Newspaper to go free after 180 years (Circulation will double, ad costs to go up)

[The Straight Story]

Newspaper to go free after 180 years

LONDON, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- More than 180 years as a paid-for newspaper will end as the London Evening Standard positions itself as a free newspaper, its new Russian owner said.

Alexander Lebedev, who purchased 75.1 percent of the Evening Standard in January, said, "the London Evening Standard is the first leading quality newspaper to go free and I am sure others will follow."

The move will subtract about $10 million in annual revenues from the newspaper, but also subtract millions in circulation and distribution costs, the Guardian reported Friday.

The newspaper plans to increase circulation from 250,000 to 600,000, which puts the newspaper's advertising structure in a new category.

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2009/10/02/Newspaper-to-go-free-after-180-years/UPI-10451254487052/

[KatyMan]

1. This is in response

to several free London papers that get handed out outside of tube and train stations. They're nothing more than 1 or 2 paragraph stories on the news and sports; if you have a train/tube ride longer than 5 to 10 minutes, they're pretty useless. Of course, the Evening Standard isn't a whole lot more than that, but it does have an afternoon edition that's relatively up to date newswise, but doesn't go into a ton of detail. Lots of vendors in the stations selling it (for 50p, IIRC), but I think they've lost a lot of those sales thanks to the free London papers. And those that hand out the free papers are annoying as shit, they get mad if you don't take one!
We're a year removed now from living in the UK, so my observation may be dated...!

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. One of those closed down a couple of weeks ago, and another might close

The move is the latest twist in London's newspaper battle and reflects the financial pressures on the newspaper industry. The London Paper, a London freesheet owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, has closed, and today the owners of the London Lite said that all options for it are being considered.

“It is early days since the closure of the London Paper, and the launch of this new initiative from the Evening Standard, so we will continue to assess the situation regarding London Lite,” said Steve Auckland, the managing director of London Lite.

Sources said that all options are being cpnsidered for the London Lite, including whether to close the title or merge it with the Evening Standard, of which DMGT still owns a 24.9pc stake following the sale of the majority stake to Mr Lebedev.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/6254541/Evening-Standard-makes-surprise-move-to-become-a-free-paper-threatening-London-Lite.html