ppa.tbcserver19.com

Author: Abi Murphy

  • Royal Mail’s final agreement on Universal Service Obligation reform

    Royal Mail’s final agreement on Universal Service Obligation reform

    The agreement includes:

    • First-class letters will continue to be delivered Monday to Saturday, and there will be no second-class letter deliveries on Saturdays.

    • Second class, Down Stream Access (DSA), and all other non-priority letters will be delivered every other day Monday to Friday.

    • New headline targets for First-class and Second-class Universal Service Obligation (USO) mail with new ‘tail of mail’ targets from April 2026.

    • Requirement for collections on Second class USO letters to be Monday to Friday, noting Royal Mail intends to collect mail Monday to Saturday.

    • Reforms will be extended to another 240 delivery offices as part of a wider trial, before being completed across the full 1,200 network by December.

    • Workers who joined on or after 1 December 2022, will receive a 4.75% pay rise while those on legacy contracts will receive a 3% rise.

    • New starters’ contracts will be based on standard 37-hour working weeks, with an allowance for around 6,000 part-time postal workers to increase average weekly hours if needed.

    • New DSA D+3 service to be regulated in the same way Ofcom regulates existing access services.


    You can read the agreement in  full here.

    This agreement marks the end of a dispute between Royal Mail and the CWU over proposed reforms to the Universal Service Obligation. 

    As reported by the East London Advertiser, Alistair Cochrane, Chief Executive of Royal Mail commented: “This agreement with the CWU paves the way for Universal Service reform rollout and represents a significant investment in our people.  Moving ahead with reform will make a real difference to Royal Mail’s quality of service, supporting the delivery of a reliable, efficient and financially sustainable postal service for our customers across the UK.” 

    Royal Mail’s buyout was cleared by shareholders in April last year, after new owners EP Group gave the Government legal undertakings that they would maintain the “one price goes anywhere” Universal Service Obligation (USO). 

    Royal Mail’s regulator, Ofcom, subsequently approved Royal Mail’s plans to scale back Second-class letter deliveries. The changes were piloted in 35 delivery offices, but have not been expanded past that due to disagreement with the union. 

    Furore over Royal Mail’s performance reached a peak last month, when they were summoned to give evidence to the Business and Trade Committee, alongside their regulator (Ofcom) and their union (the CWU). The Chair of the Select Committee, the Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP, has confirmed that the Committee will continue to scrutinise the need for Royal Mail to significantly improve quality of service going forward. 

    In a statement to members, the CWU  said: “it is now imperative that all branches, representatives and members have the opportunity and time to fully consider this agreement properly, not only on the basis of how we have moved the company significantly on all the key issues, but also in its wider context around why USO reform is necessary and why we must shift our focus to changing the role of Ofcom an create a level playing field with our competitors. Delivering change will always be difficult but we are clearly in a stronger position to support our members under the terms of this agreement”. 

    The PPA has contacted Royal Mail and the CWU for more information and will provide further updates as soon as they are available. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact us at charlotte.jeffreys@ppa.co.uk

  • Hemming Group appoints new CEO

    Hemming Group appoints new CEO

    Booth succeeds Bill Butler, who is retiring after a 35-year career with the company.

    Butler’s leadership has been instrumental in strengthening the company’s market position, expanding its digital footprint, and guiding its events portfolio through a period of significant transformation.

    Booth brings extensive experience in transforming specialist media and events businesses to meet the evolving needs of their markets. He joins from emap, where he led a significant shift in the business model following its acquisition by Metropolis Group. Driving growth in events, subscriptions and digital revenues, while improving profitability and long-term sustainability.

    With P&L responsibility for a substantial share of group profit and leadership of multi-brand, multi-disciplinary teams, Booth has also championed product innovation, including the application of AI, LLM-driven search and personalisation, and the development of new digital products and apps. Previously, at Aspermont, Booth held international leadership responsibility across multiple brands and markets, where he focused on digital growth, cultural transformation and strategic product development.

    Nick Service, Chair of the Hemming Group, said, “Bill has been a driving force in Hemming Group’s success for more than three decades, and we are deeply grateful for his dedication and leadership. We are delighted to welcome Robin, whose experience and energy make him ideally suited to build on Bill’s work and guide the company in its next chapter.”

    “Robin will contribute a fresh strategic vision to support the organisation’s continued expansion and innovation. As CEO, he will lead the coming phase of development across Hemming Group’s publishing and events brands.”

    Bill Butler commented, “My time with the company has given me the opportunity to work with all areas of the business. As Group Managing Director, it has been both challenging and rewarding to guide the organisation through a period of substantial transformation. Our priority has been to build the foundations for sustainable future growth, underpinned by investment in people, technology and data. Working alongside such committed colleagues and partners has been a genuine privilege.”

    Robin Booth said, “I’m delighted to be joining Hemming Group at such an important moment in its history. The business has an extraordinary heritage and a strong reputation for delivering trusted information, events and connections to specialist industries, and I’m excited by the opportunity to help lead it through the next phase of its development.

    Our markets are evolving rapidly, and this is a moment of real change for media and events businesses. Our focus will be on responding to – and anticipating – the changing needs of our customers and audiences, ensuring we continue to deliver exceptional information, exceptional experiences, exceptional direct channels to market, and exceptional customer value and service.

    Hemming has thrived for more than 130 years by staying close to the industries it serves and continually adapting to meet their needs. I’m looking forward to working with the senior leadership team, the board and colleagues across the business to build on that legacy and ensure a bright and successful future for the next 130 years and beyond.”

    Booth will start the new position on 6 July 2026.

  • New publisher and associate members join the PPA

    New publisher and associate members join the PPA

    Whitmar Publications

    Whitmar Publications is a leading specialist publisher in the commercial and packaging printing markets. Through its magazines, websites and popular events, the company is renowned for its high quality and industry focused content.

    67 Bricks

    67 Bricks is a technology transformation and product development consultancy specialising in building digital products that generate real results for information publishers. They’ve worked with some of the biggest names in the business, including The Economist Intelligence Unit, InfoPro Digital and Informa to build everything from AI podcast generators to full-service data platforms.

    Inspired Search & Selection

    Inspired Search & Selection are a specialist publishing recruitment agency with a division dedicated to supporting professional publishers across b2b and b2c magazines. They are set up to support at all levels and all job functions across permanent, contract, temporary and executive search.

    Marfeel

    Marfeel empowers over 5,000 publishers (Advance Local, Globo, Grupo Prisa, McClatchy, among others) by providing insights into their audience, enabling them to enhance engagement and maximize monetization metrics. Its robust and extensible technology adapts to every publisher’s business needs and audience to deliver seamless reader experiences that drive better results.

    PartnerWise

    With over 25 years across sport, media and content; including senior operator-side roles, James Cape started his career at Haymarket Media. He partners with leadership teams across publishing who are building senior leadership capacity ahead of growth. He provides services in executive search, interim and talent intelligence. He operates globally, with a keen focus on UK, US, and Mainland Europe.

    Gould International

    Gould Publication Papers specialises in the supply of graphical printing papers to the magazine publishing, retail and mail order sectors as well the provision of associated management services, while Premier is the leading merchanting group in the UK supported by 14 warehouse locations across the country.

    Red Kite

    Red Kite provides growth consultancy services to publishers including advertising revenue growth, sales structure and new platforms and process implementation, value proposition and creation of new revenue streams including lead generation.

    You can view all PPA Publisher members here and associate members here.

  • Changes to EU “de minimis” customs duty

    Changes to EU “de minimis” customs duty

    This change is temporary while EU countries negotiate a new customs regime over the next two years. By 1 November 2026, a further handling fee is expected to be applied to goods sent from outside the EU. This is a reaction to the increase in the import of small, cheap parcels.

    This move has significant implications for publishers with customers in Europe, who face an increase in costs under the new system and risk financial and business consequences if found to be non-compliant.

    The PPA understands the concerns this may raise and welcome members reaching out to us or our strategic mailing partner Air Business, who have been working hard to find compliant solutions.

    While this document isn’t legally binding, we hope it’s a helpful resource.

    Member Briefing- Changes to EU Customs Duties 1Download
  • Briefing: Business & Trade Committee session on Royal Mail

    Briefing: Business & Trade Committee session on Royal Mail

    Royal Mail, Ofcom (Royal Mail’s regulator) and the CWU (Royal Mail’s recognised union) all gave evidence. The session was led by Committee chair, the RT Hon Liam Byrne MP. During the meeting, it was suggested that there may be more sessions in the future. You can watch in full here.

    In a letter sent by the Committee to Royal Mail, summoning them to give evidence, concerns were expressed over service failures, missed delivery targets and allegations of prioritising parcels and “batching” letters.

    The 500-year-old Royal Mail’s buyout was cleared by shareholders in April last year, after new owners EP Group gave the Government legal undertakings that they would maintain the “one price goes anywhere” Universal Service Obligation (USO).

    In July, Ofcom announced significant changes to the USO, with Second Class deliveries dropped down to every second day, Monday to Friday only. The rollout of this new model is currently the subject of a dispute between Royal Mail and the postal workers’ union (CWU).

    The PPA wrote to the Business and Trade Committee ahead of the session to raise concerns regarding the impact of Royal Mail’s poor performance on publishers and their customers. This letter was shared as evidence with the committee ahead of the session.

    Since the meeting, the Committee have sent letters asking further questions to the EP Group , the CWU, Ofcom, and to Royal Mail and its owners.

    The PPA have written a summary on the key topics discussed during the session. View here:

    Website- Royal Mail parliamentary sessionDownload
  • Ecotalk partners BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine for second year of ‘Make a Metre Matter’ campaign

    Ecotalk partners BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine for second year of ‘Make a Metre Matter’ campaign

    Participants are encouraged to use their metre for things like growing plants for pollinators, harvesting homegrown veg, adding water to welcome wildlife, or starting a compost heap to boost your soil.

    This year, the campaign welcomes its first commercial partner in sustainability focused mobile network, Ecotalk and its Chief Ecologist, Chris Packham, who will be tending to his own metre garden for a social video series throughout the campaign.   

    Make a Metre Matter has also partnered with the 30×30 UK initiative, a landmark global initiative with the goal of protecting at least 30% of the world’s land and oceans by 2030, in order to halt biodiversity loss and tackle climate change.

    Kevin Smith, Content Director of BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine said: “Make a Metre Matter is back and we couldn’t be more excited to see it grow. Last year showed us what’s possible when people come together around a simple but powerful idea. A metre might not sound like much, but multiply that by thousands of gardens, balconies and community plots across the UK and the impact is extraordinary. With Ecotalk on board this year, we’re taking that mission even further.”

    Chris Packham, TV Personality and Ecotalk’s Chief Ecologist added: “If you have a metre, now is the time to make it matter. Don’t wait for others to fix the problems when you can do it yourself, and you can be as creative, dynamic or lazy as you like. You could just stop mowing a square metre of your otherwise tedious lawn, or you could plant wildflowers or vegetables, or put out a hedgehog box. There’s no limit to a metre. Sprinkle some of nature’s stardust and make your metre magical. And whatever you do, please share your metre with your friends, family, neighbours and all of us. Let’s make a lot of metres make a difference for wildlife and humans across the UK.”

    Lucy Delicata, Ecotalk’s Brand & Marketing Manager said: “Ecotalk exists to put nature first; every penny of profit goes back into rewilding projects across the UK rather than shareholders’ pockets. Make a Metre Matter speaks directly to our mission to restore nature and is a powerful reminder that meaningful change can start small. This year we’re putting that into practice by restoring wildflower meadows across our land holdings, and we’re proud to be standing alongside BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine and its readers in the shared mission to bring more nature back into the spaces around us.”

    The campaign will also be coming to life at BBC Gardeners’ World Live at the Birmingham NEC where BBC Newsround presenter De-Graft Mensah, along with gardening expert Lucy Chamberlain will be displaying their own metre gardens.

    To join in BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine’s mission to make measurable change one metre at a time, find out more.

  • Cosmopolitan UK partners with Universal Pictures for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie with return of CosmoGIRL

    Cosmopolitan UK partners with Universal Pictures for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie with return of CosmoGIRL

    CosmoGIRL returns for the first time in almost 20 years and is fronted by fan-favourite character Rosalina.

    The limited-edition issue was distributed across major UK retail and city locations, including Westfield Stratford, Trafford Centre, Metrocentre, and high streets in Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester.

    The collector’s edition features an exclusive interview with Oscar-winning actor Brie Larson, who voices Rosalina, alongside editorial content inspired by the film, including a dedicated guide, horoscopes and nostalgic Cosmo features.

    The campaign also included a premium experiential moment, with Cosmopolitan hosting an exclusive screening for Club Cosmo members at The Cinema at Selfridges.

    Social-first content extended the campaign further, with creators Rosie Okotcha, Meg Hughes and Rosie Caddick producing content designed to capture fan engagement and community, including a Rosalina-inspired “get ready with me”, a “come with me” screening experience, and interactive Super Mario content.

    Natasha Banjo, Portfolio Director of Cosmopolitan UK, said: “Partnering with Universal Pictures International UK & Eire Limited on The Super Mario Galaxy Movie brings together a global entertainment franchise with Cosmopolitan’s ability to engage young women at scale. By combining the return of CosmoGIRL with live experiences and social-first storytelling, we’ve created a campaign that connects nostalgia with a new generation of audiences.”

  • Immediate launches new visualised podcast and social brand 

    Immediate launches new visualised podcast and social brand 

    Hosted by gardener and author Amy Chapman and broadcaster and nature enthusiast Katrina Ridley, the first season of the Connect to Nature podcast is sponsored by Woodland Trust and explores how to look after ourselves and the planet.  

    Across eight episodes, guests will discuss topics including discovering wild places, rewilding responsibly, challenging fast fashion, embracing technology, easing ecoanxiety, and how creativity and music can help people reconnect with the wild.  

    Ben Youatt, Head of Podcasts, Immediate commented: “Connect to Nature is a space where curiosity, creativity, and environmental awareness meet. This series brings together inspiring voices who are reimagining how we interact with the natural world, and we’re thrilled to share these conversations with a new generation of naturelovers.”   

    Podcast guests include wildlife biologist Liz Bonnin, ornithologist Dr MyaRose Craig, and wildlife TV presenter, author, activist and co-founder of a birdwatching collective, Nadeem Perera, alongside other passionate voices from across the environmental and creative communities.  

    Amy Chapman added: “Nature feels more important than ever, but it can also feel overwhelming to know where to start. What I love about Connect to Nature is how practical and uplifting it is - it’s about small, meaningful steps that help people feel more grounded, hopeful and connected in their everyday lives.”  

    Katrina Ridley said: “I’m so excited to launch Connect to Nature! We’ve had some incredible conversations in this series, talking about everything from exploring wild places to talking honestly about ecoanxiety. My hope is that listeners come away feeling empowered, informed and inspired to build their own relationship with the natural world, in whatever way feels right for them.”  

    The Connect to Nature podcast is available to watch on the Connect to Nature YouTube channel and on major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify. The brand will also be sharing social content from the podcast and more on Instagram and TikTok under the handle ‘Connect2Naturepod’.  

    Episode one is available now, with new episodes dropping every Monday.  

  • The National Year of Reading 2026: get involved 

    The National Year of Reading 2026: get involved 

    We’re all aware of the challenge. Literacy levels are falling, and reading for pleasure is in decline across all age groups. This has real implications for education, opportunity, and wellbeing. 

    As publishers, this is where we can make a difference. Our sector plays a unique role in inspiring curiosity, shaping culture, and helping people engage with the world. The Year of Reading gives us a powerful platform to demonstrate that impact, collectively. 

    How you can get involved

    Amplify the campaign across the year 

    Use the ‘Go All In’ campaign assets across your brands and channels: 

    • Editorial content, features, and callouts 
    • Social, newsletters, and websites 
    • Events and community engagement 

    Please follow the campaign brand guidance and let us know how you plan to support so we can showcase the sector’s collective impact. You can download assets here. 

    Pledge your support 

    We’re encouraging all members to support the campaign, either: 

    • In kind – editorial space, media inventory, access to content, events 
    • Financially – where appropriate 


    There are already some great examples across the industry. PPA member DC Thomson (Beano) has pledged support and was part of the recent Scottish launch, including community activations and character-led engagement. Find out more here.

    Explore deeper partnerships 

    For those looking to play a bigger role, there are opportunities to become a strategic funding partner, with additional visibility and involvement. If you’d like to explore this, please contact: Theo Coyne, Partnerships Lead, National Literacy Trust (theo.coyne@literacytrust.org.uk). 

    We hope you can get involved in whatever way works for your organisation and would love to hear your plans. 

    You can read more about the campaign here.

  • Immediate appoints new Chief Technology & Product Officer

    Immediate appoints new Chief Technology & Product Officer

    Payne joins Immediate from Toast91, a social impact start-up she co-founded to provide young people facing abuse, mental health challenges and other life struggles with easier access to digital support.

    Prior to this, Heather has held senior roles at DMG and Sky, as well as working as a consulting CTO/CIO advisor and executive coach, supporting scale-ups, founders and boards on technology strategy, platform design and operating model transformation.

    As CTO at DMG, she led the transformation of its content systems, established a company-wide innovation lab and oversaw the Daily Mail’s first launch on Alexa. At Sky, she was Director of Digital Technology, scaling the team to support the launch of Sky Glass.

    Working closely with Immediate’s Product and Tech leadership team – and in partnership with our Brand, Commercial and Central teams – Heather will continue to develop Immediate’s digital products and capabilities to drive audience growth through increased use of data, personalisation, and new products and services.

    Sean Cornwell, CEO, Immediate says: “I’m really pleased to welcome Heather to Immediate. A highly experienced digital and product leader, Heather has a strong track record of driving transformation, building high-performing teams and using technology to unlock better customer experiences and new revenue opportunities.

    Heather joins Immediate at an exciting time, to build on the great work we’ve done over the last few years in developing our digital capabilities, including modernising our subscriptions and data platforms and developing a broad range of products to drive audience growth and engagement.”

    Heather Payne adds: “In challenging times, people gravitate towards the things that inspire them, teach them something new, or simply bring a little joy to everyday life. That’s what Immediate does. These brands have been part of my life for years, from childhood through to parenthood, from finding Sunday brunch inspiration in Good Food to the weekly ritual of taking my kids to pick up the CBeebies magazine. I’m excited about what we can create together for our audiences in the years ahead!”

    Payne takes up her role on Monday 13 April and also joins Immediate Leadership Team.