BBC licence fee negotiations kick off as ministers ramp up pressure over funding November 10, 2020 The government today kicked off negotiations with the BBC over how much the TV licence will cost in the future, dialling up the pressure on the embattled public service broadcaster. The talks will determine the level of the licence fee, which is currently set at £157.50, for at least five years from 2022. Culture secretary [...]
TMT providers can unlock customer value through credible sustainability actions November 9, 2020 | City Talk The environmental and sustainability credentials of companies across all sectors are becoming increasingly important to discerning consumers, and this is none more apparent than in the TMT sector. EY’s survey which canvassed the views of 2,000 consumers in the UK, reveals that over half (56%) of UK consumers are willing to pay slightly more for [...]
Love at first sight? Kylie takes stake in UK music streamer Roxi November 9, 2020 Kylie Minogue has taken a stake in Roxi as the music streaming service plots an initial public offering in London. The Australian pop legend joins Robbie Williams, Alesha Dixon and Sheryl Crow as a major shareholder in the company, and will front its new TV advertising campaign. Roxi, which offers a fully-licensed music catalogue through [...]
Screenshot: Ant Group, Jack Ma and China’s power paradox November 6, 2020 A weekly column from City A.M. bringing you all the biggest stories and trends in technology, media and telecoms This week: **Media Moment of the Week: Margaret Thatcher takes to Twitter **Ant Group, Jack Ma and China’s power paradox **Three’s a crowd: Why a telecoms mast deal could spark more mergers Media Moment of the [...]
Facebook and Twitter start removing violent rhetoric as US election tensions rise November 6, 2020 Facebook removed last night a fast-growing group in which supporters of US President Donald Trump posted violent rhetoric, as the social media giant, as well as Twitter, step up efforts to take down baseless claims and avoid potential violence after a contentious election. The “Stop the Steal” group, which called for “boots on the ground to [...]
Tiktok to allow MPs to review algorithm over Uyghur censorship concerns November 5, 2020 Social media giant Tiktok will allow UK politicians to review its algorithm, after MPs challenged the firm over censorship concerns and ties to the Chinese government. Tiktok’s UK director of government relations and public policy Elizabeth Kanter said members of the Business Select Committee were welcome to visit its “transparency centre”, to review its algorithm [...]
The polls failed again, and blindsided businesses are crying out for better corporate intelligence November 5, 2020 So Joe Biden will be the 46th President of the United States. Or Donald Trump will squeeze home (though, at the time of writing, that seems less likely). It has been a nerve-wracking 48 hours for anyone who watches US politics — and one of the reasons for that is that commentators and pollsters got [...]
STV holds guidance as advertising recovery beats expectations November 4, 2020 Scottish broadcaster STV today said advertising had bounced back more quickly than expected following a coronavirus-induced slump, though it warned the short-term outlook remained uncertain. STV, which holds the channel 3 licence in Scotland, suffered a 20 per cent drop in advertising revenue in the first half of the year as the outbreak of coronavirus [...]
Made in Dagenham: Hollywood real estate firm to build new east London film studios November 3, 2020 A Hollywood real estate firm that owns studios where classics such as Citizen Kane and Gone With the Wind were filmed will invest £300m in a major new production complex in east London. Hackman Capital Partners (HCP) will take control of the construction of Eastbrook Studios, a new film and TV hub spread across more [...]
New BBC drama turns spotlight on City work pressure November 3, 2020 The BBC is turning its attention to the City with a new drama that documents the lives of university graduates battling the pressures of a cut-throat career in finance. The series, called Industry, is set at the fictional investment bank Pierpoint, where five fresh-faced grads are subjected to gruelling hours and brutal bosses as they [...]