The long awaited merger of ITV giants Carlton and Granada will have little impact if the two companies are forced to divest their sales houses, according to analysts at Lehman Brothers. Advertisers and rival broadcasters claim that the merger, in its proposed form, is unacceptable because it will result in the creation of a single… Continue reading ITV Merger Likely To Be Watered Down, Says Lehman Brothers

Only around 13% of European mobile users are interested in using their phones to make payments for services, according to a report by Forrester Research. A survey of mobile users across twenty European countries found that only 13% of users claim to be likely or very like to use mobile payment services if they were… Continue reading Few Mobile Users Interested In Mobile Payments

More than 1.68 billion person to person text messages were sent across the four UK GSM networks in July 2003, up from 1.3 billion in the same period the previous year, according to the latest figures from the Mobile Data Association (MDA). JulyÂ’s figure takes the total number of text messages sent so far during… Continue reading Reality Boost For Text Messaging In July

Mobile operators are in a good position to boost their revenues by offering users compelling mobile phone content, according to a new report by consulting company Ovum. The efforts of operators worldwide to create attractive content services for consumers will pay off, says Ovum. If they keep momentum mobile companies should prove more successful at… Continue reading Wireless Operators To Reap Content Revenue Benefits

Granada has refuted suggestions by former Five chief executive, David Elstein, that the proposed merger with Carlton Communications could produce more than £100 million of cost savings for the combined ITV company. Elstein, who is reportedly planning to parachute in an alternative management team to run the merged broadcaster, claims that the cost savings generated… Continue reading Granada Dismisses Elstein’s Merger Savings Calculations

The merger of Carlton and Granada into one ITV company will go ahead even if the Government forces them to sell off the two airtime sales houses, according to senior executives at this year’s Guardian Edinburgh Television Festival (GEITF). Tess Alps, chairman of media buying group PHD, said: “Advertisers are realistic and we know that… Continue reading Sales House Divestment Will Not Halt ITV Merger

Pre-tax profits at regional newspaper group, Johnston Press, jumped by 51% in the first half of the year, as advertising revenues nudged up by 3%. The company’s figures were bolstered by the integration of Regional Independent Media (RIM), which it acquired in April last year (see Johnston Press Acquires RIM Newspaper Business). Operating profits were… Continue reading Johnston Press Sees Profits Jump After RIM Acquisition

The US hi-tech business publishing sector saw advertising volumes decline by 16.5% during July, according to the latest figures from United Business Media‘s CMP Media division. Within this, CMP’s volumes fell by 14.8%. In the twelve months to July, the whole technology publishing market saw ad page volumes drop by 18.0% year on year. CMP… Continue reading US Hi-Tech Publishing Ad Volumes Fall 17% In July

The cost of digital TV set-top box equipment could fall as low as â‚Ź36 (£27) by 2007, as fierce competition in the supplier market continues to drive down prices, according to a new report from Strategy Analytics. Demand for digital terrestrial TV (DTT) services is starting to look much stronger in Europe, with the UK’s… Continue reading DTV Equipment Costs To Fall Below £30 By 2007, Says Report

Former Five chief executive, David Elstein, has quashed rumours that he is looking to move into the chief executive role at ITV, should the proposed merger of Carlton and Granada proceed. Speaking at the weekend’s Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival (GEITF), Elstein denied any interest in an executive role at ITV, despite his proposals recommending… Continue reading Elstein Rules Out ITV Bid, But Proposes New Management