Media super-regulator Ofcom has handed down a £25,000 fine to adult broadcaster, Playboy TV, following the broadcast of hardcore pornographic material which breached the watchdog’s Programme Code.Playboy’s broadcast of an R18 rated adult film on 1 May 2004, and a previous broadcast of 18 certificate material landed it in hot water with the regulator, which… Continue reading Playboy TV Fined Over Hardcore Broadcast

Future Publishing’s flagship computing magazine, PC Plus, has proclaimed a recent trial, which enabled readers to view content via their mobile phones, as a success following 35,000 downloads in just four months.The year long trial delivers a special java-based edition of PC Plus to mobile phones, a move which Future claims continues its commitment to… Continue reading Mobile Magazine Spells Success For Future

ITV has completed the sale of Superhire Limited, its prop hire business in the continued sell-off of its non-core business elements.The sale of the business, together with the freehold property it occupies, was made for for a cash consideration of £8.2 million. ITV states that the funds generated by the sale will be used to… Continue reading ITV Continues Non-Core Business Sell-Off

Glasgow-based Scottish Media Group (SMG) has turned down a £100 million offer for Virgin Radio from private equity group, 3i, according to industry reports. The take-over bid started in December, but to no avail after SMG rejected the offer of Lord Alli, the media heavyweight spearheading 3i’s bid. Reports indicate that 3i has threatened to… Continue reading SMG Rejects 3i Offer For Virgin

Commercial broadcaster, ITV, has announced the disposal of its prop hire business, Superhire Limited to Space Holdings Limited for a cash consideration of £8.2 million. The funds raised from the sale will be used to reduce ITV’s borrowings and represents a further stage in it’s disposal programme of non-core assets. ITV has now raised more… Continue reading ITV Sells Prop Hire Business

Multi-channel marketing is predicted to increase in importance over the coming years, with 83.4 million US consumers researching products online, then buying offline, according to US analysts eMarketer’s new ‘Consumer Selling Online’ report. The increasing empowerment of consumers via the internet has resulted in them having the ability to compare old products, find new ones,… Continue reading Advertisers Must Look To Multi-Channel Marketing

Worldwide mobile handset shipments are set to rise over the next four years, growing from 740 million by the end of 2005 to 810 million by 2009, according to market intelligence firm iSuppli. The company found that handset shipment growth peaked in Q4 2003, hitting 175.5 million. The first half of 2004 saw quarterly shipments… Continue reading Global Mobile Handsets To Reach 810 Million By 2009

Channel 4’s head of commercial marketing and research, Hugh Johnson, has announced that he will be leaving the channel in March, to pursue other work ventures.Johnson has worked for Channel 4 for 14 years, since joining in 1991, and has agreed with Andy Barnes, director of sales, to work for the Channel on a consultancy… Continue reading Hugh Johnson Leaves Channel 4

Telecommunications firm, British Telecomm has announced a continued rise in broadband take-up, with the company enjoying a record number of digital subscriber line (DSL) connections in the third quarter of 2004, according to a trading statement released today. BT said that it had connected a record 813,000 DSL customers in Q3, with broadband users by… Continue reading BT Connects Record Number Of DSL Customers

Internet portal, Wanadoo has seen its European broadband subscriptions rise to 4.37 million an increase of 1.92 million from the year before, making up 46% of its European customer base at the end of 2004, according to a trading statement released by the company’s parent, France Telecom (FT). France Telecom has revealed that 6.3 asymmetric… Continue reading France Telecom Sees Dramatic Broadband Growth