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DUBLIN DAILY FREE newspaper the Metro Herald is to cease publication from this Friday.
The 13 full-time staff at the paper are to be made redundant with publisher Fortunegreen Ltd saying they have been “fighting a rear-guard action fuelled by a prolonged recession and an evolving media landscape”.
The team of part-time casual workers who distribute the paper around the capital will also lose their jobs following a consultation process which will conclude in January.
Metro Herald is jointly-owned by the Irish Times Ltd, DMG Media, which publishes the Irish Daily Mail, and Independent News and Media (INM).
The paper began as Metro in 2005 and was owned by the Irish Times and DMG but became its current incarnation when it merged with INM-owned Herald AM in 2008.
Managing director of Fortunegreen Paul Crosbie described the joint-venture between all three organisations as “historic”.
“It is extremely unfortunate that we have come to this decision which sadly means the loss of jobs,” added Crosbie.
The company said in a statement this evening that “the business model has become unsustainable in a difficult advertising environment.”
The paper’s GoMetro.ie news website says that a final “farewell edition” of the paper will be published this Friday.
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i never saw one that wasn’t smiling and pleasant. I hope they get picked up for some other promotional work
The Metro guy/girl is usually the first person to say good morning with a big smile as I drag my heels to work. Sad times.
I’ll miss the only Suduko I ever managed to complete !!
The fact that we are all commenting on the demise of a print newspaper on an online news website says it all.
I normally leave comments in ink under the articles and leave it in the seat as I leave….
Aww I love the metro distributers! Any that I’ve gotten to know have been lovely.
What are all the stalkers who write
in about people on public transport gonna do now #creeps
An absolute shame,beautiful people putting a smile on the general publics face every morning.
@Trevor Hayden: Pity about the poisonous shite they were handing out though.
People would rather read TheJournal on their phones than Metro Herald in their hands. Hope TheJournal will be in a position to offer some of these people jobs. Very tough to hitting the dole at Christmas.
I’m genuinely upset about this. Loved that nifty little paper
Shame, nice paper and great distribution staff, but ironically you – the journal – are one of the reasons of their downfall. Since got your app I stopped reading metro and I know many people did the same. Big newspapers like independent will probably survive due to the calibre of their publications – but when it comes to quick daily news plus some light gadgets or sports reviews then you’re hard to beat.
Good news. What a piece of shit paper
I concur, an absolute laughing stock, the thing that surprises me is that there were 13 full time staff, surely it only takes one person to cut and paste.
The loss of 13 jobs is the real shame a week before Christmas. What a bunch of key board warriors and trolls are on here. Little else to do
Just because people didn’t like the paper they’re automatically trolls?
I’m not a troll and I thought the paper was useless.
I’m a troll because I had a opinion that differs from yours Chico, no wonder you’re a limo driver.
Lol ah name calling ! Oh me only a limo driver
I blame Irish Rail / Luas Crowd. There’s no room on public transport at all to read the paper! it’s a luxury! On the Luas in the morning I can barely get enough room to take out my phone..
Comments on here never seem to amaze. People giving out about getting free stuff!
I’m sure the people/distributors etc were lovely. But the paper was crap, contained out of date news and about 70% of its content was advertisements. I can’t say I’m surprised by this to be honest. Still, hate to see any jobs being lost especially just before christmas.
Ah no, I always read the Metro and the Journal on my bus in the morning. Horrible for the staff, right before Christmas. Hope they get something else soon.
We have métro in france as well. If its not plastic bags then its metro newspaper dirtying the streets
Although I’m saddened that these guys are losing their jobs as they are the friendliest happy go lucky people I’ve ever encountered, I’m glad the paper is gone. The amount of newspapers discarded on the railway alone was disgraceful. Litter free journey!!!
Lol@ all the lickarses feigning disappointment. The metro people just get in the way when you’re trying to get to work. I used to just take one off the first one I’d pass so the rest wouldn’t bother me.
From next Monday, the litter situation in Dublin will have improved by a staggering 85%.
It will be no loss less litter on the streets
I’m sorry but it was a dumbed down ‘newspaper’ with lame sound bite articles. Buy a real newspaper or better still read a book.
People with low brows are people too. You’re not better than them.
“Metro Herald is jointly-owned by the Irish Times Ltd, DMG Media, which publishes the Irish Daily Mail, and Independent News and Media (INM).”
So essentially they are a toilet paper/chip wrap manufacturer.
Silver lining. It’s a few trees saved.
Well they’ll be gone now and you can scowl at someone else
Pearls before swine! Brilliant cartoon
I will find the deviant who makes their crossword, sooner or later…
Yeah, cripplingly difficult one day, relatively simple the next, Herald AM crossword was great, I miss that
How am I going to find out what Nemi is up to now?
Not to worry. I’m sure the will be replace by ‘call center’ customer support jobs by some other non tax paying entity.
This is the first of many newspaper titles to close in the next 3/5 years
I am now unemployed due to the grown internet surge of on line viewing of news and was made redundant last November
Plus cheapest paper in Ireland is €1
In England you can buy 3-4 papers for £1 as they don’t charge VAT
Vat on everything in this country
Oh I forgot Enda is on more wages than Obama that’s why
Pay peanuts you get monkeys
Pay an abouslute fortune you get clowns
So I’ll be able to walk around without someone waving an unwanted newspaper in my face on every corner …
Finally you’re free from the tyranny of free stuff! Now let’s see if you achieve anything with your new-found freedom.
Can’t be right
You pays for what you gets you gets another loss?
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