‘Stop Worrying About Midmarket Rivals’ Hytner Advises New Express Owner

Channel 5’s marketing and communications director Jim Hytner gave advice to the new owner of the Express newspaper, Richard Desmond, as its war with the Daily Mail came to a head this week. At MediaTel’s Media Question Time event last night, Hytner said the paper should stop worrying about its midmarket rival, the content of which is out of touch with life in the 21st century anyway.

“The Daily Mail is a rag which no self-respecting fish would want to be wrapped in,” he said. “My advice to Richard Desmond is to focus on the whole national newspaper market and develop a secure position.”

He was responding to a question from the floor from John Ferguson of the Billett Consultancy who asked how the title can keep up, with sales having fallen below the one million mark since its new owner took over last November.

Emily Bell, assistant editor of the Guardian, said there was no need for panic yet, Express circulations having been in decline for a while, but added: “I would be looking for a rich partner if I was him.”

Bell congratulated Desmond for his intention to incorporate his successful celebrity title OK! into the Express, as did Marie Oldham, managing partner of the Media Planning Group. “I believe there will be a short term success for the paper. He has spotted the public’s current love affair with celebrities which will allow him success for a while,” reckoned Oldham.

But John Billett was less sure about linking the Express and OK!, as analysis shows there is only 6% duplication between these titles. “If I was him I would sell it to Rothermere tomorrow … The world is full of people ready to part with their money and a fool and his money are very quickly parted. Why doesn’t he stay in the porno area where he is the king and enjoy himself,” he suggested.