Six of Greater Manchester’s free newspapers are to close, including the Stockport Times, and be replaced with the Manchester Weekly news, a free newspaper said to be the biggest free weekly in the UK, and delivered to 265,000 homes across the region.
The paid for Stockport Express is not affected by the changes and will continue to be published every Wednesday.
Left: Manchester Weekly news – dummy page
Trinity Mirror, owners of the Manchester Evening News, say although it will mean the loss of nine jobs across the existing free titles the Stockport Times, Wilmslow Express and the Advertiser series in Tameside, Salford, Oldham and Trafford, all of which will close, nine new digital positions will be created.
The new paper to be launched April will have 3 area editions – Salford, South Manchester and Tameside – with the option to assign classified adverting to smaller geographical areas, such as Stockport East and Stockport West.
Editor in chief Rob Irvine said:
“The new Manchester Weekly News will be a great addition to our portfolio, offering an excellent service of local news and opinion and supporting and promoting the Manchester Evening News and our website.
“Roughly half of the content of the new paper will be tailored to the three main areas so that local communities continue to be well served. It will also give people a rounded picture of what is happening around the region.”
As well as local and community news, the Weekly News will include highlights of what’s on in Manchester, fashion, shopping and lifestyle features plus a round-up of the latest news and opinion for fans of Manchester United and Manchester City.
Managing Director Paul O’Halloran added:
“The Manchester Weekly News will provide us with circa 400,000 readers with the high ABC1 profile audience our clients want to reach.”