American citizens are now able to get free long-distance telephone calls; the only ‘catch’ is that they must listen to advertising during the call. The scheme, called FreeWay, has been launched in Pittsburgh and entails the phone-caller building up a bank of free telephone time according to the amount of advertising they have listened to;… Continue reading US: Free phone calls
The Internet Advertising Bureau reports that advertising spending on the Internet in the US rose to the equivalent of £214 million in the final three months of 1997, against £68.75 million for the same period in 1996. In the UK, Internet advertising expenditure is set to reach £60 million a year in 1999; in the… Continue reading US: Internet ad spend increasing
The New South Wales print media have been told by the NSW health officer that if they publish photos of racing cars showing any tobacco logo they will be fined up to $30,000. Photos of the recent Melbourne Grand Prix had fallen foul of the law, and the health officer has warned that further transgressions… Continue reading AUS: Photos censored
The EC’s discussion document for a draft white paper on commerce has been debated by the Committee on Distribution and Commerce. The document appears largely to ignore the impact or role of commercial communications.
The EC is to refer Ireland to the European Court of Justice for its failure to communicate any national measures transposing Directive 92/100/EEC on rental right and lending right and on certain rights related to copyright in the field of intellectual property. The Directive is regarded by the EC as a key measure for completion… Continue reading EU: Trouble for Irish copyright law
The launch of ITV2, ITV’s digital terrestrial channel, is billed as an opportunity for advertisers to reach an audience ITV would die for – young, predominantly upmarket male light viewers who are interested in sport, music and light entertainment. While precise details of programming are still scarce, ITV2 has announced the kind of shows it… Continue reading Interview – Andrew Chowns, ITV2 Project Director
Barbara Roche, UK minister for telecoms, has said that Britain’s Data Protection Registrar is working on a proposal to prevent people receiving unsolicited e-mails through the insertion of suppression markers in their Internet addresses – a technique generally known amongst Internet users as “spamming” – and that the Direct Marketing Association is working on ideas… Continue reading UK: Government studies ‘spamming’
Media and music group Chrysalis today announced six month results which showed a drop in operating losses from £2 million to £1.2m while turnover rose from £59.3m to £61.3m. The group said that its radio division, which includes Galaxy and Heart , is moving towards profitability and the second half of the year has started… Continue reading Chrysalis Nearly In The Black
The Department of Trade & Industry held a seminar on the Commission’s Communication following up the Green Paper on 24 April at its offices in London. Lionel Stanbrook, the AA’s Deputy Director-General, acted as Rapporteur on behalf of industry, government and consumer speakers.
The EC Infringements Committee has again failed to endorse the complaint by European alcohol manufacturers against the French government’s ban on alcohol advertising, the Loi Evin. The Committee, again pressurised by the President of the Commission and the French Commissioners, has bizarrely asked for further information on the case, which is now comprehensively detailed and… Continue reading FR: Loi Evin safe for the World Cup?
