MEDIA: BRIEFS

Indie cover promotion

The Independent this week slashed its Wednesday edition’s cover price to

10p to promote its new midweek 12-page sports section, ‘Summer of

Sport’. A spokesman for the paper said it was a one-off price promotion

and was not related to The Times’ price cut.

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Mega media bucks

Maurice Saatchi’s new media venture, Megalomedia, has raised pounds 5m

to develop an on-line classified advertising service called net.tv. It

will compete with News International’s joint venture with the Press

Association, Classified Link UK, which launches later this year.

Contributing newspapers to net.tv would join Megalomedia as

shareholders.

Going global

NBC Cable and IBM are to produce and distribute a global television

series called Scan, about how technology affects people’s lives. IBM

will be the sole worldwide sponsor of the programme to be broadcast in

September.

Future computers

Pearson New Entertainment has acquired Paris-based computer magazine

publisher, Edicorp Publications. It publishes Windows News, Home PC and

CD-ROM Magazine. This year Edicorp will launch titles using material

licensed from PNE’s UK subsidiary, Future Publishing.

Joining the venture

BSkyB has appointed James Ackerman to be director of multi-channel co-

ventures. He was previously vice-president international of A&E

Television Networks. He will be responsible for its joint-ventures

channels and programme services.

Outdoor pursuits

The sports, leisure and outdoor publisher, Emap Pursuit Publications,

has appointed Mike Barnes as marketing director. He oversaw the launch

of Emap National’s monthly motorcycle magazine RiDE. He replaces Alun

Probert, now business development manager for Emap’s Consumer Magazine

Division.

Weekly digest

Felix Dennis, founder and owner of Dennis Publishing, has acquired a

major shareholding in The Week, a magazine providing a weekly digest of

the news and comment from the British and foreign press. It was launched

in May 1995 by ex-Sunday Telegraph deputy editor Jon Connell.

Sky’s charity match

Sky Sports and NABS have struck a sponsorship deal involving a new five-

a-side football tournament to be launched in November at the London

Arena. NABS plans to have at least 40 teams taking part in the first

year, raising pounds 20,000.

Classic food and wine

Classic FM has made a double sponsorship deal with Waitrose, which will

sponsor The Classic Recipe, to be broadcast during Henry Kelly’s morning

show, and The Classic Guide To Wine, to be presented by wine expert

Charles Metcalfe every Saturday.

This article was first published on Marketing