Manchester Evening News sale not the end of the world
The news that the Manchester Evening News may be sold to Trinity Mirror, along with Guardian Media Group’s other regional assets, may be no bad thing.
Many have romanticised notions of the Scott Trust, which owns the Guardian Media Group. The trust is often mistakenly described as a charity, but it is actually dedicated to preserving the Guardian as a profit-seeking enterprise.
Sadly, the Guardian is losing money at an alarming rate which puts a near unbearable strain on the regional titles which exist solely to keep it afloat. Four years ago Manchester lost City Life to part pay for the Guardian’s adoption of the Berliner format.
If Trinity Mirror were to purchase the regional titles there is little doubt that jobs would be lost, primarily from management. But there is little doubt that Guardian Media Group will also continue to do all it can to take cost out the Manchester Evening News and its siblings.
The Guardian fell out of love with Manchester some considerable time ago. Its regional media management team is far from popular and would be missed by few. New ownership may well reinvigorate the titles.
Comments (2 comments)
sadly, if Trinity Mirror do buy it, I think it will be a case of ‘more of the same’ as standards across its regionals are woefully below-par too. I think it’s well proven that groups like these use the local press as little more than revenue playthings – and, when they’re no longer viable, or when they’ve tested out new technologies, they’re the ones that have to fall on their sword as all hands go to the mothership.
david / December 17th, 2009, 3:30 pm / #
How long, I wonder, before the title becomes the Manchester Weekly News? As someone who started out in local newspapers I am saddened by their demise.
Steve McComish / December 20th, 2009, 10:43 pm / #
Post a comment