SMG has reported a pre-tax profit of £4.2 million for the first half of 2008, with revenue falling to £75.6 million, compared with £88.9 million in the first half of last year. Operating profit was down from £6.9 million to £5.4 million over the same period. The Scottish media company also reported 14% year on… Continue reading SMG Reports Pre-Tax Profit Of £4.2m

Adjustments to the UK regulatory framework are required given consumers’ rapid adoption of mobile broadband services, according to an Ofcom-commissioned report from Analysys Mason. The study, which forms part of Ofcom’s ‘Mobile Sector Assessment’ consultation, considers the recent dramatic increases in data service usage, which could accelerate over the next five years. Widespread access to… Continue reading Changes Required In Regulation Of UK Mobile Industry

A high percentage of mobile phone users in the UK, US and India say they are receiving advertising messages through their mobile phones, according to the latest Mobile Advertising Report (MAR) from GfK. The research shows that 85% of mobile users in India, 51% in the UK, and 37% in the US said they receive… Continue reading High Percentage Of Mobile Users Receiving Advertising Messages

Mobile web usage is not only gaining traction in the United States but soon will surpass the UK, according to new data released by Bango. According to Bango data, the top five countries accessing the mobile web via Bango in July 2008 were the UK at 19.35%, the US at 18.88%, India at 10.82%, South… Continue reading US Mobile Web Usage To Overtake UK

Carat has issued revised forecasts for global advertising expenditure in 2008 and 2009. The worldwide prediction for 2008 has been revised downwards by just over a percentage point from 6.0% to 4.9%. 2009 is also very slightly reduced, from 4.9% growth to 4.8%. Year on Year % Growth At Current Prices    2007a 2008e 2009e… Continue reading Carat Revises Down Global Ad Forecast

Bauer Media’s men’s style magazine Arena has appointed Glenn Waldon as style director, with Anthony Noguera, Bauer Media men’s lifestyle editorial director taking a more hands on role at the title.Noguera will be closely managing the editorial development of Arena, in addition to his current responsibilities.Waldon is a former editor of i-D magazine and currently… Continue reading Arena Makes New Appointments

Redwood has announced the launch of a digital format for Electric!, the bi-monthly entertainment magazine for Virgin Media customers.The digital edition of Electric!, Virgin Media’s entertainment magazine for 18 to 55-year-olds, aims to bridge the gap between the print magazine, website and regular Electric! email newsletters sent to customers.The e-zine will be created using the… Continue reading Virgin Media’s Electric! Goes Digital

German market research group GfK has announced that it is no longer pursuing a possible offer for TNS. According to a report in the Financial Times, GfK’s discussions with Apax, the private equity group it hoped would jointly bid for TNS, collapsed over price. The announcement comes after Sir Martin Sorrell’s WPP made a £1.08… Continue reading GfK No Longer Pursuing Offer For TNS

Johnston Press has reported a year on year fall of 9.5% in advertising revenues for the first half of 2008. The regional newspaper group’s total revenue was down 6.3% to £293.1 million for the six months to the end of June, while operating profit fell 15.6% to £81.6 million. Pre-tax profit was down 18.1% to… Continue reading Johnston Press Reports Fall In Ad Revenues

RTL Group, owner of Five and The X Factor producer Fremantle, has reported a 2.5% drop in operating profits for the first half of the year. The pan-European producer and broadcaster reported a 2.5% year-on-year drop in earnings before interest, tax and amortisation, to €502 million (£398 million). Revenue for the six months to the… Continue reading RTL Reports Fall In Operating Profits