US advertising expenditure rose by 2.4% year on year in the first quarter of 2005, with adspend increasing in almost all reported media, according to new figures released by Nielsen Monitor-Plus. Spanish-language TV, cable TV and magazines all led the way in terms of adspend, with the network radio and national newspaper sectors essentially flat.… Continue reading Nielsen Shows US Adspend Up By 2.4% In Q1 2005

Paid for search listings in the US look set to grow by 47% this year, with sponsored search adspend in the States forecast to increase by $1.6 billion, up to around $5.1 billion this year, from $3.5 billion in 2004, according to analyst Merrill Lynch’s latest report. Overall, Merrill Lynch forecasts that online advertising in… Continue reading Merrill Predicts Strong Growth In US Online Adspend

Channel 4 is closing in on ITV’s lucrative 16-34 year old audiences, with figures showing the gap between the two broadcasters to have almost halved within a year.Monthly viewing figures show ITV to have lost 3.9 million viewers from the young adult category over the last six months, dropping from 21.88 million in November 2004… Continue reading Channel 4 Narrows Gap On ITV’s Young Audiences

The BBC has given a sneak preview of its developmental technologies which promise to provide the next generation of television services, such as platform independent interactive technology and on-demand content via the internet.The Corporation’s research and development facility at Kingswood Warren in Surrey has been working on several new technologies which could shape the future… Continue reading BBC Demonstrates New TV Technology

Speculation surrounding Britain’s weekly men’s magazines has arisen over the weekend, with several reports claiming that at least one of the titles is to publish twice-weekly, putting yet more pressure on tabloid newspapers and cannibalising an increasingly large proportion of young readers.The threat presented by titles such as Nuts and Zoo is being taken most… Continue reading Men’s Weeklies To Put More Pressure On Tabloids

Britain’s broadband uptake is continuing apace, with the nation now the fastest growing market for high-speed internet connections, according to the latest research by broadband analysis company, Point Topic.Britain has increased its broadband connections by over 20% in the last quarter, reaching almost five million lines, according to new figures, while globally digital subscriber lines… Continue reading UK Fastest Growing Broadband Market

A dark cloud has settled over ITV’s proposed merger with digital multiplex operator SDN, as the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) prepares to investigate the deal, worth £134 million, amid suspicion that it may be uncompetitive.The merger, announced in April, looked set to further ITV’s growth into the digital arena (see ITV Pays £134 Million… Continue reading OFT To Investigate ITV Over Multiplex Acquisition

Emap Advertising has secured a six-month deal to see online holiday firm lastminute.com sponsor its digital radio portfolio on the Freeview platform.The campaign will see Heat, The Hits, Smash Hits, Kiss, Magic, Q, Mojo and Kerrang showcasing a range of lastminute holiday and lifestyle offers on screen, while playing the stations through listeners’ televisions.The exclusive… Continue reading Emap Signs Lastminute For Freeview Radio Sponsorship

Reports this morning suggest that Sky Sports’ deputy managing director, Trevor East, could be preparing to jump ship, heading to rival broadcaster Setanta to head their rights acquisition operations.According to a report in this morning’s Financial Times, the sports boss, whose contract with Sky expires shortly, is undecided over whether to accept Setanta’s job offer… Continue reading Setanta In Tapping Up Deal For Sky Sports Boss

The number of freeview households has passed the five million mark, fuelled by a strong uptake during the first quarter of 2005, with 466,430 more homes adopting the digital television technology, according to the latest figures from media watchdog, Ofcom.Ofcom estimates that, by the end of March, digital television penetration had reached 61.9% of UK… Continue reading Freeview Households Pass Five Million