The internet’s share of US media ad spending is rising by at least 1 percentage point every year, for two reasons: Marketers are spending more on internet ads and less on ads in traditional media, according to a new report from eMarketer. The US Ad Spending report analyses the shifts in the media landscape due… Continue reading Online share of US media ad spending continues to rise

eBay is to separate online telephone service Skype from its main business in a stockmarket flotation. The online auction company has announced that it will launch a public offering of shares by the first half of 2010. John Donahoe, eBay’s president and CEO, said: “Skype is a great stand-alone business with strong fundamentals and accelerating… Continue reading eBay announces plan for 2010 initial public offering of Skype

The Local Radio Company (TLRC) has rejected a takeover bid from rival radio group UKRD. Last week, Hallwood Financial made an offer of £1.8 million for TLRC, following which TLRC independent non-executive director John Perriss strongly recommended the company’s shareholders reject the £1.25 million offer from UKRD. Hallwood Financial already owns 28% of TLRC and… Continue reading Local Radio Company turns down UKRD takeover offer

Magna Global has released a new US forecast predicting that DVR subscriber households will hit 51.1 million (43% of US TV households) by the end of 2014, up from 29.8 million (27% of TV households) at the end of 2008. Over the 10 years between 2004 and 2014, Magna estimates that DVRs will contribute to… Continue reading US DVR subscriber households to hit 51.1m by end of 2014

A new report from media analyst Screen Digest predicts that online advertising will fall 5% in 2009. Screen Digest’s 2009 report, based on the US IAB’s recently released full year report for 2008, said that while internet advertising grew 10% in 2008, the fourth quarter was almost flat at +2.6%, a significant change from the… Continue reading US online advertising forecast to fall 5% in 2009

Twenty-six percent of European advertisers used behavioural targeting technology in 2008, a new survey has found. According to a new report by Forrester, the number of advertisers using the technology was up 10% on 2007. Marketers’ use of behavioural targeting has grown quicker than other targeting methods because of an increased awareness of the technology,… Continue reading 26% of European advertisers used behavioural targeting in 2008

A new study from the Digital Radio Development Bureau (DRDB) shows that 63% of drivers expect a new car to come with DAB radio (either with or without CD) as standard. The majority of 1,000 people surveyed for the study were mass market drivers owning cars priced between £7,000 and £15,000, with Ford and Vauxhall… Continue reading 63% of drivers expect a new car to come with DAB radio

Social networking among US broadband users has grown an impressive 93% since 2006, and has increased the amount of time people spend communicating online 18%, to 32% of total online time, according to a new report from Netpop Research. The report also reveals that at the same time as online communications has increased, the time… Continue reading Social networking increases among US broadband users

Virgin Media has begun the sale of its content division, issuing a sales memorandum for its Virgin Media TV business and sales house IDS, although it is excluding its 50% stake in UKTV. It is understood that the UKTV stake will be sold when there is a clearer picture of the future of joint owner… Continue reading Virgin Media begins sale of content division

The IPA’s latest Bellwether survey published today has found that the rate of decline of marketing spend slowed in Q1 2009, suggesting budget cuts may have reached their peak in Q4 2008. Businesses confidence has also picked up from the all-time low of Q4, with the percentage of companies believing their prospects have improved rising… Continue reading Q1 2009 Bellwether Report: Turning point for marketing budgets