Independent News & Media has strengthened the board of its British subsidiary with the appointment of two leading British politicians as directors and has also entered into an agreement with Vodafone AirTouch to provide news and other information to its mobile phone customers.
Former British Chancellor of the Exchequer Mr Kenneth Clarke and former Liberal Democrat leader Mr Paddy Ashdown will become directors of Independent News & Media (UK). Mr Clarke will also join the group's advisory board.
Both appointments are effective immediately. "Their joining coincides with a period of exciting developments in our UK activities, including the tie-up with Vodafone, the increasing circulation of key Independent titles and the expansion into larger office premises," group chairman Dr A.J.F. O'Reilly said.
Under the agreement with Vodafone, Independent will provide information including news, sports information, weather and live share information to Vodafone customers.
Vodafone Value Added Services Limited, a Vodafone subsidiary, will provide short message service (SMS) delivery and billing facilities, a rapidly growing area. In the last year, the number of such messages delivered by Vodafone in Britain alone has risen to more than 50 million per month.
"By creating partnerships such as this, we will be able to develop personal wireless and multimedia applications which we can deliver to mobile customers around the world," Vodafone's chief executive Mr Chris Gent said.
Initially, Independent will concentrate on introducing SMS and voice-based products and services in Britain and South Africa. But it will also explore the potential to introduce the services in Australia and New Zealand where both companies also have operations.
