Former Sun editor Kelvin Mackenzie calls for radio licence overhaul February 10, 2020 Former Sun editor Kelvin Mackenzie has urged the government to auction the UK’s analogue radio licences to the highest bidder, arguing that market forces should dictate their value. The government has launched a consultation into the renewal of commercial FM and AM licences for national stations Classic FM, Talksport and Absolute Radio, which are set [...]
Competition watchdog tells Viagogo and Stubhub to pause merger February 10, 2020 The UK’s competition watchdog has told ticket resale websites Viagogo and Ebay’s Stubhub to pause any integration of the two businesses while it probes their $4.1bn (£3.2bn) merger. In an enforcement order published today, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) banned the two firms from taking any action which might “lead to the integration of [...]
BBC calls for ‘demonstrable resilience’ as it launches search for new boss February 10, 2020 The BBC has fired the starting pistol on its search for a new director general, calling for applicants with “demonstrable resilience” as it tries to head off fierce political pressure. The broadcaster today published a job advert for its top position after current director general Tony Hall announced plans to step down in the summer. [...]
Audioboom shares surge as it confirms possible sale February 10, 2020 Podcasting platform Audioboom has confirmed recent speculation it is looking to sell the company, sending shares soaring today. The company’s board released a statement this morning to confirm New York-based Raine Advisors was advising the company to help them “deliver maximum value for its shareholders”. It added: “Raine will provide advice and assistance to the [...]
Joe Media loss deepens as parent company starts layoffs February 9, 2020 Digital publisher Joe Media has posted a widening loss in its latest full-year accounts, weeks after its parent company announced job cuts in a bid to turn around its ailing finances. The news site, which also runs the popular House of Rugby podcast, reported a loss of £1.7m in 2018, compared to a £1.6m loss [...]
Premier League plots launch of Netflix-style streaming service February 9, 2020 The Premier League is plotting the launch of a Netflix-style streaming platform in a bid to boost revenue from TV rights in overseas markets. Richard Masters, the Premier League’s new chief executive, has confirmed that plans to set up a direct to consumer offering are already underway. The service, which would allow viewers in some [...]
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 [...]