Paid Content revenues are estimated to increase by 20% in 2004

2004

Wednesday, 03 March 2004 00:00

Archives, digital papers and mobile services are the best-selling formats

Berlin, March 2nd, 2004. OPA Europe forecasts that paid content/service revenues for leading European Online Publishers will increase by 20% in 2004. That is the result of a OPA Europe case study amongst its members. After online advertising paid content is the most important revenue source with projected constant growth within the next five years. “Paid Content can be a life insurance” says Philippe Jannet, Managing Director of Les Echos.fr, Paris/France.

The development in Europe is inline with sales growth in the US. The first period increase in 2003 was 22% and sustained growth is forecasted by the OPA US. Furthermore, the OPA Europe case study outlined that “archives”, “digital papers” and “mobile services” are the best-selling formats in 2003. Pay-per-use and subscription are the most offered payment systems. The case study points out that credit cards (offered by every analyzed website) and telephone bills are and will be the predominant payment methods, though prepaid cards and debit will gain more importance in the future. Micro-payment so far is not important from a European perspective apart from Germany. In order to establish paid content/service as a strong revenue source it is important to promote it. Most online publishers (71% of analyzed websites) therefore advertise their paid content/service products on there own websites. Many also choose to promote it on classical media such as newspapers and magazines, radio or even TV.

About OPA Europe :
Founded in March 2003 by some of the European Internet’s leading content brands, the OPA Europe is an organization dedicated to represent the interests of first-rate online publishers before the advertising community, the press, all governmental and European institutions and the public at large. OPA Europe is committed to producing ground-breaking research into online advertising and media consumption with the goal of advancing the online publishing industry. Through credible research and ongoing communications, OPA Europe seeks to establish and promote the Internet as an effective advertising medium for marketers and a sustainable media business for publishers, thereby ensuring the continued availability of quality content to serve the public good.

Members of OPA Europe are : CNET Networks (Europe), Kataweb (Italy), Group Financial Times (Great Britain and France), La Vanguardia Digital (Spain), International Herald Tribune (Europe), Kathimerini (Greece), Le Monde interactif (France), Le Temps (Switzerland), Prisacom/El Pais (Spain), RCS Mediagroup (Italy), El Mundo (Spain) and Spiegel Online (Germany).