FOR THE RECORD

The Observer has closed its Tiddler magazine after only seven

months. Launched last September, it was described as the paper’s ’little

bit extra for Sunday’. However, the magazine failed to deliver extra

sales for the paper and was criticised internally. The paper’s

circulation fell 1 per cent in March to 450,090.

Almost 20 million people tuned in to Friday night’s one-hour Coronation

Street special on ITV. In the cliff-hanger, the show’s Don Brennan

kidnapped Alma Baldwin. The episode ended with fans not knowing if the

pair would survive.

Attic Futura has unveiled the details of its new monthly title,

codenamed Project Spice. The magazine is called B and carries the

strapline ’absolutely you’. It launches on 7 May and is aimed at 18- to

22-year-old women. The coverprice is pounds 1.80 and the magazine will

be supported by a pounds 1 million campaign through the McWilliams

Partnership and Total Media.

An additional two million homes will be able to receive Channel 5 when

it starts broadcasting on the Astra satellite this week. The move - the

first by a UK terrestrial broadcaster - means homes outside Channel 5’s

terrestrial and cable transmission area will now have the option of

receiving the channel free with their system.

The IT publisher, Ziff-Davis, and the satellite broadcaster, the

Fantastic Corporation, are to work together to create a computer channel

which will deliver news, games and software direct to desktop PCs. ZDNet

Channel will be an Internet push system, although it will use a network

of television satellites for faster delivery rather than telephone

lines.

Total Media has retained the Epson Nordic account after a successful

repitch against Transworld Media. Total Media will continue to handle

all media planning and buying for Epson UK in Sweden, Norway, Denmark

and Finland.

The DIY retailer, Do It All, is door-dropping two million households

with copies of its new customer magazine, Homeplus. The magazine,

published by Atom Publishing, aims to convert store traffic into sales.

The first issue includes money-off coupons and a 16-page section on

garden furniture.

Scottish Television is to rename itself the Scottish Media Group to

reflect the broad base of its media interests. The group expanded into

newspapers last year with the purchase of Caledonian Publishing, owner

of the Herald and the Evening Times.

The Radio Authority has ruled that GWR is now within the 15 per cent

limit on radio ownership. The authority reached this decision after a

thorough examination of GWR’s recent disposals.

Business magazines were the fastest growing medium during the fourth

quarter of 1996, recording 18.6 per cent year-on-year growth according

to latest figures from the Advertising Association. Consumer magazines

were the third-fastest growing medium, with a growth rate of 8.9 per

cent behind outdoor and transport (9.4 per cent).

The Association of Publishing Agencies has launched a Website as part of

a drive to raise the profile of contract magazine publishers. The site

aims to inform users about the benefits of developing customer

magazines.

Virgin Atlantic’s ’grim reaper’ ad has won the Laser-sponsored Chartered

Institute of Marketing’s Travel Industry Group prize for the most

effective travel ad. The ad was created by Rainey Kelly Campbell

Roalfe.

NBC Europe is regionalising its pan-European TV service with the launch

of a German-language ’window’ which will allow advertisers to target

NBC’s 14.4 million homes in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

This article was first published on Campaign