AddThis SmartLayers

Trinity axes glossy as circulation battle looms

Regional publisher Trinity Mirror has confirmed it is closing a glossy magazine in the West Midlands as it gears up for a newspaper circulation war in the region.

Newspaper entreprenuer Chris Bullivant is planning to launch a new weekly title called the Birmingham Press in opposition to Trinity’s established titles in the city.

Trinity has now suspended publication of its monthly title Living to free up resources to fight-off the invader.

Staff from the magazine will be redeployed on either a beefed-up version of Trinity’s existing free newspaper, Mail Extra, or possibly even another new title.

John Griffith, managing director of Trinity subsidiary BPM Media, said: “We have suspended publication of Living to redeploy resources elsewhere in the business.”

In an interview with TheBusinessDesk.com – run by former Birmingham Post editor Marc Reeves – Mr Griffith made clear the closure was linked to the Bullivant initiative.

He said: “We want to be ready to make the right tactical response and we’re certainly not dismissing Chris Bullivant’s new venture.

“He’s a very experienced newspaper man who has been doing this for more than 30 years. We welcome competition – it’s good to look at the things you’ve been doing and ask if they can be done better when a competitor comes along.”

The Birmingham Press, which is to be edited by the former boss of Trinity’s Midlands weeklies Tony Lennox, could be launched as early as next week.

Mr Bullivant is understood to have recruited at least six full-time advertising staff to work on the title which will be part paid-for, part-free.

He is aiming for a core sale of around 5,000 with 25,000 copies being distributed in upmarket Birmingham suburbs.

Mr Lennox told HTFP last month that the Post’s move towards a niche business readership has left a gap in the market for a more broadly-based title.

Comments

Reynard (13/04/2010 11:12:58)
My money is on Bullivant – if he has deep enough pockets to pay the printers for a six months he will take a big chunk of the property advertising market worth having. Either way the BPM business looks tanked, has anybody seen any sales figures for the Post since it went weekly ? Most of the copies seem to be free at Brum airport. It’s also a product that just does’nt know what it is – no editor ! I bet the 2007 MBO boys are pleased its not them facing Mr B – or maybe he was in with them all along!

FAST WOMAN (13/04/2010 15:04:13)
Press Release from Trinity Mirror HQ, 2008:
‘Tony Lennox, Editorial Director of Midlands Weekly Media, is taking on the new role of Business Development Editor. As well as continuing to oversee the development of our weekly titles, Tony will be exploring new publishing opportunities in the Midlands.’
And so he did, after leaving.

Seefax (13/04/2010 15:40:54)
Why on earth are the Birmingham Post running scared from a serial failure like Bullivant? Hardly suggests confidence – or even a spine – in the boardroom.
And going into battle by removing one of the Post’s better features is bizarre.

Reynard (13/04/2010 16:46:58)
Serial Failure ? Show us your Bentley then !

Tom (14/04/2010 09:16:34)
@reynard – paid sales up 50 per cent since the relaunch, average sale now 14,685 compared to 12,000 as a daily. Starting from a low point I admit but looking good so far. And we certainly do have an editor..!

Devil’s advocate in disguise (15/04/2010 12:46:20)
Erm, Tom. Do your maths kidda, that’s 12,000×6 compared to 14,500×1. Hardly represents a success.