Media

UK cable company NTL has boosted the financially-pressured digital television market by announcing that it has passed the one million subscriber mark for the first time, adding that it was on course to reach its end of year target of 1.25 customers.

ESPN-owners Walt Disney Co took a 26 percent hit in fiscal third-quarter pro forma profit as the entertainment company marked lower TV ad sales and theme-park attendance, and absorbed a $95million (?107m) charge for job-cutting costs.

Cash-strapped German media group EM.TV is poised to sell its 37.5 percent stake in Formula One in a move that could help resolve a long running battle over the future of the sport.

A new sport betting service based on derivative-style contracts will launch this week in the UK.
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UK terrestrial and pay-TV broadcaster ITV has secured the rights to the next two Rugby World Cups in a six-year deal with the International Rugby Board (IRB).

Boxing promoter Don King said British boxer Lennox Lewis has signed a contract with him to challenge WBC and IBF world heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman to a rematch.

The ATP, the governing body of the men?s professional tennis circuit, has launched a new business and marketing strategy following the demise of ISL Worldwide, the rights holders since 2000.

The NFL is claiming a yet-to-be-built stadium in downtown Detroit will be the most unique and innovative sports complex in the country.

Fox Sports Net has signed a deal with LodgeNet Entertainment which will see the broadcaster?s array of digital channels installed in hotels around the US.

US sports network ESPN is to diversify its range of content after its newly created Original Entertainment Division announced a raft of initiatives including sports-based reality TV shows and a made-for-television sports movie.

A mystery bombing campaign means Colombia could lose South America's biggest soccer tournament and deal a blow to President Andres Pastrana's attempts to show progress in his quest for peace.

After a week of accusations and counter accusations, the FIFA ISL/ISMM crisis took another turn at the weekend with the revelations that ISL/ISMM had received a Sfr277m($155.9m) syndicated loan in 1999 from Swiss bank UBS and that FIFA withdrew support for a Sfr700m($349m) bond issue that the bankrupt marketing agency was hoping to help keep itself afloat.

The UK?s Singer & Friedlander Football Fund, the first investment fund dedicated to football related businesses, is to change its name to the S&F Global, Media and Leisure fund.

Rival cable television broadcasters HBO and Showtime are negotiating to present a fight between former champions Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis.

Europe?s leading car-makers met last week in Rome to discuss plans to set up a motor racing competition to rival Formula One.

Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar has signed a five-year contract worth an estimated 800m rupees ($17m) with sports management company WorldTel.