The not particularly awaited amalgam of the Herald AM and Metro – the stunningly unimaginatively titled ‘Metro Herald’** hit the streets early January. Their first ABC came in at 61,660 or half the previous market demand for a free paper in the capital.
Half for the distribution goes on ‘Rail’ that’s Luas, Dart and CIE services – which is in keeping with the distribution of the two previous editions.
So, from a market demand at one point of 160,000 copies a day for a free paper, to 61,000. Cynics could suggest that this is simply a token and face saving gesture by all the interested parties.
Perhaps the intelligent decision would have been to kill off the loss making concept – totally- rather than publish for the sake of it.
** One preference would have been ‘The Merald’ which was thrown around in some circles. A favourite amongst some, but hot hotly backed by the shareholders, was the ‘Hetro’.
