AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND: NZME Limited’s subsidiary NZME Publishing Limited has entered into a conditional agreement to acquire the BusinessDesk premier news website business and assets from publisher Content Limited for NZ$3.5 million payable in cash on completion, subject to customary adjustments plus an earn-out amount of up to NZ$1.5 million following 31 December 2023.
“NZME’s acquisition of BusinessDesk will help supercharge their growth and realise the full potential of the opportunity to support New Zealand’s business community. The BusinessDesk team should be proud of what they have created in a short period of time. NZME will be able to provide both BusinessDesk and NZ Herald Premium subscribers with incredibly comprehensive and trusted business news to its consumer and business customers,” said NZME CEO Michael Boggs.
Since launching a subscription only business and economic news service in early 2020, BusinessDesk has experienced substantial growth, both in the depth and breadth of its content offering and also its subscriber base, with over 10,000 digital subscribers.
“Covid-19 has created many challenges, but it has also revealed a strong appetite for high quality, trusted news and analysis aimed at business owners, investors, professional services providers and political and policy decision-makers,” said Pattrick Smellie, editor and chief executive of BusinessDesk.
“By combining with NZME’s strong digital publishing experience, subscription growth expertise and international partnerships, along with the sales, marketing, and management strength that it can bring to bear, we are creating the potential to supercharge BusinessDesk’s growth in ways that we could not otherwise achieve.”
The transaction is expected to complete in the first part of next year.