The Economist is an unusual publication. It was founded 177 years ago by a struggling Scottish hatmaker who had turned to politics and banking, and launched the magazine to oppose England’s nineteenth century Corn Law import duties. It is now 43% owned by one of Italy’s richest families but its independence is guaranteed by trustees…
Fox Corp gets into streaming
Last year, Rupert Murdoch sold most of 21st Century Fox to Disney for $71bn, saying that the company lacked the scale to compete with Netflix, Prime et al. But now his $13bn Fox Corp (comprising Fox News, Fox Sports Fox News, Fox Entertainment, and the Fox Television Stations in the US) is getting into streaming…
Atlantic sells B2B group
US private equity firm Growth Catalyst Partners (GCP) has teamed up with Peter Goldstone, the former CEO of Hanley Wood B2B, to acquire a controlling stake in public sector media company GEMG (Government Executive Media Group) from Atlantic Media which has owned it since 1997. The 50-year-old GEMG serves government leaders and contractors through digital…
What next for Euromoney?
The UK-based B2B information group Euromoney Plc was a standout victim of the Coronavirus this week as it reported the cancellation of 25 events and the postponement of at least 64 others. The lost conferences, seminars and exhibitions will slice at least £5m off this year’s operating profit. But there may be worse to come….
So where are TWiT TV clones?
Almost 10 years ago, before most of us had even heard of Netflix, a team from Ofcom, the UK broadcasting regulator, swooped on the suburban wine-making town of Petaluma, 35 miles north of San Francisco. They came back convinced they had seen the future of TV. What they had actually seen was a pioneering online…
RB buys GraphicAudio
RBmedia, the world’s largest producer of audiobooks, has acquired GraphicAudio, a division of Cutting Corp., for an undisclosed price. Founded in 2004, GraphicAudio produces dramatized audio content featuring a full cast of actors, sound effects, and cinematic music. The purchase marks RB’s entry into the audio dramatizations market. GraphicAudio’s catalogue has more than 1,300 titles…
A tale of two media ‘bad boys’
This is a tale of two digital media companies. The first is the largest ‘new media’ company of all, Vice Media, of the US. The one-time Canadian magazine publisher was launched by Shane Smith 26 years ago although it has been a major digital group only since 2006. In the past seven years, Vice has…
Rouleur races into the future
Rouleur, the upscale cycling magazine for road racers, has been acquired by former banker and lifelong cycling enthusiast – and manufacturer – Matteo Cassina. The deal, which focuses attention on the potential role of niche magazines at the heart of integrated ‘special interest’ businesses, is believed to value the company at close to Rouleur’s £1.8m…
Will virus change global exhibitions industry?
The worldwide exhibitions industry is in crisis. The effects of the global Coronavirus outbreak began with the cancellation of the Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona last month. Last week, the 90th annual Geneva Motor Show was cancelled, just three days ahead of opening, due to Switzerland’s banning of all events with more than 1,000 people….
Mailchimp moves into print…
In what seems like an offbeat strategy, the Atlanta-based email marketing platform Mailchimp, has acquired the seven-year-old Courier, a small London-based magazine for entrepreneurs and small business. Founded by Jeff Taylor, Courier’s 12-person team produces a bi-monthly magazine, podcast and events. The publisher describes it as “the defining media brand for a new generation who…
