Dublin gets new free morning paper today

Dubliners got a new free morning newspaper today, with the launch of the Metro Herald. The new paper is a merged version of the two morning freesheets that have until now competed in the capital - Metro and Herald AM. The first edition of the new combined paper is being given away to commuters between 7 -10.30 am. The merger is an effort to stem losses suffered by the two previous competitors. The new venture is owned by three equal partners - Independent News and Media, The Irish Times and the Irish Daily Mail owner Associated Newspapers. The new ownership means that the Swedish publisher Metro International, which had a stake in the old Metro, has withdrawn from the market here. The managing director of the new paper, Paul Crosbie, says he wants Metro Herald to be an effective and valuable addition to the media landscape in Ireland." "Combining forces allows us to offer a single, unified advertising platform for brands looking to reach young, urban consumers in the capital," he says. The chairman of the new venture is Peter Webster, a former chairman and chief executive of Smurfit Ireland and UK.