Singapore, March 24, 2009 - Launched on the 15 December 2008 for the very first time, the Inaugural MPAS Singapore Magazine Awards has announce the results at the MPAS-Pressmart Awards Nite 2009 held at NUSS Suntec City this evening.

In all, a total of 150 entries were received at the closing date in late January 2009 from Consumer, Trade and Contract publications.

The Magazine Publishers Association of Singapore (MPAS), an organization dedicated to best practices in professional publishing launched the Awards to recognise the best publishing efforts in Singapore.

Sponsors for this special evening included Pressmart Media Limited, a leading hosted print-to-online publishing service in the world with publishers from over 45 countries using its services and an established printing house KHL Printing Co Pte Ltd as well as Edipresse Appetite Media Pte Ltd for the Selangor Pewter Challenge Trophy, Prize awards and Exquisite wines.

"We are delighted to sponsor the first of its kind awards for Magazine Publishers in Singapore," said Sanjiv Gupta, Founder and Executive Chairman of Pressmart. "Most importantly, we want to support and encourage excellence in this medium. Our collaboration with MPAS will also enable us to share our print-to-digital delivery solution technology benefits to the publishers in this part of the world."

The awards recognised publishers for Front Cover/Feature Story in Consumer, Trade and Contract categories, Best Front Cover Design, Best Cover/Feature Story in Consumer, Trade and Contract categories and to the Best Visual Series (Photography) category. Four special awards are presented to the Best Magazine of the Year 2009, Best New Magazine, Best Chinese Magazine, and Best Online Magazine in Consumer and Trade categories. A panel of industry experts drawn from Indonesia, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Philippines and Singapore selected the winners.

The Awards conferred are:-

1. Best Front Cover Design (Consumer)

OASIS #4 Beaumont Publishing (Winner)

Cube #28 Concepts Asia Publishing

Appetite #19 Edipresse Appetite Media

2. Best Front Cover Design (Contract)

Fah Thai - Jul/Aug07 Ink Publishing (Winner)

Jestar - May08 Ink Publishing

Connect - Oct-Dec08 Ink Publishing

3. Best Front Cover Design (Trade)

FuturArc 3Q Volume 10 BCI Asia Construction Information (Winner)

The Asian Banker 300 #72 TAB International

The Asian Banker 300 #82 TAB International

4. Best Cover/ Feature Story (Consumer)

I-S #366 Asia City Publishing (Winner)

Scuba Diver AustalAsia Asian Geographic Magazines

Asian Geographic (Wild Edition) Asian Geographic Magazines

5. Best Cover/ Feature Story (Contract)

Jetstar - May08 Ink Publishing (Winner)

Fah Thai - Jul/Aug08 Ink Publishing

Mandala - Oct-Dec08 Ink Publishing

6. Best Cover/ Feature Story (Trade)

CIO - Sep08 Fairfax Business Media (Winner)

The Asian Banker Journal #74 TAB International

Futurarc Journal BCI Asia Construction Information

7. Best Visual Series/ Photography

Asian Geographic - photo annual 08 Asian Geographic Magazines (Winner)

PEAK - Sep 08 SPH Magazines

Singapore Tatler - Apr 08 Edipresse Singapore

8. MPAS Best Online Magazine (Consumer)

www.escape.sg Regent Media (Winner)

www.expatlivingsingapore.com Expat Living

www.styleweddings.sg MediaCorp Publishing

9. MPAS Best Online Magazine (Trade/ Contract)

www.futuregov.net Alphabet Media (Winner)

www.asiansecurity.org Alphabet Media

www.mis-asia.com Fairfax Business Media

10. MPAS - KHL Best New Magazine

Discovery Channel Magazine Reader's Digest (Winner)

Millenia SPH Magazines

AMICA The Lexicon Group

11. MPAS Chinese Magazine of the Year 2009

Icon SPH Magazines (Winner)

Grandeur Edipresse Appetite Media

I - Weekly MediaCorp Publishing

12. MPAS Magazine of the Year 2009

Her World SPH Magazines (Winner)

Home & Decor SPH Magazines

Men's Health SPH Magazines

Announcement was made to launch the MPAS Singapore Magazine Awards 2010 as well. The additional categories for this year's Awards will include:

(a) Best Creative Ad Campaign

(b) Best Creative In-house Ad

(c) Most Innovative Print Advertising Campaign

(d) Most Innovative On-Line Advertising Campaign

Click here to download the MPAS Awards 2009 Fact Sheet.

Click here to view the pictures.

About MPAS

The Magazine Publishers Association of Singapore, MPA(S), is the representative organization of Singapore's magazine print publishing and online publishing industry. Our organization aims to work towards a professionally successful, reputable and responsible magazine publishing industry (print and online) in Singapore. By serving as an authoritative and representative platform for the magazine publishing industry we develop and enhance the education, training, management and business expertise of magazine publishing professionals.

Issued on behalf of the Magazine Publishers Association of Singapore.

For further information, please contact:

James See

Executive Director,

MPAS

97565338

james@mpas.org.sg

At the 3rd MPAS AGM held at 5pm, NUSS Suntec City on 24th March 09, the new Executive Committee 2009/2010 elected were:

President - Mr. Andrew Smart (Fairfax Business Media)

Vice President - Mr. Ho Sum Kwong (Edipresse Appetite Media)

Hon. Secretary - Mr. Greg Duncan (Asia City Publishing)

Hon. Treasurer - Ms. Charlotte Goh (ACP)

The Six Committee Members are representative from SPH Magazines, Mediacorp Publishing, Edipresse Singapore, TTG, Eastern Publishing & Charlton Media. The 2 Hon Auditors are Ms. Cecilia Goh and Mr. Alex Knight

We like to take this opportunity to welcome this Committee onboard and express our appreciation for the outgoing members of MPAS EXCO 2008/2009

The AGM was followed by the presentation of trophies and certificates to the finalists and winners of the inaugural MPAS Singapore Magazine Awards 2009 and an international buffer dinner.

Best regards,

James See

Executive Director

MPAS

james@mpas.org.sg

Click here to view the pictures.

Singapore, 26 March 2009 - Her World, a publication of SPH Magazines Pte Ltd ("SPH Magazines") and Singapore's No. 1 women's magazine, is proud to unveil a new look with its April issue, which hits newsstands today.

The refreshed Her World features new colours and fonts as well as more sophisticated layouts to better project stories, and give the magazine a more modern and dynamic edge. New design elements have also been introduced so that readers can easily navigate their way through the magazine, which is chock-full of information every month in its Shopping, Features, Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle pages.

Three new sections have been introduced:

• Work Wear: Within the Shopping pages, this section features the latest clothes and accessories that help the stylish achiever dress for success.
• Manual: Everything you need to know about improving the four key areas of your life - Work, Money, Health & Happiness. Presented in easy-to-read snippets for the busy woman on the go.
• Love Men Sex: Snippets and feature stories covering relationship how-tos, advice on understanding your man better, and sex tips for improving your love life.

In spite of these changes, the DNA of Her World remains the same - a fashion and beauty magazine, with compelling, topical in-depth reads that appeal to the modern and stylish female achiever

The last time Her World underwent a design revamp was in 2005. Ms Elisabeth Gwee, editor of Her World, says: "We felt it was time to inject new life and excitement into the magazine to keep things fresh for our readers. Last year, Her World won the SOPA Award 2008 for Editorial Excellence - Best In Magazine Design. But rather than rest on our laurels, we've come up with a dynamic and sophisticated new look that makes Her World even more engaging and more of a pleasure to read."

The AC Nielsen Media Index 2008 ranked Her World as Singapore's No.1 women's magazine - proof that Her World, as the voice of the Singapore woman, knows what readers want, and continues to deliver the very best to them. Her World has also clinched the MPAS Magazine of the Year 2009 award on 24 March 2009. (MPAS - Magazine Publishers Association of Singapore)

Apart from the new sections, other must-reads in the April issue include interviews with Her World's Woman Of The Year Goh Soo Khim and its Young Women Achievers Yip Pin Xiu and Laurentia Tan, a 32-page Accessories special, a beauty story on makeup colours that work for every woman, an in-depth guide to buying your first private property, and a fun feature on cute guys who can bring their services to the busy female achiever's doorstep, from dance lessons to yoga to bartending services. As a bonus, Her World readers stand to receive some fabulous treats: free cookies at all Mrs Fields outlets and a free L'Oreal White Perfect Double Pump worth $34.90 for every copy purchased at MPH bookstores while stocks last.

-----------------------------------------------------

ISSUED BY SPH MAGAZINES PTE LTD.
Co. Regn No.: 196900476M
For more information, please contact:
Pearly Mak
Assistant Manager
Corporate Communications
Singapore Press Holdings Ltd
DID : 6319 1225
Mobile: 9765 6704
Email : pearlym@sph.com.sg

About SPH Magazines
A leading publisher in Singapore and the region, SPH Magazines Pte Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of media giant Singapore Press Holdings Limited.

With a proven track record for sterling editorial content & award-winning designs, SPH Magazines raises the bar as a dynamic magazine publisher. In its stable are over 100 titles in English and Chinese, covering lifestyle, fashion, beauty, society, bridal, health, men's lifestyle, movies, automobile, parenting, decor, new media and business. All the newsstand publications, including flagship title Her World, and other well-known titles such as Female, The Peak, Home and Decor, Nuyou, Torque, HWM and GameAxis are among the highest-circulating titles and best-read in their respective lifestyle category.

SPH Magazines' established editorial unit provides excellent custom publishing services to major corporate clients by producing custom lifestyle magazines, newsletters and other collateral to meet their business needs. In addition, its regional IT portal, www.hardwarezone.com(R), is consistently the No.1 online portal as attested by the Hitwise awards over the last 2 years. Its subsidiary, clickTRUE Pte Ltd, is a Pay Per Performance online marketing company specialising in Online Media Planning, Search Engine Marketing and Optimisation, Web Analytics Consultancy and Landing Page Optimisation.

With a vision to continue growth regionally, SPH Magazines is set to become Asia's publishing powerhouse, with operations in China, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Phillippines and Vietnam. Magazines in its fold have achieved strong market presence in their respective sectors, as well as distinguished track records and solid reputations.

At SPH Magazines, the promise is to deliver its best to meet the diverse needs and interests of readers and advertisers.

About Her World
Her World is Singapore's most established monthly women's magazine with the highest readership. Her World equips today's female achiever with information she can use - it is Singapore's authority on fashion and beauty, career, health, relationships, and lifestyle trends. It inspires with engaging reads, keeps its audience updated on international trends, and covers relevant issues with depth, breadth and sophistication. Her World's monthly readership is 214,000, according to the AC Nielsen Media Index 2008, reinforcing its position as the best-read women's magazine in Singapore. Her World is also published in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Singapore 26 March 2009 - SPH Magazines Pte Ltd ("SPH Magazines") clinched two prestigious MPAS (Magazine Publishers Association of Singapore) Singapore Publishing Awards at the inaugural MPAS-Pressmart Awards Nite 2009 held at NUSS Suntec City on 24 March 2009.

SPH Magazines' winning titles are Her World for the MPAS Magazine of the Year 2009 and ICON for the MPAS Chinese Magazine of the Year 2009.

Elisabeth Gwee, Editor, Her World, says, "The Her World team is thrilled to receive this award. It reinforces our position as Singapore's No. 1 women's magazine, and is further proof that as the voice of the Singapore woman, Her World knows exactly what readers want, and continues to deliver the very best to them through its extensive coverage of fashion, beauty and lifestyle trends, and compelling, topical in-depth reads that appeal to the modern and stylish female achiever. We're looking forward to taking Her World to the next level with our new look in our April issue, which features a dynamic new design and more of everything that readers love about the magazine."

Elsie Yah, Managing Editor, ICON, says, "It's a great honour to be recognised by MPAS' judging panel comprising professionals from all over Asia. This is a special birthday gift to ICON as we celebrate our 4th anniversary. In appreciation of the strong support we have received, ICON pledges to do our best to maintain our high quality and standards."

MPAS Singapore Publishing Awards, launched on 15 Dec 2008, had 150 entries from various trade, consumer and contract publications. The awards, sponsored by Pressmart Media Limited and KHL Printing Co. Pte Ltd, aims not only to recognise publishers for the excellent quality of the titles published in Singapore, but also the online media they have developed. The 12 categories include awards for hardcopy and online magazines. A panel of industry experts from Indonesia, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan, The Philippines and Singapore were involved in selecting the winners.

Mr Loh Yew Seng, CEO, SPH Magazines, says, "We are very honoured to be one of the recipients of MPAS' inaugural Awards. Until two days ago, only international organisations have been giving out awards for outstanding magazines, which include many of our titles. As Singapore's magazine industry develops, it's time for our local professional agency like MPAS to confer awards specific to the local market. I congratulate MPAS for having successfully launched the MPAS Awards. This is a significant step to move Singapore's publishing sector a notch up."

Another four SPH Magazines' titles were finalists in three categories: The Peak for Best Visual Series category, Millenia for MPAS - KHL Best New Magazine category, and Home & Decor and Men's Health for MPAS Magazine of the Year.

----------------------------------------------------------------

ISSUED BY SPH MAGAZINES PTE LTD.
Co. Regn No.: 196900476M
For more information, please contact:
Pearly Mak
Assistant Manager
Corporate Communications
Singapore Press Holdings Ltd
DID : 6319 1225
Mobile: 9765 6704
Email : pearlym@sph.com.sg

About SPH Magazines
A leading publisher in Singapore and the region, SPH Magazines Pte Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of media giant Singapore Press Holdings Limited.

With a proven track record for sterling editorial content & award-winning designs, SPH Magazines raises the bar as a dynamic magazine publisher. In its stable are over 100 titles in English and Chinese, covering lifestyle, fashion, beauty, society, bridal, health, men's lifestyle, movies, automobile, parenting, decor, new media and business. All the newsstand publications, including flagship title Her World, and other well-known titles such as Female, The Peak, Home and Decor, Nuyou, Torque, HWM and GameAxis are among the highest-circulating titles and best-read in their respective lifestyle category.

SPH Magazines' established editorial unit provides excellent custom publishing services to major corporate clients by producing custom lifestyle magazines, newsletters and other collateral to meet their business needs. In addition, its regional IT portal, www.hardwarezone.com(R), is consistently the No.1 online portal as attested by the Hitwise awards over the last 2 years. Its subsidiary, clickTRUE Pte Ltd, is a Pay Per Performance online marketing company specialising in Online Media Planning, Search Engine Marketing and Optimisation, Web Analytics Consultancy and Landing Page Optimisation.

With a vision to continue growth regionally, SPH Magazines is set to become Asia's publishing powerhouse, with operations in China, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Phillippines and Vietnam. Magazines in its fold have achieved strong market presence in their respective sectors, as well as distinguished track records and solid reputations.

At SPH Magazines, the promise is to deliver its best to meet the diverse needs and interests of readers and advertisers.

Singapore, 27 February 2009 - SilverKris, The Travel Magazine of Singapore Airlines, produced by the Custom Publishing Unit of SPH Magazines Pte Ltd ("SPH Magazines"), recently bagged a Bronze Award in the category of Magazine Editorial Spread on a Travel-Related Subject. The winning entry is entitled 'Rise and Shine', a photo-essay on Singapore that featured in its August 2008 issue. This is the second award for the magazine in 2009.

The biennial Asia Travel & Tourism Creative Awards (ATTA) aims to promote creativity within advertising agencies and in-house design groups while rewarding clients in the travel trade who appreciate and have encouraged outstanding editorial works. The awards attracted nearly 300 submissions from countries in the region including Australia and Japan.

Said Ms Joanna Lee-Miller, Group Editor, SPH Magazines, "Our efforts have paid off and this award will further motivate the team to continue to pursue excellence and present the best editorial work in the magazine."

Besides the Asia Travel & Tourism Awards, the SilverKris honours list includes:

1. Best Asean Travel Article, ASEANTA Awards for Excellence 2009 by the Asean Tourism Association
2. Award for Excellence in Feature Writing, 2008 Apex Awards for Publication Excellence
3. Grand Award for Design & Illustration, 2008 Apex Awards for Publication Excellence
4. Honourable Mention for Best Feature Design, Magnum Opus Awards 2008
5. Judges' Special Recommendation for Best in Magazine Cover Design, IFRA Asia Media Awards 2007, and
6. Bronze Award for Magazine Editorial Spread on a Travel-related Subject, Asia Travel and Tourism Creative Awards 2006 by Ad Asia

Mr Dennis Pua, Managing Director of SPH Magazines, said, "We are elated to win a second award so early into 2009. Since 2006, SilverKris has received several international publishing awards, and this speaks volumes about our pool of talent and level of commitment. Our clients can be assured that as their publisher of choice, we're equipped to produce top quality communications tools for their corporate needs."

SPH Magazines is the appointed publishing agent for a diverse range of companies and organisations in the private and public sector. Its Custom Publishing unit offers expertise in all areas of publishing, from developing editorial content and design concepts to advertising sales, printing and distribution, and new media.

-----------------------------

ISSUED BY SPH MAGAZINES PTE LTD.
Co. Regn No.: 196900476M

For more information, please contact:
Pearly Mak
Assistant Manager
Corporate Communications
Singapore Press Holdings Ltd
DID : 6319 1225
Mobile: 9765 6704
Email: pearlym@sph.com.sg

About SPH Magazines
A leading publisher in Singapore and the region, SPH Magazines Pte Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of media giant Singapore Press Holdings Limited.

With a proven track record for sterling editorial content & award-winning designs, SPH Magazines raises the bar as a dynamic magazine publisher. In its stable are over 100 titles in English and Chinese, covering lifestyle, fashion, beauty, society, bridal, health, men's lifestyle, movies, automobile, parenting, decor, new media and business. All the newsstand publications, including flagship title Her World, and other well-known titles such as Female, The Peak, Home and Decor, Nuyou, Torque, HWM and GameAxis are among the highest-circulating titles and best-read in their respective lifestyle category.

SPH Magazines' established editorial unit provides excellent custom publishing services to major corporate clients by producing custom lifestyle magazines, newsletters and other collateral to meet their business needs. In addition, its wholly-owned subsidiary, Hardware Zone Pte Ltd, has the most respected IT portals in the region. www.hardwarezone.com(R) is consistently the No.1 online portal as attested by the Hitwise awards over the last 2 years.

With a vision to continue growth regionally, SPH Magazines is set to become Asia's publishing powerhouse. It has editorial offices in China, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Magazines in its fold have achieved strong market presence in their respective sectors, as well as distinguished track records and solid reputations.

At SPH Magazines, the promise is to deliver its best to meet the diverse needs and interests of readers and advertisers.

About SilverKris
SilverKris is the award-winning travel magazine of Singapore Airlines carried on every Singapore Airlines flight to 66 destinations in 35 countries. SilverKris is designed to inform, entertain and inspire readers, with coverage on the latest travel-related products and services, travel trends around the globe and exciting travel destinations to discover.

About Asia Travel & Tourism Creative Awards
The Singapore-based Asia Travel & Tourism Creative Awards is organised by AdAsia, one of the leading magazines in the advertising and marketing field. The biennial competition rewards outstanding work in advertising and editorial that is produced to promote an Asian destination, product or service.

29th December, 2008:  ACP Magazines today announced the appointmentof New Zealander Bridget Hope as Publishing Director, charged with driving editorial and brand positioning strategies of the company's suite of leading magazines in Singapore and Malaysia.

The editors of The Singapore Women's Weekly, The Malaysian Women's Weekly, Cosmopolitan Malaysia and the Singapore and Malaysia editions of CLEO and Harper's BAZAAR will report to her.

Said ACP Magazines, Asia CEO, Julie Sherborn, "In the past year we have brought to the team a wider mix of talent and cultures - from India, Indonesia, Australia and now, New Zealand. This new dynamism complements our strongly local heart to ensure our content stays relevant as our audiences' outlooks and lifestyle expectations widen, while bringing fresh impetus to our reputation for developing innovative, involving magazine ideas."

Ms Hope arrives in Singapore from Auckland-based publisher APN where she was Editorial Manager - Lifestyle Titles, responsible for some of New Zealand's most dynamic titles.

An award-winning journalist, her recent accolades include four consecutive CTFA awards for Visual Excellence in Beauty Editorial and a Pride in Print Award as Supreme Winner for the women's title Simply You. Additionally, she was an Editor of the Year finalist at the 2008 MPA awards.

A Bachelor of Graphic Design with a major in photography, Ms Hope's editorial experience includes driving the commercial and readership success of New Zealand's biggest-selling women's title, Simply You - against ACP's Fashion Quarterly! Previously, as Beauty Editor/Advertising Sales, she was responsible for developing successful retail-focused advertising and editorial strategies to support commercial strategies within the beauty sector.  

A well-respected operator in both New Zealand and Australia, where she worked at another keen ACP competitor, Girlfriend, Ms Hope assumes the Publishing Director's role in the New Year. She can be reached from January 5 at BAHope@acpmagazines.com.sg



For further information contact Marketing Communications' Director,
Charlotte Goh; CGoh@acpmagazines.com.sg; telephone (65) 6227 7900



Aw Poh Ru
Advertising-Cordinator
ACP Magazines Pte. Ltd.
317 Outram Road  #03-01A/B Concorde Shopping Centre
Singapore 169075
TEL (65) 6227 7900 ext 809   FAX (65) 6737 6839
EMAIL :PRaw@acpmagazines.com.sg



The Singapore Women's Weekly I CLEO I Harper's BAZAAR I The Finder

Media Release - The Society of Publishers in Asia launches bigger, more expansive Awards for Editorial Excellence for 2009

Media Release

For Immediate Release

The Society of Publishers in Asia launches bigger, more expansive Awards for Editorial Excellence for 2009

Hong Kong, December 8, 2008 - The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA), an organization dedicated to best practices in professional publishing, today announced the launch of the SOPA 2009 Awards for Editorial Excellence. With the inclusion of Australia and New Zealand for the first time, and the scope of the Awards extended to include entries from purely digital media, the SOPA 2009 Awards for Editorial Excellence promise to be the biggest to date.

Established in 1999, the Awards recognize editorial excellence in both traditional and new media and are designed to honour and encourage editorial vitality throughout the region. They cover a broad range of categories reflecting Asia's diverse geo-political environment and vibrant editorial scene.

"The SOPA Awards for Editorial Excellence have grown steadily over the years
and are now recognized across the region as a true benchmark of the very best journalism that Asia has to offer," said Kevin Brown, Chairman of the Editorial Awards Sub-committee. "This year, the geographical scope of the Awards has been extended to include Australia and New Zealand, which means that they are now open to publications in the entire Asia/Pacific region," added Mr Brown.

In recognition of the shifting media landscape and the growing importance of new media, entries from purely digital media - those that do not have a print-based counterpart - will also be accepted for the first time.

"Quality writing is not limited by the format it's presented in - whether writing for a traditional broadsheet, magazine or for a purely online news provider, it's the quality of the writing that is the common thread throughout the Awards."

Alan Lammin, SOPA Chairman, thinks the difficult conditions currently faced by the industry across Asia will serve to strengthen the Awards and increase their importance.

"Everyone in the industry is aware of the more turbulent times ahead," commented Mr Lammin, "so in some respects the 2009 Awards have taken on even greater significance than in previous years. They are a rallying call to
demonstrate just how good we are, and to show that the highest standards are maintained regardless of difficult economic conditions," said Mr Lammin.

Key to the growing success of the Awards is the high calibre of international judges who preside over the Award entries. The SOPA Awards for Editorial Excellence have consistently secured judges comprised of journalists, designers and photo editors from many of the region's leading newspapers and consumer and trade magazines, and in an additional reflection of their stature, notable academics from the journalism and media departments of prestigious universities.

The SOPA Awards are coordinated by a committee of publishing professionals from the business and editorial sectors. These dedicated individuals volunteer their time throughout the year to ensure the rules, judges, entries, event, sponsorship and promotion all come together smoothly.

To encourage entries from both large and small publications, entries are classified by circulation size and language type - either English or Chinese.

About SOPA

The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) is a 26-year old regional body incorporated in Hong Kong in 1982, dedicated to promoting best industry practices and facilitating a conducive environment for profitable publishing. It represents the interests of international, regional and local publishers in newspapers, magazines and new media in Asia, with a view to fostering better cooperation and understanding among members.

SOPA is a non-profit organization. It is committed to responsible journalism and works to establish standards and guidelines for publishers relating to issues such as quality control, professional development, circulation, advertising and new media. It runs the prestigious annual SOPA Awards for Editorial Excellence to set world-class benchmarks for journalism in Asia. For more information, visit SOPA's official website at www.sopasia.com.


Issued on behalf of The Society of Publishers in Asia by Newell Public Relations.

For further information, please contact:

Lavinia Chan
Newell PR
++852 2117 5031
laviniac@newell.com

Or visit the SOPA Awards for Editorial Excellence website at
www.sopasia.com/awards/2009

Media Release - SPH MAGAZINES' TITLES REMAIN TOP IN READERSHIP - NIELSEN MEDIA INDEX 2008

Media Release

For Immediate Release

SPH MAGAZINES' TITLES REMAIN TOP IN READERSHIP - NIELSEN MEDIA INDEX 2008

Singapore, 17 October 2008- SPH Magazines Pte Ltd ( "SPH Magazines") continues to maintain its market leading position in an increasingly dynamic and competitive sector which saw several magazine launches and new players over the past 12 months.

According to the Nielsen Media Index 2008, Her World and Female sealed their leadership positions among the English women's fashion and beauty magazines. They maintained their number one and two positions respectively, with Her World's readership at 214,000 and Female's at 138,000.

Simply Her went from strength to strength. It debuted in Media Index 2007 with 79,000 readership and this escalated to 86,000 readership in Media Index 2008. The numbers proved that Simply Her has captured the imagination of the Singaporean women despite being only in the market for a short four years.

Shape, which caters to women seeking a healthy and active lifestyle, garnered 54,000 readership, making Shape the undisputed leader in this category.

Men's Health made an impressive debut in the Media Index with 70,000 readership, making it the most read men's magazine in Singapore. And Torque's readership grew from 33,000 last year to 39,000 this year. Together, they affirm that SPH Magazines has as strong a hold on the men's market as the women's where it traditionally dominates.

In the home decor and design category, stalwart Home & Decor once again reigned as the most-read title with 83,000 readership registering an impressive growth of 46% from last year's.

Young Parents proved itself as the authority in parenting information and resource by surging ahead of its competitors. With readership of 43,000, a jump of 43% from last year, it continues to lead in this category.

Mr Loh Yew Seng, CEO of SPH Magazines, said, " We are very pleased to have scored well consecutively. This attests to the uncompromised quality of our magazines and their constant relevance to our readers. We will continue to maintain our standards to remain the publisher of choice for our partners and advertisers."

The Nielsen Media's release also indicate that people in Singapore are becoming multimedia savvy who tune into at least three to five kinds of media daily. It also showed that traditional media remain the primary choice for many, with most of the magazine titles it tracked enjoying stable readership.

AsiaSpa magazine announces the fourth year of the AsiaSpa Awards

14 August, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AsiaSpa magazine announces the fourth year of the AsiaSpa Awards
Innovation and quality are the catchwords of the AsiaSpa Awards, whose goal it is to recognise the spas that push the boundaries and advance the industry. As gimmicks come and go and trends ebb and flow, our panel of experts delve into the heart of what makes a spa stand out. Now in its fourth year, the AsiaSpa Awards have worked hard to become known for their independent and uncompromising reputation, building up a name for transparency and objectivity. They are also the most accessible awards in the region, being completely free, and accessible to all spas, whatever their size, philosophy or Asia-based location. Categories span the spas themselves, the expertise of the therapist team that practice in them, the treatments they perform, and the products they use. In addition are the categories of spa design, spa cuisine, training, associations, events and marketing. They also highlight an industry personality each year, and last year responded to the trends of men’s spas and treatments, and eco-spas. This year we have added Socially Responsible Spa of the Year, in answer to the increasing focus within the industry on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). All nominations will be published in AsiaSpa magazine's November/December 2008 issue, with the awards evening being celebrated in November. The winners will be announced in the January/February 2009 issue.   FULL LIST OF CATEGORIES · Destination Spa of the Year · Urban Spa of the Year · Day Spa of the Year · New Spa of the Year · Spa for Men of the Year · Spa Retreat of the Year · Eco-spa of the Year · Socially Responsible Spa of the Year · Medi-Spa of the Year · Asian Spa Capital of the Year · Spa Association of the Year · Spa Event of the Year · Spa Personality of the Year · Spa Academy of the Year · In-Spa Training of the Year · Spa Design of the Year · Spa Treatment of the Year · Holistic Treatment of the Year · Men's Spa Treatment of the Year · Spa's Therapist Team of the Year · Spa Product of the Year · Anti-aging Product of the Year · Natural Product of the Year · Men's Product of the Year · Spa Cuisine of the Year · Spa Marketing of the Year         NOMINATIONS AND JUDGING We welcome any spa, product, personality or design representatives that feel they deserve to be nominated for one of the categories to tell us why. Information will only be accepted through our website application form. Click here to access the form or go to www.asiaspa.com and click on Awards, or www.asiaspaawards.com and click on Nominations. You will find an “ASA Nominations Form” icon. Please choose the category or categories you would like to apply for and fill in your details. The deadline for filling in these forms is strictly 29th August. We will forward your information to our judges. Then check out our much-awaited list of nominated spas, published in the November/December issue, to see if you have made the shortlist. To ensure absolute transparency in our awards, we will be keeping to the tried and tested format of inviting a panel of experts to give their unbiased and objective opinions on which properties, products and personalities deserve to be nominated. From the resulting shortlist, they will each pick one winner for each category. These selections will be sent directly to the magazine’s law firm, and the results will be revealed at the AsiaSpa Awards night in November. The list of judges will be revealed in our September/October 2008 issue. If you have any questions please feel free to write to us at  awards@bluincmedia.com
About AsiaSpa AsiaSpa is Asia's only magazine totally dedicated to the pursuit of complete wellbeing. From the latest spa destinations and treatments to health, cuisine, fashion and cosmetics, AsiaSpa provides over 120,000 of today's wealthiest, brand-conscious urban females with an essential guide to pampering and inner tranquility. For more information, visit: www.asiaspa.com Emails AsiaSpa: queries@bluincmedia.com AsiaSpa Japan: info@jaspa.net AsiaSpa India: parineeta@asiaspaindia.com About Blu Inc Media Blu Inc Media is a leading publishing of high-end leisure and industry magazines, including English-language, Chinese-language and bilingual titles. Distributed around Asia and the globe, the company’s titles include Asia-Pacific Boating, China Boating, Jet Asia-Pacific, AsiaSpa, Action Asia, LP Luxury Properties and Pinnacle (Rolls Royce Magazine). For more information, visit: www.bluincmedia.com Our Sponsors

Media Release - SPH MAGAZINES' CUSTOM PUBLISHING WINS INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

Media Release

For Immediate Release

SPH MAGAZINES’ CUSTOM PUBLISHING WINS INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

Singapore, 17 July 2008 - SPH Magazines Pte Ltd (“SPH Magazines”) recently bagged seven international awards for magazine titles produced by its Custom Publishing unit. The awards, garnered in three separate competitions, recognise editorial and creative excellence in a range of categories covering content, design, photography and illustrations.

SPH Magazines’ Custom Publishing won two Magnum Opus awards, three APEX Awards and two Tabbie Awards. Joanna Lee-Miller, SPH Magazines’ Associate Group Editor, Custom Publishing, says, “The team is ecstatic. We were competing in the international publishing arena and to be honoured with seven awards brings immense satisfaction and a huge boost to creative energy.”

The winning titles include SilverKris – The Travel Magazine of Singapore Airlines, LATITUDE ONEo15 - for ONEo15 Marina Club, and BiZQ for the Singapore Business Federation, Singapore’s apex business chamber.

Dennis Pua, Managing Director of SPH Magazines, says, “Winning these awards speaks volumes for our team’s talent and skills. They have proved to be capable not only in producing publications that help our clients achieve their business objectives, but also in successfully giving them an edge via engaging content and impressive designs and in doing so, effectively communicating through their publications that they are modern and forward-thinking businesses.”

SilverKris, The Travel Magazine of Singapore Airlines, received an Honourable Mention for Best Feature Design in the prestigious Magnum Opus Awards 2008, the premier competition in the global custom publishing industry. In the 2008 APEX Awards for Publication Excellence, SilverKris was honoured with a Grand Award for Design & Illustration, as well as an Award for Excellence in Feature Writing.

Editor, Audrey Perera says, “It's very satisfying to win an award for work which we ourselves were proud of. And of course winning a handful, against so many international competitors, makes it even better!"

LATITUDE ONEo15, an exclusive lifestyle magazine for members of ONEo15 Marina Club clinched a Bronze for Best Use of Colour Photography in the Magnum Opus Awards 2008 and in the APEX Awards 2008, the magazine received an Award of Excellence in the category of Design and Illustration - Photography. Editor Goh Hwee Koon, says, "We spared no effort in our aim to produce a top-quality magazine with visually stunning imagery and we are so pleased that it has paid off handsomely.”

The Singapore Business Federation magazine BiZQ, or Business Quotient, secured a Gold Award for Best Front Cover Design, Digital Imagery and Honourable Mention for Best Single Issue (April-June 2007) in the Tabbie Awards 2008, a leading international competition for trade, association and business publications. BiZQ is distributed to members of the Singapore Business Federation, reaching decision makers, CEOs and entrepreneurs. “Winning two awards for this revamped issue demonstrates the strong emphasis we place on synergising content with captivating visuals. We will certainly continue our ongoing effort to raise the bar for editorial and creative excellence,” says Joanna Lee-Miller, SPH Magazines’ Associate Group Editor, Custom Publishing.

On receiving these awards, Loh Yew Seng, Chief Executive Officer, SPH Magazines says, “Thumbs up for the team! These accolades reaffirm our service standards and our position as the Publisher of Choice who is able to place companies - via these communication tools - on the global map. Congratulations not only to the team but also the publishers of the winning titles.”

SPH Magazines’ Custom Publishing unit is the appointed publishing agent for a diverse range of companies and organisations in the private and public sector. Expertise in all areas of publishing is offered, from developing editorial content and design concepts to advertising sales, printing and distribution, including online capabilities.

Press Release : MillionaireAsia

Company Registration No.: 199804790N
GST Registration No.: 199804790N

August 1, 2008 

PRESS RELEASE

MillionaireAsia To Publish in Hong Kong, Macau & China


MILLIONAIREASIA has just finalized its largest licensing deal to date to expand its brand into 3 strategic markets: China, Hong Kong and Macau in the coming months.

Eight Custom Media, a leader in the custom publishing field with offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Macau, has secured the  MillionaireAsia licence to publish 3 separate editions dedicated for Hong Kong, China and Macau millionaires.

This latest foray comes hot on the heels of the launch of MillionaireAsia Japan in June 2008 and MillionaireAsia Malaysia in February 2008. MillionaireAsia is currently also published in Singapore, India and Indonesia, with each edition having distinctive local content. With the edition of the new markets, MillionaireAsia is poised to expand its current reach from 50,000 copies per issue to 80,000 copies soon targeted specifically at millionaires.

Bjorn Fjelddahl, Managing Director of Eight Custom Media commented that his company is “extraordinarily pleased” to be joining the MillionaireAsia team. “ We believe the phenomenal growth of MillionaireAsia is indicative of the need in the market for the kind of product offered by the magazine and the events and we’re pleased to have the support of the network of sister publications in India, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan and Malaysia. It’s a big step for us at Eight and we’re really looking forward to publishing our first issue. “

Brian Yim, Founder and Publisher of MillionaireAsia was elated to have forged a  partnership with Eight Custom Media. “Finding the right partner with the correct mix of attributes for success is difficult.  We have always wanted to expand our network into China, Hong Kong and Macau. Hence we are absolutely delighted to have found Eight Custom Media and to work with a highly driven, talented and successful company with proven experience and expertise in the 3 markets to expand the MillionaireAsia brand to some of the largest and fastest growing concentrations of millionaires in the world.”

The latest 2008 World Wealth Report, published by Merrill Lynch and Capgemini shows the total number of high net-worth individuals in Hong Kong climbed to 95,000 after increasing 10.2 per cent last year. Mainland China was the world’s second fastest-growing high net worth individual (HNWI) market (* after India’s  22.7%) rising by 20.3% to 415,000 millionaires.

“ We believe these numbers will readily support the kind of high quality magazine we will be producing and the exclusive events we will hold in partnership with our advertisers who want to reach this key demographic. We believe these three markets are a key growth area for us as a company and for the MillionaireAsia brand,” said Bjorn.

He added: “Eight Custom Media was also attracted by the hard work MillionaireAsia has already done to establish the brand and to attract the kind of attention it has already throughout the region. We view this partnership as a natural extension for us as a company that has long experience and deep roots in Hong Kong and the region. With our experience and an already-established office in China and and Macau and the rapid growth of high net worth people there, it is a natural fit. Finally, our work in the commercial publishing field makes this a natural fit for us and for the region.”

“ Eight Custom Media is very focused on growing its business and MillionaireAsia is going to be a key driver of that growth, “ commented Bjorn. “ The company is expanding its business to include more of its own and licensed titles and we see this as the way forward. We are also expanding our digital capabilities because we see the MillionaireAsia website as a key portal to reach out to readers and advertisers and involve them on a deeper level.”

For more enquiries. please contact :  info@millionaireasia.com