Channel 4 is believed to be considering plans to launch a national, speech-based, digital radio station sometime next year to compete directly with BBC Radio Four.The initiative is the brainchild of Channel 4’s recently appointed chairman, Luke Johnson, who is looking at ways to diversify the broadcaster’s revenue in the face of increasing competition from… Continue reading Channel 4 Plans To Launch National Talk Radio Station

Media super-regulator Ofcom has slammed GMG Radio for a series of on-air commercials claiming that DAB digital radio provided CD-quality sound, following a number of complaints from particularly technology savvy listeners.The commercial, which was broadcast on Jazz FM as part of a wider London-centric campaign, attracted complaints from nine listeners, who argued that DAB did… Continue reading GMG Slammed For Misleading Digital Radio Commercial

Viacom Outdoor has appointed Stephen Fuller to become its first ever head of consumer insight as part of the poster contractor’s ongoing initiative to improve relations with agencies and advertisers.The newly created role within the marketing department will see Fuller head up a team of ten with responsibility for research and planning. He will report… Continue reading Viacom Outdoor Appoints Head Of Consumer Insight

United Business Media chief executive, Lord Hollick, has hinted that the Government and media super-regulator Ofcom could be willing to consider a possible merger between Channel Five and publicly owned broadcaster Channel 4.The two channels have made no secret of their desire to forge closer links and have held tentative discussions about the logistics of… Continue reading Government Could Back Merger Of Commercial Channels

Tim Kirkman, Hachette Filipacchi’s recently installed head of sales, is to leave the company after only eight months amid rumours of a fall out with the company’s chairman, Kevin Hand.Kirkman’s high-profile appointment in November last year saw him take responsibility for advertising sales across Hachette’s magazine portfolio, which includes Elle, Red and Sugar. However, he… Continue reading Hachette Loses Sales Head Amid Rumours Of Bust-Up

Lord Conrad Black’s last-ditch attempt to block the £729 million sale of the Daily and Sunday Telegraph to the Barclay brothers has failed after a Delaware judge rejected the media tycoon’s eleventh-hour appeals.The ruling finally clears the way for the Barclay brothers to succeed in their long-held ambition of taking control of Britain’s best selling… Continue reading Black Fails To Scupper £729 Million Sale Of Telegraph Titles

Commercial radio is increasing its appeal to advertisers with further growth in its delivery of core audiences in the second quarter of 2004, according to Radio Advertising Bureau.The latest RAJAR listening data for the three months to June reveals strong year on year growth in the time spent listening amongst a number of key advertising… Continue reading Commercial Radio Increases Appeal To Advertisers

Offline agencies are beginning to realise that online video advertising could have a similar reach to television, according to JupiterResearch, and as a result this market in the United States is expected to grow from $77 million in 2003 to $657 million by 2009. Speaking at the Jupiter/ClickZ Advertising Forum Conference yesterday, analyst Nate Elliott… Continue reading Online Video Ad Spend Could Rival TV

Satellite television providers will lose their digital-video-recorder (DVR) edge over cable companies by 2006, despite having a three-year head start, says a new report from an American based market research firm. The Internet-Based Video Services white paper from Parks Associates says that although satellite companies began offering DVRs as early as 1999, they will not… Continue reading Cable Companies Set To Steal DVR Crown From Satellite Providers

Internet penetration in Britain is set to reach 75% of adults, rivaling the wristwatch, the most common form of technology which is used by 80% of Britons. According to new research from media intelligence group, Mintel, the number of UK web surfers is set to soar as the internet becomes an indispensable tool in the… Continue reading UK Internet Penetration Could Rival The Wristwatch