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 [...]
Money mule criminals increasingly target cash-strapped youth during Covid lockdown, report finds March 10, 2021 Money mule criminals use fake online job adverts to target cash strapped youngsters
Piers Morgan quits Good Morning Britain after Meghan Markle comments March 9, 2021 Piers Morgan has quit ITV’s breakfast show Good Morning Britain shortly after Ofcom launched an investigation into his comments about Meghan Markle. A spokesperson for ITV said: “Following discussions with ITV, Piers Morgan has decided now is the time to leave Good Morning Britain. ITV has accepted this decision and has nothing further to add.” [...]
Money talks: ITV attracts 11.1m viewers for Oprah’s Meghan and Harry interview March 9, 2021 ITV last night racked up a bumper 11.1m viewers for the eagerly-awaited Oprah Winfrey interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. The tell-all interview, which aired at 9pm last night, peaked at 12.4m viewers as Brits flocked to watch the couple make explosive claims about the royal family. The figures make Oprah with Meghan and [...]
ITV warns on ‘challenging’ ad market as pandemic hits profit March 9, 2021 ITV today warned that the advertising market remained “challenging” as it reported sharp falls in revenue and profit due to the impact of the pandemic. The London-listed firm, which last night aired Oprah Winfrey’s eagerly-awaited interview with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, posted a 16 per cent drop in total revenue to £2.8bn in 2020. [...]
The Week Ahead: ITV, Rolls Royce, Morrison, ECB and UK GDP data March 8, 2021 It’s Monday morning. City A.M. looks ahead at what this week has in store. China Trade for February This morning – The Chinese economy finished 2020 on a strong note, its surplus hitting a record high in December. Exports rose by 18.1 per cent, slightly down from November’s 21.1 per cent but still better than expected, [...]