Murdoch’s plan to divide seen as a path to conquer June 26, 2012 THE Sky’s the limit once again for News Corporation. It took the first step in what looks like a bold new strategy to acquire the remaining 61 per cent of BSkyB yesterday. The media giant confirmed that it is “considering a restructuring to separate its business into two distinct publicly traded companies” – understood to [...]
BT Vision gamble might be costly June 26, 2012 Group’s football move must win customers from BSkyB BT VISION’S surprising capture of the rights to 38 live Premier League matches from the beginning of the season after next is described as “the largest thing we have done in television to date” by the group’s chief executive Marc Watson. The problem for BT Vision is [...]
Ofcom takes new steps to crack down on piracy June 26, 2012 ILLEGAL downloaders could be reported to copyright owners under a new system unveiled yesterday by communications regulator Ofcom. The draft code – still subject to a consultation period, European approval and the governmental green light – requires the major internet service providers (ISPs) to notify their customers of allegations that their internet connection has been [...]
Ofcom rules out caps on media ownership June 19, 2012 OFCOM yesterday came out in opposition to imposing limits on media ownership just days after Ed Miliband called for caps on media market share. Publishing its response to a handful of questions proposed by culture secretary Jeremy Hunt in October, Ofcom said a review of media plurality should be conducted every four or five years. The [...]
Vodafone and O2 launch grid share venture June 7, 2012 VODAFONE and Telefonica, owner of the O2 brand, yesterday unveiled a joint venture that will see the two telecoms companies share their network infrastructure in the UK. The two companies will share a grid of 18,500 masts across the UK – an increase of more than 40 per cent for each operator. But both Vodafone and O2 [...]
Vodafone and Telefonica to set up shared 4G grid June 7, 2012 Mobile operators Vodafone and Telefonica announced plans to create one shared grid in Britain to improve existing coverage and speed the roll out of superfast broadband networks. The two groups, who already had an agreement to share new network sites, said they would strengthen their partnership by pooling their basic network infrastructure to take their [...]
Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt told he will not face ministerial code probe May 31, 2012 DAVID Cameron said yesterday he will not order an inquiry into whether Jeremy Hunt broke the ministerial code during News Corp’s controversial £8bn bid for BSkyB. The announcement came after the culture secretary’s appearance at the Leveson inquiry yesterday, in which he admitted he was sympathetic to the BSkyB bid and said he considered resigning after [...]
Lloyds bank brings two former McKinsey partners on board May 31, 2012 LLOYDS has appointed two ex-McKinsey partners as non-executive directors, including a former board member of the FSA. Carolyn Fairbairn will join the board today, having been a non-exec director of the FSA from 2008-2011. She was also an executive at ITV and has worked at the BBC, the World Bank and as a partner at McKinsey. [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING May 28, 2012 FINANCIAL TIMES Disclosure reprieve for activist investors Activist investors appear to have won at least a reprieve from new regulation that would force them to declare their hand earlier when building a stake in a company. The passage of the Jobs Act by Congress in March has forced the Securities and Exchange Commission to delay [...]
3 threatens to exit UK market May 20, 2012 3, the UK’s fourth largest mobile network provider, is continuing its crusade against its bigger rivals. Last month Canning Fok, managing director of Hutchison Whampoa, the Hong Kong-based conglomerate that owns 3, threatened David Cameron that the company could withdraw from the UK telecoms market unless 3 is guaranteed some airwaves in the upcoming auction [...]