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Radio Day celebrates the past, looks forward --- Michael Hedges May 11, 2009
In most every country a Radio Day is organized. Most are a mix of professional discussions, networking and social events. Very few are nationally recognized, complete with parades.

Another digital dividend – television jobs turnover at 25 year high --- Michael Hedges April 17, 2008
The techno-geeks are winning, or at least they’re keeping their jobs. The digital dividend is also keeping content producers from changing, or losing, their jobs. Turnover in the television sector is highest in Western Europe and the US. But, of course, job turnover at the ‘elite’ level is less than half the rate of the rest of the sector.

The first syllable in consolidation is con --- Michael Hedges March 27, 2008
Clear Channel Communications stock price fell 20% on the revelation that banks are unwilling to finance a leveraged buyout. America’s largest radio broadcaster by leaps is falling to a reality of its own creation. Consolidation fails. And UK broadcasters want to follow the same path.

Media Consolidation, Russian Style --- Michael Hedges February 22, 2008
Shareholders of two big Russian broadcasting companies merged their interests into a bigger broadcasting company. Consolidation can have a negative effect on media companies, not to forget media markets. But in Russia, it’s the only way to go.

Liquidity, liquidity, come, please, to my door --- Michael Hedges December 17, 2007
The final billion euro media deal of the year is very likely German publisher/broadcaster Heinrich Bauer Verlag buying UK publisher/broadcaster Emap. UK and German media wags view it quite differently, either an end or a beginning. The whole story is far more interesting because it’s very real.

It’s Now Very Clear Why Murdoch Wants Dow Jones So Much, Why The New York Times Launched Its Hatchet Job To Persuade The Bancrofts To Torpedo The Deal, And Why All The Nonsense About News Corp. Decimating the WSJ Is Just A Red Herring --- Philip Stone June 29, 2007
As it looks more and more likely that Rupert Murdoch will succeed in his quest for Dow Jones two points are becoming abundantly clear – it’s utter nonsense that Murdoch wants to decimate the Wall Street Journal’s journalism – indeed, the opposite is true, and one of his prime targets is to have the Journal eventually surpass the New York Times as America’s premier newspaper.

One Down (Thomson/Reuters – So Much For The “British” News Agency, Now It Is Going To Be Canadian) And One To Go (News Corp./Dow Jones), And There May Be Many More To Come --- Philip Stone May 16, 2007
Assuming the government regulators on both sides of the Atlantic agree, the Thomson buyout of Reuters is pretty much a done deal. Rupert Murdoch continues, little by little, to make nice to the Bancroft family in hopes of getting his hands on Dow Jones, and although this is only May there have been already 372 traditional media mergers globally this year.

It is a Fight to the Death : Branson v. Murdoch --- Michael Hedges March 28, 2007
When Big Media turns to the courts and the regulators to arbitrate business negotiations it’s clear that the consolidation cycle is turning down.

Viacom vs Coogle/YouTube: Negotiations By Other Means --- Michael Hedges March 15, 2007
Viacom filed a huge law-suit against YouTube, and thereby Google, charging copyright infringement. Billion dollar law-suits make headlines not unlike an 80 year old buying his first red Ferrari. Customers and investors – literally and figuratively – beware.

The Trouble With Viacom: It Wasn’t Tom Freston --- Michael Hedges September 7, 2006

Communicorp Scores a Quasi --- Michael Hedges June 5, 2006

ProKom’s Ryszard Krauze Spins Radio Assets…to Himself --- Michael Hedges May 21, 2006
Further consolidating and restructuring his varied businesses, Polish millionaire Ryszard Krause moved Mediabank SA, owner of radio station PiN 102 FM, from Softbank SA – of which he is CEO – to Prokom Investments – of which he is CEO. Finishing that in late April, Krauze then moved to the bigger plan: merging Softbank with Asseco and creating Poland’s biggest IT company.

David Mansfield Exits GCap Media – September 20, 2005 --- Michael Hedges September 20, 2005
Thus ends the short, five-month run of UK radio broadcastings dynamic duo: David Mansfield and Ralph Bernard.

Germany’s Privately-Held Bertelsmann Spends Some €1.5 Billion on Mostly TV Acquisitions --- Philip M. Stone September 12, 2005

Round Up the Children, Louisa. The Canadians Are Coming! --- Michael Hedges September 8, 2005
The UKs first foreign-owned radio broadcast license is awarded to CanWest, the Canadian media giant. Will ice-hockey be forced on unsuspecting British listeners?

Buy Out Firms Buy Out SBS Broadcasting --- Michael Hedges August 25, 2005

Media Consolidation is Just a Phase June 30, 2005 --- Michael Hedges June 20, 2005

“Expect a New Burst of Creative Energy” --- Michael Hedges June 2, 2005

Timing Is Everything - May 17, 2005 --- Michael Hedges May 17, 2005
UK media consolidation took another step forward this month as The Wireless Group (TWG) shareholders and Ulster TV (UTV) agree on a price. And the GWR-Capital Group merger – GCap Media - becomes official.

News Corporation: The Difference --- Michael Hedges June 15, 2010 Follow on Twitter
Corporate strategies among the biggest media companies are remarkably consistent. Those traded publicly, or significantly so, trade on a stony conservatism that resists risk. News Corporation has always been different.

Back In The USSR – You Don’t Know How Lucky You Are --- Michael Hedges October 19, 2009 Follow on Twitter
A bit of restructuring at two of Russia’s television channels looks to some like the cloud of Soviet times descending. All things Russian appear mysterious, not the least being its media. When times are tough, the tough make plans.

Billionaire Exits High Risk Media --- Michael Hedges December 2, 2013 Follow on Twitter
Consolidation is a matter of course. In market economies, tough times force companies to expand cash-flow by acquisition. Better times encourage new entrants and new ideas. But where the media sector is viewed through a different prism consolidation is simply a matter of control.

The Billionaires Are Back --- Michael Hedges March 22, 2010 Follow on Twitter
In the first truly welcome sign of economic recovery, Forbes magazine says there are now more billionaires than ever. And billionaires like the media business. Spread the word. The boys are back… with cash.

Soul Of A Newer Machine --- Michael Hedges November 7, 2014 Follow on Twitter
Pressure on media executives is often insurmountable. Even those with impeccable records of service are called to painful duty. Rising to that call can be hugely rewarding. Failing, quite often, is the road to perdition.

How Long Will It Take Until We Have the Dallas-Ft. Worth News Star-Telegram? --- Philip M. Stone Novermber 20, 2008
It’s just a matter of time until neighborly competing metropolitan newspapers bite the bullet and merge so surely it makes business sense, for instance, for the Dallas Morning News (Belo) and the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram (McClatchy) to come together so instead of two newspapers truly suffering from the economic downturn there arises from the ashes one strong newspaper for the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex?

Raging At And For Ownership Rules --- Michael Hedges March 25, 2013 - Follow on Twitter
Long accepted economic theory holds that actors in specific market sectors seek to consolidate, as those sectors mature, in search of economies of scale. Consolidation is self-limiting, though, because monopolies are inefficient. The media sector, it's often argued, is different, not like airlines, oil, banks or pizzas.

In Complete Control And Out of Control --- Michael Hedges December 4, 2018 - Follow on Twitter
Amassing more power is a common purpose of political leaders of a certain authoritarian bent. Media is a means to that end. Once in control of regulators and jurists many possibilities arise. Money is no object with the state treasury at hand. Opportunities are there for the taking. There is one big problem.

Propaganda Seeks Its Own Level, Sometimes Spreading, Sometimes Sinking, Always Stinking --- Michael Hedges April 11, 2019 - Follow on Twitter
Media outreach is considered essential for organizations seeking to manage their profile. While big companies mastered the art and science of message control decades ago. Governments have followed suit. Everybody has a message, it seems, critical to their purpose. Getting it in front of the right audience, in this digital age, can be a trick.