NBC’s ‘Conviction’ Pilot Already on iTunes

The pilot of the new NBC show Conviction is a free download on iTunes - two weeks before it’s slated to air on television, according to PodGuide.tv (via MarketingVOX). The download already has what PodGuide terms “a very suspicious ten positive reviews,” adding, “c’mon, NBC, who do you think you’re kidding?” MicroPersuasion’s Rubel, on the other hand, says he’s “going to give NBC the benefit of the doubt on this one. It’s highly possible that consumers are jazzed about getting a new show for free.”

MSN AdCenter Still Getting Better Results than Google, Yahoo

MSN’s adCenter, still in beta, may not be in the running when it comes to search volume, but apparently quality - as a result of the demographic data it uses - is trumping quantity, producing better results for advertisers than Google or Yahoo, according to yet another search expert, writes InternetRetailer (via MarketingVOX). “Were seeing better results on MSN than on Google or Yahoo,” Dave Williams, chief strategist of search engine marketing firm 360i, is quoted as saying.

January Display Ad Impressions Trounce 2005’s Year-High

Some 138.2 billion display ad impressions were served up in January - a 12 percent increase from December’s 123.6 billion, according to new data from Nielsen/NetRatings AdRelevance, writes MediaPost (via MarketingVOX). The January numbers surpassed 2005’s year-high 124.5 billion, which came in October. The bulk of impressions, 35.1 percent, were on email sites - mostly Yahoo (22.3 percent) and MSN (9.6 percent).

Digital Advertising to Reach $23 Billion by 2010

All digital advertising segments - display, search, rich media, DVR, in-game and mobile - will grow in the next five years, reaching $23.5 billion in ad spending, according to analyst firm Parks Associates, writes ClickZ (via MarketingVOX). Digital media will account for 10 percent of overall ad spending in 2010, Parks forecasts, saying in 2005 digital media accounted for 5 percent, or $9.45 billion.

Fox News and Sirius Renew Agreement

Under undisclosed terms, Fox News has restored its Fox News channel and adds the Fox News Talk channel to Sirius Satellite Radio in a new long-term agreement the two companies announced last Friday, writes Mediaweek.

New On-Product Magazines to Change Media Mix

In a debut that may forever change the world of print media, the first On Product Publishing creation - a small magazine titled iLove that will be attached to a 600 ml bottled water targeting females 18-25 - will hit the market in early 2006, reports Gizmag.

Sirius Boasts Q4 Surge of Subs, XM to Allow More Ads

While Sirius Satellite Radio ended 2005 with a subscriber base of 3.3 million - almost a 200 percent increase over last year and about half of which occurred primarily in the fourth quarter in anticipation of Howard Stern’s January move to Sirius - Sirius’s larger competitor, XM Satellite Radio, announced that in the wake of its troubled financial statement, it plans to increase ad revenue in 2006, writes Mediapost.

2006 Olympics Looking to Be Worst Ever

Falling to Fox and ABC programming three out of four nights in a row last week, it is increasingly clear that this year’s Winter Olympics on NBC will be the lowest-rated games in Olympic history, writes Media Life. The 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, which averaged 21.5 million total viewers over 16 nights, currently ranks as the lowest rated Olympics. The Torino Games have averaged 21.1 million total viewers per night.

Phasing Out Consolidation, Making Room for Creativity

Though the ad industry trend of consolidation continues, some marketers are shifting from using a single lead-agency to a more creative approach, using multiple shops, reports Adweek. Companies utilizing the decentralized approach include Coca-Cola, Macy’s, Motorola, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, and Sony Electronics.

More than $500 million in ad spending exchanged hands when Disney, Macy’s, Motorola and Sony made shifts in January 2005. These companies appear to prefer choice and interagency competition to the relative simplicity of using one agency.

Automakers to Nearly Double Online Ad Spending

The results of a study released Thursday by online research company eMarketer predicts that over the next two years automakers will increase their online ad spending from 2005’s budget of $1.4 billion to $2.7 billion in 2007, writes B to B.