Nial Ferguson gains Future publishing director role

Future has promoted Nial Ferguson to the position of publishing director, Technology and Entertainment Lifestyle.

Ferguson joined Future from Bauer Consumer Media, previously EMAP, in March last year as group publisher of T3. He was deputy managing director for men’s lifestyle titles at his former company.

In his new position Ferguson will oversee Future’s flagship men’s specialist lifestyle brands. These include T3, Classic Rock and Total Film.

He will work with group publisher Simon Maxwell and publisher Chris Ingham.

Future recently posted a 9% fall in advertising revenues for the three months to December 31. It blamed the slump on a decline in revenues for its gaming magazines and its exposure in the US market.

The bi-annual magazine circulation figures from ABC are due out on Thursday (February 12) and men’s titles are expected to show a dip across the board.

Chief operating officer for Future UK Simon Wear says: “The great myth is that the appetite among men for ‘lifestyle’ magazines has disappeared. Not true. But their appetites have changed.

“Our experience shows that what affluent, informed men want today are magazines and content that have the production values traditionally associated with lifestyle magazines, combined with the editorial quality and specialist appeal that niche titles provide.”