UK Media Spend Boosted by Press and Direct Mail - Warc News

News: May 8, 2007

UK Media Spend Boosted by Press and Direct Mail

LONDON: Media spend in the UK has risen 5% in the 12 months ending March 31, according to latest figures from industry researcher Thomson Intermedia.

The demise of the press appears to have been reported prematurely as Thomson's data show spend in the medium increased by 10% through the 12 months, thanks in the main to more colour pages available in quality titles.

However, other traditional media have not fared so well. Television spend was down 4% year-on-year to £3.9 billion ($7.78bn; €5.72bn) and radio slipped 9% to £305 million.

The firm says the UK's biggest commercial broadcaster, ITV, saw its flagship channel's advertising sales fall 11%, although the decline is levelling out.

The broadcaster's digital channels all grew by at least 50%, "though their scale remains insufficient to offset overall losses", says the researcher.

Online display advertising rose 9% to £164m.

The strongest growth, according to Thomson, was seen in the direct mail sector, up 17% to £1.3bn. Outdoor climbed 7% to £801m and cinema increased 8% to £145m.

Comments ceo Sarah Jane Thomson: "There is a strong sense of media being in transition and tremendous uncertainty about what will happen as the pace of change seems to get faster daily.

"Advertisers naturally want to stay ahead of the curve and get things right, but one fear we should see assuaged with time is of audience fragmenting endlessly, eroding forever the critical mass traditional media once offered."

Data sourced from Brand Republic (UK); additional content by WARC staff, 08 May 2007

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