Sky News has set off on a premium-first direction. Will it work? February 3, 2025 As a phalanx of well-tailored media executives sipped on lukewarm white wine and flicked slivers of smoked salmon onto their plates, David Rhodes set out his philosophy for running one of the largest news organisations in the world. “You have to believe that the basic journalistic activity that you’re doing has value,” the Sky News [...]
Sky News to shift focus to ‘premium’ content January 28, 2025 Sky News is planning a seismic overhaul of its newsroom that will see the national broadcaster focus on “premium” paid-for content over its traditional linear news. The channel’s executive chair unveiled the strategy – branded Sky News 2030 – in a speech to staff on Tuesday in an attempt to seek out new streams of [...]
Prince Harry settles as The Sun’s publisher offers ‘unequivocal apology’ for phone hacking January 22, 2025 Prince Harry has settled his legal case with the News Group Newspapers a day into a mega-trial at the English High Court.
Brent Hoberman: Fear of ‘media onslaught’ puts business people off joining government January 11, 2025 Serial entrepreneur Brent Hoberman and the investment minister Poppy Gustaffson have warned that business people are put off taking on government positions due to fear of a “media onslaught”. Writing on LinkedIn, Hoberman, the founder of Lastminute.com and failed furniture retailer Made.com, criticised coverage of business people entering government and claimed the media constantly “insinuates [...]
DC Thomson: Stylist and The Beano publisher recovers from £161m loss January 6, 2025 DC Thomson, the publishing group behind the likes of Stylist, Press & Journal and The Beano, has surged back into profit and recovered from a £161m loss. The Dundee-headquartered business has jumped to a pre-tax profit of £93.8m for the year to 31 March, 2024, according to newly-filed accounts with Companies House. The results also [...]
Global: Huge losses continue for LBC, Heart and Capital owner January 2, 2025 Global, the media giant which owns commercial radio stations such as Capital, Heart and LBC, has now lost almost £700m since it last reported a pre-tax profit. The London-headquartered empire, which also includes Smooth, Radio X and Classic FM, fell to a pre-tax loss of £120.3m in the year to 31 March, 2024, newly-filed accounts [...]
‘It Ends with Us’ director Justin Baldoni hits New York Times with major lawsuit January 2, 2025 Justin Baldoni is suing the NYT over its story on his co-star Blake Lively's allegations of sexual harassment on the set of the 'It Ends with Us'
National World: Yorkshire Post and The Scotsman owner agrees £65m takeover December 18, 2024 Shareholders in National World, the media group whose titles include Yorkshire Post and The Scotsman, are set for a bumper pay day as a takeover deal which values it at over £65m was agreed. Irish media group Media Concierge, which currently holds a 26 per cent stake in National World, first tabled an offer worth [...]
Tortoise Media acquires Observer newspaper as deal finalised December 18, 2024 The Observer newspaper’s sale to Tortoise Media has been confirmed after a deal was signed by The Scott Trust and Guardian Media Group (GMG). James Harding will take on the role of editor-in-chief while Lucy Rock has been appointed editor (print), the first woman to oversee the newspaper in 100 years. The Observer is being [...]
Channel 5 loses £160m ahead of major rebrand amid audience growth December 9, 2024 Channel 5 has insisted its operating model remains stable despite losing almost £160m during 2023, it has been revealed. The channel, which is set to rebrand simply as 5 in April 2025, has slumped to the loss as a result of the value of its investment in Viacom Interactive – a subsidiary of parent company [...]