Publisher Future lifts profit forecasts as it completes Go Compare deal February 19, 2021 Magazine publisher Future today said it expects full-year profit to come in ahead of previous forecasts as it completed its £600m takeover of price comparison site Go Compare. The media group, which owns titles such as Country Life, Four Four Two and Tech Radar, reported strong trading in the four months to the end January [...]
British music exports to hit £1bn by 2030 amid song rights boom February 18, 2021 The value of British music exports could double to £1bn by 2030 if the UK cashes in on the surging value of music rights and growth in new markets after Brexit, according to a new report. The rise of streaming services such as Spotify has fuelled a boom in music assets, with global revenues from [...]
UK nightlife ‘faces extinction’ without government support February 18, 2021 The UK’s nightlife scene is at risk of extinction without urgent financial support, the government has been warned. A group of 40 cross-party MPs today urged the prime minister and chancellor Rishi Sunak to bring forward a sector-specific grant package and lay out a detailed roadmap for reopening venues to avoid “irreversible losses” for businesses. [...]
Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp strikes news partnership deal with Google February 17, 2021 Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp has inked a three-year deal with Google that will see the US tech giant pay to use the publisher’s news content. New Corp, which owns titles such as the Times, the Sun and the Wall Street Journal, said it will provide “trusted journalism from its news sites around the world in [...]
Champions League highlights to be screened on London advertising billboards February 17, 2021 Londoners will be able to enjoy highlights from UEFA Champions League matches on digital advertising billboards thanks to a new tie-up between Ocean Outdoor and BT Sport. The deal will see Ocean, which operates major advertising sites including Piccadilly Lights, screen next-day match clips from the last 16 fixtures of the tournament through to the [...]
‘Beanz on bix for breakfast’ boosts brand scores for Weetabix and Heinz February 17, 2021 Last week, an "unholy union" of Weetabix and Heinz - featuring "beanz on bix for breakfast" - prompted popular outcry on social media.
Ocean Outdoor swings to loss as pandemic batters advertising sector February 16, 2021 Billboard operator Ocean Outdoor today said it expects to post a loss in 2020 after repeated coronavirus lockdowns devastated the advertising sector. The digital ad firm, which operates sites including Piccadilly Lights, forecast adjusted earnings to fall from £33m to a loss of £400,000. Revenue is expected to drop 38 per cent to £86m. It [...]
UK’s online anti-vaccine movement growing rapidly February 16, 2021 The number of people who follow social media accounts that promote anti-vaccine messages is rising sharply. On Instagram alone, major anti-vaccination accounts grew nearly fivefold in 2020, reaching over 4m followers in the UK, according to new research by BBC Monitoring, shared in BBC Panorama last night. On Facebook, anti-vaccination pages grew by 19 per [...]
Vivendi plots €30bn stock market listing for Universal Music Group February 13, 2021 Vivendi is planning to list Universal Music Group and distribute 60 per cent of its capital to investors by the end of the year as it looks to cash in on the rising value of music assets. The French media group today said it has set a minimum target of €30bn (£26bn) for the listing, [...]
Screenshot: Should online harms laws take on the hackers and pirates? February 12, 2021 This week **Media Moment of the Week: Ya boi in Hanoi **Who’s taking on the online hackers and pirates? **Will Big Tech finally cough up for news? Media Moment of the Week: Ya boi in Hanoi Tempted as I was to feature *that* cat lawyer this week, I think perhaps, to borrow Michael Gove’s words, [...]