WHAT THE OTHER PAPER SAY THIS MORNING October 11, 2009 THE SUNDAYSThe Sunday TelegraphBORIS JOHNSON WARNS EU TO KEEP OUT OF THE CITYBritain’s financial sector, which creates billions of pounds in revenue for the Treasury, is under threat from European legislation and an increasing tax burden on high-earning individuals, a report from the Mayor of London’s office says. The report, released this week, says that [...]
Virgin and BT join forces in BSkyB attack October 4, 2009 Virgin Media and BT have hit out at BSkyB’s pricing mechanism for its premium channels, saying that its “near monopoly” restricts consumer choice and keeps prices high. The attack came in a joint submission to Ofcom, which is consulting over its proposals to control the wholesale pay-TV market, that would mean BSkyB having to sell [...]
Ofcom warns that regional news will cost ITV network 64m from 2012 September 22, 2009 OFCOM warned yesterday that regional news programming across ITV’s networks could be hemorrhaging up to £64m a year by 2012. The watchdog’s estimate means that new funding is needed to ensure the continued provision of regional news on Channel 3, because the costs of paying for the license would outweigh the benefit. The Channel 3 [...]
Music body tries to deny industry rift September 16, 2009 THE BODY representing the UK music business yesterday attempted to quash talk of an industry split over the government’s plans to disconnect people caught illegally downloading music. The controversial issue has polarised the music industry, with some artists supporting business secretary Lord Mandelson’s proposals to disconnect persistent illegal filesharers, but others attacking them. But UK [...]
ITV execs in the frame for C4’s top job September 16, 2009 TWO ITV executives were yesterday being hotly tipped to succeed Andy Duncan as chief executive of Channel 4 (C4) when he steps down later this year. Peter Fincham, ITV’s director of television, and John Cresswell, the commercial broadcaster’s chief operating officer, are both believed to be favourites for the high-profile role. C4’s Duncan ended months [...]
Ofcom lifts rules on BT sales September 15, 2009 OFCOM said yesterday that it will remove the last piece of regulation that has prevented BT from selling discounted fixed-line voice, broadband and TV packages. Other network providers – such as Virgin Media, BSkyB and Carphone Warehouse’s TalkTalk – are already able to offer reduced rates to customers who take more than one of their [...]
BBC iPlayer to be regulated September 14, 2009 Ofcom said yesterday that video on demand (VOD) programming, such as the BBC’s iPlayer, will be regulated from December. The regulation would be handled by the Association for Television on Demand, and the Advertising Standards Authority would be responsible for commercial issues.
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING September 10, 2009 FINANCIAL TIMES DELANCEY EYES CINEMASDelancey, the property fund backed by George Soros, is in exclusive talks to buy the UK property assets of National Amusements, the cinema chain owned by Sumner Redstone, the US media magnate. This is expected to be the first big acquisition for the fund. MYER’S A$3BN IPO SET TO BE AUSTRALIA’S [...]
At last: some competition for the BBC’s iPlayer September 3, 2009 WHEN the BBC released its iPlayer at the tail-end of 2007, few expected it to be such a runaway success. But according to Ofcom, a staggering 15 per cent of consumers with a broadband connection – or some 5.2m people – now regularly use the iPlayer to catch up with BBC shows. To put these [...]
Ofcom hunts for C4 chairman August 19, 2009 Ofcom has appointed headhunter Zygos Partnership to search for a successor to Channel 4 chairman Luke Johnson, whose tenure ends in January 2010 after six years. An ad for the job will be placed next month, and the watchdog hopes to have someone in place in time for Johnson’s departure. State-owned Channel 4 is still [...]