Chronicle Week launches as Britain’s biggest free weekly newspaper

The publisher of the Express & Star is to launch Britain’s biggest free weekly newspaper for readers in the Black Country and surrounding areas.

Advertising director Louise Burns, brand designer Adam Petitt and heads of features Caroline Jones, who have all worked on Chronicle Week

Today the Midland News Association will deliver new print title Chronicle Week to more than 200,000 homes following a major rebrand.

With five editions covering Wolverhampton, Walsall, Sandwell, Dudley and Cannock, the title has been given a modern look to appeal to the target 272,000 readers, with the aim of generating a stronger response for advertisers.

Building on the heritage of the MNA’s free Chronicle series, which it replaces, the newspaper will be distributed to households with demographic profiles aligned with advertisers’ target audiences.

With a contemporary design and fresh advertising shapes, the Chronicle Week launch will see 210,000 copies delivered through door to door distribution. It will also be on sale in more than 250 newsagents across the area.

Local stories will feature throughout each edition, complete with a comprehensive round-up of the week’s regional news.

Express & Star Editor Keith Harrison said: “We are delighted with the new Chronicle Week and the prestige of laying claim to being the biggest free weekly newspaper in the UK. There is a focus on positive stories with human interest, alongside the hard news which readers expect from us, plus eight pages of leisure features.”

MNA advertising director Louise Burns said: “The new print title has an improved offering for advertising which we feel will help to engage with readers in a more targeted way. Conversations are already under way with advertisers to update them on the changes and the new opportunity to accelerate coverage at a lower cost per thousand, which have been received positively.”

The launch of Chronicle Week coincides with a marketing campaign to promote the new title to local advertisers. Alongside the new product, the MNA will continue to publish the free weekly Stafford Express & Star.

MNA print MD Graeme Clifford said: “The launch of Britain’s biggest free weekly newspaper is a prime example of the MNA’s commitment to continuing to invest in print. A lot of time and hard work has gone into making this product what it is, and we are very excited about its launch.”

The MNA publishes two of the UK’s biggest regional newspapers, the Express & Star and its sister paper the Shropshire Star.