Free papers arriving in Ireland

Ireland's first free newspaper just launched. 50,000 copies of Metro have been distributed in Dublin, reports MediaWeek. The paper has 40 pages and appears Monday to Friday in full colour. The Dublin version of Metro is a joint venture between Associated Newspapers, who publishes Metro in the UK, Metro International and the Irish Times, who prints the newspaper. Lee Thompson, managing director of Metro in Ireland, said "This represents a new era for newspapers in this market. Metro-style newspapers are the fastest growing newspapers in the world and the Dublin edition of Metro is the latest installment in what has become a global publishing phenomenon."

The launch comes after weeks of battle in the Irish High Court against Independent News and Media (INM), who wanted to use the word "Metro" in its own free paper (Herald Metro). The court prevented INM from doing that. INM has launched its free paper as well, it was finally called Herald AM. The paper comes as rival to Metro, reports Finfacts.

The fact that publishers of national paid newspapers are partnering with publishers of free papers as well as launching their own free product demonstrates the growing popularity of free papers among consumers and the growing importance of free papers for publishers' business models.

Sources: MediaWeek, Finfacts