i newspaper launches in Northern Ireland

Monday (9 May) marks the official launch of the i newspaper into Northern Ireland. The first copies of the title will be distributed to over 1,300 retailers in the region and will be printed at new owner Johnston Press’ own printing press in Carn.

To mark the launch, the i will be free of charge in Northern Ireland from launch date until Friday 13 May. There will also be on the street distribution in key local areas such as universities, railway stations and bus stations.

The launch is the first regional expansion for the daily newspaper, following Johnston Press’ announcement of its acquisition in February. The first standalone issue under its ownership was published in England on Monday 11 April and, since then, the new inews.co.uk has also gone live.

“As a team, we are incredibly excited about the expansion into Northern Ireland,” said Oliver Duff, editor at i. “It is another exciting step in the i journey for us, and we look forward to seeing how it continues to develop.”

Ashley Highfield, CEO of Johnston Press, added: “With ongoing change in the newspaper industry, i is a great example of a title that knows its audience and fulfills a genuine desire – and this has been the key to its success since its launch in 2010.

“Acquiring the newspaper is already proving an effective move for Johnston Press, and we are delighted to finally be expanding into Northern Ireland.”