The latest Merrill Lynch UK television industry forecasts of growth and subscribers by multiple platforms are shown below. Further analysis of these figures will follow shortly in the Forecasts section of MediaTel Insight. The previous set of forecasts from Merrill Lynch can be found here. Merrill Lynch Cable, Satellite & DTT Penetration Forecasts In UK … Continue reading UK Cable, Satellite & DTT Penetration Forecasts From Merrill Lynch – February 2002

The FT reports this morning that debt-laden German media group Kirch has begun the sell off of key assets in order to satisfy demands from its creditors. This includes Formula One, 58% owned by Kirch, which was sold by Bernie Ecclestone to Kirch for £1 billion. It is now thought that the Formula One magnate… Continue reading Kirch Sell Off Begins

The existing US television ownership rules must be reviewed, a US Appeals Court has determined. Currently, TV station ownership is restricted so that no one network can reach more than 35% of US households (see Viacom Networks Leave NAB Over Audience Limit); it also prevents operators from owning cable systems and broadcast TV stations in… Continue reading US Television Ownership Restrictions Must Be Reviewed, Says Court

WPP, the global advertising and communications group, has beaten expectations with its full year financial results showing a pre-tax profit of £490 million, up 29% on the previous year, despite the prevailing tough advertising market conditions. Despite the strong performance, WPP says that it expects advertising growth to remain flat in 2002, with no predicted… Continue reading WPP Results Beat Expectations, But Shares Dip

The proposed £50 million merger between internet research group NetRatings and its main rival Jupiter Media Metrix has collapsed following opposition from US anti-competition authorities, it has emerged. NetRatings, which is 64% owned by VNU, announced last October that it planned to acquire Jupiter MMXI’s global operation and integrate it with its own online research… Continue reading £50m Internet Measurement Merger Collapses

The latest UK advertising growth forecasts from Zenith Media and the Advertising Association (AA) are given here, with averages. The consensus is for a slight growth in 2002, averaging at 0.6%. The AA has not produced forecast data for 2003 and 2004, where Zenith predicts 2.9% and 3.2% growth respectively. UK advertising growth forecasts comparisons … Continue reading Latest UK Ad Growth Forecasts From Zenith And AA

colspan=”6″>Magazine Adspend Forecasts (% Growth) 

The existing US television ownership rules must be reviewed, a US Appeals Court has determined. Currently, TV station ownership is restricted so that no one network can reach more than 35% of US households (see Viacom Networks Leave NAB Over Audience Limit); it also prevents operators from owning cable systems and broadcast TV stations in… Continue reading US Television Ownership Restrictions Must Be Reviewed, Says Court

Capital Radio has bought Greater Manchester’s Big AM analogue and digital licences from the Wireless Group for £250,000. The licences will be rebranded as Capital Gold, increasing the potential audience of the Capital Gold Network from 15.8 million to 18.1 million adults. The deal builds Capital Radio’s presence in the ‘lucrative’ North West region. The… Continue reading Wireless Group Sells Manchester’s Big AM Licences To Capital

Advertising expenditure in Japan fell by 0.9% in 2001 year on year, according to figures released by Dentsu, the country’s largest ad agency, as reported by ABN Amro today. Adspend for the year was Yen6,058 billion. The decline follows an increase of 7.2% in 2000 – the first gain for the industry in three years,… Continue reading Japan Advertising Falls 0.9% In 2001