Netflix shows to remain on Sky after media firms ink new multi-year content deal January 19, 2020 Sky today said it has signed a new multi-year agreement with Netflix to keep the US streaming service’s programming on its pay-TV network. The two companies said the extended deal builds on a “successful partnership built over the past two years”, with Sky customers already able to access Netflix hits such as Sex Education through [...]
BT and Vodafone ‘support Huawei involvement’ in UK 5G network January 17, 2020 BT and Vodafone are reportedly set to support Chinese telecoms firm Huawei’s involvement in the UK’s 5G network. The companies are preparing a letter to be sent to the Prime Minister to lobby him to support the move, saying a ban on Huawei could stunt the growth of the UK’s digital economy, Sky News reported. [...]
Flybe rescue secrecy is absurd January 17, 2020 So much for open government. It shouldn’t be too much to expect the ministry responsible for the public finances to disclose the potential liability to taxpayers of a private company bailout. Yet in the Treasury’s statement about the government-backed rescue of the regional airline Flybe this week, there was scant detail and even fewer numbers. [...]
Goldman-backed telecoms firm on brink of £200m Talktalk deal January 16, 2020 Goldman Sachs-backed telecoms firm City Fibre could seal its £200m takeover of a Talktalk division as soon as this weekend. The deal, which was first reported in August, was put on hold in November when Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour party vowed to nationalise BT’s broadband infrastructure arm and provide free broadband if they won the December [...]
Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary threatens to sue government over ‘billionaire-owned’ Flybe rescue January 16, 2020 Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has threatened to sue the government over its bailout of “billionaire-owned” regional airline Flybe. O’Leary wrote to chancellor Sajid Javid today demanding that the government extend an air passenger duty “holiday” handed to the struggling carrier to all other airlines. If it does not do this, he said, it would be [...]
Sky boss calls for ‘urgency’ over social media regulation January 16, 2020 The UK should “inject some urgency” into its plans for a new internet regulator due to the societal damage caused by unchecked internet platforms, the boss of Sky has said. Jeremy Darroch called for ministers to tackle so-called online harms, warning that the “promise of self-regulation hasn’t worked”. “We only need to look back to [...]
UK ‘must not let fox into the hen house’ with Huawei decision January 15, 2020 Boris Johnson has been warned not to “let the fox into the hen house” by allowing Huawei to build the UK’s 5G network. Tom Tugendhat, who is running for reelection as chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, today said the embattled telecoms giant was “integrally” part of the Chinese state and could not be trusted. [...]
Karren Brady says feminist principles ‘didn’t square’ with Sir Philip Green allegations January 15, 2020 Baroness Karren Brady said quit the board of Arcadia’s holding company as her feminist principles did not “square” with allegations about retail tycoon Philip Green. Brady stepped down as non-executive chairman of Taveta Investments last February as Green faced allegations of harassment and bullying, which he denies. Read more: Karren Brady and a lesson on [...]
Former Reach boss Simon Fox in the frame to lead Frieze art fairs January 14, 2020 The former chief executive of Daily Mirror publisher Reach has secured a new role as head of the company behind iconic arts fair operator Frieze. Simon Fox, who left Reach in July after seven years at the helm, is set to be announced as the new head of Frieze tomorrow. The appointment is said to [...]
Revolut valued at $5bn ahead of new funding round January 14, 2020 UK-based fintech Revolut is reportedly set to be valued at $5bn (£3.85bn) in an upcoming funding round. Investor Technology Crossover Ventures (TCV) is leading a funding round that is expected to close in January, according to documents seen by Financial News. The documents showed that investors had placed a pre-money valuation of $5bn on the [...]