Mirror unveils new 3am site

The Daily Mirror has launched its new standalone celebrity gossip website based on its 3am column, 3am.co.uk.

Previously only available on Mirror.co.uk, the new site hopes to revolutionise online celebrity reporting in the same way that the original print gossip column did, according to the red-top paper.

The Mirror‘s editor, Richard Wallace, said: “In 2000, 3am made everything that had gone before it in newspapers look tired and boring. Here was a fresh new attitude in reporting showbiz and the genre has never been the same since.

“Now we’ve done it again – this time online. 3am.co.uk is innovative, clever, funny and brilliantly designed. We believe it will grow to become a must bookmark for highly engaged audiences wanting the very best in celebrity news and comment. And we believe the commercial opportunities in having such an audience are very exciting.”

The publisher designed the new celebrity-focused site to be heavily interactive, allowing users to vote on celebrities status’ and outfits as well as comment on the new X Factor series.

It also features breaking news updates via “bleats” and a photo gallery summarising the main news stories for readers in a rush.

The site’s editor Isabel Mohan, former heatworld.com editor, said: “Yes, 3am.co.uk will be breaking stories, pumping out gossip and keeping users updated on scandal, but it’s the voice of the site that will keep them coming back time and time again.”

Advertisers on the site currently include Tesco, TravelSphere, Pizza Hut and 188Bet.

According to the latest ABCe figures, for June 2009, Mirror Group reported an increase of 700,000 users, making it the sixth most popular national newspaper website (see NewsLine).