Independent publisher Intent Media has won the battle to dominate the musical instrument press after merging two magazines.
It has bought Music Trade News (MTN) and will merge the title with its own magazine and website Musical Instrument Professional (MI Pro).
Monthly title MI Pro was the only trade title for the musical instrument business until MB Media launched MTN in 2006. The launch coincided with Intent Media’s relaunch of MI Pro following the company’s acquisition of the title.
‘Both of us admit we wouldn’t have launched if we’d known the other one was launching,’said managing director at Intent Media, Stuart Dinsey.
‘For the past two years or so, the industry has had two trade titles and websites battling it out, so the appeal for us was buying MTN and incorporating it into our title so we’re the only source for print and online news in the market. It’s gone down well in the industry, because a lot of small industries dislike it if there are two trade titles banging each other over the head.”
Both titles were free with a controlled circulation.
Intent Media, which owns titles including ToyNews, PC Retail and Mobile Entertainment, has been given all the databases of MTN and has alerted readers of the merger.
Dinsey said: ‘This means we can concentrate more on the community and services for the musical instrument industry, rather than fighting a war with another magazine.
‘We’ll create networking events and award events for the industry.”
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