A big new voice in Kiwi media

HB Media and Tangible Media merge to form New Zealand’s largest independent publishing company

HB Media, the company behind award-winning magazines Idealog and Good, has merged with Tangible Media to form New Zealand’s largest independent publishing business.

The new company, known simply as Tangible Media, will be part of the Image Centre Group. Tangible already publishes multiple award-winning magazines such as Dish, NZ Retail and NZ Rugby World.

The new Tangible will publish 13 of its own magazines, ten customer titles, nine websites and several events. It will also manage AUT Media, the publishing arm of AUT University, a contract previously owned by HB Media.

Mike Hutcheson, executive director of Image Centre, says: “We have been associated with the HB team since inception and are delighted that the association is now formalised into such a strong and innovative new structure. The combined talent pool of the merged company will make it a formidable force in the publishing world.”

Martin Bell and Vincent Heeringa, founders of HB Media, say the merger is the realisation of a five-year dream.

“When we launched HB in March 2005 our ambition was to create a significant, Kiwi-owned, multi-channel media company. Tangible Media has the same vision. And with a great stable of products, highly talented staff and experienced leadership, we’re confident that not only will the merger go smoothly but that the company will be an enormous success,” says Bell.

Experienced team

The merger will occur on July 1.

Hutcheson says the terms of the deal remain confidential. “But we can reveal that Vincent and Martin will become significant shareholders in the new Tangible, reflecting their success in building HB Media into such a solid company with award-winning products and a long list of blue-chip clients,” says Hutcheson.

The business will managed by a senior team of experienced publishers including Martin Bell, John Baker, Julian Andrews and Vincent Heeringa.

John Baker, publisher at Tangible, says the addition of HB will create a dream team of publishing talent.

“We have been big fans of HB for many years and have often discussed the potential to collaborate. Like us, HB has a fundamental commitment to delivering world-class editorial experiences to engage with their audiences, be it in print or online. We have no doubt we will be able to build a brilliant business together.”

Multi-channel future

One of the key motivations for Tangible merging with HB is to tap into the online success of products such as Stoppress.co.nz and Celsias.co.nz.

“The Tangible titles have enormous online potential and with the addition of HB Media’s online team, we expect very soon to do as much business online as we do in print,” says Bell.

For more information, contact:

Mike Hutcheson, Image Centre
Phone 09 360–5700

Martin Bell, HB Media
Phone 09 966–0999

Products in the Tangible stable now include:

Magazines

NZ Rugby World
NZ Fishing World
Dish
Classic Driver
NZ Today
Real Groove
Groove Guide
Idealog
Good
NZ Marketing
Wares (JV with Marketplace Media)
NZ Hardware Journal (JV with Marketplace Media)
Outdoor Power Equipment (JV with Marketplace Media)

Customer magazines

Habitat (Resene)
NZ Retail (NZ Retailers Association)
Co. (Telecom staff magazine)
PQ (NZ Planning Institute)
To: (Tourism Industry Association NZ)
Education Aotearoa (NZ Education Institute)
IRL Solutions (Industrial Research)
Succeed (ASB, Hayes Knight)
Beyond the Numbers (Hayes Knight)
IBM Insight (IBM)

Websites

Stoppress.co.nz
Celsias.co.nz
Idealog.co.nz
Good.net.nz
Realgroove.co.nz
ARecipeforSummer.co.nz
Dish.co.nz
NZRugbyworld.co.nz
NZFishingworld.co.nz

Events

TVNZ-NZ Marketing Awards
Good NZ Volunteer of the Year Awards
Wares Awards
NZ Hardware Awards