Freesheet War Hots Up

Competition between the Capital’s freesheets, thelondonpaper and London Lite, took a nasty turn today, with Associated Newspapers calling News International “totally irresponsible” for increasing its print run of thelondonpaper by 100,000 copies.

The Evening Standard‘s owner has claimed that the extra copies are littering the capital, and has also launched a print ad campaign complaining about the excess rubbish.

The publisher’s ad features a copy of thelondonpaper being dropped to the floor of an Underground station platform with the writing ‘Mind The Freesheet’ and the strapline “London Never Drops Its Standards”.

Justifying its attack on thelondonpaper‘s increased print run, Associated claimed there had been no increase in demand for the thelondonpaper and that equating its product with the Evening Standard as akin to “comparing a junk snack with a gourmet meal.”

“thelondonpaper has been totally irresponsible in increasing its print run by 100,000 copies when it is clear that many of the existing free papers are being dumped on the streets,” the organisation said.

“Increasing distribution is meaningless, unless there is an increase in demand. The most likely outcome of this latest increase in free papers is an increase in litter.”

January saw thelondonpaper pull away from its rival, recording a circulation increase of more than 6% month on month. The London Lite‘s circulation remained relatively static month on month, leaving it with a total figure of more than 400,000 copies, whilst thelondonpaper’s circulation reached more than 435,000 copies, an additional 109,225 on the ABC figure it recorded in September (see thelondonpaper Pulls Away From London Lite).

In January it was also reported that the free afternoon newspapers could be banned from areas in central London if they do not contribute towards the cost of cleaning them from the streets.

The Westminster council said that the freesheets generate an extra three tonnes of waste every day in the area, a quarter of all waste collected in the West End (see Council Warns Freesheets Over Waste).

News International: 020 7782 3922 www.newscorp.co.uk

Associated Newspapers: www.associatednewspapers.com