Trinity Mirror appoints new media sales director

Trinity Mirror has appointed a sales director to oversee advertising for the group’s new media operations.

Jason Smith, who takes up the post of new media sales director, joins from Virgin Net, where he has been sales manager since October 1997.

He will report to David Clarke, managing director for new media and interactive services across the whole of the group. Clarke joined Mirror Group from Virgin Net last April.

The appointment follows the merger of Trinity Newspapers and Mirror Group, which both had their own new media operations.

Smith’s responsibilities will include overseeing the free Internet service provider ic24, which is supplied with content from the Mirror newspaper, as well as other titles within the group. He will also look after ad sales for all regional papers within the newly merged group.

Ben Hedges, sales manager at Mirror Media, which includes ic24, will report to Smith.

Ic24 was launched in April and is understood to have attracted more than 100,000 subscribers.

It is understood the group is developing specific regional ic24 brands in cities where Trinity has a local paper.