The Manchester Evening News (MEN) has launched a digital subscription called MEN Premium, signalling a clear break from its owner Reach’s previous antipathy toward paid news.
Editor-in-chief Sarah Lester said the paper’s role as a source of accurate, contextual reporting has become more important as platforms such as Google, Facebook and TikTok shape how people consume news. “The MEN remains a bastion for accurate, fact-checked and deeply contextualised stories that readers can rely on,” said Lester.
MEN Premium offers an ad-lite experience on the site and app, along with subscriber-only articles, a weekly collection of long reads and investigations, and news digests sent three times a day. Puzzles and a text-to-speech tool are included to widen access.
Senior reporters contribute pieces rooted in long experience of the city. Chief reporter Neal Keeling draws on nearly four decades at the paper, while the launch mix includes lifestyle interviews, investigations into issues such as the so-called Rochdale Chernobyl asbestos factory, examinations of M60 speed cameras and cultural stories including Erling Haaland’s preferred Manchester restaurant.
Subscriptions cost £4.99 a month, with the first month at £1, or £39.99 a year. The pricing reflects Reach’s effort to build digital reader revenue alongside advertising. Harry Fawkes, Reach’s new head of digital subscriptions, leads the strategy to support local journalism directly and maintain editorial independence.
A metered paywall in the MEN app allows readers up to 25 free articles a week before prompting a subscription at £2.99 a month or £19.99 a year. The website remains free to access, based on a desire to keep core news open to all.
MEN Premium builds on earlier app trials featuring ad-free reading, daily digests, long reads, subscriber offers and puzzles. It is available on iOS, with further expansion planned.
Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The Manchester Evening News (M.E.N.) launched its M.E.N. Premium subscription service on 27 November 2025, as reported by Journalism.co.uk. ([journalism.co.uk](https://www.journalism.co.uk/manchester-evening-news-launches-premium-subscription-for-deeper-ad-lite-local-journalism/?utm_source=openai)) This is the earliest known publication date for this news. The report is original and not recycled from other sources. The narrative is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. There are no discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes compared to earlier versions. The content is fresh and original.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
The report includes direct quotes from Sarah Lester, the M.E.N. editor-in-chief, and Piers North, Reach plc’s Chief Executive. These quotes are unique to this report and do not appear in earlier material. The wording matches the original statements, with no variations found. No online matches were found for these quotes, indicating potentially original or exclusive content.
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from Journalism.co.uk, a reputable organisation known for its coverage of media industry news. The M.E.N. is a well-established newspaper with a long history, adding credibility to the report. The individuals mentioned, Sarah Lester and Piers North, are verifiable and hold positions within the organisations they represent. There are no indications of fabricated entities or unverifiable sources.
Plausability check
Score:
10
Notes:
The launch of a premium subscription service by a regional newspaper aligns with industry trends and is plausible. The pricing model of £4.99 per month with the first month at £1, or £39.99 annually, is consistent with similar services. The features offered, such as ad-lite experience, exclusive content, and interactive features, are typical of premium subscription services. The narrative is consistent with the region and topic, with no inconsistencies in language or tone. There is no excessive or off-topic detail, and the tone is appropriate for a corporate announcement.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative passes all checks with high scores, indicating it is fresh, original, and from a reliable source. The claims made are plausible and supported by verifiable information. There are no signs of disinformation or credibility risks.
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