ITV’s James Bond film, Die Another Day, notched up an impressive average audience of 5.5 million last night, flooring competitive programming from the BBC, which scored 3.6 million with Dying To Be Thin, and 4.2 million with the late evening news.Channel 4 also broadcast health-focused programming to cash in on the new year diet season,… Continue reading ITV Banks On Bond For Ratings Success

Comedian Al Murray will swap a barstool for a mike this Sunday, as Virgin Radio signs the Pub Landlord star to present its afternoon show.The new host will present four star-studded shows from this weekend, covering for high profile host Tim Lovejoy, who takes a break less than four months after joining the station.Al Murray’s… Continue reading Al Murray Becomes Latest Celebrity DJ For Virgin

New Year’s Eve once again proved a popular night for text messages, as friends and family used the technology to send New Year wishes, with new figures from the Mobile Data Association (MDA) showing that the new year period enjoyed the largest daily total ever recorded.According to the MDA, the total number of messages sent… Continue reading New Year’s Eve Sees Britons Sending Record Texts

Magazine publisher Highbury House has been put up for sale, following the resignation of its chairman Kelvin MacKenzie last month, who departed after defeat by a “mountain of debt.” The company, which commands control of several high-profile titles including Front and Hotdog, is “highly unlikely” to deliver much return for shareholders following the sale of… Continue reading Highbury Up For Sale After Defeat By Debt

Global advertising firm, WPP, has announced the purchase of Polish market research company, Pentor Instytut Badania Opinii i Rynku S.A, integrating the business into its global market research network, Research International. Pentor has been affiliated to Research International since its beginning in 1991, with its clients including Frito-Lay, Polska Telekom, PKN Orlen, Dr Oetker Polska… Continue reading WPP Extends Reach In Poland

News Corporation has announced the promotion of Jeremy Philips to the position of executive vice president, office of the chairman. The role will see Philips assume responsibility for the company’s internet investments as well as focusing on acquisitions and strategy. He will continue to report to Rupert Murdoch, News Corporation’s chairman and chief executive officer.… Continue reading News Corp Promotes Philips To Executive Vice President

Didier Suberbielle, managing director of magazine publisher Les Publications Conde Nast, has announced that he will be leaving the position to take up the role of chief executive officer at Europe’s leader in dietetic foods, Nutrition & Sante. Commenting on his decision, Suberbielle said: “Conde Nast is an extraordinary company with unique brands. In the… Continue reading Conde Nast MD Announces Departure

US online shopping spend reached $30.1 billion during this year’s holiday season, with new figures showing the sector to have risen by 30% compared to the same time last year. According to the new Holiday eSpending Report from Goldman Sachs, Nielsen//NetRatings and Harris Interactive, 2005 holiday online sales were at the high end of expectations,… Continue reading US E-Commerce Passes $30 Million For 2005 Holiday Season

The UK has overtaken France as the largest broadband country in Europe, with the latest estimates from Point Topic suggesting that the UK will have 9.8 million broadband lines by New Year’s Day 2006 compared to France with 9.7 million. The expected strong performance comes on the backend of a healthy third quarter for DSL… Continue reading UK Overtakes France As Largest European Broadband Country

BBC One’s Sweeney Todd outperformed all rivals last night, slaughtering competition from ITV’s Teenage Tourettes Camp and the return of Shameless to Channel 4.The grizzly crime drama netted BBC One an average of 6.2 million adult viewers, while ITV’s obscenity-ridden Tourettes documentary drew 3.5 million in the same time slot.Channel 4’s evening was topped by… Continue reading Sweeney Todd Slaughters Competition For BBC