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A difficult year for consumer magazine publisher Highbury House Communications led to a pre-tax loss of £25.7 million for 2003, the group said this morning. The loss highlights a year of change when compared to 2002, when the company achieved pre-tax profits of £6.7 million (see Highbury House To Buy Cabal Comms, As Profits Rise… Continue reading Highbury House Loss Hits £25.7 Million

Charles Allen’s position as ITV chief executive has once again been called into doubt following reports that at least one major shareholder at the broadcaster is calling for him to be removed. The news comes despite a series of positive meetings with ITV’s ten biggest institutional investors in the past week. A source close to… Continue reading ITV Investors Could Remove Allen As Chief Executive

The 2005 global advertising market is expected to grow by over 3%, according to Maurice Levy, chairman of Paris-based advertising network Publicis. The chief of the fourth largest communications group in the world told an interview with French newspaper La Tribune: “The global market is likely to grow next year at a similar rate to… Continue reading Global Ad Market To Pass 3% Growth In 2005

Advertising giants such as WPP Group and Interpublic are set to become winners as 2004 advertising spend shapes up to be the strongest in some time, says a new report. Like other commentators, the report by New York research group Fitch Ratings says ‘bulge-bracket’ advertising groups will reap the benefits of ad spending on the… Continue reading Global Advertising Networks To Become 2004 Winners

Shareholders in advertising giant WPP have forced the company to make an abrupt U-turn on a proposed bonus scheme for executives worth up to £112m over five years. The scheme would have netted chief executive Sir Martin Sorrell around £44 million, although shareholders have become increasingly vocal in their opposition to the plans, forcing the… Continue reading WPP Shareholders Block Executive Bonus Scheme

Former Channel 4 chief executive, Michael Grade, has been appointed as the BBC’s new chairman, following three months of deliberation at the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS). The Government’s decision to appoint Grade from a shortlist of DCMS recommendations comes slightly against the odds. Grade is seen as something of an independent spirit,… Continue reading Grade Takes Chairman’s Role At BBC

Advertising market trends in the US are looking up and should continue to be positive for 2004, but market analysts at Merrill Lynch cannot see anything to get excited about. Now that the Iraq war is over, analysts are finally able to look at the latest patterns and trends. In 2003, internet revenues increased by… Continue reading Merrill Lynch Is Underwhelmed With US Ad Recovery

In March the UK advertising expenditure results were released. These beat all expectations and encouraged global advertisers to revisit 2004 forecasts. Advertising Association and World Advertising Research Centre Results UK advertising expenditure for 2003 exceeded expectations and rose by 2.5% to £17.2 billion. The results outperformed average market predictions. A consensus of recent forecasts compiled… Continue reading INSIGHTanalysis: Media Healthcheck – March 2004

Capital Radio revenues are expected to increase by 3% year on year, according to its first half trading statement issued today. This is in line with the group’s expectations. Trading for the first six months, ending March 2004, shows revenues up by 2% for Q1 2004 and up by 5% for October to December 2003,… Continue reading Capital Radio Revenues Nudge Up 3% In First Half

Five needs to forge closer links with commercial rivals such as Channel 4 or BSkyB if it is to survive in the increasingly competitive multi-channel environment, according to the broadcaster’s largest single shareholder. Reports suggest that Gerhard Zeiler, the chief executive of RTL, which holds the controlling stake in Five, has confirmed that merger talks… Continue reading Five To Link With Rivals For Survival In Digital Age