WhatsApp users in UK get new feature that allows Brits to ‘bundle’ group chats November 3, 2022 A WhatsApp feature that enables users to bundle several group chats together under the umbrella of a single topic and share updates across them all has gone live in the UK. First announced earlier this year and in testing since then, the Communities feature will allow users to organise different group chats together under a [...]
Royal Mail Black Friday strikes could spell mayhem for the whole delivery ecosystem November 3, 2022 ROYAL Mail strikes could cause mayhem for Christmas shopping, with 115,000 posties taking to the picket line at the end of this month. In an announcement late on Tuesday, the Communication Workers Union (CWU) said that it was moving ahead with four further days of strike action, including Black Friday, the largest online shopping day [...]
The New York Times banks 180k new subscribers thanks to bundle approach November 2, 2022 The New York Times ups its full year forecast as the print and digital bundling strategy appears to be paying off. The media group added 180,000 online subscribers in the three months to September, bolstering third quarter estimates. The publication has been bringing together its traditional print and digital offerings, with its newly acquired sports site [...]
Exclusive: ASA chief on how to regulate adland in a world of greenwashing and crypto November 2, 2022 The UK’s advertising body made headlines last month when it banned a series of HSBC green ads for being misleading about their environmental credentials, and said any future campaigns must disclose the bank’s contribution to the climate crisis. Guy Parker, head of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), told City A.M. that this decision was “groundbreaking” [...]
BBC’s local radio cuts slammed as ‘unwarranted’ and ‘misguided’ November 1, 2022 Leading journalist trade body has slammed the BBC’s ambitions to invest more into its local digital news. Chief exec of The News Media Association Owen Meredith criticised the broadcaster’s plans to cut back its late-night local radio, which will see 139 audio roles axed. All local shows after 10pm are set to be replaced with [...]
Harry Styles saves the day for Sony’s music arm November 1, 2022 Sony was buoyed by its music division this quarter, with the group’s profitability countervailing the Japanese giant’s reduced gaming success. Music revenues climbed from JPY 217 billion (£1.2bn) to JPY 359 billion (£2.1bn), with higher sales across recorded music and publishing thanks to new music from big hitters like Harry Styles. Although gaming revenue also [...]
Another player in the market? Viaplay launches its own UK sports and film streaming service November 1, 2022 Nordic producer Viaplay has launched its own streaming service in the UK today, piling in on the crowded video on demand market. The direct-to-consumer packages are priced between £3.99 and £14.99 a month, with content focusing on Nordic storytelling. There are more than 1,000 hours of Viaplay original content, as well as curated third-party series and films. [...]
US judge blocks Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster’s £1.9bn merger November 1, 2022 A US judge has blocked Penguin Random House’s planned $2.18bn (£1.89bn) purchase of Simon & Schuster, after finding the move would hurt competition for anticipated best sellers. Judge Florence Pan of the US district court for the District of Columbia said that the combination of Bertelsmann owned Penguin and Paramount Global owned Simon & Schuster would “substantially” [...]
Starmer says Tories are ‘dragging feet’ in making platforms pay for news November 1, 2022 Sir Keir Starmer has backed calls to make social media platforms pay for news content, accusing the government of dragging its feet on the matter. Writing for campaign group Journalism Matters, the leader of the opposition said that big tech’s dominance of the online advertising space is to the detriment of consumers, other rivals and [...]
‘Royal Mail have just declared war on your postie’: Union snubs yet another pay offer October 31, 2022 Postal workers have warned the public that “Royal Mail have just declared war on your postie”, batting away yet another pay offer from the firm. Royal Mail today proposed a new conditional pay-for-change offer to the Communication Workers Union (CWU) worth nine per cent for CWU-grade colleagues. The offer includes a seven per cent salary [...]