Reed Business To Offer Free Internet Access

Business magazine publisher, Reed Business Information, is to become the latest in a lengthening line of companies to offer free access to the internet. The new service, called Reed Connect, will target the readers of its business titles in four initial markets: property, science, agriculture and IT. RBI, a division of Reed Elsevier, will promote the service through its Estates Gazette, New Scientist, Farmers Weekly and Computer Weekly magazines before rolling out to target other markets.

Reed says that its 1998 Banner Survey of IT decision-makers has shown that there is a potential market of between 70,000 and 200,000 subscribers. RBI already publishes a number of online versions of its magazines, including the New Scientists’ Planet Science website (www.newscientist.com) which received 1.8 million page impressions during October 1998, the period of its most recent ABC //electronic audit.

Commenting on the launch of Reed Connect, RBI chief executive Keith Jones says: “Through the internet, we have the ability to create connected communities which strengthens customer relationships and at the same time opens up new revenue streams for the business.”

Each Reed Connect customer will also receive free email facilities, which will feature the address of the RBI title to which they subscribe, and free web space, accessed through the RBI-magazine branded portal site. According to RBI’s electronic publishing director, Jim Muttram, the Reed Connect ‘template’ has been designed to have a number of different front ends depending on the user’s industry: those in the science industry, for example, will access the Net through a portal with New Scientist-provided content. “This will allow the introduction of new market sectors as easily as possible,” says Muttram.

Reed Connect launches on 16 April and the promotions will appear in RBI magazines as from next week.

Reed Business Information: 0181 652 3500 … www.reedbusiness.com