PANPA chief executive Mark Hollands has recorded a special PANPA podcast episode for the holiday season, in which he looks at what 2009 has in store for the association and the industry.
Click here to go directly to the PANPA podcast page to access the message and past episodes.
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast using your favourite subscription tools so you can be the first the hear new episodes in the new year.
FIZZ, Brew and UltraFresh might sound like items from the energy drink section of the supermarket, but in fact they are Singapore Press Holdings’ new targeted advertising packages.
The publisher is selling bundles of cross-media ad space under the three quirky monikers to help advertisers home in on their desired audience.
Fizz features print ads in The New Paper and online ads on citizen-journalism portal Stomp, as well as location-based SMS messages in youth zones, allowing advertisers to target Singapore’s youth.
Brew is centred on the company’s Straits Times properties, in print and online, as well as the AsiaOne online portal and SPH’s outdoor advertising SPH MediaBoxOffice asset. It is aimed at professionals, managers, executives and business people.
Clients seeking the working-class market can opt for UltraFresh, which also incorporates the SPHMBO digital-screen network, as well as space in the Chinese newspapers Shin Min Daily News and Lianhe Wanbao and airtime on Radio 100.3FM.
SPH’s senior executive vice-president for marketing, Mr Leslie Fong, told My Paper: “SPH is always on the lookout for ways to serve our advertisers better.
“With this latest offering, they will be able to zero in on the exact target groups they wish to reach, do it across different media and enjoy cost efficiencies.”
The publisher will offer discounts for the next three months to boost take-up and assist advertisers in the current financial climate, My Paper reported.
THE new-look West Australian Newspapers continues to take shape, with Bob Cronin being appointed editor-in-chief of the company.
Mr Cronin has previously served in the same role, which has now been revived having been abolished after his last stint in the 1980s and 90s.
The appointment comes less than a week after Chris Wharton was made CEO by new chairman Kerry Stokes and a freshened board of directors.
In a statement, Mr Wharton said Cronin would oversee “all editorial aspects” of the company’s newspapers and websites, according to The Australian.
AUSTRALIAN Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has slammed the Fiji interim government for its treatment of media and restrictions of free speech, ABC reported. He criticism comes as Fiji detains a New Zealand journalist, Barbara Dreaver, of TVNZ.
Mr Rudd said the Frank Bainimarama-led military rule has “belted around the free media” after Pacific ministers met in Suva to discuss the future of the country’s democracy.
Ms Dreaver, the TV station’s Pacific correspondent, was detained on Monday night after flying in to cover increasing diplomatic tension between Fiji and New Zealand, according to a report from NZPA. The station’s head of news, Anthony Flannery, said he expected to hear soon about a date for her release and possible deportation.
A SINGAPORE free-sheet has decided to cut back circulation and advertising rates for its weekend edition due to financial pressures.
TODAY newspaper, a PANPA member, has reduced the print run of Weekend TODAY to 150,000 from an undisclosed number, while ads will now cost S$15 per column cm instead of S$28, according to the Straits Times.
Philip Koh, managing director of Today’s publisher, MediaCorp Press, said in a letter to advertisers “we understand that tough times are here and every cent matters”, the report said.
NEWS Ltd has extended its relationship with online travel search firm Wego.com.au, boosting its functionality and building a new revenue stream.
The five major News Ltd online metropolitan mastheads – Herald Sun, Daily Telegraph, Courier-Mail, AdelaideNow and PerthNow – will now carry the Wego search box on their travel pages. The news.com.au/travel page already has the feature, while The Australian’s website is expected to add it this week.
Wego partners with publishers and bloggers, providing revenue in turn for hits on its travel and accommodation search and aggregation site.
The deal also gives News Ltd’s online travel audience instant access to prices and packages for flights and hotels from Wego’s network of over 100 travel websites.
Michael Robinson, chief executive officer – media, News Digital Media said the tool’s functionality will complement the regular travel news, reviews and information and on the websites, giving the reader a “complete virtual travel experience”.
A NEW editor has been appointed at the Timaru Herald, a Fairfax Media publication on New Zealand’s South Island.
David King, currently assistant editor and online editor at the Herald’s stablemate, The Press, will replace the outgoing David Wood on January 19.
Mr King is the third new editor at a New Zealand daily is recent times, with Natalie Gauld joining Hawke’s Bay Today and the Manawatu Standard taking on Bernadette Courtney.
Before his six years at The Press, Mr King had also worked in magazines and newspapers in London and Edindurgh.
Fairfax Media executive editor Paul Thompson said Mr King had already been identified as a future leader as part of Fairfax’s editorial leadership programme.
“We are thrilled that we can offer career development opportunities like these within Fairfax. David joins an already powerful news gathering team and brings with him a number of ideas for taking the paper to the next level.”
KERRY Stokes has been elected the new chairman of West Australian Newspapers, and his first duty was to reveal Chris Wharton as the publisher’s new chief executive.
Mr Wharton leaves his role as managing director of Channel Seven Perth to start at WAN on Monday. He has previous newspaper management experience, having been chief executive of Perth-based Community Newspaper Group until he joined Seven in 2000.
Mr Stokes, also chairman of Seven Network, said: “Mr Wharton’s broad media experience, his strategic thinking and his ability to build and lead a quality team of executives and staff will, I have no doubt, facilitate the continued growth of this unique and highly regarded West Australian business.”
The company also appointed two new directors, filling out the board to six after the departure last week of previous chairman Peter Mansell and directors Jenny Seabrook and Mel Ward.
Don Voelte, managing director and CEO of Woodside Petroleum Ltd, and Sam Walsh, chief executive of Rio Tinto’s Iron Ore group, join Mr Stokes, Peter Gammell, Doug Flynn and Graeme John, who was appointed to the board last week.
A company statement said the full board unanimously voted to elect Mr Stokes as chairman of the board.
THE region’s media collectively heralded Brian McCarthy as Fairfax Media’s new CEO today, with analysts and investors reported as giving the former Rural Press man a positive welcome.
Mr McCarthy’s appointment had been widely expected, meaning much of the media focus was on the other major outcome of yesterday’s board meeting – the announcement that the company will reduce its dividend for shareholders to combat its hefty debt.
The Australian newspaper tied the dividend cut to a new era for the company with a story titled “Dividend cut launches `new McCarthyism’”.
FAIRFAX Media Chairman Ron Walker has emailed a memo to all staff announcing the appointment of Brian McCarthy as the company’s new cheif executive. Read the full email below:
To All Staff
I am very pleased to report to you that the Board of Directors today appointed Brian McCarthy as the new Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Fairfax Media Limited.
Brian is an excellent choice given his deep and extensive media experience and very successful track record as Managing Director of Rural Press Limited for 13 years. Fairfax Media has benefited enormously by his achievements as Deputy CEO and CEO, Australia, where he has managed the Australian publishing and printing assets. Brian is the right person with the right experience at this time to run the Company.
PANPA News 