Regional Press Groups Launch Classified Ad Network

Six of Britain’s largest regional newspaper groups have joined together to launch a classified advertising network on the internet. Under the umbrella brand Fish4, three online services will provide sites dedicated to selling and buying vehicles and homes and finding jobs.

The sites – fish4cars, fish4homes and fish4jobs – are the joint venture of Newsquest, Northcliffe, Trinity Mirror, Regional Independent Media, Bristol United Press, and the Guardian Media Group Regional Newspapers. The sites will also contain links to and provide services for, a further nine newspaper groups.

Four of the major players in the project are already online working partners under the “This is…” network (see Associated New Media In Joint Venture To Launch National Website). These local sites will be united by the “This is Britain” portal by the end of this month. This latest venture will bring together 80% of the regional newspaper network in an attempt to prevent the inevitable decrease in classified ad sales as the internet begins to dominate the territory.

Jonathan Turpin, chief executive of This is Britain, said: “Our aim is to make the Fish4 sites the leading interactive services in the areas of motoring, homes and jobs. The Fish4 shareholders will be investing more than £30 million in funding and £30 million in regional press marketing in the Fish4 joint venture over the next three years.”

Northcliffe Newspapers: 0171 400 1100