Sky’s European merger to start in coming days July 23, 2014 BSKYB is expected to announce a multi-billion pound deal tomorrow to take over its sister companies in Italy and Germany, creating a new pay-TV empire in Europe. The so-called Sky Europe deal will see BSkyB, Sky Deutschland and Sky Italia combined to create one of Europe’s largest pay-TV operators, with over 19m subscribers across the [...]
TalkTalk retains TV crown as its user base soars July 23, 2014 TALKTALK’S YouView TV offering continues to outpace the growth of both BT’s and Sky’s TV services, adding 185,000 subscribers in the first quarter and taking its TV customer base to more than 1.1m. The FTSE 250-listed firm reported its sixth consecutive quarter of year-on-year revenue growth during the three months to 30 June, with total [...]
Analyst Views: What did you make of TalkTalk’s interim management statement? July 23, 2014 MAURICE PATRICK | BARCLAYS TalkTalk continues to make progress towards its medium term goals, with another quarter of steady customer additions, upselling to the existing base driving revenues up three per cent and churn 0.1 percentage point lower to 1.4 per cent. Our estimates are broadly unchanged. CARL MURDOCK-SMITH | JP MORGAN CAZENOVE Churn reduction [...]
Wiggins back on track for gold as Scots toast Games July 23, 2014 GLASGOW welcomed the Commonwealth Games with a vibrant opening ceremony last night, but the spotlight will fall on cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins today when competition begins in Scotland. Wiggins makes his track return at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome as part of an English team pursuit squad, hoping to add one of the few gold [...]
BSkyB built its empire on live football – ignoring that could cost it dear July 23, 2014 WHEN BSkyB reports its results tomorrow, most expect them to be well received. The fast-moving satellite group will likely report strong profits and growth prospects, and will have much to say about innovative new products like Sky Go, Sky Store and Now TV, all intended to make it easier to consume its broadening content. However, [...]
Sky swoops for majority stake in Bake Off firm July 21, 2014 BROADCASTING group Sky has taken a 70 per cent stake in independent production company Love Productions, the firm behind shows such as The Great British Bake Off. Love was founded in 2004 by Richard McKerrow and Anna Beattie, and last year its Great British Bake Off became BBC Two’s most-watched programme in a decade, with [...]
Bottom Line: Not such a funny old game if Sky take eyes off the ball July 21, 2014 Football can be damn expensive, these days. As a season ticket holder at one of London’s clubs (clue: the one with more league titles than the rest put together) I am well aware of how costs have escalated during the Premier League era. For fans like myself, the price of following top flight football is now [...]
The world’s second richest man thinks we should all work three-day weeks July 21, 2014 Welcome news on a Monday morning: Mexican businessman and billionaire Carlos Slim suggests we should all be working a three-day week and spend the rest of our time with our feet up. Who’s going to argue with the world’s second richest man? He obviously knows a thing or two the rest of us don’t. At [...]
Sky snaps up 70pc slice of Great British Bake Off maker Love Productions July 21, 2014 Broadcasting company Sky has splashed out, acquiring a 70 per cent stake in independent production company Love Productions. Founded in late 2004 by Richard McKerrow and Anna Beattie, Love is most famous for its TV hits The Great British Bake Off and The Great British Sewing Bee. Last year The Great British Bake Off became [...]
BSkyB nearing deal for its Sky Europe takeover July 21, 2014 BSkyB is reportedly finalising plans to take over its sister companies in Italy and Germany in a deal that could be sealed in coming weeks. The agreement would bolster parent company 21st Century Fox’s $80bn (£47bn) bid, revealed last week, to take over US media conglomerate Time Warner. Fox chairman and chief executive Rupert Murdoch [...]