Media
Business

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch has defended the proposed merger of his News Corporation company with US satellite platform DirecTV, stating that such an alliance would provide a `healthy premium? for shareholders and create `synergies that no other company can match?.
Business

Online sports technology provider, iSport UK and sports technology consultants, Play-Sport New Media are to merge their UK operations, sportbusiness.com has learned.
Media

Spanish soccer giant Real Madrid has hit back at claims it has defaulted on a transfer payment ? saying it has all been a `misunderstanding?.
Business

London stock market-listed entertainment company Wembley has said the sale of Wembley complex is progressing and a shortlist of bidders has been drawn up.
Events

The US women?s soccer league is heading into the end of season play-offs for its inaugural season having exceeded attendance expectations, but it has fallen short in the television ratings.
Media

US broadcaster ESPN is to trial its fledgling broadband internet service after striking up a partnership with Comcast Corporation to offer broadband content to cable modem customers in the Philadelphia area during the X Games.
Sport and Broadband: A new report from SportBusiness Group: Click here
Business

Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) has finalised its broadcast rights deal with the CBS Television Network and Fox Cable Networks Group beginning with the 2002 season through 2004.
Business

DISH Network, the U.S. direct broadcast satellite television entertainment company, is to offer the ESPN GamePlan college football package to customers on DISH On Demand.
Events

24dogs, the digital greyhound racing service owned by Wembley plc, has launched the Greyhound Racing SuperLeague after securing internet rights for 22 of the top 25 UK greyhound racetracks.
Business

German commercial TV group, ProSiebenSat.1 Media is the latest to feel the effect of the sinking advertising market after it reported a 3 percent decrease in its revenues for the first half of the year.
Events

Com.hem, the cable television division of Swedish firm Telia, is increasing its interactive services to include soccer-related initiatives.
Sport and Interactive TV: A new report from SportBusiness Group: Click here
Media

Content provider TEAMtalk Media Group has extended its SMS subscription services by going trilingual.
Business

NBA team the Seattle Sonics is to unveil a new team logo and strip next week in a bid to reflect the change in management and whip up support in the team ? and has just signed a new exclusive TV deal.
Media

R Douglas Kahn has stood down as president and CEO of satellite and cable distributor PanAmSat just a month after the firm reported sharply reduced earnings for the second quarter of the year.
Business

US broadcaster Fox has unveiled its advertising rates for next year?s SuperBowl with a 30-second spot costing as much as $2.5million (?2.72m).
Events

Satellite channel British Eurosport scored its highest ever TV ratings for its coverage of the World Athletics Championships from Edmonton, Canada.
Media

UK terrestrial broadcaster Channel 5 has snapped up the television rights to the second leg of the Intertoto Cup Final involving English Premiership side Newcastle United.
Business

UK online gambling company Sportingbet.com has signed a five-year deal with its less established counterpart Royaltons for an undisclosed sum.
Online Gambling: The Regulation of Global Sports Betting: A new report from SportBusiness Group: Click here