Independent Television Commission chief executive, Patricia Hodgson, has criticised the level of responsibility given to Ofcom and has urged the new super regulator to focus on its competition duties. Delivering last nightÂ’s annual New Statesman lecture, Hodgson warned against the dangers of Ofcom becoming tied up in the range of regulatory responsibilities set out in… Continue reading Hodgson Calls On Ofcom To Focus On Competition Duties

News Corporation chief Rupert Murdoch has professed himself more than satisfied with the performance of the company and claims to have no intention of stepping down. Speaking at News Corp’s AGM in Adelaide this week, Murdoch said that the group was “very confident” of meeting its earnings targets given the encouraging outlook. “All the signs… Continue reading Murdoch Spurred On By Improving Economy

Despite rising revenues, the New York Times Company has reported a 15% drop in third quarter earnings. The US publisher cited an increase in the cost of newsprint and health care as being primarily responsible for the decline. Advertising revenue rose by 4.9% in September but this could not compensate for falls in July and… Continue reading New York Times Reports Earnings Slump

The advertising outlook is improving and the leading agencies are well positioned to take advantage of the market situation in 2004, according to analysis by Lehman Brothers. Despite mixed signals, the investment bank asserts that conditions for advertising and marketing services are picking up, especially in the US and Asia. This means that 60% of… Continue reading Top Agencies To Enjoy The Fruits Of Recovery

Almost three-quarters of young Europeans are online and 16 to 24 year olds are more likely to use newfangled methods of communication than older consumers, according to Forrester Research. A study of internet usage in seven European countries found that 74% of young people are online compared to just 45% of more mature citizens. The… Continue reading Young Europeans Embrace The Net

Revenues from mobile phones in Europe will soon overtake those of the total fixed line market but this does not spell the end of the road for landlines, according to the Yankee Group. In a recent report, Fixed-to-Mobile Substitution Is Inevitable In Europe But Don’t Rush It, analysts claimed that between 20 and 40% of… Continue reading Wireless To Rule The Roost But Fixed Lines Have A Future

Two of the leading newspaper publishers in the US have reported a rise in profits for the third quarter as signs abound of a recovery in the advertising market. Gannett, which owns USA Today and several hundred regional titles, said that profits were up 5% to $279 million in the three months to the end… Continue reading Gannett & Dow Jones Prosper In Q3

US adspend is growing at a faster rate than anticipated and is predicted to reach £164 billion this year. The prognosis is for continued strong media performance in the election year of 2004, before a slowdown begins. However, 2006 is shaping up to be a rebound year. The lastest comprehensive figures issued by Jack Myers… Continue reading INSIGHTanalysis: Prospects Remain Good For US Ad Market

The jury is out on whether public access wi-fi is a potential moneyspinner or a lame duck technology. Things should clarify in 2004 as the infrastructure develops and market consolidation continues. Wi-fi hardware shipments increased by almost 50% in the three months to June, evidence that WLAN solutions are finding favour in the marketplace (see… Continue reading Crucial Year Ahead For Wi-Fi Services

BSkyB will this week embark on its biggest promotion since the launch of Sky Digital five years ago, with a £20 million advertising campaign to push its Sky Plus personal video recording service. The integrated through-the-line campaign is part of a major strategic move to use Sky Plus to drive the satellite broadcaster’s subscriptions towards… Continue reading BSkyB Goes All Out To Promote Sky Plus