B2B publisher Momentum Media has acquired the aviation media titles Australian Aviation and World of Aviation from Aviator Media.
Momentum said that the acquisition of aviation titles from Aviator Media fits well with its defence and space brands, and provides an opportunity for its business to expand internationally.
Momentum produces a range of print and digital brands produced for Australia’s financial and professional services, including the defence and space industries.
Established in 1977, Australian Aviation is a leading source of market intelligence on Australia’s aviation sector.
The brand includes a digital platform, which includes a website, the Australian Aviation podcast, substantive and influential social channels as well as the best-selling 40-year-old Australian Aviation magazine.
World of Aviation was created in 2018 to support the global aviation industry, which Momentum says is valued at $4.0 trillion (US$2.7 trillion) annually – or 3.6 per cent of global GDP. World of Aviation includes a web platform, social channels, podcast and print magazine.
In a release on its Defence Connect website, Phillip Tarrant, Director – Defence and Aerospace at Momentum Media, said the expansion into aviation is the “realisation of a strategic plan to build a suite of products across the aerospace and defence sectors”.
“We identified a number of years ago that the defence and aerospace sectors were under-supported in terms of daily market intelligence and business information compared to the other industries in which we operate, and saw an opportunity to enter these markets.
“The acquisition of these aviation assets puts us in a comprehensive position to deliver immense value to both the Australian and global aviation sectors as they enter a new decade that will be defined by speed and access to information to make more informed business decisions.”
Momentum acquired Defence Connect in late 2016 and subsequently launched Space Connect in November 2018.
The company said that both brands have seen rapid growth, with Defence Connect winning the Business Website of the Year at the 2018 Mumbrella Publish Awards.
“Our initial plan is to bed down these new assets and inject our energies and efforts to amplify their current operations, then seek to expand based on our experiences in the other markets in which we operate,” Tarrant said.
“The defence, space and aviation industries are enormous and of immense value to Australia as well as globally. We’re excited by the opportunity to support stakeholders right across the aviation sector and quickly cement our position as the trusted source of information, market intelligence and situational awareness.”
In transitioning the brands to Momentum, Director of Aviator Media Christian “Boo” Boucousis said there wasn’t a better custodian of Australian Aviation and World of Aviation.
“These brands are in their ascendency, driven by an aviation sector, both at home and abroad, in need of up-to-the-minute information and intelligence,” Boucousis said in a release on Momentum’s Defence Connect website.
“Momentum is a forward-leaning organisation; they understand the disruptive effect that digital can be in today’s world. Rather than fighting this disruption, Momentum has embraced it and I’m impressed with their deep understanding of community.
“This deal brings high-quality information to the industry, with a focus on enhancing situational awareness across multiple platforms. It also delivers a meeting place to celebrate the successes and the people that also have a passion for aviation and I’m excited to see where Momentum will take things considering their established events business.”
Boucousis will continue to support Australian Aviation and World of Aviation as an ambassador, co-host of the podcast and chief pilot.
“My passion for aviation is limitless; as a child I dreamed of flight and I’m very fortunate to have made aviation a lifelong career. After 15 years out of the cockpit, I’m looking forward to reconnecting ‘hands-on’ as a professional pilot,” Boucousis said.
“As an independent publisher, I don’t believe we had the resourcing to do these brands and the industry the justice it deserves. I have the utmost trust in Phillip and his team, and I’m excited to stay connected in a meaningful way with the brands on an ongoing basis.
“Under Momentum’s leadership, both Australian Aviation and World of Aviation will support the ongoing growth and development of the domestic and global aviation sectors. The organisation’s strategic approach to deliver timely news and detailed insights will secure its place as a valued asset to the industry as it enters an exciting new decade of growth and development,” Boucousis said.
