The Advertising Standards Authority today takes over responsibility for handling complaints about television and radio commercials in one of the biggest shake-ups of advertising regulation in recent years.Media super-regulator Ofcom has contracted out the rules governing broadcast advertising to the ASA, in a move that will see the watchdog widen its existing remit from press… Continue reading ASA Extends Powers Under New Regulatory Regime

The BBC has launched its vision for a broadband Britain by calling on the Government and the new media industry to work together to avoid the creation of a ‘digital underclass’.The BBC’s director of new media and technology, Ashley Highfield, appealed for the ‘collaboration and co-operation’ of the industry’s key players to launch a digital… Continue reading BBC Sets Out Vision For Broadband Britain

Continued rumours of a sell off for the BBC’s commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, indicate that the Corporation will embark on a profit-doubling programme before auctioning off the division in two years’ time.According to reports, the move could “fatten up” the BBC’s revenue-producing commercial arm, potentially adding an extra £1 billion to the value of the… Continue reading BBC To Double Worldwide Profits Before Sell Off

Ofcom has today tightened the rules governing alcohol advertising on television following a prolonged consultation period with advertisers and industry trade bodies.The revised code significantly strengthens the regulator’s existing rules on the promotion of alcohol, banning several widely used advertising strategies and seeking to protect the under-18s from adverse advertising-based influences.The code now requires advertisements… Continue reading Ofcom Finalises Revamped Alcohol Advertising Code

Capital Radio’s proposed £711 million merger with GWR could be delayed by up to six months if advertisers and rival radio groups call for a Competition Commission enquiry into the deal.Influential advertising groups ISBA and the IPA are concerned that the merged entity, which would control more than 40% of national radio advertising revenue, would… Continue reading Capital/GWR Merger Could Face Competition Enquiry

ITV Sales will next week launch its long-awaited ‘Values of Fame’ marketing programme in an attempt to convince brands of the benefits of television advertising.The campaign, which has been developed as part of ITV’s effort to become more client focused, will centre around the proposition that television is the medium that best guarantees advertisers the… Continue reading ITV Launches Campaign To Boost Television Advertising

Channel 4 has secured Pizza hut as the sponsor of The Simpsons, which makes its long-awaited debut on the channel next Friday.The Simpsons will form a key part of Channel 4’s autumn schedule and the sponsorship is thought to be one of the broadcaster’s biggest as it seeks to recoup the £700,000 per episode that… Continue reading Channel 4 Calls In Pizza Hut To Sponsor The Simpsons

Radio listeners in Caradon Hill, Cornwall will be able to enjoy local services in crystal clarity from today, as NTL’s Broadcast division switches on its 250th digital transmitter.The new transmitter marks the culmination of an intensive roll-out of multiplexing and transmission systems for both national and local stations by NTL lasting four years. The Caradon… Continue reading NTL Boosts Digital Radio With 250th Transmitter

Telewest has launched a cut-price broadband package to entice its last remaining dial-up customers to switch to high-speed connections, with broadband pricing to match that of its dial-up offering.The new package gives customers little choice but to upgrade their connection, offering Telewest’s 256k blueyonder internet service for £14.99 per month, the same price as unlimited… Continue reading Telewest Offers Budget Broadband To Dialup Die Hards

The latest figures from the Cinema Advertising Association indicate that admissions in September dipped by 5.1% year on year, due to a lack of major releases during the month, but maintain that 2004 will be a record year in terms of attendance with several high-profile blockbusters looming on the horizon.Admissions during September totalled 10.2 million,… Continue reading Cinema Sees Dip But Still On Course For Record 2004