ITV has announced the launch of ITV Play, the broadcaster’s latest digital channel promising to provide viewers with ‘participation TV’ built on existing call-TV formats such as Quizmania and Play Sudoku.The new channel will launch on Freeview on 19 April, and all other platforms later in the year. ITV Play branded programming will also air… Continue reading ITV Play To Broaden Broadcaster’s Revenue Streams

Advertising bodies ISBA and the IPA have criticised the BBC’s request for an increased licence fee in a submission to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, claiming that over-funding the Corporation would result in an unfair spending ability.The BBC made its claim for an increase to the licence fee of RPI + 2.3% last… Continue reading Ad Bodies Blast BBC’s ‘Excessive’ Licence Request

Media watchdog Ofcom has announced the creation of a new industry body to oversee next generation networks (NGNs), laying the infrastructure for high-speed internet and media delivery systems.NGN UK will be launched by Ofcom later this month, led by executive chairman Peter Black, who will take up the role in addition to overseeing the independent… Continue reading Ofcom Sets Up Industry Body For Next Gen Networks

Community media specialist Archant has reported a dip in profits for 2005, blaming the downturn on a “challenging year for the regional newspaper industry.”According to a trading statement issued this morning, Archant’s operating profit is down by 12.3% year on year for 2005 as a whole, leaving the company’s total at £31.6 million.In a statement… Continue reading Archant Sees Profits Slip In ‘Challenging’ 2005

Today sees the Audit Bureau of Circulations release data for the nation’s regional newspapers covering the period from July to December 2005.The new figures reveal mixed results for the UK’s regional press, with the majority of paid for newspaper groups seeing a decline overall, with only one of the top ten exhibiting any growth in… Continue reading ABC Regional Newspapers: Jul-Dec 2005

The home interest magazine market looked decidedly downbeat in the latest round of ABC results, with the figures for the six months to December 2006 revealing declines in many titles across the sector.Worst hit was Emap’s Period Living & Traditional Homes, with a decline of 23.3% year on year leaving the magazine’s circulation at 48,792.Elsewhere… Continue reading ABC Results Jul-Dec 2005:Home Interest Downbeat As 2005 Draws To A Close

The gaming sector saw a disappointing performance overall during the last six months of 2005, with all but one title seeing a decline in total sales.Future Publishing dominates this market, with the company’s PSW (Formerly Playstation World) the worst hit, with a decline of 37.6% year on year leaving a circulation of 43,708.The publisher’s NGC… Continue reading ABC Results Jul-Dec 2005:Gaming Sector Sees Dismal Year End

The latest ABC results for the six months to December 2005 show a mixed bag of results for the men’s magazine market, with weekly titles Nuts and Zoo continuing to perform well, while several of their highest profile monthly rivals suffer a downturn in sales.Amongst the worst casualties was Esquire magazine, shedding 23.6% from its… Continue reading ABC Results Jul-Dec 2005:Weeklies Strong As Men’s Mags See Mixed Results

The notoriously fickle teen sector looked glum in the six months to December, according to the latest ABC results, with all but one title seeing a downturn in circulation year on year.DC Thompson’s Shout magazine was the only title to increase sales on the same period in 2004, adding 10.3% year on year to total… Continue reading ABC Results Jul-Dec 2005:Teen Sector Down In The Mouth At End Of 2005

The latest ABC results for the six months to December 2005 show women’s weekly gossip titles OK, Closer and Reveal with impressive sales increases year on year, proving the public’s continuing appetite for celebrity news.Reveal saw the largest percentage increase in the women’s weekly sector, adding a sizeable 44% year on year. The title, which… Continue reading ABC Results Jul-Dec 2005:Gossip Sees Growth As Weeklies Widen Appeal