23 September 2003
Reuters, the electronic information group, is to move out of its historic headquarters in Fleet Street.
The company which is undertaking a $700 million cost-saving programme. It will be the last famous media name to quit Fleet Street over the past 20 years, and it is likely that Reuters will move its offices to Wapping, the home of its UK operations, or to Canary Wharf in the Docklands.
The decision to move follows a lengthy financial review of Reuters’ property portfolio, which saw the transfer of its US operations to a new headquarters on Broadway, in Manhattan, two years ago.
The removal can be seen as part of a far-reaching modernisation plan. Reuters had been expected to streamline its property portfolio under a three-year overhaul, prompted by a sharp decline in financial services and volatile demand for desk-top terminals.
23 September 2003
In the 2003 survey if opinion leaders in Europe, BBC World and CNN come out tops, with Euronews, Bloomberg and AIB member CNBC also ranking well.
BBC World came in at number one for authority and relevance, being watched each day by more than 20% of Europes opinion leaders, while 35.2% tune into the channel each week. This is more than the number viewing Euronews (31.5%), and double the combined audience of the two business news channels Bloomberg and CNBC (14.2% aggregate).
While CNN remains the market leader in terms of overall viewership (49.6% weekly reach), BBC World scored the highest marks on two key qualitative measures, with 19% of Europes opinion leaders considering BBC World authoritative, compared with only 12% for CNN, and 4% for Euronews.
CNBC Europe scores well for being up-to-the-minute, and Bloomberg is noted for keeping viewers informed.
22 September 2003
DVB-RCS is Belgacoms broadband platform, using 2-way satellite technology. With new developments ready for roll-out, the Belgacom solution will enable ISPs in infrastructure-poor regions the possibility to offer their customers broadband services.
Belgacom is working in partnership with Eutelsat and Newtec to provide these services. There is widespread use of broadband in Europe, North America and many Asian countries, because of existing sophisticated infrastructure.
But many regions lack the necessary infrastructure and Internet use suffers as a result. DVB-RCS offers an answer by enabling broadband via satellite. DVB-RCS is an Open Standard technology, and allows multiple ISPs to use the same platform. ISPs can then develop their own broadband solution for their customers.
22 September 2003
WorldSpace, aiming to optimise the performance of their satellite radios, have chosen Bluedelta to design an omni-directional antenna. Most satellite receivers operate on narrow beams.
When the antenna is ready, it will be introduced first in Europe, building to estimated global sales of one million units over 2 years
Bluedelta will customise the WorldSpace Antenna for optimum installation, system and customer requirements. The portable Antenna utilises the unique WorldSpace network to its full advantage, allowing satellite direct to car reception, something no other satellite system can manage in Europe, Africa and beyond.
22 September 2003
InterWorld Radio is capitalising on the growth of urban radio stations worldwide with the launch of its brand new website – www.interworldradio.net.
Any radio station that signs up to InterWorld Radio (IWR) via its website joins an emerging network of radio stations around the world finding new ways to cover topical, global issues for local audiences. Stations have the opportunity to find out what other stations are doing through interviews uploaded onto the site, through monthly emailed newsletters and by contacting each other directly.
“We’ve been working with stations for a couple of years now and our new website has been designed based on the feedback they’ve given us,” says InterWorld Radio director, Francesca Silvani.
“Audio files are now easier to download,” she explains,” and each programme comes with a full transcript, links to useful resources, and ideas on how to use them to set up studio discussions and phone-ins.”
22 September 2003
Two of the world’s richest media groups are interested in taking over Britains leading commercial broadcaster ITV. Although funded by advertising, ITV has for many years carried out a quasi-public service role.
Viacom, the world’s largest media group, confirmed it might consider a deal, as did Saban Capital Group, the US private equity company led by Haim Saban, the media entrepreneur. Both offers are conditional on a merger between the two ITV companies Carlton and Granada.
Meanwhile Greg Dyke, Director-General of the BBC, Britains leading public broadcaster, has launched a scathing attack on the “small coterie in Downing Street” behind new laws that will allow ITV being taken over by an American company for the first time.
