Merrill Lynch has today announced that it is revising down its 2004 and 2005 US advertising forecast to 6.5% and 5.2% respectively, due to increased pressure being put on advertising agency margins. Despite slightly tweaking down the targets in the US, the global advertising forecast remains unchanged for this year at 5.5%, with 2005 sliding… Continue reading Merrill Lynch Lowers US Ad Forecasts For 2004 & 2005

By the end of 2007, the number of US households receiving digital television services will rise by over 60% to 70.3 million, says a new report from eMarketer. According to the just released US Digital TV: On-Demand and High Definition report, digital television household penetration will grow from 44.2 million households at the end of… Continue reading Digital TV Penetration To Overtake Broadband

Informing Interactive Television has launched a survey investigate what issues would arise if Europe adopted a standard platform to deliver interactive television. The TV Standards Survey, is designed to gather opinion from those working in the interactive television market and establish what problems they face when delivering services to more than one platform. It is… Continue reading Survey To Investigate Delivery Of Interactive TV

The value of the worldwide internet video subscription market is set to grow to more than $4.6 billion by 2008, says a new report from In-Stat/MDR. According to the high-tech market research firm, this sector is set for rapid expansion as it continues to extend its reach to include different types of content, such as… Continue reading Internet Video Subscriptions To Grow To $4.6 Billion By 2008

The Advertising Standards Authority has refused to censure a poster for McVitie’s Mini Cheddar biscuits that featured a nun dressed in a PVC costume, despite wide-spread complaints that it was tasteless and offensive.The poster, which featured the provocative headline ‘Sister or Stripper’, also drew criticism from those who felt that it ridiculed the Christian faith… Continue reading ASA Brushes Off Complaints Against Mini Cheddars

Over half of media industry professionals believe that agency creative and planning departments do not have a good understanding of how print advertising works, according to the latest online poll carried out by the Media Research Group.The research questioned industry insiders on what could be done to rectify the situation and who should take the… Continue reading Research Claims Agencies Neglect Print Advertising

UK visits to Olympic websites have surged ahead in the final week of the Games as Britain’s medal tally continues to rise, according to the latest data from web-statistics firm Hitwise.The research shows that online interest in the Athens Games, which are now in their final week, has increased in-line with the British Olympic Team’s… Continue reading British Olympic Success Drives Sports Fans Online

Regional newspaper publisher, Johnston Press, has today announced that pre-tax profit for the first six months of this year rose by 16% to £77.3 million, spurred by greater than expected advertising revenue. Operating profit at the group from January to June 2004, jumped 9.5% to £92 million, fuelled by an overall growth of 6% from… Continue reading Profits At Johnston Press Fuelled By Ad Revenue

Commercial broadcaster ITV has disposed of Carlton Books for an undisclosed sum as part of its £600 million programme to sell-off non-core assets. The sale of the non-fiction book publisher, which was a management buy-out, is expected to be the first of many and will be followed by the sale of the Moving Picture Company,… Continue reading ITV Starts Disposal Of Non-Core Assets With Carlton Books

Worldwide revenues from mobile data services will rise to $189 billion by 2009, up from $61 billion this year, says a new report from Strategy Analytics. According to the Wireless Internet Applications report, communication, which includes text, photo and video messaging will be the largest source of income, generating 46% of total mobile revenues. Mobile… Continue reading Revenues From Mobile Messaging To Triple By 2009