Google conquers Britain

The Telegraph reports that Google is on track to become the UK’s No. 1 company in advertising revenue.

The company’s UK advertising revenues jumped by 83pc in the past year, hitting $1.6bn (£821m) in 2006, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

It means that Google has now overtaken Channel 4, which earned £775m, and makes it the country’s second-biggest advertiser after ITV, which recorded £1.63bn worth of spending in 2006, but is expected to record a drop in revenues for 2006 when it files its latest figures on Wednesday.

The news is the latest sign of the rapid shift away from traditional forms of advertising to the internet and other more dynamic media.

And you thought Microsoft was scary.