Guardian eyes up the Tribune
Sunday November 14 2004
In Britain, the paper is haemorrhaging readers - who appear to be deserting it for the compact Independent and the now all-tabloid Times.
The paper has already launched Guardian North, an edition for readers in northern England with a dedicated staff of 10. One of those was Angelique Chrisafis, now Ireland correspondent for the Guardian. On Monday, the paper appeared with the word 'Ireland' printed in, yes bejaysus, green ink, just above the masthead. Why there was no Guinness logo alongside isa mystery.
Inside was a guide to Dublin - though the giveaway (centred on pubs and having the crack, of course) was missing from most Dublin editions. The paper's news section carried a number of Irish stories during the week, including some old chestnuts such as problem drinking in Temple Bar and the row over the Hill of Tara. It's a start, but why now and what are the executives at Farringdon Road up to?
An insider says that should the edition prove a modest success, it may convince GNL and the Scott Trust to re-activate plans to enter Ireland properly. GNL executives have been thoroughly unimpressed by a number of encounters with Irish Times management figures, and plans for a tie-up with D'Olier Street have been shelved. A full-on Irish edition of the Observer has been ruled out, but a future bid for the sickly Sunday Tribune has not.
A GNL offer for Glasgow's liberal Sunday Herald newspaper failed last year but sources say there is growing appetite for expansion and the serious stalking of the Tribune could be well under way.
- Ciaran Byrne
