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The success of digital terrestrial television (DTT) service, Freeview, should not impact too heavily on BSkyB’s pay-TV satellite business, as the demographic profiles of the customers of the two platforms are notably different, according to analysts at Merrill Lynch. Freeview currently attracts a significantly older customer profile than Sky, with almost three quarters of Freeview… Continue reading Freeview Success Should Not Hurt Sky, Says Merrill Lynch

Cordiant Communications has been valued at just £10 million by WPP’s rescue takeover deal, announced this morning. Before news of the loss of the Allied Domecq advertising account sent Cordiant’s shares spiralling down, the company had a market capitalisation of around £113 million (see Potential Buyers Circle Crisis-Ridden Cordiant). However, Cordiant will not come that… Continue reading WPP Seals £266m Cordiant Takeover

WPP is now in exclusive and advanced negotiations to buy ailing advertising group, Cordiant Communications, the two companies announced last night. The news follows speculation that WPP was being outflanked by Maurice Levy’s Publicis Group. The French advertising giant recently struck a deal with Cerberus Capital Management, the US fund that already holds a significant… Continue reading WPP In Exclusive Negotiations To Buy Cordiant

Advertisers have welcomed the extension of Competition Commission’s inquiry into the proposed merger of Carlton and Granada as a sign that their concerns over the creation of a single ITV sales house are being addressed. Trade and Industry Secretary, Patricia Hewitt, yesterday announced that the deadline for the Commission to report on the planned £2.6… Continue reading Advertisers Welcome Delay On ITV Merger Judgement

UK regional newspaper publisher, Johnston Press, says that trading over the last five months has been ahead of expectations, with advertising revenues rising by 2% year on year. In what Johnston described as an encouraging sign, all classified advertising categories reported positive growth, although display advertising was marginally negative, held back by weaker demand from… Continue reading Johnston Press Sees Encouraging Trading

Universal McCann‘s head of advertising forecasting Robert Coen has slightly downgraded his US and global advertising growth predictions for 2003 in the latest edition of his Insider’s Report. Following a slightly weaker than anticipated first half, full-year 2003 US adspend growth has been cut from December’s 5.0% forecast to 4.6% (see Universal McCann Expert Upbeat… Continue reading Coen Pulls Down 2003 Ad Forecasts

The global DSL market continues to prosper with latest figures showing that the number of lines increased by over 15% in the first three months of 2003. Point Topic reports that there were 41.4 million DSL lines worldwide at the end of the first quarter, up from 35.9 million at the close of 2002 (see… Continue reading Research Shows Worldwide DSL Growth

New Broadcasting Minister, Lord McIntosh, claims the switch to digital TV will be a “win-win” situation, but has admitted the Government is unclear on the potential uses for the analogue spectrum. Speaking at yesterday’s Westminster Media Forum, McIntosh defended plans to go ahead with with the conversion to digital TV by the current 2006/2010 deadline,… Continue reading Government Undecided On Future Of Analogue TV Spectrum

ITV partners Carlton and Granada remained in focus yesterday, up 3.25% and 1.47% respectively as analysts considered the Competition Commission’s decision to extend its investigation into their proposed merger by two months (see Competition Commission Delays Verdict On ITV Merger).Meanwhile, Cordiant was in the spotlight on news that WPP is now in exclusive and advanced… Continue reading Sharewatch: ITV Partners Rise Despite Merger Delay

The MXR consortium has formed a major tactical marketing partnership with Pure Digital to coincide with the launch of its fifth digital radio multiplex in Yorkshire at the end of this month.The partnership will see two of the region’s leading radio brands, Galaxy and Real Radio, give-away thousands of pounds worth of DAB digital radio… Continue reading MXR Teams With Pure Digital To Promote New Multiplex