United News & Media is the largest media owner in the UK with
advertising revenues of pounds 1.6 billion, according to Zenith Media’s
first survey of top UK media owners based on 1997 figures.
Following close behind is BSkyB, with ad revenues of just under pounds
1.4 billion, while the Daily Mail & General Trust is in third place with
just under pounds 1.2 billion.
Channel 4, which emerges as the ninth biggest media owner, just behind
the Mirror Group, makes the largest profit per employee of the big TV
broadcasters with pounds 192,000 per head. This towers above the second
largest earner, BSkyB, which earns pounds 59,000 profit per
employee.
IPC Magazines, for which only 1996 revenue data is available, is below
Emap in terms of media revenue, with pounds 325 million compared with
pounds 663.6 million, but Emap’s figure includes its French interests,
business publishing and other activities. Emap’s UK magazine income in
1996 came to pounds 235 million.
Zenith’s survey covers 42 of the largest UK-based media owners in print,
broadcast and outdoor with total billings of pounds 11.3 billion. The
top ten owners account for 74 per cent of total media revenue.
Adam Smith, head of publications at Zenith Media, said: ’After six years
of economic recovery and a complete professional make-over of media
issues, it is still surprising how column-like media companies are. We
are still vertically segregated in the UK.’
