Proposed paper plans evening publication

INVESTORS hope a new national evening paper will be on the streets by midsummer. The paper plans to publish Monday to Friday and will concentrate on major towns and cities, according to industry sources. It is also understood that the proposed paper will be printed in the midlands.

Advertising industry executives reacted with surprise to the announcement that a new evening paper was being planned and questioned whether such a paper could make an impact on the market, which they say is contracting.

The proposal to publish a new evening paper was announced in the weekly Dublin newspaper, the Leader. It ceased publication yesterday and said in a front page editorial lit was being published for the last time "to allow its staff prepare for the launch of the new paper".

The editor will be Mr Dick O'Riordan, the former editor of the Evening Press.

The identity of investors was unclear last night. Sources said that among those involved was Mr Declan Campion, a businessman with experience in the printing industry. Mr Campion, who could not be contacted last night, was associated with various attempts to put a consortium together to rescue the Irish Press group of newspapers.

Industry sources told The Irish Times that the Midland Tribune, which published the Leader, would publish the new paper.

The Midland Tribune is based in Birr, Co Offaly and it is understood that the new paper would have very early deadlines - around 10.30 a.m. each day. Sources close to the venture said the new paper would not compete head on with the Evening Herald, but would take a more investigative, features type approach.

However, it appears that there is still a substantial amount of work to be done to get the paper on to the news stands.

The paper, which Mr O'Riordan said on Wednesday night "would have broad, general appeal" does not have a title yet. Nor do those involved have sufficient staff or premises from which to operate.

Advertising analysts expressed surprise at the announcement. Mr Kieran Shanley, media director of Wilson Hartnell Advertising, said he would have thought a Sunday or a morning newspaper would be more appropriate.

He said the evening market was a contracting one and the Evening Herald had taken much of the Evening Press readership upon its demise. The Evening Press was selling only around 50,000 copies a day when the Irish Press Newspapers ceased operating.

He said such a venture would need "very deep pockets" to sustain it, while trying to build its readership.

Mr John Dick, director of CP+A Ltd, an agency which places a considerable number of entertainment advertisements which are an integral part of evening newspapers, said he not been contacted about the possibility of placing advertisements with the proposed new newspaper.