The impending 'Battle of the Freesheets' has been...well, impending for a while now but today we've got a few more details from News International about just what exactly they're planning.
First up it's going to be launched on September 18, and it's going to be called Thelondonpaper, all very 'does it what says on the tin' and url-friendly (and, yes thelondonpaper.com has already been registered).
It's going to be published in the afternoon and will "debut with hand distribution of between 300,000 and 400,000 copies outside commuter points in the capital, setting up an autumn battle with the paid-for Evening Standard."
Good, we've been waiting for someone to offer some kind of alternative to that rag for too long now.
It also looks like News International have thier sites set on the Metro, as they've announced their intent to "to expand into other cities with regional editions."
Presumably there'll be a bit of a name change involved, otherwise that's just not going to work.
As for the paper's content, expect it to "appeal to young, upmarket Londoners,", a direct attack on the Standard's perceived weakness of beign too 'old' in its outlook.
Don't get your expectations up too high however: a significant amount opf the Thelondonpaper staff are defectors from...The Evening Standard.
Picture taken from the Flickr account of Rob Watling.
