In a statement this morning WPP announced that it had extended the deadline on its Tempus offer until midnight on 29 October whilst discussions with the Takeover Panel continue. WPP has sought to invoke the ‘material adverse change’ clause in its initial offer following the terrorist attacks on the US which, it claims, seriously damaged… Continue reading WPP Extends Tempus Offer Pending Takeover Panel Decision
The number of DSL (digital subscriber line) customers worldwide reached 10 million at the end of June 2001, according to a new report released last week by Point Topic. This represents growth of 354% over the last twelve months. DSL is a system of delivering high-bandwidth (broadband) data to homes and businesses via an ordinary… Continue reading Worldwide DSL Users Breaks 10m Mark
Shares in ITV companies began to fall this morning as analysts at Merrill Lynch cut their forecasts for the Network’s advertising revenues. Reports quote the broker as pulling back 2001 growth from -14.5% to -15.5%; 2002 figures are understood to have been revised from -2.0% to -2.5%. Poor advance bookings for December are thought to… Continue reading ITV Stock Hit By Merrill Lynch Downgrades
Regional newspaper publisher Johnston Press has formally requested that the acquisition of eight titles from rival publishing group, Trinity Mirror, be investigated by the Competition Commission (CC). The move follows competition minister Melanie Johnson’s decision not to allow the deal to go ahead without a CC investigation (see Johnston Considers Requesting Regulator Approval For Trinity… Continue reading Johnston Press Refers Free Trinity Papers Acquisition To Competition Commission
Week on week analysis reveals a week of mixed fortunes for media companies, despite the IPA’s Bellwether report suggesting that the current advertising slowdown could be shortlived (see IPA Bellwether Says Downturn Will Be Brief).Granada and Carlton saw shares rise in week on week analysis, despite the Government rejecting calls made by the ITC to… Continue reading Sharewatch
ITV is moving The Premiership from its 7pm slot to a later time of 10.30pm, after the sports highlights programme failed to attract enough viewers. A move of this nature has been predicted by media-watchers ever since the timing of the new show was announced, and disappointing audience figures have added weight to the argument… Continue reading ITV Relegates Premiership
ITV’s chief executive Stuart Prebble has warned that the future of digital TV in the UK depends on the success of ITV Digital.Writing in today’s Media Guardian, Prebble said that the pay-per view platform is essential to Government’s plans to provide a “level playing field” between the three competing digital platforms, satellite, cable and digital… Continue reading Digital TV’s Future Depends On ITV Digital
Carlton is closing its pay TV channel, the Food Network, at the end of the year because of falling advertising revenues.Carlton’s director of business development, Matthew Kearney, said: “Carlton’s Food Network, in common with many specialist niche channels, has experienced weaker than expected advertising and e-commerce revenues. We do not see a realistic prospect of… Continue reading Carlton’s Food Network To Close
Viacom Outdoor has published a report showing that after a national bus advertising campaign 40% of adults remember seeing a specific advert.The “Wisdom” report, which brings together three years of research from Viacom’s planning and insight team at a cost of £500,000, is designed to help advertisers predict the effect of their bus advertising campaigns.The… Continue reading Viacom Publishes Bus Ad Research
