Back in June I made this bet:
I’m willing to bet one of you 50 pounds that one of the major UK newspapers will go completely free within three years.
In fact, I’ll narrow it slightly to the following titles:
The Guardian
The Independent
The Times
The Daily Telegraph
Financial Times
The Sun
Daily Mail
Daily Express
Daily MirrorSo I bet fifty quid that one of the those papers goes free within three years. Anyone fancy a flutter?
And before the year’s out, it appears the Independent is edging ever closer to going online-only. Now, of course, I my bet wasn’t that they’d go online. Rather, it was that they’d have a free print edition. So it’s not quite there yet, but it’s interesting to note that amongst all the redundancies, relocations and cutbacks, humble freesheet Metro is having a makeover in time for Monday. It turns over a profit.
Nigel Barlow took me up on the bet.
And now that the Indy is moving to Northcliffe House — and sharing the same subs that put together the Mail, as well as being only two doors up from the aforementioned Metro — I reckon there’ll be a free print edition very soon. This time next year.
Indy won’t be sharing subs with the Mail – yet. All things editorial and commercial are being kept separate.
Still think that my money is safe Dave .
I’m not sure whether the move will lead to a free Indy.I would have thought that this is purely a cost saving exercise designed for both publishing houses to halve their high fixed costs.The Indy will surely want to keep its brand distinct.Producing a free copy will diminish the power of its brand
I won’t like to bet you at al. Thats because I totally agree with what you are saying. There might even be a situation whereby many newspapers will decide to only have an online presence.
To be honest with you, based on the current economic conditions I do not see many people buying newspapers as it used to be a few years back. My local store always has stak loads of newspaper returns in the evening