The move comes as Archant prepares for the launch of the Dublin Daily, the first dedicated Dublin newspaper to be launched since 1962. The company, which owns the Eastern Daily Press and the Hampstead & Highgate Express, is investing €4m (£2.6m) in the launch. Archant is the sixth-biggest regional newspaper company, and changed its name from Eastern Counties Newspaper Group.
Propeller is a media PR specialist and is known for its quarterly "Ads that Make the News" survey. The agency is headed by director Martin Loat and has been briefed to devise a strategy to raise the profile of Archant, emphasising its position as a significant British media firm.
With an annual turnover of £150m, Archant claims to be a bigger force in the media market than Capital Radio, but with a portfolio of local and regional newspapers and magazines. It lacks the profile of rivals in the media sector, which are perceived to be more glamorous.
Archant was linked to the bid for Scottish Media Group's Herald Newspapers late last year, although the titles were eventually bought by US group Gannett. One of Propeller's tasks will be to position Archant as a potential deal and merger partner.
The company aims to double in size over the next seven years, partly by acquisition in existing markets as well as other media, and also by organic growth.
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