National World

National World plc
National World
Company typePublic company
IndustryDigital Media
Founded2019 (2019)
HeadquartersLeeds, England
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
David Montgomery
Revenue£84.1M (2022)
£9.7M (2022)
SubsidiariesFull list
Websitenationalworldplc.com

National World plc is a British multimedia company based in Leeds, England. The company was founded and listed on the London Stock Exchange in September 2019 as a media takeover vehicle. In January 2021, it acquired JPIMedia for £10.2 million.[1][2][3][4]

In April 2022, JPIMedia was rebranded to National World.[5] Since purchasing JPIMedia, National World has launched sixteen new titles and made a further seven acquisitions,[6] notably Insider Media.[7]

Its flagship titles include The Scotsman, The Yorkshire Post, and Belfast's The News Letter. The company operates over 100 newspapers and websites around the United Kingdom.[8]

The company reported 2022 revenues of £84.1M and adjusted EBITDA of £9.7M.[9]

In December 2024, Media Concierge, owner of Iconic Newspapers, agreed to acquire National World for £65.1 million.[10]

Acquisition of JPI Media

[edit]

On 31 December 2020, it was announced that JPIMedia Publishing Ltd (formerly Johnston Press[11]) and its subsidiaries were being sold to National World PLC on 2 January 2021. The new company was set up by the media executive David Montgomery.[12][13]

On 29 April 2022, JPIMedia Publishing Ltd rebranded to National World Publishing Ltd, otherwise known as National World.[5]

Acquisition of Midland News Association

[edit]

In September 2023, it was announced that the Graham family-owned Claverley Group had sold its subsidiary Midland News Association to National World PLC. The £11m sale included the regional daily newspapers Shropshire Star and Express & Star, and a number of weekly titles, along with Press Computer Systems, which supplies publishing platforms for both MNA and other major publishers including Newsquest and DC Thomson. The sale marked Claverley Group's exit from regional newspaper publishing.[14]

Operations

[edit]

Since the acquisition of JPI Media, National World Plc has made further launches and acquisitions.[15]

In March 2021, nationalworld.com was launched as a national news website with an editorial team across the UK.[16] This was followed by the launch of city websites in Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow, London,[17] Birmingham and Bristol.[15] Further sites were launched for Northern Ireland, Sussex, Lincolnshire and Warwickshire.[18]

Subsequent launches were made in 2023 into Nottingham[19] and Derby,[20] and further national sites were launched, peopleworld.co.uk[21] and 3addedminutes.com.[22] National World also acquired the assets of football website publisher Scoopdragon and video content aggregator Newschain,[23] and news titles such as Newry Reporter,[24] Farm Week[25] and Banbridge Chronicle.[26]

On 2nd May 2023 the company announced the acquisitions of business media provider Insider Media as well as Yorkshire publisher the Rotherham Advertiser.[7]

NationalWorld owns one of Scotland's national titles, The Scotsman

Media brands in Great Britain

[edit]

The following is a partial list of British websites, magazines and newspapers owned by the company:[27]

Newspapers in Northern Ireland

[edit]

National World Publishing Ltd publishes a total of 22 titles in Northern Ireland through two holding companies, JPIMedia NI and Derry Journal Newspapers. The geographic readership of some titles extends across the Irish border into the Republic of Ireland, such as the Derry Journal which also covers County Donegal. Former JPIMedia titles published in the Republic of Ireland now belong to Iconic Newspapers.[27][30]

Shots!

[edit]

On 7 August 2023[31] National World launched Shots!, a website devoted to football chat, true crime shows[32] and real life stories. National World also acquired a streaming slot for Shots! on Freeview channel 276, where it runs 24 hours a day and features shows such as The Heritage Chart Show with Mike Read, Walks Around Britain[33] and Exceptional Homes,[34] along with reports such as I Was in Byker Grove.[35][36][37]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Casci, Mark (31 December 2020). "Yorkshire Post owner JPIMedia sold to National World for £10.2m". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  2. ^ Ponsford, Dominic (31 December 2020). "Monty's back: JPI Media sold to David Montgomery's National World Plc for £10.2m". Press Gazette. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  3. ^ Sharman, David (31 December 2020). "JPIMedia unveils National World as new owner". Hold the Front Page. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  4. ^ Symon, Ken (31 December 2020). "The Scotsman publisher sold to veteran industry player's group". Scottish Business Insider. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  5. ^ a b Sharman, David (26 April 2022). "JPIMedia renamed National World in 'major rebranding exercise'". HoldtheFrontPage. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Reports, presentations and publications". National World. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  7. ^ a b "Acquisitions of Insider & Rotherham Advertiser". otp.tools.investis.com. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  8. ^ Sweney, Mark (2018-11-16). "Owner of the Scotsman and i newspapers enters administration". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2018-12-10. Retrieved 2018-12-14.
  9. ^ Tobitt, Charlotte (2023-03-16). "National World cuts costs, increases profit as CEO says: 'Think local, act national, be global'". Press Gazette. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
  10. ^ Maher, Bron (2024-12-18). "Media Concierge to take over National World, promising to invest in local news". Press Gazette. Retrieved 2024-12-19.
  11. ^ "Acquisition of Johnston Press Group by JPI Media". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  12. ^ Symon, Ken (31 December 2020). "The Scotsman publisher sold to veteran industry player's group". Business Insider. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  13. ^ Casci, Mark (31 December 2020). "Yorkshire Post owner JPIMedia sold to National World". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  14. ^ Tobitt, Charlotte (2023-09-29). "David Montgomery's National World buys Midland News Association". Press Gazette. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  15. ^ a b Wright, Greg (3 August 2021). "National World Plc announces the expansion of footprint into all major metropolitan centres in UK". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  16. ^ "JPI's National World reaches 20m monthly page views a year after launch". Press Gazette. 2022-04-11. Archived from the original on 2022-11-17. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  17. ^ Sharman, David (2 September 2021). "Mayor Sadiq Khan backs London World's launch". HoldtheFrontPage. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  18. ^ Sharman, David (5 January 2022). "JPIMedia boss makes 'nationhood' plea as 12 weeklies merge online". HoldtheFrontPage. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  19. ^ Sharman, David (17 March 2023). "Nottingham Post journalist poached to edit Nottingham World". HoldtheFrontPage. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  20. ^ Sharman, David (20 April 2023). "Michael Broomhead to launch Derby World after taking VR from Reach". HoldtheFrontPage. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  21. ^ Sharman, David (4 November 2022). "More jobs created as National World launches People World". HoldtheFrontPage. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  22. ^ Sharman, David. "More jobs created as National World launches People World - Journalism News from HoldtheFrontPage". HoldtheFrontPage. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  23. ^ Sharman, David (6 January 2023). "National World buys ScoopDragon and NewsChain". HoldtheFrontPage. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  24. ^ Linford, Paul (20 January 2023). "Ten jobs saved as National World buys Newry Reporter". HoldtheFrontPage. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  25. ^ McMurray, Roderick (2023-03-15). "Farm Week publication acquired by National World, owner of the News Letter". Belfast News Letter. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  26. ^ Sharman, David (8 February 2023). "Banbridge Chronicle and Galloway Gazette change hands in swap deal". HoldtheFrontPage. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  27. ^ a b "News Brands". JPIMedia. JPIMedia Ltd. Archived from the original on 2022-01-11. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  28. ^ Our Business: Johnston (Falkirk) Ltd, Johnston Press plc Archived 17 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  29. ^ "Paisley & Renfrewshire Extra (defunct) | British Newspapers Online". 15 April 2011.
  30. ^ Slattery, Laura; Raleigh, David (1 April 2024). "Johnston Press sells its 14 titles in the Republic". Irish Times. Archived from the original on 9 April 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  31. ^ Newbould, Chris (7 August 2023). "National World launches Shots! TV channel". Prolific North. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  32. ^ https://corporate.nationalworld.com/sites/national-world/files/pdf/Company%20News/2023/20230807%20National%20World%20launches%20Shots!.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  33. ^ "Shots! : Walks Around Britain | Series 4 Episode 6".
  34. ^ "Shots! : Exceptional Homes | Episode 11".
  35. ^ "Shots! : I Was in Byker Grove".
  36. ^ Ponsford, Dominic (7 August 2023). "National World launches video news TV channel 'Shots!' on Freeview". Press Gazette. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  37. ^ "Our publications | YourWorld". 29 June 2022.
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