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Report claims Daily Mail owner to bid for JPIMedia title

The owner of the Daily Mail is considering a bid for JPIMedia-owned title the i, it has been claimed.

The Daily Telegraph has reported DMGT is considering a pursuit of the national daily after the company sold its energy information arm Genscape for £300m.

HTFP reported last week on claims that up to eight different firms are in the running to take over parts of the regional publisher – including Newsquest, Archant and Mediahuis.

Reach plc has previously confirmed its interest, while there is also speculation former Local World chief executive David Montgomery is planning a bid.

i front

The Times said buyer focus “tends to be on the national titles”, although city titles including the Edinburgh Evening News and Sheffield daily The Star were “profitable performers” in the group.

DMGT and JPIMedia have declined to comment on the Telegraph’s claim.

JPIMedia was formed last November after its predecessor company Johnston Press went into administration with debts of £220m.

Prior to that, six offers were made for all or part of JP – including two bids for the i alone.

The offers for the i were worth £25m and £35m respectively, and one is believed to have been from Daily Mail owner DMGT.