Menzies Digital Launches Digital Newsagent Service

John Menzies Digital Ltd has launched an online service which allows customers to download digital versions of the UK’s top magazines, direct to their desktop. The launch has been prompted by consumer trends towards buying and consuming media digitally.

LONDON (Business Wire EON) June 3, 2008 -- Live now at www.magazinesondemand.co.uk with many of the country's biggest publishers engaged as partners, the site boasts a huge range of well known magazine brands on its roster. Publishing partners include IPC, Bauer Consumer Media, Hachette and Future.

The website works in conjunction with free-to-install 'Delivery' software and enables users to download the latest issues of magazines at any time as well as viewing, storing and searching digital magazines bought from the site.

A key feature of the system is the ability to save magazines to a USB key – which allows customers to read them on any computer, even one without Delivery software installed. This will prove a major benefit to customers who use more than one computer, or are regular travellers.

Customers can subscribe to magazines on site and receive a substantial discount against the single issue price - but without being tied in to a minimum subscription period. The site also offers a completely new way to buy magazines: the unique Pick & Mix subscription that provides four 'credits' for £8.99 a month. These credits can be redeemed against any four magazines on the site – offering significant potential savings on cover prices.

John Menzies Digital Ltd plans to work with established ecommerce partners in order to bring this new service to a mainstream UK audience. The first of these partnerships has been launched with WHSmith, available via their main site. WHSmith will be promoting the new service to customers online and throughout their retail stores.

"We're delighted to be working in partnership with WHSmith to launch this new service," said Simon Clough, Managing Director at John Menzies Digital. "The concept of buying digital magazines is in itself very new, but bringing such a huge range of top titles together in one place for UK consumers is unprecedented."

About John Menzies Digital Ltd:

John Menzies Digital Ltd is a joint venture between John Menzies PLC and Largardère Services of France.

About WHSmith:

WHSmith PLC is one of the UK's leading retail groups with over 540 High Street stores and over 430 Travel units at airport, train station, motorway service area and hospital locations across the UK. WHSmith Direct - www.whsmith.co.uk - serves customers on the internet 24 hours a day.

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