The first half of ITV’s psychological thriller, Secret Smile, drew a healthy audience for the broadcaster last night, scoring 6.9 million and building on the earlier success of a Coronation Street double bill to secure victory over the BBC.BBC One’s competing programming failed to match ITV’s evening schedule, with Eastenders drawing an average audience of… Continue reading Secret Smile Thrills ITV Audiences

Media regulator Ofcom has ditched plans for a wide-ranging review of the TV advertising market, claiming that the consolidation of Carlton and Granada last year has led to sufficient safeguards already being put into place to protect advertisers.Referring to the complex Contract Rights Renewal (CRR) remedy put in place as a condition of the ITV… Continue reading Ofcom Scraps Plans For TV Advertising Review

The BBC has extended its integrated Media Player (iMP) trial by two months, allowing current participants access to the previous seven day’s BBC programmes until 28 February 2006.The iMP service, which lets people legally download BBC TV and radio programmes to their PC once they have aired, is currently in its second phase of testing,… Continue reading BBC Extends On-Demand Access Trial

Free film magazine Take1 has increased its distribution footprint with a deal to see Japanese restaurant YO! Sushi stock the title in locations close to London’s cinemas.The magazine, launched earlier this year, will now be available in YO! Sushi outlets in Haymarket, Trocadero, myhotel Tottenham Court Road, Islington, Whiteleys Bayswater, Fulham Broadway and O2 Finchley… Continue reading Take1 Signs Sushi Distribution Deal

Media regulator Ofcom has awarded the new FM licence covering Ipswich to Tindle Radio following a closely fought battle with seven other applicants.The new licence, which will be issued for a 12-year period, covers the town of Ipswich and the surrounding area with an adult population of between 200,000 and 250,000. Exact coverage is, as… Continue reading Tindle Radio Scoops Latest FM Licence

Regional newspaper publisher, Johnston Press, has released a downbeat trading update for the second half of the year, reporting a dip in recruitment advertising revenues of 22.9% year on year. There is little chance of significant improvement in the market next year, the company said, sparking a dip in share price early this morning. In… Continue reading Johnston Downbeat In End Of Year Trading Update

Vincent Bollore, chairman of French advertising giant Havas, has said that he expects the firm to return to profit growth in the second half of 2006, and that the company would be open to acquisition opportunities in the near future. Bollore, who has recently built up his stake in rival media firm Aegis, repeatedly outlined… Continue reading Bollore Optimistic For Havas, Tight Lipped On Aegis

BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing romped to victory on Saturday night, securing victory over ITV’s X Factor with an average adult audience of 8.7 million.X Factor delivered an average audience of 6.2 million for ITV, although it was no match for the BBC’s semi-final, which notched up a 43.7% viewing share compared with ITV’s 30.7%.ITV’s… Continue reading BBC Sees Victory As X Factor Falters

New figures from the Advertising Association (AA) show ad expenditure in the UK to have totaled £3,779 million in the third quarter of 2005, representing a marginal increase of 0.1% year on year.The figures, published today in the AA’s Quarterly Survey of Advertising Expenditure, show a 2.3% decline in real terms, after adjusting for inflation.The… Continue reading Q3 Ad Revenues See “Marginal” Increase

BSkyB has secured 88.18% of telecoms firm EasyNet, bringing the deal to acquire the firm a step closer to completion.EasyNet’s shareholders have broadly welcomed the deal, with 65% agreeing to the deal, worth £211 million. Sky has also purchased 23.9% of the company’s issued share capital lifting its acquired percentage to 88.l8%.The deal has since… Continue reading Sky Close To Completing EasyNet Deal