UK Round-Up: Last.fm; European Online Advertising; Bluetooth Cinema

Last.fm: Thomas Willomitzer, one of the students who originally helped develop the music recommendations site CBS last week bought for $280 million, is planning legal action against the remaining members, according to Music Week. No longer at the company, Willomitzer is apparently claiming unfair dismissal, but Last.fm’s response to The Guardian casts him like a drummer who quit the band before it hit the big time: “It’s just one of those things that happens – like when a band gets signed, suddenly old members pop up and want their share. But it won’t go anywhere.” The three founders currently at the Last.fm helm were last week reported to be expecting $38 million windfalls.

Advertising: New figures from the Interactive Advertising Bureau show the UK is by far Europe’s biggest spender when it comes to online advertising, accounting for 39 percent of the continent’s total spend, ahead of Germany (22 percent) France (15 percent) and Holland (seven percent), while Spain, Denmark, Belgium, Austria, Finland, Greece, Slovenia and Croatia combined make up the remaining 12 percent. In total, European online ad spend doubled last year from EUR 4.6 ($6.2) billion to EUR 8 ($10.8) billion – the UK accounted for EUR 3 ($4) billion. (Computerworld).

Movies: Cinema-goers might want to check their mobiles. Cinema advertising network Pearl & Dean has joined with billboard ad company Primesight to enable Bluetooth advertising in Vue theaters. The service, involving 25 cinemas initially and 56 later on this summer, will see the companies beam branded games, ringtones, videos and music to patrons’ handsets on behalf of advertising clients. And to think they ask you to turn off your mobile before the movie starts! (Media Week).