UMS publications now available as e-magazines

Marking another first in the Sultanate’s publishing industry, United Media Services (UMS) has graduated all its magazines onto to the digital platform. Oman Economic Review, Alam Aliktisaad Wala’mal, Al Mar’a English and Arabic, Signature, Oil and Gas Review, Dossier, Ruwad -- Oman’s leading publications are now available as e-magazines at www.oeronline.com. The move will give these magazines a widespread readership. Sandeep Sehgal, Chief Executive, UMS says, “We realise that digital is the way forward and our e-magazines are an effort to give customers and readers a new age solution.” These e-magazines will gives readers multiple benefits such as easy browsing, handling convenience, pages not getting stale and probably the worst, not getting misplaced. It provides ease and comfort to the end users who can utilise the magazines more effectively. The e-version acts as a digital replica of a magazine containing information about it, with images and features increasing value for the reader. Says Alpana Roy, executive vice president, UMS, “The initiative is based on the feedback that we received from our valued partners and stakeholders. Our e-magazines will give advertisers a much larger reach and penetration ensuring that they get the maximum bang for every rial spent on our titles.” The move has been welcomed by corporate captains. Says P Chandrasekhr, group general manager, Jawad Sultan Group of Companies, “The UMS group has done something stellar. I will not be wrong to say that Oman’s splendour and its value proposition will only get enhanced in the eyes of the international investors when you go digital. Personally, I am happy that I will get to read OER as and when I want to.”

Way to go
The February issue of OER did a great job of giving an in-depth presentation of the 2010 budget. The government on its part is doing a tremendous job of keeping the wheels of the economy moving with its infrastructure and social spending. H E Ahmed bin Abdulnabi Macki, minister for national economy deserves kudos for his exemplary efforts at keeping the wheels of the economy moving in a difficult period.

Naresh Kumar, Ruwi

Franchise model
The franchising article in OER’s February issue made for interesting reading. Franchising gives businessmen a chance to learn from the past experience of others. It also helps as one does not need to reinvent the wheel completely. The fact that established brands like KFC, McDonald’s, Subway etc already have a lot of brand pull, helps a business take off in its initial stages. If one is careful about certain loopholes, then one can really make good of a franchising opportunity.

Mohammed al Balushi, Seeb

Still going strong
Oman Arab Bank has set new standards of excellence over the last 25 years. The bank has been one of the pioneers in project finance in the Sultanate, almost every big project in Muscat, Sohar and Salalah has been financed by OAB. The conservative ethos of the bank has helped it to withstand the economic downturn confidently. Its efforts to grow its retail portfolio in conjunction with its project lending has limited its exposure to consumer loans.

D Premkumar on e-mail
 

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