• O2, Vodafone To Speed Up Launch Of 4G
    Vodafone and Telefonica's O2 announced on Thursday plans to share a network in Britain to improve coverage and speed up the roll-out of a new superfast mobile service at a time of weak consumer spending. The deal will help both groups as they grapple with fierce competition, regulatory pressure and the need to upgrade their networks to support growing demand from customers who access the Internet on the go via smartphones and computer tablets.
  • WPP's Sorrell Defiant In Face Of Salary Pay Hike
    CEO Sir Martin Sorrell's refusal to back down over his total pay increase last year to GBP6.8m has reignited the militant mood among shareholders that has seen a number of top UK chief executives forced to quit their jobs in recent weeks. Indeed, investors say the shareholder revolt is likely to dominate annual company meetings and remain in the media spotlight for the next few years. Says one top 10 shareholder in WPP, the world's largest advertising company, "When many people are struggling to simply hold on to their jobs, a pay rise of 60% looks excessive in the extreme."
  • Fat With New Users, 'Times' Mulls Olympics Paywall Takedown
    With the London Olympcs on the horizon, the word on the street is that News International is considering making the Times/Sunday Times' online content free for a handful of days during the three-week sporting extravaganza, which kicks off on July 27. As MediaWeek reports, the two websites secured around 6,000 new registrations over the Jubilee weekend, with readers seeking to access the content (for free) on Saturday or Sunday having to submit an email address to do so. News International wants to convert a sixth these new sign-ups into fully-paying members.
  • What's Behind The Success Of Social TV?
    Vitrue's Richard Beattie writes that "social TV is being embraced by television networks, producers and viewers at an impressive rate. What used to exclusively be a passive medium is transforming into interactive, engaging experiences and the formation of communities around areas of common interest...television shows." He then lists 12 forces and trends that are driving social TV adoption.
  • Amazing Media Sets Sail For The States
    The Newcastle upon Tyne-based company began in digital music sales then developed a web radio station, Amazing Radio, that broadcast the music they carried for sale. This base allowed them to take advantage of the opportunity to provide indie background music to UK retailers and restaurants. Now they're bringing this mix to the U.S. Amazing Music is a combination of two web services, Amazing Tunes (ecommerce) and Amazing Radio (web radio). These paired services are the base on which Amazing Media developed their background music service.
  • Online Buyers Favor Budget Travel, Study Says
    Kantar Media Compete's Online Shopper Intelligence report finds that while 90% of UK internet users are planning a holiday in 2012 - up from 82% in 2011 - many are looking to keep their budgets low. Some 49% of UK internet users, it found, visited the EasyJet site in the first quarter of 2012, while 54% visited Travelodge and 52% Premier Inn. By contrast, the Hilton and Marriott websites scored 10% each. 65% of people travelling by plane buy their tickets from the airline, compared to 31% using an online travel agent. Some 28% of hotel visitors arrange accommodation directly.
  • Australia's Fairfax Media Reconsiders Masthead Values
    The board of Fairfax Media is considering a further writedown to the value of its famous mastheads as it adopts its digital blueprint at the expense of its traditional publishing model. Fairfax board members have privately acknowledged the company needs to reconsider the values ascribed to mastheads on the balance sheet, given the company is pushing hard to restructure towards digital. Discussions are continuing. Market analysts are increasingly eyeing a possible writedown.
  • 3D Computer To Recreate Every Euro 2012 Goal
    Euronews is offering a 360-degree coverage package on air and online to catch the 31 matches of the football event. The 3D goals allow fans to review goals from whichever angle they want. In association with Agence France-Presse, Euronews' coverage will also include the tournament schedule, team sheets, match commentaries, team presentations, statistics, a photo gallery and the match results.
  • El HuffPo Debuts In Spain With Partner 'El Pais'
    The new edition will aim to combine the Huffington Post's "mix of news, blogging, community, and social engagement with El Pas's legendary journalistic traditions", an announcement by Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington said. According to a news story on the El Pais website El Huffington Post launched Thursday, with the newsroom based "in the same building as El Pais". El Pais's parent company PRISA is also said to own 50% of El Huffington Post. In October last year the Huffington Post teamed up with French publishers Le Monde and Les Nouvelles Editions Independantes to launch Le Huffington Post.
  • News Corp Buys Disney's Stake In ESPN Unit
    News Corporation is to take full control of ESPN Star Sports (ESS), after reaching an agreement with Disney-owned ESPN to buy-out its 50% equity stake in the company. News Corp will take full control of ESS, after buying the stake that it does not already own. As a result, it will own and operate all of the ESS businesses and boost its presence in Asia. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval. ESS will continue to be jointly managed by the two companies until the transaction is completed.
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