The UK’s largest regional newspaper publisher, Trinity, has bought
the country’s biggest regional newspaper sales house in a #1.6 million
deal.
Trinity’s acquisition of Amra consolidates the publisher’s advertising
sales into a single point, adding 60 Trinity titles to Amra’s portfolio.
Amra already represented half of Trinity’s newspapers. The additional
titles were previously handled by Mediaforce and Clacksons, while the
Belfast Telegraph had an in-house ad sales team.
Amra’s management will remain the same, with the exception of its
chairman and founder, Malachi Doyle, who is retiring but will remain as
a consultant. Trinity’s head of advertising development, John Eccleston,
will take on the chairman’s role, while Mike McCormack remains as chief
executive.
Eccleston said: ’We clearly see the benefits of having all the titles
under one roof and that they can be accessed by one phone call.’
He added that all of Amra’s existing members, including Eastern Counties
Newspapers, the Manchester Evening News and the Midland News
Association, had decided to stick with the sales house.
McCormack insisted that Amra would retain its independence as a
representative of other regional newspaper groups, despite Trinity’s
ownership. A steering committee has been set up with senior
representatives from Amra’s client base to work on future sales
initiatives.
McCormack said: ’Amra was a significant sales house but I felt there was
something missing. If you can put the largest regional newspaper group
with the largest regional sales operation, you have the perfect
fit.’
Trinity’s titles include the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo and the
Western Mail and Echo.
