Johnston Acquires Emap’s Score Press

Regional newspaper group, Johnston Press, has successfully completed the acquisition of Emap’s newspaper operation, Score Press, for £155 million.

The deal was conditional on Emap’s takeover of Scottish Radio Holdings, which was cleared by Ofcom yesterday, as long as the media group agrees to sell one of its two digital multiplex radio licences in Scotland (see Emap Takeover Of SRH Cleared).

The move will see Johnston Press take control of Score Press’s 45 local weekly newspapers, with the sale helping to recover some of Emap’s takeover costs, leaving it to concentrate solely on SRH’s radio interests (see Emap Snaps Up SRH For £391 Million).

Earlier this summer, Johnston Press warned of a deterioration in the advertising market, due to uncertainties surrounding the recent general election and a downturn in recruitment advertising (see Johnston Press Warns Of Advertising Slowdown).

Issuing a trading statement, the company predicted its actual growth in advertising revenue to be 1.5% up year on year in the first 23 weeks of the year, although this is well below the 2.6% year on year increase previously reported by the publisher for the first two months of 2005.

Johnston also reported circulation turnover to be “flat” over the first 23 months of the year with no change on 2004. Other revenues were reported to have risen by 13%, thanks to “good progress” in the company’s online activities.

In June, advertising monitor, Thomson Intermedia, announced new deals with Johnston Press and Northcliffe Newspapers, adding more than 350 regional titles to its database of advertisement placements, providing increased accountability and analysis (see Thomson Signs Northcliffe and Johnston For Ad Data).

Johnston Press: 0207 583 2100 www.johnstonpress.co.uk