British Cosmo editor sees Red

Here's a concept, or a phrase describing a concept, that I'd not heard before: "middle youth". It's apparently less than middle age, but older than teen and twenties. That's the descriptor for the target audience of the British magazine Red, published by Hachette Filipacchi. The media conglomerate is crowing about its major coup in scooping the editor of Comsopolitan to come and take Red to greater heights. The story was reported in the Guardian.

Sam Baker, who has been British Cosmo's editor for two years was in on the development of Red but left before it launched almost 10 years ago. Before joining Cosmo in 2004, Baker spent five years heading up Company magazine and before that oversaw the relaunch of teenage title Just Seventeen as J-17. She recently wrote her first novel, Fashion Victim. She has apparently seen more personal potential in Red than Cosmo, which this year is celebrating its 35th anniversary.

"In fact, I remember sitting at my kitchen table working on ideas for the original dummy[of Red]. I'm incredibly pleased to be leading a magazine that has so clearly defined a new market, and am looking forward to building on its already-strong position in the run up to Red's 10th anniversary," she said.

Red recorded a circulation of 219,689 in the most recent ABC figures - its best ever sale and 10th consecutive year-on-year increase, the Guardian said.