Associated Newspaper's statement this afternoon that it is likely to close London Lite, hits the reset button for newspapers in the capital. We had three papers for almost three years and now we are back to square one.With the Evening Standard going free earlier this month it was only a matter of time before London Lite was closed.Associated says "it has entered a period of consultation over the future of London Lite, its free London evening title, which may result in closure".I don't think there is any "may" about it. It is tough for the 36 staff, but the future of London Lite and its employees looks sealed to me.Steve Auckland, managing director, Associated Newspapers Free Division says that "despite reaching a large audience with an excellent editorial format, we are concerned about the commercial viability in this highly competitive area". I'm sure they have been concerned for sometime, but with theLondonpaper gone there is no reason for it to be. I don't remember the last time we were here with the London Daily News versus the Evening Standard aided by the resurrected Evening News in 1987, but it looks like that in London, history repeats itself. That's twice within the last few decades we've had three London papers before reverting to one.One thing is clear we will not (as they say) see their like again. This really is an end moment in the evening/afternoon paper market in this rapidly changing media landscape. There's obviously still lots happening in other areas of the free market with Shortlist (its women's magazine: Stylist - isn't that due any day now?), City AM and TFL issuing its tender for the Metro slot.In such a busy and competitive market it is a surprise that they lasted as long as they did, but it was an interesting battle to observe.The free paper was a great experiment and what is perhaps most interesting is that while both London Lite and thelondonpaper are gone, they have left us with a legacy of a free Evening Standard against a desire by the rest of the industry to charge for content.That strikes me as fascinating. Particularly given the most recent ABC figures for newspapers in the US this week that show the dire state some are in.I've read and heard a number of people talk about the future of the Evening Standard and how they see the logic and the long term viability of it as a free title. Time will tell, but oddly I miss it as a paid-for title. I've barely seen it since it went free when previously I could pop out to the news agent outside 174 Hammersmith Road and get my copy, but no more.
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The newspaper scene in London still looks markedly different to me. We now have Metro, City AM and the Standard for free, plus Sport, Shortlist, now Stylist, and probably some others I've forgotten about. That's more than just the Standard trying to create a market for free news.
This to me looks more like cost-cutting in a deep, prolonged recession, and Associated are looking at anything making a loss and axing it, just as all the other news groups are doing.
Dan all true, I was thinking specifically about the evening market, but will add a point.
More on the way of course, with Shortlist Media and its planned women's mag launch.
Gordon Macmillan
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