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Jamie MacEwan, senior media analyst at Enders Analysis, said S4’s interest in a deal looked like a tacit acknowledgment that its focus on tech clients “had flopped”.
The deal could be an “attractive expansion” to S4’s portfolio of activities and shows it’s “willing to take on expertise in serving a wide range of clients,” he added.
“It is a cornucopia of football,” says François Godard, a sports media analyst at Enders Analysis. “Certainly it will be the biggest we’ve ever seen in terms of numbers of viewers.”
Disney’s streaming business continues to grow meaningfully, now outpacing the somewhat predictable decline of its linear operation. Studios is always a highwire act, but it is currently the source of most of Disney’s uncertainty.
With subscription numbers quite flat and engagement likely subdued, in the US Disney is hoping that product improvements and sport will invigorate the relationship that users have with its services.
In the UK, the Disney+ and ITVX content swap arrangement is off to a slow start.
VMO2 had a solid Q2 in financial terms, with revenue growth dipping but not by as much as we had expected, and EBITDA growth improving thanks to strong cost control
Consumer fixed is however continuing to deteriorate under altnet pressure, countered by mobile performing better than expected, with continuing weak subscriber numbers across both
Meeting 2025 full year financial guidance is looking more likely after a robust H1, but the trajectory thereafter depends heavily on how the altnet sector develops, a factor over which VMO2 has limited control now that NetCo has been cancelled
Prime Video UK viewing has increased by 30% year-on-year. Although this growth is from a smaller base than its main rivals, it now matches Disney+ in total engagement.
Viewing behaviour now reflects a service that is more than just an add-on: those who use it alongside Netflix do so for its breadth, particularly in film, whilst non-Netflix viewers are drawn to its major UK hits and football coverage.
Supplementing consistent viewing to football and scripted box sets, its ability to attract mass audiences to its hit original shows now rivals some broadcasters.
Vodafone’s financials have begun what should be a steady improvement as this year progresses, leaving behind the TV regulatory hit and benefiting from the onboarding of 1&1.
Looking beyond one-offs, the core operational metrics are mixed but skewed to the positive. Vodafone has some tricky balancing to enact to deliver a return to sustainable growth.
EBITDA growth was solid in this quarter and is likely to remain so in the medium term, thanks in particular to VodafoneThree. More evidence of fundamental commercial delivery would strengthen hope of an enduring positive trajectory.
Staff have nothing to fear. “They’re not going to sell Channel 5,” she said, pointing to the broadcaster’s profits and the leadership of Rose, a “great diplomat” whom she predicts will win the affections of Paramount’s next owners.
The other considerable uncertainty facing 5 concerns Rose herself. A former longstanding executive of Channel 4, many in the sector identify her as a star candidate to return as the company’s next chief executive. Some even think she could replace Tim Davie as director-general of the BBC. Enders thinks Rose will stay put.
BT started its FY26 with robust financials. Revenue was slightly weak due to handsets and international, but EBITDA was slightly ahead of expectations, and operating metrics were strong.
The highlight was Openreach posting its lowest broadband line losses for over a year despite ongoing altnet pressure, and keeping revenue growth positive despite reduced inflationary price increases.
The altnet threat is still far from over, but it is encouraging that there are signs that it is beginning to wane as the sub-sector moves to a more rational wholesale model.
With no major men’s football tournament, ITV’s advertising revenue fell well short of a tough YoY comparison (-7%, £824 million) while Studios appears to be settling after a demanding last couple of years (+3%, £893 million)
ITVX is showing encouraging momentum—especially in terms of its usage profile—however, as a whole, ITV saw viewing share again decline, while losing another 600k regular-viewing households
This market demands proactivity—hence the announcement of collaboration between the three major sale houses, and further measures by ITV to target small to medium-sized businesses