Morgan's First News claims 39,000 weekly sales

News of further problems for The Sportsman, even after its demise, reminded me that its launch coincided with that of First News, a weekly paper targeted at schoolchildren. So, I wondered, how was it bearing up? Well, according to its editor, Nicky Cox, it is doing rather nicely, thank you. Since its May 5 launch its newsstand sales have built to about 35,000 a week while its subscriptions have reached almost 4,000. "Subscriptions are going really well at the moment," says Cox. "About 400 schools have signed up and they often take multiples. For example, one Year 6 class has just agreed to take 30 copies." She isn't complacent, adding: "We have challenging targets to meet in the coming months." Doubtless, this will put a smile on the face of the paper's editorial director, Piers Morgan, who is facing a severe financial loss if his other venture, the Press Gazette, closes down or is sold off for a song. (Via The Guardian)