Europemedia reports that internet advertising spend in Italy is on the rise according to figures from the new Internet Advertising Observatory of Lab Italia. Spending has grown by 368% in 2000 reaching L267 billion (e140 million) compared to L10 billion in 1998. The most popular form of internet advertising remains the banner ad which accounts… Continue reading Online Adspend Boom For Italy

Global application service provider (ASP) spending is set to reach $16.1 billion by 2005 according to the Worldwide ASP Spending: Forecasts and Analysis 2001-2005 report from Aberdeen Group. ASP is defined as revenues generated by commercial grade software and related services delivered from a centrally managed facility and is forecast to grow at a 52%… Continue reading ASP Spending Will Reach $16.1 Billion By 2005, Says Aberdeen Group

Sports.com, a European internet and mobile data provider of sports content, has today announced a further $13 million (£9.3 million) in equity funding from existing investors, including SportsLine.com, Soros Private Equity Partners and IMG. It is expected that the funds will enable Sports.com to continue to implement its business plan and thereby achieve profitability. “Sports.com… Continue reading Sports.com Secures $13m Extra Funding

Two major US newspaper publishers have this week reported declining profits due to fall advertising revenues and a rise in newsprint costs, according to analysts at ABN Amro. Knight Ridder, the second largest newspaper group in the US, saw Q2 profits drop by 85%. The company, which publishes 32 daily titles including the Miami Herald… Continue reading US Newspaper Groups See Profit Falls

In keeping with other analysts and forecasters (see Forecasts), Merrill Lynch has downgraded its ITV revenue forecasts citing “growing evidence of advertiser cutbacks or switching” in the TV advertising market. Merrill now forecast ITV revenue growth at -12.3% to September 2001 and see no reason to expect a recovery until around April 2002. Growth for… Continue reading Merrill Lynch Downgrades Spell Further Misery For ITV

More than half of the UK’s internet users are willing to pay for premium content, possibly paving the way for the widespread introduction of paid -for events and information. According to a new survey by technology consultancy iSTRAT, 52% of respondents said that would be willing to pay for good quality information; 80% of these… Continue reading More Than Half Of UK Web Users Willing To Pay For Premium Content

Although the US has the largest base of mobile phone users in the world, less than $4 billion will be spent on shopping and travel via internet-enabled mobile phones in 2006. This is less than 2% of all online shopping, according to new wireless research by Jupiter Media Metrix (JMM). The survey reports that consumers’… Continue reading Consumer Apathy Hinders Wireless Transactions Growth

The economic downturn and the well-publicised failure of dotcoms have dented the share of those who see the internet as ‘an engine of, economic growth’, down slightly from 82% in October 2000 to 75% in June 2001. However, there has been no significant change in the share of the US public that has a positive… Continue reading Internet Viewed Positively Despite Dotcom Failures

Global marketing communications group, Cordiant, has bought 92.6% of International Business Information (IBI), a leading business communications consultancy in Japan, for Y1.3 billion (£7.5 million). IBI is based in Tokyo and has more than 100 employees. Its business deals with domestic and international clients in the areas of investor relations, public relations and corporate communications… Continue reading Cordiant Acquires Japanese Communications Consultancy

The IPA released it’s Q2 2001 Bellwether report today which drew unsurprising conclusions about UK marketing spend. Leaving aside the much-discussed move away from television (see Forecasts) the IPA reveal a shift towards ‘below-the-line’ activities when decisions are made about marketing spend. Investment in direct marketing in particular showed a significant increase in 2000, taking… Continue reading Q2 Bellwether Report Is Thin On Optimism