Zillow(R) Launches the Zillow BlackBerry(R)App
*Zillow® Launches the Zillow BlackBerry®App*
Zillow Continues Mobile App Expansion, Giving 90% of Smartphone Users a Dedicated Zillow App forHome Shopping
SEATTLE – March 31, 2011 — Zillow, the leader in mobile realestate, today announced the launch of the Zillow BlackBerry App for Research inMotion®’s BlackBerry smartphones. The addition of a BlackBerry app – along withZillow’s lineup of leading real estate apps on iPhone®, iPad®, and Android™ –means more than 90 percent[i] ofsmartphone users can now access the power of Zillow’s rich real estate information on more than 100million properties.
Zillow is used on a mobile device more than 6.5 milliontimes each month, with 23 million visits to home detail pages.
“We’re excited today to expand the Zillow mobile experienceto the millions of Americans who are passionate BlackBerry users,” said SpencerRascoff, chief executive officer of Zillow. “Many of our fans – including significantnumbers of real estate professionals – have asked us to bring ourtransformative mobile experience to the BlackBerry platform, and we’re thrilledto give them this option today.”
The location-based Zillow BlackBerry App uses GPS technologyto find and follow users on an aerial map, and displays Zestimate® homevaluations, homes for sale, homes for rent, Rent Zestimates, Make Me Move®listings and recently sold data on the homes around them. Additional featureson the Zillow BlackBerry App include:
· Multiple search filters that include price,number of bedrooms and bathrooms and other valuable home-related information.
· Homes viewable on a map with high-resolutionsatellite and street view.
· Home search by location or by typing in a city,ZIP code or address.
· Full-screen color photos of homes.
The Zillow BlackBerry App isavailable today and is free to download. The Zillow BlackBerry app can befound online at BlackBerryApp World in the “shopping” category, or by searching for “Zillow.”
More information about theZillow BlackBerry App is available at www.zillow.com/mobile/.
About Zillow
Zillow is a real estate marketplace where homeowners, buyers, sellers,renters, real estate agents and mortgage professionals find and share vitalinformation about homes and mortgages. Launched in early 2006 with Zestimate® homevalues and data on millions of U.S.homes, Zillow has since added homesfor sale and homesfor rent, a directoryof real estate and lending professionals,ZillowAdvice, ZillowMobile apps and ZillowMortgage Marketplace. One of themost-visited U.S. real estate brands, with 16.8 million unique visitors inFebruary 2011, Zillow’s goal is to help people become smarter about homes andreal estate in every stage of their lives — homebuying, selling, renting, remodelingand financing. The company is headquartered in Seattle.
Zillow, Zestimate and Make Me Move are registeredtrademarks of Zillow, Inc.
Research in Motion andBlackBerry are registered trademarks of Research in Motion Limited.
iPhone and iPad are registeredtrademarks of Apple Inc.
Android is a trademark ofGoogle Inc.
Scripps Partners with Yahoo! to Drive Consumers to Local Businesses
*Scripps Partners with Yahoo! to Drive Consumers to Local Businesses*
CINCINNATI, March 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Businesses in two major markets will soon benefit from the marketing muscle created by combining the strong local advertising solutions of The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP
The collaboration adds Yahoo!’s display inventory to the portfolio of products sold by the advertising reps at Scripps television stations. As a result, local advertisers will benefit from expanded digital reach and increased behavioral targeting opportunities that can deliver more meaningful results based on the geography, demographics and interests of potential customers.
Detroit’s WXYZ (www.wxyz.com) and Cleveland’s WEWS (www.newsnet5.com), news leaders in their respective markets, are the first Scripps stations to participate in the program. The aggregate power of the stations’ current Web assets and Yahoo! technology represents a compelling tool for local advertisers who want the unduplicated reach of 98 percent of the Detroitmarket (or 2,738,000 unique visitors in December 2010, according to comScore) or the Cleveland market (2,212,000 unique visitors).
In addition, the Scripps stations currently provide market-specific content to Yahoo! properties, including the Yahoo! homepage.
“WXYZ and WEWS have long been pioneers that know how to deliver large and engaged audiences,” said Brian Lawlor, senior vice president of television, “but the partnership with Yahoo! takes the stations’ commitment to the local businesses of Detroit and Cleveland to a significantly higher level. Marrying one of America’s oldest media companies with one of the world’s savviest new-media brands is great for both organizations, but the real winners are the businesses in Michigan and Ohio who have an effective new way to boost their revenues.”
“Yahoo! is committed to ensuring local businesses reach high quality target audiences, and only Yahoo! offers all the elements needed for great advertising today: the science to understand and target an audience, the art to create lasting engagement with consumers through context, and the scale to reach the right person in the right setting in meaningful numbers,” said Lem Lloyd, vice president North America Channel Sales and Small Business. “This partnership meaningfully expands our local offering and offers advertisers access to the technology and scale they need to effectively reach online consumers.”
Scripps already partners with Yahoo! as a founding member of the Yahoo! Newspaper Consortium.
*About Scripps*
The E.W. Scripps Company is a diverse media enterprise with interests in television stations, newspapers, local news and information Web sites, and syndication of news features and comics. The company’s portfolio of locally focused media properties includes: 10 TV stations* *(six ABC affiliates, three NBC affiliates and one independent); daily and community newspapers in 13 markets; the Washington, D.C.-based Scripps Media Center, home of the Scripps Howard News Service;* *and United Media, the syndicator of news features and comics.* *For a full listing of Scripps media companies and their associated Web sites, visit http://www.scripps.com/.
SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company
Mobisella – Classified Ads just got truly mobile with this new free app
Mobisella – Classified Ads just got truly mobile with this new free app
Banbury, GB Mar 31, 2011 in Lifestyle http://prmac.com/i_lifestyle.htm
[prMac.com] Banbury, United Kingdom – The Glow Agency Limited today is pleased to announce the release of Mobisella 1.5 for iOS devices, their free-to-download free-to-use mobile classified ad platform that posts to multiple sites at the same time including eBay and Craigslist. Mobisella has been developed exclusively for mobile-to-mobile classifed advertising. It’s simple to use, just take up to 3 pictures, write a few words and hit post – that’s it.
It takes 2 minutes to register and then you’re free to post as many ads as you want, and it doesn’t matter what you’re selling or how much you are selling it for, there’s no charge, commission or fees to pay – it’s totally free. Your classified ads stay on the system for 30 days and you can easily delete ads once your items have been sold. Searching for things is quick and easy too, if you find something you like you can contact the seller via Mobisella using your user name – it’s totally secure. And Mobisella uses location to help find things close to home.
If you have accounts with eBay, Craigslist, Facebook, Twitter or linkedIn then use the settings menu to link Mobisella to those sites and then everytime you post an ad to Mobisella it will automatically go there as well. Other websites to be added include Amazon Marketplace, Gumtree and Oodle.
Device Requirements: * iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad * Requires iOS 4.0 or later * 3.0 MB
Pricing and Availability: Mobisella 1.5 is free and available in the US, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India (available globally by the end of 2011), exclusively through the App Store in the Lifestyle category. Free mobile-to-mobile mobile-to-web classified advertising. Mobisella 1.5
Headquartered in Banbury, United Kingdom, The Glow Agency was launched in 2009 by Dan Johnson, an advertising Creative Director and Media expert Ben Newton. Glow, working with technical development partners AgencyMobile, are developing mobile media products for a number of large media groups both online and in print. Copyright (C) 2011 The Glow Agency Limited. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.
Patrick Wehrmann wird Leiter Geschäftsbereich “Classifieds” der Axel Springer AG
Patrick Wehrmann, 41, bisher kaufmännischer Verlagsgeschäftsführer des Vorstandsbereichs BILD-Gruppe und Zeitschriften, übernimmt zum 1. April 2011 die Leitung des Bereichs “Classifieds” im Geschäftsführungsbereich Elektronische Medien der Axel Springer AG . In dieser Funktion verantwortet er die Beteiligungen des Konzerns an den Rubrikenportalen SeLoger.com, StepStone und Immonet.de. Patrick Wehrmann berichtet an Dr. Jens Müffelmann, 44, Leiter Geschäftsführungsbereich Elektronische Medien. Für das neu erworbene französische Immobilienportal SeLoger.com berichtet Patrick Wehrmann an Ralph Büchi, 53, President Axel Springer International, der u.a. für das Frankreich-Geschäft von Axel Springer und damit auch für SeLoger.com verantwortlich ist.
Online-Rubrikenmärkte sind eine der drei zentralen Säulen der Digitalisierungsoffensive bei Axel Springer und steuern bereits heute einen signifikanten Teil zum Konzernergebnis bei. Unter der Führung von Patrick Wehrmann, der vor seiner Tätigkeit im Vorstandsbereich BILD-Gruppe und Zeitschriften unter anderem als langjähriger Geschäftsführer von Axel Springer France tätig war, sollen das französische Immobilienportal SeLoger.com und die übrigen “Classifieds”-Aktivitäten weiter im Konzern vernetzt und der Geschäftsbereich insgesamt ausgebaut werden.
Apartments.com Launches Redesigned Site to Help Renters Find the Perfect Apartment
Apartments.com Launches Redesigned Site to Help Renters Find the Perfect Apartment
Website Enhancements Give Renters More Control Over Their Apartment Search, Creating Easy Access to Listings that Meet Their Needs
CHICAGO, March 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Apartments.com recently launched a redesigned website that offers a faster, easier and more intuitive way for renters to search for – and find – the perfect apartment. The new website puts Apartments.com advertisers in touch with highly-qualified renters by closely matching their property listing to the specific search criteria of the user. By providing apartment shoppers with a more powerful search experience through several key website enhancements–including a redesigned home page, intuitive navigation and one click access to relevant search results–Apartments.com continues to deepen its footprint as a national, category leader within the rental space.
“We want to make the apartment search process more meaningful for renters,” said Kevin Doyle, senior vice president and general manager, Apartments.com. “To help simplify this experience, we conducted extensive user testing and research to pinpoint what renters want most during their apartment search. In response, we have retooled our site to answer those needs, including the most relevant results in fewer clicks, streamlined options to begin an apartment search and keeping results fresh by indicating which listings are new or have been recently updated. By enhancing our site experience for renters, we are confident that our advertisers will benefit from an increased number of renters contacting their leasing offices who are ready to rent.”
One Click Access to Apartment Search Results
Apartments.com visitors can now access search results in one click. With a streamlined website design featuring intuitive navigation that begins with either a city, state, zip code or map-based search option from the homepage, Apartments.com visitors can now reach apartment community listings in fewer steps. To assure apartment hunters that they are receiving the freshest set of results, listings that are new or have been updated with current rental information are labeled “New” or “Updated.”
A More Relevant Search Experience
A more intuitive search experience gives apartment shoppers more control to view apartment communities that best match their rental requirements, increasing the number of qualified renters contacting the leasing office. To help apartment hunters distinguish which communities suit their needs, listings which are exact matches to their search criteria will appear at the top of search results and be clearly labeled as “Best Match,” followed by “Close Match,” listings which are those that most closely meet the specifications of the renter but are not exact. Once the results have been delivered, renters can continue to narrow down their options using advanced filtering functions on the website.
Visit Apartments.com at http://www.apartments.com to check out the latest website enhancements. Apartments.com advertisers interested in a personal tour or demo of the website are encouraged to contact their advertising consultant today.
About Apartments.com
Apartments.com (http://www.apartments.com) is a leading national apartment Internet listing subscription service with more than 50,000 unique addresses representing millions of rental units from managed properties, newspaper classifieds and for-rent-by-owner properties. By incorporating the most relevant products to reach renters including personalized searches and highly visual ads featuring live chat, real-time rent, online video walk-through demonstrations, professional photography, a mobile website and iPhone app, Apartments.com creates easy access to its listings. Providing unmatched exposure to its advertisers through an intuitive name, strategic search engine placements, featured partnerships including Yahoo! Real Estate, Univision and more than 120 newspaper websites and innovative emerging media, Apartments.com reaches millions of renters nationwide, driving both qualified traffic and highly-engaged renters to leasing offices nationwide. Apartments.com is a division of Chicago-based Classified Ventures, LLC. The Apartments.com network of apartment rental websites includes Apartment Home Living (http://www.apartmenthomeliving.com), a leading social media apartment website distinguished by a “live for fun” community experience, proprietary lifestyle matching and local living guides to help renters find their perfect place to live.
SOURCE Apartments.com
Apartments.com
CONTACT: Tammy Kotula, Public Relations & Promotions Manager of Apartments.com, +1-312-601-5249, tkotula@apartments.com
Web Site: http://www.apartmenthomeliving.com/
Kai Nikolaizig übernimmt Online- und Mobile-Geschäft bei Fujitsu
Aufbau eines neuen Vertriebsbereichs für die Region EMEA&I
München, 28. März 2011 – Kai Nikolaizig, 42, übernimmt zum 1. April 2011 die neugeschaffene Position des Senior Director New Media & Mobile bei Fujitsu Technology Solutions. In dieser Funktion soll er für Fujitsu die Strategie für die neuen Vertriebskanäle New Media und Mobile entwickeln und für die EMEA&I-Region implementieren. Er berichtet an Hans-Dieter Wysuwa, Head of Product Sales Group.
Für seine neue Aufgabe bringt Kai Nikolaizig die besten Voraussetzungen mit: Der studierte Diplomkaufmann war zuletzt alleiniger Geschäftsführer der markt.gruppe. Die markt.gruppe stellt Kunden crossmediale Vertriebsmöglichkeiten innerhalb ihres Netzwerks von acht starken Online-Plattformen – wie etwa Immowelt.de – und von über 150 Tageszeitungen zur Verfügung. Nikolaizig befasste sich dort schwerpunktmäßig mit Themen wie strategisches und operatives Beteiligungsmanagement, der Weiterentwicklung von crossmedialen Vertriebs- und Marketingkooperationen sowie dem Aufsetzen einer Mobilstrategie und dem Launch mehrerer Mobilportale.
Zuvor war der gebürtige Niedersachse bei Online-Pionieren wie AutoScout24 oder Payback in verschiedenen Management-Funktionen auf europäischer Ebene tätig.
Informationen zu Fujitsu finden Sie auch auf unseren Kanälen im Web 2.0:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Fujitsu_DE
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Fujitsu.DE
Fujitsu-Blog: http://blog.de.ts.fujitsu.com
Fujitsu-Newsroom: http://de.fujitsu.com/newsroom
Über Fujitsu
Fujitsu ist einer der führenden internationalen Anbieter von ITK-basierten Geschäftslösungen. Mit rund 170.000 Mitarbeitern betreut das Unternehmen Kunden in 70 Ländern. Ein weltweites Netzwerk von System- und Services-Experten, hochverlässliche Computer- und Kommunikationsprodukte und modernste Mikroelektronik liefern den Kunden einen echten Mehrwert. Im Geschäftsjahr 2009 (zum 31. März 2010) erzielte Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) mit Hauptsitz in Tokio, Japan, einen konsolidierten Jahresumsatz von 4,6 Billionen Yen (50 Milliarden US-Dollar). Weitere Informationen finden Sie im Internet unter http://www.fujitsu.com
Über Fujitsu Technology Solutions
Fujitsu Technology Solutions ist der führende europäische IT-Infrastruktur-Anbieter. Mit seinem Angebot für Großunternehmen, kleine und mittelständische Firmen sowie für Privatkunden ist das Unternehmen in allen Schlüsselmärkten Europas, Afrikas, des Nahen Ostens und auch in Indien vertreten. Im Rahmen seiner strategischen Ausrichtung auf “Dynamic Infrastructures” bietet das Unternehmen ein umfassendes Portfolio an IT-Produkten, Lösungen und Services – von PCs und Notebooks über Rechenzentrumslösungen bis hin zu Managed Infrastructure und Infrastructure-as-a-Service. Fujitsu Technology Solutions beschäftigt über 13.000 Mitarbeiter und ist Teil der globalen Fujitsu Gruppe. Weitere Informationen finden Sie im Internet unter http://de.ts.fujitsu.com/aboutus
Fujitsu Technology Solutions GmbH
Blandina Mangelkramer
Mies-van-der-Rohe-Straße 8
80807 München
089-62060-4458
http://de.fujitsu.com
Pressekontakt:
Fleishman-Hillard Germany GmbH
Robert Belle
Herzog-Wilhelm-Straße 26
80331 München
fujitsu-PR@fleishmaneurope.com
0892303160
http://www.fleishman.de
PubliGroupe confirms its return to profitability
P: net profit 2010 of CHF 42.6 million – Resumption of dividend payment
Lausanne, 18 March 2011 – PubliGroupe posted a net result of CHF 42.6 million in 2010. This return to profitability is due to the positive earnings contribution made by all three currently active business segments. Operational improvements and new agreements with media partners have enabled a faster turnaround than planned, especially in classic media marketing. The Search & Find segment, which focuses on clients in local markets, delivered the largest contribution to group earnings. Great progress was made across all segments of the highly promising digital services business, with overall growth of 33%. The Board of Directors is proposing a dividend of CHF 6 to the General Meeting.
* The net result came to CHF 42.6 million (2009: CHF -20.3 million), while the operating result (EBIT) stood at CHF 32.6 million (2009: CHF -2.9 million). * The consolidated gross margin stabilized at CHF345.3 million (2009: CHF 362.1 million). The overall volume of business was CHF 1.47 billion (2009: CHF 1.61 billion). After adjusting for exchange rate differences, the declines were -3.4% and -6.9% respectively. * Media Sales achieved its operational turnaround quicker than planned, with EBITDA of CHF 6.5 million (2009: CHF -22.8 million) and EBIT of CHF 0.5 million (2009: CHF -28.6 million). * Owing to one-off costs associated with structural adjustments and the development of a new online service, Search & Find suffered a slight fall in EBIT to CHF 27.7 million (2009: CHF 31.8 million). * Digital & Marketing Services saw –despite a strong operational performance – its EBIT decline to CHF 1.8 million (2009: CHF 8 million, inflated by a one-off profit from investments of CHF 4 million). The decrease is due to the fact that the net profit of Zanox (PubliGroupe holds 47.5% of Zanox) is negatively impacted by CHF 4 milliondue to one-off items, a weaker euro exchange rate and costs resulting from the IFRS treatment of prices paid for acquisitions by Zanox. * Including the CHF 504 million revenue posted by Zanox that is not consolidated by PubliGroupe and the non-consolidated portion of revenue at local.ch (49% PubliGroupe), PubliGroupe’s cumulative revenue from online services came to CHF 657 million (+33%). * Disposals of non-strategic assets continued. Proceeds from these disposals and the return to a positive operating cash flow (CHF 29.6 million) made it possible to reduce the Group’s bank debt from CHF 165 million on 31 December 2009 to CHF 93 million on 31 December 2010, while also continuing to invest in growing markets. * Its successful reorientation and consolidation is allowing PubliGroupe to profit from the expected slight recovery in the advertising market and to press ahead with the development of its marketing and online services in all sectors. Double-digit growth in the operating result is expected in 2011. * The Board of Directors is proposing a dividend of CHF 6 to the General Meeting of 3 May 2011. The General Meeting is also being asked to elect Christian Wenger, a partner at Zurich law firm Wenger & Vieli, to the Board of Directors.
Hans-Peter Rohner, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of PubliGroupe: “At the end of 2010 PubliGroupe was more compact, more financially solid and more successfully positioned on the market than it has been in the recent past. The positive effect of our strategic initiatives over the last three years since we were hit by the largest economic crisis in 40 years have allowed us to stop the downward trend and set a successful course for profitable growth. Thanks to the successful turnaround at Media Sales, the sharp rise in online revenue within the Group and the clear improvement in operational effectiveness, we are confident about 2011 and expect double-digit growth in the operating result. Overall, the Board of Directors is satisfied with the Group’s performance in 2010, proposing a dividend payment of CHF 6.”
Positive results for 2010 confirm operational and financial recuperation
PubliGroupe’s net result for financial 2010 came to CHF 42.6 million (2009:CHF -20.3 million), while the operating result (EBIT) stood at CHF 32.6 million (2009: CHF -2.9 million).
Extraordinary gains from the disposal of minority interests in publishing companies and the sale of two properties in 2010 came to CHF 28.1 million. One-off expenses of CHF 14.5 million included a goodwill impairment of CHF 2 million and risk costs and provisions of CHF 11.9 million.
If these non-recurring items are excluded, the net result came to CHF 26.6 million (2009:CHF -14.9 million) and the operating result to CHF 35 million (2009: CHF -1.6 million).
The clear progress made by the Group is also reflected in the rise in EBITDA from CHF 25.6 million to CHF 44.8 million, and operating cash flow which increased from CHF 6.3 million to CHF 29.6 million.
The consolidated gross margin, which is a measure of actual value added, stabilized at CHF345.3 million (-4.6%), while the Group continued to reduce its dependency on developments in the press landscape.Consolidated revenue fell 8.4% to CHF 1.47 billion, mainly because of the 9.2% reduction in revenue at Media Sales. After adjusting for currency movements, the fall was 6.9%.
At CHF 411 million, the Group’s equity capital accounted for 47.7% of total assets at year-end.
Net bank debt fell from CHF 165 million to CHF 93 million, while net liquidity rose from CHF 58.8 million to CHF 118 million. The programme of selling non-operational assets – including investments that are no longer seen as strategically significant and buildings no longer required by Group companies – was continued in 2010 and is now nearly complete. On a case-by-case basis, PubliGroupe continues to assess options for specific investments that are not central to its development strategy.
Thanks to the reduction in bank debt, its positive net liquidity and significant investment capability, the Group has now regained its strategic room for manoeuvre.
Turnaround quicker than planned at Media Sales
The Media Sales segment broke even at the operational level in 2010 with an EBITDA of CHF 6.5 million (2009: CHF -22.8 million) and EBIT of CHF 0.5 million (2009: CHF -28.6 million). Following large losses in 2008 and 2009, this business segment achieved the turnaround earlier than planned.
The end of exclusive cooperation with three publishing groups, especially Edipresse, led to a 14.3% reduction in the volume of business done with the Swiss press sector in 2010. On a like-for-like basis, the reduction was only 1.9%, which is in line with the general market trend. Overall revenue at Media Sales fell from CHF 1,292 million to CHF1,174 million (-9.2%). This led to a CHF13.2 million (-6.7%) decline in the gross margin to CHF 186.2 million.
The move back into the black came because of cost reductions, improved results for electronic media – especially cinema advertising – the recovery of international markets (+1.4%), which was led by Asia (+16.1%) and America (+12.8%), and the turnaround in press advertising in Switzerland.
The far-reaching reorganization, which bought total cost savings of CHF 116 million and a 677 reduction in headcount between 2007 and 2010, is now more or less complete.
In 2010 and early 2011 partnerships were renewed with most of the big Swiss publishers on the basis of new tariff structures. Media Sales expects to outperform the market and increase its profitability still further in future.
Custom Publishing, which produces customized media solutions for airlines (in-flight entertainment) and other companies, and which includes the Emphasis Group in Asia and Denon in Switzerland, is no longer being run as a separate business segment (as of 1 January 2011). During the year under review it posted a small operating loss of CHF -2.8 million (2009: CHF -5.7 million). Part of its Asian business has been integrated into the Media Sales segment via Publicitas Asia. Strategic options are currently being evaluated for its other activities, which are currently reporting directly to Group General Management.
Strong online growth at Search & Find
The Search & Find segment, which develops and markets products for finding people, companies, products and services in local markets, saw EBIT fall slightly to CHF 27.7 million (2009:CHF 31.8 million) owing to one-off costs associated with reorganization measures and new investment in the online business.
In November 2010, local.ch, Swisscom Directories and LTV Yellow Pages, the three companies run in partnership with Swisscom, were reorganized into a more closely coordinated structure. This process, plus the launch of the new Switzerland-wide property platform home.ch, led to exceptional costs that reduced the final EBIT figure. Business in 2011 will benefit from the organizational measures taken in the second half of 2010.
PubliGroupe’s consolidated gross margin from the Search & Find segment slipped by 2.9% to CHF 98 million.Consolidated revenue came to CHF 136.8 million (+4.6%).Search & Find was able to offset most of the decline in print product business (-10%) with growth in online search services (+23.7%). Online revenue rose 24% from CHF 43.5 million to CHF 53.8 million. According to the latest Nielsen Net Ratings, local.ch is currently the most popular search application in Switzerland after Google Maps, and is also one of the market leaders among mobile applications.
Strong growth in online performance marketing
The Digital & Marketing Services segment, which is investing in the highly promising performance marketing business, performed very well at the operational level. PubliGroupe owns 47.5% of the Zanox Group, the biggest online business in the portfolio. In 2010 Zanox broke through the 500 million franc mark for revenue, making it the biggest performance advertising network in Europe. Zanox’s EBITDA grew in 2010 to CHF 29.8 million – a rise of 2.5% in Swiss franc terms or 12.8% in Euros. The company’s revenue increased 53% in local currency terms.
The gross margin achieved by Digital & Marketing Services, which only includes the Swiss companies Namics, Web2com and Instanz and the Dutch company SVBmedia, increased by 3.1% to CHF52.3 million thanks mainly to its digital services. The gross margin was barely affected at all by the -9.9% drop in revenue; this fall was mainly due to Dutch company SVBmedia which works with traditional media in a market environment that continues to be very challenging.
The very good operating performance by Digital & Marketing Services is not reflected in its EBIT figure, decreasing from CHF 8 million in 2009 to CHF 1.8 million in the year under review. The decrease is due to the fact that the net profit of Zanox is negatively impacted by CHF 4 million due to one-off items, a weaker euro exchange rate and costs resulting from the IFRS treatment of prices paid for acquisitions by Zanox. The 2009 EBIT figure for DMS was also inflated by a one-off profit from investments of CHF 4 million. Results are likely to be much higher in 2011.
Under IFRS rules, segment EBIT also includes all depreciation of intangibles (purchase price allocation impact). Excluding this element and the above-mentioned effects, the pro forma EBIT at Digital & Marketing Services was CHF 14.8 million – a rise of 10.5% on the CHF 13.4 million posted in 2009.
PubliGroupe becomes a leading player in the online communications sector
Alongside Search & Find and Digital & Marketing Services, Media Sales has also recorded a large rise in online revenue in Switzerland and on an international level. Group companies achieved consolidated online revenue of CHF 140 million in 2010 (+24%). Including the 53% higher revenue – CHF 504 million – posted by Zanox Group and the non-consolidated portion of revenue at local.ch (49% PubliGroupe), PubliGroupe’s activities in the online services business achieved cumulative revenue of CHF 657 million (+33%).
PubliGroupe will continue to develop all of its marketing services activities. These initiatives aim to expand the range of services offered to advertising clients, helping them optimize their return on marketing investment in both digital and traditional media. This is the context for the introduction of the new Group marketing claim “PubliGroupe. Marketing. More. Effective.”
Double-digit growth in operating result expected for 2011
From 2011 onwards, PubliGroupe is concentrating on the business segments Media Sales, Search & Find and Digital & Marketing Services.
Based on the Group’s improved financial situation and its sustained recovery, the Board of Directors will propose to the General Meeting of 3 May 2011 that a dividend of CHF 6 be paid on each share. This corresponds to a distribution ratio of 33%. PubliGroupe expects double-digit growth in its operating result in 2011. The General Meeting is also being asked to elect Christian Wenger, a partner at Zurich law firm Wenger & Vieli, to the Board of Directors.Christian Wenger is a specialist in commercial and business law, with a particular focus on private equity, venture capital and mergers & acquisitions.
Key figures
1. Since the adoption of IFRS, commissions paid to the sales agents of LTV Gelbe Seiten AG for the acquisition of three-year contracts with customers (subscriber acquisition cost) were recognised as prepaid expenses and charged to the income statement at publication date. Until 2006, the sales agents were fully paid on a variable commission basis. Since 2007, compensation includes also a fixed part. As per IFRS, only the variable part should be recognised as an intangible asset and not as prepaid expenses. This accounting error has been corrected in 2010 financial statements. Therefore a) personnel expenses are reduced by the amount of commissions capitalised in the current year, which increases the EBITDA, and b) the depreciation is increased by current year depreciation of the intangible asset. As both amounts nearly offset each other, the total impact on EBIT is not significant. 2009 figures have been restated accordingly. The impacts on the restated total balance sheet, total equity and result are not significant.
2010 intersegment transfers: – Web2com transferred from Media Sales to Digital & Marketing Services – Pixedia IT entity transferred from Corporate and others to Media Sales 2009 comparative figures have been restated accordingly.
2. The disclosure of pro forma aims to make the figures comparable by excluding the non-recurring items: restructuring costs which are not in the normal course of the business, impairment losses and gains or losses from disposals of assets.
For further information:
PubliGroupe Ltd
Beat W. Werder
Head of Corporate Communications
Tel.: + 41 21 317 72 15
E-mail: bwerder@publigroupe.com
The results for 2010 and the financial report are available at: http://www.publigroupe.com http://r.newsbox.ch/d67/sh/rd9129/p741/c1063/www.publigroupe.com
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Immowelt AG startet Immobilien-Professional-Panel (IPP)
Presse-Information
23. März 2011
Die Immowelt AG startet mit dem Immobilien-Professional-Panel (IPP) ihr bislang größtes Marktforschungsprojekt.
- Deutschlandweit erstes Profi-Panel für zielgenaue Marktforschung in der Immobilienbranche – Schnelle Studien mit geringem Aufwand möglich – Enge Zusammenarbeit mit Hochschulen
Nürnberg, 23. März 2011. Wie entwickelt sich der Immobilienmarkt in Deutschland und welche Vertriebsstrategien führen zu mehr Erfolg? Antworten auf diese Fragen bietet künftig das Immobilien-Professional-Panel (IPP) der Immowelt AG. Von Beginn an finden im IPP Studien in enger Zusammenarbeit mit namhaften Hochschulen statt.
Das IPP ist deutschlandweit das erste Profi-Panel zur Marktforschung in der Immobilienbranche. Es wird seit Anfang 2011 aufgebaut und versammelt bereits mehr als 1.100 Immobilienexperten. Zur Teilnahme wurden ausschließlich Fachleute aus der Immobilienwirtschaft eingeladen, unabhängig davon, ob sie Kunden der Immowelt AG sind oder nicht.
Der Vorteil des IPP: Die identitätssicheren Teilnehmer können dank moderner Technik schnell und unkompliziert zu Umfragen eingeladen werden. Die strengen Teilnahmebedingungen garantieren, dass die Daten auch bei kleinen Stichproben zuverlässig und belastbar sind. So werden repräsentative Aussagen zu Entwicklungen des Immobilienmarktes in Deutschland möglich.
Um die Qualität des IPP selbst und der darin abgehaltenen Studien zu garantieren, ist die Immowelt AG bereits Mitte 2010 als korporatives Mitglied in den Bundesverband deutscher Markt- und Sozialforscher e.V. (BVM) eingetreten. Somit unterliegen alle Marktforschungsaktivitäten des Unternehmens den strengen Richtlinien des BVM.
Wir sind stolz, mit dem IPP die Möglichkeit zur professionellen Marktforschung in der sehr heterogenen Immobilienbranche zu schaffen, erläutert Ulrich Gros, Vorstand der Immowelt AG. Durch die enge Zusammenarbeit mit Immobilienspezialisten und Hochschulen sind wir in der Lage, die Stimmung des Markts sehr genau zu untersuchen und tiefe Einblicke in die Branche zu geben.
Die mehr als 1.100 Immobilienprofis aus der ersten Rekrutierungswelle verteilen sich gleichmäßig über das gesamte Bundesgebiet und gestatten repräsentative Studien unter kleinen und großen Immobilienunternehmen.
Erste Ergebnisse aus dem IPP werden am morgigen Donnerstag, den 24. März 2011, veröffentlicht. Mit der Befragung zum Marktmonitor Immobilien 2011, den die Immowelt AG gemeinsam mit Prof. Dr. Stephan Kippes von der Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt Nürtingen-Geislingen betreut, lief bereits eine zweite Studie im IPP. Die Ergebnisse dieser Studie werden voraussichtlich Ende April der Öffentlichkeit vorgestellt. Das nächste größere Projekt im IPP wird in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Real Estate Management Institute (REMI) der EBS Business School stattfinden.
Weitere Informationen zum IPP stehen hier zur Verfügung. http://mail.news.immowelt.de/d?u6omqc0hj7biq000d000kuey58
Über das Immobilien-Professional-Panel: Das Immobilien-Professional-Panel (IPP) ist ein Marktforschungsinstrument der Immowelt AG. Im IPP versammeln sich aktiv rekrutierte Immobilienprofis aus ganz Deutschland, die zielgenau zu aktuellen Branchenthemen befragt werden können. Dank einer ständig gepflegten Teilnehmerdatenbank sind Studien schnell und mit geringem Aufwand möglich. Die Bandbreite reicht dabei von repräsentativen Branchenbefragungen bis hin zu spitzen Sonderzielgruppen. Die Immowelt AG betreut das Panel komplett eigenständig nach den Richtlinien des Berufsverbandes deutscher Markt- und Sozialforscher e.V. (BVM). Wissenschaftliche Kooperationspartner sind Prof. Dr. Stephan Kippes von der Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt Nürtingen-Geislingen und das Real Estate Management Institute (REMI) der EBS Business School unter Leitung von Prof. Dr. Nico B. Rottke FRICS.
Herausgeber:
Immowelt AG, Nordostpark 3-5, 90411 Nürnberg (Firmensitz), Deutschland, Tel. +49(0)911-520250, Fax +49(0)911-5202525, E-Mail: info@immowelt.de, Registergericht: Amtsgericht Nürnberg HRB 17587, USt-IdNr. DE 132 761 857, Vorstand: Carsten Schlabritz (Vorsitzender), Jürgen Roth, Ulrich Gros, Aufsichtsratsvorsitzender: Michael Weisgerber
Journal Register Company Digital Leaders Honored by Editor & Publisher Magazine
*Journal Register Company Digital Leaders Honored by Editor & Publisher Magazine*
Thursday, 24 March 2011
*Four Named to Annual ’25 Under 35′ List*
Yardley, PA – Yardley, PA – Four employees of the Journal Register Company employees, a leading local news and information company, have been named to Editor & Publisher http://www.editorandpublisher.com/’s annual 25 Under 35 list.
The annual Editor & Publisher list, which will appear in the magazine’s April edition, recognizes “people who are young, bright and capable of tackling whatever the changing newspaper climate throws at them.”
Editor & Publisher selected Adam Burnham, Journal Register Company’s Vice President of Local Sales; Matt DeRienzo, Publisher of The Register Citizen
Mr. Burnham, who is responsible for all local advertising sales across all platforms, joined Journal Register Company in 2007 as Corporate Advertising Director. He was promoted to Vice President of Local Sales in 2010.
Mr. DeRienzo, who has served as publisher of The Register Citizen and Foothills Media Group http://www.foothillsmediagroup.com/ since 2008, now oversees The Middletown Press http://www.middletownpress.com/, The West Hartford News
Mr. Lajara joined The Daily Freeman http://www.dailyfreeman.com/ in January 2001 as a copy editor and was promoted to Life Editor shortly after. He was named the Suburban Newspaper Association’s Editor of the Year in 2006 and is a member of Journal Register Company’s ideaLab
Ms. Bracken joined The Morning Journal http://www.morningjournal.com/ is 2005 and was promoted to Online Editor in 2007 before being named Online Manager in 2010.
“This honor is a wonderful recognition not only of the work Adam, Matt, Ivan and Jen do but of their demonstrated leadership within Journal Register Company and our industry,” said John Paton http://jxpaton.wordpress.com/, Chief Executive Officer at Journal Register Company. “From Torrington – home of our open-to-the-community newsroom — to the Hudson Valley and Lake Erie, we serve diverse communities. It is through strong, local leadership that we will continue to grow.”
*About Journal Register Company* Journal Register Company is a leader in local news and information serving 992 communities in 10 states. The Company’s 324 multi-platform products reach an audience of 16 million people each month. For more information visit the company website at www.JournalRegister.com.
The New York Times Releases Major Update to News Application for iPhone
The New York Times Releases Major Update to News Application for iPhone
*Features Video, Slide shows, Blogs, Breaking News Alerts and Improved Navigation *
NEW YORK, Mar 25, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) — The New York Times today released a major update to its NYTimes iPhone application, adding videos, slide shows and more content from blogs, in addition to the world-class articles that users have grown to expect. The new app also incorporates improved navigation, and breaking news alerts enable users to stay on top of important news when the app is closed.
The NYTimes iPhone application is a free app designed for iPhone and iPod touch. The update is now available to current users, and new users can download the app from the App Store.
When The Times launches its digital subscription model on March 28, the *Top News* section of the app will remain free. To delve deeper into the app’s other sections, users will be asked to become digital subscribers. Details and pricing for these plans is available at www.nytimes.com/access.
“The NYTimes iPhone app is an incredibly popular way for our readers to access Times content on the go,” said Denise Warren, senior vice president and chief advertising officer, The New York Times Media Group and general manager, NYTimes.com. “As design and technology have evolved, we are updating the app to ensure that our readers are getting the best possible reading experience with more quality content and better functionality.”
Features of the NYTimes iPhone app include:
– *Expanded content* – videos, slide shows and all blogs are now available as standalone sections (Video, Photos, Blogs) and integrated throughout other sections and articles. – *Improved navigation* – navigation tools have been redesigned based on user feedback for easier use and content discoverability. Readers can now swipe between articles to enjoy a more continuous news experience. An improved Favorites section allows users to bookmark frequently visited sections and blogs, in addition to saving articles. A Recently Viewed section makes it easy to access recently-read articles. Links at the bottom of articles enable readers to continue reading additional content in the section without returning to a section front. – *Breaking news* – breaking news delivered via Push Notification allow users to stay on top of breaking news even when the app is closed. – *Share options* – share articles, videos and slide shows with a full set of tools, including Facebook, Twitter, e-mail and copy link.
The NYTimes iPhone app is available from the App Store on iPhone or iPod touch, or at www.itunes.com/appstore.
Screenshots can be downloaded at www.nytco.com/press/press_iPhone.html.
*About The New York Times Company*
The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT), a leading media company with 2010 revenues of $2.4 billion, includes The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, The Boston Globe, 15 other daily newspapers and more than 50 Web sites
WANTED Technologies Launches the Hiring Scale™ to Help Employers Find Candidates Faster
WANTED Technologies Launches the Hiring Scale™ to Help Employers Find Candidates Faster *The Hiring Scale™ helps recruiters identify “hard-to-fill” positions by measuring supply and demand in the talent marketplace.*
NEW YORK, March 24, 2011 — /PRNewswire/ — WANTED Technologies (TSX-V: WAN), the leading source of real-time business intelligence for the talent marketplace, today announced the launch of the *Hiring Scale™*, the latest enhancement to the company’s industry-leading *Analytics™* platform ( www.wantedanalytics.com).
The *Hiring Scale™ *offers, for the first time, detailed insight into the supply and demand for workers of any type in the United States. Employers can now assess how difficult it is to fill any job. They can easily identify positions that have a limited supply of candidates and a large number of competing organizations looking to hire the same kind of employees.
“We have combined real-time hiring demand information with detailed estimates of candidate supply to create a simple, easy-to-understand measurement,” said Bruce Murray, President and CEO of WANTED Technologies. “We can tell employers how hard it may be to fill any kind of job.”
Although the employment market remains sluggish, many positions are still very difficult to fill. For instance, the number of online ads for Computer Specialists in the US has been growing steadily. Currently, there are nearly 10,000 online advertisements for this type of employee that have been open for more than 90 days.
“Using the *Hiring Scale™*, employers know before they begin their recruiting process how to approach their search,” said Murray. “If they know that competition in the local market is fierce, then they can direct their recruiting to other markets that have an ample supply of candidates and lower demand from competitors.”
The *Hiring Scale™* is a new feature of WANTED *Analytics™*, the leading business intelligence platform for the talent marketplace. Clients use WANTED *Analytics™ *to gain real-time insight into the detailed activity within the talent marketplace. The company serves organizations in the media, staffing, government and corporate HR sectors.
“We help professionals in the talent marketplace solve business problems efficiently—faster and at a lower cost—by providing them with better information,” said Bruce Murray, President and CEO of WANTED Technologies. “The *Hiring Scale™* is one more tool to improve productivity across the human capital market.”
Access to a free trial of WANTED *Analytics™ 3.0 *is available at www.wantedanalytics.com.
*About WANTED Technologies Corporation*
WANTED provides real-time business intelligence for the talent marketplace. Clients in the staffing, HR, RPO, media, government and corporate HR sectors use WANTED *Analytics*™ to find sales leads, analyze employment trends, gather competitive intelligence, forecast economic conditions, and source hard-to-fill positions.
WANTED is also the exclusive data provider for The Conference Board’s Help-Wanted OnLine Data Series™, the monthly economic indicator of Hiring Demand in the United States.
WANTED Technologies (TSX-V: WAN) was founded in 1999. The company’s headquarters are in Quebec City, Canada, and it maintains a US-based subsidiary with primary offices in New York City. The company began collecting detailed Hiring Demand data in June 2005, and currently maintains a database of more than 600 million unique job listings. To sample WANTED’s services, visit www.wantedanalytics.com. For more information about how WANTED helps organizations make better decisions and improve sales results, visit www.wantedtech.com.
The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Any statement that appears prospective shall not be interpreted as such.
SOURCE WANTED Technologies Corp.
Axel Springer hold 98.7 percent of the shares
23.03.11
The public tender offer of Axel Springer for all outstanding shares of SeLoger.com SA http://www.seloger.com has been completed successfully. In addition to the 74.2 percent already held by Axel Springer after the first period, the offer was accepted by the shareholders of SeLoger.com representing 24.5 percent of the shares of the company during the reopened offer. Accordingly, Axel Springer will hold 98.7 percent of the shares of the leading property classifieds online portal in France. Furthermore a delisting and a squeeze out of the Paris-listed company is planned.
Dr. Mathias Döpfner, Chief Executive Officer of Axel Springer AG: “The acquisition of the leading French property online portal is an important milestone for Axel Springer. With SeLoger.com we effectively strengthen our activities in online classifieds marketplaces, one of the three focus areas of our digitization strategy. Both companies are excellent positioned for the future — I am especially looking forward to further collaboration with the excellent management team and the highly motivated employees.”
Roland Tripard, Chief Executive Officer of SeLoger.com: “I am happy with the issue of the tender offer. Together with the management team, we are convinced that the arrival of SeLoger.com in the Axel Springer Group will trigger opportunities for combining our outlook and developments.”
This press release is available in German, English and French for downloading on www.axelspringer-offer-seloger.com http://www.axelspringer-offer-seloger.com .
*Disclaimer:* This communication is for informational purposes only. It is not the extension of a tender offer for any securities nor an offer to purchase, sell or exchange (or the solicitation of an offer to sell, purchase or exchange) any securities in any jurisdiction, including the United States. There may be no such offer (or solicitation), purchase, sale or exchange of any securities, and the tender offer referred to herein may not be extended, in any jurisdiction outside the French Republic, where it would be unlawful absent prior registration, filing or qualification under applicable laws, including the United States, Canada, Italy and Japan. The distribution of this communication may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions. Accordingly, persons in whose possession it comes are required to inform themselves of and observe any such restrictions.
*Press contact: Christian Garrels* Tel: +49 30 2591 77651 christian.garrels@axelspringer.de
RR Donnelley Acquires Journalism Online, LLC and Its Press+ System for Enabling Publishers to Enhance Revenues
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RR Donnelley Acquires Journalism Online, LLC and Its Press+ System for Enabling Publishers to Enhance Revenues
Continues to Expand Content Management and Distribution Offering With Innovative Online Subscription Model
CHICAGO, March 24, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — *R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company *(Nasdaq:RRD) announced today that it has acquired Journalism Online, LLC and its Press+ offering which enables publishers to seamlessly integrate an innovative paid content engine with their websites. Journalism Online’s Press+ system supports publishers as they offer audiences a mix of free and subscription-based premium content. Journalism Online is managed by two of the company’s co-founders, veteran digital-media leaders Steven Brill, founder of *The American Lawyer* magazine and Court TV, and L. Gordon Crovitz, a former *Wall Street Journal* publisher.
“Our publishing customers continue to develop multi-channel advertising and editorial strategies and Press+ provides a valuable tool for monetizing content,” said Thomas J. Quinlan III, RR Donnelley’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “We provide solutions across the entire breadth of the publishing supply chain, from content creation and digital asset management through subscription solicitations, processing and renewals. Press+ enhances our offering and opens new avenues for publishers to generate incremental subscription and advertising revenue.”
Steven Brill said, “We are delighted to bring Press+’s innovative capabilities to RR Donnelley and look forward to engaging with the broad array of consumer and b-to-b publishers with whom RR Donnelley has relationships. For nearly 150 years, RR Donnelley has been enabling publishers to reach their customers with a viable, cost effective business model. We are excited to be working with them as they continue that tradition and that mission in the digital age.”* *
The Press+ offering enables publishers to offer readers a mix of options for subscribing to premium content, including metered and mobile/tablet access, enhanced site functionality, out-of-market access and more. The system also provides publishers a variety of ways to engage readers with paid content, such as day or week passes, print/online bundles, monthly or annual subscriptions, and others that even allow readers to receive credit for previous day passes as they select a longer-term subscription.
L. Gordon Crovitz stated, “The scalable Press+ model enables publishers to quickly test and implement a variety of content distribution strategies. Our experience demonstrates that publishers using Press+ for metered access to web sites and other digital products retain their online ad revenue and readership while adding a valuable revenue stream from online subscriptions.”
“We continue to engage our customers with integrated communications solutions that address both cost compression and revenue enhancement,” added Quinlan.
More information about Journalism Online and Press+ is available at www.mypressplus.com
*About RR Donnelley*
RR Donnelley (Nasdaq:RRD) is a global provider of integrated communications. Founded more than 146 years ago, the company works collaboratively with more than 60,000 customers worldwide to develop custom communications solutions that reduce costs, enhance ROI and ensure compliance. Drawing on a range of proprietary and commercially available digital and conventional technologies deployed across four continents, the company employs a suite of leading Internet based capabilities and other resources to provide premedia, printing, logistics and business process outsourcing products and services to leading clients in virtually every private and public sector.
For more information and for RR Donnelley’s Corporate Social Responsibility Report, visit the company’s web site at www.rrdonnelley.com
*Use of Forward-Looking Statements * This news release may contain “forward-looking statements” as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and any such forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the following cautionary statements. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release and are based on current expectations and involve a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements. Readers are strongly encouraged to read the full cautionary statements contained in RR Donnelley’s filings with the SEC. RR Donnelley disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.
Strength in March New-Vehicle Retail Sales Drives Strong First-Quarter Finish
**
* *
*J.D. Power and Associates Reports:*
*Strength in March New-Vehicle Retail Sales Drives Strong First-Quarter Finish*
* *
*WESTLAKE VILLAGE**, Calif.**: 24 March 2011 *— March new-vehicle retail sales are showing stability through the first three weeks of the month, continuing a trend of monthly double-digit year-over-year increases, according to J.D. Power and Associates, which gathers real-time transaction data from more than 8,900 retail franchisees throughout the United States.
*Retail Light-Vehicle Sales*
March new-vehicle retail sales are projected to come in at 991,900 units, which represents a seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) of 10.9 million units. This level would bring the selling rate for the first quarter of 2011 to 10.7 million units, slightly ahead of the annual forecast of 10.6 million units. Retail transactions are the most accurate measurement of true underlying consumer demand for new vehicles.
“Retail sales in March are exhibiting strength and remain in line with expectations, despite increasing gas prices and falling inventory levels,” said Jeff Schuster, executive director of global forecasting at J.D. Power and Associates. “In fact, retail sales in March may be benefitting from the uncertainty around inventory levels, as consumers flock to dealerships to secure their choice of vehicle as availability decreases.”
*U.S.** Retail SAAR—March 2010 to March 2011*
*(in millions of units)*
**
* *
Shifts in the retail segment mix are becoming evident, as sub-compact cars are expected to be up more than 0.5 percentage points in March to 3.8 percent, from 3.2 percent in February. The share of compact cars is also expected to increase—up to 20.4 percent in March from 17 percent in February.
*Total Light-Vehicle Sales*
Total light-vehicle sales for March are expected to come in at 1,205,200 units, which is 9 percent higher than in March 2010. Fleet sales in March are expected to decrease to 213,000 units, based on the expectations that Japanese manufacturers will reduce fleet sales and channel that volume to the retail market, due to concerns about inventory shortages. Fleet volume is projected to be 18 percent of total sales in March.
*J.D. Power and Associates U.S. Sales and SAAR Comparisons*
* *
*March 20111*
*February 2011*
*March 2010*
*New-vehicle retail sales*
991,900 units
(12% higher than March 2010)2
785,698 units
849,735 units
*Total vehicle sales*
1,205,200 units
(9% higher than March 2010)
991,576 units
1,064,072 units
*Retail SAAR*
10.9 million units
11.1 million units
9.3 million units
*Total SAAR*
12.7 million units
13.4 million units
11.7 million units
1Figures cited for March 2011 are forecasted based on the first 17 selling days of the month.
2The percentage change is adjusted based on the number of selling days (27 days vs. 26 days one year ago).
* *
*Sales Outlook *
Since vehicle sales in 2011 have thus far been stronger than expected, the outlook for 2011 remains optimistic. Due to this strength in retail sales, J.D. Power has increased its 2011 forecast to 10.6 million units (from 10.5 million units) for retail sales, a 16 percent increase from 2010. The forecast for total vehicle sales remains at 13 million units, which is up 13 percent from 2010.
“The economy is no longer the primary variable that could impact the total year sales volume, as the industry is now grappling with gas prices at their highest level in more than two years, as well as the potential for widespread shortages in vehicle availability,” said John Humphrey, senior vice president of automotive operations at J.D. Power and Associates. “While risks remain evident, the industry’s condition is much stronger and able to weather external shocks better than it could before the recession.”
*North American Production*
In February, North American production was 1.06 million units, 15 percent higher than in February 2010. However, near-term production is beginning to be impacted by parts shortages caused by the earthquake and tsunami crisis in Japan. To date, several manufacturers have eliminated overtime and Saturday production shifts. In addition, GM has idled its Shreveport, La., facility until Japan-sourced part availability improves. Without any significant lost volume to date, first-quarter production is forecasted at 3.3 million units—14 percent higher than the same period in 2010.
“With the uncertainty remaining high about the full extent of the parts supply situation, North American production could be impacted in the weeks to come,” said Schuster. “However, our 2011 production forecast remains at 12.9 million units, as we expect any lost volume would be made up later in the year.”
As a result of strong February sales, days’ supply at the end of February 2011 fell to 60 days, from 71 days at the end of January. The level of inventory rose to 2.5 million units from 2.2 million units, an increase of 13 percent. With the strength of March sales combined with supply constraints from Japanese imports, inventory is expected to continue to fall during the next few months.
*About J.D. Power and Associates*
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company providing forecasting, performance improvement, social media and customer satisfaction insights and solutions. The company’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings http://www.jdpower.com/autos, car insurance
*About The McGraw-Hill Companies*
Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies is a leading global financial information and education company that helps professionals and students succeed in the Knowledge Economy. Leading brands include Standard & Poor’s, McGraw-Hill Education, Platts energy information services and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has approximately 21,000 employees with more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2010 were $6.2 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com.
* J.D. Power and Associates Media Relations Contacts:*
Angela Bianchi; Troy, Mich.; (248) 312-4729; angela_bianchi@jdpa.com
Syvetril Perryman; Westlake Village, Calif.; (805) 418-8103; syvetril.perryman@jdpa.com
No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in this release without the express prior written consent of J.D. Power and Associates. www.jdpower.com/corporate
AdPerfect launches new auto app client
Long Island Press Increases Automotive Sales with AdPerfect’s Integrated Media Solution
Date: March 23, 2011
Long Island Press increases incremental revenue and claims their local automotive market with the launch of AdPerfect’s integrated media solution, Easy Find Autos.
AdPerfect, a leader in dynamic advertising solutions, launches Long Island Press, an award winning weekly Long Island, NY newspaper, on their integrated media solution, Easy Find Autos.
In today’s digital media landscape, where newspaper publications have seen decreases in print advertising expenditures, Steven McKenna, general manager at the Long Island Press, notes, “A print product at this point in time has to give people multiple touch points.” And that’s just what McKenna saw in AdPerfect’s Easy Find Autos solution, which integrates print, online, mobile and social media.
Steve Kump, AdPerfect President & CTO, explains, “This is not just another classified ad. This is truly is an integrated media solution. And, with our new Facebook app it’s getting inventory in the social media arena for added distribution.”
Branded as the Long Island Press Pre-Owned, McKenna is having no trouble selling to automotive dealers in a market saturated by print-only competitors. McKenna states, “Our advertisers love it!”
Separating themselves from the competition with an integrated media solution, the Long Island Press is significantly increasing used car ad sales, generating an additional revenue stream. “In the first week we had an initial 20% increase in incremental revenue,” McKenna says.
Kump explains, “Using the reporting metrics, Long Island Press’ sales team is now equipped with the numbers need to sell to new dealers and retain existing ones. Plus, their dealers can see how well their ad campaign is performing and make inventory adjustments accordingly.” AdPerfect is not only driving incremental revenue for Long Island Press, they are saving time and costs by streamlining production. “My creative department’s resources are not drained at all. AdPerfect handles everything from inventory selection to pagination. It is instantly done. And now advertisers are doing it themselves, bringing it to another level,” McKenna explains. Being easy-to-implement as well means publishers, like Long Island Press, can start generating additional revenue streams quickly. Commenting on the implementation McKenna says, “It was very easy. This is truly a turnkey solution.”
McKenna adds, “Its great when you find a company like AdPerfect that understands, ‘we make more money if you do.’ That builds a truly great partnership.”
AdPerfect is attending NAA’s mediaXchange conference March 25 – 28, 2011. Contact sales@adperfect.com to arrange a demo on Easy Find Autos or any other AdPerfect advertising solution while at the conference.
To learn more about Easy Find Autos visit http://www.adperfect.com/solutions/integrated-mediasolutions/
###
*About AdPerfect:* AdPerfect offers comprehensive yet configurable advertising solutions designed to achieve maximum revenue for media publishers. Our web-based applications reduce costs, simplify workflows, and increase ROI.
Our suite of solutions include: Classified Advertising Solutions, which let your advertisers place classified & display ads through a Self-Serve Order Entry as well as promote classified listings using the Online Marketplace; Reverse Publishing Solutions, which leverage existing online listings and reverse publish them to print, online, mobile & social media platforms; and Online Advertising Solutions, which publish existing online inventory to dynamic, inventory-driven ad units.
AdPerfect’s solutions are used by over 350 media publishers across North America, the UK, and Australia. Some customers include: McClatchy, New York Times Regional Media Group, Metro Group, Postmedia Network, Boston.com, Apartments.com, Post Gazette, Cars.com, AutoTrader UK, and Metroland Media Group.
To learn more visit www.adperfect.com
Adicio Releases Built-In Faceted Search and SEO Enhancements
*Features Increase Job Seeker and Employer Usability and Deliver New Revenue Streams*
_______________________________________________
CARLSBAD, CA, USA/AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS (March 22, 2011) – Adicio Inc.
The Adicio search engine is an integral part of its Careers platform, giving Adicio the flexibility to upgrade, customize and scale client search interface and features as markets and technology evolve, without hidden third-party costs. Adicio Careers clients can easily configure and customize Search Facets to create a completely branded user experience on their Search Form, Search Results and Listing Detail pages using CSS.
“Building upon our core technology of intelligent search tools, our faceted search enables users to perform simple to complex searches and drill down to relevant listings quickly and easily without having to run a completely new search,” said Rick Miller, CEO and President at Adicio. “We use full text keyword searching based on semantic search and equivalencies including synonyms, categories and location to find job listings, guaranteeing that users get the most comprehensive search results, a distinct competitive advantage for our clients.”
New features include:
· *Faceted Search Filter:* Job seekers can refine or expand their searches. Multi-select options within the filter give users one click access to perform new searches. Users can update results dynamically without having to run a new search. Keyword searches are enhanced with intelligent equivalencies so the Adicio Careers platform does all the work on behalf of job seekers. Adicio’s search uses synonyms, categories and location, delivering relevant jobs on the first page of search results, saving job seekers valuable time and effort.
· *Streaming Updates:* Employer listings are published within an hour of the job posting, enabling job seekers to access new listings faster.
· *Enhanced Location Search:* Single location search box with automatically suggested text so job seekers don’t have to worry about the exact spelling of a location. Enhanced radius search allows job seekers to search by city, state/province, country, zip/postal code, specific address or well known area, such as the ”Silicon Valley” or “Wall Street.”
· *Spotlight Listings Carousel:* Clients can showcase listings in a carousel that automatically scrolls every 10 seconds, so employers and recruiters have more visibility. In fact, clients can completely customize the number of spotlight listings that display per page based on their site’s design. Seekers can also use back and next buttons to manually scroll through the results.
· *Additional Sort By Options:* Sort By options now include a “Featured First”. This option enables clients to position advertiser featured listings at the top of the search results, just under the Spotlight Listings, giving them the ability to offer an additional upsell to advertisers who are looking to further expand their reach. Users can also sort their search results by Relevance, Newest First, Distance, Job Title and Company Name.
· *New Design and Layout for Search Results:* Improves job seeker usability and navigation while enabling clients to completely customize the layout and extend their brand. Clients can also create a tailored user experience without paying additional fees for custom development.
· *Search Engine Optimization (SEO):* SEO improvements designed to help drive more traffic to client’s sites and help boost their search engine page rankings. Features include Search Engine Friendly URLs, cross-linking of similar jobs and relevant Meta data that can be customized for their local markets.
“Adicio’s new Spotlight Listings Carousel gives us an even greater opportunity to generate revenue by expanding advertiser visibility,” said Chad Henderson, Advertising Operations Coordinator, Tulsa World. “We are even more pleased with the more frequent hourly updates that allow us to make and see changes on the platform much faster.”
*About Adicio, Inc. * Adicio develops interactive classified advertising software solutions for the careers, real estate, and motors markets, which serve the Internet’s leading media companies and web portals. With its award-winning technology and enterprise-class software platforms, domain expertise, and customer service, Adicio delivers a private-label application that seamlessly integrates within online classified advertising offerings, enabling clients to generate revenue and retain their brand while building and managing their online classified efforts. Clients can deploy Adicio’s software as a turnkey solution or customize Adicio’s application to leverage existing brand strategy and support online sales and marketing objectives. Adicio also powers CareerCast.com http://www.careercast.com/, a job search portal and JobsRated.com http://www.jobsrated.com/, where 200 jobs across North America are ranked based on detailed analysis of specific careers factors. For more information, please visit www.adicio.com, or call 760.602.9502, +31 (0)20 894 6014 or 800.276.1332.
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Media Contact: Beth Brody
Brody PR (for Adicio)
609.397.3737
Analog Analytics delivers Bigger Better Deal to Hearst Corporation’s LocalEdge
*Analog Analytics Delivers the Bigger Better Deal™ Solution to Hearst Corporation’s LocalEdge™*
*San Diego, Calif, March 21, 2011 -* Analog Analytics, leading provider of the Bigger Better Deal™ solution for local media companies and advertisers, today announced it is providing its Bigger Better Deal™ to media services conglomerate Hearst Corporation’s LocalEdge™ http://www.localedge.com/.
Analog Analytics’ Bigger Better Deal™ white label deals solution is a highly profitable alternative to traditional advertising. With the Bigger Better Deal media service companies offer their own daily deals powered by Analog Analytics’ industry leading software, allowing them to generate immediate consumer-based revenue as well as to share deals on Analog Analytics’ syndicated deal network. Advertising campaigns are tracked and optimized with powerful analytics and patent-pending software. The daily deal model offers consumers deals from local businesses, while allowing media service companies like Hearst’s LocalEdge™ to receive revenue before goods or services are delivered.
“With the Bigger Better Deal our clients earn immediate consumer-generated revenue before they deliver products and services,” said Ken Kalb, CEO of Analog Analytics. “Not only is this a new source of revenue for LocalEdge™, it is the first accountable advertising solution for small businesses and advertisers.”
The Analog Analytics daily deal platform drives LocalEdge™’s Bigger Better Deals with a branded solution customized for their markets. LocalEdge™ uses their existing sales teams to source great deals from local advertisers to compliment a vast array of internet marketing services
“LocalEdge™ is thrilled to offer Analog Analytics’ Bigger Better Deals to our advertisers,” said Jeff Folckemer, President & CEO of LocalEdge™ and a SVP of Hearst Newspapers. “These deals provide enormous value to the consumer, potential new customer base to our advertiser and a new revenue source for our company.”
*About LocalEdge™*
LocalEdge™, a Hearst Media Services Company, is a premier multi-media company leading the transition to web-based advertising for any size business. LocalEdge™ has been in business for over 40 years and services customers nationwide.
Through the development of proprietary technology and partnerships with major search engines, social network sites and other leading tech-focused companies, LocalEdge™ offers a full line of digital marketing products that help its customers reach and interact with today’s consumer. Learn more at www.LocalEdge.com.
*About Hearst*
Hearst Corporation is one of the nation’s largest diversified media companies. Its major interests include ownership of 15 daily and 38 weekly newspapers, including the Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News, and Albany Times Union; more than 200 magazines around the world, including Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan and O, The Oprah Magazine; 29 television stations, which reach a combined 18% of U.S. viewers; ownership in leading cable networks, including Lifetime, A&E, History and ESPN; as well as business publishing including a minority joint venture interest in Fitch Ratings; Internet and marketing services businesses, television production, newspaper features distribution and real estate. Learn more at *www.Hearst.com*.
*About Analog Analytics*
Analog Analytics is the largest provider of coupons, deal certificates and Bigger Better Deal™ solutions for local online publishers, broadcasters, and advertisers. Analog Analytics’ massively scalable software platform delivers the interactive coupon and “Deal” solution along with effective traffic management, analytics and optimization. Its technology platform is utilized by more than 850 U.S. publishers and tens of thousands of advertisers worldwide, including Hearst Corporation, Thomson Directories Ltd., RSVP, Washington Post-Newsweek television, the New York Daily News, Newsday, MediaNews Group, LA News Group, NBC TV, Freedom Interactive, Entercom Communications, Creative Loafing, Advance Internet, Entertainment.com, Wick, Journal Register, McClatchy, Local.com, and many more.
For more information, visit www.analoganalytics.com .
Dirk Voltz übernimmt Unternehmenskommunikation bei der mobile.international GmbH
18. März 2011
Presseinformation
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**Dirk Voltz http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5180/5535276320_f47400ee39.jpg**
Dirk Voltz
*Berlin/Dreilinden, 18. März 2011 — Dirk Voltz übernimmt ab sofort die Leitung der Unternehmenskommunikation bei der mobile.international GmbH. Zu den Hauptaufgaben des 34-jährigen zählen Konzeption und Strategie der externen PR-Aktivitäten von Deutschlands größtem Fahrzeugmarkt mobile.de. Darüber hinaus verantwortet er die interne Kommunikation des Unternehmens.*
Zuletzt hat Dirk Voltz für die PR-Agentur F&H Porter Novelli den Online-Bezahldienst PayPal in Berlin/Dreilinden betreut. Seine berufliche Laufbahn startete der studierte Journalist beim Deutschen Fachverlag in Frankfurt, wo er vor allem im Wirtschaftsressort tätig war. Anschließend arbeitete er als Berlin-Korrespondent für die Vogel Business Media GmbH sowie als selbstständiger PR-Berater und Autor. In seiner neuen Funktion berichtet der gebürtige Saarländer an Malte Krüger, Leiter des Deutschlandgeschäfts bei mobile.de. “Mit Dirk Voltz gewinnen wir einen hervorragend vernetzten und erfahrenen Kommunikationsexperten, der viele Ideen zum Ausbau der Marktführerschaft von mobile.de mitbringt”, freut sich Martin Tschopp, Geschäftsführer der mobile.international GmbH.
*Über die mobile.international GmbH* Die mobile.international GmbH, zu der auch Deutschlands größter Fahrzeugmarkt mobile.de gehört, betreibt Online-Marktplätze für den An- und Verkauf von Fahrzeugen. mobile.de wurde 1996 gegründet und hat heute mit 1,4 Millionen Fahrzeugen das größte Pkw-, Nutzfahrzeug- und Motorradangebot in Deutschland (Quelle: CAR-Institut). Seinen Service bietet der Fahrzeugmarkt in neun Sprachen an. Darüber hinaus betreibt die mobile.international GmbH weitere Marktplätze in Italien, Frankreich, Polen und Rumänien. Die mobile.international GmbH ist ein Tochterunternehmen der eBay International AG. Das Unternehmen hat seinen Sitz in Dreilinden/Berlin und beschäftigt 140 Mitarbeiter.
Abdruck honorarfrei Beleg erbeten
Weitere Informationen erhalten Sie: mobile.international GmbH, Dirk Voltz, Senior Public Relation Manager, Marktplatz 1, 14532 Europarc-Dreilinden, Tel: 030 8109-7209, eMail:dvoltz@team.mobile.de
DriveItNow’s Next Generation of Pre-Qualified Payment Marketing to Launch at Digital Dealer Con ference
*DriveItNow’s Next Generation of Pre-Qualified Payment Marketing to Launch at Upcoming Digital Dealer Conference*
*DriveItNow’s latest release will include many enhancements to help dealers close more sales with their existing website visitors*
Cincinnati, OH – March 17, 2011. DriveItNow, a service of Automobile Consumer Services, Inc. (ACS), will release the next generation of its Pre-qualified Payment Marketing service at the upcoming 10th Digital Dealer conference in Orlando, Florida.
DriveItNow is the first and only system that instantly provides consumers with car loan payments based on their actual credit eligibility and a dealer’s finance guidelines. Consumers need to know what payments they qualify for in order to make a purchase decision.
DriveItNow 2.0 will include enhancements to help build on the dramatic success dealers have seen with the current version.
To see the next generation of online payment marketing, visit DriveItNow at Booth 122 during the 10th Digital Dealer conference in Orlando, FL, April 19-21. More details about the conference are available at: * http://www.digitaldealerconference.com/*
*About DriveItNow (**http://www.DriveItNow.com* http://www.DriveItNow.com*) * DriveItNow’s patent pending payment marketing technology is a service of Automobile Consumer Services, Inc. (ACS). ACS leads the industry with innovative proprietary technology, superior customer service, and over twenty years of financing and leasing experience.
Trulia and RE/MAX Partner to Bring Listings to the Fastest Growing Online Real Estate Audience
Mar 17, 2011 12:17 ET Trulia and RE/MAX Partner to Bring Listings to the Fastest Growing Online Real Estate Audience
New Alliance Syndicates Listings to Trulia, Provides Hyper-Local Advertising to RE/MAX Agents
SAN FRANCISCO, CA–(Marketwire – March 17, 2011) – Trulia.com, a leading site for real estate professionals, homebuyers and sellers, today announced a strategic partnership with RE/MAX, LLC to directly syndicate RE/MAX listings to Trulia’s search index. Trulia is the fastest growing online real estate site and the fourth fastest growing website in the U.S. overall *(comScore Feb 2011).*
As part of the agreement, RE/MAX agents and brokers receive partner benefits on Trulia’s hyper-local marketing and advertising solutions, Trulia Pro and Trulia Local Ads. Through these services RE/MAX agents now have access to the highest concentration of new buyers available online *(comScore Jan 2011). *
“Trulia’s goal is to help consumers and agents connect in a way that adds more value to the buying and selling process,” said Georg Gerstenfeld, Trulia Vice President of Business Services. “Our new partnership with RE/MAX allows Trulia to provide comprehensive listing data to our highly engaged consumer audience and help these buyers and sellers connect in a meaningful way with RE/MAX agents.”
“RE/MAX is excited to welcome Trulia into our family of strategic partners and extend the reach of our listings to the highest quality audience of consumers available online,” said Marnie Blanco, RE/MAX Vice President of eBusiness. “Our partnership with Trulia opens new doors to provide both more exposure to RE/MAX listings and drive highly qualified buyers and sellers to our agents.”
*About Trulia, Inc. *Trulia.com is the fastest growing online real estate site
*About the RE/MAX Network: *RE/MAX was founded in 1973 by Dave and Gail Liniger, real estate industry visionaries who still lead the Denver-based global franchisor today. RE/MAX is recognized as one of the leading real estate franchise companies with the most productive sales force in the industry and a global reach of more than 80 countries. With a passion for the communities in which its agents live and work, RE/MAX is proud to have raised more than $100 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and other charities. Nobody in the world sells more real estate than RE/MAX. Please visit www.remax.com