Channel 4: radio ambitions aim too high
20 July 2010Ofcom has awarded the UK’s second national commercial digital radio multiplex to Channel 4 Television, having rejected a competing bid from National Grid Wireless
Enders Analysis provides a subscription research service covering the media, entertainment, mobile and fixed telecommunications industries in Europe, with a special focus on new technologies and media.
Our research is independent and evidence-based, covering all sides of the market: consumers, leading companies, industry trends, forecasts and public policy & regulation. A complete list of our research can be found here.

Ofcom has awarded the UK’s second national commercial digital radio multiplex to Channel 4 Television, having rejected a competing bid from National Grid Wireless
Ofcom’s decision to hold a consultation on Sky’s pay DTT proposal will prevent its launch before Q1 2008 at the earliest and could be delayed to 2010 if Ofcom’s current investigation of the UK pay TV market ends, as seems increasingly likely, with a referral decision to the Competition Commission
Emap, the consumer and business-to-business (B2B) publisher, appears ripe for a break-up. This report examines the health of the group's principal consumer magazine and radio assets, as well as its B2B assets. The latter, in our view, could prove particularly attractive to media-hungry private equity, based on recent valuations of business media assets. The consumer magazines segment is under pressure from circulation declines, and Emap’s digital strategy for its titles has yet to bear fruit. Meanwhile, Emap’s radio division has not been spared the market's overall decline
This presentation expands on our report on Classified Advertising in Print and Online [2006-58], by examining the online classified market segments of recruitment, property and automotive, and their likely development to 2011. We anticipate the value of the UK classifieds market could be worth about £5.5 billion in 2011, compared to about £4.5 billion in 2006. We however expect exponential growth in online classified ad volumes, placing pressure on prices of all classifieds. Although disruptive effects on the classified supply chain are anticipated (e.g. estate agents, car dealerships), we believe these will be harder to break than new entrants might believe
The distribution business had a strong year, marred by a longer than usual Christmas hangover in the last quarter, but the early signs for the new financial year are promising
Another record quarter of subscriber growth testifies again to the strengths of Sky’s marketing strategy and its successful entry into the telecommunications arena. The target of 10 million subscribers by the end of 2010 looks increasingly likely
TM is now looking at a sales target of £450 million instead of £600 million, though the revised target may still be too high, with the sale taking place at a time when regional newspaper fortunes are at a low ebb
Other results present a mixed picture: some improvements in costs, some progress online, but persisting doubts about TM’s ability to match its competitors over national newspaper sales and advertising revenues
True to its reputation for innovation, France’s No. 2 ISP Free has launched TV Perso, a user-generated video-on-demand service, to its 1.5 million TV-over-DSL subscribers. Users will contribute uploads, emulating YouTube’s popular web-based model, as well as live broadcasts
Trinity Mirror has sold 39 of the more than 130 regional newspapers on the block, and looks set to generate £550-£570 million from its disposals by the end of Q3 2007, just shy of its £600 million target
Vodafone’s European operations revenue growth dropped, but not as much as various regulatory interventions would have warranted, implying a strong operational performance