Radio Times Backs Redesign With £1 Million Marketing Push

The Radio Times has announced that it will make a £1 million investment in above the line promotions and direct marketing in order to back up its newly revamped editorial content and design.

The move, made amid the ongoing price war between the nation’s TV listings titles, will promote the magazine’s recent changes across several media, including giving readers the opportunity to win up to £100,000 to pay off their mortgage in a four-week in-magazine sales promotion, due to begin on 15 March.

The sales promotion will be supported nationally on Virgin Radio, as well as via selected local radio stations. In addition a direct marketing campaign will target 250,000 readers.

Commenting on the promotion, Kathy Day, publisher of Radio Times, said: “Last year saw an extensive research and development programme on Radio Times, culminating in editorial changes that reinforce its position as the intelligent television listings magazine. Radio Times sits at the top of the market, providing its readers with matchless quality journalism week in week out. We know we’ve got the product right, now is the time to shout about it, and this campaign is just the start of us doing exactly that.”

The TV listings sector has seen competition intensify in recent months, with publishing giants, IPC Media and H Bauer starting what could become a full-blown cover price war. H Bauer cut 10p off the price of TV Choice in January, taking the title to 30p in order to compete with rival IPC’s What’s on TV (see Cuts Spark Fear Of TV Mag Price War).

Meanwhile the Radio Times has seen its circulation decline, falling to just over 1.1 million in the six months to December 2004, a dip of 4.2% year on year. The title now holds its position as the nations second best-circulating paid-for TV listings title by just over 4,000 copies, with Bauer’s TV choice poised to take its position in the next round of ABCs.

Radio Times: 0870 608 4455 www.radiotimes.com

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