TiVo plans to begin this summer to provide anonymous, second-by-second ratings data for programmes and commercials airing in local U.S. markets, which the company says will provide greater granularity than current ratings samples from Nielsen and other measurement firms. The new “StopWatch Local Markets” service will only launch in a handful of markets–at least three, […]

German financial watchdog Bafin has launched a probe into possible insider trading and market manipulation involving shares in German pay-TV broadcaster Premiere. The investigation focuses on trades that may be related to a correction of Premiere subscriber numbers last year, a Bafin spokeswoman said. Premiere also confirmed that the probe was under way but declined […]

If current growth trends continue, the Internet will overtake traditional TV as the most consumed form of media for the first time in June 2010. Internet consumption in 2010 will average 14.2 hours per week, or over 2.5 days a month, compared to 11.5 hours a week, or 2 days a month, for TV, according […]

According to research advisory company The Diffusion Group (TDG), Pay TV operators must execute three specific tactics in order to defend against emerging competitors and take full advantage of their unique position in the video value chain. Specifically, TDG argues that Pay TV operators must: – Push existing cable network TV programmes online; – Deliver […]

Global advertising spending is set to fall 6.9 per cent this year to $453 billion with the Internet the only medium to attract higher expenditure on ads, media agency ZenithOptimedia said, cutting a previous forecast. ZenithOptimedia predicts the rate of decline would slow towards the end of the year and said spending might pick up […]

Broadband households in Europe and the US consistently rank primetime anytime VOD services as the most valuable service out of all TV 2.0 offerings, according to the Parks Associates report 'Television Services: The Global Outlook'. The international research firm says that primetime anytime services, which allow viewers to watch a show on-demand on their TV […]

According to Entertainment Trends In America, a tracking study conducted by market research company The NPD Group, most consumers plan to hold steady or increase their entertainment spending in 2009. According to the NPD report, 75 per cent of consumers surveyed said they will spend the same amount or more on digital music downloads as […]

Virgin Media has revealed the findings from the first-ever dynamic advertising trial on its on demand TV service. As part of a three-month trial, ads from leading brands including Kellogg's, John Lewis and Royal Mail, were inserted around selected on demand programmes from Virgin Media TV, Channel 4 and Warner TV, to 100,000 homes across […]

From David del Valle in Madrid Following the example of France, the Spanish Government has announced that it will drastically limit advertising on public television (which could even result in its complete elimination) as part of a wide-ranging new audiovisual law. The measure would directly affect national broadcaster RTVE – which operates La Primera and […]

The European Commission has opened an infringement proceeding against the UK after a series of complaints by UK Internet users, and extensive communication of the Commission with UK authorities, about the use of a behavioural advertising technology known as ‘Phorm’ by Internet service providers. The proceeding addresses several problems with the UK’s implementation of EU […]