What Local News Brands and Publications Does Newsquest Operate?
Updated
Newsquest Media Group is the UK's leading local media company, operating more than 250 local news brands and magazines across the country. Its titles serve communities through both print and digital channels, reaching roughly 50 million digital visitors per month and 4 million print readers per week. Each brand is run with editorial independence, meaning editors decide what to cover based on the interests of the community they represent.
Scale and Reach at a Glance
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Local news brands & magazines | 250+ |
| Digital visitors per month | 50m |
| Print readers per week | 4m |
These numbers describe the overall footprint rather than any single publication. The 250+ figure covers both news brands and magazines, so the portfolio spans daily and weekly newspapers as well as magazine-style titles.
How the Brands Are Organised
Newsquest's titles are grouped by the communities they serve, with editorial teams working across the UK. The company describes its journalists as serving their communities 24/7, sharing local news that readers trust.
A few named examples from Newsquest's own news updates give a sense of the geographic spread:
- Dorset and Somerset — new editors appointed for titles in this region
- Eastern Daily Press — a Norfolk-based title with a newly appointed editor
- Colchester Gazette — an Essex title, also under new editorial leadership
These appointments illustrate how individual brands are managed locally rather than from a single central newsroom.
Editorial Independence
Newsquest states that its editors have complete editorial independence. They are free to edit as they see fit, and do so in the interests of the individual communities they represent throughout the country. In practice, this means the editorial direction of each local brand is set by its own team, not dictated by a single national agenda.
Print and Digital Side by Side
Newsquest's brands publish across both channels. The 50 million monthly digital visitors and 4 million weekly print readers indicate that the portfolio is not purely online or purely print — the two run in parallel. If you are trying to find a specific local title, it is worth checking both the print edition and the brand's website, since coverage and publishing schedules can differ between them.
Beyond News: LOCALiQ
Alongside its news brands, Newsquest operates LOCALiQ, which it describes as the No.1 provider of digital marketing services for SMEs. LOCALiQ helps local businesses reach Newsquest's audience through data-driven marketing. This is a commercial arm rather than a news brand, but it draws on the same audience reach.
What This Means If You're Looking for a Specific Title
Because the portfolio covers 250+ brands, the practical question is usually which one serves your area. A few pointers:
- Check by region first. Titles are tied to specific communities, so searching by county or town is more effective than searching by the parent company name.
- Expect both a print and a digital presence. Most brands maintain a website alongside their print edition.
- Editorial focus varies. Since editors operate independently, the tone and coverage priorities of one brand may differ noticeably from another, even within the same region.
For the full list of titles, the most reliable route is Newsquest's own site, which links out to its individual news brands.