Chris Barnyard at Liberal Conspiracy asks “Will you miss it?”
Perhaps the impending paywalls made the freesheet a difficult fit within the Murdoch empire. Or perhaps Rupert Murdoch has just given up on throwing money away.
Either way, it marks another recent media failure, especially after the bad investment that myspace turned out to be.
On twitter, most people were fairly ambivalent.
Richard Johnston of Bleeding Cool worries about the fate of Em Cartoon
Yesterday it was announced that News International are to close thelondonpaper in a month – although its losses had fallen from launch of 16 million pounds to just 9 million, it was still a loss to far and five million over budget. It is expected that Associate will close London Lite at some point, as its reason to exist has been taken away and will only be harming The Evening Standard.
But for me, and many others it seems, this could be the end of Em.
This will not do. Someone, somewhere must find it a home.
Mark Thompson who blogs at Mark Reckons notes
If this is true, I can’t say I am surprised and there are likely to be more MSM casualties as blogs and other online media continue to grow in usage and readers. Closures of papers like this are starting to look inevitable, not least after Murdoch’s recent shocking financial results.
There are rumours that the Independent is struggling and there were also reports that The Observer might have to fold in the near future.
I wonder which title will be next to fall.
Simon Day writing for the sfnblog writes;
The News Corp. subsidiary revealed it has begun a 30-day consultation period on the ongoing viability of the free daily, which has 60 staff from the company’s Free Newspaper branch.
News Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive for Europe and Asia James Murdoch said “the performance of the business in a difficult free evening newspaper sector has fallen short of expectations,” according to the Wall Street Journal, also owned by News Corp.
David Brown writes “Goodbye and goodnight to The London paper” on The Media Blog
I know from experience there are some seriously good journalists and decent people who are losing their jobs and who deserve far better than the hand that has been dealt them.
There was a definite place for a paper of its type to take on the negativity and Kensington-centric smugness regularly espoused by the Evening Standard. In terms of economics, the concept of opening up a way for advertisers to target the pockets of the all-important 20-35 commuter demographic also made sense.
Jancie (Miss Mad News) also notes
I am going to miss reading The London Paper in the evenings. It is a brilliant news source and should stay!
Another print publication bites the dust!
The City Unslickers chime in with this point of view;
I can’t believe any of the ‘journalists’ on the paper are over the age of 25. So in the end I hope this is a victory in the battle of rational sense. This is a terrible paper, London Lite, its competitor is equally as bad and I understand is in equally as much trouble not making any money.
Free sheets can be history and London will be better for it. I’ll let the Metro off in the morning as being slightly better in that it contains some news between ads.
Adam Bowie blogs that he won’t miss the paper;
Will I miss the London Paper?
No.
It was rubbish.
Dross.
On those few times I picked up a copy, I found that by the next tube stop I’d read everything that was worth reading in it. The news values were low-brow, and it made Metro look postively good. Page after page of “celebrity” coverage, along with dull columns and pointless space fillers.
What do you think?
August 21, 2009
Newspapers