American investors expect cable operators NTL and Telewest to merge in early 2005,creating a combined front in the increasingly competitive digital TV market. Both of Britain’s leading cable companies are in large amounts of debt after the installation of the cable network in the UK and faced with bankruptcy they were forced to restructure. The… Continue reading NTL and Telewest Set To Merge

By the end of the decade, a third of all pay TV subscribers in Europe will be DTH customers, says a new report by Screen Digest. The media researcher predicts there will be around 76.5 million pay TV subscribers in Europe by the end of 2004 and that a further ten million subscribers will be… Continue reading DTH To Account For One Third of Pay TV Market In 2008

Penetration of high definition televisions will be four times greater in Europe than industry forecasts have previously predicted, Sony said yesterday. Chris Deering, European president of Sony said that by 2008, 20 million European households will have high definition television (HDTV). Sony’s prediction sees Europe following the trend of Japan and the US in consumers… Continue reading Sony Sees Vast Expansion For HDTV

The National Magazine Company has announced the release of monthly sales figures for the past three ABC periods, marking a break from the ranks of rival publishers which will see monthly data released concurrently with ABC’s official six monthly average.The move is designed to increase the publisher’s transparency, making it easier for planners and buyers… Continue reading Natmags To Release Monthly Circulation Data

The BBC is to create annual savings of around £320m within three years, which will be redirected into programme making, by cutting 2,900 jobs, and moving 1,800 staff to Manchester.Staff affected will be given three-month redundancy notices today.BBC director general Mark Thompson laid out his three-part vision for the corporation:“A bold new programme and content… Continue reading Thompson Spells Out His BBC Vision

Evening Standard staff are said to have been told they will be expected to work over the Xmas period, amid speculation that the anticipated new free title may launch early in the New Year.The briefing of media buyers anticipated on Newsline in October is said to be likely to get under way shortly, but is… Continue reading Standard Staff on Alert for Possible New Year Launch

Future Publishing, the international special interest consumer magazine group, has announced a 10% increase in advertising revenues in the last 12 months. In the year to September 2004 the company’s adjusted operating profit increased by 1% on 2003, going up to £23.6m, while adjusted pre-tax profit rose by 1% to £23.8m. Circulation revenue also rose… Continue reading Future Advertising Revenues Up 10%

The uncertainty in the US economy could affect WPP’s earnings in 2005 and 2006, Sir Martin Sorrell warned investors at a recent conference in New York. Speaking at the Credit Suisse First Boston media and telecoms conference the WPP Chief Executive said that the company expected to see a 15% increase in earnings in 2004… Continue reading Weak Dollar Could Force WPP Profits Down

Total US advertising revenue attributed to online radio web sites is forecast to increase by 56% each year over the next five years, to reach $320 million by 2009, according to a new report by Borrell Associates. It is projected that $30 million will be spent on banner adverts and $4.5 million on streaming audio… Continue reading Internet Radio Advertising To Increase Tenfold by 2009

More than half of the active internet audience in Europe is making a high speed connection, up from just one-third a year ago, says new research from Nielsen//NetRatings. The internet research group claims the number of people in Europe surfing the internet at high speed from home increased from 34.1 million to 54.5 million, an… Continue reading Broadband On The Rise In Europe