BSKYB TO HANDLE SALES FOR EMAP MUSIC CHANNELS

BRITISH Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB) have announced that they have won the sales contract for Emap's portfolio of six digital music channels.
From January 1, 2002, Sky Sales will take responsibility for advertising sales for ‘The Box’, ‘Smash Hits’, ‘Magic’, ‘Q’, ‘Kiss’ and ‘Kerrang!’. All these channels are brand extensions of the company's magazine and radio portfolio. Advertising sales for the channels were previously managed by Carlton Sales.
The new contract means that Sky Sales has leapfrogged Channel 5 to become the biggest suppliers of commercial impacts to the majority of audiences after ITV and Channel Four. From the New Year, Sky Sales will deliver more ABC1 men than Channel 5 and Flextech combined.
Mark Chippendale, Head of Sky Sales, said: "We are delighted to have secured Emap's business. The significance of being able to increase the size of our sales portfolio in the current difficult economic climate cannot be underestimated. The age of the pure commodity sell is over. Media businesses such as Emap recognise that Sky can provide greater benefits to clients than simply price, such as the ability to deliver well-defined audiences."
The addition of Emap's business brings to 34 the number of channel brands on whose behalf Sky sells advertising. (CD)