Don’t turn BBC reform into a political football February 7, 2020 Move over Brexit, there’s a new B-word battle: over the fate of the BBC. Dominic Cummings, the Prime Minister’s chief adviser, has had the broadcaster in his sights for some time, with reports from his think tank in 2004 suggesting axing it altogether. Opening shots were fired after December’s election, when Cummings imposed a ministerial [...]
UK artists pull in record £87m in overseas music royalties February 7, 2020 British artists pulled in a record-breaking £86.7m in overseas royalties last year as the UK boosted its status as a global music powerhouse. The figure hit a record high in 2019 and is up 22 per cent on the total reached in 2018, according to new figures from licensing body PPL. The surge was driven [...]
New York Times shares hit record high as it adds 1m digital subscribers February 6, 2020 Shares in the New York Times jumped to a 15-year high today after the company said it gained more than 1m digital subscribers in 2019. The newspaper group posted operating profit of $78m (£60m) in the fourth quarter, up from $74.7m in the same period last year. Revenue also ticked up 1.1 per cent over [...]
Twitter shares rise as revenue beats $1bn for the first time February 6, 2020 Shares in Twitter rose as much as eight per cent in pre-market trading today after the social media firm missed profit estimates but beat $1bn in quarterly revenue for the first time. Twitter reported net income of $119m (£91m), down from $255m on the same quarter last year and behind expectations. However, the social media [...]
Commercial radio listening dips despite rise of smart speakers February 6, 2020 Commercial radio stations suffered a decline in audience numbers in the fourth quarter, despite a surge in listening through smart speakers. A total of 35.1m people tuned in to UK commercial radio each week, down from 35.9m in the previous three months, according to the latest figures from industry body Rajar. The sector also lost [...]
Sun editor heads to the Times in News UK shake-up February 5, 2020 Tony Gallagher has stepped down as editor-in-chief of the Sun after four years at the helm of the UK’s top-selling newspaper. Gallagher, who has been appointed deputy editor of the Times, will be replaced by current Sun on Sunday editor Victoria Newton. Keith Poole, currently digital editor at the Sun, will become deputy editor-in-chief at [...]
Brands told to turn to Youtube ads as young TV viewers tune out February 5, 2020 Brands targeting younger consumers can best boost their reach by advertising on Youtube as viewers desert traditional TV, according to a new report. Research published today by media consultancy Ebiquity revealed the number of people viewing ads on linear TV fell 4.4 per cent last year — worse than the predicted decline of 3.6 per [...]
Culture secretary denies attack on BBC as she hints at wider broadcaster review February 5, 2020 Culture secretary Nicky Morgan has denied the government is launching an attack on the BBC as she hinted at a wider review of public service broadcasters. Morgan today launched a public consultation on whether to decriminalise non-payment of the TV licence fee amid a shift in viewing habits fuelled by the rise of streaming services [...]
Spotify boosts subscribers amid surge in podcast listening February 5, 2020 Spotify today reported a sharp growth in subscriber numbers as the music streaming giant cashed in on its recent investment in podcasts. The Swedish firm boosted its monthly active users to 271m in the four quarter, up 31 per cent year on year, with paid subscribers up 29 per cent to 124m. Total revenue for [...]
Government opens consultation into licence fee decriminalisation February 5, 2020 Culture secretary Nicky Morgan will today launch a public consultation on whether to decriminalise non-payment of the TV licence fee, ramping up political pressure on the BBC. Under current laws anyone who uses a TV or watches BBC iPlayer without paying the licence fee is guilty of a criminal offence. Those who refuse to pay [...]