2002 was a pivotal year for the European broadband market, as the number of high-speed internet connections and associated revenues went through the roof, says a new study from IDC. Broadband is having a dramatic effect on internet usage across the continent (see Broadband Heralds Growth In European Internet Use) with time spent online increasing… Continue reading Broadband Casts Its Net Across Europe

Global communication company, Aegis Group, is bringing all its media operations under an umbrella platform called Aegis Media. The network will comprise all Aegis’ client-related media brands including Carat, Posterscope and its portfolio of specialist communications services agencies. Aegis Media will also support the company’s new independent media network, Vizeum, which will be launched on… Continue reading Aegis Centralises Media Operations

The Competition Commission may delay its report to the Government on the proposed £2.6 billion merger of Carlton and Granada in order to further consult advertisers and rival broadcasters. The Commission was due to report the findings of its enquiry into the creation of a single ITV by 25 June. At this point it would… Continue reading Competition Commission May Delay ITV Merger Verdict

The financial rescue plans at UK cable company, Telewest Communications, appear to have been snagged by bondholders trying to squeeze a bit more value out of the proposed debt-for-equity swap. The plan is for Telewest’s bondholders to subsume £3.5 billion of the company’s £5.3 billion debt in return for control of around 97% of the… Continue reading Bondholders Push For More In Telewest Debt Swap

UK advertising spend posted a 1.5% nominal growth in the first quarter of the year, although after adjusting for inflation, expenditure showed a decline of 1.5%, according to the latest figures from the Advertising Association and World Advertising Research Centre (WARC). The high spots in Q1 were outdoor and direct mail, which turned in current… Continue reading UK Q1 Adspend: Up In Current Prices, Down After Inflation

Despite the continuing uncertainty in technology markets and disappointing uptake of new mobile data services, the cellular industry has picked itself up and shown renewed signs of growth in the past year. This upward trend is set to prevail during 2003 but following a sector-wide reality check, operators have been forced to lower their long-term… Continue reading INSIGHTanalysis: Mobile Sector Seeks To Maintain Growth

Digital terrestrial TV service, Freeview, is helping to convert more and more people from analogue to digital, with new figures showing that the service is now available in 1.6 million households. Research commissioned by the BBC and Dixons shows that Freeview has sold over 800,000 adapters since its launch in October, bringing the total number… Continue reading Freeview Hits 1.6m Box Sales

Ailing advertising group, Cordiant Communications, is to make another disposal of its non-core assets in an attempt to lighten the load of a £200 million debt burden, ahead of a likely sale of the group (see Cordiant Committed To Buyout Strategy). It is to sell its 77.3% stake in German advertising and marketing company, Scholz… Continue reading Cordiant Offloads Scholz As WPP Moves In

There could be a fresh twist in the ongoing ITV merger saga with stories emerging over the weekend indicating a takeover attempt for both Carlton Communications and Granada. According to a report in the Sunday Times, the US billionaire Haim Saban and the private equity group Apax Partners have a well-advanced plan to buy into… Continue reading US Investor Linked With ITV Acquisition

There is a broadly positive sentiment coming from companies in the media and advertising industry, with US groups remaining more bullish than the Europeans, according to Merrill Lynch‘s TMT Conference, held in London last week. European companies remain relatively upbeat, despite the fairly depressed conditions here. The broker says that declines in most areas appear… Continue reading Media Conference Finds Upbeat Sentiment