Absolute Radio has signed a deal to sell Planet Rock’s airtime and online advertising from 1 April, alongside its own network of stations.Planet Rock – which will be sold alongside Absolute Radio, Absolute Classic Rock and Absolute Xtreme – will be establishing its own sponsorship and promotions team.Donnach O’Driscoll, CEO of Absolute Radio, said: “Absolute… Continue reading Absolute Radio and Planet Rock sign ad sales deal

Around 80% of mobile media users access mobile media once a week, with 46% using it daily, according to new research from Orange.The survey, of more than 2,000 mobile media users from across all UK mobile networks, also found that the strongest usage of mobile media being in the home: 67% of participants who used… Continue reading Mobile media usage rises

The BBC Trust has reaffirmed its view that a partnership approach from the BBC is the best way to deliver a wide range of public service broadcasting.In a response to the government’s Digital Britain report (see Broadband for all by 2012Broadband for all by 2012Broadband for all by 2012 ITV and BBC could share regional… Continue reading BBC Trust emphasises support for BBC partnerships

Independent News & Media’s Belfast Telegraph will become a compact newspaper across all of its afternoon editions from tomorrow (March 25).The paper, which has been printed as a broadsheet since 1870, introduced the compact format in February 2005 with a new Saturday morning edition. This was followed by the daily morning edition in March 2005.… Continue reading Belfast Telegraph goes compact

UKTV is continuing the rebrand of its channel portfolio, with UKTV Style relaunching as Home and UKTV Gardens becoming Really.Home will target 35-54 year olds, with shows such as DIY SOS and Escape to the Country, while Really will be skewed towards 18-35 year-old females and offer shows including Mary Queen of Shops and The… Continue reading UKTV to launch Home and Really channels in Q2

The BBC could launch an online radio player open to all broadcast radio providers within the year.According to reports, under the preliminary proposals – which would have to be approved by the BBC Trust – commercial stations such as Capital Radio or Heart FM would available on one hub, similar to the BBC’s iPlayer.Tim Davie,… Continue reading BBC could launch online player for UK radio stations

BSkyB has been cleared to make another appeal against the Competition Commission’s ruling that it reduce its 17.9% stake in ITV to below 7.5%.The satellite broadcaster was originally told to cut its stake in ITV in January 2008 when business secretary John Hutton accepted the commission’s recommendation (see Sky Told To Reduce ITV Stake To… Continue reading BSkyB cleared to appeal against ITV stake sell-off

Virgin Media Television is closing youth-focused channel Trouble on Wednesday 1 April as it seeks to expand its Living brand.The broadcaster will rebrand and refocus Living2 and look into the launch of a new Living-branded channel later this year.VMtv said in a statement: “To make way for Living’s expansion, Virgin Media Television confirms today that… Continue reading Trouble to close on April 1

The BBC Trust has agreed a £30.7 million increase in the BBC’s online budget over the next three years, a 27% rise over its current £145 million a year.The increase, almost 42% under the £52.7 million originally requested by the BBC, is subject to conditions set by trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons to ensure that… Continue reading BBC Trust approves £30.7m increase in corporation’s online budget

UK internet traffic to video websites has increased by 40.7% over the last 12 months, according to new research from online intelligence firm Hitwise.During February 2009, 1 in every 35 UK internet visits went to a specialist video website, the company said, up from 1 in every 50 in February 2008.YouTube is the most popular… Continue reading UK traffic to video websites up 40.7%