BusinessAge to close after weak sales

Dutch publisher VNU is closing down BusinessAge, bought a year ago from Sunday Business editor Tom Rubython.

The title, along with Personal Computer Magazine, is to shut from June. VNU managing director Ruud Bakker says BusinessAge has not met circulation targets.

Rubython launched the A4 glossy in 1991 as Management Week, but it folded in 1992 amid writs and financial problems and was later relaunched as BusinessAge.

VNU bought the magazine last year for about 3m and in October took on a PR firm in an attempt to revamp its image.

However, VNU decided to close it after “close examination of the performance of the magazine”.

Staff on both titles have been offered jobs within the company as VNU prepares for a September launch of a business PC magazine.