The New Musical Express today (Oct. 18) launched a special edition in Ireland. The U.K. music weekly, which is owned by the London-based IPC publishing, is attempting to consolidate its position in the Irish market, where it anticipates sales of 5,000.
NME editor, Conor McNicholas, commented today, “I felt that Ireland needed a magazine that reflected what was going on in the country every week and also to provide a comprehensive gig listing service.”
The move will increase competition with long-standing Dublin-based rock magazine Hot Press, whose marketing manager, Mark Hogan, said: “The introduction of NME Ireland is irrelevant to us because we are a completely different type of magazine with a broader remit.”
The NME is also running a new live music night in Dublin’s Voodoo Lounge, the first of which begins tomorrow night.
The Irish pages of the NME will be edited by Steve Cummins.
