Guardian Media Group is to consult with staff at Channel M over the likely future of the regional television station after the company agreed today to sell off its regional newspaper business.
Rival publisher Trinity Mirror confirmed that it would pay £44.8m to take control of 32 newspapers published by two GMG subsidiary companies, MEN Media and S&B Media.
The move hung an immediate question mark over Channel M, the Manchester-based TV station launched by MEN Media in February 2000, as it and two of GMG’s Woking newspapers were not included in the deal.
Last April, following a review of the station’s activities MEN Media decided to scale back Channel M’s schedule and to cut around 40 of the station’s 74 full-time to reduce costs.
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A spokesman for GMG told Press Gazette the company would now talk to staff at Channel M about a “range of options” for its future.
The company will also now seek a buyer for the Woking Review and Woking News & Mail, the spokesman said.
Trinity Mirror said earlier it had declined to take control of the two weekly newspaper titles because it already owned newspapers in that area.
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The regional publishing giant did not outline why it was not taking on Channel M.
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