MediaCommunications

MediaCom View: Former Metro International sales boss Lawson Muncaster has confirmed that his business freesheet 'City AM' is set to launch in mid-September. The 24-page colour tabloid will be handed out Monday to Friday at key points in the City and Canary Wharf. The initial print run will be 60,000, this will increase to 100,000 within the first 3 months. With consumers increasingly turning to the internet for their daily fix of news, it is questionable how thoroughly this paper will be read, if at all.

MediaCom View: The new look travel section is set to go tabloid on the 11th September, this will incorporate extra editorial pages and will have more colour capability. The success of 'Driving' and 'Home' sections instigated the change and findings from their research confirmed that readers preferred the smaller format. Andrew Mullins, general manager of Times Newspapers has denied that this move will eventually lead to the whole paper going tabloid. However, if the success of the smaller format continues, it is not unfeasible that this prospect could eventually come to fruition.

MediaCom View: The Guardian is set to launch its new 'Berliner' format on Monday the 12th September. They are currently in discussions with media agencies regarding the paper's new 10 column advertising grid. Their view is that advertising impact is increased with the new format but media buyers are questioning this and feel there are more complex issues to address. Despite the differing opinions, the Guardian re-launch is being seen as a positive step and should help boost their flagging circulation.

MediaCom View : In the autumn, GCap will start selling an adult contemporary chart featuring Heart, Real and Century stations and they've also launched a dance chart including Kiss, Vibe and Galaxy stations. The dance chart is a great way of reaching a young audience with one message at a specific time each week. It remains to be seen if the AC chart really has interest for the slightly older listeners.

MediaCom View : UBC Media Group plc today announced its appointment by Chrysalis Group plc and UTV plc's The Wireless Group ("TWG") subsidiary to act as the sales-point for a new syndicated news bulletin airtime package. The announcement follows the renewal by Chrysalis Radio of its deal with Sky News as supplier of national and international news. Chrysalis Radio has, for the past three years, had a news supply contract with both IRN and Sky News, and this renewed deal with Sky News brings to an end Chrysalis' contract with IRN. At its launch on 1st October 2005, UBC Media's Network News package will have a weekly reach of 5 million UK adults and capture 27 million impacts. It will be carried on all radio stations in the Chrysalis portfolio and TWG's national speech radio station talkSPORT.

MediaCom View : More 4 is set to launch on the 8th October, backed by a 5 million marketing spend. The channel is targeting the older ABC1 audience with a programming focus on quality over ratings. Two-thirds of the budget will go towards original British content, including a new comedy programme of the David Blunkett Affair. The rest of the programming will be predominantly American imports including The West Wing and The Daily Show.