The global economic recovery now appears to be shaping up, with the US leading the way, according to Jean-Philippe Cotis, chief economist for the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Cotis was keen to point out that in most countries the upturn is weaker than… Continue reading INSIGHTanalysis: Global Economic Recovery Shapes Up

ITV is investing in its interactive television capabilities by appointing Eckoh Technologies to provide interactive telephony services for the channel. Eckoh is one of Europe’s largest speech application service providers. Eckoh offers technology that will build on ITV’s existing interactive elements in programmes including This Morning, CITV and Ant And Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway. Eckoh… Continue reading ITV Builds Interactive TV Platform With Eckoh Deal

The battle to take control of the Daily and Sunday Telegraph took another turn yesterday after Hollinger International moved to scupper Conrad Black’s £260 million deal to sell the titles to the Barclay brothers. The reclusive Barclays claim to have reached an irrevocable agreement with Black to assume control of a range of titles including… Continue reading Hollinger Moves To Scupper Black’s Telegraph Sale

ITV’s commercial airtime revenues will barely grow during 2004, as its share of TV advertising dips from 51% to 50%, according to new a forward-looking report from Billetts Media Consulting. Billetts says that ITV’s revenues will rise by a meagre 0.3% in 2004, whilst multi-channel advertising jumps by 11.0% year on year. As a result,… Continue reading ITV Revenues To Remain Flat In 2004, Says Billetts

By 2014, there will be 15 million online gamers in the US, with the market being valued at around $9 billion, according to the Themis Report On Online Gaming 2004, distributed by DFC Intelligence. The report forecasts that US gamers will pay an average subscription fee of $23.50 per month by this time. Themis also… Continue reading US Online Gaming To Reach 15m By 2014

The collapse of the dotcom bubble has failed to quash technology investments in ecommerce technology, according to a new survey by Forrester Research. The report says that IT investments in ecommerce are alive and well, with ecommerce budgets outpacing the rest of IT budgets at present. Around three-quarters of companies are maintaining or increasing their… Continue reading Ecommerce Technology Investment Continues Apace

Channel 4 saw profits triple last year as its wide-ranging effort to reduce costs began to bear fruit, despite the ongoing downturn in the television advertising market. The terrestrial broadcaster is understood to have improved its performance after advertising revenues remained flat during 2003 and non-programme costs were cut to focus on core businesses. The… Continue reading Outlook Improves For Channel 4 As Profits Triple

Like-for-like radio revenues at Scottish Radio Holdings (SRH) jumped by 10.5% during the company’s first financial quarter, thanks to an improvement in national advertising and a continued ‘robust’ performance from local spend. SRH said that overall its revenues had risen by 7.7% from October to December. Within this the Score Press newspaper business saw revenues… Continue reading Scottish Radio Sees 11% Revenue Jump In First Quarter

The £260 million Barclay brothers bid for the Telegraph newspapers (see Dispute Grows As Barclay Brothers Move On Telegraph Titles) looks set to be derailed as a range of rival bidders prepare to move on the global newspaper group formerly headed media mogul Conrad Black. It is understood that Daily Mail & General Trust is… Continue reading Rival Bidders Prepare To Move On Telegraph Titles

GWR Group has denied speculation that it is currently holding talks with Capital Radio about a potential £840 million merger of the two companies to be completed later this year. The Sunday Express reported that GWR chairman, Ralph Bernard, has been in formal talks with Capital Radio chief executive, David Mansfield, about the two radio… Continue reading GWR Denies £840 Million Merger Talks With Capital