Immediate Media Company Limited (styled as Immediate Media Co) is a British multinational publishing house that currently publishes a significant range of titles, including '' Radio Times, BBC Top Gear,

BBC Good Food ''BBC Good Food'' is a global food media brand, with a monthly magazine, website, app, live events and series of books. It has had four editors since its launch: Mitzie Wilson (1987–1997), Orlando Murrin (1997–2004), Gillian Carter (2004– ...

'' and a host of others. In H1 2018, the company's titles reported a combined ABC circulation of 1.59 million, including 1.1M active subscribers. In 2018 it reported selling 70+ million magazines. The publishing house is owned by Hubert Burda Media, and is an agglomeration of Magicalia, Origin Publishing and

BBC Magazines Immediate Media Company Limited (styled as Immediate Media Co) is a British multinational publishing house that currently publishes a significant range of titles, including ''Radio Times, BBC Top Gear, BBC Good Food'' and a host of others. In H ...

, publishing both media content and software platforms. Approximately 85% of its revenue is from content services, with the remainder from advertising.

History

Immediate Media originated from the combined assets of several formerly independent publishing houses, including BBC Magazines, Magicalia,

Future plc Future plc is an international multimedia company established in the United Kingdom in 1985. The company has over 220 brands that span magazines, newsletters, websites, and events in fields such as video games, technology, films, music, photogr ...

, Hitched and Jewellery Maker. In late 2011 the BBC's magazine-publishing business was sold to Exponent Private Equity, following clearance by the Office of Fair Trading. Exponent had previously acquired Magicalia Limited'','' a digital

publisher Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newsp ...

and platform provider based in London. Magicalia was founded in 1999 by Adam Laird and Jeremy Tapp. Its inaugural website was bikemagic.com. In 2000, it began offering B2B publishing services, with clients such as ''

Runner's World ''Runner's World'' is a globally circulated monthly magazine for runners of all skills sets, published by Hearst in Easton, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Before its acquisition by Hearst, it was founded and published by Rodale, Inc. in Em ...

'' magazine. In 2011 Magicalia's assets were combined with those of Origin Publishing and

to form Immediate. Tom Bureau, then-CEO of Magicalia, became the Chief Executive of the new company. In May 2014 Immediate acquired

's sport and craft titles. The sport portfolio included the websites Bikeradar.com and Cyclingnews.com and the magazines '' Cycling Plus'', ''

Procycling ''Procycling'', or ''ProCycling'', was a bicycling sport magazine owned by Future. First published in April 1999, there were 13 issues a year distributed in all countries where there are English-speaking readers. Andrew Sutcliffe, the former e ...

and Mountain Biking UK.'' The craft titles included ''Love Patchwork'' and ''Quilting, Simply Knitting, and Mollie Makes''. In January 2015, Immediate acquired Hitched.co.uk, a UK wedding planning brand. In November 2015 Immediate acquired its first television property, '' Jewellery Maker'', a TV and online commerce platform, from the Genuine Gemstone Company, adding to its Crafts and Arts portfolio. Jewellery Maker employed over 100 people at the time of its acquisition. It has since expanded into TV, video and

e-commerce E-commerce (electronic commerce) is the activity of electronically buying or selling of products on online services or over the Internet. E-commerce draws on technologies such as mobile commerce, electronic funds transfer, supply chain managem ...

. Hubert Burda Media acquired Immediate in 2017, for £270 million (5-6 x EBITDA). In 2019, Immediate sold ''

'' magazine and the Cyclingnews.com website to

Divisions

TV and Entertainment

Radio Times is a British weekly television and radio programme

listings magazine A listings magazine is a magazine which is largely dedicated to information about the upcoming week's events such as broadcast programming, music, clubs, theatre and film information. The BBC's '' Radio Times'' was the world's first listing ...

, founded in 1923 by John Reith, the then general manager of the BBC. It was the world's first broadcast listings magazine. The title was published entirely in-house by BBC Magazines from 1937 until 2011, when the BBC Magazines division was sold to Immediate. Its peak weekly circulation was 8.8 million. In 2014 it accounted for 60% of Immediate's profit. It is the UK's biggest-selling magazine, with a weekly print ABC of 577,087, and the UK's biggest weekly subscription title, with 271,237 subscribers in 2018.

Sport

*220 Triathlon *BikeRadar * Cycling Plus * Mountain Biking UK *Outdoors Magic *Urban Cyclist *What Mountain Bike

Homes and Gardening

* BBC Gardeners' World *Gardens Illustrated *

Antiques Roadshow ''Antiques Roadshow'' is a British television programme broadcast by the BBC in which antiques appraisers travel to various regions of the United Kingdom (and occasionally in other countries) to appraise antiques brought in by local people ( ...

*Homes & Antiques *The Recommended

Crafts

* Cardmaking & Papercraft * Cross Stitch Crazy * Cross Stitch Gold * Get into Craft * Jewellery Maker * Love Crochet * Love Knitting * Love Patchwork & Quilting * Mollie Makes * Papercraft Inspirations * Quick Cards Made Easy * Sewing Quarter * Simply Crochet * Simply Knitting * Simply Sewing * The Knitter * The World of Cross Stitching * The Yarn Loop * Today's Quilter * Ultimate Cross Stitch * We Love Craft

Motoring

* BBC Top Gear

Parents and children

Immediate says that it has the largest market share in the UK children's magazines sector, with a total ABC-audited circulation of 780,194. * Giggly.co.uk * Junior * Made For Mums

Weddings

* Hitched.co.uk * Perfect Wedding * You & Your Wedding

Specialist

* BBC Easy Cook * BBC Countryfile *

BBC History ''BBC History Magazine'' is a British publication devoted to both British and world history and aimed at all levels of knowledge and interest. The publication releases thirteen editions a year, one per month and a Christmas special edition, an ...

* BBC Match of the Day *

BBC Music BBC Music is responsible for the music played across the BBC. The current director of music is Bob Shennan, who is also the controller of BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music, and the BBC Asian Network. Officially it is a part of the BBC's Radio ...

BBC Science Focus ''BBC Science Focus'' (previously ''BBC Focus'') is a British monthly magazine about science and technology published in Bristol, UK by Immediate Media Company Immediate Media Company Limited (styled as Immediate Media Co) is a British multin ...

* BBC Sky at Night Magazine * BBC Wildlife * Delicious * Healthy Food Guide * History Extra * History Revealed * Homes and * Planet Traveller * Olive * Science and Nature * Top of the Pops

Youth and Children

* Andy's Amazing Adventures * Art-Draw and Create * Baby Shark * BBC CBeebies * BBC CBeebies ART * BBC CBeebies Special * BBC Match of the Day Magazine * BBC Match of the Day Specials * BBC Top of the Pops Magazine * Disney Frozen * Disney Frozen Fun Time * Disney Stars * Disney Princess Create and Collect * Girl Talk * Hatchimals *

Lego Ninjago Lego Ninjago is a List of Lego themes, Lego theme that was created in 2011 and a flagship brand of The Lego Group. It is the first theme to be based on ninja since the discontinuation of the Lego Ninja theme in 2000. Whilst it retains some elemen ...

* Lego Disney Princesses * Lego Superhero Legends * Lego Star Wars * Lego Specials * Lego Giant Series * Lego City * MEGA! * PJ Masks * Pokémon * Ultimate Series

Platforms and other revenue

Some Immediate brands serve as e-commerce marketplaces. These include the wedding site hitched.co.uk and the TV shopping arm of Jewellery Maker. In July 2022, Immediate launched The Recommended, an internet shopping guide devoted to e-commerce recommendations and buyers' guides. Immediate also organises live events such as the Radio Times Festival. Immediate sells market research services based around its consumer panel, which the company says has 14,000 respondents. The firm also provides data analytics, loyalty publishing and IP licensing.

References

* https://flashesandflames.com/2018/12/14/uks-immediate-brings-growth-back-to-magazines/

External links

Immediate Media Company
{{Authority control Publishing companies of England Publishing companies based in London BBC publications Mass media in London Companies established in 2011