London’s freesheet war hots up
media.guardian reports on the contract battle to deliver a new London freesheet.
The opening salvos in London’s newspaper war will be fired in the next fortnight when the distribution contract for a new afternoon freesheet in mainline train stations will be announced.
When Network Rail, which runs 10 major train stations in London, reveals the winning tender for its distribution contract by mid-July, it could spark a battle between Associated Newspapers’ London Evening Standard and another publisher’s freesheet challenger.
If advertising rates are slashed as the Standard competes with its rival and media agencies seek to take advantage, then national newspapers could also be affected.
Network Rail originally planned to announce the winner at the start of July but its tender and internet auction process is not finished. “Some participants asked for a longer timeframe,” a Network Rail spokesman said.
The first stage of the tender is about to end. A shortlist of companies will then take part in an internet auction over the first week of July.
Potential bidders for the Network Rail contract include News International, which is rumoured to be planning to launch a free London paper with or without winning the contract.
Other contenders include Associated Newspapers, which may wish to protect the Evening Standard; Metro International, which pioneered the freesheet concept and wants to break into the British market; and Northern & Shell Group, whose proprietor Richard Desmond first challenged Associated Newspaper’s monopoly of London tube and rail distribution more than two-and-a-half years ago.
Full story here: http://media.guardian.co.uk/presspublishing/story/0,,1809176,00.html
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