Sink or swim: The peril of floating as an online media firm July 7, 2022 The excitement surrounding Buzzfeed’s IPO was palpable. It had a loyal following of millennials, millions of investment, and a private-market value of around $1.7bn (£1.4bn). Last summer, Buzzfeed founder and CEO Jonah Peretti said the float was about “taking the next step in BuzzFeed’s evolution, bringing capital and additional experience to our business”. He said [...]
UK competition watchdog opens EU copycat investigation into Amazon July 6, 2022 The UK competition watchdog launched an investigation into whether Amazon has a dominant market position this morning and if it was abusing this power. The Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) probe will hinge on whether the US giant is giving an unfair advantage to its own retail business or sellers, compared to other third-party sellers [...]
Ofcom ‘bares its teeth’ with new roadmap for new online safety laws July 6, 2022 Ofcom has urged tech firms to start preparing now for new online safety rules, setting out a plan for the first 100 days of the regime.
UK competition watchdog digs into Microsoft’s £58bn mega deal with Activision Blizzard July 6, 2022 Microsoft is under the spotlight of UK’s competition watchdog after snapping up “Call of Duty” maker Activision Blizzard for $68.7bn (£57.8bn) earlier this year in the biggest deal in gaming history. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it had until 1 September to make a call on whether the deal would reduce competition in [...]
Starry Eyed: Advertising watchdog bans Ellie Goulding’s alcohol ads on Facebook July 6, 2022 Ellie Goulding's Facebook page adverts have been banned after the singer said the drink was low in calories and contains no sugar, implying it was good for you.
M&G snaps up major stake in non-bank lender Finance Ireland July 6, 2022 London-listed M&G revealed it has snapped up a major stake in Ireland’s largest non-bank lender Finance Ireland today, as the international savings and investments firm looks to diversify and expand. FTSE-100 M&G has taken a 41 per cent stake in the firm, bosses said, with the investment made on behalf of the £143bn Prudential With [...]
It’s a strike: Ten Entertainment smashes 2019 sales as families flock back to bowling alleys July 6, 2022 Bowling firm Ten Entertainment posted sales growth of 52.6 per cent in the first half of 2022 compared to 2019 levels thanks to "record-breaking" bank holidays.
New research warns fresh Digital Markets Unit risks stifling UK innovation July 6, 2022 A new report has warned that proposals to introduce a new Digital Markets Unit (DMU), housed at the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), will have dire consequences for innovation, investment and dynamism in the digital sector.
French music streamer Deezer drops 35 per cent at debut July 5, 2022 Shares in Deezer have plunged over 35 per cent in the French music streamer's first day of trading as the markets struggle to see how it can compete with the likes of Apple Music and Spotify.
Delivery mayhem: Unite confirms Royal Mail manager strike from 20 July July 5, 2022 Over 2,000 Royal Mail managers will strike later this month as the battle over job and pay cuts continue to haunt the company. The Unite trade union said this afternoon that industrial action would immediately impact the postal and parcel service in the UK, with strikes set to take place between 20 July to 22 [...]
