Immediate Media to make its first move into television by buying TV shopping channel Jewellery Maker

ImmediateImmediate Media has acquired the channel – which broadcasts 24 hours a day on Sky, Virgin, Freesat and Freeview to devotees of jewellery making – to expand its reach into the lucrative £3bn market for craft-loving British consumers.

The channel, which employs over 100 people, also includes a web-based operation of live streams, video tutorials and workshops.

Immediate Media controls about a 40% share of the magazine craft market with 16 titles including Simply Knitting, Simply Sewing and Mollie Makes.

However chief executive Tom Bureau says that the market for magazines is worth about £50m, a fraction of what the company could be making by tapping into the £3bn craft fans spend on their hobbies and loves.