Daily Mail hits back at threat from Evening Mail

by Staff,, Brand Republic 13-Feb-03, 11:00

LONDON - The Daily Mail & General Trust has hit back at the threat posed by Express Newspapers, saying that it is ready for the challenge of the Evening Mail, Richard Desmond's rival to the London Evening Standard.

Following the company's annual general meeting yesterday, finance director Peter Williams sought to reassure investors that the company could maintain advertising revenues.

With the Evening Standard recording a circulation increase of 3.2% in January from 380,014 to 392,733 according to the ABC, the newspaper is in a stronger position, Williams said, as it prepares for the Evening Mail to launch.

"The Evening Standard has been performing well. It has had good January circulation figures and Veronica Wadley has been there for a year now, so we would expect to see the fruits of that hard work this year," Williams said.

He said that advertising had held up well at both Associated Newspapers and its regional newspaper operation Northcliffe during December and January.

Richard Desmond is looking at a March launch for the Evening Mail, a freesheet that will be published in London on weekday afternoons at around 4.30pm. While Desmond is hoping to replicated the success of DMGT's Metro morning freesheet, he does not have distribution in the London Underground -- a crucial factor in Metro's success.

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