Charter may raise Time Warner Cable bid within weeks -sources
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Charter Communications Inc is discussing raising its bid for Time Warner Cable Inc as soon as in the next two weeks, according to people familiar with the matter, a move that could pressure its reluctant rival ahead of a proxy deadline. Charter is considering a higher bid in the low $140s per share range, the people said on Friday, up from its current $132.50 per share offer that values the second-largest U.S. cable operator at $37.3 billion based on shares outstanding.
Actress Sienna Miller angry at British phone-hacking case details
LONDON (Reuters) - British actress Sienna Miller spoke on Friday of her anger that "titillating" information about her affair with James Bond actor Daniel Craig had been made public at the phone-hacking trial of a former Rupert Murdoch tabloid editor. The trial of Andy Coulson, who edited Murdoch's now defunct-News of the World Newspaper, has heard lengthy evidence this week about a voicemail message she left for Craig in 2005 which has taken center stage in the high-profile court case.
Time Warner Cable charts path while rebuffing Charter
(Reuters) - Time Warner Cable Inc, trying to fend off a takeover bid, posted better-than-expected quarterly results on Thursday and said it aims to increase the company's sales while also investing more in its technology over the next three years. Shares rose $1.39 or 1 percent, to $133.49 per share.
Bertelsmann 2013 profit exceeds own expectations
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - German media group Bertelsmann said on Friday its 2013 net profit increased 30 percent to a better-than-expected 800 million euros ($1.1 billion), helped by cost cuts and financial windfalls. The privately held company earlier had predicted 2013 net profit would rise by around 20 percent.
BSkyB strengthens pay-TV defence with HBO deal
LONDON (Reuters) - BSkyB has signed a new deal with U.S. producer HBO to secure exclusive access to blockbuster shows such as "Game of Thrones" until 2020 and strengthen its defence against an increasingly competitive BT. The deal announced on Thursday is part of efforts by Britain's dominant pay-TV provider to broaden its offering with increased content and services to tie in customers after BT encroached on its traditional stronghold of sports coverage last year.
E*Trade to give clients access to IPOs from Jefferies
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The baby in E*Trade TV commercials may soon boast that he got in on a hot Wall Street IPO. E*Trade Financial Corp said Thursday it formed a "retail alliance" giving its customers access to initial public offerings and follow-on offerings underwritten by middle-market investment bank Jefferies LLC.
Editor of Spain's El Mundo exits after clash with government
MADRID/MILAN (Reuters) - The influential founding editor of Spain's second-biggest newspaper, El Mundo, stepped down on Thursday after a decline in circulation and a series of revelations of alleged corruption in the ruling party. Pedro Jose Ramirez, known as Pedro J (pronounced "Hota"), has been sharply critical of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, even though El Mundo, part of the Italian RCS group, is considered broadly sympathetic to the ruling conservative People's Party.
Viacom expects pick up in advertiser demand
(Reuters) - Viacom Inc said on Thursday it expects advertising revenue from its cable networks like MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon to improve this quarter, sending shares up 2.4 percent. The media company, which also owns movie studio Paramount Pictures, said higher ratings for its television shows are also helping coax money from advertisers.
Analysis: Charter's bid for Time Warner Cable hinges on Rutledge's skill
NEW YORK (Reuters) - As Charter Communications Inc campaigns for investor support for its $37.3 billion bid for Time Warner Cable Inc, Charter Chief Executive Officer Tom Rutledge and his turnaround skills are front and center of that effort. But Rutledge's track record as chief operating officer of Cablevision Systems Corp from 2004 to 2011 shows that he may not be quite the miracle worker that allies like to portray him as.
Britain's ITV to launch its first pay-TV channel
LONDON (Reuters) - ITV is launching its first pay-TV channel, one dedicated to British drama, exclusively on Sky's satellite and online platforms as part of a new four-year partnership with its pay-TV rival, the UK broadcaster said on Wednesday. ITV Encore, due to launch later this year, will broadcast re-runs of shows previously transmitted on ITV's free-to-air channels, ITV said, and from 2015 it will also screen original commissions.
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