When free newspaper publisher Metro International arrived in France four year ago, established competitors cried foul and some of their workers took to the streets, writes Eric Pfanner in the
International Herald Tribune. Now,
Metro and other free papers are a fixture on the French cityscape, accounting for one in five papers read in France. Publishers of paid-for dailies are
considering free editions of their own. The about-face reflects a broader shift in Europe, as free papers grow rapidly and publishers of existing papers increasingly turn to giveaways. News Corp.
confirmed plans to start a free newspaper in Britain next month. In France,
Le Monde and
Le Figaro are said to be working on free newspaper projects. "Almost all over Europe, you see
circulation going down for paid newspapers," says Piet Bakker, associate professor of communications at the University of Amsterdam. "At the same time, the economy is improving, helping the
advertising market. Free newspapers are seen as the best way to take advantage of this."
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