Star bids to enter Sunday market

THE battle in the Sunday newspaper market is about to hot up with the launch of a Sunday edition of the Star.

The Star, which is a joint venture between Independent News & Media and Express Newspapers, has been a huge success in recent years and is now selling more than 100,000 copies per day and the new Sunday edition is an attempt to cash in the popularity of the brand rather than launch another newspaper.

Last year Express Newspapers, the British media group that own the Daily Star launched its own Sunday version, which has also proved popular.

However, it will enter a market which is becoming increasingly competitive at the tabloid end, following the assault of the Daily Mail-owned Ireland on Sunday since last year.

Its circulation has risen dramatically since it was bought by Daily Mail group in 2001 though its critics have pointed out the frequency at which it is giving away free CDs to readers. The jump in Ireland on Sunday's sales has put pressure on the country's two best selling papers the Sunday World and the Sunday Independent, which has also begun to giveaway free CDs to grab readers.

Express Newspapers is now owned by Northern and Shell, a British company run by Richard Desmond who earns the bulk of his fortune from the sale of pornographic magazines and adult television channels.

Reports of the Sunday Star launch, expected to be later this year, comes just a day after the collapse into liquidation of the Dublin Daily after a just four months.

The paper's 45-strong workforce, some of whom were let go last week were told on Tuesday that some of the company's investors would not provide the additional funding to keep the paper afloat.

It is believed that Archant, the British regional media group, were unwilling to stump up the new funds having paid over 1m in the beginning for a 20% stake.

It is understood that the 45 staff at the paper were paid up until last Thursday.