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July 27, 2010

Newspaper body slams BBC plans to launch mobile apps

The Newspaper Publishers Association in the UK has criticised the BBC Trust for allowing the BBC to bring out mobile apps. The BBC Trust decided against a "public value test" before allowing the BBC to begin the process of bringing out apps, and starting with the already popular BBC News app for iPhone. However, the Newspaper Publishers Association, according to Brand Republic , expressed its "disappointment" over the decision, with director David Newell expressing his belief that it will have... MORE
July 24, 2010

Hugo Chávez’s government tightens its grip on the media

President Hugo Chávez's government is about to acquire a majority stake in Globovisión, a privately-owned TV station that is critical of his administration. By acquiring the shares of some of the station’s directors, the government says it will be able to control 48.5 per cent of its capital, according to Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF). Federal Bank chairman Nelson Mezerhane stepped in last month at the government’s request and bought 20 per cent of Globovisión’s shares, plus another 5.8 per... MORE
July 24, 2010

Here’s a twist: At Canwest, newspaper revenue grew while digital shrank

Canwest Limited Partnership, publisher of the largest chain of English-language dailies in Canada, grew overall revenue on the strength of newspaper print advertising, which offset a decline in digital media, its new owner reported Thursday, according to Editor & Publisher. The details: [ Link ] Postmedia Network Inc., which closed its purchase of the Canwest papers on July 13, reported fiscal third-quarter revenue ticked up 1% to C$270 million and operating income before amortization and... MORE
July 24, 2010

Publisher in UK to put 150 year-old newspapers online

A regional press company in the UK is to digitise newspapers dating back more than 150 years after being awarded a £49,700 heritage lottery grant, says holdthefrontpage.com. The KM Group is to make 26,000 pages of newspapers published between 1859 and 1919 available on a free-to-view website. The digital archive project will preserve historic newspapers and open what the family-owned group calls "a hidden jewel of Kentish history." Those backing the initiative include English Heritage, the... MORE
July 23, 2010

New York Times beats revenue, earnings estimates, online ad revenues up

New York Times Co posted better-than-expected quarterly earnings and for the first time in three years increased revenue as advertising stabilised and readers paid more for its newspapers. The publisher on Thursday said advertising revenue was about flat in the second quarter, raising hopes among investors that the newspaper business might recover after a prolonged slump, according to Reuters. Total revenue rose 1 percent. Shares of the company, owner of the Times and The Boston Globe , rose 3... MORE
July 23, 2010

South Africa's 'New Age' daily newspaper to be rartnered by TOI group

South Africa’s The New Age newspaper, a daily that plans to start production in September, said the Times of India Group has taken a stake in the business and it will have an initial print-run of 170,000 copies, Bloomberg News has reported. The details: [ Link ] The Gupta Group, the family which controls Sahara Computers Ltd., control the newspaper, which will compete with at least five large daily newspapers in the country’s major cities including Independent News & Media Plc’s Star... MORE
July 23, 2010

Thirty job cuts reported at Press Association but agency keeps door open to trainees

Thirty jobs have been cut at the Press Association as part of cost-reduction measures by the UK news agency, according to journalism.co.uk. Twenty of those jobs are reported to have already been cut in what a company spokesperson called a combination of "natural wastage and voluntary redundancy". A further nine posts are under consultation for "possible" compulsory redundancy. The company says content will not suffer. Some details: [ Link ] "In common with most media companies we have been... MORE
July 22, 2010

Times loses almost 90% of online readership after going paid

The Times of UK has lost almost 90 per cent of its online readership compared to February since making registration mandatory in June, calculations by the Guardian show. Unregistered users of thetimes.co.uk are now "bounced" to a Times+ membership page where they have to register if they want to view Times content. Data from the web metrics company Experian Hitwise shows that only 25.6% of such users sign up and proceed to a Times web page; based on custom categories (created at the Guardian)... MORE
July 22, 2010

Facebook flops in US, less popular than some newspaper sites

Despite being the most popular website in America, consumers don’t like Facebook, according to the 2010 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) E-Business Report, produced in partnership with ForeSee Results. Facebook scored 64 on the ACSI’s 100-point scale, which puts its satisfaction even lower than IRS e-filers. This puts Facebook in the bottom 5 per cent of all measured private sector companies and in the same range as airlines and cable companies, two perennially low-scoring industries... MORE
July 20, 2010

Gannett partners with Yahoo to sell local online advertising

Gannett, the largest US newspaper publisher, and Yahoo! have announced a local advertising partnership that brings together Gannett's strong local media organization brands, sales capabilities, and leading website audiences with Yahoo!'s high quality audience and display advertising leadership. All of Gannett's 81 local publishing organizations and seven of its Broadcasting Division sites will sell Yahoo! advertising inventory as part of Gannett's local advertising solutions. As a result, local... MORE

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