STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Feb 1, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- Metro International S.A. ("Metro") (Nasdaq:MTROA) (Nasdaq:MTROB), the international newspaper group, today announced that its Barcelona edition had 354,000 daily readers in November 2001, according to the local official readership survey. On this basis, 'Metro Directe' is the most read free newspaper in Barcelona only eight months after it's launch. 'Metro Directe's' only free daily newspaper rival, which was launched in 2000, was reported by the same source to have only 257,000 readers in Barcelona.
The readership survey is carried out three times a year by Estudios General de Medios (EGM) amongst a national sample group.
190,000 copies of 'Metro Directe' are distributed by hand each morning in Barcelona and its suburbs. The City's metropolitan area is home to over 5 million people, or 10% of Spain's population, and has a newspaper advertising market worth US$ 338 million in the first eleven months of 2001. 'Metro Directe' publishes articles in both the Spanish and Catalan languages, reflecting the strong cultural identity of the region. Catalonia is an industrial heartland of Spain and attracts 20% of Spain's national annual media spend.
With the launch of 'Metro Directo' in Madrid in August 2001, Metro became the largest newspaper in Spain with a daily circulation of 440,000 copies. As a result, Metro now has access to national print advertising spend in Spain, which was reported to be US$ 1.9 billion in the first eleven months of 2001.
Pelle Tornberg, President & CEO of Metro International, commented: "This survey clearly demonstrates the strong market position that we have been able to establish in Barcelona in less than a year, and the fact that we are well ahead of our only free newspaper competitor. The traditional Spanish subscription newspapers are currently struggling with an ageing, male-dominated readership and we have demonstrated that we can deliver a new and younger audience to advertisers".
Metro is the world's largest free newspaper, publishing and distributing 21 editions in 15 countries in 13 languages: Stockholm (Metro), Prague (Metro), Gothenburg (Metro), Hungary (Metro), the Netherlands (Metro), Helsinki (Metro), Malmo (Metro), Santiago (Publimetro), Philadelphia (Metro), Zurich (Metropol), Toronto (Metro Today), Rome (Metro), Buenos Aires (Publimetro), Milan (Metro), Warsaw (Metropol), Athens (Metrorama), Montreal (Metro), Barcelona (Metro Directe), Boston (Metro), Madrid (Metro Directo) and Copenhagen (MetroXpress).
Metro International S.A. 'A' and 'B' shares are listed on the NASDAQ National Market and on the Stockholmsborsen O-List under the symbols MTROA and MTROB.
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