The two new launches are the fruits of BBC Magazines Bristol’s collaboration with the creators of the Who Do You Think You Are? format and rights owners, Wall to Wall Media. Wall to Wall have licensed the use of the brand and programme content to BBC Magazines Bristol for the new magazine and website, and both companies will work closely to ensure the style of the groundbreaking BBC TV series is reflected in the ventures through fresh, contemporary design and authoritative, entertaining content that will bring the everyday history of ordinary people to life.
Claire Hungate, Director of Commercial and Legal Affairs for Wall to Wall Media Ltd., says: “This is an exciting opportunity for us to build on the strength of the WDYTYA? brand and extend the community of family history enthusiasts that loyally watch the show. Series one lead a phenomenal seven per cent of British adults to research their family history, and we want to be able to offer resources, both in print and online, that share the values and quality of the television programme and are a genuine extension of it. Given the massive digitisation of the archives over the last five years, it is a natural progression for us to make this resource available online, and at the same time also create some great social networking opportunities.”
BBC Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine
Aimed at anyone with an interest in family history, BBC Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine will make its news stand debut on 25 September. Written by leading historians, the 100 page full-colour glossy magazine will be published 13 times a year and have an initial print run of 50,000 copies. It will feature family and social history, along with expert practical advice, exclusive celebrity extras from the TV series, and will be the only title in the market to include a regular section on local history - a growing field of interest for family history enthusiasts. Each issue will also cover-mount either a free DVD or CD-Rom featuring exclusive TV outtakes and free family history archives.
Andy Benham, Publishing Director, says: “With over six million people tuning in for the last series of Who Do You Think You Are?, the world of family history has never been more buoyant. This magazine market has huge potential for growth, and our new title will help move family history away from being an exclusive dusty hobby, to a contemporary and accessible interest. The market needs to be rejuvenated, and that’s what we intend to do.”
The first issue of BBC Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine will feature an exclusive interview with Natasha Kaplinsky, advice on researching holocaust ancestors, a feature on the bloody battle of Paschendale, and a free DVD of Ian Hislop’s episode of WDYTYA?. Issue one goes on sale 25 September 2007, priced £4.25.
www.bbcwhodoyouthinkyouare.co.uk
Published alongside the magazine and TV series, www.bbcwhodoyouthinkyouare.co.uk will be launched on 5 September to coincide with the start of the new series the following day.
Each week, the website will host new celebrity TV content including unseen footage and exclusive family history tutorials. The site will also provide full details of the latest issue of BBC Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine, an essential guide to getting started, a forum, blog, podcast, and a comprehensive social history of Census year 1841 to help put findings into context. Here, visitors will also be able to link to the UK’s largest family history website ancestry.co.uk, which will act as the www.bbcwhodoyouthinkyouare.co.uk data provider.
