NatMags plans online women’s weekly
The National Magazine Company is understood to be developing a digital magazine format publication aimed at the young women's market.
NatMag's is thought to have been in discussions with Dennis Publishing, who launched men's online magazine Monkey - the first in this format in the UK, regarding the new venture.
The new magazine is expected to be launched shortly, according to senior industry figures, and would help NatMags compete against rivals IPC and Emap in the thriving women's weeklies sector.
A spokesperson for Nat Mags declined to comment on the project. However, the National Magazine Company has recently trademarked names HIP Girl and Bazaar.
NatMags currently produces monthly glossies including Cosmopolitan, Coast, Harpers Bazaar and She. The group formed digital arm Hearst Digital Network at the end of last year after boosting its web offerings in September 2006 with the purchase of Handbag.com. Handbag.com comprises the core website, as well as getlippy.com aimed at 18 to 24 year old women; allaboutyou.com for 35 plus women; and gomamatoday.com, a specialist pregnancy and birth site.
Dennis Publishing, which predominantly publishes men's monthly glossies including Men's Fitness, launched Monkey in November 2006 to hold its place in the men's sector as readers continue to favour weekly and online offerings. Monkey is emailed to readers' inboxes every week for free and claims to have exceeded its target or reaching 250,000 unique users.
Monkey contains content similar to Nuts and Loaded, but being an online resource has the capability to offer streamed video content.
IPC published the first copy of its new high street fashion and celebrity gossip magazine Look last week. Monthly magazine publisher Condé Nast is also gearing up to launch a fashion website www.stylefinder.com targeting women aged 18 to 45 in March 2006.
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