Clarke, who is currently editor in-chief of Associated Newspapers in Ireland, is one of Associated's star editors, having edited the Scottish Daily Mail for Associated, before joining Trinity Mirror to edit the Daily Record and then doing a stint as The Scotsman editor.
He returned to Associated in 2001 to take up the job in Ireland. Clarke is probably one of only a few senior journalists within Associated who has experience of editing a red-top tabloid newspaper.
The possible launch, which was first reported several weeks ago, is being seen as Associated hitting back at Express Newspapers owner Richard Desmond and his plans to launch a freesheet London evening paper, called The Evening Mail/London Evening Mail, targeting Associated's Evening Standard.
According to reports, Associated journalists have mocked up a number of "Star"-type dummies.
The move by Associated echoes its response in 1987 when it saw off the challenge of Robert Maxwell's London Daily News by resurrecting the Evening News. The ruse worked that time and Maxwell retreated, licking wounds thought to be worth as much as £50m. Associated will be hoping the same trick works again.
However, it is a different market this time around and Associated has never before entered the downmarket tabloid arena.
Many in the industry believe that both Associated and Desmond are playing a bluffing game and that if Desmond's new evening paper does not materialise it is seen as likely that Associated will scrap its red-top launch.
Express Newspapers recently named the former tabloid journalist and television executive Nick Ferrari as editor of the Evening Mail. Associated responded by seeking a temporary injunction barring Desmond from using the name "mail" for its new paper.
CV: Martin Clark
2003 Editor of new Associated tabloid launch?
2000 Editor in-chief of Associated Newspapers in Ireland
1998 Editor-in-chief of the Daily Record and the Sunday Mail
1997 Editor of The Scotsman
1995 Scottish Daily Mail
If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .
_1.jpg)
.jpg)
