News International rejects DMGT’s truce offer

News International is understood to have turned down Daily Mail & General Trust’s attempts to call a truce in the London freesheet newspaper war.

DMGT executives spoke to News International to try to end the battle that has been raging between the two firms since they launched the titles in 2006 (see NewsLine), according to a report on MediaGuardian.co.uk.

Associated Newspapers, a DMGT subsidiary that also publishes the Metro freesheet, launched the London Lite two years ago to try and protect the London Evening Standard against the London Paper.

DMGT is now understood to be reconsidering its options for the struggling Evening Standard title, such as dramatically slashing its cover price, following its failed attempts to strike a deal with News International.

The loss-making title significantly contributes towards covering the printing costs of the Associated titles, which include the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday, so if it were to close, DMGT would have to cover all its printing costs.

According to the latest ABC results, the Evening Standard increased its circulation by 3% month on month, taking its total circulation figure to just under 307,000 copies.(see Evening Standard’s circulation up in October)

The Daily Mail & General Trust: 020 7938 6747 www.dmgt.co.uk News International: 020 7782 3922 www.newscorp.co.uk