Media & Marketing/Michael Cullen:A decision on whether or not the Dublin freesheets will be granted membership of the Joint National Readership Survey (JNRS) is expected to be made by early January, Metromanaging director Lee Thompson has said.
A number of parties, including the National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI), are opposed to the free dailies joining the JNRS.
Thompson said the directors of Metro had made a submission to the Competition Authority and it was their understanding that the authority was giving serious consideration to the matter.
"As a freesheet, we're out there competing in the market for national advertising revenues," Thompson said. "There's a precedent in the UK and Europe. Metrois included in the British National Readership Survey and there's an acceptance that allowing them in gives advertisers a more complete picture on readership habits."
A few years back, Metrosuccessfully contested its exclusion from readership surveys in Italy and France.
Thompson also said talks were ongoing with CIÉ and the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) about agreeing a deal for distribution of the freesheet to commuters.
Metro's latest ABC was 55,831, while the figure for rival freesheet Herald AMwas 63,250. Thompson was confident Metrocirculation would exceed Herald AMby April next year. "The idea for the first 18 months was to get people biting. We're now into growth and have plans to be Ireland's biggest newspaper within five years."
New agency targets youth
Following the awarding of the new youth radio licence for the northwest to the I Radio group headed by former Newstalk boss Dan Healy, a new media sales house has been launched by two media executives with a track record in targeting youth audiences.
MediaRepublic has been formed by Kathy O'Meara and Harry Leech, both of whom have a background in cinema advertisement sales. From January, the agency will handle sales for the new station, i105FM, and the Pearl & Dean cinema group.
"Given our cinema experience and the fact we now handle i105FM sales, we will inevitably be seen as specialists in the youth market," O'Meara said. "But we also hope to recruit a number of press titles and develop the online potential that's out there."
Media account pitches
Agencies pitching for Carbery's Dubliner Cheese creative account include Publicis QMP, BDDFH&B-JWT and Bloom. The incumbent, Leo Burnett Associates, chose not to pitch. The media account is down to two agencies - Mindshare and the incumbent, Vizeum. The review is being handled by former Diageo executive Mark Ody.
Three media agencies are in the running for Independent News & Media (IN&M): Aegis, Starcom Mediavest and the incumbent, OMD. Premier Foods, owner of Campbell's and Erin soups, has also put its media out to pitch.
Conduit 11850 has appointed The Hive to handle its creative work after a pitch it made with Vizeum. Cawley Nea\TBWA, Index and Irish International BBDO also presented for Conduit.
Halifax, the new retail brand name for Bank of Scotland (Ireland), is staying with Zenith Optimedia after a contest with Vizeum. Cork agency H&A Connect has won Supermac's, which was previously with Galway-based Impact Media. The win reunites agency director Pat Kierans with former C&C colleague Peter Boland.
Silchester in al-Jazeera deal
Silchester Marketing, the Dalkey-based sales house run by political activist Roger Cole, has been appointed by the al-Jazeera news network in Ireland, following the launch of its English language web page.
IFP Media has been re-appointed by Engineers Ireland to publish the Engineers Journal for another three years. IFP Media managing director David Markey said the deal would also cover online advertising sales and the body's annual report.
RTÉ using three agencies
RTÉ now works with three advertising agencies, namely Cawley Nea\TBWA, Chemistry and The Hive, RTÉ director of communications Bride Rosney has confirmed. She said RTÉ would continue to work on projects with its internal CEL and TV Promos divisions.
Rothco resigned from the account recently for what managing director Patrick Hickey described as "creative differences".
WLR FM decision awaited
While the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland has approved the purchase of Galway Bay FM by the Connacht Tribune group, a decision on the future ownership of WLR FM in Waterford is awaited.
Managing director Des Whelan said recent media reports were inaccurate and no deal had been finalised.
Sprite-sponsored ice rink
It is interesting to see that Coca-Cola is backing Dublin's newest ice rink at Liffey Valley. Sprite on Ice is being marketed to Christmas shoppers as skating fun with the additional benefits of the shopping centre's cafe, cinema, free parking, farmer's market and creche. The PR agency for Sprite is McConnells Fusion, which handled Pepsi before it moved to Drury Communications. Pepsi has for several years been the sponsor of 7Up Christmas on Ice at the RDS.
Michael Cullen is editor of Marketing, Ireland's marketing and media monthly
