AOL has announced plans to offer unmetered internet access in the UK. Guaranteeing the sustainability of the service after recent failures (see AltaVista MD Quits Over Free Internet Access Fiasco), the US-based group is offering its current members a flat-rate monthly fee of £14.99.After research earlier this year showed the unmetered model to be unsustainable… Continue reading AOL To Roll Out Unmetered Internet Access In The UK
Big Brother finished its run on Friday but has already begun to slip from the public consciousness. The TV phenomenon which dominated the nation over the summer months finished on a high for Channel 4 with the grand finale gaining a peak audience share of 56.5% and giving C4 its best-ever Friday night ratings.The programme… Continue reading Feature: Big Impact, Short Life-Span
The Wireless Group has released its first set of interim results since flotation on the London Stock Exchange in May (see Sharewatch). The group, headed by Kelvin MacKenzie, has seen losses increase from £10.1m to £25.7m year on year, partly due to the launch and marketing expenditure for sports radio station talkSport and the purchase… Continue reading Wireless Group Reports Increased Losses In First Interim Results Since Flotation
Ulster Television has reported an increase in profits as part of its half-year results. Profits before taxation are said to have reached £20.4m by June 2000. For the same period in 1999 they were £2m, due to £4.2m spent on restructuring. Advertising and sponsorship income increased by 12% to £20m, and counted for over 97%… Continue reading Ulster Television’s Profits Up As Prospect Of Granada/Carlton Take-Over Looms
Chairman and CEO of Bates Worldwide Michael Bungey has announced his decision to step down from his position in order to concentrate on his duties as CEO of Cordiant. This morning he announced a new management structure at Bates which he will oversee until his departure in twelve months time.“The pace of growth of the… Continue reading Bungey To Step Down As CEO Of Bates Worldwide
Home shopping data, such as Taylor Nelson Sofres’ Superpanel, is to be used by researchers in a new study for the National Readership Survey (NRS). The study aims to show how different titles accumulate readership over time.The objective is to produce an audience accumulation curve for each of the titles measured by NRS. This will… Continue reading New NRS Study Will Show Accumulation Of Readership
Trinity Mirror continued to benefit from a good set of half-year results (see Trinity Mirror Restructures Management, Reports Profits Up 15%), and was one of the best media performers over the week. On Friday, shares rose 2½p to £5.42½, up 3% week on week.The best media performer last week was Ulster Television, whose share price… Continue reading Sharewatch
Monday MediaTel’s weekly media focus and analysis, Media Track, is featured in Campaign Media Business.Ulster Television and The Wireless Group release interim financial results.Jane O’Hara, managing director of Rajar, responds to Kelvin MacKenzie’s attack on its research methods (see MacKenzie Attacks Rajar’s ‘Widely Discredited’ Research Methods).Thursday A television viewing round-up for August will appear on… Continue reading The Week Ahead
Radio audience research body Rajar has responded to an attack on its methods made by Kelvin MacKenzie, chairman of the Wireless Group, in the Guardian newspaper two weeks ago (see MacKenzie Attacks Rajar’s ‘Widely Discredited’ Research Methods). The article accused Rajar of refusing to consider replacing the current diary system for audience measurement, which MacKenzie… Continue reading Rajar Defends Diary System Against MacKenzie’s Criticism
Pearson, which owns the Financial Times Group, has secured a 20% stake in Business.com. The deal will give FT.com information a prominent place on the US-based business news portal.The exact details of the deal have not been disclosed but it believed that Pearson paid $30m for a stake in the portal, which will showcase certain… Continue reading Pearson Invests $30m In Business.com
