Martin Stabe » London Lite

Newspaper Innovation: UK domain & trademark war

Martin Stabe — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 07:26:10 +0000

"News International, owner of free daily thelondonpaper, and Associated Newspapers (London Lite) are participating in a ‘phoney’ expansion was in the UK. Both companies are trademarking their brands and registering Internet domain names in several are

Independent: ‘London Lite’ is on a roll. So what price the ‘Standard’?

Martin Stabe — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 12:17:05 +0000

"Sources at [Associated Newspapers] say plans are in place to take the Standard further upmarket and distinguish it more clearly from its free siblings."

Telegraph: Readership figures add fuel to London’s freesheet war

Martin Stabe — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 09:46:12 +0000

It's nice to see online metrics aren't the only ones that provoke rows. Associated and News International are squabbling over teh sample size used by the National Readership Survey for their london freesheets.

The Ecologist: What a load of rubbish

Martin Stabe — Sat, 05 May 2007 08:34:17 +0000

Jon Hughes of the Ecologogist estimated that the London freesheets use "a little over 107 tonnes" of newsprint per day = 1,284 trees * 70% recycled paper = 899 dead trees per day.

Campaign: Associated Newspapers stops distribution of London Lite

Martin Stabe — Fri, 04 May 2007 08:15:13 +0000

"Associated Newspapers has stopped ...Evening Standard vendors distributing ... London Lite. According to media buyers, the move has been driven by declining sales of the Standard. Distribution will now be solely via London Lite distributors."

The Observer: Retreat will beat the litter Lites

Martin Stabe — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 11:15:32 +0000

Peter Preston: [London councils' litter payment demands] could be a £2m-a-year extra burden for two free papers that aren't making any money now, or for the foreseeable future."

‘Head-cam’ video voxpops at Press Gazette

Martin Stabe — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 16:44:23 +0000

Press Gazette reporter Rachael Gallagher filmed some video vox pops this week to gauge Londoners’ opinions of the Evening Standard and the free newspapers London Lite and thelondonpaper. You can watch the results on YouTube.

But this is two stories in one. It was also a review for the Gizmos page.

Rachael filmed her vox pops on the hands-free “headcam” better known as the Cylon Body-Worn Surveillance System. The tiny camera, designed to be strapped to the side of the user’s head, records directly to an Archos digital video recorder.

The headcam was designed for police evidence-gathering, which explains the unsightly timestamp throughout Rachael’s footage. Apparently the manufacturers can make a version for journalists without this feature.

There are clearly journalistic applications for this device, particularly in areas where mobility is vital, such as war reporting. Tristan Nichols, defense correspondent of The Herald in Plymouth, recently used this camerato film stories about British troops in Sierra Leone and Afghanistan.

And it costs a mere £1,700.