Hi °C | Lo °C A NEW newspaper for Letterkenny, Co Donegal, launches today, with close to ?700,000 being invested in the weekly publication.
Investors in the 'Letterkenny Post' include radio backers Padraig O'Dwyer and current Ocean FM chief executive Tim Collins.
The paper will be free of charge, with a circulation of 15,000 in Letterkenny and surrounding towns, including Ballybofey, Lifford, Raphoe and Dunfanaghy.
It will have 50 pages of full colour news and features, reaching an estimated 60,000 readers each week.
Tim Collins said that there had been a very positive reaction from advertisers and that advertising space for the first edition had sold out some weeks ago. Research by Mediaworks suggests that ad revenue in local press in the North-West exceeds ?10m annually.
Mr Collins said: "Our market research has indicated a very strong demand in Letterkenny for a paper that is solely focused on the town and surrounding area. Younger readers, in particular, demand national standard journalism and lifestyle news from local media and that is what we are delivering."
There will be 14 people working at the newspaper, including columnists Natasha Ni Gairbheith (former Miss Ireland) and former county footballer Mark Crossan. The 'Post' is headquartered at the Letterkenny Institute of Technology.
