Mark Allen Group reinforces commitment to music magazines.

Thursday, April 14, 2016

The Mark Allen publishing group which publishes the Jazzwise, Songlines and Gramophone music magazines has emphasised its commitment to these titles with a change of company name. Statement attached

We have received the following information from the Mark Allen Group;

Mark Allen Group reinforces commitment to music magazines by re-naming company.

Market-leading classical, jazz and world music titles to form heart of new MA Music, Leisure & Travel division.

The Mark Allen Group – publishers of Gramophone, Jazzwise and Songlines – has reinforced its passionate commitment to music magazines by re-naming the company that houses its three market-leading music titles.

The company, which was previously called MA Business & Leisure Limited, is now called MA Music, Leisure & Travel Limited.  This will allow for an even greater focus on these music magazines, each of which has a unique and powerful place among the listeners, audiences, artists and labels of classical, jazz and world music.

At a time when the way people buy and discover music is being radically transformed by developments as diverse as online streaming services and the vinyl revival, Gramophone, Jazzwise and Songlines are all committed to bringing to as wide a readership as possible the most erudite, expert and exciting writing about music, across both print and digital platforms.

As well as their printed magazines, each title offers highly successful online products, including websites and digital archives dating back to each magazine’s launch, all of which have further enhanced their ability to serve both existing readers and to reach new ones.

Mark Allen, Chairman of the Mark Allen Group, said: ‘The creation of MA Music, Leisure & Travel reinforces our commitment and focus to music publishing. These are exciting but challenging times, but in Gramophone, Jazzwise and Songlines we have three leading brands. Their new “home” will allow them to thrive to an even greater extent and will provide additional synergy for creativity and development.’

MA Music, Leisure & Travel will also encompass other leisure titles owned by the Mark Allen Group, as well as Master Travel, the company’s travel division which already operates a number of music tours. It is hoped, in time, to further develop the company’s activities in cultural publishing. Martin Cullingford (Editor and Publisher, Gramophone), Jon Newey (Editor-in-Chief, Jazzwise) and Paul Geoghegan (Publisher, Songlines) have all been appointed directors of the re-named company.

Gramophone;
Launched in 1923, Gramophone offers the most insightful reviews, interviews and features by the world’s leading writers on classical music; it is the magazine for both the committed classical music collector and the discoverer alike.

Jazzwise
Jazzwise, the UK’s biggest selling jazz monthly, has changed the way jazz magazines look and think with bold, authoritative writing and stunning visuals: qualities that have lead to numerous magazine awards and worldwide acclaim for its superb digital edition and rapidly growing online archive. http://www.jazzwise.com

Songlines
Songlines is the definitive magazine for world music – music that has its roots in all parts of the globe, from Mali to Mexico, India to Iraq. Whether it’s music defined as traditional, contemporary, folk or fusion, Songlines is the only magazine to truly represent, embrace and champion it. http://www.songlines.co.uk