SFN Blog: Independent News & Media trials paid content on Irish regionals

Last week Independent News & Media (INM) introduced a new freemium model to 13 of its regional newspaper websites in Ireland.

Much content on the sites will remain free, but charges will be introduced for iPhone apps, digital editions and online subscriptions, where there will be a choice between micropayments per article, bundles and time-based subscriptions.

Full story at this link…

Introduction to the new premium content sections at this link, via The Kerryman’s website, and a letter about the changes from group editor Declan Malone here.

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FT.com: INM agrees financial restructuring

Independent News & Media has at last agreed a financial restructuring with its bondholders ‘after months of negotiations that will see the lenders take control of the publisher’, reports the Financial Times. INM’s banks have yet formally to agree to the restructuring plan, however. Full story at this link…

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Independent in High Court to challenge closed court cases

The Independent reports how its group, Independent News & Media (INM), supported by other media organisations, is currently challenging private hearings for certain cases.

“The cases involve vulnerable people incapable of managing their own affairs, including brain-damaged soldiers, people with Alzheimer’s disease and others lacking mental capacity.

“In a test case before the High Court in London, this newspaper argued that such matters should not be decided in secret by the newly created Court of Public Protection.”

This latest challenge follows the opening up of the family courts earlier this year.

The case will continue at the High Court today.

Independent story at this link…

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INM signs £40m print deal in Northern Ireland

Amid all the ominous news surrounding Independent News&Media a more positive story for the company has surfaced:

A £40m print deal will make Northern Ireland one of the biggest producers of daily newspapers in Europe, after INM signed contracts with the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mirror.

INM will now be printing all Mirror titles and the Telegraph titles, as well as the Sun, News of the World, the Daily Express and Sunday Express, the Daily Star and the London Independent.

The Belfast Telegraph reports:

“The first deal sees all sections of the Daily Telegraph printed in the company’s high-tech plant at Newry for the next 15 years. The second deal brings the Daily Mirror to the Belfast Telegraph print plant for a seven-year term.

“The deals represent two of the longest print agreements signed in the region and have been made possible by an IN&M investment strategy which has seen more than £50m spent on new presses in both centres.”

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MediaGuardian: Independent News & Media falls into the red

The newspaper group fell into the red in the first six months of 2009 – a result of a massive drop in advertising revenues, reports MediaGuardian.

The group has reported a pre-tax loss of €48.5 million (approximately £42.7 million) for the six months to the end of June – compare this with last year’s profit of €96.8 million (£85.2 million) – and cited the costs of reducing staff, writing down the value of its newspaper titles and other ‘exceptional items’.

Advertising revenues for the group fell by 25.8 per cent from the last report to €608.8 million (£535.6 million).

Full story and figures at this link…

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MediaGuardian: Sir Anthony O’Reilly leaves Independent News&Media

“Sir Anthony O’Reilly, the chief executive of the Independent’s owner Independent News & Media, has announced he will retire in May, with his son Gavin O’Reilly replacing him with immediate effect,” reports MediaGuardian.

Full story at this link…

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Online revenues up for Independent and Johnston Press, but print ads fall

At the same time as reports of significant decline in UK and US print advertising, online advertising revenue is up for the Independent News Media Group (INM) and Johnston Press.

Johnston Press, the publisher of the Scotsman and over 300 regional newspapers and websites, announced that digital revenues had grown by 52.1 per cent to an unstated figure, in its interim results for the 26 weeks ending June 30.

The publisher reports that it will ‘continue to experience significant growth in overall audience reach – combining our newspaper readership with the rapidly increasing number of people visiting our websites.’

Meanwhile, INM, which – among other titles – publishes the Independent, the Belfast Telegraph and the Independent on Sunday, saw online revenue from advertising grow by 23.3 per cent to €15.9 million in the six months prior to June 30, it reported in its half-year results.

INM’s online revenue (including its stakes in other online ventures) rose buy 57.1 per cent to €30 million over the same period ‘reflecting good organic growth and a continuation of its multimedia investment strategy across all regions,’ the report said.

Online classified and display advertising now represents around 4 per cent of publishing advertising for the group. This increase was helped by ‘strategic’ investments in services such as price comparison, online gaming, image search, and mobile.

Nonetheless, online was included in INM’s overall group costs, which increased by 1.4 per cent. The publisher also recorded ‘certain online and education start-up development costs’ of €6 million and €19 million.

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