Pearson sales slump amid Covid-19 closures of schools and test centres October 14, 2020 Educational publisher Pearson (PSON) has suffered a drop in sales since the beginning of the year after the coronavirus pandemic forced test centres and schools to close. Group sales in the nine months to 30 September fell 14 per cent, reflecting the continued impact of the Covid-19 crisis. The company said its online learning sales [...]
Press freedom is under fire in Hong Kong — it’s time for Britain to take a stand October 14, 2020 Freedom of expression is a crucial and universal human right, recognised by international organisations around the world, including the United Nations. And rightly so. It is the job of journalists to shine a light on the authorities that govern us in order to hold them to account for their actions. A free press is an [...]
Music royalties firm Round Hill plots London listing October 13, 2020 Music royalties firm Round Hill today said it is planning to raise $375m (£288m) through a listing on the London Stock Exchange. Guernsey-based Round Hill Music Royalty Fund said it was targeting annual returns of between nine and 11 per cent through its investment in music intellectual property. Founded in 2010, Round Hill is an [...]
Cultural bailout: Which London arts venues will get a share of the £275m rescue fund? October 12, 2020 The government this morning announced a fresh tranche of funding for England’s troubled cultural sector. Over 1,300 arts venues and organisations will share an emergency £257m fund to help get them back on their feet. Mark Dayvd, chief executive of the Music Venue Trust, welcomed the cash injection, which he said would help the sector [...]
More than 1,300 arts organisations to share £257m survival fund October 12, 2020 The London Symphony Orchestra and the Young Vic are among more than 1,300 arts organisations across England that will share a £257m coronavirus survival fund. The funding is the latest tranche of the government’s £1.6bn Cultural Recovery Fund, which is designed to support theatres, museums and music venues that have been forced to close during [...]
Exclusive: London film firm secures Hollywood backing for animated blockbuster October 9, 2020 A London-based film company has secured backing from two major Hollywood names to produce one of the largest UK-financed feature films in recent years. Film and TV financing group GCI Film has pumped $37.5m (£29m) into Ozi, an animated environmental film telling the story of the ongoing destruction of the Sumatran rainforest in Indonesia. City [...]
Netflix to triple London office space as it cashes in on British success stories October 9, 2020 Netflix is set to massively expand its London office space as the US streaming giant doubles down on its commitment to the UK. The streamer will triple its footprint to 100,000 square feet when it moves into the Copyright Building in the West End. Netflix is taking over the lease from outsourcing giant Capita, which [...]
Downing Street names Allegra Stratton as new press secretary October 8, 2020 Veteran journalist Allegra Stratton has been confirmed as Downing Street’s new press secretary. The newly-created role will see Stratton front No.10’s new daily televised briefings. Stratton currently serves as director of communications at the Treasury. She previously worked as journalist at ITV News, the BBC and The Guardian. The government’s new daily briefings – which [...]
JPI Media secures bids from Archant and media veteran Montgomery October 8, 2020 Local newspaper group JPI Media is said to have received takeover offers from rival publisher Archant and veteran media executive David Montgomery. JPI, which owns titles including The Scotsman and The Yorkshire Post, originally put its regional papers up for sale last year. The process was put on hold following the outbreak of coronavirus, but [...]
UK broadcasters call for new regulation amid threat from streaming rivals October 8, 2020 The UK’s public service broadcasters have doubled down on their calls for tighter regulation of the media landscape amid growing competition from deep-pocketed streaming rivals. The heads of the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 were today united in their pleas to bring British broadcasting rules up to date to contend with modern viewing [...]