MEDIA MARKET DATA - World Association of Newspapers

35 percent stake each in the new company, while 30 percent will be owned by ImmobilariaTorraco SA de C.V., Metro said in a Hugin statement today. London-based Metro said it hasan option to increase its shareholding in the future. Metro International, led by ChiefExecutive Officer Pelle Toernberg, expanded into Russia, Ireland and Spain last year andpublishes 61 editions across Europe, the Americas and Asia. Metro said in December itsglobal daily readership had risen 22 percent from a year earlier to 18.5 million. The newedition of Metro will be launched in Mexico City ``during spring,'' the company said today.Metro International was spun off by media company Modern Times Group AB, Sweden'slargest publicly traded media company, in 2000 and posted its first quarterly profit as a listedcompany in the fourth quarter of 2003.http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000086&sid=a3See4S1HHWY&refer=latin_america* * * * *Metro International has launched a new edition in Mexico City. It means Metro now has 69editions in 93 major cities, 21 countries and 19 languages. Mexico City is the world’s secondlargest urban area with a population of over 19 million. Some 130,000 daily copies are beingdistributed under the name Publimetro. Metro CEO Pelle Tornberg said: “Publimetro, with acirculation of 130,000, is the number one daily newspaper in Mexico City, based on nationalcirculation figures for Mexico.”http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/article/180506/metro_intenational_mexico_launch; 18 May2006SingaporeSingapore Press Holdings Ltd. said it will launch a free Chinese language morning newspaperon June 1. The city-state's dominant publisher said the paper, distributed free of charge, willinitially be available from Tuesday to Saturday. It will be distributed at Singapore's subwaystations, offices, tertiary institutions, and selected households and shopping centers. Themedia group publishes more than 10 newspapers, including The Straits Times, and carriesmore than 70 magazine titles. The company also holds a 40 percent stake in MediaCorp PressLtd., which publishes the Today newspaper.http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060308/singapore_new_paper.html; March 8, 2006SingaporePeople go for more in-depth editorial news in a paid newspaper, and for fast and snappy newsin a free paper. This is the view of BBDO Singapore chief executive officer SeshadriSampath, a leading international media specialist. He said the reader’s frame of mind, thetime spent reading and actual involvement, are different between the two types ofnewspapers. “It is not that one is inferior to the other. Consumer needs are different betweenthe two newspapers,” he said. “A free newspaper is like the Internet on the go. Paidnewspapers are something you grow with over time and begin to respect the editorialcontent.” Seshadri, who recently spoke to the Malaysian Media Congress 2006 in KualaLumpur, likened free newspapers to fast food and paid newspapers to fine dining. “There is amarked difference between fast food and fine dining as it is with free newspapers and thosepaid for,” he told The Star. “Consumption is very different and so should the advertisingmessage be. A paid newspaper and a free newspaper satisfy different needs,” said Seshadriwho presented a paper on issues pertaining to the separation of the media department from theagency and the ways to address it. Seshadri has come full circle, having worked in a fullserviceagency, and has been running a creative agency for over four years. However,Seshadri acknowledged that some free newspapers were successful in Europe. “Newspapers38