Come 1 September 2005,
SPH Magazines Pte Ltd (“SPHM”) will publish FiRST
- Asia’s Premier Movie Magazine.
SPHM announced today that it has entered into an agreement with
Sterne & Lears Singapore (“S&L”) to purchase
the business, the magazine title and all intellectual property
rights subsiting in FiRST (“FiRST”). The acquisition
of FiRST from S&L will add to SPHM’s growing stable
of titles and strengthens its position and reputation as a leading
and dynamic publisher in Singapore and the region.
The purchase marks another significant milestone
in SPHM’s vision to grow and expand its suite of titles.
Widely recognised as a market leader in consumer magazines,
its fold of products include Her World, Singapore’s top-selling
women’s magazine as well as internationally-acclaimed
titles under licence – Shape, Maxim, Seventeen and Men’s
Health.
FiRST Editor-in-Chief, Royston Loh, says:
“We are very confident that FiRST Movie Magazine will
reach new heights under SPHM as it has strong expertise, a
wide network and reliable infrastructure. This will translate
to greater awareness and visibility of the magazine to bring
maximum benefits and exposure to our advertisers.” Loh
and his team will continue to work on the magazine.
FiRST kicked off in November 2002 and covers
various aspects of the movie industry, both in the local and
international scene, film/video previews and reviews, celebrity
features as well as fashion and technology related to the
movies.
SPHM's Chief Executive Officer, David Tay
says : "FiRST Movie Magazine has incredible potential.
Drawing from our strengths and capabilities can only make
it even stronger. Joining forces is definitely a win-win situation
for both parties. FiRST's content is focused and has a universal
appeal that cuts across age, gender and country - a powerful
point in our aim to take it regionally."
FiRST Movie Magazine is available at newsstands,
bookstores, SPH Buzz kiosks and convenience stores. Cover
price is $4.50.
The magazine is also present on all Singapore
Airlines flights and is currently distributed in Malaysia.
Readership consists largely of PMEBs, who
form the core group of readers. FiRST Movie Magazine’s
target audience also includes the English-speaking community,
aged between 15 and 45 years.
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