Swedish freesheet company Metro International has received a bid approach from an unnamed source. The Stockholm-listed company’s shares rose more than 60% following news of the bid, taking the value of the company to about 380 million kr (£30 million). Metro, the third largest newspaper company in the world, is holding a shareholder meeting today… Continue reading Metro International receives bid offer

More than 17 million households in the UK, or 67.2% of the total, will subscribe to various broadband technologies in 2009, according to online research firm eMarketer. This figure is an increase of almost 6.5% from the 16.1 million households using broadband in 2008. Broadband is enabling people in the UK to watch more online… Continue reading Boost in UK broadband use

In total, 34% of US adults online at home report that they view some type of video online at least weekly, including 11% who view video online daily, according to a new report from Leichtman Research Group. Overall (including those not online), 1% of adults view recent TV shows online daily, and 8% weekly –… Continue reading US online video viewing increases

UK consumers have become more welcoming towards email communication from marketers, according to new research by customer insight specialist G2 Data Dynamics. G2 found that 57% of consumers agree that email is their preferred channel of communication, with 60% of men veering towards email compared to 54% of women. The survey was conducted among the… Continue reading UK consumers becoming more welcoming towards marketing emails

Microsoft has denied reports that it plans to resurrect video-on-demand service Project Kangaroo.Reports in the trade press had suggested that the company was in discussions with Kangaroo shareholders as part of a strategy to boosting the Microsoft’s audio-visual offering.However, a statement from Ashley Highfield, MD and VP of Microsoft Consumer & Online UK, said: “While… Continue reading Microsoft denies planning to resurrect Kangaroo

ITV could sell SDN, its digital television business, as it looks to raise extra funds. According to a report on MediaGuardian.co.uk, the sale could come as ITV executive chairman Michael Grade finalises plans to raise cash as the company faces falling advertising revenues and pressure from servicing its debt and pension fund. MediaGuardian.co.uk says that… Continue reading ITV could sell Freeview business

This week’s edition of “The Inside Line” looks at plans for an audience measurement system for mobile media. Each week we will take a key media topic and ask the industry for its opinion.This week’s question:In light of the GSMA’s plans to roll out an audience measurement system for mobile media, what do you think… Continue reading The Inside Line: Audience measurement for mobile media

Centaur, owner of Marketing Week, has issued a profit warning after revealing that recruitment advertising in January will be down 66% year on year. The company, which report its half-year results next Thursday, issued a trading statement today saying trading in February has shown “few signs of improvement”. “We have not experienced any material change… Continue reading Centaur issues profit warning

UK consumers believe they are most likely to pay attention to online ads from the early evening onwards, according to a new survey by Lightspeed Research and the IAB. While the early evening was the best time of the day for all age groups, the IAB found that for younger audiences there was likely to… Continue reading UK consumers more likely to pay attention to online ads from early evening onwards

The mobile internet will finally come of age this year and mobile video will take off, according to predictions from the Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF). The MEF also predicts that the industry will see greater pricing transparency for consumers, although mobile advertising still will not become mainstream. The MEF’s top ten trends for 2009 list,… Continue reading Top 10 mobile entertainment trends for 2009