Global economic growth is expected to slow in 2005, signalling lower advertising growth, with a predicted global increase of 4.5% in the coming year, according to analysts Merrill Lynch. Europe, however, is forecast to do well with Merrill estimating European ad growth for 2005, to increase by 4.2%, compared to 4% in 2004. GDP Growth… Continue reading Merrill predicts Slowing Of Global Economy

Radio and magazine Group, Emap has announced a positive trading outlook for January and February 2005, despite an expected “weak” performance within its business-to-business (B2B) unit. The company is confident of achieving its full year expectations, and will issue its pre-close trading update on 30 March of this year. The trading statement, released ahead of… Continue reading Emap Strong Start To 2005, Despite Weak Recruitment Titles

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has told broadcaster TV Eye to amend certain arrangements governing the sale of advertising airtime, after a complaint by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA). The OFT was concerned that arrangements put in place by TV Eye enabled broadcasters ITV, GMTV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 to agree… Continue reading TV Eye Told To Amend Advertising Airtime Sales

Media super-regulator Ofcom has announced its Annual Plan for 2005, setting out the watchdog’s key priorities for the next financial year and inviting industry opinion on its proposed areas of concern.The watchdog has opened its plans for consultation until 3 March, with the final version of the plan to be published in April. Setting out… Continue reading Ofcom Sets Out Plan Of Action For Coming Year

Emap Advertising and OMD UK have announced an exclusive deal between Kiss Radio and easyJet, offering 48 Kiss listeners the chance to win trip to a series of club nights in Chamonix in the French Alps.The three month campaign, brokered by OMD UK, will offer prizes during a dedicated competition week in each month of… Continue reading Emap Unveils Latest Marketing Push For Kiss

Sales of digital radios in December surpassed previous expectations, soaring past the one million mark, according to data released today by the Digital Radio Development Bureau (DRDB). Preliminary figures from electronics industry auditor GfK indicate that cumulative sales of digital radios throughout 2004 easily met the one million target set by the DRDB at the… Continue reading Sales Of DAB Radios Exceed 2004 Estimations

A record number of texts were sent in 2004, with mobile messaging hitting the 26 billion mark, breaking the previous yearly forecast of 25 billion, according to new data published by the Mobile Data Association (MDA). December saw text messaging reach an all time high, with the total number of texts sent reaching 2.4 billion,… Continue reading 2004 Breaks Records For Text Messaging

The US is set to a see a substantial shift in national advertising moving to the internet in 2005, with analysts Merrill Lynch predicting that online adspend will increase by 19% in the coming year. A recent survey of 15 national newspaper advertisers by Merrill, has highlighted their increasing reluctance to pay higher ad rates… Continue reading US Shifts To Online Advertising

The increasing penetration of personal video recorders (PVRs) is causing growing concern for advertisers, with homes using the technology skipping through 77% of ad breaks during the 42% of shows that are recorded, according to new research due to be unveiled today at the Oxford Media Convention. The new study, by media buying agency PHD,… Continue reading PVRs Causing Increasing Threat To Advertisers

International media group, Pearson, will see a near 20% increase in earnings in 2005, according to analysts Merrill Lynch. Yesterday Pearson issued a positive trading statement (see Financial Times Will Break Even For 2004), stating that the company has experienced a larger than expected growth for its Higher Education Business Group, growing ahead of the… Continue reading Merrill Predicts Optimistic 2005 For Pearson