Martin Sorrell backs Sun on Sunday launch

{jcomments on}Sir Martin Sorrell, chief executive of the marketing services company WPP, has given his support to a possible launch of the Sun on Sunday.

Sorrell believes that News International should launch a Sunday version of the weekday tabloid The Sun because the newspaper market, on a Sunday, has been damaged by the demise of the News of the World. News International pulled the plug on NOTW in the Summer because of allegations concerning the paper and phone-hacking. Almost immediately speculation began over the company launching a Sunday version of The Sun – something News International still hasn’t ruled out.

“I’d like to see a Sun on Sunday come in but they will have to wait…Without News of the World the market doesn’t have enough competition, enough alternatives, we miss that. That is what my people tell me. – Sorrell quoted in Media Guardian.

The closure of the News of the World has boosted sales for other Sunday titles such as Mail on Sunday, The Sunday Mirror and The People but not all the readers of the paper have moved elsewhere – around a quarter have “disappeared” from the market all together. Associated Press, publishes of Mail on Sunday/Daily Mail, is considering launching a new tabloid on Sunday’s – the company will take another look at the proposal within the next month or so.

If News International were to launch The Sun on Sunday its thought it wouldn’t be until next year now – some predicted the paper could have launched as early as August but that obviously never happened. News International are likely to be cautious about launching a new Sunday tabloid though given the costs involved and its possible association, with the public, with want went for. The idea of a Sunday version of The Sun has already been widely criticised by several high profile figures.

Should News International launch the Sun on Sunday or a new Sunday tabloid at all? Post your comments below.