Dennis Adds To Current Affairs Portfolio

Dennis Publishing has acquired the online current affairs magazine, The First Post, to complement its news weekly, The Week.

Launched in 2005, The First Post is currently owned by First Post Newsgroup Holdings, and is backed by private investors. The First Post claims to reach one million unique users a month.

The site’s team of 13, led by founding editor Mark Law, will be taken on as Dennis employees.

Law said: “This is a crucial stage in the commercial and editorial development of The First Post.

“The site will now have access to the marketing resources of a large publishing company. Moreover, The Week and The First Post are natural stablemates.”

Dennis Publishing executive director Kerin O’Connor and Dennis Interactive managing director Pete Wootton will head the site for its new owners.

Dennis publishing chief executive James Tye said: “This is the ideal next step to allow Dennis to grow in an area of publishing where we have enjoyed so much success to date.

“An online current affairs property is the perfect complement to The Week for our advertisers.

“Thefirstpost.co.uk will also be invaluable for widening the subscription audience of the title, both here and in the US. It also underlines our commitment to be a true 21st century publisher, reaching audiences whatever the platform.”

Mike Turner, non-executive chairman of First Post News Group said: “We are delighted to have found such a good home for The First Post.

“The current team has done a terrific job in making the publication the success that it is today, and we all very much look forward to building on that success under the ownership and direction of Dennis Publishing.”

Dennis Publishing: 020 7907 6000 www.dennis.co.uk