What is Newsquest Media Group?

Updated

Newsquest Media Group is a UK local media company that operates local news brands and magazines and also provides digital marketing services to local businesses. It describes itself as "the UK's leading local media company," with teams of professional journalists serving communities 24/7 and a separate marketing arm, LOCALiQ, aimed at SMEs. If you are trying to understand who publishes a particular local UK title, or you run a local business looking for regional advertising reach, Newsquest is the kind of organisation you would look into.

What Newsquest does

Newsquest's activity splits into two main areas:

  • Local journalism. Its journalists produce local news for the communities its titles cover. The company states that its editors have complete editorial independence and are free to edit as they see fit, in the interests of the individual communities they represent.
  • Digital marketing for local businesses. Through LOCALiQ, Newsquest positions itself as the No.1 provider of digital marketing services for SMEs, helping local businesses reach its audience through data-driven decisions.

Scale at a glance

The homepage lists the following figures:

Metric Figure
Local news brands & magazines 250+
Digital visitors per month 50m
Print readers per week 4m

These numbers are useful for gauging reach if you are considering Newsquest as an advertising channel, or if you want a sense of how widely its local titles circulate.

Who it is relevant to

  • Readers looking for local news in a specific part of the UK — Newsquest's titles are organised around local communities rather than a single national edition.
  • Local businesses and SMEs seeking regional or local audiences; LOCALiQ is the entry point for that.
  • Journalists and media professionals — the site maintains a careers section and publishes appointments news, such as new editors in Dorset and Somerset, new editors of the Eastern Daily Press and Colchester Gazette, and Richard Porritt as Editorial Transformation director.

What to check before relying on it

The homepage references subscriptions, so some Newsquest content or services may sit behind a paid arrangement rather than being entirely open. Pricing details and any login requirements are not specified on the page, so confirm terms on the specific title or service you intend to use rather than assuming free access.