Johnston expects offers for Irish titles

EDINBURGH-based regional newspaper publisher, Johnston Press is expecting to receive the first indicative offers for its portfolio of Irish titles next week — with St Patrick’s Day the likely date.

It is also understood that group management is still keen on selling the 13 Irish titles — most of which were bought through the joint acquisition of the Leinster Leader and Local Press groups for e236m, four years ago — as one entity, even though industry sources here have suggested that it is far more likely that the titles will be sold individually.

A spokesperson for Johnston told the Irish Examiner yesterday that “a reasonable amount of interest” has already been received concerning the Irish titles, where advertising revenues fell by 22.6% last year.