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New name for Midlands daily as it goes part-free

One of Britain’s smallest daily papers has decided to adopt a part-free, part paid-for publishing strategy in an ambitious bid to win back property advertising.

The Heartland Evening News, which arose from the ashes of the defunct Nuneaton Evening Tribune in 1992, is also changing its name to the Nuneaton News.

The move is part of an innovative scheme whereby the paper will be a paid for on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and distributed free to more than 45,000 homes on Wednesdays.

Wednesday’s paper will also carry a weekly property supplement.

Publishing director of Staffordshire Newspapers Richard Carey said: “As far as I am aware this is a unique venture and we see it is part of our ongoing service to our customers.

“Readers get all the hard hitting daily news, popular features and sport and advertisers benefit from a paid-free package that hits every home in the area.”

The Heartland Evening News began life as an independent newspaper founded by former Evening Tribune journalists, but was purchased by Iliffe News and Media in 2006.

As well the Nuneaton area, it circulates in North Warwickshire, Bedworth and Hinckley.

Comments

Anon (27/01/2009 12:59:34)
Nothing new here, Reading post adopted this strategy 2 years ago….

anon (27/01/2009 13:07:51)
“hard hitting daily news, popular features”? Has this chap read the paper in question?

Winchester (27/01/2009 14:24:44)
You always assume these throwaway statements the suits make should be taken with a pinch (bucketload?)of salt, but describing the HEN’s news content as “hard hitting” provides me with all the proof I need that they don’t have a clue what they are on about.

anon (28/01/2009 10:33:52)
The Reading Post in fact, did this in 2005 – it still publishes daily Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and goes out to nearly 85,000 homes on a Wednesday

Lifer (28/01/2009 11:06:11)
Coming up to its first year anniversary is Stroud Life – a weekly – who used this strategy to great effect in Gloucestershire to secure local market leading shares in Property, Recruitment, Retail and Motors advertising – now going from strength to strength and one of the only profitable local papers in the country! Part free is the future….!