Reed Elsevier has announced plans to reorganise into three global
divisions and to plough an extra pounds 150 million to pounds 200
million in to developing and marketing internet services next year.
Unveiling the plans, Crispin Davis (pictured), Reed’s new chief
executive, said the company was facing problems that needed to be
tackled swiftly.
Canal Plus, the French pay-TV group, is to spin off its internet
operations into a separate business, Canal Numedia. The new company,
which will be set up next month, may be floated on the proposed European
Nasdaq exchange next year.
BSkyB has taken a 10 per cent stake in Gameplay.com, the Aim-listed
computer games group. The deal continues BSkyB’s strategy of investing
in new online companies.
Mills & Allen is predicting a 15 per cent increase in its outdoor
audience over the next five years. According to M&A, this will be driven
by a pounds 50 million investment programme that aims to upgrade in its
48- and 96-sheet portfolio, with the particular aim of increasing the
number of illuminated sites.
Emap has linked up with Channel 5 and netdecisions, the e-commerce
consultancy, to create an internet portal for the UK’s independent
television industry. The portal will allow independent television
producers to swap programme ideas with commissioning editors on the
internet.
Maiden Outdoor and Taylor Nelson Sofres are launching a research service
to investigate the long-term effects of point-of-sale 6-sheet posters
outside supermarkets. The new service, Maiden POS Posterspan, will
launch next year.
The Guardian and Observer have promoted Helen Bird to head of
classified. Bird has been deputy classified manager since 1998.
John Brown Publishing has poached Sarah Williams, head of sales for IPC
Southbank’s advertorial and special projects division, to be the
publisher on Waitrose Food Illustrated. Williams takes over from the
acting publisher, Sheila Mechan.
Carlton Select, the entertainment channel, is being axed by Carlton
Communications next year. The channel sits in the Carlton Digital
portfolio and is carried by ONdigital. Carlton Digital Sales will
continue to sell Carlton Cinema and Carlton Food Network.
Dennis Publishing has confirmed that it is to launch a women’s glossy,
code-named Project Denise, on 24 February. It will have a print run of
200,000 and a cover price of pounds 2. The magazine is aimed at busy
women with a core 30-plus ABC1 demographic. Everything that appears in
the title will also be available to buy via the internet or
telephone.
MediaVest has picked up the pounds 1 million account for ipoints, the
first rewards programme for the internet. MediaVest will target the UK
internet shopping market through online and ’offline’ advertising.
The Periodical Publishers Association magazine handbook for 2000 reveals
that the top 25 advertisers in the medium have increased their adspend
by an average of 16 per cent on last year to a total of pounds 116.8
million. The advertiser with the largest increase in magazine adspend
was SmithKline Beecham, with expenditure up 190 per cent, while
Sainsbury’s was up 128 per cent and Lever Brothers up 73 per cent.
Target Media has been appointed to work on the media account for
peoplesound.com, the online music navigator for new and original music
talent. Ernesto Schmitt, the president and chairman of peoplesound.com,
said: ’We are investing in a truly multimedia marketing campaign to own
the consumer brand space for free music from new and emerging talent on
the internet.’
