The Alpha portfolio is ideally placed to reach audiences across most council areas outside Belfast. This is of significance when 63% of the Northern Ireland population live outside the Greater Belfast area.

 In Armagh we publish the Ulster Gazette, the Newry Democrat, the Co Down Outlook in Rathfriland. The Tyrone Courier in Dungannon, the Mid Ulster Courier in Cookstown, The Tyrone Constitution in Omagh, the Strabane Weekly News. The Coleraine Chronicle, the Ballymoney Chronicle, the Ballycastle Chronicle, the Northern Constitution in Limavady, the Ballymena Guardian and the Antrim Guardian. We also have YourAdsNI for online ad booking.

This year quite a number of the titles celebrated their 180th birthdays, so they are long established titles. The papers have offices with local journalists and other staff based at the heart of the communities they serve.

The role of local newspapers in their communities is important and in a fast-changing world, local journalism is at the heart of readers’ communities and journalists can really understand what is important – to celebrate and mourn, champion and, sometimes, criticise with a true understanding of the area they serve.

The titles are passionate about their local towns and districts bringing News, Local Council news, Court coverage, Village notes, Schools, Church news, Births, Marriages and Deaths, Sport, Leisure and Entertainment from all sections of the community. The content mix of the titles reflects the diverse readership they hold. For example, extensive coverage in Sport is given to GAA, Soccer, Rugby, Cricket Golf, Motorcycling, Athletics, Bowls, Judo, Stock Cars and Equestrian to name a few. Another example, in September a special focus is given to all schools in their areas with every Primary 1 intake in every school recorded in a special photographic supplement. In June the Primary 7’s leaving school are recorded in a similar fashion. We don’t imagine anyone else doing this soon….

The brands ethos is best described as Trusted, Honest, Accurate, Fair, Unbiased, Balanced and Even Handed, local through and through and at the heart of the community they serve.