BSkyB has taken a 9.9 per cent stake in Manchester City FC. The
deal follows similar tie-ups with other football clubs including
Manchester United and Leeds. BSkyB has paid pounds 5.5 million for the
stake and will pay a further pounds 3.5 million if the club is promoted
to the Premiership.
Fox Kids has appointed Annie Miles as the managing director of its UK
operation. Miles takes over on 3 January and assumes responsibility for
programming, on-air promotions, marketing and distribution.
Point-of-sale six-sheet panels located outside supermarkets have changed
the face of the outdoor advertising sector, according to a report from
Maiden Outdoor. In 1997, there were 1,000 of these sites; now there are
9,500, accounting for 15 per cent of the market by volume and 17 per
cent by revenue.
Wrigley’s Orbit for Children has signed a deal to sponsor six weeks of
programming on the Cartoon Network. The deal covers three hours of
programming on Fridays, featuring shows such as Dexter’s Laboratory and
Johnny Bravo. The creative work is handled by Ice Pics with media
planning and buying through CIA Medianetwork.
Emap has agreed to sell 13 of its business titles and seven events to
Informa for a cash consideration of pounds 28 million. The titles, which
Emap does not regard as core to its portfolio, include Insurance Age,
Fishing News and Containerisation International.
Turner Broadcast System UK has promoted Casey Harwood to vice-president,
commercial director from his former position as vice-president,
sponsorship and promotions of Turner Entertainment Networks. He will
develop non-advertising commercial opportunities for TBS’s products and
brands and will report to TBS UK’s managing director, Mick Buckley.
Carlton Communications is considering a bid for one of the third
generation of mobile phone licences. The group is understood to have
held talks with a range of manufacturers and retailers about offering a
new service. The licences are expected to be awarded next spring.
Capital Radio Advertising has promoted Emily Sutherland to the role of
strategic development executive, with a brief to talk to creatives and
account handlers in ad agencies to inform them about the benefits of
advertising on the radio.
A survey by the Periodical Publishers Association on digital production
shows that respondents believe it will take up to three years before all
ads arrive digitally. More than half of the publishers who took part in
the survey said they received ads digitally, but many claimed that ad
agencies prefer to supply final film for display advertising.
The National Enquirer’s owner, American Media, has bought Globe
International, publisher of the US tabloid, The Globe, for dollars 105
million. The acquisition will extend America Media’s portfolio with the
National Examiner, Sun, Mini Mags, Lifestyle Specials, Cracked and The
Detective Series. The combined revenue for both companies exceeds
dollars 400 million.
Metro has appointed Linda Grant, former ad manager of national sales on
the Daily Record and The Mail on Sunday, as head of planning. Ben Davy,
ad manager of magazine brands for the Evening Standard, will take up the
new position of head of trading and Justin Farnan, former ad manager of
GQ, is Metro’s new head of brand group with a brief to strengthen the
free newspaper’s brand focus.
Haymarket Magazines has revealed the first Audit Bureau of Circulations
figures for its new magazine, Goal!, which launched in July. The
fortnightly title, which is aimed at boys aged nine to 14 years old,
recorded a circulation of 64,220.
