Shrek maker Dreamworks sees share price soar after news Comcast is considering $3bn takeover bid April 27, 2016 Shares in Dreamworks were up by more than 15 per cent on Wednesday after it emerged Comcast is considering a takeover of the company. Shares in Comcast, the creator of the Despicable Me and Minions films, were also up slightly following the news. Read more: Comcast pours cold water on ITV takeover talks Comcast is in talks to [...]
Thomson Reuters expects to complete sale of $3bn-valued intellectual property and science units this year April 26, 2016 Thomson Reuters expects to sell off its intellectual property and science units, which have been valued at around $3bn (£2.1bn), this year. The US media company said in its first quarter report, released today, that a sale process has been launched and a deal is due to complete in the second half of 2016. The figures Thomson [...]
How the internet is driving UK advertising market to be the fastest growing in Europe April 26, 2016 The UK has the fastest growing major advertising market in Europe, according to a new report. Adspend totalled £20.1bn in 2015, up 7.5 per cent on 2014. This was the biggest year-on-year growth on record since 2010. According to the Advertising Association/Warc Expenditure Report, spending on the internet made up £8.6bn of this, up 17.3 [...]
Don’t let Boaty McBoatface put you off: The lessons to learn around crowdsourcing content April 25, 2016 Unless you were hiding under a rock last week, you will be aware that a certain boat, due to be named Boaty McBoatface, has caught the media’s attention again. In any case, here’s a quick summary of the story so far. In an effort to raise awareness of its new vessel and research work, the Natural Environment [...]
Greater sovereignty or smaller budgets: With polls tight ahead of the EU referendum, what would Brexit mean for the marketing and advertising industries? April 25, 2016 On 23 June, adland will have a tough decision to make – whether to be at a party in Cannes or a polling booth in Britain. It is hard to assess the impact Brexit would have on the marketing and advertising industry, and its outlook on the issue is predictably varied. Firms differ in size, [...]
Visual vanguard: JCDecaux’s Spencer Berwin talks hawks, scaling and London’s digital landscape April 25, 2016 London's landscape is in flux. Almost 120 skyscrapers are in the pipeline, and the proliferation of bright digital billboards in train stations, roundabouts and bus shelters are transforming the capital’s aspect into something altogether more dynamic and enthralling. Outdoor specialist JCDecaux is behind this massive digital roll-out. After winning TfL’s £300m bus shelter contract last [...]
Martin Sorrell’s WPP leads marketing and communications global deals surge in first quarter of 2016 April 21, 2016 The value of deals activity in the marketing and communications sector grew by two-thirds in the first quarter of 2016. During the three months, 288 deals completed in the global market, up 32 per cent year on year, according to new research by Results International published today. The combined disclosed value of the deals was [...]
Frontrunner in Yahoo bidding process Verizon reports first-quarter results for 2016 April 21, 2016 Verizon Communications, the company tipped to win the Yahoo bidding war, reported a 2.9 per cent growth in earnings per share (EPS) in the first quarter of 2016. The figures The US firm's revenue grew 0.6 per cent on the first quarter of 2015 to $32.17.bn (£22.4bn). This was slightly below analysts' expectations of $32.46bn, [...]
Sky News loses Gherkin presence after six years in the heart of the City of London April 19, 2016 Sky News has lost its presence in the Gherkin after six years. The broadcaster's business coverage is now being shot in its Millbank and Osterley studios. Read more: Mapped: Londoners are sick of all the skyscrapers City A.M. understands Sky News's landlord activated a break clause forcing the broadcaster to leave the City of London this month. Sky [...]
Dave and Gold owner UKTV tipped for deal spree if BBC is forced to sell off £500m stake in broadcaster April 18, 2016 UKTV is being tipped to go on an acquisition spree if the BBC is forced to sell off its £500m-valued stake. The broadcaster owns 10 channels including Dave and Gold, which broadcasts Only Fools and Horses, Alan Partridge and Fawlty Towers. It has been reported that if the BBC is forced to sell its 50 per cent stake, [...]