Media communications and market research network, Aegis Group, has acquired the London-based market research firm, The Research Business International (TRBI), for £5.2 million. TRBI operates across a range of areas including ad tracking, brand and concept development and specialist sector research. The company will be integrated into Synovate, Aegis’ global market research network. Doug Flynn,… Continue reading Aegis Buys UK Market Research Firm For £5.2m

Strong financial results from some of the world’s largest advertisers point to an improving outlook for the media and advertising sector, according to Lehman Brothers analysts. Major advertising clients including Procter & Gamble, American Express, General Motors and L’Oreal, have all reported positive results for the full year 2003. The financial health of such companies… Continue reading Strong Client Results Should Provide Advertising Upswing

Digital radio set sales in the UK jumped to 300,000 during 2003, with a surge coming in the run up to Christmas, according to the latest figures from the Digital Radio Development Bureau (DRDB). DAB receiver sales hit 133,000 in December alone, with portable kitchen radios proving the most popular model. Electrical retailer Dixons claims… Continue reading UK Digital Radio Homes Triple In 2003

Fourteen years of gradual consolidation of the ITV Network this morning came to fruition, with the long-awaited merger of Carlton and Granada to create a single ITV company worth more than £5 billion. ITV plc made its first appearance on the Stock Exchange today with a share price of 143½p. Shares in Carlton and Granada… Continue reading INSIGHTanalysis: ITV plc

Maiden saw a “very clear recovery” in sales demand in the second half of 2003, and expects full year pre tax profits to reach between £5.3m and £5.5m. In an upbeat trading report the outdoor advertising group said that revenues strengthened considerably throughout the year, and sales were particularly good in the final five months.… Continue reading Maiden Reports “Very Clear Recovery” In Second Half Of 2003

Maiden saw a ‘very clear recovery’ in sales demand in the second half of 2003, but it expects full year pre tax profits to be lower than forecast, at between £5.3 million and £5.5 million. Analsyts had predicted the company’s profits to reach between £6 million and £6.7 million. In an upbeat trading report issued… Continue reading Maiden Issues Profits Warning

Hollinger International, the holding company of Hollinger Inc, has rejected a takeover approach by the Barclay brothers, which would have valued the company at $1.4 billion. It is believed to have rejected the deal because the 20% premium the Barclays offered was not high enough. The brothers have already agreed a $400 million deal with… Continue reading Hollinger International Rejects Barclays’ Bid

Capital Radio saw a leap in shares today on the back of a good performance by its flagship station Capital 95.8FM in yesterday’s RAJAR results, but Merrill Lynch analysts are not convinced that the company is out of trouble. The broker described Capital’s regaining of ground in the London market as a “catch-up” rather than… Continue reading Capital Playing Catch-Up, Says Merrill Lynch

The rising uptake of personal video recorders (PVRs) such as Sky Plus and TiVo could transform the media planning and buying process, even by as early as 2006, according to new research carried out by media agency PHD. The ongoing study into the effect of PVRs suggests that viewers’ ability to skip commercial breaks could… Continue reading PVRs Could Transform The Media Planning Process

Lehman Brothers has upgraded its earnings forecast for BSkyB in anticipation of a good set of first-half results next month. Analysts are particularly impressed by recent take-up of Sky’s PVR box, Sky+, and expect the company to announce an additional 90,000 subscriptions to the service in its first-half results on 11th February. The increase in… Continue reading Sky+ Sales Expected To Be Strong In BSkyB Interims