The media companies Kirch Group and CLT-Ufa are to step up efforts to persuade the EC to permit them to form a digital pay-TV joint venture. Karel Van Miert, Commissioner responsible for competition policy, has criticised their plan and said that the merger in its current form is unacceptable. His doubt appears to be that… Continue reading DE: Merger blocked
The Advertising Information GroupThe Advertising Information Group is a joint initiative of the main advertising and commercial communication tripartites in Europe. Core members include: the Zentralverband der Deutschen Werbewirtschaft, the UK Advertising Association, the Dutch Stichting Stuurgroep Reclame, the Austrian Fachverband Werbung und Marktkommunikation, and the Hungarian Advertising Association. The central aim of the Advertising… Continue reading AIG Submission to the European Commission DG VII (Transport) on Car Advertising and Road Safety
On 11 March the Advertising Association held a meeting with Lord Simon, the UK minister for trade and competitiveness in Europe, to discuss three issues: ˇ the recently-adopted Communication from the Commission, following up the Green Paper on Commercial Communications ˇ Article 169 infringement cases and the Commission’s response to them ˇ the arrangements to… Continue reading UK: AA meets Lord Simon
Unofficial BARB figures report that Channel 5 achieved its best ever week in terms of viewing figures for the week ending 22 March.The channel averaged a 4.6% audience share, beating its previous best of 4.2%. Thursday’s The Real Monty is being hailed as C5’s highest rating ‘documentary’, attracting 2.2 million viewers – a 12% viewing… Continue reading Channel 5 Achieves Its Highest Weekly Viewing
The PPA is seeking a change in ITC ruling to allow masthead programming on terrestrial television channels. In a submission presented to the ITC today, the PPA calls for ‘masthead programming across the full television spectrum’.Currently, ITC code only allows masthead programming on cable and satellite channels. The PPA argues that these programmes have not… Continue reading PPA Calls For Extension Of Masthead Programming
Don Cruickshank, director general of the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel, the government-backed regulatory authority overseeing telecommunications in the UK), has suggested that regulations preventing companies dominating the new communications marketplace should be introduced, and recommended they be included in a new authorisation system for operators who wanted to provide services in these sectors.
Simon Murphy (MEP for Midlands West, PES) along with other MEPs has condemned the Loi Evin, which bans all alcohol advertising in France. Mr Murphy told the Commission that the law had resulted in the effective banning of the re-transmission of televised sporting events benefiting from alcohol advertising or sponsorship in France. He believes it… Continue reading EU: Loi Evin challenged
IPC Magazines has announced the appointment of Alison Kervin as publisher of its golf and rugby titles within the Music & Sports Group. This includes Rugby World , Golf Monthly and Women & Golf .Kervin was previously editor of Rugby World.Subscribers can access the Press database by selecting “Press” from the drop-down box at the… Continue reading IPC Appoints New Publisher
In France, a proposed new media law has been put on hold at the last minute. Due for debate in Parliament in April, the government has said its legislative agenda is now so full that it has no time to introduce the draft law into Parliament until much later in the year. The draft law… Continue reading FR: Media law on hold
The European Parliament has adopted a Common Position aimed at strengthening consumer rights in cross-border trade, thus opening the possibility of legal action against suppliers in cross-border purchasing, advertising and trade disputes. The Common Position – due to be agreed by EU ministers in the coming months – means that the losing party in any… Continue reading EU: Common Position adopted
