Metro (British newspaper)

The Metro free newspaper concept originated in Sweden, where a publication of the same name was launched in 1995 by Metro International. British newspaper executives Jonathan Harmsworth and Murdoch MacLennan, from DMGT, were reportedly inspired by the idea and flew to Stockholm on a 'fact-finding mission' with a view to developing their own version.[4] There were also reports in the late 1990s that both Metro International and Rupert Murdoch's News International were considering launching free newspapers in the UK that might prove a commercial threat to DMGT's businesses.[5]

DMGT subsequently launched Metro, using the same name as Metro International's publications but with a different logo, on Tuesday 16 March 1999. This UK version of Metro had no relation to Metro International or its sister newspapers in other countries. Metro was launched initially as a London-only newspaper with an original print run of 85,000 copies, which were distributed via dedicated bins in London Underground stations.[4] The newspaper was produced at DMGT's printworks and office complex at Surrey Quays in southeast London, away from the company's main newspaper office in Kensington, west London.[5]

In the years following its launch, the paper's distribution was gradually expanded to other major UK cities, including Manchester and Birmingham. By February 2003, Metro had become operationally profitable for the first time.[5] Its reach was extended further in 2004, becoming available in more urban areas, including Nottingham, Bristol and Bath.[6][7]

Metro's circulation continued to rise in the following years, although readership temporarily dipped after the 7 July 2005 London bombings. There was a 1.8% decline - the equivalent of around 9,000 readers - in copies picked up in the weeks following the attacks due to a reduction in the number of people using London's public transport network, coupled with the temporary closure of some London Underground lines where Metro was distributed.[8]

Following several years of national expansion, in 2006 the newspaper's production was moved to DMGT's main newspaper offices at Northcliffe House in Kensington, west London.[5] That same year the newspaper expanded further, launching in Cardiff and Liverpool in joint venture deals with Trinity Mirror.[5]

At the time of its tenth anniversary in 2009, the newspaper was distributed in sixteen "major" UK cities and its circulation had grown to 1.3 million.[9] Despite the increase in readership, that same year, management also closed five regional Metro offices in Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle, Birmingham, and Bristol, which were responsible for producing regionalised arts, entertainment, and food pages, citing "challenging economic conditions".[10]

By 2011, Metro's distribution network had expanded to more than 50 cities in the UK. That year media commentator Roy Greenslade said the publication was now making "bumper profits" and dubbed it "Britain's most successful national newspaper".[11]

Metro Ireland was launched in Dublin on 10 October 2005. It followed a legal battle over the title's name with the publishers of the Irish Independent and Dublin's Evening Herald, which launched its own free newspaper called Herald AM.[12] Both titles were loss-making, despite having a combined circulation of 145,000 in the Greater Dublin Area. On 2 July 2009, it was announced that the two freesheets would merge under the Metro banner,[13] an operation completed by 2010.[14] However, the Irish edition was closed down in December 2014.

For the first time in its history, Metro temporarily published seven days a week during the 2012 Summer Olympics and the 2012 Summer Paralympics, providing free copies to spectators at the Games as well as the general public.[15] The newspaper struck a reported £2.25 million deal with sportswear manufacturer Adidas to run cover wrap adverts on each of the 17 days of the Olympics.[16]

After more than a decade in charge, editor Kenny Campbell was replaced as editor by Ted Young in 2014. Young's appointment coincided with a number of changes at the newspaper, including the separation of the print and online editions, along with an expansion of Metro's distribution in the UK.[17]

In November 2016, comedian Richard Herring stepped down from writing his weekly column for Metro. Fellow TV comedian Dom Joly later replaced him in the slot.[18]

In 2017, Metro became the most-read newspaper in the UK, according to monthly National Readership Survey figures.[19] In March 2018, Metro officially overtook the Sun in total print circulation, according to ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulations (UK)) figures.[2]

The majority of the newspaper's content is produced at Northcliffe House in Kensington, west London. There are no regional editions within England and Wales, except for occasional differences in sports and arts content catered to specific local audiences. A separate, small team produces a Scottish edition of Metro; however, often the only substantial difference between the two versions is the front page.

The newspaper is divided into three main sections—news, features and sport. The news section includes Guilty Pleasures, which typically contains two or four pages of showbiz and entertainment news, a letters page, and a page dedicated for business news. A popular feature of the letters page is Rush Hour Crush, in which readers send in anonymous messages to fellow users of public transport who they consider attractive. The daily column has led to at least one marriage.[20] The news section also features occasional feature columns from political pundits such as Sophy Ridge of Sky News.[21] However, while offering analysis, these columns do not typically express endorsements of political positions or candidates, thus not being considered as op-ed columns as in other newspapers.

The features section contains a mix of articles on travel, homes, style, and health, science, as well as arts coverage and entertainment listings. The puzzles page currently features a crossword and Sudoku.

Metro launched a website version of the newspaper in July 2001.[22] Between 2001 and 2014 most print edition articles were published on this website, along with additional online-only content such as blogs and opinion columns.

In 2014 production of the newspaper and the website were separated.[23] As a result, Metro newspaper and Metro Online are now produced by separate organisations and written independently by different editorial teams while remaining part of the same parent company.

The newspaper's content is now published online on a separate website.[24]