GMG to sell ads on news site

by Tristan O'Carroll, Media Week 02-Dec-08

LONDON - Guardian Professional, the education, media and public sector arm of Guardian Media Group, is to begin proactively selling ads around news websites paidcontent.org and paidcontent.co.uk.

The websites, along with its US publishing group parent ContentNext Media, were acquired by GMG in July for an undisclosed sum.

Rafat Ali, founder and chief executive of ContentNext Media, said ContentNext's portfolio, which also includes mocoNews.net and contentSutra.com, will in future be sold together with GMG properties.

"We are looking to work closer with GMG and specifically Guardian Professional on the sales side," he said. "Guardian Professional has a leading position in events and promotion especially, which will help us."

The firm is also mulling the launch of other sites covering new subjects, such as gaming.

Ali said: "The market in Russia is really interesting, while in the UK, you will see us integrating more of our content with GMG."