Accountancy Age

Accountancy Age is a United Kingdom trade-media brand focused on the accountancy and wider professional-services sector. It serves qualified accountants, finance professionals, accountancy firms, senior executives, regulators, government figures and suppliers to the profession. Its editorial coverage has traditionally included professional-firm strategy, audit, taxation, regulation, technology, finance leadership, practice management, appointments and developments affecting the accounting market. The publication was launched by Haymarket Publishing on 5 December 1969. It established itself as a specialist magazine for the accountancy profession and, during its print era, became a prominent source of industry news and commentary in the United Kingdom. The publication's readership included senior figures at major accountancy firms, including the Big Four, as well as government and public-sector audiences. Its stated editorial role was that of an independent voice for the profession rather than an in-house publication of a particular accounting firm or professional body. Accountancy Age changed ownership several times as the business-publishing sector consolidated. Haymarket later sold the title, together with Computing magazine, into the business-publication operations associated with VNU Business Publications, established in 1980. Dutch media group VNU was acquired by private-equity investors in 2006 and renamed The Nielsen Company. The business-publications division was subsequently sold to 3i, which sold the relevant United Kingdom operations to Incisive Media in February 2007. Incisive Media oversaw the title's transition from print to digital publishing. In April 2011, Incisive announced that the issue dated 21 April 2011 would be the final print edition. From May 2011, Accountancy Age operated as an online-only publication. The change reflected the broader movement of specialist business media toward websites, email news, digital reporting and multimedia formats. The publication's digital output has included newswires, live blogs and other online industry coverage. In 2015, Incisive Media sold Accountancy Age and Financial Director to Contentive. Under Contentive, Accountancy Age remained a specialist digital media brand for the accounting and finance community. Its commercial and editorial role encompasses online news, professional analysis, sector information and industry recognition activity. The brand also has a historical connection to awards: between 1995 and 2010 it organised the Accountancy Age Awards, which recognised firms, individuals, teams, initiatives and software products. Those awards were succeeded in 2011 by the British Accountancy Awards. Accountancy Age has received recognition for both its publishing and editorial work. It was listed among the United Kingdom's Business Superbrands in 2007, and its editorial team received the Association of Online Publishers' Editorial Team of the Year award in 2008. Liam Saunders's weekly cartoon, Colin, received Workworld Media's Cartoonist of the Year award in 2003. These recognitions reflect the title's position as an established specialist publication rather than a general-interest financial newspaper.

Accountancy Age began publication on 5 December 1969 under Haymarket Publishing. It was created as a specialist periodical for accountants and financial staff in the United Kingdom, a market in which professional regulation, audit, taxation, firm management and changing business conditions generate a continual demand for dedicated news and analysis. During its print years, the publication developed a substantial professional readership and reported a circulation of more than 60,000. Its audience was principally made up of British qualified accountants, while its influence extended to large accounting firms, government and suppliers serving the profession. The publication combined reporting and commentary with industry features and, later, digital formats such as newswires, live blogs and multimedia coverage. The title's corporate history followed the consolidation of specialist business publishing. Haymarket later sold Accountancy Age and Computing magazine to the business-publication operations associated with VNU Business Publications, which was formed in 1980. Dutch media group VNU was acquired by private-equity firms in 2006 and renamed The Nielsen Company. The business-publications division was then sold to 3i. In February 2007, 3i sold the United Kingdom company to Incisive Media. Incisive Media made a major strategic change in 2011. In April of that year it announced that the issue dated 21 April would be the last print edition. From May 2011, Accountancy Age became an online-only publication. This transition moved the brand away from a recurring printed magazine and toward digital reporting, online commentary and other web-based forms of professional communication. The publication also played an awards and community role. From 1995 through 2010 it organised the Accountancy Age Awards, which recognised accountancy firms, individuals, teams, initiatives and software packages. The awards were replaced in 2011 by the British Accountancy Awards. Accountancy Age itself received industry recognition, including a place among the United Kingdom's Business Superbrands in 2007 and the Association of Online Publishers' Editorial Team of the Year award in 2008. Its weekly cartoon Colin, created by Liam Saunders, won Workworld Media's Cartoonist of the Year award in 2003. In 2015, Incisive Media sold Accountancy Age and Financial Director to Contentive. The brand subsequently continued as a digital specialist publication for accounting and finance professionals. Its history therefore reflects both the development of the United Kingdom accountancy press and the wider transformation of business media from print-led publishing to online-first specialist journalism.

1. 2015Contentive acquires the publication

   Contentive acquired Accountancy Age and Financial Director from Incisive Media.

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2. 2011Print edition ends

   Incisive Media announced the 21 April issue as the final print edition, with the publication moving online from May.

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3. 2011British Accountancy Awards succeed the historic awards

   The Accountancy Age Awards, which ran from 1995 to 2010, were succeeded by the British Accountancy Awards.

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4. 2008Editorial team receives online publishing award

   The Association of Online Publishers named the Accountancy Age editorial team Editorial Team of the Year.

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5. 2007Ownership moves to Incisive Media

   After the business-publications division passed through VNU, The Nielsen Company and 3i, 3i sold the United Kingdom company to Incisive Media in February 2007.

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6. 2007Named a Business Superbrand

   Accountancy Age was included among the United Kingdom's Business Superbrands.

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7. 2003Colin wins Cartoonist of the Year

   Liam Saunders's weekly Accountancy Age cartoon Colin received Workworld Media's Cartoonist of the Year award.

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8. 1995Accountancy Age Awards begin

   The publication began organising awards for accountancy firms, professionals, teams, initiatives and software products.

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9. 1980VNU Business Publications is formed

   Accountancy Age later became part of the business-publication operations associated with VNU Business Publications, formed in 1980.

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10. 1969Accountancy Age is first published

    Haymarket Publishing launched the first issue of Accountancy Age on 5 December 1969 as a specialist publication for the United Kingdom accountancy profession.

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An independent specialist media voice for accountants, finance professionals and leaders of accountancy firms in the United Kingdom.

• Accountancy Age online publicationDigital trade media2011

  The publication's principal current format is its online trade-media platform for the United Kingdom accountancy and finance community. It provides specialist reporting and commentary on accounting firms, audit, taxation, regulation, technology, finance leadership and professional practice. Its digital approach has included online newswires, live blogs and multimedia coverage aimed at professional readers who need timely sector information.

• Accountancy Age print magazinePrint trade magazine1969

  The original print edition was the publication's core format from its launch in 1969 until the final issue dated 21 April 2011. During this period it became an established United Kingdom trade magazine for qualified accountants and financial staff, with reported circulation exceeding 60,000 before the move to digital-only publishing.

• Accountancy Age AwardsIndustry awards1995

  The Accountancy Age Awards were an industry recognition program organised by the publication from 1995 through 2010. The awards covered accountancy firms, individuals, teams, initiatives and software packages, giving the title a role in recognising achievement across the profession. They were succeeded in 2011 by the British Accountancy Awards.

• 2015Sale to ContentiveM&A

  Incisive Media sold Accountancy Age together with Financial Director as part of a change in ownership within specialist business publishing.

  What changed. Contentive acquired the two publications.

  Aftermath. The Accountancy Age brand continued under Contentive as an online specialist publication for accounting and finance professionals.

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• 2011Move from print to online-only publishingStrategy

  After more than four decades as a print publication, Incisive Media announced a shift in the way Accountancy Age would be produced and distributed.

  What changed. The issue dated 21 April 2011 was designated the final print edition, and the publication continued online from May 2011.

  Aftermath. Accountancy Age became a digital trade-media brand, using web-based reporting and multimedia formats rather than a regular printed magazine.

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• 2015Contentive acquires Accountancy Age and Financial Director

  Incisive Media sold Accountancy Age and Financial Director to Contentive, transferring the titles to a new owner within the specialist digital business-media market.

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• 2011Accountancy Age announces final print edition

  Incisive Media announced that the issue dated 21 April 2011 would be the final printed edition of Accountancy Age, preparing the publication for an online-only model from May 2011.

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• 2011Accountancy Age becomes an online-only publication

  Following the end of its print run, Accountancy Age continued as a digital trade publication serving the United Kingdom accountancy profession.

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1. Accountancy Age
2. Accountancy Age official website