Welcome to June's Click-thru, your indispensable round-up of the latest online industry news, brought direct to your inbox from the Internet Advertising Bureau.

There are gender wars aplenty in this month's Click-thru, as girls lead the digital charge. It has been announced that women are reviving the music industry by embracing download services in their multitudes. And according to a new survey, female interest in the internet is starting at a younger age than their male counterparts.

Elsewhere, the World Cup has reiterated just how reliant we are on the internet as an information source (on designated breaks only, of course). It is a realistic notion to suggest that by the time the next World Cup rolls around we will be able to watch all the games live on our laptops and portable devices wherever we are. This month's comment piece discusses how we are tip-toeing closer to a time when the wireless hotspots we are used to become broad, city-wide wi-fi zones, allowing us to go online, un-tethered whilst we are out and about.

For more information on these stories and much more, read on...

Kind regards



Guy Phillipson
IAB, CEO

Wi-fi: Setting the internet free? Wi-fi is set to be the next big internet battleground. Is it only a matter of time before we are able to get online anytime and anyplace without wires and for free? Read more

The online audience

Tory party BBC warning The BBC were under fire from the Conservative Party in May, who accused the corporation of "abusing its privileged position and huge resources to crowd out smaller players" on the internet. This follows on from the BBC's announcement in April that they intend to incorporate a number of online initiatives on their site in the future that could be seen to encroach on other online services. Media Guardian, May 15 Read more It's girls against boys in the digital communications revolution. And guess who's winning?! A recent Ofcom study has revealed that girls aged 12-15 are leaving their male counterparts trailing in the digital communications revolution. Girls in their early teens are more likely to use the internet, have a mobile phone, listen to the radio and read a newspaper than boys of a similar age. Guardian, May 3 Read more

Entertainment

Music

Women online boost volume of music sales Men are also struggling to maintain their dominance as the main purchasers of music. Women digital downloaders are buoying music sales according to research from media group Emap. The convenience factor of downloads coupled with the added incentive of not having to deal with snooty sales assistants, is encouraging female music spending. The Guardian, May 15 Read more We're not just about the videos MTV Urge MTV have launched their very own music download service, Urge. With 2 million songs available individually for $0.99 or through a monthly subscription, Urge will be compatible with over 100 digital music players. BBC, May 15 Read more

Film

The internet stays in the picture The BBC discussed the relationship between the internet and the film industry in an article on their website in May. The site discusses the threat of online movie piracy and how Hollywood is responding. BBC, May 26 Read more For an indepth study on the history of the relationship between movies and the internet, please visit the IAB website. Warner Bros. sleeping with the enemy Warner Brothers has struck a deal with online piracy nemesis Bit Torrent to use peer to peer technology to aid the quick distribution of large files. Downloads of movies and TV shows will be available on the same day they are released on DVD and will cost the same amount as the shiny discs as well. BBC, May 9 Read more

TV

Murdoch takes on Jack Bauer Hit US nail-biter, 24, is to be sold through MySpace. The News Corp site will offer episodes from the first two series of the Fox show. A Burger King sponsorship deal will also allow viewers to download two episodes for free. TV.com, May 16 Read more

Online news

Ruling recognises online journalists The growing status of online news has been reaffirmed by a Californian court which ruled that journalists writing for the internet have the same rights as traditional reporters. The ruling resulted from a lawsuit filed by Apple to find out the source of a reporter's story on an Apple product. BBC, May 30 Read more

Online community sites

Old media looks to make friends with online communities Management consultancy, McKinsey is looking to gather senior personnel from old and new media companies to brainstorm the best way to capitalise on the growing popularity of online social networking sites. MySpace, Bebo, Flickr and YouTube are attracting some of the highest audiences on the internet and the meeting will look to incorporate user-generated content into viable media businesses. Ft, May 29 Read more MySpace looks to Google and Microsoft for search service MySpace has reportedly been talking with Microsoft or Google about their plans to offer an ad-funded search engine on its influential community site. Netimperative, May 23 Read more

B2B

Ingenuity offer you access to 20 blue chip marketing organisations First Eleven Digital, the latest in Ingenuity's successful series of B2B speed-dating events, takes place at Lord's on Monday July 3rd. In a single afternoon, you will meet marketing and procurement people from a maximum of 20 blue chip marketing organisations, including the BBC, BA, Masterfoods, Royal Mail, 3 Mobile, Virgin Atlantic and Sky. To find out more please email Chris Kemp or call 020 7434 7211

Broadband

BT phone home? They do a whole lot more than that! Despite still being perceived mainly as a telephone company, voice calls generate less than 10% of BT's £20billion a year revenues. As BT prepares to launch its broadband television service, a report on the Times website outlines how the telecoms company has changed since the broadband revolution. Times online, May 14 Read more British cities soon to be wi-fi-ing high Not content with having a major share of the broadband market within the UK's homes, BT is now looking to get us online whilst we are out and about. Deals have been signed with 12 councils across the UK to create broad zones of wireless internet access. People will be able to access the internet through a subscription or pay as you go vouchers. BBC, May 18 Read more Over 50s get their own broadband service The over-50s, one of the fastest growing demographics online, now have their very own broadband service. Help broadband is backed by Help the Aged and telephone support from experts aged 50 years and over is included in the £16.99 package. Telegraph online, June 8 Read more

Online Creative

Online campaigns

BBC buys in game virtual island The use of in-game marketing continues with the announcement by the BBC that they have rented a virtual tropical island within the online game Second Life. The island will be used to debut new bands and will provide a virtual extension to the radio station's festivals and events. BBC, May 12 Read more Visit bannerblog to view a gallery of all the latest online creative

Viral

The Times viral having a ball In the build up to the World Cup, many of the virals doing the inbox rounds in May had a football focus. Former player and pundit Tony Cascarino discusses his top ten World Cup goals as part of a Times Online viral game. The campaign is aimed to create awareness, interest and fun around the show-piece tournament. Brand Republic, May 24 Read more

Online awards, events and polls

Online institutions old and new triumph at 10th Webby Awards The Oscars of the internet world, the Webbies, took place last month and once again the BBC were big winners -picking up three awards. Online favourites Flickr, MySpace and Guardian Unlimited also triumphed at the prestigious awards ceremony judged this year by David Bowie, Matt Groening and Jamie Oliver. BBC, May 9 Read more

IAB's Engage for Brands Wed July 12, 2006 The IAB has organised this event to ensure that marketers can understand how their brand communication can adapt to the opportunities the internet offers. In a compact half-day programme, you will hear the latest research demonstrating the impact of online marketing on brand awareness and favourability. Read more

Search

BBC's new search service to meet our great expectations A new specialised search system - with similar functionality to Google - has been launched on the BBC website. The move from the corporation has been made to reflect the growing importance of search and to meet user expectation of what a search service should offer. BBC, May 11 Read more

Global snapshot

US offices in non-work related internet surfing shocker! We are saddened to bring you deeply shocking and disturbing statistics from the seventh annual Web@Work study. The US survey by Harris Interactive into online behaviour in the workplace has revealed that 61% of respondents admitted to surfing non-work related internet sites in the office... Truly shocking Emarketer, May 24 Read more