Online consumers in the US plan to buy more gifts over the Web this holiday season than the last, according to research by PC Data. The survey found that online consumers intend to purchase 38 percent of their holiday gifts online, up from 25 percent in 1999. Almost half (47 percent) of their gifts will… Continue reading Christmas Online Trading Boom Expected In The US

This week Virgin Radio unveiled plans to launch four new standalone radio brands that will be broadcast exclusively over the internet. The stations offer Virgin listeners music selections alternative to the playlist used on the main Virgin station. Virgin has also embraced the net by selling advertising specifically on its web broadcasts. The introduction of… Continue reading Insight Analysis: Radio Goes Online To Net More Listeners

BSkyB’s position in the pay-tv market is to be investigated by the Office of Fair Trading. The competition watchdog will assess the supply of Sky’s channels to its competitors to ensure the broadcaster is not dominating the market. The move follows a review in January this year of undertakings imposed on the company in 1996… Continue reading BSkyB Faces OFT Investigation

Virgin Radio is set to launch four new online stations targeting different strands of listeners. The first – Virgin Radio Classic – will be unveiled this week offering an “undiluted” 24-hour selection of classic rock artists from the Virgin Radio playlist. Before Christmas Virgin Radio Lite will also launch, targeting a pop audience; Virgin Radio… Continue reading Virgin Radio Unveils Standalone Web Stations

United News & Media has invested $30m in Creative Planet, the leading provider of B2B solutions for the film and television industry in the US. United plans to merge its own UK-based film production source, The Knowledge, with the group and, working together, develop global online and offline businesses for the market sector. Clive Hollick,… Continue reading United Partners US Film Services Group

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GWR Group has announced a series of new executive boards in readiness for the changes in regulation expected with the publication of the Communications Reform White Paper. The five UK divisions of the radio group will be supported by three new boards, allowing the group to sharpen its focus and maximise its profit potential when… Continue reading GWR Undergoes Restructure In Readiness For White Paper

Shares in online retailer Lastminute.com rose this morning after the company released its preliminary results to September. They showed that, despite heavy net losses, it is ahead of target to reach profitability – partly due to the completion of its takeover of French online retailer Degriftour, completed last month. Lastminute.com, which raised £113.5m through its… Continue reading Lastminute.com Performing ‘Ahead Of Plan’ Despite Losses of �35.7m

Zenith Media is expected to release a report today warning that the recent decline in the dotcom sector will lead to a slowdown in advertising growth during 2001. Global advertising growth will fall to 6% next year as adspend by internet companies is slashed. A year ago Zenith predicted growth in worldwide ad expenditure to… Continue reading Zenith Report Forecasts Adspend Slowdown As Dotcoms Slump

Growth could be as high as 16.8% for commercial radio this year, bringing the medium’s share of total display advertising revenue to around 5.7%, but could slow down again in 2001, according to a summary of industry forecasts put together by the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB). The growth prediction of 16.8% came from the Advertising… Continue reading Advertising Forecasts Predict Growth For 2000 And A Slowdown For 2001 In Commercial Radio