Times Newspapers has secured an exclusive contract with beer brand Guinness to sponsor its coverage of the autumn international rugby season, in a deal that builds on recent successes with major sponsors such as Lucozade Sport and HSBC.The deal will see Guinness sponsor a 68-page rugby handbook to be published in The Times on 6… Continue reading Times Signs Guinness For Rugby Sponsorship

ITV has secured SC Johnson’s Pledge Dusters as the exclusive broadcast sponsor the fourth series of Everything Must Go, which returns to its daytime slot on the channel next week.The daily programme features homeowners from all over the UK who want to sell off their worldly possessions and move on to new lives. Participants attempt… Continue reading ITV Secures Pledge For Daytime Sponsorship

Freeview, the BBC backed free-to-air digital television service, will be the fastest growing platform until 2005, according to new research, however, this will not be enough to knock Sky from the top-spot as the most dominant force in the UK multichannel television market. Continental Research’s Autumn 2004 Digital TV Report said that over the next… Continue reading Sky On Track To Reach Murdoch’s Target Of 8m Homes By 2005

The number of people visiting the cinema is expected to grow by 3.1% to 8.5 billion this year, while box office admissions increase by 4.7% to $22.8 billion, says a new report from Informa Media Group. According to the 7th edition of the Global Film: Exhibition & Distribution report, the number of new blockbusters has… Continue reading Global Cinema Recovery Expected In 2004

The viewing habits of older consumers look set to change considerably over the next few years as they continue to embrace multi-channel television, according to new research from ZenithOptimedia. The wide-ranging study into the media consumption habits of the over fifties shows that golden oldies are emerging as enthusiastic consumers of multi-channel television thanks to… Continue reading Older Viewers Embrace Multi-Channel Television

Liberty Media has sold its remaining shares in cable operator Telewest for £119 million, a move that will put to rest its chairman’s ambition of dominating the UK cable market. During the 1990’s, chairman John Malone, bought significant stakes in European cable operators and during this time the financial press speculated that he was looking… Continue reading Liberty Media Sells Remaining Shares In Telewest

The BBC committee reviewing the future of its commercial arm, Worldwide, may consider floating a stake on the stock market, according to reports. According to The Independent On Sunday, as expected, the group has primarily been discussing how to set up joint ventures for its publishing, distribution and channel arms, which would allow the Corporation… Continue reading BBC Considering Flotation Of Worldwide Arm

Chief executive of WPP, Sir Martin Sorrell, has this morning confirmed he has been involved in discussions with Havas’ financier, adding further uncertainty to the French group’s future. After losing out in the bidding war for Grey Global Group to WPP, reports suggest that Havas is looking like an increasingly vulnerable take-over target, rumours that… Continue reading Sorrell Involved In Talks With Havas

MediaCom has maintained its position as the UK’s number one individual media buying agency with a 5.5% increase in billings to £640 million for the twelve months to July, according the latest figures compiled by Nielsen Media Research.The Grey Global-owned agency, which was recently voted the most admired by media owners for its professionalism and… Continue reading MediaCom Still Number One In Terms Of Billings

All UK national radio stations saw their audiences decline this summer as listeners switched off in their thousands, according to the latest electronic measurement survey from GfK.The unofficial listening figures reveal a particularly disappointing performance for GWR’s flagship Classic FM, which saw its weekly reach decline by more than 23.5% year on year to just… Continue reading UK National Radio Stations See Weekly Reach Decline