Radio Times renews historic Polestar contract

30 March 2009

Print buying

BBC Magazines has renewed its contract with Polestar for the production of Radio Times for a further four years, until 2013, following a review of the publisher's production options.

Mal Skelton, production director at BBC Magazines, said investment at Polestar Petty, which produces the TV listings magazine, had been key to the decision to renew the contract.

"The investment at Polestar Petty, in particular the Ferag equipment, is absolutely right for Radio Times," he said.

"We are extremely pleased with the competence of the team and the commitment of the people at the site, who make a valuable contribution."

The contract to print Radio Times, which has been with Polestar (or its predecessor) since the 1930s, was last renewed in 2004 in a deal that was worth around £9m a year.

James Povey, Polestar's UK Print marketing director, added: "The Radio Times relationship between BBC Magazines and Polestar is one that has, quite literally, lasted a lifetime.

"Mindful of this heritage, we have taken nothing whatsoever for granted at Polestar and worked all the harder with the BBC Magazines team to build stronger bridges for the future."