21.01.2008 -
Lausanne
PubliGroupe, a leading sales organization for commercial communication in Switzerland, is continuing to build up its online business in China. As part of a strategic partnership, PubliGroupe will acquire a 17% stake in "Huashang Interactive Media", the internet division of China's "Huashang Media Group". "Huashang Interactive Media" operates local internet portals in four major Chinese cities with populations totaling around 54 million. This alliance with "Huashang Interactive Media" will see PubliGroupe, as an investor and strategic partner, commercializing these websites and introducing state-of-the-art web technology for classified ads and search functions. PubliGroupe’s Media Sales division will be responsible for implementing the partnership.
"Huashang Interactive Media" is a division of the "Huashang Media Group", a major publishing house that produces regional daily newspapers with a total run of about 2 million copies in Xian, Chongqing, Shenyang and Changchun. "Huashang Interactive Media" specializes in developing and operating internet portals for conurbations. As part of the agreement with "Huashang Interactive Media", PubliGroupe will be responsible for selling space on these portals to national advertising clients in Beijing and Shanghai. The agreement also covers the development of a partnership between "Huashang Interactive Media" and PubliGroupe’s technology companies in Switzerland and China, the aim of this being to transfer and implement internet technology developed by PubliGroupe.
Coming shortly after the announcement of PubliGroupe's strategic partnership with the Chinese advertising sales group "City Media", the agreement with "Huashang Interactive Media" greatly strengthens PubliGroupe's presence in the Chinese market for interactive media. This second strategic alliance will allow the company to profit from the growing market in China for internet media and platforms.
For further information:
PubliGroupe Ltd.
Hans-Peter Rohner, CEO
Tel.: + 41 21 317 72 02
Fax: + 41 21 317 72 22
e-mail: hprohner(at)publigroupe.com
