UK's first weekly glossy on way for women

Magazines and radio group Emap is to launch the UK’s first weekly glossy magazine for women, it said today.

The group, whose publications include FHM, heat and Empire, said it was investing £16m (€23m) in the British version of Italian magazine Grazia, which will go on sale next spring.

Grazia has a circulation of about 245,000 in Italy and hopes to sell 150,000 copies a week in the UK within 12 months.

The title, which will include fashion, lifestyle and news, will be headed by managing director David Davies, the former editor of FHM, and former editor Fiona McIntosh, previously editor of Elle.

Emap Consumer Media chief executive Paul Keenan said: “From Spring 2005 women won’t have to wait a whole month for their glossy fix.”

The group has secured a licence for the title from Italian publisher Mondadori. Grazia was launched in Italy in 1938 and is the group’s flagship publication.

The UK version is expected to break even within three years.

Emap reported strong sales for its UK titles last month, saying underlying sales were likely to be 5% ahead of last year.

It also said at the time that there had been no further deterioration in France, where the launch of rival titles has been hitting revenues in the TV listings sector.