SINGAPORE: Despite the sharp downturn in the technology sector, Key
Media is in the throes of plunging into the ailing category with the
launch of a fortnightly IT title in three markets.
IT Wire launched in Australia last month and will be rolled out in
Singapore and Hong Kong today (September 14). The magazine is targeted
at IT professionals, from chief information officers through to contract
programmers and systems analysts. The Australian edition has a
controlled circulation of about 15,000, while the Hong Kong and
Singapore editions are budgeted at 11,000 readers. It expected to
generate revenue primarily from recruitment ads.
"We're going to be different from other IT magazines because we'll focus
on jobs in the IT sector," said Cory Mathews, Key Media sales manager in
Singapore.
"Everybody is interested in advancing their career and we're going to
have all the hot jobs in our magazine which is really going to pull
readers in," he said.
The magazine has claimed that it will also focus on important issues
facing the industry.
"For example, we may do a feature on IT security, but rather than focus
on products, we're going to look at the issues behind IT security."
The 40-page Australian launch issue included 12 pages of recruitment ads
in addition to display ads for Compuware, Ctam and Invensys.
Mathews said the publication had an edge over other IT magazines which
were largely monthlies and lacked the frequency required by recruitment
advertisers.
The only major competitor for recruitment ad revenue is The Australian
newspaper's IT section on Tuesdays and national dailies such as The
South China Morning Post in Hong Kong and The Straits Times in
Singapore, he said.
Rick Curzon, Key Media regional publishing director, said: "Until now,
IT recruiters had to advertise in a national newspaper to reach a niche
market which is an extreme waste of money." He said IT Wire was more
cost effective and advertisers have the benefit of having ads in
full-colour and on better quality paper stock.
