BSkyB Wins Emap Ad Sales Contract

BSkyB has secured the sales contract for Emap’s portfolio of six digital music channels in a deal thought to be worth around £15m.

From 1 January next year Sky will take responsibility for advertising sales for the Box, Smash Hits, Magic, Q, Kiss and Kerrang, all of which are extensions of Emap’s magazine and radio portfolio.

The contract was previously handled by Carlton Digital sales. It became available earlier in the year when Carlton cancelled all third party business as part of a move towards consolidation with Granada.

Commenting on the deal, Sky’s Head of sales, Mark Chippendale, said: “We are delighted to secure Emap’s business and the significance of being able to grow the size of our sales portfolio in the current straitened economic climate cannot be underestimated.”

Emap’s sales director Dave King, added: “Sky has leverage in the TV market place. Our music channels will sit well alongside Sky’s movies and sports channels.”

All of Emap’s digital music channels, with the exception of The Box, have been launched into the multi-channel market in the last six months. In May Emap released a strong set of full year results announcing that pre-tax profits had risen 5% to £197m. (see Emap Releases Full Year Results In Line With Expectations).

More recently this has been tempered by a trading statement in which Emap announced that while underlying profits for the group were up 3% in the first half of the year, advertising revenues for the group are still falling.

Emap: 01733 568 900 www.emap.co.uk BSkyB: 020 7705 3000 www.sky.com

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