WPP chief executive, Sir Martin Sorrell, is expected to signal the end of the worst advertising downturn in living memory when he announces the marketing group’s full year results later this week. Sorrell is usually reluctant to be overly upbeat when predicting the industry’s fortunes and has so far refused to call an end to… Continue reading Sorrell Set To Signal Start Of Advertising Recovery

Freeview saw uptake increase by more than 40% in the three months to December in a development that helped to push digital television penetration to over half of all UK households. The latest figures from Ofcom show that almost 3 million British homes received the digital terrestrial service in the final quarter of last year,… Continue reading Freeview Surge Helps Digital Reach Half Of UK Homes

Mediaedge:cia has appointed ZenithOptimedia boss Tom George as its new managing director, in a move that fills the power vacuum at the top of the WPP-owned media agency.The appointment ends a four month search by chairman Rob Norman to replace former managing director, Matt James, who shocked the industry last September by stepping down after… Continue reading Mediaedge:cia Appoints George As Managing Director

ITV looks likely to announce the appointment of a new chairman as early as next week after reducing the shortlist of names being considered for the high-profile position to just two.It is understood that the nominations committee led by Sir Brian Pitman has whittled the shortlist down to John Gardiner and Peter Burt, both of… Continue reading ITV To Announce Appointment Of New Chairman Next Week

US adspend rose by more than 5% during 2003, according to the latest data from Nielsen Media Research, with local media showing the greatest increases throughout the year. Nielsen Monitor-Plus, the advertising information arm of the research company, has reported that all major media categories showed a growth in adspend during the year, and each… Continue reading US Adspend Tops 5% During 2003, Says Nielsen

BT Group has secured a wide-ranging deal with British Airways that will see wireless broadband access offered to thousands of business travellers in airports around the world.The agreement will see a number of BT Openzone access points installed in executive lounges across the UK and other international destinations from April this year, in a move… Continue reading BT Secures Wide-Ranging WiFi Deal With British Airways

Anglo-Dutch publishing group Reed Elsevier today posted increased pre-tax profits for 2003 but said it expects growth to slow in the coming year as the continued economic downturn takes its toll.Pre-tax profits were up 9%, from £927m to £1.01 billion. Reed said the figure would have reached 10% if adjusted at full year currency rates… Continue reading Reed Elsevier Sees 2003 Profits Rise But Predicts Dip

Beleaguered cable operator Telewest has announced the resignation of its group managing director, Charles Burdick, after less than two years at the company’s helm.Burdick, who steps down with immediate effect, will stay on as a consultant to the company until the completion of its financial restructuring, but will then relinquish his directorship to pursue other… Continue reading Burdick Steps Down As Telewest Managing Director

Anglo-Dutch publishing group Reed Elsevier today posted increased pre-tax profits for 2003 but said it expects growth to slow in the coming year as a continued economic downturn takes its toll. Pre-tax profits were up 9%, from £927 million to £1.0 billion. Reed said its growth would have reached 10% if adjusted at full year… Continue reading Reed Elsevier Sees 2003 Profits Rise But Predicts Dip In 2004

The US market for set-top boxes with integrated PVRs (personal video recorders) will grow six-fold between now and 2008, according to new data from Park Associates. The standalone PVR market will be supplanted by set-top recorders provided by television service operators, along the lines of Sky+ in the UK and will reach 25 million US… Continue reading Integrated PVRs To Boom In The US As The UK Market Takes Off