Online publishers curb revenue decline as pandemic drives up subscriptions November 17, 2020 Online publishers suffered a less steep decline in revenue than feared at the height of the coronavirus lockdown, as surging demand for news drove up subscriber numbers. Digital publishing revenue fell 14.3 per cent year on year to £96.6m in the second quarter — a smaller drop than anticipated. The fall was driven by lower [...]
Bookshop.org: How a ‘scrappy’ online bookseller is trying to take on Amazon November 15, 2020 While the tech revolution has worked its way into all parts of daily life, few industries have experienced as extreme an overhaul as publishing. US bookstore sales have dropped from highs of more than $17bn (£12.9bn) to less than $10bn, while Amazon’s market share has grown to over 50 per cent. But now there’s a [...]
Screenshot: Is this the end for impartial TV news? November 13, 2020 A weekly column from City PM bringing you all the biggest stories and trends in technology, media and telecoms This week **Media Moment of the Week: How not the book the Four Seasons **Is this the end for impartial TV news? **UK protectionism: A tech takeover balancing act Media Moment of the Week This one’s [...]
Disney doubles down on streaming as it keeps a lid on losses November 13, 2020 Disney has said its nascent streaming service is key to the future success of its business after the media giant swung to its first annual loss in four decades. The House of Mouse today said it had racked up almost 74m paid subscribers for its Disney Plus platform, which launched in the UK on the [...]
Pay no attention to the dysfunctional comms team behind the Downing Street curtain November 13, 2020 There’s a well-known warning in the world of theatre tech: if someone notices the lighting, you haven’t done your job. Yes, sometimes dazzling special effects are what make a show, but nine times out of 10 the audience only becomes aware of the tech if something goes wrong. The way you know you’re doing a [...]
Equality watchdog clears BBC of gender pay discrimination November 12, 2020 The BBC has been cleared of unlawful gender pay discrimination but was warned of a breakdown in trust between the broadcaster and its female employees. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) last year launched an investigation into the BBC following a string of pay complaints from high-profile presenters such as Carrie Grace and Samira [...]
ITV forecasts advertising rebound after Covid-19 slump November 12, 2020 ITV today said it expects advertising revenue to be slightly higher year on year in the fourth quarter as spend begins to recover from its pandemic-induced slump. The broadcaster said total advertising spend was down seven per cent in the third quarter, a sharp improvement on the 43 per cent crash posted in the previous [...]
Six London music venues at risk of ‘imminent’ closure November 11, 2020 The music industry has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help secure the future of six grassroots venues in London that are in “imminent” danger of permanent closure. Kings Cross nightclub Egg, Islington favourite The Lexington and Camden’s Spiritual Bar have been named among the capital’s music hotspots that are most at risk of closure. The [...]
MPs launch inquiry into future of UK music festivals November 11, 2020 MPs have launched an inquiry into how to ensure the survival of UK music festivals after the sector was decimated by the outbreak of coronavirus. The vast majority of festivals, including Glastonbury, British Summer Time and Parklife, were cancelled this summer due to the pandemic, with revenues down an estimated 90 per cent. The inquiry, [...]
List and Shout: Round Hill Music raises $282m in London float November 11, 2020 Music royalties firm Round Hill today said it has raised $282m (£212m) from its initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange. The Guernsey-based company, which is an owner and operator of music copyright, has outlined plans to snap up a portfolio of song catalogues with the proceeds of the float. It has already identified [...]
