News publishing – the path to sustainable growth
Transformation through acquisition and partnership to create shareholder value
Our objective is to create a modern platform for news publishing by implementing a new operating model, powered by the latest technology. National World will jettison legacy systems and archaic industrial practices to create efficient dissemination of news, monetising it by matching content to audience. Content and the technology to manage and monetise it will be embedded in National World. These capabilities will be deployed across news publishing assets, whether acquired by the Company or accessed via partnerships.
Acquisition of National World Publishing and its subsidiaries
On 2 January 2021 the Company completed its first acquisition, National World Publishing Limited and its subsidiaries (formerly JPIMedia Publishing Limited), owner of 13 regional and city daily newspapers and over one hundred other franchises in print and online. The historic titles purchased include the Yorkshire Post, The Scotsman, The Portsmouth News and The Sheffield Star stretch from the south of England to the north of Scotland. In addition, the Northern Ireland titles include The Newsletter, the oldest English language newspaper in the world, and The Derry Journal.
Strong track record
In 2012, National World’s Executive Chairman, David Montgomery, founded Local World Limited (“Local World”) and built an innovative media publishing business.
Local World published over 100 UK regional newspaper titles and associated websites, with a strategy of maximising content, digital and advertising synergies between historically independent businesses.
The company was sold in November 2015 to Reach plc (the owner of Trinity Mirror plc) and delivered a total return to its investors of approximately four times their original investment.
National World intends to apply the Local World strategy on a national scale and to a wider range of media assets. The Company will seek to acquire both historic and more recent news brands together with the technology to change the business model for print and digital news publishing with the dual objectives of combining continued cost reduction with sustained online revenue growth.