Independent Unveils New Media Weekly Section
The Independent today launched its new Media Weekly supplement in an attempt to break the Guardian‘s stranglehold on the media news and jobs sector.
The 24-page pull-out, dedicated to media news, features and interviews, made its debut this morning with the help of an extensive cross-media campaign spanning television, radio, outdoor and trade advertising (see Independent Tackles Guardian With Weekly Media Section).
The first issue clearly aims to set a high-standard and Ray Snoddy’s interview with Daily Mail & General Trust chairman, Lord Rothermere, dominates a full six pages. Former BBC director, Greg Dyke, launches his regular column with a look at what’s in store for BSkyB and former Euro RSCG London chairman, Mark Wnek, opens his weekly slot with a look at the dangers of ‘schmoozing’.
The supplement also features contributions from outspoken Wireless Group chairman, Kelvin MacKenzie, on his ‘beef with Five Live’ and a profile of TBWA London boss, Trevor Beattie. Other content includes a centre-page spread on London’s best lunch venues and two pages of media analysis from Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman.
Understandably, Media Weekly still has someway to go in cornering the lucrative media jobs market, with just two pages of classifieds featuring in the first issue. This compares to a whopping 25 in the more established MediaGuardian.
However, MediaGuardian is clearly taking the launch seriously and has revamped its appearance to highlight its key contributors. This week the supplement features offerings from Channel 4 director of television, Kevin Lygo, and former ITV marketing director, Jim Hytner. Managing director of Sky Networks, Dawn Airey, also tells of her favourite lunch at Palais du Jardin (which incidentally does not make it into Media Weekly‘s list of top lunch venues).
This is not the first time that the Independent has attempted to take on MediaGuardian. Back in 1997 it launched a short-lived media section under the editorship of Rob Brown. However, the title is now hoping to capitalise on the unprecedented circulation growth enjoyed since the launch of its tabloid edition last year.
The latest ABC results for the six months to June 2004 reveal an impressive 18% year on year increase in circulation for the Independent to 260,939. The Guardian suffered a 4% decline during the same period to 378,199.
Independent: 020 7005 2000 www.independent.co.uk
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