Radio Times in online extension

Radio Times is to launch a film and video guide in book and Website formats as part of its brand extension programme.

The title is also looking for a creative advertising agency to conduct a campaign in the autumn, which will coincide with a redesign of the magazine.

Radio Times publisher Ashley Munday says: “It’s certainly not a relaunch, but the magazine will have a new look and feel.”

A Radio Times-branded Website, containing a reference catalogue of film reviews, will be launched to coincide with the publication of the book in 2000. The book will carry reviews of 20,000 films.

Munday says: “We are looking at all the options that different media platforms offer the brand, such as the Internet, books and electronic programme guides.”

The magazine brand has already been extended into a reference guide on comedy.

Discussions are also being held on how best to transpose the Radio Times brand and content into an electronic programme guide format that would help digital TV viewers choose what to watch as well as operating as a navigational tool around the dozens of different TV channels.

Radio Times has faced stiff competition in the crowded TV listings market since deregulation.

The magazine’s circulation is static, with sales of 1,400,331 – down 0.4 per cent on the previous year according to the latest Audit Bureau of Circulations figures for July to December.