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How to avoid having your Plummeting property market
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p18 agencies p20
Advertising/Marketing/Media/Public Relations www.mediaweekme.com Issue 0009 23 November 2008
In this issue
THE BIG QUESTION
Abu Dhabi Week launches
Publisher promises “aggressive” competition for Time Out and What’s On
not an expat living guide. We’re
CHARLIE NEYRA/News writer
targeting Emiratis, foreign resi-
ABU DHABI Turret Middle East, dents and tourists.”
an independent Abu Dhabi-based And advertisers, he says, have
publisher and events organiser, been quick to respond. Buchan-
will launch the UAE capital’s first an says the launch issue (p.3) will
dedicated city weekly, Abu Dhabi feature ads from BMW, Aldar and
Girl talk
Week, on November 27. the Abu Dhabi Intercontinental
The new title will compete di- Hotel, among others, attracted by
Industry experts hold forth on
rectly with the Abu Dhabi versions Turret’s promise that the maga-
the lack of women in senior
of ITP’s Time Out and Motivate’s zine will not carry any Dubai-
management at ad agencies.
What’s On, which will, promises specific advertising or editorial.
p08
Andy Buchanan (pictured), Tur- “If you look at What’s On and
ret’s publishing director, be “hit Time Out in Abu Dhabi, they
BACK STORY hard”. Not least because the title, carry restaurant reviews and ads
which will be free, has a claimed from Dubai,” says Buchanan.
weekly circulation of 75,000. “So our advertisers have really
“Our distribution policy is jumped on the fact that we’re not
very aggressive,” says Buchanan. a serialised version of a Dubai
“We’re swamping the city. Our publication with ‘Abu Dhabi’ on
remit—and our goal—is to po- the front.
sition Abu Dhabi in advance of “In our opinion, the people at
any other city, including Dubai.” ITP and Motivate are not doing a
Turret is a foundation partner of great job for their advertisers. Or
the Abu Dhabi National Exhibi- for their readers,” he continues.
tion Centre. “A significant part of each of their
Pressing issue
Turret has struck a deal with also struck exclusive deals with Content-wise, the magazine issues is talking about Dubai.
Abu Dhabi Airports Company all five of the capital’s shopping will include listings; restaurant
As the financial crisis deepens,
And that really isn’t what people
which will make the magazine malls, as well as coffee shops reviews; shopping, property, mo-
will quality content finally
in Abu Dhabi want to be reading
available at exclusive distri- throughout the city, including toring and night life sections. But
become a selling point for
about. We don’t want to drive an
bution points throughout the Starbucks, Costa Coffee and Buchanan is keen to stress that it
regional publishers?
hour and a half to go to the cin-
p10
airport, from passport control Mugg and Bean. “And if we miss will have a wider target audience ema. Everything’s on our door-
onwards. There will be 7,000 you [in all those places],” Buch- than Western expats. “This is a step. But nobody’s actually been
REGULARS copies a week in Abu Dhabi anan says, “we’re in major ho- community magazine with broad covering that. And that’s what
NEWS 02 airport taxis. The publisher has tels and apartment buildings.” editorial appeal,” he says. “It’s Abu Dhabi Week will do.”
INSIGHT 08
PROFILE 12
OPINION 14
THE NINE 18
FEATURE 20
Arabian Business editor walks
PRWEEK 22
MEDIAWEEK 24
Cronin resigns ITP post amid rumours of editorial meddling
ADWEEK 26
DIGITALWEEK 28
DUBAI Sean Cronin, editor-in-chief of ITP’s Robert De Niro, Ben Affleck, Lindsay Lohan
PLANNINGWEEK 30
Arabian Business magazine resigned on and Vanessa Feltz, among others) for Thurs-
DESIGNWEEK 32
Thursday. Cronin, who joined the title in Jan- day night’s celebrity-strewn launch of the At-
IN FOCUS 34
uary after a spell at Bloomberg, walked out lantis hotel—a story that has been reported by
AD SHOWCASE 36
after disagreements with the management, other regional media, including The National
THE BLOTTER 40
having been told to spike certain stories, ac- and Gulf News.
cording to sources close to the situation, who Our inquiries to ITP were referred to Alex-
asked to remain anonymous. Cronin declined ander McNabb, group account director at Spot
to comment. On PR. The official company line, McNabb
The final straw, it seems, came when Cronin tells us, is: “We can confirm that Sean has ten-
was told to spike a story on the leaked list of dered his resignation and it has been accepted
guest details (including the room numbers of by the company.”
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