Online market research firm eMarketer projects that 154 million people in the US will download or stream video content on the internet at least once a month in 2008. This year, 80% of internet users are expected to watch video, accounting for 52.5% of the total population. David Hallerman, eMarketer senior analyst, and author of… Continue reading Online Video A Big Hit In US

WPP’s full year 2007 results show like-for-like revenue growth in line with forecasts, adding that 2008 should be better. The full year results, to December 31, show a 5% year-on-year increase in revenue to £6.18 billion and an adjusted pre-tax profit increase of around 7% to £817 million. 2007 also saw WPP increase its “broadly-defined… Continue reading WPP Confident About Year Ahead

GCap Media has rejected a revised takeover bid from Global Radio valuing the company at £333 million. Global offered 202p a share, a 6% increase on the 190p per share bid it made in December. The renewed bid comes ahead of the 5 March deadline given by the Takeover Panel in January (see Global Radio… Continue reading GCap Turns Down Revised Global Radio Takeover Bid

Virgin Media has announced that its fourth quarter earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization, increased by 2.6% to £321 million from £313 million. The cable company also revealed that its revenue fell by 2.9% to £1.05 billion from £1.08 billion year-on-year. However, it added 24,000 net cable customers in Q4 2007, while churn dropped… Continue reading Virgin Media Q4 Earnings Increase

Channel 4 has said that its video-on-demand service, 4oD, has served more than 100 million programme streams and downloads since its launch in December 2006.The broadcaster said that its most popular programmes have been Hollyoaks, Skins, Shameless, Big Brother and Peep Show.It has seen rapid growth since January 1, with six million full-length PC programme… Continue reading 100m Programme Downloads For 4oD

Customer magazine publisher Archant Life has acquired four new titles to add to its portfolio.The new additions include Compass Magazines, a portfolio of three magazines comprising two monthly letterbox titles and an annual tourist guide, with offices in Bournemouth and Southampton, from Peter Cranham and Colin and Maria Lansley.Archant has also acquired a fourth monthly… Continue reading Archant Life Acquires Four New Titles

Video search engine Blinkx has announced a partnership with Publicis subsidiary Denuo, which will look at ways of improving online video advertising, and content partnerships with BBC iPlayer, CBS and the Weather Channel.The partnership with Denuo will see collaboration on projects aimed at understanding how online video advertising can become more effective and better targeted… Continue reading Blinkx Announces Key Partnerships

ITV has hired former BBC One controller Peter Fincham to take over from Simon Shaps as director of television.ITV has also announced that Michael Grade has agreed to stay in post as executive chairman until the end of 2010, one year longer than his original three-year term.Shaps, who has headed ITV’s channels division since 2005,… Continue reading Fincham To Replace Shaps At ITV

Virgin Media has announced that it added 24,000 net cable subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2007, while churn dropped to 1.4% from 1.7% in the previous quarter.The cable company also saw its broadband subscriber net additions grow by 15.6% to 111,200, up from 96,100.Its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization, increased by 2.6%… Continue reading Virgin Media Enjoys Subscriber Boost

Radio-specific ownership rules create unnecessary barriers to industry consolidation, commercial radio representatives told peers at the House of Lords yesterday.The appearance was part of the House of Lords Select Committee on Communications’ ongoing inquiry into Media Ownership and the News.RadioCentre chief executive Andrew Harrison was joined on the panel by Mark Story, managing director of… Continue reading Commercial Radio Calls For End To Outdated Ownership Rules