European media groups DirectGroup Bertelsmann and RTL have struck a deal which will see them working together to develop interactive television and broadband activities for what they hope will be a “clear competitive advantage” in this area over other European competition. The arrangement will see RTL take over Bertelsmann Broadband Group, which is currently part… Continue reading European Media Giants Team Up To Tackle Interactive TV And Broadband Challenges

Reuters has acquired a 25% stake in rival online news service Citywire as part of its continued reinvention as an internet company. The group’s planned personal finance portal will carry commentary and analysis from www.citywire.co.uk and the two will collaborate in the development of new products and content feeds. Mark Wood, managing director of Reuters… Continue reading Reuters Takes Stake In Citywire

Ireland’s Independent Radio and Television Commission (IRTC) this morning said that it does not approve Ulster Television’s proposed acquisition of Cork-based radio broadcaster, County Media. UTV announced its intention to acquire County Media for IRE£28.5 million in November last year. However, the IRTC said that it was “not prepared to approve the present application” and… Continue reading UTV’s County Media Acquisition Blocked By IRTC

eMarketplaces Are a Booming Business in Europe European business-to-business (B2B) Internet commerce will increase in value from 61 billion euros in 2000 to over 1.5 trillion euros in 2005, according to recent forecasts from IDC. In the mid to long term, eMarketplaces will primarily be responsible for this growth. According to IDC, B2B ecommerce will… Continue reading eMarketplaces Boom In Europe

Building on increases in 1999, combined local and national sales increased by 12% in 2000 bringing ad revenue totals for the industry close to $2 bn, almost double the 1994 figure. These impressive figures were achieved despite poor revenue totals for December 2000. The combined local and national totals for December showed a decrease of… Continue reading 2001 US Outlook From RAB

BBC radio continued to improve its overall share of listening, at the expense of commercial stations, according to the latest figures released by RAJAR this morning. All BBC improved its share by a further 0.3% points in the final quarter of 2000, while All Commercial slipped 0.7% points. Amongst commercial stations losses were most acute… Continue reading BBC Continues Its Upward Trend In Latest RAJAR Report

The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) has published its latest Trends in Television report. Its results show overall viewing levels continuing their period of stability during the final quarter of 2000. Taken as a whole, total viewing across 2000 remained relatively constant, at 3.67 average hours per day, although live (unrecorded) terrestrial viewing fell… Continue reading TV Viewing Levels Stable, Says IPA Report

1 February 2001 The New York Times has sold off its golf magazine publishing division to Advance Publications for an undisclosed sum. It was reported that Condé Nast and AOL Time Warner were also in discussion to take control of the titles. The portfolio, which includes Golf World, Golf Digest and the GolfDigest.com website, is… Continue reading New York Times Sells Magazine Division

A Digital Radio Development Bureau has been formed to accelerate the roll-out of the new medium. The news was announced as radio industry figures met to discuss the challenges of the market at Marketing Week’s Digital Radio conference yesterday. Although Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) technology is now in its sixth year, difficulties in translating its… Continue reading Digital Radio Development Bureau Forms, Medium Set To Be Market Leader By 2015

The development UK radio group Forever Broadcasting is ‘continuing unabated’, chairman John Josephs told the company’s AGM this morning. Forever owns three radio stations: 107.6 Juice in Liverpool, formerly known as Crash FM; Tower FM, which serves audiences in Manchester, Bury and Bolton and Surf FM in Brighton. It has also submitted two further applications… Continue reading Forever Broadcasting Development ‘Continues Unabated’