Manchester Metro News circulation cut to 100,000

by Olivia Solon, Media Week 12-Mar-07, 14:00

MEN Media is to reduce the distribution of the country's largest free weekly, Manchester Metro News, by around two-thirds.

The paper has an average of 297,589 copies in circulation per week, according to ABC figures. The publisher, part of Guardian Media Group, aims to reduce this to around 100,000 by the end of May, with distribution mainly focused on Trafford in South West Manchester.

The paper will no longer be distributed in the North East or South-East of Manchester, where MEN already publishes several weekly papers, including

Some of the paper's content, including a section called Metro Magazine, will be absorbed by the other weeklies in those areas.

The Metro was launched in 1986 as a sister title to the Manchester Evening News. The publisher said the rethink was a result of the re-organisation of GMG's Manchester companies as MEN Media and its subsequent launch of a part-free model for the MEN.