Regional Publishing International 42
UNITED KINGDOM
Still hugely influential press
The free publication trend is extending its reach in the UK press market.
operations to serve print, the Web and a TV and the Advertising Standards Authority to
station, Channel M, and has introduced a ensure best practice.
part paid-for, part free-distribution model for Both newspapers and magazines are still
its printed products. Lynne Anderson, com- awaiting a response from the Office of Fair
munications director at The Newspaper Soci- Trading which could see dramatic changes in
ety, says that this streamlining was “quite dra- the structure of the supply chain. Under the
matic for one of the largest regional evening OFT’s proposed changes, publishers would
papers in the country; some people were even award wholesale contracts based on location.
quite shocked by it.” She adds: “The paper This could threaten independent newsagents
has grown its readership because the changes and restrict the availability of certain maga-
have freed them up to think more laterally.” zines in some areas. PPA continues to lobby
for an exemption.
National news- Both newspaper and magazine publishers are
investing substantially in their online offer-
papers are also woo- ings, and reaping the rewards: Sites for The
Sun and The Telegraph now attract more
ing readers, but with than 10 million visitors apiece. But it is The
Guardian’s Unlimited website which still at-
high quality give- tracts the most – over 15 million, according
to ABC electronic.
Despite living in an increasingly digital aways rather than Meanwhile, PPA has been investigating the
age, the UK press is still hugely influential. influential relationship that magazines have
free content. with the internet. New research from PPA
Marketing shows how magazine advertising
With the benefit of hindsight, it seems some- National newspapers are also wooing readers, is the primary driver of online purchasing
how inevitable that free content on the inter- but with high quality giveaways rather than in over 70% of product categories, and for
net would influence a few new titles to eschew free content. In July, Prince’s new album, women, magazine ads are more influential
the paid-for option. Free newspapers, for in- Planet Earth was cover-mounted on The Mail than TV ads for assisting them with online
stance, are now well established in the UK, on Sunday, resulting in 600,000 extra sales. shopping.
particularly in the capital which has Metro, At the time, The Mail on Sunday’s managing So despite living in an increasingly digital
thelondonpaper and London Lite jostling for director, Stephen Miron, commented: “This age, the UK press is still hugely influential.
the attention of commuters. Now magazines is one of the biggest innovations in newspaper And, contrary to the predictions of the doom-
have joined the fray too. In September 2006, promotions in recent times.” Magazines, too, mongers, magazines and newspapers co-exist
a free men’s weekly magazine, Sport, hit the are cover-mounting more gifts to help boost harmoniously with digital media rather than
streets. Since its launch, it has become a mar- sales, from a three month cinema pass with being cannibalized by them.
ket-leading men’s title, with a circulation of September’s Total Film to Green & Blacks Lucy Aitken
317,000. A year later, in September 2007, chocolate with Glamour in October.
ShortList, a men’s weekly, appeared hoping
to recreate Sport’s success story in UK cities. PPA, the magazines trade association in the
Early feedback from media agencies indicates UK, ran its first Magazine Week from 17 –
that it’s attracting high pedigree advertisers 23 September which involved all parts of the
and providing entertaining editorial. supply chain, from publishers to retailers. The
week promoted and celebrated the diversity
Larger, more established regional papers, par- of magazines available to consumers. To en-
ticularly those in urban areas, are starting to sure that the distribution of all those maga-
modernize their structures to part paid-for, zines runs more smoothly, PPA has called for
part free content. The Manchester Evening a code of practice for the supply chain along
News, for instance, has converged its news the line of the Press Complaints Committee
AAU07_2722_Inhalt.indd 42U07_2722_Inhalt.indd 42 008.11.2007 13:51:23 Uhr8.11.2007 13:51:23 Uhr
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