Archant: landmarks

Landmarks

This chronology is indicative only.

It covers -

• antecedents
• ECNG (1969)
• Archant (2002)

Context is provided by the broader communications and media timeline on this site.

Antecedents

1845 Jacob Henry Tillett, Jeremiah Colman, John Copeman and Thomas Jarrold launch Norwich-based Norfolk News

1867 Eastern Weekly Press launched in 1867

1870 Eastern Weekly Press renamed Eastern Daily Press

1882 Eastern Evening News launched

ECNG

1969 Eastern Counties Newspapers merges with East Anglian Daily Times Company to form Eastern Counties Newspapers Group (ECNG)

1981 ECNG launches Community Media Ltd (CML), a weeklies publishing operation based in Bath

1985 ECNG buys East Anglia-based Advertiser group of weekly free newspapers

1993 buys four weekly newspapers in Huntingdon, Ely, Wisbech and March from Thomson

1993 buys P Scrogie

1996 launchess internet publications and website design services

1998 buys Home Counties Newspapers Holdings (HCNH) for £58m - 26 weekly paid and free titles across Greater London and Home Counties

1999 buys consumer magazine publisher Market Link Publishing for £5m

2000 launch of Norfolk Life county magazine as basis of Archant Life, followed by acquisitions in North West, Cotswolds, South and South East of England

2000 buys France magazine

2000 buys Pilot magazine

2000 buys Somerset Magazine

2001 buys Cotswold Life magazine and Loyalty & Conquest Communications

2001 buys Oyston Publications plc, inc Yorkshire Life, Lancashire Life, Cheshire Life, Leeds Life and Manchester Life magazines

Archant

2002 ECNG changes name to Archant

2002 buys Living France magazine

2002 takes 20% stake in Dublin Daily (closes 2003)

2002 launches Cambridgeshire Life

2002 launches Total Digital Photography magazine

2003 buys INM's Greater London local papers for £62m

2003 launches London free weekly The News

2005 pays £6.1m for local magazine division of Highbury House