More Industry News articles

ITV has announced the launch of ITV Play, the broadcaster’s latest digital channel promising to provide viewers with ‘participation TV’ built on existing call-TV formats such as Quizmania and Play Sudoku.The new channel will launch on Freeview on 19 April, and all other platforms later in the year. ITV Play branded programming will also air… Continue reading ITV Play To Broaden Broadcaster’s Revenue Streams

ITV increased its operating profit by 42% in 2005, reaching £460 million and seeing profits double over the past two years. Revenue for the broadcaster was up by 6% year on year at £2.2 million, while cash generated from operations hit £456 million. Turning towards ITV’s digital future, channels continued to grow strongly, with revenue… Continue reading ITV Increases Operating Profit By 42% In 2005

Internet and digital radio station GaydarRadio has announced a strengthening of its marketing team in order to cope with a recent increase in activity through its channels.The station’s Paul Beardshaw will now become marketing executive as it continues its expansion programme, replacing James McCarthy who is moving internally to become Gaydar’s production executive.Beardshaw’s remit in… Continue reading Gaydar Expands Marketing Team To Build Profile

Regional newspaper group, Johnston Press, saw overall revenues for the year reaching £520.2 million, a slight year on year increase of 0.2%, reflecting the recent depression in the market. Operating profit for 2005 was £177.7 million, while underlying earnings per share were up by 2% year on year, reaching 38.62p. Elsewhere, the group’s digital publishing… Continue reading Johnston Trading Affected By Weak UK Advertising Market

Last night’s Champions’ League match between Chelsea and Barcelona dominated primetime viewing, giving ITV1 a 29.1% share of all adults to floor competition from all terrestrial rivals.The match, which ended in a 1-1 draw, gave Barcelona a 3-2 win on aggregate and saw Chelsea knocked out of the Champions’ League.An average adult audience of 6.6… Continue reading ITV Ratings Peak As Chelsea Drops From Champions’ League

Cartoon Network is to extend its brand into the nation’s cinemas, with a revival of the pre-film cartoon short becoming the broadcaster’s largest ever single marketing initiative.Designed to promote the TV channel to kids across the country, the national campaign will see Odeon and Vue cinemas screen six-minute branded cartoons before their childrens films.The broadcaster… Continue reading Cartoon Network Revives Cinema Shorts For Youth Appeal

Virgin Radio is to extend its podcasting activities by providing content direct to listeners’ mobile phones, side-stepping the PC and the iPod to reach directly into the pockets of consumers.Following the development of Virgin’s online radio streaming to mobiles last year (see Virgin Hails Success Of Mobile Internet Radio), the new system allows anyone with… Continue reading Virgin Extends Podcasts With Direct Mobile Downloads

The Hallmark Channel has undertaken its first rebranding in five years, replacing its familiar crown logo with a series of dramatic landscape scenes.The new channel idents coincide with the first anniversary of ownership by Sparrowhawk Media, chaired by David Elstein, following the company’s purchase of non-UK Hallmark channels last February (see Elstein Successful In Bid… Continue reading Hallmark Swaps Iconic Crown For Emotive Branding

Last night saw ITV1’s detective drama Rebus trumped by BBC One’s rival sleuthing series Dalziel and Pascoe, with the Corporation scoring just under 6 million, compared to ITV’s 5.4.The commercial giant outperformed the BBC in other areas, however, scoring over 10 million adult viewers on average for both episodes in a Coronation Street double bill… Continue reading ITV Pipped By BBC Detectives But Stays Strong With Soaps

Media and communications group, Aegis, has reported an increase in revenue of 16.5%, reaching £870.4 million, with underlying profit before tax seeing a jump of 17.1%, hitting £109.8 million. Boosted by superior growth from its unique business mix, Aegis enjoyed organic revenue growth of 7.2% in 2005. The company’s digital network, Isobar, saw revenue double… Continue reading Aegis Sees Revenue Jump Of 16.5% In 2005