Clear Channel to track mobile data for advertising billboards August 10, 2020 Outdoor advertising giant Clear Channel today announced the launch of a new platform that will use mobile data technology to track the behaviour of people who walk past its billboards. The company’s Radar platform uses anonymised mobile data to give advertisers better insights into consumer behaviour around its portfolio of billboards, bus shelters and street [...]
MPs urge watchdog to probe BBC jobs cuts amid fears over local output August 10, 2020 A group of MPs has urged Ofcom to probe the BBC’s plans to cut hundreds of jobs in its local news division amid concerns the broadcaster is failing in its public service obligations. In a letter to Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes, the MPs called for an urgent response to the proposed cuts before [...]
Whatsapp update to allow users to sync chats between devices August 10, 2020 Whatsapp is reportedly developing a new update that will allow users to sync chats between multiple devices at once. The Facebook-owned messaging app currently limits its service to one main device, meaning users can only be logged in on one device at a time and messages cannot be synced. Whatsapp Web also requires a phone [...]
A third of UK firms plan job cuts by October as furlough scheme ends August 10, 2020 As many as one in three UK firms plan to slash jobs by October as the government winds up its coronavirus furlough scheme, a new survey has revealed. Roughly 33 per cent of companies, charities and public sector bodies said they expected to make redundancies in the third quarter, according to a poll from the [...]
UK coronavirus death toll passes 40,000 June 5, 2020 The official UK coronavirus death toll today rose past 40,000 after 357 more deaths were recorded. As of 5pm yesterday, 40,261 people have died from the disease, according to the Department of Health and Social Care. The figures showed that just over 5.2m tests have now been carried out, with 283,311 people testing positive for [...]
Bombardier to cut 2,500 jobs as Covid-19 hits aviation demand June 5, 2020 Manufacturing giant Bombardier today said it will cut 2,500 jobs in its aviation division as the coronavirus crisis sparks a slump in demand. The Canadian company said the cuts, which equate to roughly 11 per cent of its aviation unit, were necessary due to a sharp fall in orders amid the Covid-19 lockdown. “Over the [...]
BBC appoints Tim Davie as new director general June 5, 2020 The BBC has named Tim Davie as its new director general, bringing to an end months of speculation over the successor to outgoing boss Tony Hall. Davie, who is currently chief executive of BBC Studios, will take up the role in September. Davie is one of the corporation’s longest-serving executives and stepped in as acting [...]
Coronavirus: Luxury car brand Bentley to cut up to 1,000 jobs June 5, 2020 Bentley today confirmed plans to cut up to 1,000 jobs in the UK as the coronavirus crisis takes its toll on the car industry. The luxury car manufacturer, which employs 4,200 people, blamed “significant effects on the short-term financial outlook” and warned it could not rule out further cuts in the future. The Volkswagen-owned company [...]
CBILS: Market Finance starts small business lending under Covid-19 scheme June 5, 2020 Market Finance today opened for loan applications from small businesses under the government’s coronavirus business interruption loan scheme (CBILS). The London fintech firm last month gained accreditation from the British Business Bank to offer loans under CBILS, which offers support to small firms impacted by the Covid-19 crisis. Market Finance will offer a term loan [...]
Acacia snaps up Woodford biotech stakes in £224m deal June 5, 2020 US-listed patent licensing firm Acacia Research today secured a deal to buy a portfolio of biotech stakes from Neil Woodford’s failed fund for up to £223.9m. The deal will see Acacia take control of shareholdings in 19 healthcare firms, including Oxford Nanopore and Immunocore. California-based Acacia, which specialises in intellectual property and patent licensing, agreed [...]
