Week commencing 2nd April 2007
 Channel 4 has called on Ofcom to consider two possible interventionist strategies in a bid to rescue its finances after a report forecast that the broadcaster would make a loss after 2010. The broadcaster said it was pleased the report, commissioned by Ofcom from consultants LEK, supported its view that its business model was "unlikely to remain viable in the longer term". Channel 4 has predicted for some time that its losses will be in excess of £100m a year by 2012. Source: Media Guardian.
 The London Paper has stolen a march on its rival, London Lite, after the Canary Wharf estate awarded the News International freesheet exclusive distribution rights. From today, the London Paper is licenced to distribute all over the Canary Wharf business district and shopping centres. Previously it was only available in a few offices with which News International had secured agreements. Associated Newspapers' London Lite, which was distributed by the firm's Evening Standard sellers during lunchtime, has lost access to the area. The London Paper will use dump bins on the Canary Wharf estate and in its shopping centres, although merchandisers will hand out the paper initially. "Up until now we have not been able to access the Canary Wharf audience," said Ian Clarke, the general manager of News International's free newspapers division. "We are absolutely delighted because obviously the type of people down there are exactly the type our advertisers are after. Source: Media Guardian
BBC Magazines has taken a step towards getting its titles published in America by signing a US content syndication deal. The magazine publisher has signed a deal with US syndication giant Newscom, which supplies more than 18m photos, graphics, illustrations and articles from more than 100 publishers and content creators. Initially, content from Good Food, the BBC's leading food title, and Olive, its magazine for young urban foodies, will be licensed to Newscom. Content from other titles will follow. The deal is believed to be a first for a British magazine publisher. Newscom already has deals in the UK with the Daily Mirror and book publisher Dorling Kindersley. "It's the first time we have done this on this scale," said the BBC Magazines head of licensing and syndication, James Hewes. Source: Media Guardian
IPC TX has announced that it is once again increasing the cover prices of its value sector titles What's on TV and TV easy, generating more than £1 million in extra retail sales value.
Starting from the issues on sale on April 10, What's on TV's cover price will increase by 1p to 43p and TV easy will increase by 2p to 42p. At the last ABCs, What's On TV retained the top spot in the TV listings sector, although it suffered a 4.3% year on year drop in circulation. TV easy, meanwhile, was up by just over 3% year on year, giving it a total circulation figure of more than 293,000. Source: Mediatel
 British teenagers are more than twice as willing to receive adverts on their mobile phones if they are targeted to their interests, according to a survey. A survey by Q Research of 1,500 teenagers in January found that 71% would accept mobile ads related to their interests, compared to 32% who would accept non-targeted ads. If advertisers offered discounts or special offers, 75% of teens said they would accept ads and that rose to 82% with the incentive of adverts in exchange for top-up credit. Seventy per cent said they would prefer picture ads, 53% video ads and 45% text ads. "These users have an intimate relationship with the mobile phone," Julian Smith, the insight and research director at media agency MEC Interaction. Source: Media Guardian
Research reveals that 50 per cent of marketers will use social networks to reach consumers this year. This follows the IAB's increased online ad spend findings, and suggests the trend for online networking is slowing traditional marketing methods. Social recommendation is key, as 25 per cent of users paste comments about an ad and 35 per cent have forwarded an ad to others. The results reveal huge potential for advertising on social networks, as 70 per cent of users are willing to put sponsored content on their space. Some 10 per cent have already branded their page. 68 per cent of consumers visit other sites for more information on brands their friends recommend online. In the UK, nearly 40 per cent of people use social networking sites every day for at least 30 minutes to one hour, with activity peaking between 8pm and 11pm. The results show that there are 215 million global user accounts of personal spaces. This is more than the number of people in the UK, France and Germany. Source: Mediatel
 Clear Channel Outdoor UK has won the five-year contract to operate large format outdoor advertising displays on Leeds City Council land. Clear Channel Outdoor has held the Leeds contract for the last six years, and it currently covers 71 key 48-sheet and 96-sheet displays in Leeds, including the 96-sheet Monopole Special on the M621, for which planning consent has already been obtained to convert to lightboxes. Barry Sayer, chief executive of Clear Channel Outdoor UK, said: "We have been Leeds City Council's advertising partner for the last six years and are delighted to be able to extend this for a further five. "These are the best locations in the City and we will invest heavily in upgrading a number of the displays." Source: MediaTel
ScreenFX plc the digital advertising and communications specialist, today announces that it has been awarded a significant contract to supply digital flat screen networks for advertising and other media content across the Land Securities' portfolio of thirteen shopping malls throughout the UK. The contract represents a combined footfall of 206 million consumers per annum, bringing ScreenFX up to a total footfall of 730 million consumers per annum. Source: Screenfxplc.com
 For 34 years LBC has stood for "London Broadcasting Company". Now London cabbies' favourite talk radio station is changing its name to "London's Biggest Conversation". Parent company Chrysalis is hoping to align the station with the user generated content phenomenon epitomised by YouTube and MySpace. Although the station's traditional image remains more old media than new, it receives around 140,000 phone calls and more than 50,000 text messages a month. It also has a paid-for podcast subscription service. "LBC is the home of entertaining conversation and this repositioning reflects the relationship our growing audience enjoys with LBC's presenters and programming," said the station's managing director, David Lloyd. Source: Media Guardian
People in the 15-34 age group are sticking with radio as a media format despite the new media explosion, according to results from Emap Advertising and Chrysalis Radio's first joint insight project. Radio has been revealed as providing young consumers with a social currency to communicate with friends, acting as a driver and inspiration for their online destinations, the results suggest. The research brief was devised jointly by Emap and Chrysalis who then used The Inside - Emap Advertising's unique panel of over 10,000 UK 16+ consumers - to examine the role played by radio in the lives of young adults in the new digital age. The study found that 84% of young adults use radio content as something to talk to their friends about, 47% of young consumers talk back at the radio, while a quarter often feel like contacting the shows via phone, text or email. Source: Mediatel
GCap Media's flagship 'indie' station, Xfm, is introducing a new programme to its schedule, with some big-name musicians taking over the airwaves every Sunday for a month at a time. At the last RAJARs, the total Xfm network recorded around an 80% rise in its weekly reach year on year. Its national share of listening went up slightly, whilst its hours per listener also saw an upturn, of more than 6.5% year on year. Source: Mediatel
 UK Top Ten (Friday 30th March - Sunday 1st April 2007)
1. Mr Bean's Holiday (PG)
2. 300 (15)
3. Meet The Robinsons (U)
4. The Hills Have Eyes 2 (18)
5. Premonition (12A)
6. TMNT (PG)
7. Amazing Grace (PG)
8. Norbit (12A)
9. Hot Fuzz (15)
10. The Last Mimzy (PG)
Source : Nielsen EDI
Edited by Lizzie Thomas and Becca Wilson
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