid wall-to-wall royal coverage April 11, 2021 Viewing figures across all major TV channels plummeted on Friday night amid wall-to-wall royal coverage following the death of Prince Philip. ITV’s Friday night viewing figures fell 60 per cent, according to reports, with the BBC suffering similar losses. Gogglebox, which was broadcast on Channel 4 at 9pm on Friday night, won the battle of [...]