NatMags Axes Jellyfish After Trial Problems

Jellyfish, the trial digital magazine from the National Magazine Company, has been axed, with marketing and distribution problems blamed for its demise.

The e-zine was initially launched on a 14-week trial and this had been extended until September, however NatMags has decided to end it after 20 weeks.

The title, delivered via email, apparently encountered problems with Hotmail’s spam filters, whilst its use of Flash animation made it more likely to be blocked by corporate servers.

Following a review of its portfolio, NatMags closed its teen title CosmoGIRL! in June in an effort to put more focus on Jellyfish (see NatMags To Close CosmoGIRL!). CosmoGIRL! was edited by Celia Duncan, the mastermind behind Jellyfish.

Jellyfish had originally been aimed at teens, however it was decided to refocus it at 18-to 25-year-olds.

NatMags is hoping to find the Jellyfish team alternative roles within the company.

NewsLine will have full coverage and in-depth analysis of the major sectors following the ABC concurrent release for the first six months of 2007 on Thursday.

National Magazine Company: 0207 439 5000 www.natmags.co.uk