The US media corporation Clear Channel yesterday announced a return to profit with each of its major businesses reporting growth in the final three months of 2002. Revenues in the fourth quarter were up by 19% year on year to $2.21 billion with earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rising from $345 million… Continue reading Clear Channel Back In The Black In Q4

Omnicom, the world’s third largest advertising group, has challenged the gloomy picture being painted by many industry observers and announced a 9% rise in profits for the fourth quarter of 2002. The company said that twelve month earnings were up by 9.8% to $643 million, thanks in part to a strong performance in the US… Continue reading Omnicom Upbeat Following Positive Results

A group of university academics has urged the Government to rethink proposals in the forthcoming Communications Bill that will allow Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation to buy terrestrial television station Five. Writing in a letter to the Financial Times, academics from London Business School, Goldsmiths College, the University of Westminster and the London School of Economics,… Continue reading Academics Call For Five Protection In Comms Bill

Contrary to general opinion, the advertising market is thriving and the US economy is in better shape than many observers realise. This is according to the latest analysis from Jack Myers Report. Myers asserts that advertising has traditionally lagged behind the economy by six to nine months. He uses the example of 2002 when advertising… Continue reading US Ad Economy In Good Health, Insists Myers

UK internet subscriptions increased by 7.4% during 2002, according to figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). The latest monthly update to the survey of ISPs shows that total subscriptions were actually down 1.1% in December when compared to the previous month (see Broadband Stimulates UK Internet Market). This was due to a 2%… Continue reading Broadband Boost To UK Connectivity

One in ten US households now has a home networking system, up from 8% in 2001, according to a new report from high-tech market research company, In-Stat/MDR. The group says that home networking – the connection of multiple entertainment, internet, voice and data devices through a single network – is now moving away from the… Continue reading One In Ten US Households Has Home Networking, Finds In-Stat

UK consumers continued to spend freely on the internet during January, according to new figures from the Interactive Media in Retail Group. After a bumper December during which online sales topped £1 billion for the first time (see Internet Shopping Is A Billion Pound Industry, Says IMRG), spending remained constant at £999.85 million. This is… Continue reading E-Retail Sites Avoid New Year Hangover

The world’s internet population increased by 3% in the final quarter of 2002, according to the latest Global Internet Trends Report from Nielsen//NetRatings. The number of individuals worldwide with access to the web via a home PC increased from 563 million in Q3 (see Internet Population Increases By 10 Million) to 580 million at the… Continue reading Internet Usage Still Growing Worldwide

According to new research from Parks Associates, wireless is the preferred technology of US consumers planning to purchase a home network. The latest installment of the ongoing Broadband Access @ Home III study reveals that 50% of internet households who expressed an interest in adopting home networking in 2003 said they would choose a wireless-based… Continue reading Wireless Home Networks Win Consumer Backing

Granada has hired John Bridgeman, a former director general of the Office Of Fair Trading (OFT), to advise it on the tricky regulatory path to its proposed merger with ITV partner, Carlton (see ITV Merger Set For Competition Commission Referral). It is understood that Bridgeman is one of a number of influential figures to have… Continue reading Former OFT Director To Advise On ITV Merger