Trust agrees BBC participation in Project Canvas
The BBC Trust has given its provisional approval to the BBC’s involvement in Project Canvas, which aims to bring VoD services to Freeview and Freesat. However, it has imposed a number of conditions, including a cap on the BBC’s spend on the venture. The joint project, which counts the BBC, BT, Five, ITV, Channel 4 and TalkTalk as partners, aims to promote a common technology standard that would allow viewers with a broadband connection... [Read More...]
ABCe: Guardian extends UK website league lead
Guardian.co.uk strengthened its position as the UK’s most-visited newspaper website in November, posting a bigger growth rate month on month than its nearest rivals, MailOnline and Telegraph.co.uk. ABCe data for November shows Guardian.co.uk increased its worldwide unique user base 12.7 per cent from October, to 35.8 million unique users. This increase was ahead of MailOnline and Telegraph.co.uk, who posted rises of 5.4 per cent and 7.2 per... [Read More...]
Orange predicts record SMS use over Christmas
Orange has predicted the UK public will send 110m text messages on Christmas Day. This is an increase of 10 per cent on last year, which was a record year for Orange, with more than 100 million text messages and more than 1 million picture messages sent by customers on Christmas Day. Christmas Day is also expected to be the busiest for picture messages, with around 1.1 million photos sent. New Year’s Eve is also expected to break all records with... [Read More...]
Online advertising is on the rise
WHILE the economic downturn has hit advertising, the internet has been busy building market shares. Global ad spending is estimated to fall by over 10% this year, according to ZenithOptimedia, a media firm. The internet will account for 12.3% of all advertising spending in 2009, up from 10.1% last year, and double what it was in 2005. Online ad spending in Denmark, a country with near universal broadband penetration, overtook TV spending in 2008,... [Read More...]
Mirror is latest publisher to offer iPhone apps
Trinity Mirror is joining The Guardian and FT in launching iPhone apps, with apps for Mirrorfootball.co.uk and 3am.co.uk, plus the Daily Mirror and Daily Record. The iPhone apps for Mirrorfootball.co.uk and 3am.co.uk will be paid-for, although pricing has not yet been disclosed. The apps for the Daily Mirror and Daily Record will be free. No launch date for the apps has been released. The apps, which will carry advertising, aim to extend the reach... [Read More...]
TalkTalk and C4 sign up to internet-TV project
Telecoms operator TalkTalk and broadcaster Channel 4 have signed up to a planned scheme for internet-connected TV, called Project Canvas. Project Canvas, a proposed venture that already involves the BBC, ITV, RTL’s Channel Five and BT, would combine the internet with the popular Freeview digital television service, allowing users to download programmes from the internet through their televisions. The BBC said in a statement on Wednesday... [Read More...]
Lonely Planet names MD
Lonely Planet, owned by BBC Worldwide, has appointed Douglas Schatz to be its managing director EMEA. He replaces the position left vacant by Stephen Palmer, who transferred to become head of print in Australia. Schatz joins the business in January and reports to CEO Matt Goldberg. The company’s marketing director remains Shona Gold. He will be responsible for leading the company’s European business and delivering the strategy for print... [Read More...]
ITV launches first Facebook app
ITV has launched a personalised Facebook app which enables viewers to see when their favourite shows are available online and receive relevant recommendations. The broadcaster’s debut social media app, ITV Favourites, is designed to increase usage of its online TV service ITV Player. ITV Favourites, developed by TV Genius, also allows friends to share favourite shows and compare viewing habits. Viewers are directed to choose shows they like... [Read More...]