News Int readies ‘premier’ car listing site
News International is to launch a car listings site that looks set to put it in direct competition with Auto Trader.
It is hoped the site, that will mix editorial content – some of which will be sourced from News International’s existing motoring journalists – and classified ads, will become the “market leading” digital used car destination, toppling Auto Trader of the title.
Auto Trader is run by the Trader Media Group, which is jointly owned by Guardian Media Group and Apax Partners.
The new website, which is as-yet unnamed, will bring valuable digital advertising revenue to News International as income from print products across the newspaper industry continues its downward decline. It is likely the publisher will bundle ad spots on the site alongside its existing newspaper portfolio, both online and in print.
The new brand is among the first devised by News International’s digital marketing hub, which integrates technologists with traditional marketers to produce products that are more responsive to customers’ increasingly digital behaviour.
News International is currently searching for a head of product and content to lead the new project.
A spokeswoman from News International declined to comment or offer further information.
