News Corporation’s first-quarter profits down 30% after drop in television advertising revenue

News Corporation, parent company of The Times, reported a 30 per cent drop in first-quarter profits, as falling revenues from television advertising and declining film studio sales hit the bottom line.

Rio Tinto says it is comfortable with debt level

Mining giant Rio Tinto on Wednesday sought to allay concerns about its debt levels a day after bigger rival BHP Billiton abandoned a takeover bid for that reason, sending Rio's share price plummeting.

BHP Billiton abandons bid for Rio Tinto

BHP Billiton Ltd., the world's biggest mining company, abandoned a hostile $68 billion takeover bid for rival Rio Tinto Ltd., blaming the global economic downturn and plunging commodity prices.

BBC in talks with Woolworths as pensioners fear worst

The entire Woolworths empire, including its stake in 2Entertain, the BBC joint venture, is likely to be in administration by the end of the week, with its 10,000 pensioners at the back of a queue of creditors hoping to get their money back.

CEO of Australia's Fairfax Media resigns

The chief executive of Fairfax Media, publisher of the Sydney Morning Herald, quit Friday after three years at the helm of a company that has lost advertising dollars to the Internet and is now grappling with an economic downturn.

Film distributor is victim of Woolworths collapse

The fallout from the collapse of Woolworths spread this morning as Metrodome, a UK-listed film and television distributor, warned it risked losing £320,000 it was owed by the fallen retailer.