Telegraph Opens New Research Unit

In the UK, Telegraph Media Group (TMG) has created a new research department, to identify opportunities in existing and emerging markets, as well as analyse the challenges facing the business and industry as a whole.

The 'Research, Insight & Strategy Hub' (RISH) will be led by Mathew Watkins who was recently appointed Director of Advertising Strategy, having previously worked at The Times and The Sun.

His nine-strong team will survey reader behaviour to identify consumer patterns and trends, by using reader panels, industry standard research or TMG's large subscriber database. Findings will be fed in to the commercial sales managers and hubs, and the department will also work closely with Advertising Finance to establish an overview of the market.

One of the team's first tasks was to identify how the credit crunch and the 2009 Budget have impacted on the consumption habits of Telegraph readers. Head of Advertising Strategy and Insight Helen Gallacher confirmed that the results are extremely valuable in terms of adapting advertising to changing consumer behaviour.

'This is an innovative move away from the traditional newspaper research department,' stated Watkins. 'Rather than looking back and analyzing trends that are happening now, RISH will look to the future to identify patterns and trends in emerging markets and look to capitalise on new opportunities in increasingly innovative ways.'

TMG publishes The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph, Telegraph.co.uk and The Weekly Telegraph.

Web site: www.telegraph.co.uk .