Digital GP app Livi prescribes €200m funding boost amid pandemic boom February 12, 2021 One of the largest digital GP platforms in Europe is said to be in talks to raise a further €200m (£176m) as the Covid-19 pandemic drives up demand for remote healthcare services. Kry, which trades as Livi in the UK, is working with bankers at JP Morgan on a series D funding round, Sky News [...]
UK GDP: How City analysts reacted to the record economic slump February 12, 2021 The City was hit with some sobering figures this morning, as the latest official data showed UK GDP suffered its largest annual fall on record. The economy shrank 9.9 per cent in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, but narrowly avoided a double-dip recession with growth of one per cent in the final [...]
Screenshot: Should online harms laws take on the hackers and pirates? February 12, 2021 This week **Media Moment of the Week: Ya boi in Hanoi **Who’s taking on the online hackers and pirates? **Will Big Tech finally cough up for news? Media Moment of the Week: Ya boi in Hanoi Tempted as I was to feature *that* cat lawyer this week, I think perhaps, to borrow Michael Gove’s words, [...]
Australia pushes ahead with online news laws despite Google threat February 12, 2021 Australia is pushing ahead with landmark legislation that will force tech giants to pay publishers for news, despite Google’s threat to pull out of the country. The government will introduce new draft laws next week and they could come into effect this month. If passed, the legislation would make Australia the first country to force [...]
O2 hit with £10.5m Ofcom fine after overcharging customers February 12, 2021 O2 has been slapped with a £10.5m fine after a billing error meant the mobile network overcharged thousands of customers. More than 250,000 customers were presented with inflated bills when they left the network due to a system error that doubled up some charges. Roughy 140,000 people actually paid the extra fees between 2011 and [...]
KPMG’s UK boss Bill Michael resigns after ‘moaning’ controversy February 12, 2021 KPMG UK chair Bill Michael has resigned after a video surfaced online of the boss telling staff to “stop moaning” and “playing the victim”. Michael was suspended as the Big Four firm launched an investigation into the comments, which were made during an online meeting with consultants. KPMG today confirmed he has resigned and will [...]
BBC World News banned in China in broadcast retaliation February 11, 2021 BBC World News has been banned from airing in China in an apparent act of retaliation after the UK withdrew the licence of the country’s state broadcaster. China’s National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) today said it was pulling the service off air due to “serious content violations”, CGTN reported. The regulator claimed the BBC [...]
Mail on Sunday loses privacy case against Meghan Markle February 11, 2021 The Mail on Sunday has lost its privacy case against Meghan Markle after it printed extracts of a letter she sent to her estranged father. A judge at the High Court today granted Markle a so-called summary judgement in her case against Associated Newspapers, part of Daily Mail and General Trust. The Duchess of Sussex [...]
Vue chief executive Tim Richards named as new BFI chair February 11, 2021 The founder and chief executive of cinema chain Vue has been named as the new chair of the British Film Institute (BFI). Culture secretary Oliver Dowden today confirmed that Tim Richards will take up the position from next week and serve a term of up to three years. Richards founded Vue in 1999 and has [...]
Microsoft ‘made takeover approach’ for social media site Pinterest February 11, 2021 Microsoft is said to have approached Pinterest over a potential deal to buy the $51bn (£27bn) social media platform. The US tech giant held talks with Pinterest in recent months but negotiations are not currently active, the Financial Times reported, citing people briefed on the matter. The approach comes at the height of a pandemic-induced [...]