Media
AUDIOFINA, CLT-UFA AND PEARSON TELEVISION TO MERGE
On the day that News Corps and Vivendi have proposed a joint shareholding of their digital businesses, European media big-hitters Bertelsmann, Groupe Bruxelles Lambert and Pearson (PTV) have agreed to merge CLT-UFA, Europe's leading commercial television and radio broadcaster, with Pearson Television, the independent television production company.
SMALLER CLUBS PROTEST ON PREMIER LEAGUE PROCEDURE
Smaller Premier League clubs were ? railroaded? into signing some aspects of yesterday?s broadcast tender agreement, according to a report in The Guardian newspaper.
BSKYB TO BID #250M FOR WORLD CUP RIGHTS
BSkyB has offered #250million for exclusive UK television rights to the World Cup 2002, according to The Observer newspaper.
TVG CHALLENGES C4 FOR UK RACING?S INTERNET RIGHTS
A US company is mounting a challenge to a consortium made up of Channel 4, the BBC and cable firm NTL, for the Internet rights to British horseracing.
CABLEVISION TO REBUILD MSG
Cablevision Systems may demolish and rebuild Madison Square Garden in order to generate more money.
WORLDZAP LAUNCH TAKES SPORTS MEDIA INTO NEW AGE
Prisma Sports & Media has launched a joint venture with The Fantastic Corporation to deliver sports content to mobile phones in a move which, they say, will change the sports environment forever.
BBC RACES TO TV HORSE DEAL
The BBC has struck a deal with the US channel TrackPower Inc, giving them the rights to rebroadcast the BBC?s coverage of horseracing at Ascot, Goodwood, Newbury and Haydock racetracks throughout this year.
STURM FACES CASH DEMAND
Donald Sturm?s failed bid to buy the NHL Avalanche and NBA Nuggets teams could cost him dear after the city of Denver announced it was seeking $137,500 from Sturm after he pulled the plug on the deal.
SPORTS.COM IN WAP DEAL
Sports. Com, the sports Internet company, has signed an agreement with Motorola and BT Cellnet to provide its sports content over WAP-enabled mobile phones.
SUNDERLAND SCORE HEALTHY PROFITS RISE
English Premier League soccer club Sunderland has reported increased pre-tax profits for the six months to November 30 1999.
VODAFONE AND BSKYB SIGN SPORTS DEAL
BSkyB and Vodafone have signed an Internet deal, which will allow Vodafone customers to gain access to sports results, team news, audio commentary and statistics.
SPORTS INTERNET BUYS INTO E-COMMERCE BUSINESS
Sports Internet, the web site operator and online sports betting company, has entered the e-commerce business with its #20m purchase of a 49 per cent stake in Sports e-tail.
BBC LOOKS FOR TV SPORTS SUPREMO
Greg Dyke, the new director-general of the BBC, is set to bring the BBC's sports operation under a single leader.
ECCLESTONE PLANS PARTIAL F1 SALE IN $2.41bn DEAL
British motor racing tycoon Bernie Ecclestone is set to sell up to half of his Formula One empire for around #1.5 billion pounds ($2.41bn), the UK's Sunday Business newspaper has reported.
BATTLE ON FOR NASCAR RIGHTS
The four big television networks are in a tight bidding race to win broadcast rights for stock-car racing, and appear willing to pay as much as $400 million annually, almost four times what Nascar races have brought in each year.
BEWARE OF SOCCER OVER-KILL – SAYS BLATTER
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has called for a soccer-free period to prevent overkill damaging the sport's allure.
COPPA ITALIA RIGHTS SUB-LICENSED BY RAI
RAI ? the Italian public broadcaster ? has sub-licensed the rights to 30 live soccer games in this season?s Coppa Italia.
SDS DENIES STREAM PULL OUT
Italy's Societa Diritti Sportivi (SDS) has denied it has pulled out of pay-TV operator Stream allowing new partners to take its place alongside Rupert Murdoch's News Corp .