Following the success of relaunching Home and Away on Channel 5 (see Channel 5 Says G’Day To Home And Away), Dawn Airey has hinted that she will be on the look out for other ratings winners to poach in order to boost the station’s audience in future.The benefits to Channel 5 of the Australian soap’s… Continue reading GEITF Report: Channel 5
With cautious optimism, regional newspaper publishers Johnston Press today announced a 14.3% rise in H1 profits but warned that growth in H2 was likely to be more modest. Following the company’s optimistic trading statement in June (see Johnston Press Sees Positive Second Half), Johnston announced a like-for-like advertising increase of 3.2% buoyed by a 13%… Continue reading Johnston Press Announces 3.2% Growth In Ad Revenue For H1
In the absence of the minister for culture, media and sport casting light on the future of UK digital TV, David Liddiment’s MacTaggart Memorial lecture became a focal event of this year’s Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival (GEITF).In a passionate speech which impressed all but a few BBC executives, he declared “Saving the soul of… Continue reading GEITF 2001 MacTaggart Lecture
Two of the smaller US-based wireless carriers in the US are more successful in taking web page visitors to the secure areas of their sites – where transactions are potentially made – than the larger carriers, according to new research from Jupiter Media Metrix. Jupiter found that Sprint PCS and Nextel convert almost three times… Continue reading Small US Wireless Carriers More Effectively Attract Customers, Finds Jupiter
The Kent Messenger Group (KM) is merging two of its most popular titles to form what it claims will be “the best-selling weekly paper in Britain.”The Medway Messenger, published in two editions, morning and afternoon, will replace the Kent Messenger and Medway Today providing 220 pages dedicated to the Medway towns.KM managing director, David Lewes,… Continue reading Kent Messenger Group Merges Titles
C4 May Be Hit By Spectrum FeeChannel 4 may find itself with a £100-200 million charge for the use of its broadcasting spectrum under the new communications legislation proposed by the Government, according to a report in today’s Financial Times.Other commercial broadcasters are already subject to the spectrum fee, but Channel 4 has so far… Continue reading C4 May Be Hit By Spectrum Fee
WPP’s The Media Edge (TME) and Tempus’ CIA have ended their partnership in Germany, according to a report in AdAge yesterday. The news comes as WPP is poised to takeover Tempus for £440 million. TME and CIA’s German subsidiary, Mediahaus Stroebel, have been in alliance for around seven years. The partnership is set to officially… Continue reading Media Edge And CIA End German Partnership
WPP, which released its interim results last week showing pre-tax profits of £2.46m (see WPP Posts Strong Interims), saw shares drop 2.7% in week on week analysis, to finish at £7.22, a loss of 20p on the previous week.Pearson, which rebranded its TV division to FremantleMedia last Tuesday (see Pearson TV Rebrands), also saw losses… Continue reading Sharewatch
European free-to-air broadcaster RTL is reported to have delayed its UK stock listing for the second time. Whilst RTL stock does trade on the London Stock Exchange, it current has a float of less than 15%, the minimum required for entry to the FTSE100. Earlier in the year RTL delayed the 15% freefloat from April… Continue reading RTL Delays Full UK Stock Exchange Listing
Cable operator Telewest is abandoning its interactive TV venture, Smashed Atom, less than a year after its launch, due to insufficient funds.The joint venture with Atomic Tangerine, an branch of the Stanford Research Institute, will close in the next few months, resulting in the loss of 46 jobs unless a buyer can be found.A spokesman… Continue reading Telewest Folds Smashed Atom
