It’s no surprise to find MPs venting their spleen against Rupert Murdoch’s Rugby Super League. Hobbling the media titan is, after all, an evergreen political issue. Besides, some of the concerns being raised by their irate constituents are genuine enough. Local clubs will fall by the wayside if the Murdoch deal goes through. But then […]

Publicis has been appointed to handle the FF 90m (ú12.5m) privatisation campaign for French steel producer Usinor Sacilor after a final pitch against Australie.

In this time of moral crusades against the “cancer of bent and twisted journalism”, when Conservative politicians are taking up the “sword of truth and the shield of British fair play” to protect the world from the ravages of investigation, far be it for the Diary to add to the squalid mire. But what were […]

Budget Rent a Car has appointed a new marketing director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa as the increasingly competitive car rental market enters a new, cut-throat phase. Paul Johnson replaces Angela St Clare Clark, who left the car rental firm at the end of last year. He was previously director of marketing at […]

Madame Tussaud’s has slammed TDI Advertising, formerly London Transport Advertising, for covering up posters for the leisure attraction’s latest advertising campaign on the London Underground. TDI covered up the posters with another execution in the series after receiving complaints about the creative work, designed by agency J Walter Thompson. The posters show death masks taken […]

Cott Corporation, the beverage manufacturer whose ventures include Virgin Cola, has reported its first loss in nine years. The Canadian firm blamed packaging cost increases and lower selling margins, reporting a C$670,000 (ú303,717) loss after tax for the fourth quarter of fiscal 1995. In the comparable period for 1994 it made a profit of C$9.1m […]

Although many of the products featured in the Ideal Home Spring 95 catalogue serve no worldly purpose, most can at least claim to be innovative.

Further to my conversation with Sharon Marshall about the article “$40m ad push for TAG Heuer” (MW March 15), I am writing on behalf of our client Swatch to clarify a point. In the final paragraph of the news piece it is specified that TAG Heuer will act as timekeeper for the Olympic Games. Swatch […]

Commercial radio is succeeding in its drive to attract new advertisers to the medium and getting others to return, as March’s record figures show

Quantum International, the home shopping infomercials producer, has struck a deal with Tele-Monte Carlo to introduce infomercials in France for the first time. The deal, confirmed at this week’s annual MIP TV programme market in Cannes, is further indication of the growing use of infomercials on European TV – including the UK. Quantum, a subsidiary […]

With reference to your report “The talk of the radio industry” (MW March 17), I find the comparison of calls received by LBC (12,000 per week) and Talk Radio (350,000) harsh. While I appreciate the fig-ures quoted are not meant to put down LBC (RIP), but rather to enhance Talk Radio, your article does not […]

Laser has secured North-East Water to sponsor regional weather forecasts on Tyne Tees Television. Media Dimensions continues to seek sponsors for other regional bulletins following the ending of Legal & General’s sponsorship three months ago. The Department of National Heritage this week agreed to consider allowing magazine publishers to create branded TV programmes based on […]

The conference and incentive travel industry is looking bullish following a reported increase in business for the last quarter of 1994. Figures from the British Tourist Authority show the average number of residential conferences per venue per month has grown from 13.9 to 14.2. Both city and country hotels saw an 80 per cent increase […]

With a number of rescued high street chains tucked under its wing Facia, Stephen Hinchliffe’s empire, has taken on the task of winning over the mid-market consumer via a programme of brand revamps.