BBC commercial arm ‘has more to do’ as streaming competition heats up January 9, 2020 The BBC’s commercial division must up its game if it is to fend off fierce competition from deep-pocketed streaming rivals, according to the public spending watchdog. In 2018 the broadcaster created BBC Studios by bringing together its commercial production and distribution arms into one distinct body. Read more: BBC ‘may not be sustainable’ in current [...]
Public affairs giant Cicero joins Havas’ AMO network ahead of potential acquisition January 8, 2020 The UK’s largest public affairs agency Cicero is set to join AMO, a network of communications firms owned by or affiliated to Paris-based media giant Havas. Cicero, which is currently based in the City, will move into Havas’ Kings Cross headquarters this weekend. Read more: PR giants embroiled in war of words after Tulchan appoints [...]
BBC iPlayer bags best ever festive fortnight thanks to Gavin and Stacey boost January 8, 2020 The BBC has hailed its most successful Christmas catch-up period ever as viewers clamoured for top shows such as Gavin and Stacey. BBC iPlayer booked 203m requests to download or stream programmes between 20 December and 2 January – up more than a third on last year and a new record for the platform. Read [...]
Kantar poaches former ITV exec Ian Griffiths as new finance director January 7, 2020 Market research firm Kantar today said it has appointed ex-ITV bigwig Ian Griffiths as its new chief financial officer. Griffiths, who has served as chief operating officer and chief financial officer at the broadcaster before announcing his departure in 2018 , will take up the new role on 16 January. Read more: Kantar boss to [...]
‘Don’t be evil’: Google abandoned motto and lost its way, says former exec January 6, 2020 Google’s former head of international relations has hit out at the company’s human rights record and corporate culture in a blog post detailing why he left the tech giant. Ross LaJeunesse, who left Google in May last year after 11 years at the firm, claimed that “standing up for for women, for the LGBTQ community, [...]
Vice UK blames Brexit uncertainty as media group posts wider loss January 6, 2020 Vice UK has taken aim at Brexit uncertainty after the youth-focused media group revealed ballooning losses and a decline in revenue. The millennial mainstay reported a pre-tax loss of £2.9m for the 12 months to 31 December 2018, up from £2.2m the previous year, while turnover dropped by a third to £17.3m. Read more: Buzzfeed [...]
Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp to sell ad platform Unruly to Tremor January 5, 2020 Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp will sell the video advertising company Unruly to advertising technology firm Tremor at a huge discount. News Corp, which owns media brands such as the Times, Harper Collins, and Dow Jones, will receive a small stake in Tremor in return. Read more: Murdoch gets green light for merger of the Times [...]
Vivendi sells Universal Music Group stake to Tencent consortium December 31, 2019 Vivendi has sold a 10 per cent stake in Universal Music Group to a Tencent-led consortium, in a deal valuing the label housing Lady Gaga, The Beatles, and Taylor Swift at €30bn (£25.5bn). The deal allows both companies to expand in the recovering global music market, giving Chinese conglomerate Tencent more access to US artists, [...]
Google workers exposed to chemical that causes birth defects December 29, 2019 Google has admitted that some of its employees have been exposed to harmful chemicals than can cause birth defects. Factory workers making Google products, but hired by an outside supplier, have been exposed to N-Methylpyrrolidone, which can cause birth defects and serious skin and respiratory irritation. Read more: France fines Google over anti-competitive behaviour The [...]
Tidy: BBC wins Christmas broadcast battle with Gavin and Stacey special December 26, 2019 The BBC has emerged triumphant in the fight to win Christmas Day eyeballs after a special episode of Gavin and Stacey pulled in 11.6m viewers. The bumper viewing figures mean the hour-long sitcom special was the most-watched show on Christmas Day and boasts the best festive ratings in more than a decade. Read more: Boris [...]