STV buys Greenbird Media for £21.4m and gains hit series in growth push July 6, 2023 STV has acquired Greenbird Media, an unscripted television production network, for £24.1m today in a “transformative” drive for greater growth across the UK and globally. The Scottish broadcaster, which has brought popular dramas like Antiques Road Trip, Celebrity Catchphrase and Blue Lights to UK television screens, is bolstering its STV Studios production division with the [...]
British recorded music exports smash £700m for first time July 6, 2023 British recorded music exports have defied increasing global competition to grow by a record amount in 2022 as UK artists dominate the year’s biggest global streaming hits. The value of UK music sales and streams overseas increased by 20 per cent last year to £709m; a jump of over £100m in a single year and [...]
‘Be a better neighbour’: BBC warned its digital expansion will ‘wreak untold damage’ for local news outlets July 4, 2023 Local news outlets are pleading for government intervention in the BBC’s plans to digitally expand, saying it will decimate an already struggling industry. Independent publishers such as News Media Association, Bristol Post, and The Northern Echo have said the nation’s license fee-funded broadcaster needs to ‘be a better neighbour’ and rethink its plans to grow [...]
Facebook vs Twitter: Meta launches rival as Musk locks Tweetdeck July 4, 2023 Facebook owner Meta is launching a new app to rival Twitter this week. Threads, which will be linked to Instagram, is available for pre-order in the Apple App Store and will go live on Thursday. It is described as a “text-based conversation app… where communities come together”. The new app is the latest chapter in [...]
Sadiq Khan unveils renovated London studio as part of £6m boost to the capital’s film and TV industry July 3, 2023 London mayor Sadiq Khan has visited the newly renovated 3 Mills Studios in east London, revealing the completed £6m development that is set to boost the capital’s film and television industry on a global stage. The project, funded with £3m from City Hall, includes upgrades to several historic buildings, the creation of over 10,000 sq [...]
Kevin Spacey abused fame to become ‘sexual bully’, London court told June 30, 2023 Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey abused his reputation and fame to become a “sexual bully”, a court has heard. The Hollywood star, standing trial under his full name Kevin Spacey Fowler, is accused of sex offences against four men who “had the misfortune to attract the attention of the predatory” actor, a jury was told. Southwark [...]
One Media reports revenue jump as copyright detection tool takes off June 28, 2023 One Media today reported a 15 per cent jump in revenue as its new copyright detection technology proves increasingly popular. The AIM-listed digital media rights group saw its revenue increase to £2.7m in the first half of last year, up from £2.4m for the same period last year. Some £2.5m of this revenue were driven [...]
UK entertainment and media market tops European charts with £100bn revenue hit June 27, 2023 The UK’s entertainment and media market is expected to hit revenues of £100bn by 2027, according to PwC’s latest forecast. The accounting firm’s Global Entertainment & Media (E&M) Outlook 2023-2027 also expects the UK to cling onto its top position in Europe as the leading E&M market over the next four years. In 2023 the [...]
Vodafone and Three hit back at national security concerns June 26, 2023 Vodafone and Three UK have dismissed concerns about their merger threatening national security after facing criticism from MPs and trade bodies over Three’s ties to China. Three UK, owned entirely by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchinson Holdings, has provoked MPs and trade bodies to flag their concerns that the telecoms company’s links to China may endanger [...]
Dorries blamed as Huawei watchdog report goes unpublished for two years June 26, 2023 The annual report investigating national security risks posed by the Chinese telecoms company Huawei has remained unpublished for nearly two years, raising concerns about government transparency. According to the Telegraph, the decision to shelve the publication of the Huawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre (HCSEC) report was made by the then-culture secretary, Nadine Dorries. Since 2021, [...]