US politicians have unveiled a bill which proposes switching off the country’s analogue television signal by the end of 2006, removing the current minimum penetration requirement of 85%. The bill has been put forward by the House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman and Republican representative, Billy Tauzin. “It is intended to illicit discussion on what… Continue reading US Politicians Push For 2006 Analogue TV Switch-Off

JCDecaux, Europe’s largest outdoor advertising contractor, has announced half-year results showing an 8.4% rise in net profits. Net earnings group share, before goodwill and exceptional items totalled E44.1 million, an increase from E40.7 million in the first six months of 2001. EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax depreciation and amortization) was maintained at E200.2 million compared… Continue reading JCDecaux Bullish After H1 Profits Announcement

A Veronis Suhler Stevenson (VSS) report has painted a very bleak picture of recent times in the US communications industry, according to an article on MediaPost. Veronis’ Communications Industry Report shows that the number of publicly-held media companies in the US has plunged by 37% over the past two years. At the companies that remain,… Continue reading Veronis Suhler Report Reflects Battered US Media Industry

Nearly 50% of all US Internet users have a TV in the same room as their PC and many consume both media simultaneously, according to a new study from comScore Media Metrix. The research found that 45.1 million Americans, 48% of the adult population, watch television and have a TV and a PC in the… Continue reading Half Of US Internet Users Watch TV While Surfing, Says comScore

The number of mobile phone subscribers in the US will increase by 50% to 200 million by the end of 2006, according to a new report from The Yankee Group. The technology research group forecasts that mobile phones are set to dominate personal calling and supersede landlines in the public conciousness. “Wireline replacement is a… Continue reading Mobile Phones To Reshape US Telecoms Landscape, Says Report

Loss of unsuccessful companies and continued consolidation are to be key characteristics of the European pay-television sector, according to forecasts by analysts at Merrill Lynch. With the exception of BSkyB in the UK, early entrants to the European pay-TV sector have generally seen their market share erode over the last few years, as new competitors… Continue reading European Pay-TV Sector Faces Further Failures And Consolidation

Revenues at Chrysalis Radio are continuing to outperform the market and are expected to show a 9.5% increase during the 12 months to August 2002, the group announced in a trading statement this morning. This compares to an anticipated decline of 5.0% for the UK radio sector as a whole. Revenues at Chrysalis are predicted… Continue reading Chrysalis Revenues 15%pt Stronger Than Radio Sector

EMAP says that its consumer magazines division is trading ahead of expectations with advertising up 7% and circulation revenues up 10%. The company, which presented to a Lehman Brothers media conference earlier in the week, also said that radio revenue is in line, down by 7%; business to business is up 2%. It also confirmed… Continue reading EMAP And Capital Update On Trading, Merger Mooted

Vivendi Universal, the heavily indebted media giant, has secured a loan of E3 billion which will give the group breathing space in its ongoing asset disposal programme. Jean-René Fourtou, the company’s chief executive, is committed to reducing Vivendi’s E19 billion debt and has already agreed the sale of the Vizzavi internet portal and the Express-Expansion… Continue reading Vivendi Buys Time With E3 Billion Loan Deal

Advertisers are likely to be wary of increasing their spend going into an uncertain 2003, according to Merrill Lynch media analyst Neil Blackley. This will probably result in the recovery next year being ‘somewhat muted’, he said in a media investment report. The report says that advertisers are unlikely to increase their spend next year… Continue reading Advertising Outlook And Background From Merrill Lynch