Interactive Business

MTV president Judy McGrath is hinting at several forthcoming MTV Networks announcements in digital media. The company is looking globally to launch a service similar to YouTube, because "video is our expertise," she says. "We're looking at acquisitions and builders."

A suite of broadband channels developed by former VH1 head John Sykes are set to launch in the next couple weeks, Ms. McGrath said, adding that another mulitplatform upfront deal, like an early one MTV Networks inked with media agency OMD, is imminent.

"Users have a seemingly endless appetite" for all things digital, she said. "We've never launched a service because we can but because there's a demand we can brand."

The MTV Networks president delivered a monologue and answered questions from Business Week's Tom Lowry on stage. Aware that many in the audience work in affiliate sales, she touched upon a topic that can be a sore spot with many cable operators: that by offering too much programming on a broadband channel networks bypass the cable companies, who pay networks millions in carriage fees. She said that instead of fearing such plays, direct-to-consumer digital media is good for multiple systems operators.

"Traditional cable providers are on the front line of many of these new things, including wireless," she said.
Souce: AdvertisingAge

[HU]
Although mobile phone penetration in Hungary is about the same as the EU average, home personal computer and internet penetration is far lower, according to figures compiled by the Central Statistics Office (KSH).

Mobile phone penetration in Hungary is 95% of the EU average, while home PC penetration is 73% and internet penetration just 46% of the EU average.
Mobile phone penetration is 80% in Hungary, compared to 84% for the EU as a whole. Among old member states, only Greece has a lower level of penetration. Among new members states, Hungary is ahead of Lithuania, Latvia and Poland, but behind Slovenia, Slovakia, Cyprus and Estonia.
About 42% of Hungarian households have a PC, compared to an average 58% in the EU. In this respect, Hungary is still ahead of old member states such as Greece and Portugal, as well as new member states such as Lithuania, Latvia and Poland.
About 22% of Hungarian homes have internet access, less than half of the EU average of 48%. Hungary's penetration rate is on par with that of Greece among old member states and ahead of Lithuania and the Czech Republic among new member states. About 11% of homes in Hungary have broadband internet access, compared to an EU average of 23%.

About 37% of Hungarians regularly use the internet, compared to an average 73% of all EU citizens. In this respect, Hungary fares better than Greece, Portugal, Italy, the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Poland, but worse than Latvia, Slovenia, Slovakia and Estonia.

Source: BBJ.hu
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Mobile phones subscription above 9.4mln

[HU]
iWiW Kft, the company behind social networking website iwiw.hu, targets revenue from advertising of HUF 100 million (€400k) in 2006, up from just HUF 5.5 million(€22k) in 2005, managing director Márton Szabó said on Tuesday, 18th July, 2006.

The site has attracted 360,000 more registered users and, passing the 1 million mark, since the end of April when the company was acquired by T-Online.
Tibor Tóthmátyás, portal director for T-Online, confirmed the ISP unit of Magyar Telekom Nyrt had purchased the company, buying first a controlling stake for Ft 1 billion, then the remainder for an undisclosed price. T-Online expects to recoup its investment in 3-4 years, he said.
The number of iWiW users will soon reach a level at which Hungary's internet penetration will have to increase in order to allow further growth, Tóthmátyás said. However, the company will continue to attract new users through the issue of invitations (which are required to register at the site), and it will increase the value of the site for users by introducing new services.
Source: BBJ.hu
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iWIW Sold