View source for Celtic Media Group

{{Short description|Irish newspaper publishing company}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=March 2020}}
{{more references|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox publisher
| name         = Celtic Media Group
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| country      = Ireland
| headquarters = [[Navan]], [[County Meath]]
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| publications = Newspapers
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| url          = {{URL|http://www.celticmediagroup.ie}}
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'''Celtic Media Group'''  provides publishing, printing and pre-press (graphic design) services to the Irish newspaper sector. It also has a digital consultancy service.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/company/celtic-media-group/about/|title=Celtic Media Group|publisher=[[LinkedIn]]|url-access=registration}}</ref>

==History==
Previously owned by the Scottish media firm, Dunfermline Press Group,<ref name="Bought">{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/sunday-times-100-fast-growth/company-profile/article/the-business-interview-m7nm8vn6v0x|title=Frank Mulrennan has big plans for his raft of local newspapers despite the tough market.|date=2012-11-25|work=The Sunday Times|access-date=2019-08-11}}</ref> the Celtic Media Group is owned by its Irish management team, following a management buy-out which was completed in 2012.<ref>{{Cite press release |url=http://mega-conference.com/stories/newscycle-solutions,1725796|title=Irish media group chooses Newscycle Solutions|website=Mega-Conference|language=en|access-date=2019-11-04| date = 3 May 2016}}</ref> 

Celtic Media expanded following the acquisition of the Connaught Telegraph in 2014 <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/connaught-telegraph-celtic-media-group-sale-1469227-May2014/|title=11 jobs saved as Connaught Telegraph sold to Celtic Media Group|last=Barry|first=Aoife|website=TheJournal.ie|date=17 May 2014 |language=en|access-date=2019-11-04}}</ref> and its co-ownership of Dublin People Group, publisher of Northside People & Southside People, acquired in 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/ireland-world/article/celtic-media-seeks-people-power-shtp325q9|title=Celtic Media seeks people power|last=Carey|first=Brian|date=2018-01-07|work=The Sunday Times|access-date=2019-11-04|language=en|issn=0956-1382}}</ref>

The group's publishing titles – among them Meath Chronicle; Anglo Celt; Westmeath Examiner – were the subject of an acquisition bid by [[Independent News & Media]] (INM) in late 2016 which was approved by the Competition & Consumer Protection Commission and the Department of Communications.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/inm-takeover-of-celtic-media-group-to-be-examined-1.2933738|title=INM takeover of Celtic Media Group to be examined|last=Bardon|first=Sarah|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=2019-11-04}}</ref> However, both parties opted not to proceed with the acquisition due to the level of undertakings around employment levels required by the regulatory process.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.thetimes.com/world/ireland-world/article/inms-celtic-bid-failed-on-jobs-pledge-gzlz78m7q |title=INM's Celtic bid failed on jobs pledge |first=Gavin |last=Daly |work=The Sunday Times |date=2017-06-11 |access-date=2019-08-11}}</ref>

The print company, operated by Celtic in Navan, was restructured in October 2019 with the loss of 16 jobs and the cessation of its long-standing Trinity Mirror contract.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/more-than-half-of-staff-at-meath-printing-press-to-be-laid-off-1.3976647|title=More than half of staff at Meath printing press to be laid off|last=Hutton|first=Brian|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=2019-11-04}}</ref> Two print contracts were subsequently secured – the Northern Standard newspaper and the Racing Post Weekender title – with the Navan plant operating on a lower cost base.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.meathchronicle.ie/sponsorededitorial/roundup/articles/2019/03/13/4170858-meath-chronicle-stories-highlighting-the-scourge-of-illegal-dumping-wins-local-ireland-media-award|title=Meath Chronicle - Meath Chronicle stories highlighting the scourge of illegal dumping wins Local Ireland Media Award|website=Meath Chronicle|language=en|access-date=2019-11-04}}</ref>

The group won three of the 12 overall awards and received 11 nominations in the 2020 Local Ireland Media Awards.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Winners of Local Ireland Media Awards are announced|url=https://www.westmeathindependent.ie/2020/11/24/winners-of-local-ireland-media-awards-are-announced/|access-date=2021-01-18|website=Westmeath Independent|language=en-US}}</ref>

In July 2020, the Southside People and Northside People titles were restructured under a new owner.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dublin People Group titles to relaunch after sale to former shareholder|url=https://www.independent.ie/business/media/dublin-people-group-titles-to-relaunch-after-sale-to-former-shareholder-39357995.html|access-date=2021-01-18|website=independent|language=en}}</ref> Celtic continued to provide pre-press and print services to the Dublin People titles.{{fact|date=January 2024}}

Frank Mulrennan, CEO of Celtic and representing the Local Ireland industry body, told the Oireachtas Committee on Media (December 2020) that the country's 46 weekly local newspapers publish "vital, trusted, and needed public information" but are facing major challenges. He said: "In reality, our industry is still badly impacted by the last recession and the digital dominance of the likes of Facebook and Google."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Correspondent|first=Paul Hosford Political|date=2020-12-16|title=Newsbrands: Newspapers struggling to stay afloat in perfect storm|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40191840.html|access-date=2021-01-18|website=Irish Examiner|language=en}}</ref>

In 2021, the print plant announced the renewal of its contract to print the Racing Post daily newspaper and three weekly titles for five years.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Welcome to PJ News|url=https://www.pjnews.co.uk/|access-date=2021-01-18|website=www.pjnews.co.uk}}</ref>

==Current newspaper titles==
*[[The Connaught Telegraph]]<ref name=NotToProceed>{{cite news|url= http://www.westmeathexaminer.ie/2017/06/06/celtic-media-not-to-proceed-with-newspaper-sale-to-inm/ |title=Celtic Media not to proceed with newspaper sale to INM |date=2017-06-06 |accessdate=2019-08-11}}</ref><ref name="MoreThanHalf">{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/more-than-half-of-staff-at-meath-printing-press-to-be-laid-off-1.3976647|title=More than half of staff at Meath printing press to be laid off|last=Hutton|first=Brian|date=2019-08-03|newspaper=The Irish Times|accessdate=2019-08-11}}</ref>
*[[The Anglo-Celt]]<ref name="Scrapped">{{cite news|url=https://fora.ie/inm-celtic-media-deal-scrapped-3427715-Jun2017/|title=INM has scrapped a deal to buy a slew of Irish papers. Here's what you need to know|last=O'Donoghue|first=Paul|date=2017-06-05|work=Fora|accessdate=2019-08-11}}</ref><ref name=MoreThanHalf/>
*[[Meath Chronicle]]<ref name=Scrapped/><ref name=MoreThanHalf/>
*[[Westmeath Examiner]]<ref name=NotToProceed/><ref name=MoreThanHalf/>
*Westmeath Independent<ref name=NotToProceed/><ref name=MoreThanHalf/>

==Former assets==
*Forum. (Meath, free newspaper, publication 'suspended' in 2017).<ref name="Stacking">{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/ireland-world/article/stacking-the-odds-clpl9khwl|title=Stacking the odds|last=Daly|first=Gavin|date=2017-08-06|work=The Sunday Times|access-date=2019-08-11}}</ref>
*Offaly Independent<ref name=NotToProceed/><ref name=MoreThanHalf/>(Suspended in March 2020)<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0320/1124467-celtic-media-layoffs/|title=Celtic Media announces temporary layoffs over pandemic|publisher=[[RTÉ News]]|date=2020-03-20}}</ref>
*[[Southside People]] (49.9% stake)<ref name=Seeks>{{cite news|url= https://www.thetimes.com/world/ireland-world/article/celtic-media-seeks-people-power-shtp325q9 |title=Celtic Media seeks people power |first=Brian |last=Carey |work=The Sunday Times |date=2018-01-07 |access-date=2019-08-11}}</ref> (liquidator appointed in May 2020) <ref name="rte.ie">{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/dublin/2020/0509/1137431-north-dublin-publications/|title=Publisher of Northside People and Southside People closes down|publisher=[[RTÉ News]]|date=2020-05-09}}</ref>
*[[Northside People]] (49.9% stake)<ref name=Seeks/> (liquidator appointed in May 2020) <ref name="rte.ie"/>

==See also==
*[[List of Irish newspapers]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Newspapers in the Republic of Ireland}}

[[Category:Navan]]
[[Category:Newspapers published in the Republic of Ireland]]