WOS Joins Festival Media Network for Edinburgh Fringe
As we prepare to launch our full countdown coverage to the 65th annual Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s largest arts festival, Whatsonstage.com is pleased to announce today that we have joined the Festival Media Network (FMN), a trade group for publications that cover theatre festivals, with specific focus on the Edinburgh Fringe.
FMN was founded in 2009 with the intention of representing the interests of media to the festival community and providing a united front through which the community can talk to all the key independent publications as one. The organisation encourages collaboration between members and promotes journalistic best practice in covering arts festivals. The network also enables members to automatically cross-link review coverage between sites, runs its own press accreditation scheme and has recently introduced an online advertising booking system to allow advertisers to buy banners in a one-stop-shop.
“As a member of the Festival Media Network, we are now part of a community dedicated to improving coverage of the largest arts festival in the world,” explained Whatsonstage.com managing and editorial director Terri Paddock. “Our influence in the UK’s theatre scene puts us in a unique position to promote the Fringe to avid theatregoers in London and across the country, including those who may not be able to make it up to Scotland at festival time. We are delighted to be collaborating with other members of FMN to improve coverage for all our readers.”
In addition to our year-round regional microsite for Scotland, Whatsonstage.com has been dramatically increased its coverage of the Edinburgh Festival over the past five years. In 2011, we will have over 30 reviewers, including chief critic Michael Coveney, covering the festival’s key theatre openings. For a third year, we will also act as the sole media partner of the Musical Theatre Matters (MTM) Awards, the Fringe’s only prize specifically dedicated to musical theatre.
“The Festival Media Network is excited by the inclusion of Whatsonstage.com in our membership,” said ThreeWeeks editor and FMN Chair, Chris Cooke. “Terri and her team bring enormous experience and enthusiasm to our organisation, and we very much look forward to a successful collaboration.”
The 2011 Edinburgh Fringe runs from 5 to 29 August 2011. Visit our dedicated microsite at www.whatsonstage.com/edinburgh for full listings of all 2,500+ shows and all the festival latest.
