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US consumer online sales increased by 2% to reach a new quarterly high of $17.9 billion in the three months to September, according to the latest findings from comScore. Despite the general lull in retail spending, online sales were up 35% against the third quarter of 2001. Year to date sales totalled $52.5 billion, 41%… Continue reading US Ecommerce Firms Cashing In, Says comScore

Shares in Aegis, Europe’s largest advertising media buyer, were up almost 10% in early trading after the company said it expected full-year results would be “significantly better” than in 2001. The group said that there were clear signs of improvement in US broadcast media while the European and Asia Pacific markets were performing in line… Continue reading Aegis Group Optimistic On Recovery

French outdoor media group JCDecaux has become the latest company to downplay the prospects for recovery in the global advertising market. Decaux revealed that third quarter sales were down to £224.5 million, a fall of 0.9% against the same period last year. Street furniture and billboard revenues were up by around 3% to £115 million… Continue reading Advertising Conditions To ‘Remain Tight’, Says JCDecaux

Lord Puttnam, chairman of the joint scrutiny committee on the Communications Bill, has called for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to be given full control over the new super-regulator, Ofcom. The creation of Ofcom, which will regulate radio and television broadcasting as well as the telecoms industry, is one of the key elements… Continue reading Peer Calls For DCMS Powers To Be Extended

Capital Radio posted the heaviest share price decline in the media sector yesterday, after the group reported poor RAJAR audience listening figures. Capital’s stock dropped by 32½p during yesterday’s trading, after the Q3 RAJAR data revealed that the group’s flagship London station, Capital 95.8 FM, saw its weekly reach drop by 4.5% to 2.6 million… Continue reading Capital Stock Hit By Poor RAJAR Figures

Radio executives in the US have predicted that the industry is set to see further consolidation in the next two or three years, according to a report from MediaPost. The report quotes Westwood One CEO, Joel Hollander, as saying that he ‘absolutely believes’ that some of the medium-sized operators will merge to take on the… Continue reading US Radio Set For Further Consolidation

Revenues fell by 3% during the third quarter of the year at global marketing communications group, WPP, with recovery in the markets emerging more slowly than had been anticipated. In its quarterly trading update, WPP said that whilst the rate of decline was lower in the third quarter than in the first half of the… Continue reading WPP Sees Muted Revenue Growth In Third Quarter

Vivendi Universal has agreed to sell its non-US publishing assets to Lagardere for E1.25 billion. The deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, will ensure that respected publications such as the Chambers and Larrousse reference books remain in French hands. It was initially expected that the US publisher, Houghton Mifflin would be sold with these… Continue reading Vivendi Sells Publishing Business To Lagardere

Despite an advertising pick-up in recent weeks, particularly in UK and US television, the strong conditions are not likely to remain going into 2003, with recovery expected to be muted, according to Merrill Lynch. The broker says that the UK’s ITV, whilst showing a strong viewing recovery during September, will nevertheless see its share of… Continue reading Ad Spend Could Hinge On Consumer Spend, Says Merrill Lynch

Global spending on online content will more than double in the next four years, according to a new report from analysts at IDC. The analysts predict that over $50 billion will be spent worldwide accessing online content this year and this is expected to rise to $108 billion in 2006. The Online Publishers Association (OPA)… Continue reading Online Content Revenues Set To Rise