Ulster Television is considering a £300 million bid for SMG, owner of Virgin Radio and the Grampian and Scottish ITV franchises, according to a report in the Financial Times. UTV previously made an offer for SMG’s television assets in 2003 but was unsuccessful, whilst in 2004 a possible bid for the entire group was never… Continue reading Ulster TV Could Bid For SMG

The Evening Standard, owned by Associated Newspapers, is to relaunch its This is London website next month, with the new site placing more emphasis on life in the capital.The revamped site, which will have a soft launch in August followed by an official unveiling in September, could have its name changed to EveningStandard.co.uk.The print version… Continue reading Evening Standard Website To Be Relaunched

MTV Networks UK and Ireland is to launch a fully interactive multi-platform service, which will focus on user-generated content and offer advertisers the chance to reach the MTV audience through a variety of platforms.The service, called MTV Flux, will run across TV, online and mobile platforms. The interactive platforms will begin at the start of… Continue reading MTV To Launch Multi-Platform UGC Service

Channel 4 is dropping ads from its internet simulcast service amid fears that it could face legal action from third-party rights holders.The move comes after the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) told the channel that it did not have clearence to run the ads online.The IPA said that it might be possible for actors… Continue reading Channel 4 Drops Ads From Simulcast Service

Worldwide media and marketing services spend will grow 6.2% this year to $673 billion and is predicted to grow 6.% next year to $713 billion, slightly ahead of 5%-6% expected growth in the global economy, according to new research from GroupM. The study, This Year Next Year Worldwide is GroupM’s new media and marketing forecasting… Continue reading Worldwide Media And Marketing Spend To reach $713 Billion In 2007

The National Readership Survey (NRS) is making good progress as it adapts to the rapid changes taking place in the press but it will have to stay focused as the media landscape changes and people turn to the internet and mobile platforms. This was one of the main themes from yesterday’s Future Of The National… Continue reading NRS Confirms Long-Term Online Strategy

The Newspaper Marketing Agency (NMA) is not helping national newspapers to prove their worth as important commercial and social tools, according to journalist and media commentator, Ray Snoddy. Speaking at MediaTel Group’s latest seminar yesterday morning, Snoddy heavily criticised the NMA, saying its remit is too narrow-minded. “When I hear that all [the NMA] ‘s… Continue reading NMA Must Do More To Market National Newspapers

Strong newspaper brands have a big future, according to leading figures in the publishing industry, who were speaking yesterday at MediaTel Group’s Future of the National Press Seminar in London. Dave King, executive director of the Telegraph, said that newspaper groups with powerful brands would move forwards as converged multi-media groups, with a focus on… Continue reading Bright Future For Strong Newspaper Brands

Discussing the issues surrounding the rapidly evolving print industry, the majority of panellists at yesterday morning’s MediaTel Group seminar expressed high levels of optimism over the press’ prospects. Journalist and media analyst, Ray Snoddy, expressed concerns for the industry but said things weren’t as bad as they had been reported to be. “There is a… Continue reading Threat To National Press Is Exaggerated

Red-tops are forecast to be hit worst by declining circulations over the next few years, with freesheets and online taking over from traditional print media, according to the results of a new survey on the future of the UK national newspaper industry, conducted by MediaTel INSIGHT. The survey, of fifteen of the top thirty media… Continue reading MediaTel INSIGHT Survey Looks At Future Of The Press