Media Perspective: The pressure is on for Jackson to put Capital back on top.

There was something in the air as a series of events coincided to make it a somewhat lively end to August.

Emap announced a strategy update, saying it would press on with a sale or break-up of the group, while describing market conditions in its key sectors as 'encouraging'. Meanwhile, Scottish Media Group had managed to sell its outdoor business Primesight (enticing the private equity company GMT Communications Partners to part with pounds 62 million) and then become the subject of renewed attentions from UTV, which again talked up the logic of the two companies merging.

To top that, there was bad news for SMG on Friday when Paul Jackson, the chief executive of Virgin Radio, announced he was leaving to rejoin Capital Radio (which he left in 2001 to join Virgin) as the managing director of its London station.

Awkward for SMG perhaps, because Jackson's departure looks likely to delay the planned IPO of the station in the autumn, while Virgin searches for a replacement. Its recent hiring of the former Chrysalis boss Richard Huntingford as chairman gives it a safe pair of hands for the time being, but there is little doubt that the timing is unfortunate.

Jackson previously held the role of regional programme director at Capital, but has now been handed the keys to the once shiny Ford Capri that is Capital 95.8 in London. It might be rusting a bit in the garage (the recent Rajar showed it had slipped to fourth in London's ...