- The Mirror and the Sun are going head-to-head with the launch of London listings guides this Friday.
Both newspapers are anxious to reduce the decline in their year on year circulation and increase advertising revenue in the face of strong competition from the mid-market and broadsheet sectors.
The Mirror's guide, which will be called A List, will be printed on enhanced newsprint and will be a minimum of 32 pages. It will have the same format as the Saturday Mirror's The Look magazine and review clubs, restaurants, music, theatre, videos, exhibitions and films. It will be edited by Peter Willis who was poached from The Sun to edit The Look magazine.
A List's launch will be backed by a heavyweight TV advertising campaign which kicks off this Thursday. The listings guide will replace Screen Mirror in the London and Meridian regions, and is expected to be rolled out nationally later this year.
At the same time The Sun is introducing a newsprint listings guide to its London readers called The Source, which will be edited by The Sun's deputy editor Andy Coulson. The 24 page magazine will provide the latest news on films, clubs, gigs, comedy, theatre and sport.
Roger Eastoe, deputy managing director of Mirror Group, said: "We are making an investment in a quality product which will have a high relevance to our readership and provide added value on another day of the week. It's part and parcel of our long-term investment plan in the Mirror. The Sun's product is a complete knee jerk reaction."
Clive Milner general manager of the Sun, said: "In terms of the timing we had been looking at the Source for a considerable time."
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