Chancellor George Osborne suggests GQ readers are wankers

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 8 September 2011 at 07:57
Tags: Consumer Magazines, Journalism, Magazines, National Newspapers, Newspapers

Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne suggested that readers of men’s monthly GQ are wankers when he picked up the prize for politician of the year at the mag’s annual awards event last night.
Picking up the award, Osborne said (reports the Mirror):

“It is a pleasure to win this award. I’ve just come from addressing about 300 bankers in the City of London and it says something about my profession that I was still the most unpopular person in the room. It is a fine recognition. (more…)

UK consumer magazine ABC figures released at midday

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 18 August 2011 at 07:35
Tags: Consumer Magazines, Customer publishing, Magazines

Check out the Press Gazette homepage from midday today for the most comprehensive coverage you’ll find anywhere about the consumer magazine industry ABC figures for the first half of this year.
Find out if the news mags are still going from strength to strength, if the men’s market is still in freefall and how all the rest of the UK’s hundreds of consumer mags are faring in the still-tough UK economic climate.

Here’s how we covered the consumer magazine industry ABC figures last time (figures for the last six months of 2010).

Nuts relaunch: ‘Girls, sport and humour are antidote to pressures young men face’

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 15 August 2011 at 07:48
Tags: Consumer Magazines, Magazines

IPC has announced a relaunch of weekly lads’ mag Nuts ahead of ABC sales figure for the second half of the year which are due to be announced on Thursday.

Editor Dominic Smith said in a press statement that after six months of market research they had found that the magazine’s mix of “girls, sport and especially humour is as an important antidote” to the increasing pressures young men face.

The relaunch is being backed, IPC said, by a £500,000 marketing campaign.

In the last six months of 2011 sales of Nuts fell 19.6 per cent to 142,212. For in-depth coverage of all the consumer magazine industry ABC figures log on to Press Gazette from midday on Thursday this week.

Here is the full press release from IPC on the Nuts relaunch: (more…)

Video: AOL launches daily personalised iPad magazine

Posted by Michelle Alexander on 4 August 2011 at 10:34
Tags: Consumer Magazines, International, Journalism, Journalism Technology, Magazines, Media Business, New Media, Online, People

AOL launched its daily Editions magazine Ipad app in the US yesterday and revealed that it has plans to launch a UK version at some point in the last quarter of this year.

Described as “the magazine that reads you”, it claims to learn readers’ interests by selecting articles based on keywords they select as they read.

Content is taken from AOL-run websites including Huffington Post, Moviefone, Patch, Engadget and Stylelist. AOL also syndicates content to Editions from sources such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Tree Hugger. (more…)

David Cameron brings in Michelle Obama and Bill Gates as he guest-edits Big Issue

Posted by Nada Issa on 26 July 2011 at 10:38
Tags: Consumer Magazines, Journalism, Magazines

Prime Minister David Cameron took time out from dealing with the crisis in the Eurozone and the phone-hacking scandal to guest-edit this week’s edition of the Big Issue .

The Conservative leader visited the magazine’s offices in Vauxhall, South London, spoke to a group of vendors about selling the magazine and met editorial staff.

Cameron explained his reasons for accepting the invitation to guest-edit the title, writing: “First and foremost because it’s a great magazine and it’s a great honour to be asked to edit it.’ (more…)

Dog-eat-dog rivalry between two pet magazines gets nasty

Posted by Myriam Dijck on 20 June 2011 at 12:49
Tags: Consumer Magazines, Journalism, Magazines

A row between two Surrey-based dog magazines has escalated into a bitter dispute involving legal threats and the police, according to the Daily Mail.

The dispute began when the editor of long-established monthly Dogs Today found out that a rival had set up a quarterly publication with the tagline “the first and only dog magazine”.

Beverley Cuddy, 48, told the Mail she wrote a “very polite” email to the new magazine called Surrey Dog’s Life, asking it to remove the tagline. When this was ignored, she issued a formal warning to drop the claim within two weeks.

Editor of Surrey Dog’s Life, Lizette Roux, said she felt intimidated and made a complaint to the police about harassment - the Mail reports.

In Ms Cuddy’s blog, she called it an “unbelievably harrowing experience” and denied she ever made any threats to the rival editor.

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Jemima Khan guest edits this week’s New Statesman

Posted by Press Gazette on 5 April 2011 at 08:04
Tags: Consumer Magazines, Magazines

Jemima Khan has guest-edited the New Statesman this week bringing in a host of high-profile names for a special on free speech.

Khan has worked with the News Statesman, which like Press Gazette is owned by Progressive Media, on an issue including contributions from two Oscar winners and an interview with the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

Oscar-winning actor Tim Robbins takes the press to task while Oliver Stone – the director of JFK, Nixon and W. – gives his verdict on Barack Obama.

There are also contributions from Julian Assange, who argues that WikiLeaks follows in the best traditions of the radical press, alongside columns by the comedian Russell Brand, the singer Jarvis Cocker and the England cricketer Kevin Pietersen.

IPC Media ‘looking to revamp Woman’

Posted by Press Gazette on 1 April 2011 at 11:27
Tags: Consumer Magazines, Magazines

IPC Media is planning a relaunch of its weekly Woman magazine to incorporate more fashion and wellbeing content, according to a report. (more…)

BBC Magazines ‘close to a sale with Bauer in pole position’

Posted by Press Gazette on 31 March 2011 at 10:47
Tags: BBC, Consumer Magazines, Magazines, Media Business

The BBC is close to agreeing the terms of the sale of its magazine business with Bauer Media entering protracted negotiations with the corporation, according to reports this morning. (more…)

BBC History Magazine launches in Italy

Posted by Press Gazette on 23 March 2011 at 11:22
Tags: BBC, Consumer Magazines, Magazines

BBC Magazines has launched its History Magazine in Italy this month following a licensing deal being struck with Sprea International srl, part of the Sprea Editori Publishing Group.

The first Italian edition of the monthly title is April 2011 issue marking the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy.

The magazine is on sale on newstands across Italy, price €3,90 with an initial print run of 70,000 and will be edited by Salvatore Giannella.

Joanna Marshall, head of international licensing and syndication at BBC Magazines, said: “We are delighted to have signed our first international licensing deal with Sprea International.

“There is a lot of interest in BBC History Magazine at the moment and we are confident that it will be a great addition to the specialist magazine market in Italy.”

The UK version of BBC History Magazine had a circulation of 69,353 during the second half of last year according to the most recent figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulations - up 7.2 per cent year on year.

Football writers claim success of The Blizzard – a new digital mag - and plan print version

Posted by Press Gazette on 23 March 2011 at 10:30
Tags: Consumer Magazines, Magazines, Media Business, Mobile, New Media, Online

A group of football writers are claiming their novel approach to charging for news has achieved “unprecedented international success” just two weeks after launch.

The quarterly digital magazine – called The Blizzard after an eccentric but short‐lived Sunderland newspaper from 1893 – allows readers to pay what they want for the title despite a recommended cover price of £3.00.

Those behind the publication say that since launch the pilot issue has been downloaded in 145 countries and generated a level of interest sufficient for them to commission a print run just to satisfy early demand. (more…)

Elle launches first iPad app as BBC launches new Good Food app

Posted by Press Gazette on 18 March 2011 at 11:43
Tags: Consumer Magazines, Magazines, Mobile, New Media

Elle has launched its first app for the iPad with a new preview version of its biannual fashion title, Elle Collections while the BBC has launched a Friends for Dinner app for its Good Food magazine. (more…)

Want to be a journalist? You need passion, empathy and endless curiosity

Posted by Martin Tripp on 18 March 2011 at 09:51
Tags: Consumer Magazines, Journalism, Magazines

In the fourteen years I have been a headhunter, I have been lucky to have worked across an astonishing range of titles and products: from Horse & Hound to The Financial Times, from heat to AOL.

Martin Tripp Associates has recruited journalists for Reuters in Russia, Euromoney in the US, and, toughest of all, Saga in Folkestone. Bella, Men’s Health, The Jewish Chronicle; all boast current editors recruited by us.

In previous columns, I have talked at length about the skills you need to develop your careers, and given tips on how to get through interviews.

But I don’t think that I have touched on the real values that make a successful journalist: passion, endless intellectual curiosity, and the empathy that leads to a deep understanding of your audience. (more…)

Stevie Spring appointed PPA deputy chairman

Posted by Press Gazette on 15 March 2011 at 10:00
Tags: Consumer Magazines, Magazines

Stevie Spring, chief executive of special interest publisher Future, has been appointed as the new deputy chairman of the PPA – the magazine industry body.

Spring will take over the post from 1 April, taking over from Peter Phippen, managing director of BBC Magazines. (more…)

GQ partners with Help For Heroes

Posted by Press Gazette on 14 March 2011 at 10:45
Tags: Consumer Magazines, Magazines

Condé Nast men’s title GQ has entered a partnership with Help For Heroes to provide charity greater coverage, alongside a series of other initiatives.

Dylan Jones, editor of GQ, will edit the Autumn issue of the charity’s magazine – called Heroes – which will be designed by the GQ creative team and distributed with the entire UK run of the Condé Nast title’s October issue. (more…)

Printer St Ives to sell loss-making magazine wing for £20m

Posted by Press Gazette on 14 March 2011 at 10:04
Tags: Consumer Magazines, Magazines

Printing business St Ives has sold its loss-making magazine business to a private equity firm for £20m.

The deal will see Walstead Investments pay £15m cash for the printing business and a further £5m in loan notes.

The magazine division, which employs about 670 people and produces print copies for firms like Conde Nast, suffered pre-tax losses of £5.1m in the 12 months to the end of July from revenue of £70.5m. (more…)

Video: News of the World launches men’s mag Jam with Liam Gallagher CD

Posted by Press Gazette on 4 March 2011 at 10:28
Tags: Consumer Magazines, Magazines, National Newspapers, Newspapers

The launch issue will giveaway of an exclusive CD by Liam Gallagher’s new band ‘Beady Eye’ and feature a five-page interview with the Oasis frontman with images shot by David Bailey.

Jam will feature guest writers include Professor Brian Cox, John Lydon writing about the Royal Wedding, Johnny Vaughan on gadgets and Marco Pierre White on food. (more…)

Future possible contender for BBC magazines, claims report

Posted by Press Gazette on 23 February 2011 at 09:27
Tags: BBC, Consumer Magazines, Magazines, Media Business

Specialist magazine publisher Future has become the latest business to emerge as a possible buyer for BBC’s portfolio of magazines, according to a report this morning. (more…)

Australian media giant created as West Australian Newspapers set to buy Seven Media Group

Posted by Press Gazette on 22 February 2011 at 10:06
Tags: Broadcast, Consumer Magazines, Magazines, Media Business, New Media, Newspapers, Online, Regional Newspapers, Television

West Australian Newspapers is to buy Seven Media Group in a $4.1bn (£2.5bn) deal which will create one of the country’s biggest media businesses.

Australian tycoon Kerry Stokes, chairman of WAN and its largest shareholder with a 24.3 percent stake, already owns 45 per cent of Seven Media Group through his Seven Group Holdings firm. (more…)

News of the World men’s mag could be one-off and will be called Jam

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 22 February 2011 at 08:24
Tags: Consumer Magazines, Magazines, National Newspapers, Newspapers

The News of the World has given Media Week a preview of a new supplement aimed at men which will appear with the newspaper on 6 March.

According to Media Week the supplement - called Jam - may only be a one-off, although it could be more regular. It will be 56 pages and feature fashion and grooming content, gadgets, fitness, films and musox.

The market for paid-for men’s magazines is currently in free-fall. But free weeklies Sport and Shortlist appear to be doing better suggesting that the advertising is out there.

More on Media Week.