Evolution of MEN gives MD rix web-based challenge
Mark Dobson, chief executive of the Manchester Evening News Group has told The Drum that new managing director Mark Rix has been brought in to oversee the launch of a new range of web products, the culmination of the recent expansion of GMG Regional Media’s new Manchester operating company MEN Media.
“It is an evolution of the developments over the last two years,” Dobson said.
“Mark has been running our media sales and doing a fantastic job defining our sales operation. We want our media to grow and have a specific focus, and Mark is going to give us just that. It allows us to look wider across our group and other ideas we want to push forward with. It works out well for us and is something we have been planning for a while.”
The role includes managing GMG’s stable of the Manchester Evening news, Channel M, MEN online, over 20 weekly papers and specialist print and web titles.
“We are launching a raft of web products this year; pushing hard with Channel M, our TV station, which is going from strength to strength, and developing the part paid/part free initiative in Manchester, which is now over a year old,” said Dobson.
“The product is more successful than we could have imagined.”