Ofcom should have final say on media takeovers, say peers

Committee says final decision on plurality issues should rest with regulator rather than secretary of stateA Lords committee has called for politicians to be stripped of the power to have the final say on large media deals, following the heavily criticised process surrounding News Corporation's £8bn bid to take full control of BSkyB.The House of Lords communications committee report on media plurality, published on Tuesday, also says the BBC should be included in any assessment for the first time, as should the impact of newspaper websites and digital outlets such as the Huffington Post, Google News, Facebook and Twitter.Lord Inglewood, the committee's chair, said the industry regulator Ofcom should have the final say on plurality and competition issues surrounding any major media deal."Issues surrounding media plurality have come under the policy spotlight during the present parliament, after concerns were raised about the proposed (and subsequently abandoned) purchase of BSkyB by News Corporation," Inglewood said. "Responsibility for reconciling plurality and competition assessments of transactions and for reaching a final decision should rest with the Ofcom board, not the secretary of state."The government's handling of an investigation into Rupert Murdoch's attempt to increase his stake in BSkyB from 39.1% to full control in 2010/2011 attracted widespread criticism.Vince Cable, the business secretary, was stripped of responsibility for weighing the ramifications of... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Building Buzz with Social Media

These days it doesn’t take long to change the face of marketing. According to Tom Dean, senior marketing director in the trade book division at Zondervan, “The game has changed dramatically in the past 18 to 24 months.” That change comes thanks to the power of social spaces that allow authors to... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-02-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Has Social Media Made Search-Driven Publishing Less Relevant?

The growing importance of social media, coupled with the powerful wrath of Google, have shaken the once-hot world of cheap search-driven publishing. About.com recently dumped its CEO. Yahoo’s $100 million acquisition of Associated Content (now Yahoo Voices) has yielded a network of 700,000... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2012-02-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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ASP Westward Sells Community Media of Colorado to Macari-Healey Publishing Company, LLC

HOUSTON, TX - February 6, 2012 - Macari-Healey Publishing Company, LLC, of Golden, Colorado has purchased Community Media of Colorado from ASP Westward. The Houston-based newspaper publisher had owned CMC since 2002. ASP Westward also ope ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-02-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Has Social Media Made Search-Driven Publishing Irrelevant?

The growing importance of social media, coupled with the powerful wrath of Google, have shaken the once-hot world of cheap search-driven publishing. About.com recently dumped its CEO. Yahoo’s $100 million acquisition of Associated Content (now Yahoo Voices) has yielded a network of 700,000... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2012-02-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Irish arm of Waterstones reveals pre-takeover losses

Waterstones in Ireland made a loss after tax of €12.9m up to April last year, as sales... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Media Decoder: For ProPublica, More E-Books

ProPublica and Open Road Integrated Media will release several ebooks based on ProPublica's investigative journalism, beginning in February. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2012-01-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Media Decoder: 'Hunger Games' Book Sales Bode Well for the Film

The actress Jennifer Lawrence in a scene from the movie adaptation of "The Hunger Games." Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2012-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Redundancies at Trust Media after m.b.o.

Christian book supplier Trust Media has begun redundancy consultations with staff after a... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Atlantic Media Taps Editor-in-Chief for New Global Business Brand

The Atlantic Media Company names Kevin Delaney as editor-in-chief of its still untitled digital global business brand. Delaney brings over a decade of experience at The Wall Street Journal to this developing role. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2012-01-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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News Corp to Buy Minority Stake in Dubai's Media Company Moby Group

Rupert Murdoch's US media giant News Corp is expanding its presence in the Middle East media market and beyond by agreeing to acquire a minority stake in Dubai-based media company Moby Group. Under the deal, News Corp will relinquish its 50 per ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-01-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bloomsbury ebook sales up nearly 40% in final quarter of 2011

Bloomsbury had a "strong" final three months of 2011, with ebook sales growing "... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Media reacts to Waterstones' logo change

The chairman of the Apostrophe Society has called Waterstones' dropping of its apostrophe... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Immediate Media acquires Hearst titles

Immediate Media, the company formed out of the sale of BBC Magazines to a private equity company, has purchased You & Your Wedding and Prima Baby & Pregnancy magazines from Hearst Magazines. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2012-01-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A Velvet Rope for Mobile Media Buyers and Sellers, Run By Medialets

Publishers who worry that digital ad tech is hammering their premium pricing are increasingly turning to private exchanges, where they hope a velvet rope approach will keep keep bargain buyers out. Here's a similar approach from mobile ad startup Medialets, which has created an exchange... Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2012-01-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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F+W Buys World Tea Media

F+W Media, a Blue Ash, Ohio-based media company serving enthusiasts in about 20 verticals including antiques and collectibles, crafts, writing and horticulture, has acquired World Tea Media, organizer of the World Tea Expo. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2012-01-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Media Decoder: Author Found on Penguin's Web Site Signs Book Deal

An imprint of Penguin Group USA discovered Kerry Schafer after she posted samples on Bookcountry.com, a site that lets writers share their work. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2012-01-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Haines joins Penguin Children's in new media role

Penguin Children's Group has created the role of acquisitions manager for its media and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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IPC Media appoints Evans as publisher of Marie Claire

IPC Media magazine Marie Claire has appointed Toby Evans as publisher, from his position as associate publisher on woman's weekly title Look. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2012-01-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Media Decoder Blog: A New Children's Book Parodies a Beloved Classic

"Goodnight iPad" is a bedtime tour of our electronic lives, mimicking the tone of the classic "Goodnight Moon." Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Final volume from Patrick Leigh Fermor

John Murray is to publish a posthumous book by travel writer Patrick Leigh Fermor, who died in... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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