Regional Media: The Rise of the Regional Glossy.(regional magazines)

Regional media have rarely attracted upmarket advertisers, but the new breed of regional glossies is changing that.

Devolution is a word that has been bandied about with great frequency since the existing Labour Government was elected in 1997.

The question of how much real power has truly been devolved to the regions is still hotly debated. But it cannot be denied that in putting the topic on the political agenda, the Government has given the British public cause to think about their regional identity.

For many people, where they live plays a role in defining who they are.

They are proud of their regional identity and, in today's mobile society, even those who now live in a city or county away from their place of birth, as do so many, are often keen to identify themselves with the local culture and landscape around them - perhaps more so than ever, for fear of becoming rootless.

In these circumstances it is not surprising that in recent years we have seen a boom in glossy regional magazines. Publications of this kind have been around for decades.

However, in the past three years there has been a spate of acquisitions and launches in the sector. The local newspaper group Archant has been the driving force behind most of this activity and now owns nearly 20 glossy regional titles, which are overseen by its Archant Life division.