As we ease tentatively into 2008, it’s easy to forget what a mammoth year for media 2007 actually was. Television’s dirty laundry was hung out after numerous TV phone-in scandals; on-demand services gave consumers the control they were after, and online social networking exploded. Print circulations dropped while digital radio blossomed, and the launch of… Continue reading That Was The Year That Was – 2007 In Review

The BBC News at 10pm on BBC One was watched by an average of 4.8 million adults last night, compared to a little under 3.7 million for ITV1’s newly rescheduled News at Ten.The heavily publicised programme, fronted by Sir Trevor McDonald and Julie Etchingham, managed to gain an 18.7% audience share in the timeslot, whilst… Continue reading ITV’s News At Ten Fails To Lure Viewers From BBC News

New research from Pearl & Dean suggests that longer cinema ads are more effective and increase engagement.In the cinema advertiser’s latest Movietalk study, conducted by WORK research, respondents consistently said that they preferred extended 60 second cinema ads to 30 second ones.As part of the study looking at long-form advertising in cinema, two online focus… Continue reading Longer Cinema Ads Are ‘More Effective’

Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) has announced increased distribution for its men’s entertainment channel, Nuts TV, when it is made available via the Sky Guide on Monday 21 January.The channel will extend its hours on the platform with programming starting at 7pm and running until 3am each night.Nuts TV launched on Freeview in September 2007 (see… Continue reading Nuts TV To Launch On Digital Satellite Platform

BBC Magazines is reported to be planning the release of a new sports focused title with the code name Project Robin.The new title would hit newsstands on a weekly basis and be edited by the former editor of Match magazine, Ian Foster, according to a report on Mad.co.uk.BBC Magazines previously published a Match of the… Continue reading BBC Could Launch New Sport Magazine

London’s Magic 105.4 is to use the animated escalator panels at 20 key tube stations to advertise its Magic Mystery Voices competition.Magic Mystery Voices is played every week day between 7am and 6pm, each hour, and features one caller is taken on air to try and identify three celebrities.The prize starts at £100 and another… Continue reading Magic 105.4 Goes Underground With Magic Mystery Voices Promotion

Ofcom has appointed Anna Bradley as chairman of its independent Consumer Panel. The Panel advises Ofcom on the consumer interest in telecommunications, broadcasting and spectrum markets.Bradley was consumer affairs director of the Financial Services Authority (2002-5) having been chief executive of the National Consumer Council (1999-2002).Bradley is currently non-executive chairman of the Soil Association’s Organic… Continue reading Ofcom Appoints Bradley To Chair Consumer Panel

BSkyB is to be given more time by the Competition Commission to appeal against a government decision on whether it has to dispose of its 17.9% stake in ITV. The ruling will be published by the Department for Business and Enterprise on January 29. In December, the Competition Commission recommended that Sky reduce its stake… Continue reading Sky Given More Time To Appeal Against ITV Share Sale

The sale of Emap’s Republic of Ireland radio business to Communicorp Group has been approved. It was announced last July that Emap had made a conditional sale of its Irish stations to the Irish and European radio group Communicorp for £135 million, subject to regulatory clearances. However, the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland did not approve… Continue reading Sale Of Emap’s Irish Stations Approved

Havas has announced a further expansion of its UK operations with the acquisition of one of the country’s leading independent media agencies, BLM, for a reported £20 million. Havas said that the acquisition forms part of its strategy to consolidate growth in core mature markets and build on the success of its UK brands, which… Continue reading Havas Acquires BLM For £20m