The commercial radio industry is to bring in more networked programming following the creation of production units run by GCap Media, Global Radio and Emap.The in-house production units will enable more programme-sharing across national networks of non-competing radio stations.GCap will take over the running of commercial radio’s mainstream Sunday afternoon chart, Hit 40 UK, from… Continue reading Commercial Radio Creates Network Production Units

IPC Connect has appointed Kevin Brown to the new role of digital development director across its portfolio of women’s brands, including Look, Chat, Pick Me Up and Now.Previously head of interactive at Virgin Media Television, Brown joins IPC Connect this week with a remit to deliver a comprehensive digital strategy building on successful Connect digital… Continue reading IPC Appoints Digital Development Director

JCDecaux is to create the largest network of digital roadside billboards in the UK, following a £20 million investment into its outdoor sites.The media owner’s 20 x 48-sheet Primetime billboards will be unveiled from next Spring, located in high-profile, central London locations.The network of digital billboards follows Decaux’s digitisation of the M4 Torch earlier this… Continue reading JCDecaux To Invest £20m In Digital Roadside Network

ACP-NatMag is launching a free TV listings magazine to be given away inside copies of its weekly titles Best and Real People.The new magazine, TV Week, will be introduced into a market currently dominated by What’s On TV, TV Choice and Radio Times.The combined circulation of Best and Real People was around 650,000 copies according… Continue reading ACP-NatMags Launches TV Listings Magazine

CBS Outdoor has retained the £40 million contract to manage the advertising on National Express buses in the UK for a further five years.Under the terms of the new contract with National Express, CBS Outdoor will continue to manage all advertising opportunities on the company’s bus fleet including Travel West Midlands, Travel Dundee and Travel… Continue reading CBS Outdoor Retains Multi-Million Pound National Express Contract

Sky’s acquisition of an almost 18% share in ITV is against the public interest and restricts competition, according to the Competition Commission.Murdoch’s company could be forced to sell its stake in the commeical broadcaster at a substantial loss, which must have come as welcome news to Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin, which has been involved in… Continue reading Sky Could Be Forced To Sell Stake In ITV At A ‘Substantial Loss’

The Competition Commission has provisionally found that BSkyB’s acquisition by of a 17.9% share in ITV “restricts competition and therefore operates against the public interest”. The ruling could see Sky forced to sell its stake in the broadcaster at a substantial loss. Sky bought the stake for £940 million in November 2006. Peter Freeman, chairman… Continue reading Sky Could Be Forced To Sell ITV Stake

New figures from the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) show that UK internet advertising has recorded above-expectation 41.3% year on year growth in the first half of 2007. This takes the sector to a half-year high of £1,334.3 million – compared to £917.2 million a year ago – lifting online advertising’s market share to 14.7%. The… Continue reading UK Internet Advertising Records 41.3% Year On Year Growth

UK television adspend will see modest growth this year, according to a new advertising forecast from ZenithOptimedia. Zenith says that TV adspend is set to grow by 0.5% this year, moving towards 2% growth in 2008. This follows a 5% year on year decline in 2006. Globally, Zenith predicts that the 2008 Olympic games will… Continue reading UK TV Adspend To See Modest Growth

New research published today by Informa Telecoms & Media shows that digital TV penetration of Western European households will break the 50% mark by the end of this year. The 11th edition of Informa’s Western European TV report forecasts that digital homes in the region will total 135 million by 2012, equivalent to an 86%… Continue reading European Digital TV Penetration To Break 50% Mark