Netflix signs Pinewood Studios deal as it ramps up investment in British shows May 19, 2019 Netflix has reportedly signed a deal to lease a third of the space at Pinewood Studios as it looks to ramp up its investment in British TV shows. The US streaming giant is set to take roughly 150,000 square feet of space at the famous film studios in Buckinghamshire, the Sunday Telegraph reported, citing sources. [...]
Commercial radio pulls in record audience as stations snap up top presenters May 16, 2019 Commercial radio stations across the UK reported their highest-ever listener numbers in the first quarter, as they continue to snap up top talent. At least 36.1m people tuned in to commercial radio stations in the first three months of the year, according to new figures from industry body Rajar. Read more: Netflix teams up with [...]
MPs launch probe into reality TV following Jeremy Kyle Show death May 15, 2019 MPs have launched an inquiry into reality TV shows just hours after ITV axed The Jeremy Kyle Show following the death of a guest. The DCMS Committee said it will probe production companies’ duty of care to participants and ask whether enough support is offered both during and after filming. Read more: ITV revenues slip [...]
UK average broadband speeds rise by a fifth to hit superfast level May 8, 2019 Average broadband speeds in UK households have jumped 20 per cent over the last year, according to new figures from Ofcom. The regulator said average speeds have passed the 50Mbps mark – one of the most commonly-available levels of superfast broadband – for the first time, after an 18 per cent surge to 54.2Mbps. Read [...]
Look After My Bills helps consumers save money by automatically switching their energy provider May 8, 2019 When did you last switch your energy provider? For renters and homeowners alike, managing the cost of our electricity and gas supply is a major headache. Consumers are encouraged to switch regularly, not only in order to find cheaper deals and save money, but also to ensure that the energy market remains competitive and offers [...]
ITV revenues slip ahead of Britbox launch as strain on advertising continues May 8, 2019 Shares in ITV fell more than five per cent after it posted a slip in revenues for the first quarter, as economic uncertainty and lower demand for advertising continue to take their toll. Read more: ITV and BBC announce online streaming service to rival Netflix The figures Total external revenue fell four per cent to [...]
Russian state broadcaster RT is a ‘weapon of disinformation’, says Jeremy Hunt May 2, 2019 Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt has slammed Russian state broadcaster RT, describing it as the country’s “weapon of disinformation”. Addressing an audience in Ethiopia, Hunt launched a searing attack on the channel, formerly known as Russia Today, over its coverage of the Salisbury novichok poisonings last year. Read more: Mirror publisher Reach revenues slip amid pressure on [...]
Jeremy Corbyn described antisemitic book as a ‘great tome’ May 1, 2019 Jeremy Corbyn is embroiled in another antisemitism row after it emerged he wrote the foreword to a book suggesting finance in Europe was controlled by Jews. Corbyn described JA Hobson's 'Imperialism: A Study' – originally published in 1902 – as a "great tome" when it was reissued in 2011. The book claims banking on the [...]
Protecting the UK’s creative treasures by bringing the digital pirates down a peg leg or two April 26, 2019 The gathering storm of state-backed piracy is high on the agenda, as leaders from creative industries gather for World Intellectual Property Day today. As you read this, a pirate media empire is illegally broadcasting 10 channels of live sport – including one of Britain’s most valuable exports, the English Premier League – to a region [...]
BBC retains troubled outsourcer Interserve to provide security across its UK sites April 26, 2019 Embattled public sector outsourcer Interserve has been tasked with guarding the BBC’s entire UK estate for the next three years, in a contract award worth £47m. Read more: FRC investigates Grant Thornton audits of Interserve The announcement, seen by City A.M. last night, means Interserve’s security brand First Security will continue providing services for the [...]