Metro International

Metro International
Public (Nasdaq Stockholm: MTROA, (Nasdaq Stockholm: MTROB)
Founded 1995
Headquarters Luxembourg
Website www.metro.lu

Metro International is a Swedish global media company based in Luxembourg that publishes the Metro newspapers. Metro International's advertising sales have grown at a compound annual growth rate of 41 percent since launch of the first newspaper edition in 1995.[1] It is a freesheet, meaning that distribution is free, with revenues thus generated entirely through advertising. This newspaper is primarily intended for commuters who move daily in and out of big cities' business areas, mainly during rush hours.

The company was founded by Per Andersson and started as a subsidiary of the Modern Times Group along with Viasat Broadcasting. It is now controlled through investment company Kinnevik. The first edition of the newspaper was published as Metro Stockholm and distributed in the Stockholm metro. As of 2012, all European editions (except for the Hungarian one) have been sold, reportedly so that Metro International can focus on Latin America, considered the last growth market for free newspapers.[2][3]

Metro newspapers

The Amsterdam version of Metro from 31 August 2007, showing a headline about vandalism on Wikipedia

As of October 2009, there were 56 daily editions in 15 languages and in 19 countries across Europe, North and South America, and Asia, for an audience of more than 17 million daily readers and 37 million weekly readers.[1]

Metro newspaper editions are distributed in high-traffic commuter zones or in public transport networks, via a combination of self-service racks and by hand distributors on weekdays. Saturday editions are published in Stockholm, Santiago, São Paulo, and Lima. The distribution points are located either in or around public transport networks (subways, trains, buses, trams), office buildings, retail outlets, at key distribution points on busy streets, or in other high-density population areas such as college campuses.

Metro International launched several editions in Canada during 2000, leading to the creation of several commuter newspaper competitors, such as Sun Media's 24 Hours.

The local name of the Metro newspaper editions may vary due to trademark issues. Peruvian, Chilean, and Mexican editions are called Publimetro, and the Spanish edition is named Metro Directo.

Not all newspapers named Metro are part of the Metro International group. Associated Newspapers publishes another freesheet called Metro in twelve areas around Britain. This UK Metro is not related to Metro International, which used the name Morning News for its (now defunct) freesheet distributed there. However, Metro International and Associated Metro do collaborate on the Dublin Metro Herald newspaper (launched 10 October 2005), which they both own a third of, along with The Irish Times. The Dublin Metro newspaper uses the Associated Metro logo and format, however.[4] It is reported that Metro International has plans to launch a rival free evening newspaper in London.

There are also other examples of newspapers named Metro that are not part of the Metro International Group. In Belgium, Mass Transit Media, a joint venture of Concentra and Rossel, publishes the free daily newspaper Metro. In California, Metro Silicon Valley is a free weekly newspaper which was founded in 1985. Neither of these newspapers have links to Metro International.

In Hong Kong, Metro International sold Metro Daily in 2013 to a local businessman.[5]

Timeline of Metro editions

Metro editions by region

Europe

In addition to having national editions in Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Finland, the Netherlands, Russia, and Sweden (Metro), city editions of Metro are published in many major cities.

Note: Belgium has a bilingual free newspaper with the same name, but it is not owned by Metro International.

North America

Metro newspaper vending boxes in Toronto

Caribbean, Central and South America

Asia

See also

References

Media related to Metro (newspaper) at Wikimedia Commons

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