City grandee Michael Spencer pumps £11m into British cyber firm Glasswall November 20, 2020 City titan Lord Michael Spencer is said to be leading a £16m investment in cybersecurity firm Glasswall as he looks to cash in on rising demand for specialist security software. The billionaire Icap founder has agreed to anchor the fundraising round with a £11m cash injection through his private investment vehicle IPGL, Sky News reported. [...]
Radio listening surges in second lockdown as Brits work from home November 20, 2020 Radio listening was given a fresh boost during the second coronavirus lockdown this month as Brits went back to working at home. More than a third of commercial radio listeners are tuning in for an extra one hour and 53 minutes per day in November, compared to the period before the first lockdown in April. [...]
Pfizer applies for emergency use of Covid-19 vaccine in US November 20, 2020 Pfizer has applied for emergency use of its Covid-19 vaccine in the US, meaning the treatment could be rolled out as early as next month. Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech submitted an emergency use authorisation request to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and is also seeking approval elsewhere around the world. It [...]
Three opens 20 new UK data centres as it ramps up network investment November 20, 2020 Mobile network Three today launched 20 new data centres across the UK as it pours money into updating its network amid surging demand for high-speed connections. Three said its new data centres will bring its network closer to customers, helping to improve speeds for applications such as gaming and video conferencing. They will also increase [...]
MPs threaten football regulation as they urge bosses to end funding ‘fiasco’ November 20, 2020 MPs have called on the bosses of England’s top football leagues to end the “fiasco” over emergency funding, warning they could introduce new regulation if the game failed to reform itself. The Premier League has been locked in fraught negotiations over a bailout deal for clubs in the English Football League (EFL), which have seen [...]
Screenshot: How books became the new media battleground November 20, 2020 A weekly column from City A.M. bringing you all the biggest stories and trends in technology, media and telecoms This week **Media Moment of the Week: French radio kills the Queen **Publish and be damned: How books became the new media battleground **Could Pearson become the Netflix of education? Media Moment of the Week If [...]
BT boss Philip Jansen hints at sale of Openreach stake November 20, 2020 BT has opened the door to a sale of a stake in infrastructure division Openreach as the telecoms giant battles a declining share price. Chief executive Philip Jansen said he was “open minded” about offloading a stake once a regulatory review into full-fibre networks has been completed next year. “We feel — I feel — [...]
Nightclub owner Deltic asks for rent holiday as it warns of closure November 19, 2020 The UK’s largest nightclub operator has asked for a break from rent payments as it warned of imminent collapse unless a sale can be agreed. Deltic Group, which owns brands including Oceana and Przym, has put itself up for sale after months of closure during the pandemic threatened to force the company into liquidation. But [...]
From drill music to Baby Shark: The record label plumbing profits from subculture hits November 19, 2020 There is, on the face of it, very little to connect Baby Shark with Headie One. The first is an infuriatingly catchy children’s song that is now the most-watched Youtube video in history. The other is a drill rapper from Tottenham who was jailed in January for carrying a knife before releasing a chart-topping debut [...]
Game over: Major retailer websites crash amid PS5 release frenzy November 19, 2020 The websites of major retailers including Amazon, John Lewis and Currys crashed this morning after frenzied gamers rushed to get their hands on the new PS5. Shoppers hoping to get their hands on the latest console also ran into problems on the Tesco and Game websites, as retailers were overwhelmed by demand. Amazon released its [...]
