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Reach plc
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Reach plc (known as Trinity Mirror between 1999 and 2018) is a British newsbrand, magazine and digital publisher. It is one of the UK and Ireland's largest commercial news groups, both in online audience and titles, with over 120 print and online brands,[3] including nationals Daily Mirror, Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star, local titles including the Manchester Evening News, Liverpool Echo, BirminghamLive, Nottingham Post and BelfastLive, as well as WalesOnline, OK! magazine, and the Scottish Daily Record and Sunday Mail. Reach plc's headquarters are at One Canada Square in London. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Key Information
History
[edit]The Daily Mirror was launched by Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe, "for gentlewomen" in 1903.[4] The company was first listed on the London Stock Exchange on 2 December 1953.[5] In 1958 the International Publishing Company (IPC) acquired Mirror Group Newspapers, but IPC was in turn taken over by publishing giant Reed International in 1970.[6] In 1984 Pergamon Holdings, a company owned by Robert Maxwell, acquired the Daily Mirror[4] from Reed International. The company was relisted as Mirror Group in 1991.[7]
In 1991 the company was due to be investigated via an Anton Piller order for alleged theft of software from companies including Adobe Inc., Autodesk and Microsoft. The action was delayed as it coincided with Maxwell's death, but was recommenced in 1992. Subsequently it was reported that "At the Mirror Group, for instance, 700 out of the 800 software programs in use were found to be illegal".[8]
The company bought Scottish & Universal Newspapers in 1992, and in 1997 it acquired the Birmingham Post and Mail group of newspapers.[4] In 1999 Trinity International Holdings, owners of the Liverpool Echo, merged with Mirror Group to form Trinity Mirror.[9]
During 2005 the company introduced a number of measures to manage discretionary spending more carefully, some of which attracted press attention.[10]
In 2007, the company sought to sell a number of titles: the Reading Chronicle was sold to Berkshire Media Group[11] and 25 Trinity Mirror South titles were sold to Northcliffe Media.[12] On 1 October 2007 it was announced that the sale of the Racing Post had been completed: the entire sale process had raised £263 million.[13]

In September 2008 the company announced that it would be closing the printing plant in Liverpool after 154 years of printing in the city, and transferring the work to Oldham.[14]
In February 2010, Trinity Mirror bought the regional M.E.N. Media and S&B Media divisions of Guardian Media Group, containing 22 local titles across Northern England and in Surrey and Berkshire. This included the Manchester Evening News and Reading Evening Post.[15]
In March 2010 Trinity Mirror stated that it would end its bout of staff cuts and newspaper closures. The announcement came as the company reported pre-tax profits of £72.7m for 2009, exceeding analysts expectations.[16]
In January 2012 it was announced Trinity Mirror acquired Communicator Corp, a digital communications company specialising in email and mobile communications for £8m.[17] In August 2013, Trinity Mirror announced its partnership with whocanfixmycar.com, a portal connecting motorists nationwide with trusted local garages and mechanics.[18]
In June 2014, Trinity Mirror transitioned its online bingo software from Dragonfish to Virtue Fusion from Playtech for its group of bingo brands.[19]
In November 2015, Trinity Mirror purchased Local World, a major stakeholder in local news titles, from DMGT. Local World had been formed by former Trinity chief exec David Montgomery in 2012 to consolidate all DMGT's local newspaper holdings other than the Metro, expanding their holdings while streamlining production, to make the group more saleable. Its 115 titles were formed primarily by those of Harmsworth's historic Northcliffe Newspapers Group, alongside other smaller purchases made by DMGT and Local World subsequently, including the 2007 purchase from Trinity. The purchase increased Trinity Mirror's local circulation by around 50%. The deal valued Local World at around £220 million.[20]
In February 2018, the company completed the acquisition of the publishing assets of Northern & Shell, including the Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star (collectively the Express & Star Group), and OK!.[21] Following completion, Trinity Mirror announced a plan to rebrand as Reach, subject to investor approval at a meeting scheduled for May 2018.[22] Following completion of the acquisition, the Competition and Markets Authority launched a preliminary investigation into the deal, requiring Trinity Mirror to keep Express Newspapers as a standalone entity.[23]
In July 2020, Reach announced that it was cutting 550 jobs, 12% of its workforce, because of falling income amid reduced demand for advertising in its titles.[24]
In early 2023, Reach announced its plans to launch US operations for the Mirror, Express and the Irish Star, having already launched Liverpool.com, a dedicated Liverpool FC site aimed at US audiences. Since then, it has built an operation of about 70 people dedicated to those profitable US titles.[25]
In March 2025, Chief Executive Jim Mullen stepped down from his role and was replaced by Piers North, formerly the company’s Chief Revenue Officer.[26]
Phone hacking
[edit]In January 2011, former MP Paul Marsden announced that he was considering taking legal action against Trinity Mirror, over alleged phone hacking.[27] On 24 September 2014, Trinity Mirror admitted that some of its journalists had been involved in phone hacking.[28][29] It admitted liability and agreed to pay compensation to four people who had sued for the alleged hacking of voicemails (entertainer Shane Richie, soap actresses Shobna Gulati and Lucy Benjamin and BBC creative director Alan Yentob). The four also received an apology. Trinity Mirror also announced that it had earlier settled six other phone hacking claims in relation to former England football manager Sven-Göran Eriksson, footballer Garry Flitcroft, actor Christopher Eccleston, showbusiness agent Phil Dale, Richie's wife Christine Roche and Abbie Gibson, a former nanny of David and Victoria Beckham. As of September 2014, a further 19 claims were registered at the High Court and another 10 claimants had indicated they would bring proceedings against Trinity Mirror.[30] Other reports claimed that the number of victims could be much higher, with Evan Harris, associate director of the pressure group Hacked Off describing the revelations as: "… just the tip of a very big iceberg".[31] On 6 November 2014, Graham Johnson, pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates' Court.[32]
On 13 February 2015, Trinity Mirror published a public apology to "all its victims of phone hacking" on page two of the Daily Mirror.[33] It also set aside funds to cover the cost of settling phone hacking compensation payments.[34] The same apology was printed in the following editions of the Sunday People and Sunday Mirror.[34]
A hearing at the High Court in London heard on 3 March 2015 that one Mirror group journalist had hacked the phones of some 100 celebrities every day and that 109 stories had been published about just seven claimants.[35] On 21 May 2015, damages totalling nearly £1.25m were awarded to eight people as the result of phone hacking by Mirror Group journalists, including actress Sadie Frost (£260,000) and ex-footballer Paul Gascoigne (£188,250). Other damages recipients included soap opera actors Shane Richie (£155,000), Shobna Gulati (£117,500) and Lucy Benjamin (real name Lucy Taggart, £157,250), as well as BBC creative director Alan Yentob (£85,000), TV producer Robert Ashworth (former husband of Coronation Street actress Tracy Shaw, £201,250) and flight attendant Lauren Alcorn (former girlfriend of footballer Rio Ferdinand, £72,500).[36] The Mirror Group said it would consider whether to seek permission to appeal against the size of the damages, but increased the money allocated to deal with phone hacking claims from £12 million to £28 million.[36]
On 15 December 2023, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex was awarded £140,600 by the High Court in damages against Mirror Group Newspapers after 15 out of 33 sample articles in his claim against MGN were ruled as being the product of phone hacking or other unlawful information gathering.[37][38][39]
Operations
[edit]Newspapers
[edit]Reach plc's printing division, Reach Printing Services,[40] is located at three press sites throughout the UK, printing and distributing thirty-six major newspapers for the UK, including the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror, the Sunday People, the Daily Record and Edinburgh Live (in Scotland),[41] and other contract titles including titles for the Guardian Media Group.[42] Reach plc also owns a number of local titles in Northern England and in Surrey and Berkshire, after acquiring a number of titles from the Guardian Media Group in 2010.[15]
Digital
[edit]In 2013, Trinity Mirror launched the content websites UsVsTh3m and Ampp3d on an experimental basis. UsVsTh3m was a website similar to BuzzFeed focused on quizzes and Flash games, edited by B3ta founder Rob Manuel and running the Tumblr platform. Ampp3d focused on data journalism[43][44] and used the WordPress platform. Both websites were closed down in 2015.[45]
In 2024, Reach launched a Studio team, a division incorporating editorial and commercial multimedia content to audiences and advertising partners.[46]
In early 2025, further investment by Reach in video studios and staff saw new state-of-the-art spaces built in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham, Liverpool and Newcastle.[47]
In 2025, Reach launched a variety of new standalone digital brands, such as All Out Gaming, All Out Rugby League and All Out Football.[48]
In September 2025, the Daily Express launched a new daily YouTube chat show produced by Reach Studio called the Daily Expresso, taking a look at the biggest stories the news brand’s reporters are working on each day with a host of leading political guests.[49]
In March 2025, Reach announced that its social media accounts across brands and channels hit the milestone of 100 million followers.[50]
In more recent years, they have expanded into direct sales – first with the OK! Beauty Box cosmetic product subscription service, which launched in 2020 and shipped its 500,000th package in June 2024 and in 2024, with its own ecommerce site Yimbly, which sells general goods and homewares.[51]
In 2021, Reach announced the appointment of a newly created Online Safety Editor role, a first in the industry, working with all colleagues at Reach to support through incidents of online abuse and harassment, while also leading efforts to prevent this further.[52]
In 2019, Reach launched Mantis, a brand safety platform which uses AI and machine learning to check whether content is appropriate for advertising and reducing unnecessary blacklisting, at a time when brand safety has been an increasing concern for the advertising industry. Over time, Mantis developed leveraging AI-driven contextual intelligence to accurately and efficiently gauge brand safety through semantic understanding of text and media content.[53]
In July 2025, North revealed new strategic priorities for Reach, with an emphasis on video and audio content.[54]
North also announced that in order to diversify revenues, the company would be launching a digital subscription strategy in addition to its ad-funded business model.[55]
In September 2025, Reach hired its first ever Head of Digital Subscriptions to oversee this new project.[56]
References
[edit]- ^ Massey, Jon (3 March 2016). "Trinity Mirror pledges its future to Canary Wharf for a further 10 years". The Wharf. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ^ a b c "Annual Results 2024" (PDF). Reach. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
- ^ "Reach Solutions - Brands - Local & Regional Newspapers". www.reachsolutions.co.uk. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ^ a b c Molloy, Mike (29 November 2013). "Wade's world". The Independent. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
- ^ London Stock Exchange. London Stock Exchange (2 December 1953).
- ^ IPC Media website. Ipcmedia.com.
- ^ "Maxwell Scandal Timeline". Accountancyage.com. 29 March 2001..
- ^ Whybrow, Martin (12 October 1992). "PC pirates who sail the software seas: Rogue programs are bad news for supplier and user alike, warns Martin Whybrow". The Independent. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
- ^ Wright, Jade (25 August 2007). "Trusted voices of Liverpool". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
- ^ "Trinity Mirror cancels Christmas - Press Gazette". 14 June 2009. Archived from the original on 14 June 2009.
- ^ Tryhorn, Chris (19 July 2007). "Trinity Mirror sells Berkshire Regionals for £10m]". The Guardian.
- ^ Fenton, Ben. (7 July 2007) Northcliffe buys 25 titles from Trinity Mirror. Financial Times.
- ^ Edgecliffe, Andrew. (1 October 2007) Trinity Mirror calls halt to disposals. Financial Times.
- ^ Luft, Oliver (5 September 2008). "Up to 100 jobs at risk as Trinity Mirror plans to close Liverpool print plant". The Guardian.
- ^ a b "Manchester Evening News sold by Guardian Media Group". Manchester Evening News. 9 February 2010. Retrieved 9 February 2010.
- ^ "Trinity Mirror to stop cutbacks". 4 March 2010. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
- ^ Sweney, Mark (4 January 2012). "Trinity Mirror buys email and mobile firm Communicator Corp for £8m". The Guardian.
- ^ Lambourne, Helen (4 September 2013). "Trinity Mirror in partnership with car-fixing website". HoldtheFrontPage. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Trinity Mirror Transitioning to Virtue Fusion". bingoreviewer.co.uk. 6 June 2014.
- ^ Sweney, Mark (28 October 2015). "Trinity Mirror confirms £220m Local World deal". The Guardian.
- ^ "Annual Report 2017" (PDF). Trinity Mirror plc. p. 3. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
- ^ Sweney, Mark (5 March 2018). "Trinity Mirror to rebrand as Reach after Express and Star deal". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
- ^ Sweney, Mark (23 April 2018). "Mirror takeover of Express and Star faces fresh investigation". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ Partridge, Joanna (7 July 2020). "Mirror and Express owner Reach to cut 550 jobs" – via www.theguardian.com.
- ^ Tobitt, Charlotte (17 July 2025). "Reach in the US: 70-strong team is turning a profit with more growth planned". Press Gazette. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ "Boss of Mirror publisher Reach steps down after nearly six years". The Independent. 31 March 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ "Phone-hacking: Review to consider new claims", BBC News, 24 January 2011. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
- ^ Gallivan, Rory and Zekaria, Simon (September 2014) "Trinity Mirror Admits Liability Over Phone Hacking", Wall Street Journal, 24 September 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2014
- ^ Sweney, Mark (September 2014). "Trinity Mirror faces up to the financial fallout as phone-hacking claims mount", The Guardian, 28 September 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
- ^ "Phone-hacking: Trinity Mirror admits liability", BBC News online, 24 September 2014 (Retrieved 29 September 2014)
- ^ Cusick, James and Milmo, Cahal (September 2014). "Trinity Mirror 'could face hundreds of claims' from phone hacking victims", The Independent, 24 September 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
- ^ "Ex-Sunday Mirror reporter Graham Johnson admits phone hacking". BBC News. 6 November 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
- ^ Plunkett, John (13 February 2015). "Daily Mirror prints apology to phone-hacking victims". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
- ^ a b "Phone-hacking: Trinity Mirror apologises to its victims". BBC News. 13 February 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
- ^ "Phone hacking 'rife' at Mirror Group Newspapers". BBC News. 3 March 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
- ^ a b "Phone hacking: Celebrities win damages from Mirror Group". BBC News. 21 May 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
- ^ Ward, Victoria (15 December 2023). "Prince Harry was victim of phone hacking by Mirror newspapers, judge rules". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ Coughlan, Sean (15 December 2023). "Harry wins 15 claims in phone-hacking case against Mirror publisher". BBC News. Archived from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ Siddique, Haroon (15 December 2023). "Prince Harry v Mirror Group: key findings of the phone-hacking case". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "Reach Printing Services Ltd". reachprintingservices.co.uk.
- ^ Reach plc 'News Websites'.
- ^ "Oldham's Economic Profile - Printing & Publishing". Oldham Council. 2004. Archived from the original on 7 September 2006. Retrieved 29 March 2007.
- ^ Sweney, Mark (8 December 2013). "Trinity Mirror builds on the success of UsVsTh3m with launch of Ampp3d". The Guardian.
- ^ "Ampp3d: News, facts and stats". Daily Mirror. Trinity Mirror. Archived from the original on 24 June 2014. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
- ^ Jackson, Jasper (13 May 2015). "Trinity Mirror's UsVsTh3m and Ampp3d thought to be facing axe as jobs set to go". The Guardian.
- ^ Benjamin, Jack (21 March 2024). "Reach formally launches Studio team". The Media Leader. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ Tobitt, Charlotte (6 March 2025). "Why opening of video studios across UK is 'really big moment' for Reach". Press Gazette. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ "Reach Plc unveils new All Out Football content hub". 28 August 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ Lamontagne, Coral (2 September 2025). "Daily Express launches a new daily YouTube chat show". Newsworks. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ Sutcliffe, Chris (18 February 2025). "How Reach plc hit 100 million followers across its social channels". Media Voices. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ Maher, Bron (22 January 2025). "How Reach has moved from salesman to shopkeeper with launch of Yimbly". Press Gazette. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ dev@remarkablegroup.co.uk (20 October 2021). "Reach Appoints Dr Rebecca Whittington As Industry's First Online Safety Editor". News Media Association. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ "Reach and IBM launch Mantis, using IBM Watson to make brand safety smarter". IBM UK Newsroom. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ "Reach boss hails 'beginning of new chapter' for publisher - Journalism News from HoldtheFrontPage". HoldtheFrontPage. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ Tobitt, Charlotte (24 July 2025). "Reach to put 'serious focus' on subscriptions but expects to keep most news free". Press Gazette. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ Tobitt, Charlotte (22 September 2025). "Reach hires first head of digital subscriptions". Press Gazette. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
External links
[edit]Reach plc
View on GrokipediaReach plc is a British commercial news publisher headquartered in London, operating as the largest in the United Kingdom and Ireland with over 120 print and digital brands that collectively reach approximately 70% of the UK online population.[1][2]
Formerly known as Trinity Mirror plc, the company rebranded to Reach in May 2018 following its acquisition of national titles including the Daily Express and Daily Star from Northern & Shell, aiming to better reflect its expanded audience engagement across news, sport, and entertainment content.[3][4]
Reach's portfolio includes prominent tabloids such as the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror, alongside regional newspapers and magazines, generating revenue primarily from advertising, subscriptions, and print circulation while transitioning toward digital platforms.[5][6]
The company has faced significant controversies, particularly historical phone hacking at its Mirror Group Newspapers titles, resulting in court-ordered payouts exceeding £100 million and ongoing lawsuits from affected individuals as of 2024.[7][8][9]
Company overview
Founding, rebranding, and corporate identity
Reach plc traces its origins to the Mirror Group Newspapers, whose flagship title, the Daily Mirror, was founded on 2 November 1903 by Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe, as a tabloid aimed initially at "gentlewomen."[10] The Mirror Group evolved through various ownership changes and expansions into national and international publishing. Separately, Trinity plc originated from regional newspaper holdings, including the Newcastle Journal established in 1832 by John Hernaman and Robert Perring as a weekly publication.[11] Trinity plc itself emerged from mergers of provincial titles in the late 20th century, focusing on local and regional markets.[12] In September 1999, Trinity plc merged with Mirror Group plc to form Trinity Mirror plc, creating a combined entity with significant national and regional newspaper assets; the company was legally incorporated in 1904, reflecting the longevity of its core operations.[12] [6] This merger consolidated control over titles such as the Daily Mirror, Liverpool Echo, and various local papers, positioning Trinity Mirror as a major UK multimedia publisher.[13] The rebranding to Reach plc occurred in 2018 amid strategic expansion. On 5 March 2018, Trinity Mirror announced its acquisition of Express Newspapers, Daily Star Sunday, and magazines from Richard Desmond's Northern & Shell for £126.7 million, prompting a name change to signify a broader "reach" across diverse audiences and platforms.[14] [15] Shareholders approved the rebranding at the annual general meeting on 3 May 2018, with the name officially changing to Reach plc effective 8 May 2018 as trading commenced under the new ticker.[16] [4] Reach plc's corporate identity emphasizes its role as the UK's largest commercial news publisher, encompassing over 120 trusted brands—including nationals like the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, and Daily Record—that collectively reach more than 70% of the UK adult population monthly via print, digital, and other channels.[17] Headquartered at One Canada Square in Canary Wharf, London, the company focuses on delivering journalism, entertainment, and community content while adapting to multi-platform consumption.[17] Its branding underscores accessibility, scale, and audience engagement over legacy naming tied to specific mergers.[5]Portfolio of publications and services
Reach plc maintains a portfolio exceeding 120 print and online brands, encompassing national tabloids, regional newspapers, and digital platforms focused on news, sport, and entertainment across the UK and Ireland.[17] Its national publications include the left-leaning Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror, which together reach millions of readers with a mix of political commentary, celebrity news, and investigative reporting; the right-leaning Daily Express and Sunday Express, known for coverage emphasizing immigration, weather, and royal family stories; the Daily Star and its Sunday counterpart, prioritizing sensationalist entertainment and sports; and Scottish titles such as the Daily Record and Sunday Mail, which blend national UK stories with Scotland-specific politics and culture.[5] [18] The company's regional and local offerings form the backbone of its operations, with over 100 titles serving communities through dailies, weeklies, and freesheets, including prominent examples like the Manchester Evening News, Liverpool Echo, Bristol Post, and Hull Daily Mail.[2] These publications emphasize hyper-local coverage of events, council decisions, and business developments, often integrating print editions with community-focused websites such as MyLondon, BelfastLive, and WalesOnline.[5] In Ireland, Reach operates via Reach Solutions Ireland, publishing the Irish Daily Mirror and Irish Daily Star alongside their digital editions.[19] Complementing its journalistic assets, Reach provides commercial services through Reach Solutions, its dedicated arm for advertising, digital marketing, and audience engagement tools targeted at small and medium-sized businesses.[20] These include programmatic advertising across its network, social media campaigns, website creation, and data-driven content management, leveraging the company's 70% share of UK online news audience reach to connect advertisers with 47 million monthly users.[20] The firm has also diversified into technology integration, employing AI for content production, editing, and personalization to enhance efficiency in digital distribution.[21] While traditional print circulation has declined amid industry shifts, digital revenues from subscriptions, e-commerce, and targeted ads support ongoing operations as of 2025.[17]History
Origins and early mergers (1900s–1990s)
The origins of Reach plc trace to the 1999 merger of Mirror Group Newspapers plc and Trinity plc, forming Trinity Mirror plc as the direct predecessor entity. This union combined national tabloid publishing with extensive regional operations, reflecting broader industry consolidation amid falling print circulations and competition from television.[13][22] Mirror Group Newspapers originated with the launch of the Daily Mirror on 2 November 1903 by Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe, who aimed to create an accessible paper for working-class readers using a compact tabloid format, simple language, bold headlines, and illustrations. Initial circulation reached 276,000 copies within months, surpassing rivals like the Daily Mail, and climbed to over 1 million by 1919 through appeals to labor interests and sensational coverage.[23][10] The group expanded in the interwar period via launches such as the Sunday Pictorial in 1915, which became the Sunday Mirror, and acquisitions that built a portfolio of mass-market titles emphasizing populist journalism.[23] By the mid-20th century, control shifted through ownership changes; in 1961, the Mirror titles integrated into the International Publishing Corporation (IPC) under Ephraims Press, but operational autonomy persisted under figures like Cecil King until his 1968 ouster amid political controversies.[24] Reed International acquired IPC in 1970, holding Mirror Group until selling it to Robert Maxwell's Pergamon Press in 1984 for £113 million, initiating a turbulent era marked by Maxwell's aggressive expansion and debt accumulation.[25] Following Maxwell's 1991 death and revelations of pension fund misappropriation totaling £440 million, the restructured Mirror Group plc listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1992, stabilizing as a standalone national publisher with titles including the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, and People.[23] Trinity plc, by contrast, developed from regional newspaper clusters, aggregating historic titles like the Belfast News Letter (established 1737), Western Mail (1876), Liverpool Echo (1879), and Western Morning News (1860) through incremental mergers in the 20th century. Rooted in Yorkshire Post Newspapers, which traced to 1754, Trinity formalized as a major group in the 1980s via acquisitions such as the Liverpool Post and Echo in 1985, emphasizing local coverage and classified advertising for profitability.[13] By the 1990s, it had become Britain's largest regional publisher, with over 100 titles and a focus on cost efficiencies and cross-regional synergies, setting the stage for national expansion.[13] The 1999 merger, announced on 30 July and valued at £1.3 billion, saw Trinity acquire Mirror Group in an all-share deal where Mirror shareholders received 51.6% of the new entity, creating Trinity Mirror plc with 260 publications reaching 70% of UK adults weekly. This move, approved despite initial regulatory scrutiny, aimed to leverage combined printing facilities and advertising revenues but highlighted vulnerabilities in an analog-era industry facing digital disruption.[25][26]Expansion through acquisitions (2000s–2010s)
In October 2000, Trinity Mirror acquired the Southnews group for £285 million, adding approximately 30 local and regional newspaper titles primarily in southern England, including the Croydon Advertiser and Basingstoke Gazette, thereby strengthening its presence in suburban and commuter markets.[27] This deal, which represented a 57% premium over Southnews's share price, marked an early step in consolidating fragmented regional publishing amid declining advertising revenues.[27] The company pursued further regional expansion in 2010 by purchasing the M.E.N. Media and S&B Media divisions from Guardian Media Group for £44.8 million, incorporating 22 titles such as the Manchester Evening News and newspapers in Yorkshire and Lancashire.[28] [29] The acquisition, completed in March 2010, integrated these assets into Trinity Mirror's operations, enhancing its dominance in northern England with combined circulations exceeding 1 million copies weekly and prompting regulatory scrutiny from the Competition Commission over local market overlaps.[30] By the mid-2010s, Trinity Mirror targeted larger consolidations, acquiring Local World in October 2015 for £187.4 million in a deal that added over 100 regional titles, including the Nottingham Post and Stoke Sentinel, to create the United Kingdom's largest regional newspaper publisher with approximately 180 titles and a 30% market share in local print media.[31] This transaction, which included assuming £52.5 million in pension liabilities, diversified revenue streams through integrated print and digital operations but raised concerns about reduced competition in several local advertising markets.[31] A pivotal national-level expansion occurred in February 2018 when Trinity Mirror agreed to purchase Northern & Shell's publishing assets from Richard Desmond for £126.7 million, gaining control of the Daily Express, Daily Star, Sunday Express, Star on Sunday, and OK! Magazine, with circulations totaling around 1.5 million daily.[32] [33] The deal, finalized after Competition and Markets Authority approval subject to behavioral remedies like editorial separation, significantly broadened Trinity Mirror's national tabloid footprint and prompted its rebranding to Reach plc later that year to reflect the enlarged portfolio.[34] These acquisitions collectively increased Reach's title count by over 300 in the period, bolstering scale economies amid industry-wide shifts to digital but also intensifying antitrust oversight.Rebranding to Reach plc and strategic shifts (2016–present)
In February 2018, Trinity Mirror plc agreed to acquire the UK publishing assets of Northern & Shell Media Publications Limited, including the Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star, and Daily Star Sunday newspapers along with associated magazines, for a total consideration of £126.7 million, comprising £106.7 million in cash and £20 million in assumed pension liabilities.[35] The transaction, cleared by regulators and completed on 28 February 2018, significantly expanded Trinity Mirror's national newspaper portfolio and prompted the announcement of a corporate rebranding to Reach plc on 5 March 2018 to signify a broader, more diversified media presence.[14] Shareholders approved the name change at the annual general meeting on 4 May 2018, with the rebranding taking effect when the London Stock Exchange opened on 8 May 2018.[4] Following the rebranding, Reach plc shifted strategy toward digital transformation, prioritizing audience connection, technological innovation, and revenue diversification to counter declining print advertising and circulation.[36] The company invested in content personalization, video and audio expansion, and AI-driven tools for journalism and operations, aiming to double digital revenues over the medium term.[37] Digital revenues grew 1.6% in Q1 2025, supported by audience increases and programmatic advertising, while H1 2025 results showed resilience in print alongside digital expansion into diversified streams like events and e-commerce.[38] By Q3 2025, digital revenues rose 2.1% year-on-year, though direct digital dipped 0.8%, offset by gains in non-advertising areas.[39] Reach implemented multiple restructurings to streamline operations and fund digital initiatives, including closures of underperforming titles and staff reductions amid print revenue pressures. In September 2025, the company announced its largest reorganization, proposing 321 editorial redundancies offset by 135 new roles focused on digital and centralized production hubs, with estimated costs of £20 million.[40] [41] Leadership transitioned in September 2025 when CEO Jim Mullen resigned, with Piers North appointed to lead amid ongoing adaptation to AI and audience shifts.[42] These moves aligned with a broader pivot from print-centric operations, where print revenues declined 4.8% annually, to an AI-enhanced digital ecosystem.[43]Operations
Print and regional newspapers
Reach plc operates a portfolio of print newspapers comprising national tabloids and regional dailies and weeklies, primarily distributed in the United Kingdom and Ireland. These publications form a core component of the company's operations, emphasizing local and national news coverage, though print volumes have declined amid a broader industry shift to digital formats. In the third quarter of 2025, print revenue decreased by 3.9%, driven by a 2.7% drop in circulation revenue and reduced advertising income.[44] National print titles include the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star, Daily Star Sunday, Daily Record, and Sunday Mail, which target mass audiences with tabloid-style reporting on politics, celebrities, sports, and current affairs. The Daily Mirror, for instance, maintains a traditional left-leaning editorial stance, while the [Daily Express](/page/Daily Express) leans rightward, reflecting diverse reader bases acquired through historical mergers and the 2018 purchase of Express Newspapers. Circulation figures for these nationals have contracted steadily; for regional dailies under Reach, average print sales fell 18% in the first half of 2025 compared to the prior year.[5][45][46] Regional print newspapers, exceeding 100 titles, deliver hyper-local content on community events, council decisions, crime, and sports, serving as primary sources of information for non-metropolitan areas. Prominent examples include the Manchester Evening News, Liverpool Echo, Birmingham Mail, Derby Telegraph, Leicester Mercury, and Hull Daily Mail, covering regions from the North West to the East Midlands. These titles, often published daily or weekly, support local advertising markets and investigative journalism, with print editions supplemented by digital counterparts; however, audited circulations for many remain modest, such as 3,450 for the Hull Daily Mail and 3,389 for the Birmingham Mail in January–June 2025. To counter declining sales, Reach implemented cover price increases across titles in July 2025 while preserving retailer margins.[2][47][48][49] The company's regional print network underscores its role as the UK's largest commercial regional publisher, fostering community engagement despite economic pressures like rising production costs and competition from free online news. Operations involve centralized printing facilities and distribution logistics, with ongoing cost-cutting measures, including planned layoffs announced in October 2025, aimed at sustaining profitability amid print's contraction.[17][50]Digital and online platforms
Reach plc maintains an extensive portfolio of digital platforms, encompassing websites for its national and regional publications, such as mirror.co.uk for the Daily Mirror and express.co.uk for the Daily Express, alongside hyperlocal services like the InYourArea app, which delivers personalized community news to users via mobile notifications and newsletters.[17][51] These platforms complement its print offerings, enabling real-time content delivery and audience interaction, with over 120 combined print and online brands reaching 44 million unique users monthly across the UK and Ireland.[52][17] The company's online audience metrics reflect a recovery from prior declines, with on-platform page views increasing 6% in the first half of 2025 amid efforts to optimize content for search and social algorithms.[53] Digital traffic diversification includes expansion into the US market, where Reach captures approximately 10% of the online population through targeted content strategies.[43] Social media channels across brands have amassed 100 million followers as of January 2025, marking a 19% year-over-year growth driven by automated posting techniques and audience engagement experiments, such as comment-linked picture posts.[54][55][56] Reach's digital strategy emphasizes revenue diversification beyond traditional advertising, with priorities including digital subscriptions, affiliate marketing, e-commerce integrations, and video content commercialization.[36] In the first half of 2025, digital revenues rose 1.8% to £61.1 million, comprising 43-45% from affiliates and e-commerce, though overall growth slowed to 2% year-to-date amid reduced Google referrals.[53][43][57] The company anticipates broadly flat digital revenue for full-year 2025, supported by cost efficiencies and a "serious focus" on subscriptions, evidenced by the September 2025 appointment of a dedicated head for digital subscriptions.[50][58][59] Technological integration forms a core pillar, with AI tools deployed across newsrooms for content production, editing, distribution, and personalization since at least 2024, aiming to accelerate output while adapting to post-third-party cookie advertising landscapes through first-party data and contextual targeting.[21][2][60] This includes a centralized content hub staffed by around 300 journalists focused on high-traffic verticals like trends and lifestyle to drive engagement.[61]Advertising, subscriptions, and diversification efforts
Reach plc derives a significant portion of its revenue from advertising, encompassing both print and digital formats, though print advertising has faced persistent declines due to reduced circulation volumes and market shifts toward digital media. In the first half of 2025, print advertising revenue decreased by 15.4% year-on-year to £32.7 million, aligning with expectations given prior strong comparatives and ongoing industry contraction.[53] Digital advertising efforts emphasize cohort-based strategies to enhance targeting and audience retention, aiming to offset print losses through improved programmatic and direct sales.[36] Subscriptions represent a growing priority for recurring revenue generation, with Reach accelerating digital subscription models across its portfolio of national and regional titles. In its July 2025 half-year results, the company committed to a "serious focus" on subscriptions, including the rollout of paywalls to monetize premium content from brands like the Daily Mirror and Express.[58] [62] This builds on existing print circulation resilience, where revenues outperformed volume declines in early 2025, but shifts emphasis toward digital pay-per-view and bundled offerings to foster long-term subscriber growth.[63] Diversification initiatives seek to reduce reliance on cyclical advertising by expanding into non-traditional streams such as affiliate marketing, e-commerce, and B2B services. Diversified revenues increased 6.5% year-on-year in the first half of 2025, driven by products like the OK! Beauty Box and affiliate partnerships.[53] [64] The company is also integrating AI for content personalization and operational efficiency, scaling B2B data tools, and investing in video and long-form audiovisual content to tap new markets, including potential U.S. expansion.[36] [65] These efforts align with broader strategic pillars of audience connection, technological acceleration, and revenue broadening, as outlined in Reach's 2025 priorities.[52]Leadership and ownership
Key executives and board structure
The board of Reach plc comprises a non-executive chairman, two executive directors, and five independent non-executive directors, totaling eight members as of October 2025.[66] This structure supports governance oversight, with the chairman leading the board and the executive directors handling operational management.[67] Key executives include Piers North, appointed chief executive officer on March 31, 2025, following the departure of Jim Mullen; North previously served as chief revenue officer since joining the company in 2014.[68] Darren Fisher serves as chief financial officer and executive director.[66]| Role | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Executive Chairman | Nick Prettejohn | Leads the board; appointed in prior years.[66] |
| Chief Executive Officer (Executive Director) | Piers North | Assumed role March 31, 2025.[68] [66] |
| Chief Financial Officer (Executive Director) | Darren Fisher | Oversees financial operations.[66] |
| Independent Non-Executive Director | Anne Bulford CBE | Member of audit and remuneration committees.[66] |
| Independent Non-Executive Director | Priya Guha MBE | Contributes to board diversity and expertise.[66] |
| Senior Independent Non-Executive Director | Denise Jagger | Chairs audit committee.[66] |
| Independent Non-Executive Director | Barry Panayi | Provides financial and strategic input.[66] |
| Independent Non-Executive Director | Wais Shaifta | Focuses on risk and operations.[66] |
Major shareholders and institutional ownership
Reach plc's ownership is characterized by high institutional dominance, with investors holding approximately 90.3% of the company's shares as of October 26, 2025.[71] Insider ownership remains low at about 2.3%, reflecting limited direct control by executives and board members.[72] This structure underscores the influence of professional fund managers on strategic decisions, with no single entity exercising majority control and ownership dispersed among multiple funds. The top institutional shareholders include:| Shareholder | Ownership Percentage | Number of Shares |
|---|---|---|
| M&G Investment Management Limited | 13.7% | 43,342,621 |
| Aberforth Partners LLP | 11.4% | 36,018,685 |
| Wellcome Trust, Investment Division | 6.11% | 19,269,834 |
Financial performance
Historical revenue and profitability trends
Reach plc's revenue, under its predecessor Trinity Mirror and post-rebranding, peaked in the early 2010s before entering a sustained decline driven by structural shifts in the media industry, including reduced print circulation volumes, collapsing print advertising markets, and slower-than-expected digital monetization. Statutory revenue fell from £763.3 million in 2009 to £761.5 million in 2010, with operating profit rising to £138.0 million amid cost controls. By 2016, revenue had decreased to approximately £713 million, reflecting ongoing print challenges, though adjusted pre-tax profit improved to £133.2 million following the £220 million acquisition of Local World, which expanded regional titles but did not reverse the downward trajectory.[74][75][76] The 2018 acquisition of Express Newspapers for £126.7 million provided a temporary revenue uplift, but total revenue dropped 12.6% to £623 million in 2017, with print publishing revenues falling 11.3% to £493.9 million due to a 25% decline in print advertising; pre-tax profit rose modestly to £81.9 million. Post-rebranding to Reach plc, revenue continued contracting amid digital transition efforts, from £615.8 million in 2020 to £538.6 million in 2024, a compound annual decline of about 3.3%, with print revenues dropping 7.3% in 2024 alone to £406.7 million while digital revenues grew 2.1% to £130.0 million.[77][14][12] Profitability trends show resilience through operational efficiencies and cost-cutting, with adjusted operating profit stabilizing around 15-20% margins despite revenue erosion. Adjusted operating profit reached £102.3 million in 2024 (19.0% margin), up 6.0% from £96.5 million in 2023, as £35.9 million in cost savings offset the £30.0 million revenue drop; earlier, statutory operating profit was £113.9 million in 2020 before provisions for historical issues like phone hacking impacted net figures.[78][79]| Year | Revenue (£m) | Adjusted Operating Profit (£m) | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 761.5 | 138.0 | Statutory figures; early print ad peak.[74] |
| 2016 | 713.0 | N/A (pre-tax 133.2) | Pre-Local World full impact; calculated from 2017 decline.[75][80] |
| 2017 | 623.0 | N/A (pre-tax 81.9) | 12.6% revenue fall; Express acquisition pending.[80][14] |
| 2020 | 615.8 | 113.9 (statutory op.) | COVID impacts; digital offset partial.[81] |
| 2021 | 601.4 | N/A | Continued print decline.[82] |
| 2022 | 568.6 | 93.6 (statutory op.) | Margin pressure from costs.[82][81] |
| 2023 | 568.6 | 96.5 | 53-week year; digital RPM up.[79][83] |
| 2024 | 538.6 | 102.3 | Cost savings drive profit rise; print down 7.3%.[78][79][84] |
