24.01.06
Archant Life buys six London titles
Archant Life, the regional magazine subsidiary of community media publisher Archant, has announced that it has acquired six titles from Metropolis Publishing Ltd.
With a total monthly distribution of over 250,000 copies, The Resident, Grove, Westside, Angel and North are based in west and north London whilst Rise is distributed south of the river.
Together with 35 staff, based at offices in Fulham and Islington, the new portfolio joins Archant Life's London magazine division under Regional Managing Director Jeremy Moreton.
The acquisition makes Archant Life the biggest local magazine publisher in the capital when added to six titles bought last March from Highbury House
Archant Life MD Johnny Hustler said "I am delighted that we have been able to add some of London's best known magazine titles to our existing business. They have a strong heritage and are published by extremely talented people. This will enable us to offer our customers even better choice and a dazzling array of packages to reach the UK's most desirable consumers."
Metropolis publisher, Jeremy Isaac, who is joining Archant in a consultancy role, said: "We have really enjoyed building up these titles, and we are proud of what has been achieved. But it is the right time to be moving them into a company that can further develop and expand the business.
“We have been very impressed by what Archant Life is doing within the regional magazine sector and I am looking forward to helping with the integration of our titles."
In March 2005 Archant Life acquired six London-based magazine titles from Highbury House. The combined portfolio of 12 titles will have a monthly distribution of 630,000 copies across London from Docklands to Ealing.
Archant Life also publishes a market-leading portfolio of around 25 glossy county magazine titles, from the Lancashire and Yorkshire to Devon and Sussex.
Pic caption:
Archant Life MD, Johnny Hustler, and Archant chief executive, John Fry, with the newly-acquired titles.
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