The increasing popularity of high speed broadband services helped push the number of ISP subscriptions up by 4.1% year on year during September, according to new figures from the Office Of National Statistics (ONS). The latest Index of Internet Connectivity report shows that the number of people connected to ISPs rose by 0.8% month on… Continue reading Broadband Continues To Drive Internet Uptake

BSkyB’s digital satellite service will reach almost nine million homes in four years’ time, whilst cable is left trailing, according to the latest projection from Merrill Lynch analysts. The forecasts show that whilst cable’s growth is virtually flat and BSkyB’s begins to level off, the free digital terrestrial (DTT) service, Freeview, will continue to make… Continue reading BSkyB To Reach Almost 9m Subs By 2008, Say Forecasts

Chrysalis Group has posted a strong set of financial results for the twelve months to August and says that it has made a strong start to the current financial year. Fresh from the success of overtaking Capital 95.8FM with its Heart 106.2 station in London, Chrysalis has today revealed a substantial jump in pre-tax profits,… Continue reading Chrysalis Profits Surge As Outperformance Continues

Hollinger International, the US-listed newspaper publisher, has announced that Conrad Black is to step down as chief executive as it considers the possible sale of its assets to alleviate financial difficulties. Black is not the only senior executive to leave the company and the board of directors has reportedly accepted the resignations of David Radler… Continue reading Black Leaves Troubled Hollinger As Predators Circle

BT has called on the Government and industry to back its target of achieving 100% broadband coverage for every UK community by 2005. The telecoms incumbent already makes mass market broadband available to more than 80% of British households and is set to upgrade its internet exchanges to serve 90% of the population by the… Continue reading BT Targets 100% Broadband By 2005

Major US cable and DSL providers added a combined total of more than two million high-speed internet subscribers in the third quarter of 2003, according to the latest figures from Leichtman Research Group. Net additions for the quarter were the largest ever and half a million higher than in the previous quarter (see Broadband Growth… Continue reading Record Quarter For US Broadband Providers

BSkyB gained 170,000 new subscribers to its digital satellite service during the last three months, the first quarter of its financial year. The company this morning confirmed that it has achieved its target of securing 7 million customers by the end of 2003, three months ahead of schedule (see BSkyB Reaches Subscriber Target Ahead Of… Continue reading BSkyB Doubles Profit As 7m Subs Target Is Hit

Carlton and Granada have today cleared the final hurdle in their proposed £4.5 billion merger after securing formal approval on the undertakings of the deal from Trade and Industry Secretary, Patricia Hewitt. The two broadcasters are now free to proceed with their plans to create a single ITV company capable of competing more effectively against… Continue reading Government Formally Accepts Conditions Of ITV Merger

Global ad agencies Havas and Publicis have both released third quarter results which show improving, if not strong conditions. Publicis saw revenues rise by just 2.0% on an organic basis, up from a 1.6% rise in Q2 and -1.2% in Q1. However, when the effect of the integration of Bcom3 is included, revenues jumped by… Continue reading Global Ad Groups See Mixed Conditions In Q3 Figures

Broadcasters should start to seek alternatives to their traditional advertising-based revenue models in order to combat the ad-skipping facility offered by personal video recorders (PVRs) and, more significantly, the rise of home media networks (HMN). A report from consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton warns that home media networks (the convergence of digital media into a… Continue reading Media’s Advertising Revenue Model Under Threat, Says Report