Media Centre
2nd Sept 2010
AIME, IAB, IMRG survey finds consumers are ahead of retailers when it comes to M-Commerce. More training and awareness needed
Until now the credibility of mobile commerce has been largely built on the success of selling ringtones, games, screensavers and other bits and pieces of digital content. Thanks to a few unscrupulous content promoters that credibility was stretched to breaking point after some high profile subscription-billing scandals rocked the industry and led to a regulatory crackdown in 2007. Since then revenues have dropped as consumers lost trust. However, over the past few months growing interest from major high street retailers in the mobile channel looks set to pave the way for the real arrival of m-commerce.
Last month AIME, along with trade bodies IAB and IMRG released findings of some combined research into this sector which found that over half of UK retail brands expect revenues from mobile channels to rise over the next 12 months and 65 percent plan to launch a transactional mobile site within two years. Although 94 percent of those retailers surveyed sited mobile as a real opportunity for future growth, the research worryingly found that only 20 percent of the 20 most popular UK retailer websites were actually optimised for mobile browsing.
Click here to read the full story.
20th Aug 2010
PhonepayPlus Clarifies Rules on Participation TV Following Successful Lobbying from AIME
Steps taken toward the re-introduction of SMS voting for interactive TV shows
The Association of Interactive Media and Entertainment (AIME) today announced that following a successful period of lobbying and co-operation with PhonepayPlus, the industry regulator is to ease restrictions on interactive TV voting. Details have been released as a supplementary notice to industry and outline three significant changes:
1. Votes or entries which are received outside the voting window – e.g. when lines are open – do not have to be counted or refunded provided that this risk is clearly communicated to consumers, that consumers are informed their entry is invalid but they will still be charged, and that there are no technical difficulties (either from the network or provider) which might have caused votes or entries to be delivered late.
2. Phone lines may remain open when programmes are repeated, provided that the voting/entry window for PRS is still open during the repeat.
3. Where multiple methods of voting/entry exist for the same Broadcast event, then if some of those methods will have shorter voting/entry windows than others this must be clear to consumers in each call to action.
Click here to read the full story.
18th Aug 2010
New Research Shows that Consumers are Moving Faster than Retailers Towards Mobile Internet
Survey commissioned by AIME, IAB and IMRG shows that 41% of UK retail brands expect to have a transactional mobile site or application within the next year
Too few retailers have a solid mobile presence today, however, 41% plan to have a transactional mobile site or application in place within the next year, according to the results from a new research partnership between the Association for Interactive Media and Entertainment (AIME), the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG). The study found that while mobile commerce is still very much at the consideration stage, the majority of retailers surveyed expect mobile commerce to be part of their main strategy within the next 12 months.
eDigital Research, commissioned by AIME, the IAB and the IMRG surveyed 140 marketing professionals from the retail, advertising and mobile service provider sectors in the UK to understand attitudes, behaviours and perceived challenges to mobile commerce. Over half (59%) of the senior-level representatives from UK retail brands that took part expected their mobile revenues to increase over the next 12 months, and 94% saw it as a real opportunity for their business.
Click here to read the full story.
3rd Aug 2010
AIME Board signals “cautious optimism” in response to PhonepayPlus 12th Code Consultation
As PhonepayPlus’ (PP+) 12th Code consultation period drew to a close at the end of July, the PRS and Telemedia industry is now braced for the proposed changes under the new Code to become implemented – probably around springtime 2011. According to PP+, the new approach to regulation will be more ‘fair and open’ and the 12th Code has been designed to work on the principles of shared responsibility, adoption of a service provider registration scheme and offer a more proportionate response to problems arising in the marketplace for consumers.
Chief amongst AIME’s concerns in its response to the 12th Code consultation is how the new changes will be managed by PP+ and how the changeover between the 11th and 12th Codes will be handled, however, as AIME Vice-Chairman, Jeremy Flynn says, there is a lot in the Code to be welcomed.
“There is an inherent recognition in the 12th Code that it has been designed with mobile in mind and it formally distributes responsibility for compliance throughout the value chain. Overall it represents a move away from prescriptive regulation towards proportionate responsibility. And PP+ should be congratulated for accepting this positive evolution,” says Flynn.
Click here to read the full story.
6th July 2010
AIME helps to give interactive technology in the third sector a boost
Interactive Technology for the Third Sector – event overview
The AIME K&N seminar event on Empowering the Charitable Sector with Interactive Technology succeeded in generating quite a bit of interest in how to drive initiatives further forward to improve the value derived by the third sector from using technology in its fundraising and communications campaigns.
It was clear from the discussions taking part throughout the day that the benefits of using interactive platforms remain relative to the size of the charity involved. As Knowledge Peers’ Jessica Figueras notes in this helpful write up of the event, many charities, already operating on tight budgets, worry over duplication of purpose and their financial stability. Nevertheless, innovation is important to the third sector and interactive tech is an area where smaller charities can punch above their weight.
From the presentations made during the seminar (available here), it was clear that there is an enormous range of new tools on offer for charities to implement campaigns with. Many of these are free to use, most of them are cheap and easily accessible – from social media applications to email marketing – the new wave of cloud-based technologies offer the promise of efficient administration combined with scalable reach to new donors in compelling ways.
Click here to read the full story, watch videos & see the photos from the day
3rd June 2010
Ofcom revises regulations on advertising of premium rate numbers for adult and psychic PTV services
Following two years of lobbying the Association of Interactive Media and Entertainment (AIME) welcomes yesterday's ‘Participation TV Part 3 (PTV3)’ statement by communications regulator, Ofcom. The statement outlines the revised regulations on the advertising of premium rate phone participation on TV, specifically around adult and psychic content.
Such PTV services were recently classified by Ofcom as teleshopping and governed by a more stringent set of rules proposed by the ASA’s Broadcast Committee for Advertising Practice (BCAP), which would have over-restricted the psychic and adult PTV industries around how their services are advertised.
AIME research into other European markets demonstrated that less intrusive regulation in markets such as Germany, where there is also a low level of complaint, has grown the interactive psychic market to around £200m per annum. The UK market for psychic PTV services has been limited to £3m per annum.
In response to the proposed rules, AIME set up an industry group to explore the impact and present its concerns and findings to Ofcom.
Click here to read the full story.
3rd June 2010
Mobility Meets Compassion; New AIME Event Empowers Charities & Non-Profits to Leverage Mobile
We all have our excuses for not donating to disaster relief funds or to our favourite charities: We're broke, the donation process is too complicated or we lack the time to write and send a cheque or dial a call centre. Mobile donating--giving money to an organization via text message--makes giving a lot easier and has a significant impact on the charity’s bottom line.
These issues and more were discussed and explored during the AIME K&N full day seminar last week in London: Empowering the Charitable Sector with Interactive Technology. The event’s success has led to the formation of a Charity and Interactive Tech Special Interest Group, spearheaded by AIME, to help drive further improvements in the value chain and encourage more charitable organisations to tap into this rich seam of revenue and communications.
Click here to read the full story.
25th May 2010
AIME takes charity initiative and launches Knowledge & Networking series to bring together charities and the interactive industries
- series to explore how interactivity can increase awareness, donations and engagement for charitable organisations
25th May 2010: Leading trade association for interactive industries, The Association of Interactive Media and Entertainment (AIME) today announced the first event in its series of AIME K&N seminars for the charity sector: Empowering the Charitable Sector with Interactive Technology (May 27, London).
The full day event is aimed at educating and creating awareness about what interactive platforms (web, fixed telephony and mobile, email, social media and Red Button TV) can do to help engage consumers and drive higher charitable donations.
Click here to read the full story
5th May 2010
AIME Knowledge & Networking Seminar: Bringing together all Value Chain Participants involved in creating Dynamic + Effective Interactive Campaigns for Charities
In just over three week’s time, the most innovative organisations and individuals developing interactive tech solutions for charities will gather in London for the first full-day AIME Knowledge & Networking Seminar event entitled: Empowering the Charitable Sector with Interactive Technology.
The agenda is cross-industry and cross-platform, combining strategic views, executive insights and case studies from network operators, mobile aggregators, broadcasters, marketing agencies and major charitable organisations, that have run successful interactive fundraising and awareness raising campaigns in the UK and US.
The purpose of this exciting one day event is to help charities learn how to cost-effectively harness the power of interactive technology and social media platforms to boost revenue generation and awareness campaigns. The event, to be held at the Hilton London Paddington Hotel on May 27th, will also serve as a valuable networking opportunity for technology solution providers to meet key executives from charitable organisations who are keen to implement interactive strategies and strike the right partnerships.
Click here to read the full story.
29th April 2010
PhonepayPlus announces consultation for ‘stripped down’ regulatory code of practice
PhonepayPlus (Pp+) the premium rate industry regulatory body today issued details of its next consultation process that, if ratified will see it introduce a simplified Code of Practice for the premium rate industry.
The consultation is welcomed by the leading premium rate industry trade body, The Association for Interactive Media & Entertainment (AIME), and should provide a more forward looking regulatory environment that will support business growth in the sector, currently worth £850m per annum.
Click here to read the full story.
13th April 2010
AIME: new Board and launch of three year strategy to fuel support for growth in the UK Premium Rate Industry
London 13th April 2010: Industry trade association, The Association of Interactive Media and Entertainment (AIME) today announced the appointment of its newly elected Board which will oversee the micropay premium industry.
The newly elected board is a mixture of movers and shakers from all sections of the interactive media industry value-chain with representatives from broadcaster ITV, network operator BT agilemedia, mobile operator ‘3’, publisher Sport Media, terminating providers Mobile Interactive Group and OpenMarket (part of US venture AmDocs), promoters Venista, Million-2-1 and D2See and finally global voting company Harvest Media Group.
Click here to read the full story.
8th March 2010
PhonepayPlus announces reduction in industry levy: AIME responds
London 8th March, 2010 - PhonepayPlus has announced that it is reducing the levy that it applies to all outpayments from companies that generate revenue from premium rate services. The levy is used to fund the regulator and its activity in overseeing the premium rate industry.
The Association of Interactive Media and Entertainment (AIME) welcomes the announcement of a small reduction in the 2010/11 budget for PhonepayPlus of 3% and an associated reduction in the levy applied to the premium rate services (PRS) industry for the year to 0.21% of applicable revenues by utilising surplus fines funds.Click here to read the full story.
2nd March 2010
Premium rate complaints to industry regulator PhonepayPlus show sharp decline
- AIME led initiatives and collaboration with regulator contribute to positive quarter
London 2nd March, 2010 – Premium rate industry regulator PhonepayPlus has released its quarterly report on how well the interactive industry fared during the last three months of 2009. The report highlights a sharp decline in the amount of complaints that the regulator processed during this time period:
- Complaints to PhonepayPlus dropped by 60% for Q3 2009/10 compared to Q3 2008/9 (2,132 vs 5,442)
- This gives a complaint ratio of one complaint per 100,000 premium rate transactions; down from three complaints per 100,000 in 2007
Click here to read the full story.
3rd November 2009
Ofcom PTV3 - Rules on the promotion of premium rate services: AIME responds
Ofcom today issued a statement to strengthen the rules surrounding use of premium rate phone lines in TV and radio programmes. This follows a lengthy consultation process that started in 2007, with PTV1: ‘Protecting consumers and viewers participating in programmes’; continued with PTV2: ‘Keeping Advertising Separate from Editorial’ and now concludes with a third consultation PTV3: ‘Rules on the promotion of premium rate services’.
AIME has been representing member interests during this consultation process since 2007 and we are pleased to see light at the end of the tunnel after 3 years of consultation in the participation TV industry. The rapid growth of this industry by its very nature presented challenges for a regulatory framework not designed to encompass such services. This process has resulted in several necessary consumer safeguards being put in place by industry and regulator, and has demonstrated an ongoing need for engagement and co-operation between regulators and industry.
Click here to read the full story.
28th October 2009
Ofcom Scope Review: AIME responds
Ofcom today issued a statement following its recent consultation on the premium rate services industry. Specifically the scope review focuses on four key areas:
- Defining what is a premium rate service
- Pricing transparency for premium rate services
- A registration scheme for service promoters
- Complaint handling
AIME has, for many years now, stressed the need for engagement and co-operation between regulators and industry and has been instrumental in highlighting and driving these four issues forward by bringing together regulators, service promoters and operators. In particular AIME has been most vocal around the need for a registration scheme for operators of these services.
Click here to read the full story.
21st October 2009
Global Mobile Organizations Support Mobile Advertising Ecosystem Ebook
London, UK – October 21st, 2009 – MSearchGroove, the source of analysis and commentary on mobile advertising, mobile search and social media, today announced the launch of MobileAd World Focus, a global roundup of the trends, technologies and campaigns impacting the emerging mobile advertising business ecosystem at all levels created in partnership with Convergence World.
Endorsed by leading global mobile organisations including the Association for Interactive Media & Entertainment (AIME), the Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF), the Mobile Data Association (MDA) and the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), this publication will educate the marketplace, highlight growth opportunities and expertly document the best practices that make business sense..
Click here to read the full story.
30th July 2009
AIME launches Affiliate Scheme to support companies providing 087 numbers
London 30th July, 2009 - On 1st August 087 numbers will be reclassified as ‘Controlled Premium Rate Services’ (PRS) and this means that regulation will fall under the remit of PhonepayPlus (PP+).
Any company that is reselling 087 services (excluding 0870) will need to follow the PP+ Code of Practice and as such comply with a new set of regulatory practices and responsibilities. This includes things like registration as a service provider with the Information Commissioners Office, undergoing due diligence processes with your customers, and contributing to the PP+ levy.
Click here to read the full story.
16th July 2009
AIME Best Practice Guidelines for managing mobile Premium Rate Services launched with commitments from first five Terminating Providers
London 24th June, 2009 – The Association for Interactive Media & Entertainment (AIME) has brought together the UK’s leading mobile SMS aggregators (Terminating Providers) to fuse Best Practices, Standards and Guidelines which relate to the planning, deployment and management of premium rate mobile services.
AIME members, who are mobile Terminating Providers, and typically also Application Providers, have agreed a series of measures to reduce the incidence of Merchant Promoters (MP) who cause consumer harm by breaching the PhonepayPlus Code of Conduct and other regulations. The AIME members that commit to follow the Best Practice Guidelines have agreed to implement all steps and procedures contained in these guidelines.
Click here to read the full story.
24th Jun 2009
AIME to co-ordinate industry response to PhonepayPlus 12th Code of Practice
London 24th June, 2009 – AIME, the industry association for interactive media and entertainment, welcomes today’s announcement by PhonepayPlus that it intends to undertake a significant review of its Code of Practice.
Today’s announcement launched a wide-ranging discussion paper on the development of the 12th Code and takes into account Ofcom’s current Scope Review Consultation as a foundation for four main changes to the current regulatory regime.
Click here to read the full story.
30 Mar 2009
AIME elects Ed Boddington of Harvest Media as new Chairman
The Association for Interactive Media & Entertainment (AIME) – the leading trade body in the interactive media sector – is pleased to announce that Ed Boddginton, CEO and Founder of Harvest Media Group, has been elected as Chairman of the AIME Board.
In his role as chairman Ed will oversee and steer AIME through its various core functions including representing AIME members’ interests to industry regulatory bodies such as Ofcom, PhonePayPlus and the ASA, and also help members to connect with each other through various initiatives to advance all forms of Interactive Media business.
Click here to read the full story.
30th April 2008
Ofcom to announce that ITV faces a record £4m fine for phone line fiasco
According to news reports Ofcom is set to hand down a £4m fine to ITV as the media watchdog publishes conclusions of its six month investigation in to the UK commercial broadcaster. The investigation follows the premium rate phone-in fiascos of last year which involved many high-profile flagship ITV shows such as Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway and Soap Star Super Star.
Click here to read the full story.
8 April 2008
AIME launches Interactive Broadcast Services Guide
- cross platform guide outlines best practice for broadcasters and service providers
AIME, (formerly the NOC) the trade association for the interactive media and entertainment industry, today launched its free Interactive Broadcast Services Guide. The guide provides practical advice on the processes involved in executing interactive and premium rate services such as programme voting, reverse auctions, competitions, text to screen and chat, from mobile phones, interactive voice response (IVR) and red button on digital TV.
Click here to read the full story.
18 March 2008
NOC rebrands as AIME and elects new board to reflect changing value chain for interactive media
Network for Online Commerce (NOC), the trade association for the Interactive Media and Entertainment industry, today announced that it has re-branded as the Association for Interactive Media and Entertainment (AIME) to reflect the changing industry landscape and evolving technololgy and service provider value-chain around interactive media.
Click here to read the full story.
09 January 2008
NOC commissions survey into the effectiveness or not of Payforit – have your say
The introduction of the Payforit WAP-like billing mechanism in the UK last year has been mired in controversy, with service providers and content and media companies questioning whether it offers the necessary flexibility and usability to open up the mobile content market. In response to these concerns, the Network for Online Commerce ( NOC ), the leading trade body for the interactive media and entertainment industry, has commissioned the Fathom Consultancy Group to undertake a survey of the Payforit billing system employed by the Mobile Network Operators.
Click here to read the full story.
18th October 2007
News Reaction: Today Deloitte report for ITV will reveal extent of premium rate phone fiascos
ITV has just revealed the results of a self imposed investigation by accountancy firm Deloitte, which details the extent of the premium rate phone fiascos that have rocked the premium rate, interactive and broadcast industries since ‘Richard and Judy day’ back in February 07.
Click here to read the full story…
© 2009