I know what's going to happen to Trinity Mirror because I've consulted the newspapers (though I might as well have consulted the oracle). So, as we await the official announcement of the company's strategic review within the next hour, here's what to expect, courtesy of journalists who have, presumably, spoken to their high-level TM sources and come up with - surprise, surprise - completely different scenarios.
In The Times we learn that the most likely outcome is the selling off of the flagship Daily Mirror. Media editor Dan Sabbagh tells us that the Mirror sale will be "the least that Sly Bailey, Trinity Mirror's chief executive, could announce". He hedges his bets by exploring another possibility, the sale of the Racing Post.
But the Daily Telegraph will have none of it. The company "stays in one piece", say its writers Mark Kleinman and Ben Harrington, and will therefore disappoint analysts who had called for a wholesale restructuring.
Not according to the Financial Times, which informs us that Trinity Mirror will sell off its leading regional titles, including the the Birmingham Post, the Coventry Telegraph and the South London Press, plus the Racing Post. Its media correspondent, Emiko Terazono, states with great confidence that the company's Midlands and Southern groups will go on the block.
There is a measure of agreement from The Scotsman because it, too, predicts the sale of the Racing Post. But its report, bylined Kate Holton and credited to Reuters, argues that the likelihood is a further round of internal cost-cutting. Which is rather odd, given that another Reuters report says Bailey will "reveal plans for the sale of one or more of the publisher's newspapers" and points to the possible disposal of the Daily Mirror. And since you're bound to ask, The Guardian's reporter, Chris Tryhorn, says "no drama" is expected.
So where do I stand? Well, the divine Ms Terazono is probably the best-informed media journalist. I go with her. But you never know...
