Disney closes $71bn takeover of 21st Century Fox as it puts Netflix in its sights March 20, 2019 Disney has completed its mammoth $71bn (£54bn) takeover of 21st Century Fox in a deal that transforms the media landscape and puts Netflix’s domination at risk. The deal, which went through shortly after midnight in New York, sees Disney take control of Rupert Murdoch’s film and TV business, as well as National Geographic and a controlling [...]
We don’t need to break up big tech to make a better internet – we just need more competition March 19, 2019 Last week saw the release of the government-commissioned Furman Review into digital competition. The commission, chaired by former Obama administration chief economic adviser Jason Furman, found that Google, Amazon, and Facebook don’t face enough competition. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, given the recent attention on tech giants’ business models by governments across the world. [...]
Alexa offers energetic assistance in link-up with Octopus Energy March 18, 2019 Octopus Energy has teamed up with Amazon to become the first energy company providing real-time energy pricing using voice automation with Alexa. The energy provider, which has 600,000 customers throughout the UK, is pioneering the drive toward greener and cheaper energy through its Agile Octopus tariff, allowing customers to use electricity when it is cheapest [...]
Facebook hit with US criminal investigation over data-sharing deals March 14, 2019 US prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into Facebook over a number of data deals it struck with other major tech firms. A grand jury in New York has ordered two smartphone manufacturers to hand over records, the New York Times reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Read more: Facebook to encrypt more messages [...]
The World Wide Web is 30 years old – what will be the future of the internet? March 14, 2019 The World Wide Web turned 30 years old this week: on 12 March 1989, Sir Tim Berners-Lee submitted a proposal to the world’s largest physics laboratory, Cern, that outlined a new way to link, share, and manage information over the internet. As the main way that the vast majority of us access the online world, the [...]
Greystar, PSP and Allianz buy Shoreditch student housing scheme for £160m March 11, 2019 Property giant Greystar has led a consortium of buyers that has snapped up a student accommodation project in Shoreditch from investment firm Apache Capital for £160m. Greystar, alongside partners Public Sector Pension (PSP) Investments and Allianz Real Estate, has exchanged contracts to acquire the Paul St. East development. Read more: Greystar and Henderson Park snap [...]
Futuristic entrepreneurs are helping us reach for the stars March 11, 2019 Houston, there is no problem. America is back in the space race. “We’re really at the forefront,” says US President Trump. “Nobody is doing what we’re doing.” He’s right. But in a break with tradition, the US is now leaning on its entrepreneurs, rather than the Federal Reserve, to fund its interplanetary aspirations. The latest [...]
BT TV to offer Vice channels in bid to bolster its youth appeal March 8, 2019 BT has secured a deal with Vice Media to give its customers access to the youth channel’s content on live and on-demand TV. The partnership, which comes into effect next week, will give BT TV customers access to Vice on TV, a lifestyle and entertainment channel offering documentaries about popular culture and current affairs. Read [...]
BBC ‘risks irrelevance’ unless it adapts to digital age, says director general March 7, 2019 The BBC risks irrelevance unless it adapts to changing viewing habits, the broadcaster’s director general has said. Speaking at the Media & Telecoms Conference this morning, Tony Hall admitted the BBC faces an uphill struggle to keep up with deep-pocketed rivals such as Netflix and Amazon, but insisted public service broadcasters are as important as [...]
Amazon backs women in tech with new £130,000 grant March 7, 2019 Amazon has unveiled a plan to increase the number of women in technology and innovation by improving diversity on interview panels and encouraging women to apply. Read more: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos accuses National Enquirer of blackmail The effort, which comes in time for International Women’s Day tomorrow, will try to overcome some of the [...]