The News

It was founded in 1877 as The Evening News and is often still referred to colloquially by that name, although its official title has been simply The News since 1959. As of October 2009 it claimed to be the South’s top-selling daily paper.

It’s a tabloid. It’s published by Portsmouth Publishing & Printing Ltd, whose parent company is Johnston Press.

Until 2012 it appeared in three geographical editions:

• Portsmouth (City Final)
• Fareham & Gosport
• Havant & Waterlooville.

However, an October 2012 relaunch saw the Fareham & Gosport edition split into two separate hyperlocal editions. An iPad app was launched at the same time. On the other hand, its companion Journal series of weekly freesheet tabloids was mothballed at the end of the month.

More happily, its 109-year-old Saturday afternoon sports special, the Sports Mail, was discontinued in advance of the relaunch but was revived in August 2013 by popular demand – although editor Mark Waldron warned that readers would have to ensure the Mail‘s survival by continuing to buy it on a weekly basis.