"MAGNIFICENT Obsession" says the headline on a feature page of tomorrow's Sunday Independent, the first to be sent electronically to Reading Berkshire, where it will be part of the first Irish newspaper to be printed outside Ireland.
This particular obsession, Independent Newspapers hopes, will add to the circulation and advertising revenue, while saving on expensive air freight costs.
From tonight Sunday Independent British edition will be printed in Reading, saving money and time, and allowing it to be distributed with British national newspapers.
Yesterday was historic not alone for the event of the first page being sent to Britain, but also for the presence of the Minister for Enterprise and Employment.
Mr Bruton and Independent Newspapers have not been the best of friends since the Minister backed a report of the Competition Authority, which found company had acted in an uncompetitive manner when it invested in the Irish Press.
Mr Bruton refused to comment on the possibility of investment in the Irish Press, or what he plans to do about the Competition Authority Report, or if he intends to force the sale of the titles of the Irish Press. It was the wrong occasion, he said.
The Minister sent the first page to Reading in the presence of the editor of the Sunday Independent, Mr Aengus Fanning, the deputy chairman, Mr John Meagher, and the managing director, Mr David Palmer.
The Minister praised the company for its export initiative and said the newspaper industry was a highly competitive one and should always be seeking new markets.
The Sunday Independent claims sales of 14,000 in Britain every week and is hoping this will reach 20,000. The company has invested £115,000 in new technology and a further £50,000 in marketing and advertising for the first year.
The new British edition will he advertised on Irish cable television and on radio throughout Britain. Mr Palmer predicted that the venture would he profitable from year one.