ppa.tbcserver19.com

Author: Gareth Jones

  • Runner’s World UK announces new membership club

    Runner’s World UK announces new membership club

    Runner’s World Club is designed to help runners of all ages and abilities get fitter, faster, healthier, and happier via a new package of member-only content, events, and rewards.

    The latest in Hearst UK’s successful membership launches – which includes Good Housekeeping VIP, ELLE COLLECTIVE, Women’s Health Collective, and Men’s Health Squad – Runner’s World Club gives members access to the brand’s re-imagined companion app.

    Members can unlock a new library of customisable training plans, delve into the latest digital edition of the title, and browse a dedicated members’ space with exclusive interviews, features, and training advice – plus special rewards, offers, and prizes from leading running and fitness brands.

    Runner’s World Club membership has three tiers – Bronze, Silver, and Gold – each at different price points and offering varying levels of access to both its companion app and further member-only perks and experiences.

    Benefits include access to award-winning training platform, Final Surge, where Gold members can access digitised versions of Runner’s Word full library of plans. The platform allows members to schedule training sessions on their preferred days of the week, push sessions to their favourite training devices for real-time prompts during their workouts, and sync completed training data to track and analyse afterwards.

    Those signing up to the top-tier membership will also have access to the Runner’s World team at special meet-up runs and events and have the opportunity to attend live podcasts and Q&A sessions with experts.

    Runner’s World UK Membership Director, Jennifer Bozon, said: “We’ve poured 30 years of expertise into building our first-ever Club and I’m so excited for our members to experience our fantastic new offering. Our extensive and ever-growing library of training plans, written by leading RW coaches, is going to be invaluable in helping runners of all levels reach their goals – whether that’s running their first 5K or a sub-three marathon. Plus, thanks to our partnership with Final Surge, runners can now access digitised versions of our plans and sync their sessions with popular devices and apps including Garmin, Strava, and Apple Watch.

    “On top of that, our in-person meet-ups will also provide a brilliant opportunity for our community to meet and get to know each other – as well as the RW team – and I’m looking forward to meeting and supporting many of our members at our special events throughout this year and beyond.”

    Steve Miles, Portfolio Director – Health & Wellness, Hearst UK, added: “The credibility, quality, and expertise that has underpinned Runner’s World’s content over the past three decades has helped build a highly engaged audience. Runner’s World Club is therefore expertly placed to take runners from all walks of life on an exciting journey that gives them access to trusted advice, content, and events they won’t find anywhere else.”

    More information on the tier structure can be found here.

    For more information on Runner’s World Club, visit here.

  • PAMCo announces Barb collaboration

    PAMCo announces Barb collaboration

    PAMCo and Barb’s two-year collaboration will see 15k interviewees per annum in Barb’s Establishment Survey – a continuous survey of 53k UK household interviews annually – also asked readership questions for PAMCo.

    The new approach to data collection means PAMCo optimises their use of high-quality face-to-face CAPI interviews.

    The PAMCo questionnaire will continue to include the establishment survey questions for UKOM, the industry-endorsed online measurement provider. It will also remain a valuable input into both TGI and Touchpoints.

    This new approach, alongside the continued integration of digital readership (UKOM endorsed Ipsos iris) will help publishers to drive revenue growth for the sector using trusted JIC measurement standards and data.

    First release of new data will be in September 2025, and the print estimates will continue to be fused with Ipsos iris for digital measurement.

    Emma Holden, Managing Director of PAMCo commented: “PAMCo is delighted to be working with Barb on the next phase of our measurement journey. We continue to be committed to evolving the measurement of published media brands to reflect changing industry dynamics. This is a great example of effective cross-media collaboration with our partners Barb and Ipsos, which centres on helping agencies and advertisers.”

    Caroline Baxter, Chief Operating Officer of Barb added: “The pilot in 2024 demonstrated the benefits of JIC co-operation on data collection – maximising the value of investment in a high-quality, single-source sample and avoiding unnecessary duplication of effort. We look forward to exploring further opportunities for cross-media collaboration.”

    Kelly Beaver, Chief Executive of Ipsos UK & Ireland said: “We are thrilled to be a part of this innovative collaboration with PAMCo and Barb. Our comprehensive audience measurement expertise has set a new standard for media measurement, and we’re looking forward to continuing to work with PAMCo on this. This collaboration not only enhances the precision and reliability of readership data but also provides a holistic view that bridges traditional and digital media landscapes. At Ipsos, we are committed to working in ways that empower publishers and advertisers to make informed decisions, ultimately driving growth in the industry.”

  • Immediate’s Cath Waller appointed as chair of PPA Magnetic

    Immediate’s Cath Waller appointed as chair of PPA Magnetic

    Waller, who has been a driving force behind Immediate’s commercial success, will work alongside Sajeeda Merali, PPA CEO, to highlight the unique power of trusted media. 

    Cath Waller, Chair of PPA Magnetic and MD, Advertising at Immediate, said: “I’m honoured to take on this role as the first Chair of PPA Magnetic. Our trusted editorial brands play a vital role in society whilst delivering a unique combination of highly engaged audiences, deep connections, relevance, and measurable results for advertisers. As a collective, we have an exciting opportunity to further demonstrate the multi-platform scale, influence and effectiveness of our brands in today’s dynamic media landscape. I look forward to working with the PPA Magnetic team and the wider industry to drive this agenda forward.” 

    Sajeeda Merali, CEO of PPA and PPA Magnetic, added: “Cath’s appointment as our first Chair marks a significant moment for PPA Magnetic. Her deep expertise, commercial acumen, and passion for advertising and media make her the perfect person to help drive our strategic direction. Working with other publishers, we will continue to reinforce the power of trusted editorial brands across all platforms and showcase the value they bring to advertisers looking to connect with engaged audiences.” 

    PPA Magnetic represents the UK’s most iconic editorial brands, bringing together publishers to provide insight, research, and thought leadership that helps advertisers harness the power of trusted media. With Waller’s appointment, the organisation is set to strengthen its position as the leading voice for the sector in the advertising industry. 

  • 60 seconds with James Frith MP

    60 seconds with James Frith MP

    You’re a member of the Culture, Media, and Sport Committee, what motivated you to be part of this?

    This committee covers many of my personal passions – I’m a music nut and a huge sports fan – so from that perspective, it’s an ideal committee for me to be involved with.

    But politically it’s hugely important. Over the course of this Parliament, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport is going to be grappling with some massively important issues. From the introduction of the first-ever football regulator to how we strike the right balance between AI and creatives. Supporting small venues and our town centres through the arts and culture, to ensuring the UK remains a world-leading destination for creative investment.

    We’re already getting stuck in on a lot of this and I’m excited about the work to come.

    What are the focus areas of the Committee and what action do you want the Government to take?

    We’ve got five inquiries that are ongoing that I think demonstrate the areas of focus for the committee.

    We’re looking into how we retain the UK’s place as a global destination for the production of film and high-end TV. We are examining the future of the BBC World Service, the challenges it faces and what its role is in an ever-changing world.  Our ‘Game On’ inquiry is considering the role of community and school sports. And we’re highlighting the importance of built heritage in the UK and exploring how we can preserve it.

    And that’s just for starters! We’ve also launched ‘State of Play’ where we’re asking those across the world of culture, media, and sport what themes and issues you think the committee should look into. I would strongly encourage PPA members to take a look at this and get in touch.

    Trusted editorial brands need their copyright to be protected from AI, to ensure the sustainability of their business models. Are you pushing for regulations that will defend the rights of publishing businesses?

    I am indeed very active in this live discussion. I’ve spoken in the House on this matter, met with the Minister, and engaged extensively with the creative sector, including publishers.

    As a musician and a creative myself, I know how important it is for the government to get this right and I am doing all I can to support the creative industries in making their case to the government on why protecting rights is so important.

    This is a pivotal moment for our creative sector. We must ensure that both the productivity and innovation opportunities of AI can flourish, but that so too can the life-affirming, human connection of creativity.

    What magazine is your go-to?

    I loved The Face, Select, and Smash Hits growing up. And of course, NME. I once appeared in Vanity Fair (music edition) as a songwriter of the year finalist!

    –

    Frith has been a supporter of the creative sectors being protected amidst copyright infringement by generative AI companies. Adding to the longstanding debate. He has contributed to the Data (Use and Access) Bill this week where he warned against undermining copyright and harming the UK’s creative sector.

    This comes as MPs are deliberating amendments tabled by Baroness Beeban Kidron, which focus on strengthening copyright protections against AI firms by enforcing transparency, accountability, and legal consequences.

    If you have any questions or would like to find out more, contact our Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Eilidh.wilson@ppa.co.uk

  • Spotlight on the PPA Subscription & Membership Steering Group

    Spotlight on the PPA Subscription & Membership Steering Group

    You’re the Chair of the PPA Subscription & Membership Steering Group, could you tell us about the purpose and remit of the group?

    This group brings together senior consumer and B2B subscription/membership professionals to champion the biggest opportunities for the sector. We drive forward the things that matter whilst supporting each other with common industry challenges, sharing ideas and innovations, success stories, as well as providing feedback to the PPA on related regulatory issues.

    What are the current areas of focus?

    We cover everything! We have five core focus areas at present:

    • Acquisitions – new subscriber acquisition, new reader revenue streams, and diversified revenue streams.

    • Retention – all things retention, from customer experience and subscriber/member engagement to reducing churn and price increase strategies.

    • Enablers – largely around technology and data as enablers for us to successfully manage our subscriber and membership bases. Both are crucial to our success.

    • Fulfilment (bureaus) – focused on ways of working with our external suppliers who provide fulfilment and customer services. These are crucial customer-facing partnerships, inherently complex but hugely important.

    • Industry insights – we are at the heart of understanding subscriber/member behaviour -benchmarking and customer research are vital therefore this is a hot topic for the group in 2025.

    Why is it valuable for the industry to collaborate via networks like this?

    Our jobs are hard! And you don’t know what you don’t know.  Everyone is watching what everyone else is doing but what is right for one business may not be right for another.  It is so very easy to become isolated, watch, and copy. Having access to peers means you can ask those burning questions at source, it enables rich fun discussions, as well as advice and shared knowledge.


    What are some of the achievements of the group?

    This past year there has been a lot of focus on subscription contract regulation. The PPA Subscription & Membership Steering Group and the PPA’s Public Affairs team have been heavily involved in feeding back to the government – ensuring that the industry gets a fair deal.

    We are also dedicated to learning opportunities, last year we ran a series of subscription marketing courses, in partnership with Atlas. Each course was curated with B2B and B2C subscription teams in mind and designed to develop skills, build confidence, and unleash the potential of those working day-to-day with recurring revenues. Modules covered everything from personalisation and first-party data to audience development and customer targeting.


    What do you think is front of mind for Subscription & Membership professionals at the moment?

    For some time we have seen paid digital conversion decline and the cost per acquisition increase. Now we need to think differently about the digital marketing tactics we use and elevate our creativity to start building our intent pools to enable future conversion. 

    And AI is of course a hot topic. We’re keen to understand what this means for subscription/membership management and marketing. We don’t have the answers yet, but we will be exploring this topic further in 2025

    What should we look out for next?

    Subscriber/member engagement is critical for recurring revenue businesses. Some of the group have significant legacy print businesses which can make digital engagement tricky, but it is a key focus for 2025 as our industry continues to evolve. 

    Another area of interest is customer insights, not just the who, what, and where – but the why, it’s how we use things like sentiment analysis to shape our marketing strategy for example.

    How can people get involved?

    If you’d like to enquire about joining the group please email the PPA’s Membership Manager, David.bostock@ppa.co.uk

    Members of the Subscription & Membership Steering Group include:
    ArcBauer Media groupThe Big IssueDJ Murphy
    emapFuture PLCHaymarketHearst UK
    ImmediateIncisive MediaLondon Review of BooksMotor Sport
    New ScientistStylusTimeWilliam Reed


    You can find out more about all of the PPA’s steering groups and networks here.

  • New Director of People & Culture announced at Hearst UK

    New Director of People & Culture announced at Hearst UK

    He brings a wealth of expertise spanning organisational design, leadership development, ED&l, employee experience, and talent acquisition.

    With over 30 years of HR leadership experience having worked across both large corporations, including HarperCollins and Time Warner, as well as start-up scale-ups, Athanasiou specialises in developing inclusive people strategies and fostering positive cultures that drive growth.

    As Director of People at HarperCollins, Athanasiou was part of the leadership team that achieved 11 consecutive years of year-on-year growth during a period of transformation.

    Athanasiou has also been recognised with a number of industry awards in company culture, ED&l, and learning and development.

    Katie Vanneck-Smith, CEO, Hearst UK, said: “John has a proven track record of fostering positive cultures conducive to innovation and high performance. He is an accomplished, commercially savvy leader and I’m excited to have him join our business.”

    Athanasiou added: “Hearst UK is a media powerhouse with a portfolio of world-famous brands and incredible people, and I’m looking forward to working with such a strong foundation. By continuing to invest in our culture and further optimising our talent, we can make Hearst UK a standout business, admired for its heart and focused on delivering long-term growth.”

  • PPA mentor partnership with MEFA returns for third year

    PPA mentor partnership with MEFA returns for third year

    The six-month programme, facilitated by MEFA (Media For All), champions Black, Asian, and ethnic minority talent, and provides learning from lived experiences and practical expertise in a safe space.

     To qualify, the mentees must:

    • Identify as either Black, Asian, or Ethnic minority (including mixed-race individuals).
    • Currently work in the UK media and advertising industry and have 5 years, or less, experience.
    • Commit to the six-month programme and meet (in person or virtually) with their mentor at least once a month.

    To apply or nominate an employee, please email Gareth.Pritchard@ppa.co.uk by 11am Monday 3 February 2025.

    More information on the programme can be found here.

    MEFA is run by media professionals volunteering their time to increase diversity in the media and advertising industry. Their mission is to help Black, Asian, and ethnic minority talent thrive. Through their work, events, and forums, MEFA focuses on the recruitment of diverse talent, the retention of diverse talent, and the career development of its members. To find out more about MEFA, click here.

  • Shutterstock and Getty Images to merge

    Shutterstock and Getty Images to merge

    Shutterstock and Getty Images will offer a content library with greater depth and breadth, expanded opportunities for its contributor community, and a reinforced commitment to the adoption of inclusive and representative content.

    The stronger financial profile of the combined company is expected to create increased capacity for product investment and innovation for customers in a fast-evolving and highly competitive environment.

    Paul Hennessy, CEO, Shutterstock commented: “We are excited by the opportunities we see to expand our creative content library and enhance our product offering to meet diverse customer needs. We expect the merger to produce value for the customers and stockholders of both companies by capitalising on attractive growth opportunities to drive combined revenues, accelerating product innovation, realising significant cost synergies, and improving cash flow. We look forward to working closely with the Getty Images management team to complete the transaction and drive the next chapter of growth.”

    Getty Images’ CEO, Craig Peters, will serve as CEO of the combined company.

  • UK regulator for data protection announces enforcement next steps

    UK regulator for data protection announces enforcement next steps

    This strategy involves:

    • Extending enforcement action to the 1,000 most popular websites in the UK to ensure a “level playing field.”
    • Confirming how “consent or pay” models can be deployed.
    • Engaging with the PPA and the publishing industry to develop a certification scheme that enables organisations to show that their data collection and processing comply with UK law.


    The PPA has been closely engaging with the ICO and has received clarification that the new rules do allow consent or pay models like those publishers are using in European Markets.

    The PPA will also be liaising with the ICO and central government to provide feedback on how data protection compliance can be reformed in a way that optimises outcomes for publishers and consumers.

    You can read the ICO’s online tracking strategy in full here.

    If you have any questions or would like to find out more, contact our Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Eilidh.wilson@ppa.co.uk

  • AI latest: Lords back the strengthening of copyright

    AI latest: Lords back the strengthening of copyright

    These amendments aim to strengthen copyright protections and establish a clear redress procedure to enforce existing intellectual property rights.

    The proposed measures would explicitly require AI companies to comply with UK copyright law. The measures would grant copyright holders the right to know when, where, and how their work is being used, and there would be a mandate to ensure the owners of anonymous web crawlers are disclosed.

    The government is not expected to accept these amendments at this stage, as it is currently consulting on a strategy to balance AI growth with the protection of human creativity. The PPA has been actively engaging with the government and stakeholders throughout this consultation process.

    If you have any questions or would like to find out more, contact our Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Eilidh.wilson@ppa.co.uk