Net advertising revenue (NAR) for the UK television sector declined by 7.2% in 2002, according to figures in the Independent Television Commission‘s annual report, released today. The report shows that NAR fell from 2001’s £3.5 billion to £3.2 billion last year. In “stark contrast” to the commerical sector, which suffered at the hands of the… Continue reading TV Net Ad Revenue Drops 7% In 2002, Says ITC Report

New research from Leichtman Research Group finds that consumers in the US have yet to embrace digital video recorder (DVR) technology, with just 1% of cable and satellite subscribers owning a DVR. DVRs are able to hold large of amounts of programming on hard disk and can ‘learn’ which types of programme the viewer would… Continue reading US Viewers Turned Off To Digital Video Recorders, Finds Leichtman

ITV companies, Carlton and Granada, are to be allowed to run extra advertising minutes in order to make up for losses caused by augmented news coverage of the war in Iraq. As part of this coverage, ITV1’s nightly news bulletin has been moved from 10pm to 9pm during the conflict and has attracted record audiences… Continue reading ITV May Receive Extra Ad Minutage To Offset War Effect

Forecasters at ZenithOptimedia have downgraded their European advertising predictions, with hopes that real growth would emerge this year now all but gone. ZenithOptimedia had previously forecast that the top-five European advertising nations would see a 1.8% rise in revenues in 2003 (see European Advertising Forecasts From Zenith Optimedia); it is now anticipating growth of just… Continue reading ZenithOptimedia Downgrades European Ad Forecasts

UK advertising growth is expected to be just 1.1% in current prices this year, rising to 2.9% in 2004 and 3.2% in 2005, according to the latest forecasts from ZenithOptimedia (see ZenithOptimedia Downgrades European Ad Forecasts). The figures include spend on the major media of newspapers, magazines, television, radio, cinema, outdoor and the internet. On… Continue reading UK Ad Forecasts From ZenithOptimedia

Pessimistic forecasts that the Government has no hope of meeting its digital TV penetration target may have to be reconsidered following the runaway success of digital terrestrial service, Freeview. A joint report published by the Independent Television Commission (ITC) and the BBC on Friday said that penetration could reach 78% of UK homes by 2008.… Continue reading INSIGHTanalysis: Government’s DTV Target May Not Be So Distant

While doubts over the length and nature of the war in Iraq persist, marketers are reluctant to speculate on the damage being done to the media economy. The optimism that was evident at the start of the year appears to have evaporated, but in the current climate it would be wrong to label forecasters as… Continue reading INSIGHTanalysis: Media Healthcheck – March 2003

The telecoms regulator Oftel has called on BT to reduce the price of its unmetered internet access on the basis that it is charging operators unnecessary costs. BT has been told to cut prices by 17% because it has been billing for certain call routing and call management measures that Oftel believes are no longer… Continue reading BT Urged To Cut Internet Fees

ITV’s advertising trading has recovered slightly in March, with the figures coming in better than expected, according to analysts at Merrill Lynch. It looks like revenues will decline by 6% to 7%, against the broker’s previous -10% estimate. Whilst this is slightly better than anticipated, a protracted war with Iraq is unlikely to do ITV… Continue reading ITV Advertising Forecasts From Merrill Lynch

Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation is in prime position to take control of DirecTV after its only rival for the US satellite broadcaster withdrew from the bidding process. Telecoms operator SBC, which has been tracking the pay-TV network all year (see SBC Expresses Interest In DirecTV) this week broke off talks with Hughes Electronics, the owner… Continue reading Murdoch Closes In On Satellite Dream