22nd April
The Financial Times launches FTpm this week, ahead of schedule.
MediaCom View: FTpm will be a free afternoon bulletin which goes to corporate
subscribers and selected city offices. It will be available in both hard copy and PDF format with content taken from
FT.com. It will be interesting to see if this catches on, if there is actually a niche for it, if city workers are
looking at FT.com anyway. There will be advertising opportunities, probably best suited to corporate sponsorship.
Zoo revamps to appeal to more upmarket magazine readers.
MediaCom View: The changes are fairly subtle (i.e. the core content will still be
girls in their underwear), and so may be lost on some of Zoos readers. However, given the intense competition in the mens
marketplace, its inevitable that titles regularly refresh themselves in order to gain stand-out. The main changes, such as
the ents guide, will all be adding value to the reader, with the aim of attracting a slightly more upmarket audience.
OFT put stop to Future Publishings bid for Highbury House.
MediaCom View: If Future had bought Highbury, it would have given them a monopoly over
the gaming magazine sector, hence the OFTs ruling. Future say they are shocked by the decision, given the relatively small
scale of the gaming market, but it is Highbury who come out of this worse off as they seriously need investment to sustain
their business.
UK Broadcasters launch SwitchCo to oversee digital change.
MediaCom View: The launch of SwitchCo marks another step towards a fully digitalised
UK in 2012. The organisation is tasked with co-ordinating the roll-out of Digital, Terrestrial TV across the UK in accordance
with the Governments timetables, whilst communicating with the public about the digital switchover. They will also oversee
all operations and bridge the different companies involved in the digital revolution. This launch is right on cue, and
highlights the Governments commitment to Digital television; it should make the transition smoother and provide a central
point for queries and/or troubleshooting in the run-up to 2012.
Digital Radio may face a challenge from television broadcasters.
MediaCom View: The UK digital radio landscape could face a challenge from television
broadcasters and mobile phone operators for two new national digital multiplexes, according to the Commercial Radio
Companies Association. Ofcom has announced, as part of its digital radio plans, that new spectrum will be available for
local digital radio on three out of five new digital frequency blocks, but that the two national multiplexes could be
"effectively sold off to the highest bidder", including rival digital media.
