Online Publishers Launch New Cross-Sector Body
Some of the UK’s most influential online publishers have come together to launch the Association Of Online Publishers (AOP) to represent their interests to the Government and the industry.
Founding members of the new cross-sector body, which will work to drive standards and raise revenue across all sectors of the online publishing industry, include the BBC, The Economist Group, FT.com, GuardianUnlimited, Haymarket Group, Reed Business Information and Hollinger Telegraph New Media.
Bill Murray, managing director of Haymarket Motor Publications, has been appointed as acting chairman of the AOP. He also chairs the Interactive Council of the Periodical Publishers Association (PPAi), which voted in March to evolve into the the new organisation.
Commenting on the launch of the AOP, Murray said: “PPAi has achieved much over the last couple of years, but has of course been primarily focused on the interests of magazine publishers’ online businesses. The digital world has meant that most of the differences historically present between the different publishing sectors no longer exists. In most respects, once we are publishing our content online, the fact that our core business is in magazines, newspapers, TV or radio is largely irrelevant.”
He added: “The time has come to unite online publishers in a drive to achieve consistency and standards across the online market that will assist all publishers to grow revenues, deliver better services to consumers and businesses, and to develop profitable, long term business success.”
The launch of the AOP comes just a month after leading internet portals came together to form the European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA) to promote the value of online advertising campaigns to major agencies and clients (see Portals Join To Form New Pan-European Internet Ad Body).
AOP: 020 7400 7510
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