Launch date for “Delhi On the Go” is not yet set. The paper will have 16 page full color and will cover national, business, world, local, showbiz and sports news.

Delhi on the Go works with Marwah Studios and Radio Noida 107.4 FM. (Asian News Agency via PRLog)

The paper – 20 Minuti – will start on September 14, and will be published in cooperation between 20 Minuten publisher Tamedia and Giacomo Salvioni, publisher of the local daily La Regione Ticino.

The paper will have a circulation of 36,000. It will be the 8th edition of the paper in Switzerland. (Publicitas)

The paper will be published as a franchise by media group El Comercio, publisher of a paid newspaper with the same name.

El Comercio is the third newspaper in the country (102,000 copies) after Trome (405,000 copies; Empresa Popular S.A.C.) and Nuevo Ojo (130,000; Empresa Periodística Nacional).

The new edition will have a circulation of 95,000 copies.

After Chile, Brazil Mexico, Ecuador and Guatemala, the Peruvian edition is the sixth Metro edition in Latin America.

In France, there is high competition between 20 Minutes, Metro and the combination of Plus/Direct papers of Vicent Bolloré and some local publishers.

Both Bolloré and 20 Minutes aim at a circulation of one million from this month on.

20 Minutes want to grow to 3.5 million readers (2.7 million now) with the launch of new editions and expansion of existing editions that will take place from March 16 on.

Ma’ariv is now the third new newspaper in the country after free daily Israel Today and paid newpaper Yediot Ahronot. Ma’ariv’s reach, however, dropped sharply in the last 5 years. In 2006 it was the second paper with a reach of almost 19%.

In 2010 this dropped to 13%. It’s position is also threatened by the second Israeli free daily Israel Post.

Market share of free dailies in Israel is now 40%, after a switch by Ma’ariv it would rise to 50%.

With the new editions, 20 Minutes will be available in 32 French cities, the new markets will be announced shortly.

20 Minutes now has a circulation of 800,000 and a readership of 2.7 million. Metro follows with 2.4 million readers (circulation 750,000). Both papers distribute in 12 markets.

Third paper is Direct/Plus with a total circulation of 700,000 and 1.7 million readers. In Paris evening paper Direct Soir distributes 360,000 copies for 1 million readers.

Metro and it’s partner TF1 (34.5% shareholder) have increased the capital for Metro France, also to support expansion and to invest in content according to L’Express.

In his Monday Note blog, ex-20 Minutes editor Frédéric Filloux asked in his most recent blog what the future of French free newspapers would be, as the market seems to be saturated, while Bolloré’s Direct papers burn money without him caring too much (but spoiling the market for others at the same time).

Filloux also asked whether the increased smartphone use could harm free dailies, as more people use these as past-time activity. Maybe the expansion plans of the frees in France are just an answer to that.

There were also rumors that the Independent would go free, but this does not seem to be the case with ‘i’. Independent’s editor-in-chief, Simon Kelner, coordinates the operation.

The new paper would be targeted at a different – younger (twentysomething) - audience.

mmmmm, sounds familiar? Yes.

First, the title and concept seem to be very similar to a Portuguese newspaper, accidentally also called ‘i’.

This paper was launched in May 2009 with a print run of 100,000. Cover price was €1 – so more expensive than the Independent’s ‘i’ and also with more pages. The paper is published by Sojormedia Capital, owned by the Lena Group.

Since launch, however, the paper got in serious troubles, as the public demand for the paper was less than expected. Editor Martim Avillez Figuereido left the paper after disagreements with the management. The paper is now looking for “cost control and revenue increase” according to Editorsweblog.

Editorsweblog also claimed that “circulation was augmenting steadily last August and seemed to be doing well for a newspaper”. This must be attributed to wishful thinking. According to official Portuguese auditing organization APC, the print run dropped from 45,000 (not 100,000) to 37,000 during 2009 while paid circulation was around 15,000 at the end of 2009.

Also, the new concept seemed to have borrowed from the Dutch nrc.next (paid circulation 65,000 – lite morning version of liberal evening broadsheet NRC) and Publico (Spain).

Other cheaper, liter papers are Welt Kompakt (no circulation known, lite version of Die Welt), Espresso (Belgium, closed down), 20 cent (Germany, closed down), Direkt (Cologne, closed down), News (Frankfurt, closed down), Dziennik (Poland, merged).

US papers RedEye and Red Streak (Chicago) started as paid cheaper versions of paid papers (Tribune, Sun-Times); Red Streak closed, RedEye (logo left) went free.

Slogan of the paper that is modeled after UK tabloid papers, is “Il gossip non ha prezzo” (Gossip is priceless)

Io Spio counts 32 pages, will be published on Fridays and has a circulation of 800,000. (Il Tiempo)

Kassab Media, the outdoor advertising company that has the contract to sell ad space on Dubai’s new rail system is behind the plans.“Once the network is fully operational we’re definitely launching a daily newspaper,” said Gerard Rustom, the regional sales director at Kassab Media to The National.

There is no definitive time schedule for the launch, it could be end of this year or March 2011 according to mr. Rustom.

The paper is expected to be distributed as well on the bus and boat services run by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). RTA said they would welcome a free paper but said noting about timing or publisher.

Currently free daily 7 Days (by Associated Newspapers), a paper very similar in lay-out to Metro UK, is published in Dubai, distributed in public places.

The Bolloré group is also thinking about launching new editions in some cities, mentioned were: Rennes, Clermont-Ferrand, Grenoble, Nancy and Saint-Etienne. (Les Echos)

In terms of readership, however, the Direct Plus papers are still lagging behind. In the last survey there were 1.7 million readers for the titles, against 2.7 million for 20 Minutes and 2.5 million for Metro.