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Centaur in trouble – what’s to become of the trade media?

Posted by Danny Whatmough on 22nd January 2009

Rumours are circulating that Precision Marketing and Brand Strategy magazine are soon to close. Job losses and restructuring is on the cards. This only months after Precision Marketing launched as a monthly title.

Let’s put this in perspective – Centaur still has a number of big titles, read throughout the industry. But, for me, they have been to slow to really ramp up their web presence.

The report in the Guardian suggests that a new model (for them) will be to focus on feature-led content in the printed publication and focus the website on breaking news.

This makes sense. It’s what they suggested would happen with Precision Marketing. And, it’s what’s happened elsewhere – with the brilliant revamp of Revolution for example.

There is definitely still room for incisive, investigative journalism in the trade press but online delivery models need to be positioned correctly in order to survive. And no, a simple website and an email newsletter doesn’t count.

Danny Whatmough