Ambrose McNevin is proud of his new office. He is ensconsed on the
fourth floor at the UK arm of US publishing giant CMP and the office has
got a arching glass roof with stunning views. It makes him feel
comfortable with where he works, partly because it looks incredible but
also because it proves how much confidence CMP has in the launch of his
new title, Computer Resellers News.
’Computer Resellers News is huge in the US,’ McNevin enthuses. ’It has
got an 80 per cent market share and it has been going for 25 years over
there. There are versions in France, Germany, Japan, Australia and Italy
so this is a global publication I am editing. That gives us a huge
resource to draw on.’
McNevin finished his journalism training in Ireland in 1983 then spent
eight years doing anything but journalism including a time as a
fisherman in Alaska and working in a laboratory testing the effects of
asbestos poisoning. He returned to journalism in 1991 and it took just
five years for him to win his first editorship at Reed Publishing’s
Business and Technology.
Despite the size of its parent company, Computer Resellers News will not
have it easy here. There are already two well-established weekly titles
in the market - Microscope, published by Reed, and PC Dealer, published
by VNU.
Microscope has been around for 11 years and PC Dealer for 16. But
McNevin is unphased.
’I think our rivals are complacent,’ he says. ’They are stuck in the
industry of eight years ago when it was about people who happened to be
selling boxes with computers in when they could just as easily have been
selling double glazing.
’Nowadays, the market is mature and respectable with some
long-established businesses which aren’t going away. They need serious
coverage of IT issues, not stories about dealers believing the whole UK
IT industry is crooked. I am an authoritative journalist. I like things
understated rather than packed with screaming, hysterical
headlines.’
Computer Resellers News has conducted extensive research among its
target readership in the run up to its 18 November launch. The title is
controlled circulation, going to 18,000 salesmen and buyers who do the
deals, whether they sell to the public from a high street shop or to
vast private companies.
McNevin is not targeting top level directors as readers, but he wants
the PR industry’s help in getting them into the magazine’s pages.
’The IT industry has got some very professional PR companies working for
it,’ he says. ’What I want from them is access for my reporters to the
managing directors and marketing directors of the UK industry.’
As he ushers me out of his building he reveals that this is the first
launch he has ever worked on but he is not nervous. ’I’ve got the best
staff - and the best company and we will produce the best title. That is
why we have the best office.’
HIGHLIGHTS
1991
Editorial assistant, Computing
1995
News editor, PC Dealer
1997
News editor/managing editor, Computing
1997
Editor, Business and Technology
1998
Editor, Computer Resellers News
