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Figures released yesterday by the Advertising Association (AA) show that every medium bar business press showed a positive year on year growth in revenues in the fourth quarter of 2002. Go back to the first quarter of the year and only direct mail and regional newspapers are showing positive growth. There has therefore undoubtedly been… Continue reading INSIGHTanalysis: The Road Ahead For Advertising

VNU, the multinational marketing and media research firm, has today reported a rise in 2002 earnings but refused to speculate on what the year ahead may hold because of economic and political concerns. The Dutch-based company announced that earnings per share rose by 6% to €1.82 from €1.73 in 2001. VNU had already raised its… Continue reading Change In Strategy Brings Rewards At VNU

The BBC is ending its £85 million five year carriage agreement with BSkyB, it was announced today. The Corporation says it will no longer use Sky’s conditional access system and from 30 May, for the first time, it will broadcast its eight TV channels unencrypted on digital satellite. The BBC’s director general, Greg Dyke, said:… Continue reading BBC Ends £85m Conditional Access Contract With BSkyB

The media and marketing group, Aegis has announced a 12.8% rise in profits for 2002, following an increase in business at the Carat network. Aegis said that improving market conditions helped revenues to climb by 11.9% to £591.9 million last year. Pre-tax profits totalled £71.4 million, up from £63.3 million in 2001. “2002 saw a… Continue reading Aegis Heartened By Positive Annual Results

Specialist consumer magazine publisher, Future Network, moved into the black during 2002, posting a £10.7 million pre-tax profit, according to this morning’s financial results. This follows a difficult 2001 when the group made a loss of £121.0 million (see Games Mags Recovery Could Drag Future Out Of ‘Most Difficult’ Period). Future launched 13 new magazines… Continue reading Future Network Moves Into Profit In 2002

Future Network, the international consumer magazine publisher, has agreed to purchase Hachette Digital Presse (HDP), a subsidiary of Hachette Filipacchi Presse in France, for £3.5 million cash. The division comprises three computer games magazines and DVD Magazine. The computer games magazines to be acquired are Official PlayStation 2 Magazine, Joystick and Joypad. Turnover for the… Continue reading Future Network Acquires French Computer Mags Division

Carlton Communications and Granada’s proposed £2.6 billion merger has been referred to the Competition Commission on the grounds that it could potentially lead to a “substantial lessening of competition” in the market for television airtime sales. Trade and industry secretary, Patricia Hewitt, today confirmed the decision, which will end hopes that a lengthy investigation of… Continue reading ITV Merger Referred To Competition Commission

2002 was a difficult year for internet businesses in the US and a new report from Webmergers claims that little more than $23 billion was spent on acquisitions, a decline of 70% on the previous year. Increased consolidation in the sector ensured that dealmaking remained active with 1,087 internet companies changing hands. This was equivalent… Continue reading Internet Dealmaking Remains Prevalent In 2002

The Government’s plans to relax the media ownership regulations to allow major newspaper groups to buy Channel Five could face defeat in the House of Lords, according to influential Labour peer, David Puttnam. In an interview with the Financial Times, Lord Puttnam warned the Government that up to 60 Labour peers could rebel against the… Continue reading Puttnam Warns Of Defeat Over Channel Five Ownership

The research and information company Taylor Nelson Sofres has announced a 12% rise in annual profits and is confident of further growth following a bright start to 2003. The group saw turnover, including joint ventures, increase by 6.2% to £618.9 million in 2002. As a result, TNS has now overtaken the WPP subsidiary Kantar to… Continue reading Taylor Nelson Sofres Achieves ‘Creditable’ Results In 2002