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US advertising spending is forecast to drop 12% in 2009, although there may be somewhat of a levelling off in 2010, according to a recent Media Business Report from Jack Myers.com Media Network. The Myers report predicts a double-digit drop in total ad spending in 2009, following a 4% decline last year. This decline is… Continue reading US adspend forecast to drop 12% in 2009

GMG warns that the proposed tie-up between BBC Worldwide and Channel 4 would have a “damaging effect” on the commercial market.In its response to Lord Carter’s Digital Britain report, the Scott Trust owned company urged ministers to dismiss the idea – “put simply, we believe that the market should be given the opportunity to deliver… Continue reading GMG warns against C4 and BBC Worldwide tie-up

The National Readership Survey is currently putting together a development programme which, if it works, will see the body release a multi-platform report including readers’ interaction with media owners’ websites for the first time in 2011.The research body outlined the proposed programme to the NRS Board, whose members include the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising,… Continue reading NRS hopes to publish online data by 2011

Rhys McLachlan, head of broadcast implementation at Mediacom, looks at the phenomenal growth of video on demand and how it has helped change the broadcast landscape….Since YouTube demonstrated to an eager audience, back in the heady Web2.0 days of 2005, that video via the internet was a scaleable and consumer friendly proposition, we have witnessed… Continue reading Video On (& On & On & On) Demand

‘Catch-up’ on-demand viewing via digital cable (DCab) is to be incorporated into BARB reporting.This is being achieved with the continued rollout of Unitam meters from AGB Nielsen Media Research, which have been used by BARB since 2006.Only playback content which is an exact match to the original broadcast will be included in the published data,… Continue reading BARB to incorporate on-demand viewing via digital cable

ITN has appointed John Hardie, a senior executive at Disney and former ITV commercial director, as its new chief executive.Hardie is expected to take up his role with ITN in June, after he leaves Disney, where he has been executive vice-president and managing director across Europe, Middle East and Africa for eight years.Prior to that,… Continue reading ITN appoints ex-ITV director as chief exec

WPP’s chief Sir Martin Sorrell predicts an L-shaped, or prolonged, recession until 2010.Speaking to the Stationers’ and Newspaper Makers’ Company in the City last night, Sorrell said: “The first half of 2009 will be very tough, and the second half relatively better … relative to the first half.”Economists define an “L-shaped” recession as protracted periods… Continue reading Sorrell predicts L-shaped recession until 2010

Phorm, the behavioural targeting company at the centre of a recent row over privacy, has hit out at Google’s Latitude mobile service, accusing the firm of “adding yet more personal data to the extensive user information it collects”.Latitude, which lets mobile users allow people on their Gmail contact list to track where they are, was… Continue reading Phorm airs privacy fears over Google’s Latitude

Virgin Media TV is set to close its pay-TV channel Trouble within the next few months in a bid to start off-loading its content business.The broadcaster’s parent company Virgin Media will close the teenage-oriented channel, which is well-known for shows such as Veronica Mars and Kyle XY, and launch a new version of Living in… Continue reading Virgin is set to close Trouble and launch new Living channel

BBC One’s spectacular Comic Relief 2009 pulled in more than 12.7 million peak viewers on Friday evening.The fund-raising extravaganza, presented by Davina McCall and David Tennant, attracted more than 10.3 million average viewers and an impressive 42.7% share between 7pm and 10pm on Friday.The charity special switched to BBC Two for a short break for… Continue reading Comic Relief dominates the weekend ratings