Remnant Media

Remnant Media was a British magazine publisher established in March 2004 by Simon Robinson. Its business was built around the acquisition and publication of a large portfolio of magazines, particularly titles aimed at the adult-entertainment market. The company emerged from a transaction involving Northern & Shell, the media group controlled by Richard Desmond. Northern & Shell sold a package of approximately 45 titles to the newly established Remnant Media for about £20 million. The transaction was connected to Desmond's effort to reshape the public image of his business interests while pursuing a bid for The Daily Telegraph. Remnant Media's catalogue included a range of adult-oriented magazines, among them Asian Babes, Readers Wives, Horny Housewives, Mega Boobs, Mothers-in-Law, Big Ones, Just 18, and 60 Plus. These titles represented several different audience and editorial niches within the British men's and adult-magazine market, including themed publications, age-targeted titles, and magazines centered on sexualized photography. The company also published Attitude, a gay lifestyle magazine, until January 2007. Attitude was distinct from Remnant's adult-magazine portfolio and gave the publisher exposure to a broader lifestyle and identity-oriented readership. The acquisition required substantial financing. The Bank of Scotland lent Remnant Media £5 million toward the transaction, and the lending arrangement became the subject of controversy. The financial structure reflected the scale of the catalogue purchase and the risks associated with operating a large portfolio of specialist print titles at a time when magazine publishers faced changing readership patterns and increasing pressure on print advertising and circulation. In December 2005, Remnant Media established SMD Publishing as an offshoot. SMD published titles including Hotdog and Front. The subsidiary was later dissolved in July 2010. Remnant Media itself entered administration in late 2007, marking the effective end of its independent operation. Its assets were subsequently sold to Trojan Publishing. Trojan was later acquired by Interactive Publishing, but that successor chain also ultimately failed: Trojan entered liquidation from 2010 and was dissolved by May 2013. Remnant Media is therefore best understood as a short-lived British magazine-publishing company rather than as a continuing consumer brand. Its historical significance lies in the 2004 transfer of a substantial Northern & Shell magazine portfolio, its concentration in adult publishing, its temporary ownership of Attitude, and the succession of insolvency and asset-transfer events that followed its administration.

Remnant Media was founded in March 2004 by Simon Robinson as a British magazine-publishing company. Its creation followed Northern & Shell's sale of a package of approximately 45 magazine titles to the new business for around £20 million. Northern & Shell was associated with media proprietor Richard Desmond, and the divestment formed part of a broader effort to reposition Desmond's image while he pursued a bid for The Daily Telegraph. The transferred portfolio made Remnant Media primarily an adult-magazine publisher. Its titles included Asian Babes, Readers Wives, Horny Housewives, Mega Boobs, Mothers-in-Law, Big Ones, Just 18, and 60 Plus. Although these publications occupied different thematic and demographic niches, they were linked by their focus on adult entertainment and sexualized photographic content. Remnant also published Attitude, a gay lifestyle magazine, but its involvement with that title ended in January 2007. The acquisition was partly financed by a £5 million loan from the Bank of Scotland. The bank's participation became controversial, adding scrutiny to the financial arrangements behind the purchase. The available account does not establish a separate regulatory finding or legal judgment concerning the loan, so the episode is best recorded as a financing controversy rather than as a confirmed scandal. In December 2005, Remnant created SMD Publishing as a subsidiary or associated publishing operation. SMD's known titles included Hotdog and Front. The offshoot did not become a lasting part of the business and was dissolved in July 2010. Remnant Media entered administration in late 2007. The company's assets were then sold to Trojan Publishing, ending Remnant's operation as an independent publisher. Trojan was subsequently acquired by Interactive Publishing. That successor structure also proved temporary: Trojan went into liquidation from 2010 and had been dissolved by May 2013. These events place Remnant Media within a short chain of specialist magazine businesses that consolidated assets but ultimately failed to maintain an ongoing corporate presence. The company has no known current operating business in the supplied reference material. Its historical profile is defined by the 2004 acquisition, its concentration in adult print publishing, the short-lived SMD subsidiary, its publication of Attitude through January 2007, and the administration and asset sale that followed in 2007.

• 2013

  Trojan Publishing dissolved

  [1]Remnant Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  Trojan Publishing, which had acquired Remnant Media's assets, was dissolved by May 2013 following liquidation proceedings.

• 2010

  SMD Publishing dissolved

  [1]Remnant Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  SMD Publishing was dissolved in July 2010.

• 2007

  Attitude publication ended

  [1]Remnant Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  Remnant Media ceased publishing the gay lifestyle magazine Attitude in January 2007.

• 2007

  Administration and asset sale

  [1]Remnant Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  Remnant Media entered administration late in the year and its assets were sold to Trojan Publishing.

• 2005

  SMD Publishing created

  [1]Remnant Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  The company established SMD Publishing, whose titles included Hotdog and Front.

• 2004

  Remnant Media founded

  [1]Remnant Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  Simon Robinson established Remnant Media in March 2004.

• 2004

  Acquisition of Northern & Shell titles

  [1]Remnant Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  Remnant Media acquired a package of approximately 45 magazines from Northern & Shell for about £20 million.

A British specialist magazine publisher focused primarily on adult-oriented print titles, with a temporary presence in gay lifestyle publishing through Attitude.

• Adult magazine

  Asian Babes

  An adult-oriented magazine listed among Remnant Media's specialist adult publishing titles.

• Adult magazine

  Readers Wives

  A themed adult magazine published within Remnant Media's portfolio.

• Adult magazine

  Horny Housewives

  An adult-oriented title associated with Remnant Media's specialist magazine catalogue.

• Adult magazine

  Mega Boobs

  A themed adult magazine published by Remnant Media.

• Adult magazine

  Mothers-in-Law

  An adult-themed magazine included in Remnant Media's published-title portfolio.

• Adult magazine

  Big Ones

  A specialist adult title published by Remnant Media.

• Adult magazine

  Just 18

  An adult magazine listed among Remnant Media's portfolio of themed titles.

• Adult magazine

  60 Plus

  An age-targeted adult magazine published by Remnant Media.

• Gay lifestyle magazine

  Attitude

  A gay lifestyle magazine that Remnant Media published until January 2007, broadening its catalogue beyond adult-entertainment titles.

• Magazine

  Hotdog

  A title published under the SMD Publishing offshoot created by Remnant Media in December 2005.

• Magazine

  Front

  A magazine published by SMD Publishing, the offshoot established by Remnant Media.

• 2007

  Enter administration and transfer assetsOther

  Background

  Remnant Media could not continue operating independently and entered administration in late 2007.

  Action taken

  The company's assets were sold to Trojan Publishing.

  Aftermath

  Trojan was subsequently acquired by Interactive Publishing, but later entered liquidation and was dissolved by May 2013.

  Source

• 2005

  Create SMD PublishingStrategy

  Background

  Remnant Media expanded its publishing structure after acquiring its initial portfolio.

  Action taken

  The company created SMD Publishing in December 2005 to publish titles including Hotdog and Front.

  Aftermath

  SMD Publishing was later dissolved in July 2010.

  Source

• 2004

  Acquire a large Northern & Shell magazine portfolioM&A

  Background

  Remnant Media was created to purchase approximately 45 titles from Northern & Shell as part of a transaction valued at about £20 million.

  Action taken

  The newly formed publisher acquired the magazine package and concentrated its operations on specialist and adult-oriented print titles.

  Aftermath

  The transaction established Remnant Media's initial catalogue, but the company entered administration in late 2007 and its assets were later sold to Trojan Publishing.

  Acquisition price. Approximately £20 million (2004 transaction)

  Source

1. 1Remnant Mediaen.wikipedia.org