Midland News Association

What Midland News Association does

Midland News Association (MNA) is a UK regional news publisher headquartered in Wolverhampton, operating under Claverley Group Ltd (controlled by National World plc). Founded circa 1880 with over 140 years of continuous publishing, MNA is positioned as Britain's largest independent regional news publisher, reaching approximately one million people weekly across print and online in the West Midlands and Shropshire. Its product portfolio spans flagship newspaper titles (Express & Star, Britain's biggest-selling local newspaper; Shropshire Star, the UK's seventh highest-read newspaper; Chronicle Week, a free weekly), magazine titles (Shropshire Magazine, Select Magazine, The Farmer), and adjacent service lines including MNA Digital (paid search, SEO, and digital workshops), Star Employment Services, Star PR, and Xpress Distribution.

MNA's core technology stack is a conventional multi-brand digital publishing platform — content websites (mnamedia.co.uk, expressandstar.co.uk, shropshirestar.com) backed by a photo archive system — paired with print production and distribution infrastructure. The company also runs community-facing programs such as the Ladder apprenticeship campaign (with The Vine Trust, creating 3,000+ apprenticeships) and annual STEM Challenges for schools, alongside recurring awards ceremonies (Business Awards, Heroes Awards, Great Big Thank You Awards) that double as sponsorship-revenue events.

MNA's business model is primarily advertising-led: print and digital advertising across its titles generates the majority of revenue, supplemented by recruitment advertising via Star Employment Services, event sponsorship from corporate partners (e.g., Denso, Asda, Dudley College), content licensing from its 140-year archive, and fees from digital marketing services sold to local businesses. Pricing is negotiated per placement rather than publicly disclosed. Customer concentration is structurally low, with revenue spread across many local SMB advertisers and regional sponsors rather than anchored to a small number of large accounts.

Name

Midland News Association

Legal name

Midland News Association Ltd

Website

https://mnamedia.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1880

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Midland News Association is Britain's largest independent regional news publisher, reaching one million people weekly across print and online in the West Midlands and Shropshire via titles including Express & Star, Shropshire Star, and Chronicle Week.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional News Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (51311), Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Newsstand & Single-Copy Distribution (MPAJAKAC)

Keywords

• Regional news publishing
• Newspaper advertising
• Digital marketing services
• Local journalism
• Recruitment advertising

Headquarters

HQ city

Wolverhampton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Print Advertising: Sale of advertising space in daily and weekly newspapers including Express & Star and Shropshire Star. This includes display ads, classified ads, and recruitment advertising through Star Employment Services.
2. Digital Advertising: Online advertising through websites and digital platforms, including banner ads, sponsored content, and digital marketing services offered through MNA Digital division.
3. Recruitment Services: Star Employment Services provides recruitment advertising and job posting services, generating revenue from employers seeking to fill positions in the local market.
4. Event Sponsorship: Revenue from corporate sponsors for community events including business awards, STEM challenges, and community recognition programs.
5. Content Licensing: Archives and historical content licensing, including photo archives and syndicated content to third-party publishers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Midland News Association publishes and distributes regional newspapers and magazines across the West Midlands and Shropshire, including the Express & Star, Shropshire Star, and Chronicle Week titles. It monetises its print and digital audience primarily through advertising sales to local businesses, and complements this with paid digital marketing services (MNA Digital), recruitment advertising (Star Employment Services), PR services (Star PR), and physical distribution (Xpress Distribution), reaching one million people weekly.

Product overview

Midland News Association (MNA) is Britain's largest independent regional news publisher operating a multi-platform media portfolio. The company publishes news titles (Express & Star, Shropshire Star, Chronicle Week), magazine titles (The Farmer, Select Magazine, Shropshire Magazine), and offers digital services through MNA Digital, recruitment services via Star Employment Services, PR through Star PR, and distribution via Xpress Distribution. With over 140 years of heritage, MNA reaches one million people weekly in print and online. The company also operates community programs including the Express & Star Ladder apprenticeship campaign and STEM Challenges for schools, along with annual awards ceremonies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Express & Star: Britain's biggest selling local daily newspaper serving the Black Country and West Midlands
• Shropshire Star
• MNA Digital
• Star Employment Services
• Star PR
• Chronicle Week
• Xpress Distribution
• The Farmer
• Select Magazine
• Shropshire Magazine

Products and services

• Express & Star Britain's biggest-selling local daily newspaper serving the Black Country and West Midlands, distributed in print and online and reaching one million people weekly.
• Shropshire Star Seventh-highest read newspaper in the UK, providing local news coverage for Shropshire and surrounding areas across print and digital.
• Chronicle Week Britain's biggest free weekly newspaper distributed across the Black Country and surrounding areas.
• MNA Digital Digital marketing services division offering paid search (Google AdWords), SEO, social media guidance, website health checks, and digital strategy workshops for local businesses.
• Star Employment Services Recruitment and employment services including job search, motor search, and property search facilities for candidates and employers in the local market.
• Star PR Public relations agency providing PR services and crisis communications seminars for local businesses.
• Xpress Distribution Physical distribution services for MNA newspapers and other publications to retail outlets and subscribers.
• The Farmer Agricultural publication serving the farming community.
• Select Magazine Lifestyle and local interest magazine within MNA's portfolio.
• Shropshire Magazine Regional magazine serving Shropshire with local interest content.

Quantifiable outcome

• 74% trust local newspapers (print and digital) compared to 22% for social media platforms
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Claverley Group LtdcoreOthersParent company of MNA Ltd within the Claverley Group structure. Claverley Group is a diversified media company creating, printing and procuring content across multiple platforms including news services, recruitment, print procurement, digital planning software development, and marketing. The Group Finance Director has overall responsibility for modern slavery policy application.
• National World plccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMNA Ltd is a National World plc Company. National World is a larger media group that includes MNA as a subsidiary, providing group-level governance and strategic direction.
• Black Country Chamber of CommercecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMNA hosts Chamber events and collaborates on business development initiatives. Chamber members including NatWest, University of Wolverhampton, and Autobase Citroen attend MNA-hosted events. MNA spearheads Chamber events for business growth in the region.
• Dudley CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain sponsor of MNA STEM Challenge; provides facilities for judging events at Dudley Advance II. The college has sponsored the competition and provided engineering and manufacturing facilities for student projects.
• DensomajorGTM or Marketing PartnerHeadline sponsor of Shropshire Star STEM Challenge 2019. Denso participated as corporate mentor and judge in the competition, demonstrating commitment to STEM education in the region.
• AsdamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor for Shropshire Star STEM Challenge 2019. Asda partnered with students to test product prototypes in stores, providing real-world testing environment for student innovations.
• Telford & Wrekin CouncilmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of STEM Challenge events; supports educational initiatives and career development programs in the region. Council cabinet members participate in award ceremonies.
• Petford GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufacturing company that mentors students in Express & Star STEM Challenge. Mentors from Petford work with students to design products for blind and partially sighted people, providing industry expertise and facility tours.
• BuschminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering company that partnered with Haberdashers' Abraham Darby School for STEM Challenge, providing mentorship and technical expertise for student projects.
• The Vine TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable organization that co-founded the Ladder campaign with Express & Star in 2014. Kevin Davis from The Vine Trust is the driving force behind the apprenticeship campaign that has created thousands of apprenticeships.
• University of WolverhamptonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEducational institution that sponsors MNA awards (Express & Star Learner Award) and judges STEM Challenge presentations. Participates in Chamber events hosted by MNA.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mnamedia

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Midland News Association