Davina McCall will not be returning to her self-titled chat show, the BBC has confirmed, following a string of ratings failures which saw the programme crushed by opposition from rival broadcasters.Confirming the Corporation’s decision to drop the programme, Peter Fincham, controller of BBC One, said: “Davina played in a very challenging slot on BBC. It’s… Continue reading BBC Drops Davina After Dismal Chat Debut

Online shoppers in Germany rose by 7% in 2005, reaching 26.9 million, with increasing amounts of consumers using the internet to research purchases. New data from ENIGMA GfK claim that half a million internet users in Germany look at products online before buying them, with price comparison the main reason for doing so. Research online… Continue reading Online Shopping In Germany Up 7% In 2005

The unstoppable march of Google is benefiting the entire online advertising industry, with new predictions from Merrill Lynch claiming the search engine is helping to increase the market. According to the analyst, Google’s innovation is expanding the online industry, with improved targeting of advertising on the internet making internet usage time more valuable. Merrill Lynch… Continue reading Google Pushes Online Ad Industry Forward

Overall internet advertising revenues totalled $12.5 billion in 2005, a new annual record exceeding 2004’s figure by 40%. According to new figures released by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), internet ad revenues in the last quarter of 2005 reached $3.6 billion, representing a 34% increase over the same period in 2004. Commenting… Continue reading Online Adspend Hits $12.5 Billion In 2005

Newspaper publisher Pearson has announced a strong start to 2006, with trading in line with expectations and a significant increase in profits expected from the firm’s Financial Times Group. The company, which also owns Penguin Books, expects strong underlying earnings growth, good cash generation and an improvement on return from invested capital. The Financial Times… Continue reading FT Looks Toward Profits As Pearson Performs Well

Search engine giant, Google, has reported revenues of $2.25 billion for the first quarter of 2006, an increase of 79% compared to the same period in 2005. Operating profit for Q1 2006 reached $743 million, accounting for 33% of revenues, up from $570 million in Q1 2005. Net income for the first quarter hit $592… Continue reading Google Enjoys 79% Rise In Revenues For Q1 2006

ITV is to lose another of its best-known presenters this year, as Denis Norden announces his retirement from the broadcaster after 30 years with the channel.Norden will record one final entertainment special next month, which will mark the end of his time with ITV. Entitled All the Best From Denis Norden, the programme will be… Continue reading Norden Calls It A Night On ITV

The Independent is to bolster its weekday offering with the launch of a feature-led supplement next week, dubbed Extra and weighing in at 24 pages.The supplement, which will reportedly aim to “surprise and excite every day,” features comment pieces from the paper’s regular writers and columnists, hitting newsstands on Tuesday to support an expanded Independent,… Continue reading Independent Plans Extra Content For Weekday Paper

Channel 4’s surprise success with quiz show Deal or No Deal has netted a massive £5 million sponsorship deal for the broadcaster, with BT signing up to promote its Phone Book through the programme.The sponsorship, which starts on 1 May, is intended to promote and raise public awareness of The Phone Book from BT’s Classified… Continue reading BT Looks Up Channel 4 For Deal or No Deal Sponsorship

BBC Worldwide is to increase the frequency of its Top Gear magazine to four-weekly, pushing the total number of issues per year to 13.The change is an attempt by the publisher to capitalise on the Top Gear brand, and its recent increase in popularity.In addition to the magazine’s twelve dated issues, a special Awards issue… Continue reading BBC Shifts Top Gear To Monthly Publication