Beano Studios hires former Vice UK boss Matt O’Mara September 25, 2019 Beano Studios has tapped the former chief executive of Vice UK as the rebellious comic book classic continues its expansion into digital entertainment. Read more: DC Thomson Media launches new monthly women’s magazine Platinum Matt O’Mara will join the company in the newly-created role of chief commercial officer, reporting directly to boss Emma Scott. O’Mara, [...]
Local newspaper group Archant shuts printing site as boss steps down September 25, 2019 The chief executive of Archant is stepping down as the local newspaper group announced it is shutting its internal printworks, putting jobs at risk. The publishing firm, which owns titles including the Ham & High and Hackney Gazette, said boss Jeff Henry will step down at the end of September after five years at the [...]
DC Thomson Media launches new monthly women’s magazine Platinum September 25, 2019 Publishing group DC Thomson Media has today launched a new monthly women’s magazine, just weeks after Marie Claire shut down its UK print edition. DC Thomson said the launch of Platinum, which is aimed at women over the age of 55, marks the biggest women’s magazine launch in more than a decade. Read more: Marie [...]
Fleabag star Phoebe Waller-Bridge signs TV deal with Amazon Studios September 24, 2019 Actor and screenwriter Phoebe Waller-Bridge has sealed a bumper deal with Amazon Studios, just days after sweeping up three Emmy awards. The Fleabag star has inked an overall deal to create exclusive new TV shows, which will be streamed on Amazon Prime. Read more: Netflix boss says The Crown will ‘look like a bargain’ as [...]
Buzzfeed forms video ad alliance as publishers look to fend off tech giants September 24, 2019 Buzzfeed has teamed up with two other digital media companies to pool their video advertising space, as the firms look to counter the dominance of tech giants. Buzzfeed, Group Nine Media and Insider will create an alliance enabling them to sell advertising space across all three companies’ websites, apps and Youtube channels. Read more: Publishers [...]
M&C Saatchi warns on profits as accounting scandal drags on September 24, 2019 Shares in M&C Saatchi hit a seven-year low this morning as the company warned that its operating profit for 2019 is expected to fall below expectations. The ad men said that full-year operating profit was likely to land around five to 10 per cent lower than previously announced. Read more: Shares in M&C Saatchi plunge [...]
Ofcom launches probe into Chinese state broadcaster over Hong Kong coverage September 23, 2019 Ofcom has launched an investigation into Chinese state broadcaster CGTN over concerns its coverage of protests in Hong Kong broke the regulator’s impartiality rules. Ofcom is understood to be probing four separate news programmes aired on the station in August and early September. Read more: Ofcom gives green light to BBC’s Britbox push CGTN, which [...]
BT lines up Champions League bid as it looks to retain lucrative rights September 22, 2019 BT is gearing up to defend its control of Champions League TV rights as the telecoms giant cashes in on price rises in its broadcast division. BT Sport paid £1.2bn in 2017 to secure exclusive rights to Champions League and Europa League matches for three seasons, cementing its control of European football coverage. Read more: [...]
Netflix boss says The Crown will ‘look like a bargain’ as streaming battle begins September 20, 2019 Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings says the its drama about the British Royal family, ‘The Crown’, will “look like a bargain” as the arrival of streaming rivals Apple, Disney and NBC will push content costs up. The series, which will include 60 episodes over six season, cost a reported £100m to produce. Read more: Netflix [...]
Ofcom gives green light to BBC’s Britbox push September 19, 2019 Regulator Ofcom has given the thumbs up for the BBC’s investment in Britbox – a new streaming service to rival the likes of Netflix. The regulator said that there is no “significant risk” that Britbox, a collaboration with ITV, will distort the market and create an unfair advantage. Read more: Britbox: BBC and ITV reveal [...]