Murdoch's News Corp. Starts Free Paper on Heels of London Lite

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., which publishes titles including the Times of London and the Sun in the U.K., introduces a free London newspaper today to compete with Associated Newspapers' free London Lite title.

Thelondonpaper, introduced by News Corp.'s News International unit, will be available in the evenings in London with a circulation of 400,000, News International said in an e-mailed statement. London Lite was introduced on Aug. 30 with a circulation of as many as 400,000 copies.

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It's war: thelondonpaper launches

News International's new free daily for London hit the streets of the capital with a perfect late-breaking tabloid story on the front – the death of dare-devil crocodile hunter Steve Irwin.

It also had a London-based celeb story on the front with news that Babyshambles singer Pete Doherty had been spared jail again after appearing in court on drug charges.

The new paper has a distribution of 400,000 and today went head to head today for the first time with Associated Newspapers’ London Lite, which also has a 400,000 print run.

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thelondonpaper web site here thelondonpaper