According to a report in the Financial Times News Corporation and Vivendi Universal are in talks about merging their Italian pay-TV businesses, Stream and Telepiu. Talks are said to be at an early stage and similar discussions are understood to have fallen through in the past. The main obstacles to such a merger, says ABN… Continue reading News Corp And Vivendi May Merge Italian Pay-TV Businesses, Says FT

It is understood that Granada has acquired the rights to the ITV.com domain name, paving the way for a genuinely-united ITV internet presence. The previous owners of the domain, registered in 1994, were unrelated to the TV Network and are understood to have sold the address to Granada for £100,000. So far, each ITV franchise… Continue reading Insight Analysis: Acquisition Of ITV.com Could See Stronger Web Presence From The Network

Viacom has has pulled its CBS and Infinity Broadcasting networks out of the US’ National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) after a continued disagreement over the television audience limit imposed on each broadcasting group. The move follows similar withdrawals from Fox and NBC. The major networks have all left NAB because it agrees with the Federal… Continue reading Viacom Networks Leave NAB Over Audience Limit

Digital TV could be in the homes of 50% of consumers by 2002, according to new research. A Gallup poll undertaken for Pace Micro Technology revealed that in addition to the 28% of consumers who already take digital services, 13% intend to switch within 12 months. When this total is added to the number of… Continue reading 50% Of Homes Could Be Digital By 2002, Says Research

European Union ministers are debating a plan to harmonise the telecommunications industry and officials say they are unwilling to hand over national decisions to the EU HQ. The commission will instead have two months in which to object to any plans it believes will be in violation of EU law. Ministers also rejected Commission’s recommendation… Continue reading EU Ministers Debate Telecoms Regulations

UK media monitoring company Thomson Intermedia has issued its first set of financial results since floatation on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) on 5 May last year. The group, which monitors ad rates and media coverage for marketeers, unveiled a pre-tax loss of £2.9 million, in line with expectations. Turnover rose by 22% to £2.14… Continue reading Thomson Intermedia Unveils First Results Since Float

Zenith has once again downgraded its global advertising forecast, including its expectations for the US market, where it predicts the first decline since 1991 will occur. Zenith has cut its forecast for US advertising growth from the 4.6% it stated in December 2000 to 2.4%. With the rate of inflation expected to be 2.5%, this… Continue reading Zenith Downgrades Advertising Forecasts For Global Markets

Zenith has once again downgraded its global advertising forecast, including its expectations for the US market, where it predicts the first decline since 1991 will occur. Zenith has cut its forecast for US advertising growth from the 4.6% it stated in December 2000 to 2.4%. With the rate of inflation expected to be 2.5%, this… Continue reading Zenith Downgrades Advertising Forecasts For Global Markets

According to new figures from The GSM Association , 15 billion SMS messages were sent via GSM networks in December 2000 representing a five-fold increase on figures for the rpevious year. “This is a truly staggering demonstration of the increasing popularity of the SMS facility,” says Rob Conway, CEO of the GSM Association. “SMS text… Continue reading SMS Popularity Hits New High

It is understood that Granada has acquired the rights to the ITV.com domain name, paving the way for a genuinely-united ITV internet presence. The previous owners of the domain, registered in 1994, were unrelated to the TV Network and are understood to have sold the address to Granada for £100,000. So far, each ITV franchise… Continue reading Insight Analysis: Acquisition Of ITV.com Could See Stronger Web Presence From The Network