Business

IntoMedia: Uniting three iconic brands to launch a best-in-class media business

The executive management team at IntoMedia - (from left) Stuart Duncan, Claire McGrath, Paul Donnelly, David Wilson, Dominic Fitzpatrick, Sinead Cavanagh, Noel Doran, Annette McManus and Thomas Carey
The executive management team at IntoMedia - (from left) Stuart Duncan, Claire McGrath, Paul Donnelly, David Wilson, Dominic Fitzpatrick, Sinead Cavanagh, Noel Doran, Annette McManus and Thomas Carey The executive management team at IntoMedia - (from left) Stuart Duncan, Claire McGrath, Paul Donnelly, David Wilson, Dominic Fitzpatrick, Sinead Cavanagh, Noel Doran, Annette McManus and Thomas Carey

MEDIA brands The Irish News, Q Radio and Interpress have come together under the new single umbrella group name of IntoMedia.

It heralds a new era for the businesses, with IntoMedia being housed at the Fountain Centre on Belfast’s College Street.

It also sees The Irish News vacate its iconic Donegall Street building after 117 years.

The strategic union and emergence of IntoMedia is built on a shared vision of innovation, creativity, and a deep understanding of the evolving needs and preferences of today's audiences.

“The newly formed IntoMedia group’s mission is to use our independent voice to play a positive role in society,” according to Sinead Cavanagh, deputy chief executive.

“We inform the conversation, entertain and inspire debate by telling compelling stories and this was the natural next step for the business and its group companies.”

Over the past year, IntoMedia has worked with the Financial Times, which has supported it on “an exciting journey with an incredibly ambitious growth strategy.”

With a portfolio that spans print, broadcast and digital, IntoMedia is poised to captivate and inspire audiences across multiple platforms.

Sinead adds: “When we read of contraction at other media houses, we’re doing exactly the opposite by investing in technology and adding to our 132-strong people team.

“We will also rebrand The Irish News later in the year, when readers will see a big difference.”

Sinead went on: “The rebrand is essentially us doubling down on our ethos and who we are. We recognise our unique role in the north and beyond and in some ways, we consider the Irish News to be an ‘institution’ that has a crucial part to play here, with authoritative, trustworthy, highly credible journalism, notable by its balance and integrity.”

The Irish News remains the second biggest-selling regional daily newspaper in the whole of the UK.

Q Radio, which is the only national station here capable of splitting content to offer advertisers a national and hyper-local model thanks to its seven frequencies, is also recruiting and has welcomed one of the most sought-after comedians in the UK and Ireland in Cork nativeAndrew Ryan to its presenter line-up, in tune with its commitment to its ‘Big personality, Big Reach credentials’.

And the multi-award winning Interpress, which was established in March 2005, now prints on average 40 daily and weekly titles with major printing contracts across the island, such as Mediahuis’s Belfast Telegraph and all of the Reach titles including the Daily Mirror, Daily Star, Daily Record and Daily Express

“Our priority now is to build a sustainable business model, continue to strengthen our market leadership locally and identify opportunities further afield,” Sinead added.

“By bringing our talented people together, we will unleash synergies that clearly exist and ensure we continue to deliver the best journalism and entertainment for our readers and listeners across all our platforms.”