Berita Publishing and SPH Magazines set up Joint Venture to publish magazines in Malaysia

SINGAPORE / MALAYSIA, July 11 - Berita Publishing Sdn Bhd of Malaysia and SPH Magazines Pte Ltd of Singapore today jointly announced the setting up of a joint venture company in Malaysia, called Magazine World Sdn Bhd.

Magazine World Sdn Bhd, is 70% owned by Berita Publishing Sdn Bhd and 30% by SPH Magazines Pte Ltd. It will publish and distribute magazines and provide contract-publishing services in Malaysia.

Under the arrangement, Berita Publishing has appointed Magazine World as its contract publisher for it's monthly woman's lifestyle magazine, Her World. At the same time, SPH Magazines has licensed the use of the content of Her World Singapore to the new company. The contract publishing and content licensing arrangements will take effect from the October 2003 issue of Her World Malaysia.

The collaboration, is a win-win formula for Berita Publishing and SPH Magazines. It will allow the two publishers to benefit from their synergies, thereby benefiting advertisers and readers of Her World. The joint venture company is actively looking at possibilities of launching new products in Malaysia and the region.The partnership between Berita Publishing Sdn Bhd and SPH Magazines Pte Ltd is a vote of confidence for the future of one of the longest established woman lifestyle magazines in the region. Her World was launched in July 1960 by the Straits Times Press Group. In 1965, Her World Singapore and Her World Malaysia were created to serve the two markets.

The Singapore edition of Her World is the flagship of SPH Magazines Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. The Malaysian edition is one of the main titles of Berita Publishing's diversified stable of magazines. Her World title is a household name on both sides of the Causeway.

Jointly Issued by

For more information, please contact:

Ms Cherie Ng (Advertising & Promotions Manager)
SPH Magazines Pte Ltd
DID: (65) 6319 6318
Mobile: (65) 9746 0372
Fax: (65) 6319 6345
Email: ngsyc@sph.com.sg

About Berita Publishing

Berita Publishing Sdn Bhd is one of the premier magazine publisher in Malaysia. The most read magazines in its stable are:-

• Her World: a leading and established monthly publication with 54,000 readership (AC Nielsen Media Index - 1st July 2001 to 30th June 2002)
• Jelita: Malaysia's premier Bahasa Malaysia women's magazine with 303,000 readership (AC Nielsen Media Index - 1st July 2001 to 30th June 2002).
• Anjung Seri: Malaysia's best selling Bahasa Malaysia home styling magazine.
• Malaysian Business: Published fortnightly, it is the local's most established business magazine in Malaysia.
• Investors' Digest: Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange's official monthly publication.
• Going Places: Malaysian Airline System Berhad's monthly in-flight magazine.

About SPH Magazines

SPH Magazines Pte Ltd (SMPL) is the leading magazine publisher in Singapore with all its titles maintaining No. 1 readership in their respective sectors in the Nielsen Media Index 2002.

• Her World: Singapore's No. 1 women's magazine with 137,000 readership.
• Home & Décor: Style leader in home interior sector with 37,000 readership.
• Young Parents: The best-read parenting magazine for those with kids between 0 - 9 years old. Readership is 32,000.
• Her World Brides: A definitive wedding guide published quarterly

SMPL also specialises in custom publishing - producing two of the highest circulating publications in Singapore.

• NSMan: 150,000 cps, bi-monthly for SAFRA National Service Association
• ResQ: 120,000 cps, bi-monthly for Civil Defence Association for National Servicemen
• SilverKris: 75,000 cps monthly English edition and 45,000 cps bi-monthly Japanese edition for Singapore International Airlines

SMPL is the exclusive marketing representative of two leading Chinese publications.

• Citta Bella: No.1 Chinese women's magazine in Singapore
• You-Weekly: Popular weekly entertainment magazine