Sanoma Magazines to end publication of four titles Professori, Sara, Sport, Inez and Witch; company plans to launch three new titles Kodin Kuvalehti Puutarhassa, Glorian puutarha, Gloria Design

Kendall Sinclair

HELSINKI , November 2, 2011 (press release) – Sanoma Magazines, Finland's leading magazine publisher, has decided to concentrate its resources on developing its leading magazine brands and launching new titles - and is planning to end the publication of four of its current titles.

Sanoma Magazines will cease publication of Prosessori and is planning the closure of Sara as part of redesigning its magazine portfolio. Sport, which started off as a special edition of Me Naiset, will return to its roots and continue as a wellbeing- and sport-focused supplement for Finland's largest women's weekly, appearing eight times in 2012.

Also the publication of Inez and Witch, which both are part of the portfolio of Comics & Books Unit, will discontinue. Inez, which was launched this spring, will cease publication because international content for the title is no longer available.

Prosessori will appear for the last time this November, while the last issues of Inez and Witch will appear in December. Readers of Prosessori will be offered the opportunity to subscribe to Sanoma Magazines' new technology weekly, 3T, to be launched in January next year.

"Our decision to end these titles is part of our overall efforts to ensure that our portfolio remains competitive, and will free up resources for developing," says Sanoma Magazines Finland's Managing Director, Clarisse Berggårdh. "In today's challenging market environment, we want to concentrate on our leading brands and on launching new titles, which are so important for keeping the magazine sector dynamic. At the same time, it will also put us in a better position to weather the introduction of VAT on magazine subscriptions due next year."

In addition to 3T, Sanoma Magazines will launch three speciality titles next spring: Kodin Kuvalehti Puutarhassa, Glorian puutarha, and Gloria Design. The first edition of the revamped Kodin Kuvalehti has just appeared, and the first revamped editions of Me Naiset and Hyvä Terveys will appear at the beginning of next year.

"We want to offer readers Finland's most interesting range of magazines, with the most attractive content," says Riitta Pollari, Sanoma Magazines Finland's Publisher, Magazines Unit. "Revamping our offering, pioneering the field, and being ambitious in everything we do all play a central part in building our future success. As the market leader, we know that being the best always pays off."

Statutory employee consultation negotiations will be started in Sara and Sport with personnel covering a total of 19 employees. Employee consultation with the 5 employees at Prosessori are already in the final straight.

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