Europe is all set to compete with the US for e-commerce supremacy, according to a new report from AOL Europe and RoperASW. The second annual Cyberstudy on E-Commerce surveyed home internet consumers in the UK, France, Germany, the US, Canada and Brazil. It found that online shoppers in the three European countries had spent an… Continue reading European Consumers Increase Online Spending

The Online Publishers Association has announced the formation of a European branch that will include ten of the continent’s leading web content providers. Online Publishers Association Europe aims to follow the mantra of its US counterpart and “promote the internet as an effective advertising medium for marketers and a sustainable media business for publishers.” Founder… Continue reading OPA Europe To Represent Leading Internet Publishers

New figures from Gartner Dataquest show that global handset sales totalled 122.6 million in the three months ending December 31. This took the annual sales to 423.4 million, an increase of 6% over 2001. “Consumers embraced a variety of innovative handsets, especially those with colour screens, rather than delaying replacement purchases because of an ongoing… Continue reading Worldwide Mobile Sales Up 6% In 2002

Profits at Interpublic fell by almost 80% during 2002 as market conditions took their toll at the world’s second largest advertising group. Earnings were down to $20.3 million from $96.4 million in 2001 largely as a result of weakness at McCann-Erickson WorldGroup where $1.26 billion worth of business was lost last year. Interpublic now faces… Continue reading Interpublic Sees Earnings Plummet In 2002

Vivendi Universal yesterday announced record losses of €23.3 billion for 2002 but senior management has expressed confidence that the worst of the crisis is now over. The loss ranks as the largest in French corporate history, eclipsing the €20.7 billion deficit reported by France Télécom earlier this week. Total revenues rose by 4% to €28.7… Continue reading Vivendi Left Reeling By Staggering Losses

US broadband subscribers are more happy with their internet connections than their dial-up counterparts, according to the latest research from Arbitron and Edison Media Research. A survey showed that more than 70% of digital subscriber line (DSL) and cable modem broadband users were “very satisfied” with their connection compared to just 31% of narrowband users.… Continue reading Internet Users Show Support For Broadband

The Government has announced plans to review the digital radio industry, in a move that could produce a switch-off date for the analogue signal. Culture Secretary, Tessa Jowell, told a London conference on digital radio yesterday that the BBC and the industry regulator would report on the progress of digital radio in the four years… Continue reading Government Announces Review Of Digital Radio

Despite heavy promotion by broadcasters and cable companies, interactive television (iTV) is yet to have the impact envisaged and will generate no more than â‚Ź18 billion across Europe by 2007, according to a new report from Forrester Research. The UK currently leads the way with regard to interactive TV but consumers and advertisers remain unconvinced… Continue reading Limited Growth Forecast For iDTV

TiVo, the personal video recorder (PVR) company, says that its subscriber base has grown by 64% in the space of twelve months and is hoping to attract up to 600,000 new subscribers in the next year. Doubts have been raised about the potential of digital video recorders in the US (see DVRs Fail To Live… Continue reading TiVo Gives A Shot In The Arm To PVR Market

Havas, one of the world’s largest advertising groups, has defied tough market conditions and reported a profit of €23.5 million for 2002. The French company, which owns Euro RSCG Worldwide and the Media Planning Group, posted a €57.8 million loss in 2001 but staged a mini-recovery last year and the EBIT margin went up from… Continue reading Havas Returns To Profit In 2002