Media

Ratings for the NBA playoffs on both broadcast and cable television remain down from a year ago, although favorable match-ups in the conference finals could help stop the bleeding.

Ford Motor Co has launched an innovative marketing campaign whereby its TV commercials will be integrated with sports programming. In an unusual arrangement causing some concern about the merging of advertising and programming, Fox TV?s upcoming ``No Boundaries'' adventure sports TV series will strongly resemble the Ford ``No Boundaries'' advertising campaign for trucks.

The Australian government has said it expected this year's Sydney Olympics to give the economy a boost in the September quarter, adding about one percentage point to gross domestic product and cutting the current account deficit.

Sportsworld Media Group plc, the sports, media and entertainment business, has been appointed as exclusive marketing and media agent to the International Triathlon Union (ITU), the governing body for the sports of Triathlon, Duathlon and related multi-sports worldwide.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has dismissed corruption allegations against its president Jagmohan Dalmiya on the opening day of a two-day meeting to discuss a match-fixing crisis.

Sportvision, a leader in sports media technology, has named Larry Novenstern as Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing. Mr. Novenstern joins Sportvision from BBDO Worldwide, the third largest global advertising agency network, where he served as Senior Vice President and Director of Sports Marketing Services.

Sportvision, the US-based sports media technology company, has agreed to acquire Coach's Edge, the developer of enhanced computer animation technology for the internet and sports broadcasting.

The European Commission has sent a legal warning to Telefonica Media and Sogecable, two major Spanish media groups, over the pooling of their broadcasting rights to Spain's league and cup soccer competitions.

Colin Hutchinson, managing director of cosmopolitan English Premier League club Chelsea, has said that UEFA and FIFA could face a breakaway of leading clubs if they persuaded the European Union to change its stance on the Bosman Ruling.

I7, the online and broadband content and distribution subsidiary of Australian broadcaster Seven Network, has formed an alliance with Evolution Technologies to supply Evolution with a sports channel as well as three additional channels each covering the 2000 Olympics.

The chairman of soccer?s richest club ? English and European champions Manchester United ? has delayed his retirement so that he can be involved in the next round of bidding for the Premier League broadcasting rights.

ISL Worldwide has signed Orad Hi-Tec Systems to provide Orad's IMadGINE virtual advertising for the Tennis Masters Series TV coverage. This is the first time that Orad will be providing virtual advertising to an ISL premium event.

Online gaming company VIP is calling for global self-regulation of the online betting industry and the creation of a new forum to promote consultation between governments and industry members.

German industry sources have said media group EM.TV was close to completing a deal to obtain a majority stake in Bernie Ecclestone's Formula One Administration Ltd.

Kelvin MacKenzie, head of the UK sports radio station Talksport is in talks to buy the newspaper Sport First in a deal that could see the two year-old title valued at more than #15m.

Celtic could soon leave the Scottish Premier League and join a new Atlantic League aimed at leading clubs who dominate Europe's second tier competitions, a club spokesman has said.