Time Out in new hands

Come October, Time Out Singapore will see a new publisher in Mongoose Publishing. The title was previously published by Ink which held the contract for five years.Mongoose Publishing, the publishing house behind a range of lifestyle magazines including Esquire Singapore and Time Out Kuala Lumpur, will take over print and digital operations for the title from the November 2012 issue.The title will see renewed display presence in the retail environment as well as key consumer driven events before the end of the year. It is currently unaudited and has no plans of audit in future.On the shift of the contract to another publisher, Ink Singapore's managing director Gerry Rickets told Marketing, as a company Ink is shifting focus to "growth areas such as in-flight publishing including newer contracts such as that from JetStar Japan and other targeted advertising services such as TAD." Most recently, Ink won the publishing duties for Scoot Singapore's inflight magazine."Going forward, we wish Time Out the very best in future," he said adding that although it is a great brand, it did not fit in the long-term strategic growth plan and vision of the company and hence Ink chose not to renew the contract.The Time Out Group in London, licensor of the Time Out brand around the world, said it is delighted to work with a new partner, without commenting on its partnership with Ink.Graham Paling, Group CEO for Mongoose Publishing said Time Out has been one of the most important and exciting magazine brands in the world for more than forty years."We have immersed Time Out Kuala Lumpur in the very fabric of KL life and are extremely excited to be able to take Time Out Singapore to the next level," he added.Following its launch in 2007, Time Out Singapore's website and monthly magazine established themselves as a leading guide to food and drink, shopping and style, and arts and entertainment for English-speaking residents.Time Out Singapore's November issue is scheduled to be the first under the new publisher, and will be led by the magazine's former deputy editor Berwin Song alongside Mongoose's commercial director, Russell Channon.Industry marketer and former publisher of the title Honey Lee, current managing director for Heat Branding, will once again take on event and consumer marketing responsibilities.