WPP has seen off competition from rival advertising heavyweights Interpublic Group and Omnicom to secure the global media contract for HSBC, believed to be worth around $600 million.The deal is a result of a wide-ranging review by HSBC designed to consolidate its business with one marketing services organisation. WPP will now create a dedicated team… Continue reading WPP Beats Rivals To Win Global HSBC Media Account

Commercial radio group GWR has announced the sale of its stake in Radio Investments (RIL) to a new company headed by former Jazz FM chief executive, Richard Wheatly, for a total of £10.6 million. The disposal of the 27.8% stake is due for completion later this month once Wheatly’s fledgling Local Radio Company has completed… Continue reading GWR Off-Loads Radio Investments For £10.6 Million

As BSkyB today announced that operating profit hit record levels, growing 76% during the third quarter, it was confirmed that the FA Premier League games would not be sub-licensed as all of the bids received by the group, failed to meet the reserve price tag. Operating profit for the three months ending 31st March 2004,… Continue reading Sky Turns Down Premier Bids As Profits Soar

The UK TV market will become more, rather than less competitive, the chairman of Channel 4 told equity research company, Lehman Brothers. During the meeting, Luke Johnson said that he expects Freeview to become more attractive as more people find out about it. He also gave a pat on the back to the BBC, the… Continue reading TV Market To Become More Competitive Says C4 Boss

Local US websites, operated by newspapers and TV stations, are expected to bring in revenues of more than $1 billion this year; a huge chunk of the total local advertiser spend which reached $2.1 billion last year says Borrell Associates. The What Local Websites Earn report says, these sites generate 10 to 20 times the… Continue reading Revenue At Local US Websites Set To Grow

Former Jazz FM chief executive, Richard Wheatly, is returning to commercial radio at the helm of the Local Radio Company, which looks set to acquire Radio Investments later this week.The Local Radio Company is thought to be on the brink of announcing details of the acquisition, which will see it take control of the twenty-two… Continue reading Former Jazz FM Boss To Front Radio Investments Buy-Out

Former Jazz FM chief executive, Richard Wheatly, is returning to commercial radio at the helm of the Local Radio Company, which looks set to acquire Radio Investments for around £40 million later this week. The Local Radio Company is thought to be on the brink of announcing details of the acquisition, which will see it… Continue reading Former Jazz FM Boss To Front Radio Investments Buy-Out

US outdoor advertising company, Lamar, announced that revenues for the first quarter are up 9.1% on the same period last year, to $201 million. Operating income, for the quarter ending 31st March 2004, rose from $2.3 million in quarter one last year, to £13.4 million. Commenting on the Lamar results, Merrill Lynch said: “Quarter one… Continue reading Merill Lynch More Bullish After Lamar Results

A fifth of T-Online customers aren’t actually using the DSL lines they signed-up for, T-Online told shocked investors yesterday, according to consulting group, Ovum. As well as admitting that 2.25 million DSL subscribers aren’t using it, the original subscriber figure was corrected and scaled down by over one third from 3.4 million to 2.14 million.… Continue reading T-Online Admits Disappointing Broadband Figures

The Online Publishers Association and comScore Networks says US online content spending hit a massive $1.56 billion in 2003, up by nearly 19% on the previous year, according to a report from Reuters. The huge increase in spending on monthly, annual or one off subscription payements were fuelled by the growing two top categories; personals/dating… Continue reading US Online Content Spending Up By 19%