Multimedia keeps fund managers on the ball

Fund managers are increasingly relying on video presentations to let them "read between the lines" of financial reports, according to a survey from multimedia company, MarchCom.

Because fund managers have to track so many companies, it is almost impossible to meet executives from all of them to hear annual reports or attend shareholder meetings.

One fund manager at a leading London investment house said: "We don't have time to read all the reports - and don't need that level of detail." He claimed to look out for email sent with audio or video attachments rather than long text attachments.

MarchCom runs a Web site called www.carol.co.uk, which can host annual reports, multimedia presentations and corporate videos. It claims the traditional annual report will fade away to be replaced by regularly updated multimedia presentations for investors.

In a statement, the company quoted Chris Fay, chief executive of Shell, who claimed companies are increasingly focusing on intangible factors, like social responsibilities, rather than financial results.