MAM
Interpublic group first quarter results disappoint analysts
NEW YORK: Advertising company Interpublic group of companies, the world's second-largest owner of advertising agencies has reported a disappointing results for the FY2003. The group also named Christopher Coughlin (ex executive VP and CFO at Pharmacia Corporation) to assume charge of the newly created position of a chief operating officer.
While announcing its results on 7 May, Interpublic reported a first-quarter net loss of $8.6 million, or 2 cents a share. That compared with a year-ago profit of $59.8 million, or 16 cents. The first quarter revenues rose nearly 1 per cent to $1.43 billion as foreign exchange fluctuations masked the weakness in the ad market abroad and project-related businesses such as public relations, says an adage report.
The company, which has reshuffled its management as it contends with earnings restatements and a probe by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The holding company said it swung to a quarterly net loss hurt by higher costs, including severance, as it tries to turn itself around.
Group chief executive and chairman David Bell was reported as saying that the results were 'disappointing and unacceptable.' He added that the efforts to increase revenues, including cost controlling measures, would begin to bear fruit in the second half of the year.
Interpublic said its new business wins in the quarter totaled $1.3 billion, including clients such as Merck & Co. and AT&T Corp. , which encouraged some analysts.
The company said it will accelerate its cost-cutting in the second quarter and believes the second-half of the year and first-half of 2004 will form a base for the future. Interpublic said it will give further details on its plans in August.
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Uidai partners with Google to help users locate Aadhaar centres
Verified Aadhaar centres to appear on Maps with services and access info
MUMBAI: Finding an Aadhaar centre may soon be as easy as finding your favourite café. In a move aimed at making public services more accessible, the Unique Identification Authority of India has partnered with Google to display authorised Aadhaar centres on Google Maps. The feature, expected to roll out in the coming months, will allow residents to locate verified centres quickly and confidently.
More than 60,000 Aadhaar centres, including state of the art Aadhaar Seva Kendras, will be mapped. When users search on Google Maps, they will be directed to authorised facilities rather than unverified listings, helping curb misinformation and confusion.
The listings will do more than drop a pin. Users will be able to see the nature of services offered at each centre, whether it is adult enrolment, child enrolment, or limited to address and mobile number updates. Details such as operating hours, parking availability and divyang friendly infrastructure will also be shown wherever applicable.
Uidai CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar, said the collaboration is part of the authority’s continued effort to improve ease of living for Aadhaar holders by making authorised centres simpler and faster to navigate.
The partnership will deepen in its next phase, with Uidai using Google Business Profile to manage information and respond directly to public feedback. Looking ahead, the two organisations are also exploring the option of enabling appointment bookings through the Google Maps interface, potentially allowing residents to plan their visits with greater efficiency.
Google India country head, strategic partnerships Roli Agarwal, said integrating verified Aadhaar centres would help millions access trusted services with confidence, bringing essential government infrastructure closer to the people who need it most.
If all goes to plan, a routine Aadhaar update may soon begin not with a queue, but with a search bar.
