29th April
Channel 4 is to launch entertainment channel E4 on Freeview to coincide with the start of the
sixth series of 'Big Brother' at the end of May.
MediaCom View: As summer approaches and the world starts gearing itself up for a
new series of Big Brother Channel 4 has decided to switch E4 away from subscriber-based channels and move on to Freeview.
Channel 4 clearly believe that they can drive revenue this way and increase their multi-channel audiences, and we at
MediaCom agree. The channel offers excellent opportunities to target young audiences and should increase competition
against ITV2. It will also increase the reach of excellent new programming such as Desperate Housewives and The OC, not
forgetting Big Brother, so this is good news for advertisers all round.
Conde Nast is launching GQ Style, a biannual fashion magazine for men, which will have a 5 cover
price. The first issue will appear on 22 September.
MediaCom View: This is the first time GQ have extended their brand into a fashion
title, to be edited by the former creative director of Prada. It will compete directly with Arena Homme Plus in the mens
style sector.
Metro has abandoned its secretarial supplement MetroPlus after just four months, claiming the
content and ads would be better served as part of the main newspaper.
MediaCom View: This will come as no surprise to press buyers, who were unconvinced by
the proposition when it launched. Metro claimed the freebie would be distributed out to women 18-25 at stations in London,
but it was regularly seen being randomly handed out.
Loaded slashes its price by 90p.
MediaCom View: Its been a tough year for the mens monthlies with the weekly
offerings of Zoo and Nuts cannibalising sales. Loaded has been hit especially hard in light of its recent re-launch and
relegation to 3rd place behind FHM and Maxim. Maxim is currently refusing to be pulled into a price war, but this could easily
change if FHM also drops its price.
Americans have UK game plans.
MediaCom View: Video games as a new advertising medium took another positive step
forward last week when two American in-game advertising specialists set up shop in the UK . The first client in the UK to
sign up with Massive Network, which sells advertising space for a number of big games publishers, is XFMs Christian
OConnell breakfast show. This will appear in the game Anarchy Online in London only. There is real potential for in-game
advertising as more young men move away from watching TV, especially considering Xbox 360 is due out before Christmas and
Playstation 3 next year.
Unholy alliance set to fire up C4 music site.
MediaCom View: Channel 4 has awarded a significant budget to the creators of two of
the UK s most fashionable websites to overhaul its online music offering. Holy Moly and Popjustice will provide content to
channel4.com/music, which they will transform into a rich resource combining music and humour. The site will also spawn a
weekly TV show driven by online content. Due to launch on 2nd May and targeted at 1634 year olds, the sites editorial
content will include charts, competitions and gossip.
