BeIN Sports urges Premier League to block Saudi bid for Newcastle April 22, 2020 Broadcasting giant BeIN Media has urged the Premier League to block a proposed £300m Saudi takeover of Newcastle United amid concerns about “industrial scale” piracy. Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is said to be on the brink of accepting a takeover offer from a consortium backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. However, the chief executive [...]
Coronavirus: Pret will see the benefits of doing the right thing April 22, 2020 The coronavirus crisis has required businesses to alter their COVID-19 strategy frequently in line with changing government advice. Some businesses have had more success than others with striking a good balance and doing the right thing in the eyes of the public, particularly at the start of the crisis in March. One brand which has [...]
Hiscox warns of $175m coronavirus insurance hit April 22, 2020 Insurer Hiscox has anticipated paying out up to $175m (£142m) in coronavirus insurance claims arising from restrictions on travel and mass gatherings. The insurer faces a $150m bill if travel restrictions and social distancing measures remain in place for six months from March. And that insurance sum could rise by another $25m if coronavirus restrictions [...]
UK marketing budgets suffer sharpest drop since 2009 crash April 22, 2020 UK marketing budgets declined at the fastest rate since the 2009 global financial crisis in the first quarter as consumers and businesses cut spend due to the coronavirus crisis. A net balance of -6.1 per cent of companies slashed their total marketing budgets in the first three months of the year, according to the latest [...]
Netflix subscribers surge as millions stream shows during coronavirus lockdowns April 21, 2020 Streaming giant Netflix signed up 15m new subscribers in the first quarter of the year, double the number it expected, as millions of viewers binged boxsets at home during global coronavirus lockdowns. The surge in subscription numbers was more than double the 7m net new subscribers that the company had forecast. The company also beat [...]
Investors Buy Bitcoin’s Dip as Fraudulent Revenues Drop April 21, 2020 Bitcoin (BTC) began the week by recovering from $6,700 to $6,900 before taking a hit, dropping to a $6,570 low before, moving back up once again to trade at $7,150 at press time. Ether (ETH), the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, rose throughout the week from $155 to $182. Last week saw cryptoasset manager Grayscale [...]
Fighting an Infodemic April 21, 2020 The world is in the throws of the COVID-19 pandemic. And one of the challenges being faced by society, the healthcare system, governments and the rest is an infodemic. The world is in the throws of the COVID-19 pandemic. And one of the challenges facing society, the healthcare system, governments and the rest is an [...]
Coronavirus hits hospitality: Loan scheme leaves restaurants high and dry April 19, 2020 Ranald MacDonald is Managing Director of Boisdale’s Restaurants In newspapers, so I’m told, a cracking story is known as a “marmalade dropper,” so named because it stops you – and indeed your toast – in your tracks. And that’s exactly what Rishi Sunak’s announcement of a £330bn rescue package for British business to get through [...]
Read all about it: Newspapers feel the strain of Covid-19 April 18, 2020 Newspaper editors will have been no doubt heartened to see Oliver Dowden, the culture secretary, chivvying Brits to “buy a paper” this weekend. Dowden called newspapers the “fourth emergency service.” Like the others, they are under strain. For weeks on end British newspapers have reported on the coronavirus crisis, covering the spread of the pandemic, [...]
Jewish Chronicle plunged into bitter row as bidders circle April 17, 2020 The Jewish Chronicle has been plunged into a bitter row as rival factions line up bids to take control of the newspaper ahead of a crunch meeting next week. Earlier this month the London weekly announced it was seeking a creditors’ voluntary liquidation alongside the Jewish News, with which it had previously agreed to merge. [...]