WPP’s proposed £1.1 billion takeover bid for market research company TNS has been conditionally cleared by the European Commission. The EC previously said that a merger between WPP and TNS would raise competition issues about market influence in the European audience measurement market. However, it concluded that the deal could go ahead providing certain conditions… Continue reading WPP Gets EC Approval For £1.1bn TNS Takeover

Archant has appointed Adrian Jeakings as chief executive to replace John Fry who resigned earlier this week to join Johnston Press. Jeakings, currently Group Finance Director at Archant, will take up his new role on November 1. He was previously group finance director of The Stationery Office, a provider of information management services to the… Continue reading Archant Appoints New Chief Executive

Although UK online ad spend is forecast to post double-digit growth year on year, it is likely to fall as the economic downturn takes effect, according to a new report from PricewaterhouseCoopers. Citing Advertising Association data, the report predicts that total UK online ad spend growth will slow to about 20% in 2008 – a… Continue reading UK Online Adspend To Record Double Digit Growth This Year

Google search has seen a 3.1% year on year increase and remains well ahead of the competition in the US search share rankings, according to the latest data from Nielsen Online. An estimated 4.3 billion search queries were conducted on Google search in August alone, representing 60% of all search queries conducted during the month.… Continue reading Google Search Sees 3.1% Increase

At the end of 2008, there will be four billion global mobile subscriptions, according to the latest forecasts from Informa Telecoms & Media. Assuming that the world’s four billionth mobile subscription comes during the fourth quarter of 2008, it will have taken just five full quarters for the latest billion net additions, said Informa. The… Continue reading 4bn Global Mobile Subscriptions By End Of 2008

More than 4.5 million European mobile phone users accessed search during June 2008, up by 38% year on year, according to the latest data from comScore M:Metrics. The comScore report found that mobile search is gaining both popularity and frequency of use in Europe and the US. Over 20.8 million US mobile subscribers accessed search… Continue reading Mobile Search Grows 38% In Europe Over The Past Year

Dennis Publishing has announced a new structure and new appointments within its 100 strong advertising division as it seeks to capitalise on its print and online brands.Effective immediately, Dennis has created and made appointments to the brand new roles of press trading director and digital trading director. Dan Reeves has been appointed press trading director… Continue reading Dennis Publishing Sales Team Gets New Structure And Appointments

The Carphone Warehouse has bid less than £450 million for Tiscali, 25% lower than the company’s earlier expectation of £600 million. Tiscali put itself up for sale earlier this year, but missed a self-imposed June 30 deadline to clinch a deal. According to a report in the Sunday Times, interested parties including BT, Vodafone and… Continue reading Carphone Warehouse Makes Tiscali Offer

US advertising spending for the first half of 2008 declined slightly compared to the same period last year, according to preliminary figures released by Nielsen Monitor-Plus, the advertising information service of The Nielsen Company. Overall, despite a continued softening of the US economy, several media and companies showed healthy growth in advertising for the first… Continue reading US Adspend Declines Slightly In First Half Of 2008

New consumer research from Leichtman Research Group, has found that 27% of TV households in the US have at least one Digital Video Recorder (DVR), and 30% of those households have more than one DVR. DVR owners are very happy with the service – 87% would recommend their DVR service to a friend, and 81%… Continue reading DVRs Now In One Quarter Of US Households