Magazine publishers have been providing an array of informative, immersive and helpful content throughout the lockdown period as our lives have turned upside down. This week we check in with Chris Kerwin to see how Immediate has adapted to evolving market conditions and what magazine content he’s paying attention to.

Name:  Chris Kerwin

Job Title:  Group Managing Director, Immediate Media

I manage some market leading publishing brands for Immediate Media, including BBC Good Food, BBC Gardeners’ World and radiotimes.com. My teams produce some of the UK’s best loved and biggest websites, magazines and live events that help our audiences explore and fuel their passions.

How are your magazine brands adapting to current world events?

The fascinating thing is the innovation that has been simulated by the current crisis to engage our audiences. From our food team self-creating new video series from their own kitchens for BBC Good Food and the watch-along events the radiotimes.com team is running on social media, to the Zwift rides organised by Bike Radar and the ramping up of podcast output on BBC History, there has been an explosion of creativity from our content teams. 

Most of the brands I work across have a similar DNA in that they help people explore their passions and it’s these passions that people are turning to in lockdown, meaning our content is more relevant than ever.  We’re seeing online audiences growing exponentially, new communities flourish on social media and subscriber numbers increasing as people spend more time on their hobbies and less time going out.

Which magazines are helping to distract you right now?

As a gay man, Attitude magazine is always my ‘go-to’ title.  A sharp, stylish magazine which happily and confidently mixes serious journalism with more popular, crowd-pleasing content.  The covers are always stunning and I love the broad mix of editorial.

Share a useful tip:

BBC Good Food’s Best Yorkshire Puddings – I’d be out of a job without this one recipe bringing millions of people to bbcgoodfood.com Sunday after Sunday after Sunday!