NatMag Digital Catching Up On Lost Time

The National Magazine Company’s chief executive Duncan Edwards, speaking at yesterday’s Association of Online Publishers (AOP) conference in London, admitted that the company was late to the digital party, having been on the brink of major investment in 2000, before rejecting plans.

As a result its current investment round, which started in 2005, began with acquisitions to hasten its move into online – specifically Handbag.com and NetDoctor.co.uk. “We are very happy with both acquisitions,” said Edwards.

Next stage plans include the launch of Handbag TV and the fashion bible Harpers Bazaar online within the Handbag fold, and the next iteration of the Cosmo website will be rolled out in March next year, he told the conference.

NatMag will invest in just five core online brands, including its Runner’s World site, but content will come from many other titles.

Edwards felt that current web metrics were not helpful – time spent on site and user behaviour will be more important going forward not page impressions, he predicted.

He also rejected the strategy that put a media brand at the centre and then developed off shoots in several different media or technologies. “The successful brands tend to be the best in a technology,” he commented.

National Magazine Company: 0207 439 5000 www.natmags.co.uk Association of Online Publishers: www.ukaop.org.uk