Google to pay UK publishers for news as global pressure mounts February 10, 2021 Google has inked a licensing deal with more than 120 UK publications as pressure mounts on tech giants to pay publishers for news. The launch of Google News Showcase, part of the company’s pledge to invest $1bn (£750m) in news worldwide, means publishers will be paid for excerpts that appear in its search results. The [...]
Green Street buys property news site React News February 10, 2021 Green Street has bought React News, a property news site, in a move that will extend its audience’s access to coverage on real estate. Green Street said React News has a track record for breaking “the biggest stories in the market”, and covers news in the UK and Ireland and has a growing presence in [...]
Journalist sues Facebook over loss of control of personal data February 9, 2021 A claim has been filed against Facebook in the High Court of Justice regarding a loss of control over his and the personal data of around one million other affected Facebook users in England and Wales. The claim, brought about by journalist and writer Peter Jukes, is a consumer representative action brought on behalf of [...]
Napster set for London listing after MelodyVR deal February 8, 2021 Napster is reportedly preparing to list in London later this month following the $70m (£53.8m) reverse takeover by startup MelodyVR. Napster will start trading on Aim from 26 February, according to the Guardian, the first time it has ever had its own IPO. Virtual music tech company MelodyVR, which launched in 2018, announced it had [...]
The show must go on: How UK film and TV ploughed through the pandemic February 6, 2021 From Tiger King to The Serpent, hit TV shows have become cultural currency in an era defined by lockdowns. With millions of Brits forced to stay at home, film and TV has been one of the few avenues for entertainment over the last year, providing a much-needed dose of escapism during the pandemic. But for [...]
Screenshot: How Amazon set up shop on cloud nine February 5, 2021 This week **Media Moment of the Week: Parish the thought **How Amazon set up shop on cloud nine **Will BT look to the stars? Media Moment of the Week: Parish the thought Anyone who thinks local politics is boring has clearly never attended a meeting of the Handforth Parish Council Planning and Environment Committee. Or [...]
Ofcom revokes Chinese broadcaster CGTN’s UK licence February 4, 2021 The media regulator has withdrawn China’s state-owned broadcaster right to broadcast in the UK following an investigation. Ofcom said the owner of China Global Television Network (CGTN) does not have control over its day to day output and is a distributor rather than a provider. Star China Media Limited “did not have editorial responsibility for [...]
BBC to slash programme spend by £400m amid funding squeeze February 3, 2021 The BBC has warned it will have to make significant cuts to programmes and services due to a squeeze on its funding and growing pressure from streaming rivals. The public service broadcaster said it expects to make roughly £408m in content cuts in the upcoming financial year in a bid to shore up its finances. [...]
Time Out to open Abu Dhabi market as it banks on post-Covid recovery February 3, 2021 Time Out today unveiled plans to open a new food market in Abu Dhabi as the media group pins its hopes on a return to dining out after the pandemic. The market, which is set to open on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island in 2023, will be the company’s second location in the United Arab Emirates, [...]
Spotify paid subscribers hit 155m on lockdown listening boom February 3, 2021 Spotify today reported a sharp increase in subscribers in the fourth quarter as the pandemic drove demand for music and podcasts, but warned of uncertainty in the year ahead. The Swedish streaming giant said paid users hit 155m in the final three months of the year, while revenue grew 17 per cent to €2.2bn (£1.9bn). [...]