A totally unsubstantiated rumour (my favourite kind) pops into the inbox. Apparently a publisher of puzzle titles is having a wee bit of trouble making its sums add up. More details welcomed from anyone with inside information.
November 6, 2009
October 22, 2009
On the Critical list
The departure of Centaur’s chairman and the company’s rejection of a bid from Critical Information Group may well be entirely unrelated, but it’s clear that the company probably won’t see out much of 2010 with its current ownership arrangements.
CIG apparently describes itself as “a company formed to acquire and consolidate media companies and businesses”.
I wonder how many more jobs will be ‘consolidated’ out of Centaur if and when CIG move in?
September 3, 2009
Incisive blunted
From the FT:
Incisive Media, the business-to-business publisher, is splitting into two. Apax Partners, its private equity owner, will keep control of the American Lawyer Media business in the US, while banks will take over the struggling UK arm.
Apart from putting the final torch to Tim Weller’s plans for global domination (and how long does anyone think he’ll stay in position after Incisive’s lenders move in?) this is likely to presage a good deal of, er, rationalisation of Incisive’s products.
August 7, 2009
Titles you’d forgotten existed, part 2
An email trundles through cyberspace to bring news of (BBC) Good Homes magazine.
The title was ’sold’ to Kelsey Publishing earlier this year along with a handful of staff to oversee three changeover issues. It now sits alongside Private Frazer’s favourites, “The Stationary Engine” and “Practical Reptile Keeping”. (more…)
August 3, 2009
Numpty Dumpty
A couple of weeks ago Private Frazer asked what sort of numpty would want to buy Front magazine.
Joyously, it’s worked out even better than anyone could have expected, (see this report in The Guardian) as we now have a failed title run by a management with no publishing experience. Get off the line, there’s a train wreck coming!
July 1, 2009
And the losers are…
A wee whisper reached Private Frazer’s ears at last night’s PPA Awards (I was one of the waiters) that certain of NatMags’ titles are having a less than pleasant time on the newsstands. The words ‘Cosmopolitan’ and ‘way, way, down’ hung together in one particularly memorable sentence.
An email to NatMags has gone unanswered thus far, but I’ll post any comments that I receive.
More generally, there wasn’t a circulation manager in sight who was looking forward to the next ABCs. “12% down is the new up.” was the best consolation that any of them could manage.
June 30, 2009
Titles you’d forgotten existed, part 1
Sport Media Group is looking to sell its lads magazine Front a year after acquiring the title, reports Media Week.
Just what sort of numpty would you have to be to buy a monthly lads mag in the current market?
June 9, 2009
Eat In. Toast?
H Bauer’s new monthly cookery title, Eat In, recorded news-stand sales of fewer than 30,000 for its launch issue – half its target circulation, according to unaudited circulation data disclosed to Media Week.
May 13, 2009
Six-yearly is the new monthly
It will make a stylish corpse. According to the Grauniad, i-D magazine is cutting back its editions and will publish only six times a year from the summer.
The announcement was accompanied by this piece of whifflespeak from the owners: “We see this restructure as a reinforcement of position and strength towards a magazine and brand we are passionate about.”
According to the statement, the August issue will go on sale 9 July and i-D will then publish in September, October, November, February, March and April. The April issue will remain on sale for up to four months.
April 9, 2009
Easter surprise
Spectator Business cuts schedule from monthly to quarterly
Another storming success from Wee Andy Neil, a little over a year since the closure of The Business magazine, which was a little over a year since the closure of The Business newspaper. And isn’t it funny how this piece of news slips out just before a four day holiday?
