New era as Nikkei ownership of Financial Times begins

Nikkei and the Financial Times today begin their new partnership, following Nikkei’s purchase of the London-based, global news organisation, which has been owned by Pearson since 1957. The FT becomes the newest member of Nikkei Group and together the two business media brands span all corners of the world with reach and news, comment and analysis.With the combined strengths of this partnership, Nikkei and the FT will deliver more value to their audiences, providing vital information across a range of channels, formats and international borders.“It is our great honour to welcome the FT to the Nikkei family,” said Tsuneo Kita, chairman and group CEO of Nikkei. “Nikkei and the FT share the same mission: to provide trustworthy, independent and insightful journalism. The FT’s trusted brand and innovative use of digital technology will be invaluable to Nikkei Group as it implements its strategy for global growth. I am fully convinced that this partnership puts us on the right trajectory to be the world’s premier business media.”FT chief executive John Ridding added it was the start of an exciting new chapter for the FT. "We come together with Nikkei in a position of strength, with more than 70 bureaux, 2,000 journalists and a shared belief in the value and importance of quality journalism. The FT has strong momentum, with the highest paid-for circulation in its 127-year history and a successful and dynamic business model. We believe the partnership with Nikkei will further drive our global expansion.”Nikkei and the FT will join forces in a range of areas, including marketing, distribution, video, advertising, special reports, events, product and technology. The FT will spearhead the Nikkei Group’s quality English language expansion, while Nikkei will leverage the experience and expertise of the FT for the international growth of its media properties.Both Nikkei and the FT have provided premium news, comment and analysis to a growing professional and international audience for more than a century. Nikkei’s readership includes a circulation of 2.7 million daily print copies and 430,000 digital subscriptions, while the FT attracts a record-high circulation of more than 750,000 including 550,000 digital subscriptions.