BBC Worldwide is launching its BBC Knowledge Magazine in the US with a 1.3 million-piece direct mail push. Marketing efforts for the science and history magazine will kick off in late June, and the magazine will hit newsstands in August.

Communications holding company WPP Group reported first quarter revenue for the three months ended March 31 rose 15.6% for a total of $3.08 billion. The North America region remained relatively strong throughout the quarter, growing faster than might be expected based on reports of an economic slowdown, according to a statement from the company.

According to the quarterly Bellwether Report from the UK-based Institute of Practitioners in Advertis­ing, the direct marketing sector is showing its biggest decline in eight years. Budgets dropped 6.3% in the last quarter, the report said, spurred by weak sales and ongoing economic concerns.

Hachette Filipacchi UK has acquired UK-based entertainment news Web site DigitalSpy.co.uk. There will be no changes to Digital Spy's editorial or management teams. The financial aspects of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Travel Website Orbitz has eliminated its global CMO position, in order to focus marketing at a more regional level. This move reflects a structural change that Orbitz executives say the company has been undertaking over the past few months.

Database provider infoUSA says that its Manchester, UK-based offshoot, InfoUK.com, will open for business in January.

Userplane, a subsidiary of AOL, announced deals with Channel 4 (UK), The CW, FUEL TV and IFC to provide its social networking and community applications to those networks' Web sites.

The Timberland Company has teamed up with e-commerce services firm Demandware to power its online store in the UK. As a part of Timberland's push into international markets, the new site, at www.timberlandonline.co.uk, lets UK shoppers buy Timberland products online.

Justin Basini, European head of brand marketing for Capital One, talks to Noelle McElhatton about the brand, the US, and the credit crunch.

European marketing software provider Neolane Inc., which specializes in integrating emerging technologies with traditional channels of communication, has launched operations in North America.