Media Concierge has agreed terms to acquire Yorkshire Post publisher, National World.
The all-cash acquisition was approved by the High Court in London yesterday, with the takeover taking effect from Tuesday of next week.
The deal will be through Media Concierge’s wholly owned – and newly incorporated company – Neo Media Publishing Limited.
Media Concierge, an early investor in National World, already owns a 27.8% stake and the remaining shares will transferred to Neo Media at a cost of £65.1m (23p per share).
National World shareholders had already voted in favour of the deal.
READ MORE –
Media Concierge improves National World offer
Yorkshire Post publisher JPI Media acquired in £10.2m deal
Insider Media on the move following National World takeover
Malcom Denmark, the CEO of Media Concierge published an open letter to staff at National World:
“As we begin this new chapter together, I want to start by saying thank you.
Thank you for your hard work, your professionalism, and your continued commitment to delivering trusted local journalism. We know that the recent period, as the process of acquiring the business unfolded, brought a degree of uncertainty—but your focus and resilience have ensured that the work has gone on, and that does not go unnoticed.
“Our company, Media Concierge, has been a strong supporter of local and regional media for many years. In fact, we were the first and largest investor in National World. From the outset, we believed in the vision of building a sustainable and independent news business that serves communities across the UK. That belief has not changed.
“Now, as we move from investor to owner, our approach is straightforward. We want to support you in doing what you already do so well. You know your audiences, your titles, and your communities. The most important thing we can do right now is to give you the space and confidence to carry on—business as usual.
“This change of ownership also means National World will become a privately owned, independent business. We are a family-owned company, and that gives us a different perspective. We are not focused on short-term results. We take a longer-term view, built on relationships—whether with our teams, our readers, or our customers.
“In the weeks ahead, we will be reaching out to introduce ourselves and start the conversation. We’re keen to listen, to understand what’s working well, and to hear any thoughts you may have as we settle in. Our aim is to support you in the most practical and helpful way we can.
“We are excited about what lies ahead and confident that, together, we can build something of real and lasting value.”
Denmark has previously said that National World had a “notably strong market position” but that its performance would be “enhanced” by taking it private.
National World is the third-largest regional publisher in the UK and was created after it acquired JPI Media and Johnston Press in 2020.
