Daily Record PM, the afternoon edition launched last September,
is to transform into a free commuter newspaper later this month - a first for a
UK national newspaper.
Currently circulating in Glasgow and Edinburgh the free editions
will also be launched simultaneously in Aberdeen and Dundee.
Pagination will average 44 pages and the total target number of
copies distributed across all four cities will initially be between 15,000 and
20,000.
Mark Hollinshead, Managing Director of the Daily Record and
Sunday Mail Ltd said: "The Daily Record is the best read national daily in
Scotland by a long way and the addition of the four Free PM editions will ensure
that the "Daily Record Series" delivers the largest and most responsive audience
to advertisers of any publication or media outlet in Scotland.
"The evolution of the PM concept will also provide complementary
opportunities for advertisers currently targeting the audience delivered by our
digital classified platforms; Scotcareers and Scotwheels."
All local and national advertising carried in the main paid-for
edition of the Daily Record will be carried in the "Free PM".
The new editions will be distributed in all four cities between
5pm and 7pm each weekday evening by an army of distributors.
Each edition will carry local news and sport relevant to each
city and appropriate content from that day's edition of the Daily Record.
Bruce Waddell, editor of the Daily Record, said: "This is about
pushing forward the development of the new PM editions.
"Free PM will not only target new readers but also heavily
promote the next day's edition of the Daily Record.
"As I've said before we have to follow the reader and be bold in
exploring new ways of reaching new readers."
Sly Bailey, Chief Executive of Trinity Mirror, parent company of
Scottish Daily Record & Sunday Mail Ltd, said: "The combination of our
paid-for main edition of the Daily Record, the new free PM series and our fast
developing digital brands means our coverage and penetration of the Scottish
consumer across all geographies and demographics is unrivalled."
