Indiantelevision.com Team

(28 October 2006 6:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Martin Sorrel's media and advertising conglomerate WPP has reported a 4.6 per cent rise in revenues to $ 2.669 billion in the third-quarter ended 30 September.

Overall, revenues were up 12 per cent for the first nine months of 2006. Expectedly, the largest growth in percentage terms came from the emerging markets of Asia Pacific, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. Revenue across these regions rose over 20 per cent.

In North America, revenues were up over 10 per cent, which marks the 13th consecutive quarter of growth. The United Kingdom and the western markets of Continental Europe remain more challenging, although the latter improved over the second quarter. The United Kingdom and Continental Europe as a whole, were up over 7 per cent, with the United Kingdom lagging behind under 5 per cent.

New Business

Net new business billings of $1,431 million (£ 773 million) were won during the third quarter. Net new business billings won in the first nine months of 2006 were $5.5 billion, an increase of almost 19 per cent compared with the first nine months of 2005 - which was itself a record.