Information Today
Volume 19, Issue 4 — April 2002
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Despite Downturn, Report Claims Healthy Growth in European Online Information Market

Learned Information Europe, Ltd. has announced that, according to a new report, Europe's online information market—representing the sale of paid-for content—grew by 6 percent in 2001, surpassing its 4-percent growth in 2000. Revenue in this sector was worth $1.4 billion in 2001. The findings came from a survey of 260 information professionals from the U.K., France, Germany, and Scandinavia, the four largest markets in Europe.

Business information (news, company, market research, and legal) currently accounts for 77.6 percent of the industry, withscientific, technical, and medical (STM) information accounting for the remaining 22.4 percent. Sales growth has been achieved through an increased penetration of Web-based products and services at the desktop, more flexible delivery and pricing options, and the further penetration of European markets outside the U.K.

According to the report, the last 12 months have seen the three major business information vendors (Thomson Corp., LexisNexis, and Factiva) concentrate on internal restructuring and refocusing. In the STM information sector, the major players (Elsevier Science, Wolters Kluwer, Thomson, and John Wiley) have concentrated on the development of more Web-based products.

Katherine Allen, event director for the Online Information conference, said: "This report indicates that despite the prevailing economic conditions, charging for content continues to be a viable strategy for information providers. Vendors continue to compete on price, but users in business and professional environments have always been prepared to pay for information that is trustworthy, reliable, and relevant."

Full results are published in the European Online Information Market report. The report covers two markets: business information and STM information. Copies can be ordered from Learned Information by calling 011-44-1865-388034, or via its Web site at http://www.learned.co.uk/report.

The European online information market, as defined in the report, comprises online company, financial, news, legal, and market research information, and online scientific, technical, and medical information in CD-ROM format as well as Web-based and traditional online sources. It includes historical information services and near-real-time services, but excludes real-time services.

Source: Learned Information Europe, Ltd., London, 011-44-1865-388034; http://www.learned.co.uk.

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