Nearly $28 billion was spent online in the US during the Christmas period, a year on year rise of 19%, according to the latest figures from ComScore. ComScore said that between November 1 and December 27, shoppers generated record online sales that were up from $23.5 million (£11.75 million) in 2006. “Even as the holiday… Continue reading $28bn Spent Online In US Festive Season

A new forecast from GroupM predicts that the UK will be the first major economy where advertisers spend more online than on TV ads. According to the GroupM forecast, UK internet adspend will overtake TV adspend in 2009. In addition, the media planner and buyer said that Sweden will this year become the first country… Continue reading UK Online Adspend To Overtake TV In 2009

A new forecast from IMS Research predicts that worldwide digital set-top shipments will increase at an average rate of 11% per annum over the next five years, reaching a forecast of 230 million shipments in 2012. IMS said that considerable growth has been seen in the digital TV market as technology enhances operators’ capabilities to… Continue reading Global Digital TV Market Set To Grow

BBC1 easily won the battle for Christmas day viewing with nine of the ten most watched programmes. The second episode of EastEnders featuring the fallout from Max and Stacey’s affair proved to be the most enticing programme of the day with 13.9 million viewers and a viewing share of 55.3%.Second place went to the festive… Continue reading BBC1 Wins Battle Of Christmas Day Viewing

The BBC is going to reintroduce premium rate phone-in competitions gradually during January, following the suspension of the service in July.A limited number will be reinstated during January, starting with Goal of the Month on Match of the Day and Popmaster on Radio Two.All phone-ins were suspended in July following an inquiry that unearthed several… Continue reading BBC Reintroduces Premium Phone-Ins

Emap has sold its B-2-B magazine and exhibitions business to a joint venture between Guardian Media Group (GMG) and private equity firm Apax Partners.The £1 billion ($1.98 billion) sale comes soon after the £1.14 billion deal for its consumer magazine and radio assets to Bauer in December 2007 (see H Bauer Buys Emap’s Magazine And… Continue reading Emap Sells B-2-B to GMG

The past year has been an exciting one for the radio industry, and just before Christmas there was a major move when Fru Hazlitt was appointed as the new chief executive of GCap Media.Hazlitt took over from Ralph Bernard, the man who oversaw the merger of Capital Radio and GWR in 2005, creating a single… Continue reading A Fresh Start For GCap With Hazlitt

The BBC’s lavish new dramatisation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility was pipped on New Year’s Day by a new episode of ITV1’s Midsomer Murders.The most dangerous village in the UK proved a popular choice with 5.7 million adults on average tuning in to the new Midsomer Murders, while Andrew Davies’ sexed-up interpretation of the… Continue reading Midsomer Beats Austen

Reports in the Times suggest that ITV will have a very positive 2008, following its best annual on-screen performance since 2001.Assuming the total TV advertising market remains unchanged in 2008, ITV1 is expected to trade in line with the overall television advertising market, delivering revenues similar to 2007’s estimated £1.22 billion.One of the reasons for… Continue reading ITV1 To Have Positive 2008

Emap has sold its B2B magazine and exhibitions business to a joint venture between Guardian Media Group (GMG) and private equity firm Apax Partners. The £1 billion ($1.98 billion) sale comes soon after the £1.14 billion deal for its consumer magazine and radio assets to Bauer in December 2007 (see H Bauer Buys Emap Magazine… Continue reading Emap Sells B-2-B to GMG