VENERABLE print distribution and aviation group John Menzies has entered the digital 21st century with a new website that could become "the iTunes of the magazine industry".
The group has quietly launched www.magazinesondemand.co.uk which sells digital copies of top-selling consumer and trade publications. Customers can download magazines such as Heat, FHM and PC Pro and read them on a PC.
The brainchild of Menzies Di
stribution chief executive Ellis Watson, the new platform is the first venture into magazine retail since the group sold its nationwide chain of newsagents in 1998. John Geddes, the group company secretary, admitted yesterday that the company had underplayed the launch of the new product, part of a new division of the company, Menzies Digital.
"If it were to take off it could be the iTunes of the magazine industry," said Geddes.
He added: "What we've said to the City is it has got a small chance of being a very big success. If it does quite well in the first six months we will make more noise about it.
"The distribution business is very traditional. It does very well but it is not a huge growth industry. As a traditional business we need to generate new revenue streams."
The new website is a joint venture with French publishing giant Hachette. Menzies Digital, which processes the magazines into digital format.
Menzies has joined up with wholesale rivals WH Smiths to host magazinesondemand.co.uk on the WH Smith website and they expect to sign up other hosts as well.
In a interim management statement published yesterday, Menzies said both its distribution and aviation business "continue to trade in line with expectation" despite challenging economic conditions.
The full article contains 288 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
