STV Group sets out digital growth plans after pandemic hits profit March 16, 2021 Scottish media firm STV Group saw its profit fall two-thirds in 2020 but said that it had achieved a record viewing performance amid the chaos of the pandemic. The firm, which runs the STV television channel north of the border, said that profit before tax had fallen from £19m to £6.7m in 2020. However, it [...]
Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp inks Facebook deal in Australia after row March 16, 2021 Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp has signed a licensing deal with Facebook in Australia, marking an end to a dispute that saw the social media site instigate a news blackout in the country. The publishing group said it has reached a three-year agreement with Facebook to provide news and information to millions of users in the [...]
Shares in events firm Ascential slump as pandemic sparks hefty loss March 15, 2021 Shares in Ascential dropped this morning after the media and events firm revealed a hefty loss in 2020 as a result of the pandemic. The FTSE 250 company, which runs the Cannes Lions festival, reported a pre-tax loss of £166.5m last year, compared to a profit of £1.8m in the previous 12 months. The lacklustre [...]
UK HuffPost office next on Buzzfeed’s chopping block March 12, 2021 A total 16 full time journalists working at HuffPost in London are at risk of losing their job, as BuzzFeed begins consulting on plans to slim down Huffpost “operations” in the UK and in Australia. More than half of the 29 HuffPost journalists working in the London office have been informed they face redundancy, the [...]
Screenshot: Does the UK media have a racism problem? March 12, 2021 This week: **Media Moment of the Week: GMB gets a new frontman **Does the UK media have a racism problem? **Deliveroo’s IPO giveaway; BT gets in a bind Media Moment of the Week: GMB gets a new frontman What a week it’s been for ITV. In the space of 24 hours it racked up bumper [...]
WPP commits to London headquarters despite plans to slash office space March 11, 2021 Advertising giant WPP today committed to its London headquarters despite wider plans to slash office space amid a shift to home working. The media group, which owns ad agencies such as Ogilvy, Grey and Group M, has said it will look to reduce its office footprint by a fifth in the coming years. Chief executive [...]
WPP resumes £620m share buyback as it eyes return to growth March 11, 2021 WPP today said it would resume its £620m share buyback programme and restore its dividend as the advertising giant eyes a return to growth this year. The London-listed ad group halted the buyback, funded by its $4bn sale of Kantar in 2019, and the payout due to the pandemic. But it today said up to [...]
ITV shares fall after Piers Morgan quits broadcaster March 10, 2021 Investors switched off ITV today after Piers Morgan resigned from breakfast show Good Morning Britain. Shares are down nearly six per cent this afternoon. The controversial broadcaster stepped down from the programme last night amid a furore over his comments about Oprah Winfrey’s interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Shares in ITV are currently [...]
BBC to cash in on children’s shows amid commercial push March 10, 2021 The BBC has unveiled plans to cash in on the success of its children’s TV shows as the embattled broadcaster looks to ramp up its income from commercial ventures. The corporation today said it will move BBC Children’s Productions, which makes shows such as Blue Peter and My Mum Tracey Beaker, into its commercial arm [...]
Disney boss Bob Iger linked to UK ambassador role as streaming service hits 100m users March 10, 2021 Disney last night said its Disney Plus streaming service has racked up 100m users, as speculation grows that outgoing boss Bob Iger could be named US ambassador to Britain. The US media giant said it had passed the milestone just 16 months after launching the platform. Netflix, which now has 200m users, took 10 years [...]