NTL Telewest has confirmed that it will shortly enter discussions with ITV regarding a possible merger of the two broadcasters. In a statement released to the London Stock Exchange, the cable giant said: “NTL confirms that it has advised ITV of its interest in exploring a possible combination transaction and has scheduled an in initial… Continue reading NTL Telewest Could Merge With ITV

BT Retail has announced that it has three million broadband customers, with its half yearly results revealing that it secured one in four of all new ADSL customers between July and September 2006.Sales of the BT Home Hub, which supports BT’s full range of services, have now exceeded 350,000, which the company says has helped… Continue reading BT Has 3 Million Broadband Subscribers

Mike Kirkham, former chief executive of TNS, was back on an industry platform this morning to address the MRG conference in Vienna.He illustrated how innovation and branding were key in the business world if companies are to be successful, appealing to investors and develop a sustainable corporate advantage; and he cited Sky, Tesco, I-pod, Google… Continue reading MRG Conference: Innovation And Branding Are Key To Successful Media

Opening the MRG Conference in Vienna yesterday afternoon, Walker Media CEO Phil Georgiadis lambasted the industry for its approach to internet advertising and called on them to “re-define the new media landscape”.“We have convinced ourselves that the fundamental characteristics of new media remain the same as the old,” he said. “We are happy to define… Continue reading MRG Conference: Industry Must Redefine New Media Landscape

Online advertising is increasingly attracting big spenders, with advertisers forecasting that online will represent a growing share of their overall media budgets over the next two years, especially within the FMCG and Entertainment sectors, according to new research from the European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA). The EIAA Marketers’ Internet Ad Barometer shows that 425 of… Continue reading Online Becoming Increasingly Important To Advertisers

Global local search and online classified advertising revenue will grow to $31.1 billion in 2010, according to new research from the Kelsey group. In 2005, local search saw revenue of $3.4 billion, while online classifieds brought in $12.3 billion. Local search is predicted to show the largest growth, from the $3.4 billion recorded in 2005,… Continue reading Local Search And Online Advertising To Grow To $31.1 Billion

The number of commercial Wi-Fi hotspots will grow by 47% worldwide to 143,700 this year, according to a new report from ABI Research. ABI says that Europe is currently the market leader with over 57,000 hotspots. It adds that one major driver of Wi-Fi hot spots is retail establishments, with McDonalds being a prime example,… Continue reading Commercial Wi-Fi Hotspots To Grow 47%

Cable TV operators are continuing to expand the reach of their cable video and high-speed data services, according to a new report from In-Stat. In-Stat said that out of the 1.2 billion TV households around the world, 355 million are currently cable TV households. Total worldwide cable TV households are still increasing, although at a… Continue reading Cable TV Households Continue To Grow

Media and entertainment, financial services, travel and automotive advertisers in the US will spend $11.5 billion advertising online in 2011, according to a new report from JupiterResearch. The US Online Category Advertising Forecast, 2006 to 2011 report says that this will account for 57% of all online ad spending that year. An earlier report from… Continue reading Top US Online Advertising Categories For 2011

Aegis has received the support of major shareholders as it attempts to stop Vincent Bollore from gaining two seats on its board. Bollore’s nominees, Philippe Germond and Roger Hatchuel, were rejected by shareholders at a meeting earlier in the year (see Bollore Fails In Board Bid). They will be voted on at an EGM to… Continue reading Aegis Shareholders Unite Against Bollore