LONDON (AFX) - Global media baron Rupert Murdoch's soon to be released free London evening newspaper, to be called thelondonpaper, is bringing forward its launch date by two weeks to Sept 4, The Financial Times reported.
Bringing the date forward gives Murdoch's News International publishing group a head start over rival Associated Newspapers' plans for a separate free evening paper for the capital, London Lite.
News International's paper will break the monopoly on London evening titles held since 1980 by the Evening Standard, published by Associated Newspapers, which also publishes the mass-circulation Daily Mail.
With a projected print run of 400,000 copies, the London evening newspaper will have 48 full-colour pages and be distributed in central London from 4.30 pm, when the evening rush hour begins.
'We are ready for it,' said Ian Clark, general manager for News International's free newspaper operations.
'Our consumer marketing breaks next week and our editorial is fully staffed.'
Murdoch's thelondonpaper is the first new title to be launched by his News International group, which owns The Sun and The Times and their Sunday sister newspapers, News of the World and The Sunday Times.
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