On 5 March the European Court of Justice (ECJ) gave a preliminary ruling in a seminal case concerning Sweden’s state-run retail alcohol monopoly (which generates six per cent of the national tax revenue). The case could have significant repercussions for Sweden’s state finances as well as for other European countries with similar monopolies. There are… Continue reading EU: ECJ Condemns Swedish Monopoly
Mario Monti, the EC Commissioner for the Single Market, is understood to be seeking a decision on whether the Commission should draft a Directive on the harmonisation of rules on media ownership. The Commission will debate this issue on 12 March. It is understood that Monti has achieved an understanding with Martin Bangemann (Industry Commissioner)… Continue reading EU: EC Studies Harmonisation Of Rules
Canal Plus, the French pay-TV broadcaster, has complained to the Conseil de la Concurrence (the French competition court) that its rival, TF1, is abusing its dominant position in the French TV market, via its advertising subsidiary, TF1 Publicite. It appears that the basis of the complaint is the claim by Canal Plus that TF1 Publicite… Continue reading FR: Canal Plus Brings Competition Case
The UK Direct Marketing Association has drawn up guidelines for best practice in direct marketing, and is seeking responses from the industry. The guidelines cover such issues as the development of an email preference service and customer service standards. Copies of the guidelines are available online from [email protected].
The Vatican has issued a 30-page report entitled “Ethics in Advertising” in which it calls upon advertisers to desist from using allegedly sinful imagery and standards. Prepared by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, the document accuses some advertisers of making “deliberate appeals to such motives as envy, status-seeking and lust.” However, the report also… Continue reading IT: Vatican Report On Advertising
Details of ITV’s and Channel 4’s plans for their joint-venture digital multiplex are beginning to emerge *ITV And C4 Join Forces For Digital Launch.The two companies are reported to be working on a jointly produced TV channel that would be available on their multiplex. The two networks are also said to be considering forming an… Continue reading ITV And Channel 4 Announce Digital Plans
Following the recent launch of EMAP’s new sales house, EMAP Internet Sales EMAP Creates Web Sales House, Newsline met Carol Dukes, director of EMAP Online, to discuss the issues surrounding advertising on the Internet.As one would imagine, Dukes is extremely positive about the future of the Internet and its ability to survive as an advertising… Continue reading Interview: Carol Dukes, Director Of EMAP Online
Channel 5 had hoped to increase its penetration by doing distribution deals with cable companies, but this plan has run into trouble.Undisclosed cable operators are now reported to be demanding free advertising on Channel 5 in return for carriage. Channel 5 is said to find these terms unacceptable.The negotiations were being carried out centrally by… Continue reading Cables Crossed With Channel 5
This week saw the launch of Web Wide Media, the world’s first Internet sales house which is joint owned by BSkyB and Ozemail, the Australian Internet service provider *BSkyB To Launch Internet Ad Service.The company will focus its operations on consumer behavioural patterns rather than demographics because it believes the World Wide Web has the… Continue reading BSkyB Web Sales House Launches
With less than a week to go before the media department of Lowe Howard-Spink relaunches as the London office of Western International *Lowe Group Creates New Media Company, a new director of broadcast has been appointed. Colm Feeney, a TV manager at Lowes, will take control of £72 million of TV billings from the former… Continue reading Lowes Goes West
