Guardian Media Group renames newspaper divisions

Guardian Media Group plc today announces a re-naming of its national and regional newspaper divisions, more accurately to reflect the growing multimedia expansion of their activities.

• Guardian Newspapers Limited (GNL), the national newspaper division, publisher of the Guardian, the Observer and Guardian Unlimited, is to be renamed Guardian News & Media (GNM)
• GMG Regional Newspapers, owner of the Manchester Evening News, Greater Manchester Newspapers, Surrey & Berkshire Newspapers, Channel M and Manchester Online, is to be renamed GMG Regional Media (GRM)

Carolyn McCall, Chief Executive of GMG, said: “Over the last five years our output has expanded from print to include websites, digital tv, online communities and podcasts. These name changes reflect this ongoing transformation in our businesses.”

GMG now comprises four principal divisions:

· Guardian News & Media
· GMG Regional Media
· GMG Radio
· Trader Media Group

Notes to editors:

Guardian Media Group plc (GMG) is one of Britain’s leading media companies, which in the year ending 2 April 2006 earned pre-tax profits of £66 million on turnover of £700 million. Its diverse portfolio includes national media – the Guardian and Observer newspapers and the Guardian Unlimited websites; regional media – the Manchester Evening News and more than 40 other regional newspapers in the North West and Surrey and Berkshire, Channel M and Manchester Online; five radio stations under the Real Radio and Smooth FM brands; and Trader Media Group, one of Europe’s largest specialist media and online companies.

GMG is wholly owned by the Scott Trust, which was created in 1936 to secure the financial and editorial independence of the Guardian in perpetuity.