4 NOVEMBER 2013

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Article from BTNews 4 NOVEMBER 2013

ON THE SOAPBOX: Steve Wright, Chief Executive of Kelsey Media

I am pleased to announce the purchase from Malcolm Ginsberg of Business Travel News, the award winning on-line publication, a MUST for many on a Monday morning. 

It is a move into a slightly different area by Kelsey Media with almost 25 years of publishing experience.  As both Airbus and Boeing are only too keen to tell us, travel and air travel in particular is set to grow and grow.  In terms of communications Kelsey wants a part of this ever expanding market.  Our timing also coincides with World Travel Market at Excel in London, the flagship event for an industry with seemingly endless possibilities.
 
Since its inception Kelsey has remained a UK-based, privately-owned publisher of special interest and enthusiasts’ publications.  The company has grown from five magazines and a dozen staff to over 120 employees in two offices (Peterborough and Cudham, Kent) and in excess of 40 different brands, comprising magazines, books, digital editions, websites and apps.
 
The company started mainly in motoring, but in 1993 launched Tractor & Machinery, now the world’s best-selling tractor magazine.  We acquired Running Fitness from EMAP in 2006 and Good Homes from the BBC in 2009.  Since then, Kelsey has made further acquisitions in this area, including Period Homes & Interiors, Park Home & Holiday Caravan, Coast and Psychologies.  This has helped to develop a hugely successful homes and leisure portfolio.
 
In the motoring category, Kelsey now publishes 11 car magazines, led by the popular weekly title, Classic Car Buyer and sister magazine Classic Car Mart.  We acquired Aeroplane from IPC in 2010 with its wonderful photographic archive and went on to launch JETS and many other leading aviation books and one-shots.
 
When the opportunity came up to take on Business Travel News everyone in the management team was tremendously excited.  Not only does this increase Kelsey’s aviation portfolio, but it also represents part of our increasing investment in digital.  All publishers will be adopting a multi-media strategy in the years to come, and Kelsey will be no exception.
 
As Malcolm is an air travel guru we’re really pleased to continue to work with him on Business Travel News.  The key to BTN’s success is its authoritative news reporting but also its informal and sometimes irreverent style.  That’s what we need to protect moving forward, while also trying to implement improvements and building a sustainable future for the brand.
 
During the last week the UK was gripped with weather fever and these treacherous conditions often have an impact on the country’s travel network – road, rail and air.
 
It is clear our travel needs and ambitions continue to grow every year, so our expectations rise accordingly.  The challenges that face governments, local authorities and the various agencies responsible for our safe travels are considerable; the debate about London and its status as a world wide aviation hub is seemingly endless; the cost versus benefits of High Speed Rail 2 continue to be thrashed out while our road network creaks under the strain of rising traffic volumes.
 
All this shows that travel remains a crucial part of our day to day lives.
 
We welcome your views about anything you think we should be doing with BTN in the future, and indeed anything we should avoid doing! Drop us a line via btn@kelsey.co.ukwww.kelsey.co.uk/brands

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