Businesses around the world are set to spend more on internet advertising than on television for the first time in 2017, forecaster ZenithOptimedia said yesterday.

Mario Rosenstock premieres his new live show in Cork. Vicki Notaro joins him on the set of his TV show to see why he’s got his sights set on the south.    

Last week RTÉ screened a documentary about this year’s All-Ireland football final, a peek behind the scenes in the run-up to Dublin-Kerry clash as well as a look at the main stage, when players ‘engaged’ with referee David Coldrick about his handling of the game.

Hurling at Croke Park has been listed among 10 of the world’s ultimate sporting destinations by travel bible Lonely Planet.

The European Union’s highest court has dismissed an appeal from Fifa and Uefa and sided with member states that insist on keeping the World Cup and European football championships on free TV.

The Eurovision song contest appears to have become the latest victim of the economic crisis.

One of the country’s best-known publicans, Charlie Chawke, yesterday blamed the Irish soccer team’s “pathetic” performance against Croatia for the Euros being a flop for his pub business.

TWO men sitting in a pub, having a pint, talking about the European football championships:

The facts and figures in the F and A columns don’t lie (and it’s not over yet).

The survival hopes of ailing sportswear chain JJB Sports were lifted today despite another batch of negative trading figures.

Vienna, Austria

A CORK student struck down with testicular cancer 12 months ago defied all the odds to collect a prestigious college sports award yesterday.

PAYOUTS to punters on events such as Royal Ascot and the early stages of the European football championships led to a £28 million (€35.5m) drop in first-half profits at British betting retailer Ladbrokes but profits at its Irish operations saw a 24% year-on-year rise.

Euro MPs today called for European-wide rules governing professional football - from stadium security and television rights to financial management and the training of young talent.

Leisure group Hilton said today the London bombings had most affected confidence among its UK customers, but failed to deter foreign visitors.

Leisure group Hilton sounded a confident note about its future today despite first-half profits at its hotels in the UK and Ireland falling by more than a fifth.

Portugal has asked NATO to provide Awacs surveillance planes to help monitor airspace during the three week European football championships in June.

Eight days after Madrid train bombings killed more than 200 people, EU governments agreed in principle today to name an official to co-ordinate anti-terrorism activities across the European Union.

Portugal must tighten its security preparations for the European football championships in June and a major music festival following the Madrid train bombings, President Jorge Sampaio said today.

A MAJOR upturn in the media business and the economy in general was predicted by influential British advertising and media commentator Martin Sorrell in Dublin yesterday.

WPP Group, one of the world's biggest advertising groups, has reported a major decline in profits for the year 2002.

THE Government was yesterday given EU approval to designate a range of major sports events as free-to-air on television.

The Government was accused last night of putting a gun to the head of the GAA by telling the organisation to reapply for 40 million previously promised to them.

THE Taoiseach last night told GAA president Seán McCague to reapply for the €40 million grant he had promised to the organisation and that he wanted Croke Park opened up for soccer.

Celtic chief executive Ian McLeod believes Parkhead has proved itself worthy of hosting Euro 2008.

A senior Nationalist MP today claimed the main rivals to Scotland and Ireland’s bid to host the European Football Championships in 2008 had been dealt “a major blow” after rioting by Austrian soccer fans.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has said he does not think Scottish devolution will lead to independence.