NS Meets with Media Agency Heads
At a lunch meeting in London set up by the NS, president Georgina Harvey, Marketing Committee chairman Danny Cammiade and marketing director Robert Ray are meeting with agency heads from top London agencies including PHD, OMD, Vizeum, Carat, M4C, Arena, Total Media, AMS and EMO.
Robert Ray said: “This is a session that we’ve successfully run for the last few years and is a terrific opportunity for us to share with agency leaders the positive developments across local media.
“Importantly, we find the discussion and feedback from agencies highly valuable as we set our industry marketing agenda for national advertisers.”
For further information please contact Robert Ray on 020 7632 7441 or e-mail robert_ray@newspapersoc.org.uk.
NS Launches Annual Challenge for Young Communications Planners
Friday 8 October will see the wanted ads Young Comms Planning Team of the Year awards take place at the London Art House in Islington.
The competition invites agency communications planners to work on a local media brief for a major brand.
The top two teams of the day will win ‘the wanted ads Young Comms Planner of the Year’ award and a cash prize of £1000 each.
The event will be chaired by Toby Roberts, head of strategy at OMD. Other top agency judges already confirmed include Hugh Cameron – PHD; Richard Hartell – Starcom MediaVest Group; Matt Hardisty - Mother; Tony Regan – Initiative and Ivan Pollard – Naked Communications.
NS marketing director Robert Ray said:
“We’ve run ‘the wanted ads Young Team of the Year’ for creative teams for eight years now. With 1200 local newspapers, 1500 websites and everything from hyper-local to national media opportunities, I believe that local media provides a fantastic canvas to challenge the UK’s brightest young comms planners in this exciting one day competition.
“A number of the UK media industry’s leading comms directors have agreed to judge the awards which shows the potential that this event has for the entrants. We are really looking forward to extending our well-established creative awards to the communications planning community.”
Conditions of entry
- All teams must compete in pairs
- All teams must have two years or less agency experience
- Entry into Young Comms Planning Team of the Year is FREE.
For more information please contact Robert Ray on 020 7632 7441 or e-mail robert_ray@newspapersoc.org.uk.
JP Announces Increase in Profits as Ad Recovery Continues
Johnston Press has reported its first increase in operating profits since 2006 (+5.9% to £40.5m) amid signs of improving advertising and circulation revenues. Announcing the group’s results for the first half of 2010, chief executive John Fry said yesterday he expected the recovery in regional press advertising to continue as the economy improves. Media analysts responded positively to the results with Numis reiterating their ‘buy’ recommendation on JP shares.
Total revenue was down 5.2% to £207.3m in H1 2010, compared with a decline of 18.1% in H2 2009 and -32.7% in H1 2009. “As we move into the second half of the year, we have seen the improving trend in advertising revenues continue with total advertising in the first six weeks on a like-for-like basis only down 3.7%,” said Fry.
Some advertising categories and geographic areas were performing well, with property advertising up 9.5% y-o-y and print advertising generally performing better in the South and Midlands compared with the North, Scotland and Ireland, reflecting the recovery in the wider economy.
Circulation revenues were showing resilience, down just 2.8% in the first half of the year. Fry highlighted the group’s strategic focus on investment in printed newspapers and preserving circulations by improving availability of newspapers in retail outlets and improving quality through an editorial review process and increased paginations.
“Over 10,000 readers have been recruited to reader panels and continue to give feedback,” said Fry. The editorial review process uses feedback from both readers and a panel of editors “to develop changes that will keep newspapers fresh and up to date.”
Digital revenues grew 10.9%, following the successful relaunch a year ago of the group’s recruitment sites on the back of a partnership with DMGT’s Jobsite. Since relaunch, unique visitors to the recruitment sites were up 193%, CVs posted were up 400% and job applications were up 1381% on a year ago.
“The group’s offer of a unique combination of digital and print advertising is well received by customers and provides an excellent response to their advertisements. The group is therefore well positioned to grow employment advertising as markets recover from the economic downturn,” Fry explained.
He said that recent developments in terms of paywalls and paid-for mobile apps had “created an environment in which paid-for content becomes more possible.” He cited the example of The Scotsman, whose paid subscribers to its iPhone app now represented 7% of its circulation.
Johnston Press announced a new partnership with the German company Qype to integrate their digital directory proposition within the group’s local websites, providing context-specific content as well as a local entertainment and events database.
Operating profit margins were up 2% to 19.5% and net debt was reduced by nearly £21m to £401m, despite significantly higher interest costs. Positive cash flow enabled the group to bring forward its repayments this year.
Kjell Aamot, the former chief executive of the Norwegian publisher Schibsted, has joined the Johnston Press board. He is also a non-executive director of the French newspaper publishing group 20Minutes (50% owned by Schibsted) and of PubliGroupe, the Swiss-based marketing and sales organisation.
- Johnston Press eyeing ad growth this year (Reuters)
- Johnston Press posts first operating profit increase since 2006 (Media Guardian)
- Johnston Press Reports Cheering Financial Results (All Media Scotland)
- www.johnstonpress.co.uk
For further information please contact Lynne Anderson on 020 7632 7421 or e-mail lynne_anderson@newspapersoc.org.uk.
NS Signs Up Orange for the wanted ads IV
Orange has become the latest major advertiser to sign up for NS research project the wanted ads IV.
Booked through media agency MEC, a campaign for Orange’s broadband service will run in The Herald in Plymouth and on its website over four weeks in September and October.
The campaign will form part of NS research project the wanted ads IV which aims to help understand the contribution local media makes to overall campaign performance.
Research agency Kantar Media has been appointed by the NS to test a series of multi media national campaigns.
Warner Brothers film ‘Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore’ was the first brand to sign up and discussions are ongoing with one more major national advertiser.
Results for the quantitative project are expected later this year. To see other the wanted ads research projects, click here.
For further information please contact Keith Donaldson on 020 763 27443 or keith_donaldson@newspapersoc.org.uk.
Accreditation Open for London Olympics
Local media publishers can now apply to the British Olympic Association for accreditation to send reporters and photographers to cover the 2012 London Olympics.
Newspapers are urged to get their applications in as early as possible although the final deadline is 15 October. Applications can be made by logging on to the BOA website and downloading the accreditation application form which is then filled out and emailed back to the BOA.
Accreditation for non rights-holding broadcasters is managed separately by the International Olympic Committee and an application form for this will be available in March 2011.
Presentations from all of the speakers at LOCOG’s World Press Briefing earlier this month can be seen by logging on to and registering for LOCOG’s press operations extranet.
At the briefing, which was attended by the NS, LOCOG chair Sebastian Coe spoke about the importance of press to his career describing it his “the longest and truest sponsor”. Jackie Brock-Doyle, LOCOG director of communications and public affairs, spoke of “lots of genuine excitement from people across the UK” about the Olympics.
The NS has recently been in further contact with both LOCOG and the BOA and has emphasised to both organisations that the local media are uniquely placed to contribute to the success of the Games by virtue of the special relationship between local media, their local communities and the ‘local heroes’ who may be taking part as athletes in 2012 – many of whom have been championed and supported by their local newspapers since early in their careers.
The NS has re-iterated that it is vital that the organisers of the Games should take full account of the particular role and needs of the local and regional press both in terms of those applying for full accreditation and in respect of non-accredited journalists, including as regards access to local venues and facilities to follow and report on particular athletes’ progress. The NS has also raised the issue of balancing broadcast rights against the needs of legitimate reportage on newspapers’ own websites, including blogs.
The NS will be seeking meetings with relevant LOCOG and BOA officials in the near future to further these discussions as proposals for media access arrangements are being formulated by the organising bodies.
Illustrating the interest of regional media in following the progress of their ‘home’ athletes, local newspaper titles across the UK covered the triumphs of British swimmers from their patch at the European Championships in Budapest last week.
The Lincolnshire Echo has closely followed the career of local teenage swimming sensation Lizzie Simmons and covered her 200m backstroke victory at the Championships.
John Pakey, Echo sports editor, said: “Since Lizzie came to Lincoln we have always followed her with interest. We are committed to following our swimming stars and we have got a good relationship with local club the Lincoln Vulcans.”
Trinity Mirror titles on Merseyside covered the efforts of local hero Fran Halsall who became the most successful British swimmer in the Championships history after scooping five medals including a 100m freestyle gold.
Philip Kirkbride, sports reporter for the Liverpool Echo, Daily Post and Trinity Mirror Merseyside titles, said: “We have such a wide range of talent in Liverpool and Merseyside that I would like to think we would be able to send some people to cover the London Olympics.”
For further information please contact Paul Sinker on 0207 632 7424 or email sinkerp@newspapersoc.org.uk , or Sue Oake on 0207 632 7463 or email sue_oake@newspapersoc.org.uk.
Local Media Titles Run Playday Features After Featurelink Campaign
Local media titles across the UK have been running features on Playday, a national day highlighting the importance of play in children’s lives, which was promoted through a Featurelink campaign.
The national campaign, coordinated by Play England, sees hundreds of locally organised events happening across the UK to mark the day.
Local media titles such as the Worcester News, Nottingham Post, The Star and Oxford Times have run features on the campaign and events in their local areas after Play England launched the Playday 2010 campaign in Featurelink.
Playday 2010 was on 4 August, but events are still happening across the UK. Features can run until the end of August and material is available to download from the Featurelink website.
Becky McLauchlan, Play England head of communications and campaigns said: “Featurelink has been a valuable asset in getting our campaign messages directly to local press.”
The Playday 2010 ‘Our place’ campaign aims to tackle restrictions faced by children wanting to play outside where they live, and highlights the role of communities in shaping childhood.
Play England is part of NCB and is supported by the Big Lottery Fund. The campaign has also used social media, as well as Play England, NCB and partner organisations’ communications.
For further information please contact Lucy Curle on 020 763 274 46 or lucy_curle@newspapersoc.org.uk.
Ofcom Advises on Abolition of Local Cross-Media Ownership Controls
As requested by Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Ofcom has now reported on the feasibility and implications of the full removal of all local cross-media ownership rules. Saying that the decision whether to do so has to be a matter for Government and Parliament, Ofcom advances the arguments for abolition of local cross-media ownership controls, in counterbalance to any fears about concentration of control over local news which might result.
Factors in favour of abolition include the benefits of consolidation to the regional media, in the face of current economic pressure; the growing diversity of alternative sources of local news, plus the prospect of local TV; the regional presence of the BBC; and the merger regimes, including the role of both the competition authorities and Ministerial intervention by way of the media public interest test. In any event, Ofcom suggested that in practice there seemed to be limited interest and so little risk of such consolidation, even if the rule was removed. Ofcom also concluded that there were no significant regulatory barriers to entry in the local media market.
The Government already intends to follow Ofcom’s 2009 recommendation to liberalise the local cross-media ownership rules, so Ofcom was asked to consider the consequences of abolition of what would be the one remaining prohibition, i.e that one person could not own in a local radio coverage area:
- a local analogue radio licence; and
- a regional Channel 3 licence whose potential audience includes at least 50% of that radio stations potential audience; and
- one or more local newspapers which have a local market share of 50% or more in the coverage area
On the basis of updated evidence, Ofcom identified two relevant developments. Firstly, a significant deterioration in the revenues available for local/regional newspapers between 2008 and 2009, accompanied by continued structural pressure on television and radio as the internet increased its share in a total advertising market that had been under pressure from broader economic circumstances. While there were signs of a recovery in the general advertising market this year, these structural challenges were unlikely to ease. Secondly, a significant change in Government policy in relation to local media. The Government had placed emphasis on local media, in particular making proposals for local television, albeit in development and therefore speculative, but which had the potential to have a positive impact on both the diversity and plurality of news and information at the local level.
Ofcom’s earlier 2009 advice had highlighted that combined ownership of the channel 3 television licence, a local commercial radio station and the main local newspaper(s) might confer too much control over the local news agenda into the hands of one person or company. Limited plurality of news and opinion in a local area could restrict local debate and accountability, and this would remain a serious consideration, which needed to be weighed against the arguments for further relaxation. But three existing safeguards would also remain: the combination of the BBC and the commercial sector as a corner stone of plurality in this context -with a BBC service (‘television at the regional level, radio and web based services more locally’) there is a guarantee of a minimum of at least two providers of local news; competition policy, in that the competition authorities prevent concentrations in local media through the merger regime; and the BIS Secretary of State also has the right to intervene in cross-media mergers, where he considers that it raises public interest considerations, including sufficient plurality.
Ultimately, Ofcom considered that abolition of the last remaining restrictions would be a matter of judgement by Government and Parliament. In making this judgement the risk of the concentration of control over local commercial news provision would need to be balanced against the arguments and factors which tend towards removal:
- Local media was facing significant economic pressure which the most recent evidence suggested was becoming more acute, so removing the remaining rule could allow local media greater options to consolidate to respond to these pressures.
- While only a limited group of consumers (5%) considered the internet their main source of local news, there was a growing diversity of local news available through non-traditional media. There were therefore increasingly alternative sources of plurality..
- As noted, there were protections for plurality which would continue to operate the combination of the BBC and the commercial sector, the public interest test operated by the Secretary of State and the merger regime would all continue to operate in parallel
- In addition, there were ‘the potential benefits to diversity and plurality that may emerge in the coming years from the Government’s policy on local television’.
Finally, Ofcom felt that there was probably a reasonably low risk of the kind of consolidation that the remaining cross-media ownership rule protects against actually occurring even if the rule was removed. ‘At present the evidence suggests there is very limited interest in this form of consolidation.’ It also concluded that there were no significant possible regulatory barriers to entry in local media .
For further information please contact Santha Rasaiah on 020 7632 7461 or e-mail santha_rasaiah@newspapersoc.org.uk.
Media Industry Condemns Southampton FC Photo Ban
Southampton Football Club’s decision to take the unprecedented step of refusing all photographers access to home matches has been roundly condemned by local and national newspapers.
Titles covering the club’s two matches since the announcement have used innovative methods to express their concern about the ban, and report on the games.
The Herald used illustrations drawn by a local artist to report Saturday’s fixture against Plymouth Argyle action and The Sun refused to name the club in its coverage of that fixture, and a game against AFC Bournemouth on Tuesday.
Press Gazette reported that the Daily Echo in Bournemouth carried photos of the last meeting between to the two clubs, from the mid-1980s, alongside its written coverage.
Newspapers are refusing to buy photographs taken by the club’s official photographers and senior industry figures have rounded on the club, describing the ban as a “disgrace” and “a sad day for football”.
Ian Murray, Southern Daily Echo editor in chief, said: “The Daily Echo is deeply concerned about the club’s stance and, along with the rest of the British media, has chosen not to purchase the club’s photographs.
“This is not a petty commercial squabble, a simple matter of newspapers objecting to putting their hands in their pockets.
“On the contrary, the media’s backlash has resulted from the unacceptable breach of a fundamental principle of British life: the freedom of expression and of a free press.
“The Daily Echo is proud to report on our city’s great club and we have done so for more than a century. We are, and always have been, pro-Saints and passionate about the Club and its magnificent fans.
“But we must be able to do our job, unhindered by unwarranted attempts at editorial control.
“This is a sad day for football and we urge the Club to urgently respond to our request for a meeting to resolve this issue.”
Society of Editors director Bob Satchwell told BBC Radio Solent: “Editors feel very strongly when their choice of pictures or choice of information is taken away from them and it breaks a relationship which goes back a long, long time since football started, where the media and football help each other.
“Both need audiences, the club needs its fans to go and watch and the newspapers and broadcasters need readers, listeners and viewers The two together work very well, the fans get different views of a match out of that and that’s where the issue lies really.
“Editors want to have a choice of the pictures coming out of any football match or any event for that matter, they want them to be different, they don’t want the same pictures as every other paper.
“What’s more, they want to make sure that the pictures are taken by an independent source and want a proper full report and pictures of the whole match from both sides.”
For more information please contact Paul Sinker on 020 7632 7424 or e-mail sinkerp@newspapersoc.org.uk.
Archant Reports on a Period of Profit Growth
Archant announced a period of increased profitability and digital revenues for the first six months of 2010.
Total operating profit was £7m, up £2m on the same period in 2009, whilst total revenue for the six months to 3 July declined by £0.7m (0.9 per cent), to £70.1m.
Newspaper publishing operating profit, at £6.3m (2009: £4.2m) was up 47.5 per cent.
Archant chairman Richard Jewson said: “Our management have continued to exploit the opportunities presented by the changing trading environment whilst reducing operating costs by 4.1 per cent, preserving cash and seeking new ways to develop our digital businesses.”
Property advertising grew by 9.3 per cent although there were small reductions in the other categories, Archant said.
Magazine turnover remained static during the period at £2.2m whilst operating profits grew 18.9 per cent to £1.6m (2009: £1.4m). Magazine property advertising revenues were up 30.4 per cent. Subscription revenues grew by 5.7 per cent.
Total digital revenues increased 25 per cent and, during the period, six websites optimised for use on mobile devices were launched.
During the period, the publisher acquired Kent on Sunday. It also launched Cambridge First and relaunched magazine titles in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.
- Archant reports on a period of profit growth (Archant.co.uk)
For further information please contact Paul Sinker or sinkerp@newspapersoc.org.uk or 020 763 274 24.
JICREG Strengthens Local Press Readership Database
JICREG is increasing the strength of its regional press readership data by including telephone-based research for the first time.
The readership tool for media agencies and advertisers will include findings from telephone interview research as well as data from face to face interviews.
The move will see JICREG, which contains readership data for the vast majority of local newspapers and their websites, contain even more robust data.
Local press publishers commission agencies to conduct research on readership of their titles and the results are fed into the JICREG database, to which Locally Connected was integrated in 2009.
Les Middleton, joint head of MediaCom Accent, said: “The addition of telephone-based research to JICREG will not only add more ‘actual’ data, but further strengthen a tool which is the essential currency for the planning of regional press campaigns.”
Howard Scott, JICREG chairman, said: “JICREG is continuously reviewing research techniques and methodologies to ensure that the system remains at the forefront of media planning.”
“Adding telephone-based research will strengthen an already robust system, adding value for the agencies and advertisers who depend upon it to give them a clear picture regional press usage.”
For further information please contact Steve Brown on 020 763 274 44 or steve_brown@newspapersoc.org.uk.