The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

-d -h -min -sec

Trinity Mirror Richard Desmond Media

Trinity Mirror confirms bid to acquire all Northern & Shell publishing assets

Author

By John Glenday, Reporter

September 8, 2017 | 2 min read

Trinity Mirror has laid its cards firmly on the table after confirming that it is has entered into negotiations with Northern & Shell with a view to acquiring 100% of its publishing assets – ending discussions to obtain a minority stake in a new spin-off company comprising these assets.

Trinity Mirror

Trinity Mirror goes all out to secure Northern & Shell publishing assets

The decision to go the full hog must still win approval from Trinity Mirror’s own shareholders, not to mention both parties agreeing to any transaction details.

Should the deal be agreed by shareholders there is also the potential that it could face investigation from the Competition Commission too at a time when media plurality questions are also being asked about Rupert Murdoch's plans to takeover Sky.

News of this latest twist follows an announcement earlier in the year that on-off merger talks between the two publishers was very much on again following a two year road block presented by the eye watering pension liabilities associated with Richard Desmond’s print empire.

Desperation to trim costs and build scale has seen UK newspaper publishers eye-up mergers as their best hope for survival in a world increasingly dominated by the likes of Facebook and Google.

Trinity Mirror will issue a further announcement in due course should any such deal be struck.

Trinity Mirror Richard Desmond Media

More from Trinity Mirror

View all

Trending

Industry insights

View all
Add your own content +