Trinity Mirror’s new cut-price tabloid, The New Day, will launch across the UK on Monday 29 February.
The first standalone national daily newspaper for 30 years, The New Day will run up to 40 pages per copy, Monday to Friday, covering news and topical content in a ‘politically neutral’ and ‘balanced’ way – “without telling the reader what to think”.
It will be available for free on its first day, before trialling at 25p for two weeks and 50p from then on.
Simon Fox, chief executive of Trinity Mirror, said that revitalising print is a “core part” of the business’ strategy – just one week after ESI Media announced the closure of the Independent’s print operations.
“Over a million people have stopped buying a newspaper in the past two years but we believe a large number of them can be tempted back with the right product,” Fox said.
“Revitalising print is a core part of our strategy in parallel with digital transformation and there doesn’t have to be a choice between the two – newspapers can live in the digital age if they have been designed to offer something different.”
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Alison Phillips, The Mirror’s current weekend editor, will also take on the role of editor of The New Day.
“There are many people who aren’t currently buying a newspaper, not because they have fallen out of love with newspapers as a format, but because what is currently available on the newsstand is not meeting their needs,” Phillips said.
“This paper has been created as a result of customer insight and is the first newspaper designed for people’s modern lifestyles.”
It is understood that The New Day will launch with an initial print run of 1m, although this is subject to change depending on consumer demand.
A source briefed by Trinity Mirror told the Guardian last week that The New Day will aim for a ‘Mail and Express-type audience’, adding that it is not looking to take the newly-sold i’s market, which will be in the hands of regional publisher Johnston Press from the end of March.
Media analyst Alex DeGroote said that while Trinity’s knowledge of the market is ‘intimate’, the move does not come without its risks.
“Trinity’s knowledge of the market is intimate, and the promo budget for The New Day will be significant. An ambitious print run of > 1m would not surprise us,” DeGroote said.
“At the same time, a successful new paper risks cannibalising the much more expensive Daily Mirror. A female editorial skew will position the new paper directly with the Daily Mail, which is the most fearsome competitor in Fleet St.”
