German publisher Burda has acquired Colchester-based Essential publishing, a move that means it owns women’s weekly Real, originally launched by rival Bauer, as well as teen entertainment title TVHits!
Burda, which entered the UK market with real life weekly Full House last year, recently hired ex-Real editor Sian Rees to launch its monthly, Homes & Gardens.
Essential also publishes business and contract titles, including a magazine for Rolls-Royce and Your Home magazine.
Alan Urry, CEO of Burda, said in a statement: "We engage millions of consumers worldwide every day and in all media communities. The acquisition of Essential Publishing is the latest development in our strategy to mirror this in the UK."
Burda struggled last year with Full House, but recorded weekly sales of above 200,000 in February’s ABCs, and has worked hard to get the magazine relisted by retailers after some took it off their shelves last year.
The purchase of Real is a further signal to Bauer, Burda’s main competitor in Germany, that it has its rival’s target market firmly in its sights in the UK
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