Media

EchoStar Communications Corp's $30.4billion (?34.7bn) unsolicited bid to buy the rival satellite television company Hughes Electronics Corp, including its DirecTV subsidiary, on Monday got a mixed response from Wall Street analysts, who applauded the move but largely said it would ultimately be unsuccessful.

TV Azteca, Mexico?s second largest broadcaster, has signed a deal with satellite TV platform Sky Mexico to allow the latter to broadcast 22 soccer matches from the country?s top division, to which TV Azteca owns the rights, over the next year.

The return to the small screen of World Wrestling Federation (WWF) star The Rock gave US broadcaster TNN its largest ever television audience in the channel?s 18-year history.

MLB Advanced Media, Sun Microsystems and iPlanet E-Commerce Solutions, have formed a technology and marketing partnership they hope will grow MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball.

Former international rugby union player Nigel Walker has been appointed the head of sport for UK terrestrial broadcaster, BBC Wales.

NTL, the UK?s largest cable company which will broadcast Premiership pay-per-view soccer next season, is to axe 5,000 jobs over the next two years in a bid to meet its ambitious growth forecasts.
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Heineken is to use its sponsorship of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games by creating a major superstore in the host city.
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Ninety percent of the population of Beijing tuned into the broadcast of the Olympic vote on the host city for the 2008 Games which saw the Chinese capital emerge victorious.

The World Wrestling Federation (WWF) has filed a lawsuit against Canadian businesses that it claims are illegally distributing pay-per-view telecasts of WWF events.

Harrah?s Entertainment, the casino operator, has been named as the title sponsor of this week?s CART FedEx Championship Series race at Michigan International Speedway.

Fox Sports has handed an experienced network consultant in the shape of Dan Harrison the role of senior vice-president of programming and strategic planning.

Sports network ESPN is to sell advertising packages covering a variety of media platforms for eight of its major sports events broadcast next season.

The McLaren Formula One team claimed a record in sports sponsorship on Friday by announcing a five-year extension to their partnership with fashion brand Hugo Boss.

Utilities firm npower will not be renewing its second-tier sponsorship deal with the FA Premiership next season after the league demanded a minimum three-year commitment.

Birmingham City, the UK?s Nationwide League soccer club, said it must secure promotion to the Premier League next season to prevent it from financial ruin.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has dismissed suggestions it could be accused of nepotism in putting forward the son of president Juan Antonio Samaranch for election to the organisation in July.