News Corp’s Escape to combine print and digital

News Corp Australia has announced travel title Escape will be combining its print and digital assets into one team to create a new travel division which will sit under the News DNA umbrella.

The team will be led by Gemma Battenbough, current general manager of digital development, in the newly created role of general manager, travel.

Gemma Battenbough

Battenbough will work with the editorial, commercial, product and marketing teams to deliver the best opportunities for consumers and advertisers.

She said the company had extensive plans for enhancing and evolving Escape’s content offering.

“Escape offers a unique opportunity for brands and businesses to connect with a premium, mass-scale travel audience,” said Battenbough.

“Today’s Escape is about dreaming, planning, researching – and most importantly, booking. It is the market-leading brand and, by combining our print and digital assets, we will provide an even better, more cohesive experience for consumers and the biggest audience for our customers.”

Recently the Escape website was refreshed to include more end-to-end advertising solutions and content, as well as to add a membership functionality which will provide members with access to holiday deals onsite.

News Corp has confirmed there are no redundancies associated with the change, with Jana Frawley staying on as editor-in-chief. Battenbough will work closely with her and Helen Demetriou, head of affiliates and partnerships for travel.

The Escape products include the weekly print inserts in News Corp’s metro mastheads on Sundays and Tuesdays, the website, holiday deals digital marketplace, video content and social channels.

News DNA managing director Julian Delany said: “Gemma was instrumental in developing the new digital capability for Escape. I’m delighted that she will be leading the evolution of our Escape offering and creating a seamless platform for consumers and advertisers. The travel category is a key pillar of our business and we are seeing exponential growth.

“We have ambitious plans for the expansion of the brand to create a one-stop travel destination where consumers can discover, research, plan and book their holidays, while providing advertisers with all-new commercial opportunities.”

Hannah Blackiston

Hannah Blackiston was the deputy editor of Mumbrella. She worked with the company from March 2019 to November 2020.

topics Escape Gemma Battenbough Helen Demetriou Jana Frawley Julian Delany News Corp News Corp Australia News DNA

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