AAP buys Crown Content, parent company of Margaret Gees
Australian Associated Press (AAP) has announced it has bought directories and media contacts businesses Crown Content, which runs brands such as Margaret Gee’s Media Guide and Who’s Who in Australia.
Crown Content’s stable of seven online and printed directories will now be incorporated into the AAP Medianet business, with redundancies expected as a result of the streamlining of management, sales and production.
“The acquisition of the directories business will create an enhanced value proposition for our clients – including the 1,500 current clients of the Margaret Gee’s Media Guide”, said Bruce Davidson CEO of AAP.
“By combining the two offerings we intend to market the full spectrum of the media and stakeholder intelligence market – from one-off communication needs to the ongoing requirements of our government, corporate and community clients in Australia and New Zealand.
“The integration of the directories business into our Medianet operation will allow us to accelerate access to what is largely a nascent market.”
It is understood that a small number of redundancies have been made to administrative positions with all of the 16 editorial staff at Crown being brought over to AAP.
Medianet managing director Michael O’Connell said the business directories would provide an established platform to complement existing Medianet products.
“The depth of information available through these directories and databases will greatly enhance the reach and influence of Medianet for our clients,” said O’Connell.
AAP said it would keep the existing Crown brands including Who’s Who in Australia, which was first published in 1906, Who’s Who in Business and Who’s Who of Women in Australia, Margaret Gee’s Guide to the media, The National Guide to Government, The National Guide to Local Government and The National Guide to Associations.
Fairfax owns a 44 per cent stake of AAP while News Corp Australia also has 44 per cent with Western Australian Newspapers holding the remaining stake.
Nic Christensen
Does this mean iSentia now has a monopoly in this area too?
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