UK venture capital group Cinven has tabled a E2 billion offer for Vivendi’s business to business (B2B) magazine portfolio, the French media group revealed this morning. The management of Vivendi is supporting the offer despite ‘several’ other approaches for the business, reportedly from the likes of Reed Elsevier, Pearson, VNU and EMAP (see EMAP May… Continue reading Cinven To Acquire Vivendi Magazine Portfolio For E2bn

The late start to the ad-buying period for the 2001-2002 US television season is starting to cause concern for the TV networks, according to an article in the US’ Mediaweek yesterday. The site reports that with only three weeks before the start of the season advertisers have placed formal orders for only around a third… Continue reading US TV Networks Suffer Very Low Pre-Season Ad Bookings

Almost 70% of retailers are wrongly judging the success of their internet investments on top-line return on investment (ROI) metrics such as online sales and profits, according to research from Jupiter Media Metrix released last week. Companies that look at the non-transactional benefits of their sites ÂÂ- including online influenced sales and improved payroll productivity… Continue reading Retailers Wrongly Judge Online ROI, Says Jupiter

Two of the smaller US-based wireless carriers in the US are more successful in taking web page visitors to the secure areas of their sites – where transactions are potentially made – than the larger carriers, according to new research from Jupiter Media Metrix. Jupiter found that Sprint PCS and Nextel convert almost three times… Continue reading Small US Wireless Carriers More Effectively Attract Customers, Finds Jupiter

Channel 4 may find itself with a £100-200 million charge for the use of its broadcasting spectrum under the new communications legislation proposed by the Government, according to a report in today’s Financial Times. Other commercial broadcasters are already subject to the spectrum fee, but Channel 4 has so far been exempted due to its… Continue reading Channel 4 May Be Hit By

EMAP is consider acquiring some of the magazine assets currently up for sale by Vivendi Universal, according to a report in French newspaper La Tribune this morning (see Reed Elsevier Is Likely Buyer Of Vivendi Publishing Arm). The report claims that specialist titles Le Moniteur and Exposium are likely to be of greatest interest to… Continue reading EMAP May Be Interested In Vivendi Specialist Mags

Hong Kong’s financial secretary, Antony Leung Kam-chung, forecast that there will be a rebound in the economy there by next year, although companies are likely to continue slashing jobs, according to a report in the South China Morning Post‘s website. Chief secretary, Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, also predicted the economy would “eventually find its legs and… Continue reading Hong Kong Sees Economic Rebound By Next Year

IPC Media has today announced that it is to close three internet sites and make 90 staff redundant, following a review of its online business. Beme.com, unmissabletv.com and uploaded.com will all close, as IPC instigates a programme to rationalise its portfolio of internet brands. The company will now focus on six internet sites, which it… Continue reading IPC Media Closes Online Businesses Costing 90 Staff

Total UK adspend was 6.8% down year on year in July, according to ACNielsen data analysed by ABN Amro – worse than the 4.9% decline the broker had forecast. As expected the bulk of the decline came from the television sector, where revenue was down 11.8%, although this is slightly better than the predicted fall… Continue reading UK Adspend Drops 6.8% In July

Only around 6% of the world’s six billion citizens currently use the internet and even in technologically developed countries such as the US, Canada and Sweden, only around a third of people who could use the internet choose to, according to research from Ipsos-Reid. The international research firm found that billions of people have neither… Continue reading Ipsos-Reid Asks Why More People Are Not Online