National World Plc announces the expansion of footprint into all major metropolitan centres in UK

Having successfully launched a new national newspaper online, Nationalworld.com, the group is extending its digital only “World” brand into eight new markets.

Together with its JPI Media newspaper brands this will give the company immediate access to 80 per cent of the UK market. National World Plc has said that it aims to double its online audience by the end of 2022 with this and other digital initiatives.

On August 12 the company will be launching new websites in Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and Glasgow. The four initial launches will be followed by new sites in London, Birmingham, Bristol and Wales. Further World.com sites will follow as part of existing regional divisions modelled on the successful launch of LincolnshireWorld.com

Executive Chairman of National World Plc, David Montgomery said: “We have the talent and resources to be a truly national network of local news brands. JPI Media is at last throwing off the shackles of its geographical limitations to enter major UK communities that are underserved in serious local journalism.”

Combined, 45 new roles are being created with an initial 32 content roles, eight commercial roles and a number of marketing support positions.

In a statement, National World Plc, said: "Through utilisation of existing infrastructure, and support from central teams, the launch programme represents an exciting new and transformational opportunity for JPI to grow its UK wide audience footprint and share of local, regional and national digital advertising."

Nationalworld.com will join the eight new sites in a new “World” division for the business. For the first time the publishing technology and content management system will be digital-led with no need to offer parallel publishing services for print titles.

The new sites will be video-led, driven by a strategic partnership with Local TV Ltd which will deploy eight TV Video Journalists to support the JPI teams in each market. The partnership with Local TV, which has existing channels in six of the “World” cities, as well as Leeds, the home of JPI Media's The Yorkshire Post, will mean that for the first time local and national advertisers can enjoy packaged campaigns across print, online, video and broadcast TV. The combination of all platforms is a first in UK media and “long overdue” said Montgomery.

Mark Thompson, Group Editor, will lead the new division with support from Sarah Lovell who has been appointed Digital Sales Director. The editors for each site are Jenny Simpson (Manchester), Ros Erskine (Glasgow), Laura Hill (Newcastle), Dominic Raynor (Liverpool), Fionnuala Bourke (Birmingham), Ralph Blackburn (London) and Alex Ross (Bristol). The editor for the Wales site will be announced in the coming weeks.