Following rumours from last December, the Guardian Media Group (GMG) today announced that it is selling all of its 22 papers in the North West (plus ten elsewhere), which include the Manchester Evening News and Salford Advertiser, to Trinity Mirror for a total of £44.8million.
Channel M, the group's local tv station, wasn't included in the sale and some are fearing that it will shut completely. The sale, said a spokesperson for GMG, is to secure the future of national newspaper, the Guardian…
"We have a strong portfolio which has to be in the right shape to achieve that goal" she said "The Group board and the Scott Trust have made the decision to sell in light of these strategic objectives."
The National Union of Journalists has reacted with horror stating on the How-Do website that "This all raises issues of editorial independence which should be of concern to government and community leaders as well as the media industry…"
Salford people, already shocked recently by the news that the paper will no longer be delivered to masses of homes in East and Central Salford, will be even more concerned that their `local' paper will, from March 28th, be produced in Oldham…