UTV has announced that its revenue was up 22% for 2006, at £113.6 million, whilst its operating profit was up 6% at £27.4 million before charging start-up losses of £2.6 million for new radio stations in Belfast and Edinburgh. The company’s operating profit was up 52% at £114.6 million, from £25.8 million in 2005, before… Continue reading UTV Announces 2006 Revenue Increase

Google has acquired video game advertising company Adscape as it looks to expand into in-game advertising. The technology website Red Herring said in February that the value of any deal would be worth around $23 million. Google said: “As more and more people spend time playing video games, we think we can create opportunities for… Continue reading Google Buys In-Game Ad Firm

Advertising expenditures for US newspaper web sites increased by 35% to $745.5 million in the fourth quarter versus the same period a year ago, according to preliminary estimates from the Newspaper Association of America (NAA). The increase reflects the eleventh consecutive quarter of double digit growth for online newspaper advertising since NAA started reporting online… Continue reading US Newspaper Website Ad Spend Increases

According to a new study from Harris Interactive, 35% of US adult mobile phone users are willing to accept incentive-based advertisements. Harris says that of these adults, 78% say the best incentive would be cold hard cash, followed by free minutes (63%), free entertainment downloads (eg, ring tones, games; 40%) and discount coupons (40%). The… Continue reading Mobile Ads Becoming More Accepted In US

A new report from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) reveals that despite the increasingly connected society we live in, some people are being left behind by our advance into the digital era. The Focus On The Digital Age report draws together information about ownership and use of information and communications technology (ICT). The report… Continue reading Some Britons Being Left Behind In Digital Era

Soon you could be piping digital TV around your home via power sockets. At the Cebit technology fair, German hi-tech firm Devolo is showing off home networking technology that can handle signals from a set top box. While many firms are working on ways to route data via the mains power circuits in the home,… Continue reading MPG Wins BBC Contract

The BBC has appointed Media Planning Group as its new media agency, completing a formal review which started in October 2006.MPG will work with the BBC’s marketing department to plan and buy media space for specific marketing campaigns and to provide market insight and analysis.BBC director of marketing, communications and audiences, said: “I am delighted… Continue reading MPG Wins BBC Contract

Emap is creating three digital director roles, for its radio, specialist and lifestyle divisions in order to accelerate its multimedia strategies.Working with the leadership teams in these businesses, Emap says that the new roles will help develop and execute the digital strategy and deliver the profit & loss digital targets across the radio, specialist and… Continue reading New Digital Director Roles At Emap

Sir Richard Branson’s company, Virgin Media, is said to be in secret talks with Channel 4 to sponsor Big Brother, after the news that Carphone Warehouse pulled the plug on their deal.According to reports in the trade press, if the two companies do reach a deal, Virgin Media could gain exclusive access to video-on-demand content,… Continue reading Virgin Media Could Sign Big Brother Deal

Michael Grade, ITV chief executive, has the support of City analysts for his attempts to end the broadcaster’s contract rights renewal (CRR) mechanism. However, according to a report in Broadcast magazine, he faces strong opposition from media buyers. The report quotes a major media buyer as saying: “”Our clients want a bigger and stronger ITV,… Continue reading Support For Grade On CRR