Iliffe News and Media is launching a new midweek title in Bedford targeted at a ‘younger, transient audience”.
The first edition of Bedford Midweek, a free title with an initial ‘brand to hand’circulation of 15,000, will complement the award-winning Bedfordshire on Sunday but promises to have its own individual brand and exclusive content.
Illife said the new title had been ‘specifically designed to attract a younger, transient audience with a fresher approach to news, both in content and design”.
It is described as an ‘early morning ‘pick me up’ paper’which will be distributed by hand in Bedford and Kempston in high footfall areas and rail/bus stations and businesses.
Editor of the new title Keeley Knowles said ‘The content will not be a rinse and repeat of the On Sunday title but will publish its own exclusive stories, including up to the minute local news.
‘Most importantly it aims to encourage its audience to play an active role in the content by contributing their views, comments and details of what is going on and happening in the town.”
Mike Richardson, the managing director of Iliffe subsidiary LSN Media, said: “This is an exciting new addition to the LSN Media family.
‘For more than 30 years Bedfordshire on Sunday has been at the forefront of local news with a mix of investigative news, off diary stories and irreverent humour.
‘Bedford Midweek will offer similar quality but with an up to date twist taking full advantage of the latest news gathering techniques, on diary news, pre weekend leisure and sport previews with social media links and readers input. It will have a higher story count too; ensuring readers pick it up from the start”.
LSN Media, which was acquired by Ililife in 2005, publishes free weekly newspapers and websites across Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire, with a weekly audience of around 350,000.
Its other titles include Luton on Sunday and its sister title the Luton & Dunstable, Milton Keynes-based MK News and the Northamptonshire Herald & Post series.
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