THE STAR’S NOT IN THE PINK

03-07-2009

The Stirrer can reveal that Black Country newspaper institution “The Sporting Star” has been quietly dropped and won’t appear next season. It was the last remaining Saturday evening sports paper in the West Midlands following the demise of the Sports Argus three years ago.

We understand the paper wasn't losing money, but after years of declining circulation, management at the Express and Star group could see the writing on the wall and have decided to concentrate resources on their excellent post-match online results and analysis service.

Newspaper nostalgists will regret the demise of the classic “pink”, but in a world of Sky Sports News and radio phone-ins – not to mention the reduction in Saturday afternoon footy fixtures – the need for this kind of publication has dramatically declined.

Elsewhere, the Star – in contrast to its big city rivals at the Post and Mail – appears to be in expansionist mood.

It still has a ‘live’ Saturday edition, published on the day, whereas the Mail is put to bed on Friday night, and the weekend Post has been scrapped altogether.

The Express and Star is also looking to expand into ‘fringe’ areas, making inroads into parts of Birmingham traditionally regarded as the Mail’s preserve such as Harborne; while in Stafford, a free localised copy of the paper is delivered to thousands of households along with the weekly Chronicle.

The Post and Mail’s owners Trinity Mirror, on the other hand, has just announced the closure of nine Midlands titles including the Walsall Observer.