BT might offer free Premiership March 15, 2010 BT could launch a sensational attack on Sky’s dominance of subscription TV by offering Premier League football for free. Plans are being discussed at board level about how BT Vision could take advantage of an expected Ofcom ruling that will slash the price Sky can charge rivals for its prized premium content. One option being discussed [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING March 10, 2010 FINANCIAL TIMES SHINSEI IN CAPITAL DRIVE AS MERGER FALTERS Shinsei, the Japanese bank, is preparing to raise about Y75bn ($830m) in fresh capital as a merger with a rival domestic lender once seen as a lifeline is in danger of collapse. Shinsei has concluded that a merger with Aozora, the Japanese bank part-owned by Cerberus [...]
BAA boosted as passenger numbers rise March 10, 2010 AIRPORTS operator BAA yesterday reported its first rise in domestic passenger traffic in two years after the upturn in the economy encouraged people to take to the skies again. The number of people flying between British destinations grew 1.1 per cent to 1.35m in February, according to BAA. BAA also said its six British airports [...]
Losing Cesc is no excuse, fires Wenger March 8, 2010 ARSENAL vs FC PORTO Tonight, ko 7.45pm, Sky Sports 2 ARSENE WENGER insists the absence of captain Cesc Fabregas will not be used as an excuse for failure when Arsenal put their Champions League hopes on the line against Porto tonight. The Gunners must come back from a first-leg deficit in order to reach the [...]
Be inspired by these luscious Oscar dresses March 8, 2010 THE problem with the Oscars is that the razzle dazzle of the red carpet fizzles all too quickly once everyone is indoors and the awards actually start up. The speeches often go on too long and say too little, there are all those unglamorous, more minor awards (I don’t know about you, but I struggle [...]
Media gets through its toughest trial yet March 7, 2010 THE X Factor winner for 2010 is… ITV. The broadcaster has managed to survive the economic crisis, albeit with a slimmed down staff base, and actually managed to turn a £25m profit at the end of last year, after losing £2.7bn in 2008. There could be more good news to come for the UK’s media [...]
Games, guns and gyrating girls in Sin City March 7, 2010 FAHVE bucks? Girl, for five dollars yew can take as many pictures as yew want. Come on over, and get yo’ man over heyah too.” This was Elvis talking. Yes, Elvis. Tinted shades, jet-black jumpsuit, rhinestone belt, sideburns you could iron clothes on. Standing on a street corner. A few minutes previously, we’d been inhaling [...]
Wiggins seals third-place finish March 7, 2010 CYCLING: Bradley Wiggins finished in the peleton to claim third place in the Tour of Mercia. The British Team Sky rider maintained his position following his time trial success on Saturday, finishing behind Czech winner Frantisek Rabon and Russian Denis Menchov. Lance Armstrong came home in seventh.
CITY BROKER ISN’T JUST HORSING AROUND WITH NEW POLO VENTURE March 3, 2010 IT’S SET to be a good year for Daniel Fox-Davies, the jovial boss of City stockbroker Fox-Davies Capital. Foxy, you see, is a bit of a dark horse when it comes to his extra-curricular hobbies – along with running his oil and gas-focused brokerage, he spends much of his free time flying jets and helicopters, [...]
Adam Crozier still has serious problems to sort March 3, 2010 ITV was in a bullish mood yesterday, reporting a return to the black and predicting a revival in the advertising market. Hot shot chief executive-elect Adam Crozier will join from Royal Mail at the end of April, when he will launch a strategic review that will solve the free-to-air broadcaster’s troubles. The worst is over. [...]