Consumer spending is predicted to slow during 1998, with consumer durables being the worst hit, according to a report published by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).The Quarterly State of the Market Report forecasts that consumer durables, especially car sales, will feel the effect of an economic climate where building society windfalls are less and… Continue reading Consumer Boom Is Over, Says CIM
Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) has announced that it plans to use internet browser software in its digital cable television services. It has placed an order with Network Computer Inc. (NCI), an affiliation between Oracle and Netscape, for the DTV Navigator – software which will use the internet to deliver interactive services to customers’ televisions.Graham… Continue reading CWC To Incorporate The Net With Its Digital Cable Service
The Mirror Group issued its preliminary annual results for the year ended 28 December 1997 today. The company makes no reference to the reportedly imminent sale of Newspaper Publishing (producers of The Independent) to Irish co-owners, Independent Newspapers.The Group reports profit before tax and exceptionals of £92 million, up 12% from £82 million. Turnover is… Continue reading Mirror Group Profits Up 12% But No News On Independent Titles
The Radio Authority (RA) has announced that it has awarded a new Independent Local Radio (ILR) licence to Chelmer FM (Mid Essex Radio Ltd.) after considering proposals from seven other applicants.The station will provide a service of news and informative speech of local relevance for the community across part of mid-Essex. It will also feature… Continue reading RA Awards Two New ILR Licences
Emap On Air has appointed Charlie Norton as head of sponsorship and promotions for Emap’s television interests which include The Box and Magic TV, due for launch this Spring (subscribers see Box To Launch Sister Channel). Norton joins Emap On Air from Kiss TV where he was commercial manager.Tom Toumazis, managing director of Emap On… Continue reading Emap Appoints New Head Of TV Sponsorship & Promotions
The proposed £17.5 billion merger of Reed Elsevier and Wolters Kluwer has been abandoned, it has just emerged.A statement from Reed says that the decision was made by the boards of Reed International, Elsevier and Wolters Kluwer due to disagreements over the terms of the merger.During the last few days Wolters Kluwer made it known… Continue reading Reed And Wolters Call Off Merger
The European Commission has agreed a Communication which aims to encourage cross-border “commercial communications” whilst ensuring protection of consumer rights.The measures include the application of a transparent method of assessing whether restrictions on cross-border commercial communications are proportional to public interest objectives, an accelerated complaints process and the creation of a group of Member States’… Continue reading EC Encourages Cross-Border Ad Campaigns
Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown has asked the government to investigate whether there is a case for referring The Times‘ ownership by News International to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission (MMC).Ashdown has asked industry secretary Margaret Beckett to consider whether News International has broken the agreement it made when it bought The Times in 1981… Continue reading Ashdown Asks For Inquiry Into Times Ownership
British Digital Broadcasting has selected Pace Micro Technology to manufacture its digital terrestrial TV set-top boxes. BDB’s service is set to launch in the Autumn of this year.The Pace boxes will use the SECA encoding system which is not compatible with BSkyB’s digital satellite TV (subscribers see BDB Snubs Murdoch In Decoder Choice). This system… Continue reading BDB Chooses Pace For Set-Top Boxes
Monday: The Mirror Group releases final year financial results. The group has said that no announcement regarding the sale of its stake in the Independent is expected to be made (subscribers see Rumours Surround Future Of Independent Ownership).Home Counties Newspapers and Johnston Press will be making a submission to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission which… Continue reading The Week Ahead
