New role recognises record-breaking year for music-listening brands
10/09/09 – Future, the special-interest media group, has announced the promotion of Chris Ingham to the newly created position of Group Publisher across its fast-growing Classic Rock and Metal Hammer brands.
The promotion comes in recognition of Ingham’s development and leadership through a record-breaking year for its music-listening brands. The new position recognises the expanding remit of Chris’s leadership across Classic Rock and Metal Hammer’s brands, which now encompass print, online, broadcast and live events.
Working with the Classic Rock and Metal Hammer brands for more than a decade, Chris first oversaw advertising for the titles at previous owner, Dennis Publishing in the 1990s. Chris moved to Future in January 2000 as Advertising Manager for Metal Hammer, before switching disciplines to become Editor at the end of 2000. Chris became Publisher of Classic Rock and Metal Hammer in April 2004 – developing the successful Metal Hammer Golden Gods and Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards.
Earlier this year, Chris was pivotal in the creation of Future’s latest music-listening magazine, a spin-off from Classic Rock devoted to progressive rock. The first issue of Classic Rock Presents: Prog sold out in a fortnight and saw Future increase the print-run by 50% for following issues of the £7.99 premium quarterly magazine.
The last 12 months have proved to be a milestone for Future’s music-listening brands, with both Classic Rock and Metal Hammer delivering record print ABC performance, whilst increasing their combined monthly online audience to over 300,000 unique users. Rounding off the year in style, Alex Milas – the Editor of Metal Hammer beat Elle and the Radio Times to scoop the prestigious PPA Editor of the Year, whilst Classic Rock and Metal Hammer both successfully launched weekly specialist music radio shows for NME and Rock Radio.
Nial Ferguson is Publishing Director of Future’s Entertainment Lifestyle brands:
“Chris has been the heart of Future’s music-listening brands for over a decade and has grown the reach and influence of Classic Rock and Metal Hammer through an incredibly challenging year, making his promotion well deserved.
“Respected by the music industry and colleagues alike, Chris has a fantastic reputation – mixing dogged determination, consistent creativity and an unrivalled entrepreneurial streak to grow our brands against a harsh market backdrop. Future has ambitious plans to drive forward Classic Rock and Metal Hammer in 2010 and Chris will lead these significant initiatives.”
ENDS
About Future
Future plc is an international special-interest media group that is listed on the London Stock Exchange (symbol FUTR). Founded in 1985 with one magazine, today we have operations in the UK, US and Australia creating over 180 special-interest publications, websites and events for people who are passionate about their interests. We hold strong market positions in games, film, music, technology, cycling, automotive and crafts. Our biggest-selling magazines include T3, Total Film, Digital Camera, Fast Car, Classic Rock, Guitar World, Official Xbox Magazine, Official Playstation Magazine, Nintendo Power, Maximum PC and MacLife. Our websites include gamesradar.com, bikeradar.com, techradar.com, and musicradar.com. Future produces over 4 million magazines each month; we attract more than 18 million unique visitors to our websites; and we host 25 annual live events that attract hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts. In addition, Future exports, syndicates or licenses its publications to 90 countries internationally, making us the UK’s number one exporter and licensor of monthly magazines.
For more information
Will Guyatt, Media Relations Manager, Future UK, 01225 822517.
