According to a report in the Observer yesterday, Anglo-Dutch publishing giant Reed Elsevier is considering a merger with its closest rival Amsterdam-based Wolters Kluwer.Following Reed’s acquisition of Harcourt last year, a merger with Wolters would produce one of the largest publishing groups in the world with an estimated market value, according to the Observer, of… Continue reading Reed Elsevier Considers Merger With Wolters
Outdoor group Maiden has acquired bill posting company Checkmain, which trades as Felgate Billposting, in exchange for 300,000 shares. The acquisition is expected to enhance earnings within the first year of ownership.Felgate, which began trading in 1985, is the largest bill posting company in the UK. It is said to post around 130,000 poster sites… Continue reading Maiden Acquires Bill Posting Company
Sky is claiming that over 50% of its digital subscribers have used its interactive services over the last year.According to the satellite operator more than 7 million people have pressed the red button on their digital handset and have used interactive services since January 2001. Sky also claims that 86% of Sky Sports subscribers have… Continue reading 50% Of Sky Digital Subscribers Go Interactive
Highbury House Communications has acquired three consumer magazines for £325,000.The consumer and contract publisher has acquired Fast Bikes magazine from Sport Report Limited as well Inspirations For Your Home and Garden and Garden Inspirations from GE Magazines.Fast Bikes, which is a monthly magazine aimed at “performance minded motorcyclists,” was launched in 1991 and generated revenues… Continue reading Highbury House Acquires Consumer Titles
Sainsbury’s and Mark & Spencer topped Propeller’s latest Ads That Make News Survey after drafting some of Britain’s best known celebrities to front their advertising campaigns.According to the survey, Sainsbury’s was the top brand in terms of press coverage of its advertising in the fourth quarter of 2001 thanks to Essex boy Jamie Oliver and… Continue reading Big Name Supermarkets Come Out Top In Ad Survey
Multi-channel viewing has grown dramatically over the past five years achieving 20% of viewing share in 2001, according to data from BARB, twice the share it had in 1996. Over the same period of time, ITV’s share has decreased from 35% to 27% and BBC’s from 44% to 38%. UK Share Of Viewing Trends, 1996… Continue reading UK Viewing Trends Show Gains For Pay TV
The first figures from the new BARB system will not be available until 15 January, leaving the increasingly numbers-fixated TV industry without ratings data for the opening weeks of 2002. Overnight ratings for the first couple of days of the year were due for release yesterday, but were suspended before BARB admitted that further diagnostic… Continue reading BARB Data Suspended Until 15 January
Pearson is increasing the cover price of the Financial Times from 90p to £1 after announcing that profits at the FT Group for 2001 are expected to be down 40% on 2000.Circulation of the Financial Times has been healthy over the last two years in comparison to the national newspaper market as a whole (see… Continue reading Pearson Increases FT Cover Price
The Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) has launched the third wave of its campaign to promote the effectiveness of commercial radio and hopes to turn the advertising downturn to its advantage.Eight new executions are being broadcast across the commercial radio network, with the key message that radio can be four times more effective than TV as… Continue reading RAB Plugs Radio Ad Effectiveness
The advertising market is expected to move once again into positive growth during the course of this year, according to a consensus of forecasts compiled by MediaTel Insight. It is generally recognised that the first half to three quarters of the year will see a continuation of the decline that hit 2001 so hard, but… Continue reading UK Advertising Forecasts 2001/2002 Round-Up
