On the market

The Mayo News goes on the market

THE Mayo News, one of only eight independently-owned regional newspapers remaining in the country, is to be sold. The decision was made in recent weeks by the Berry family and was announced to the paper’s 31 staff last Wednesday by the company’s Managing Director, Dermot Berry.
Established in 1892, The Mayo News has a reputation as a quality newspaper with strong editorial values, while its emphasis on design has seen it earn several awards in recent years, most notably the crown of Europe’s Best-Designed Local Newspaper, which it received in Vienna in April.
Cathal Friel of corporate finance company, Raglan Capital, is handling the sale of the newspaper and it is expected that there will be plenty of interest among the country’s largest newspaper groups. While circulation trends in regional newspapers in Ireland have been downward in recent years, The Mayo News has continued to grow its readership and its advertising revenue and it is now widely-regarded as one of the finest regional newspapers in the country.
While the sale proceeds, Denise Horan, Editor of The Mayo News, has vowed that the paper will continue to maintain its focus on quality reportage and analysis of events in Mayo.
“We believe that The Mayo News is a top-quality product and that is down to the talent and commitment of our excellent staff. That commitment will continue into the future, in spite of recent events, and I can assure our readers that the paper they enjoy and trust will be undiminished in terms of what it offers its readers,” she said.
It is unclear how long the process will take or what figure the paper will be sold for, but staff will be kept informed of all developments as the process proceeds.