Netflix teams up with US streaming service Sirius XM to launch new comedy radio station April 11, 2019 Netflix is teaming up with US broadcasting giant Sirius XM to launch a new a new radio channel airing clips from its stand-up comedy shows. Netflix Is A Joke Radio will feature segments from the streaming services’ stand-up library, comedy talk shows and original radio programming, and will be aired through Sirius XM, which offers [...]
AT&T denies reports it is exploring sale of Game of Thrones producer HBO Europe April 10, 2019 US telecoms giant AT&T has denied reports it is exploring the sale of HBO’s European division in a bid to slash its $170bn (£130bn) debt pile. A Financial Times report stated executives have held internal discussions over the possible sale of HBO Europe, which produces hit TV series Game of Thrones, but have not yet held meetings with potential [...]
Audioboom posts record quarterly revenues as it cashes in on podcast boom April 3, 2019 Podcast platform Audioboom has posted a surge in quarterly profits as appetite for on-demand listening continues to grow. The London-listed firm saw its revenue rise 180 per cent year-on-year to $4.6m (£3.5m) in the three months to the end of March. Read more: BBC removes podcasts from rival Google service Audioboom said it has boosted [...]
BBC takes control of UKTV channels as Discovery lines up new streaming service April 1, 2019 The BBC will take control of UKTV channels as part of a deal with Discovery that will also see the launch of a new on-demand video service for BBC nature programmes. BBC Studios – the broadcaster’s commercial arm – jointly owns UKTV with US media giant Discovery. Read more: BBC removes podcasts from rival Google [...]
Watch out high street banks – Apple has a credit card and is out to steal your supper March 29, 2019 Every day, new competitors are coming out of the woodwork and vying for a piece of the high street banks’ pie. This has forced the big banks – some kicking and screaming – to evolve, and at a pace that they’ve never before experienced. Change is not a new concept for consumers when it comes [...]
Apple’s big ecosystem play March 26, 2019 | City Talk Doubts and unanswered questions aplenty following last night’s glitzy event, but make no mistake this was another big step in the pivot towards making Apple more of a services business. You would call this an ecosystem play, with new services designed to strengthen the bonds between consumers and the brand. Services revenues have soared lately [...]
Apple ‘show time’ event: Tim Cook debuts Apple TV streaming service March 25, 2019 Apple has unveiled a new streaming platform to take on Netflix during an eagerly-anticipated launch event in California this evening. Oprah, Steven Spielberg and Jennifer Aniston were among the celebrities who took to the stage during a dramatic presentation to announce a revamp of Apple’s TV service. Read more: Apple reveals UK pricing for its [...]
Comcast launches $5 streaming platform for internet-only customers March 22, 2019 US media giant Comcast has launched a new platform for its internet-only customers that will bundle together streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon. The firm has unveiled plans for Xfinity Flex, a streaming box aimed at its non-cable TV customers that ties together a range of apps with its voice remote. Read more: TV advertising revenue [...]
TV advertising revenue stalls as viewers switch to streaming March 21, 2019 TV advertising revenue growth stalled last year as traditional broadcasters continue to lose ground to streaming services. Overall revenue totalled £5.11bn in 2018, equal to the amount invested during the previous year, according to figures from industry body Thinkbox. Read more: Advertising outlook clouds picture at ITV The stagnating figures highlight the challenge faced by [...]
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 [...]