Fifth free newspaper hits the streets

COPENHAGEN – The fifth free newspaper aimed at Danish readers hit the streets on Friday even though a glitch cut its planned print run by half.

Nyhedsavisen was handed out at key traffic points and distributed directly to homes in Denmark’s major cities. Nyhedsavisen (The News Daily) had a planned circulation of 500 000 but half of them – intended for readers in the Danish capital – failed to be printed because of a technical problem.A smaller number of copies were handed out in Copenhagen while distribution went as planned in Aarhus and Odense, Denmark’s second and third largest cities.The newest daily arrived in an already saturated market where local media houses have vowed to keep the newcomer at bay.When Icelandic conglomerate 365 Media Scandinavia earlier this year announced it would issue Nyhedsavisen, Denmark’s two largest media companies scrambled to meet the challenge with free newspapers of their own.Berlingske Officin, which also publishes several other newspapers including one of Europe’s oldest dailies, Berlingske Tidende, came out first on Aug.16 with tabloid-size dato (Date).A day later, rival media company JP/Politikens Hus followed with a paper of the same size called 24timer, or 24 hours.Denmark’s newspaper market is dominated by the Politiken, Jyllands-Posten and Berlingske Tidende newspapers, plus two tabloids Ekstra Bladet and BT.Nampa-APNyhedsavisen (The News Daily) had a planned circulation of 500 000 but half of them – intended for readers in the Danish capital – failed to be printed because of a technical problem.A smaller number of copies were handed out in Copenhagen while distribution went as planned in Aarhus and Odense, Denmark’s second and third largest cities.The newest daily arrived in an already saturated market where local media houses have vowed to keep the newcomer at bay.When Icelandic conglomerate 365 Media Scandinavia earlier this year announced it would issue Nyhedsavisen, Denmark’s two largest media companies scrambled to meet the challenge with free newspapers of their own.Berlingske Officin, which also publishes several other newspapers including one of Europe’s oldest dailies, Berlingske Tidende, came out first on Aug.16 with tabloid-size dato (Date).A day later, rival media company JP/Politikens Hus followed with a paper of the same size called 24timer, or 24 hours.Denmark’s newspaper market is dominated by the Politiken, Jyllands-Posten and Berlingske Tidende newspapers, plus two tabloids Ekstra Bladet and BT.Nampa-AP