London’s newest newspaper launched its first edition with a reception at City Hall and a front-page cartoon montage of city characters past and present.
Founder of London Daily Digital Azeez Anasudhin said he now has 18 staff based at offices on Fleet Street including six trainees.
The title comprises a monthly print edition priced at £4.99 (but free initially) as well as daily page-turning digital edition and website.
The title offers a mix of generally upbeat news from London’s boroughs in the front section, such as a lighting upgrade for the Broadway Theatre in Catford and falling crime in Hammersmith following council investment in CCTV.
Further back there is more general lifestyle content with headlines such as: “Skincare secret for modern man” and “Wholesome dishes for winter chill”.
Executive editor and managing director Anasudhin has worked on titles including Gulf Today and City Times, both based in Dubai.
He owns Asian Lite, a UK-based digital newspaper and website which was launched in 2007. He is funding London Daily himself and has plans to expand to a 30-strong team.
The title is aiming to generate revenue through advertising and event sponsorship. Former Sky senior vice president for international business Debarshi Pandit is joining London Daily Digital to handle media sales.
Speaking during a launch event at London’s City Hall in Docklands last week, Anusudhin said he was on a mission to revitalise Fleet Street’s journalistic heritage.
He said: “The job of a journalist is to get scoops and write news, not getting views by doing clickbait journalism. It’s a dangerous trend and deviating from the basic rules of stick with the five Ws and one H,” referring to the ‘who, what, where, when and how’ elements of a story.
“Journalists are creative professionals and not technicians to push content.”
Speakers at the launch event included Sunday Times economics editor David Smith, former London Assembly Chair Navin Shah CBE and social entrepreneur Colin Crooks.
London Assembly member Krupesh Hirani said: “London is a diverse city and it needs its stories told to all communities so we must support publications like London Daily.”
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