Newsweek Pakistan expected to launch in September

The licensing agreement with AG Publications Limited, a privately owned media company in Lahore, "builds on Newsweek's strategy to develop publishing alliances in important markets and follows the launch of Newsweek editions in Russia, Poland and most recently Turkey," Rhona Murphy, publisher and managing director of Newsweek International, stated in a press release posted by Asia Media Journal. She added that the "Newsweek Asia regional edition has been available in Pakistan for a long time, but this agreement gives us the opportunity to build on our base of followers by providing more Pakistan-specific subject matter."

Murphy told the FT that she expects the new edition to be successful, which will likely cause competitors "to look at this market more closely ... Pakistan is not a market where we have ever spent much energy developing. Clearly, there is an opportunity here."

Compared to regulations in India, there are a few less regulatory restrictions on western media in Pakistan, thereby giving western media untapped opportunities to explore the growing market. The recent adoption of more liberal editorial policies by many mainstream newspapers, emergence of privately owned television broadcasters and increasing access to quality content in print and TV have contributed to a media boom in Pakistan, according to the FT.

With an aim to offer fresh perspective to the Pakistani audience, the weekly magazine will have its own staff of editors and reporters covering significant developments in Pakistan and the world, the press release stated.