Bauer Media ends regional sales deal with Media Sales Network

The Manchester operation of Bauer Media’s sister company, H Bauer, is taking over the contract to represent Bauer to regional advertisers on 27 February.

Bauer Media, which publishes titles including Heat, FHM and Grazia, has been part of the same group as H Bauer, the publisher of Take A Break, since 2008.

H Bauer’s Manchester operation already handles the insert sales for both H Bauer and Bauer Media.

A spokesperson acting for both Bauer and H Bauer declined to explain why the contract had been terminated. Media Sales Network declined to comment.

However, the director of H Bauer’s regional operation, Howard Foster, said the termination was for straightforward business reasons.

It is not clear how many Media Sales Network employees are affected by the changes or when Bauer gave notice to the company, but staff are understood to be in a consultation period.

Foster said the contract move would involve "a TUPE-style situation", referring to the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations (TUPE) which protect employees' terms and conditions of employment when a business is transferred from one owner to another.

This article was first published on mediaweek.co.uk