BBC Extends Radio Times Brand With New Launch
BBC Magazines is extending its Radio Times brand with the launch of a new educational title aimed at parents and teachers.
The new 68-page Smart TV guide launches on 17 April with the intention of enhancing children’s knowledge, through the use of specific television programmes chosen by education experts.
The title will be published three times a year to coincide with the start of each school term and will have a cover price of £4.99. It will initially appear as a subscription based title, but a few thousand copies will be available at newsstands.
The magazine will be aimed at 5 to 16 year-olds and will include interviews and behind the scenes editorial. Television programmes will be grouped by subject areas, such as English, Geography and Music, with links to the national curriculum.
Direct mail information about the title, which will carry advertising, has already been distributed to over 30,000 teachers throughout the UK.
Commenting on the launch, Cathy Brown, associate publisher of Radio Times, said: “Smart TV will allow parents and teachers to make the most of children’s TV viewing time. With the wealth of multi-channel television currently available in the UK, this guide removes the headache of trawling through schedules to find something of real educational value for a younger audience.”
The latest ABC results for the six months to December 2002 reveal a relatively lacklustre performance for the BBC’s Radio Times, which saw circulation decline by 3.3% year on year to 1,160,436.
Analysis over a ten year period shows that the title has seen its circulation decline steadily since the second half of 1992, with the emergence of rival TV listing magazines, such as TV Choice, TV Quick and What’s On TV taking their toll on the veteran Radio Times brand.
BBC Worldwide: 0208 433 2000 www.beeb.com
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