Reach’s US expansion plans an ‘if rather than when’ situation

Reach’s plans to launch online US editions of The Daily Express and The Mirror are not yet set in stone.

The UK publisher is considering hiring dozens of staff to launch online US versions of The Mirror and The Express, according to The Guardian which reported that staff at the UK news titles have yet to be informed of the proposals.

However, The Media Leader understands the plans are being considered as an “if rather than when situation”, suggesting that any US expansion plan has not yet been signed off by executives led by CEO Jim Mullen.

Earlier this month, members of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) working for Reach voted to strike for four days over a dispute over pay rises, with the first strike taking place this week and a hardship fund being set up for those journalists taking part in the industrial action.

In Reach’s latest financial results, it reported “a sector-wide slowdown” in adspend and digital revenue increasing by 5.4% over the first half of this year.

Alongside these national titles, Reach is the UK’s largest regional publisher with publications including Manchester Evening News, Liverpool Echo and several Live titles.