KOS Media
Encyclopedia
KOS Media is a multimedia company based in the county of Kent
in South East England
. The company operates local newspapers and internet sites throughout the county.
was launched as a free newspaper in 2002. The company is based in Smeeth
, near Ashford
.
The company also produces YourKentTV, an internet based TV channel providing local news and features.
Until May 2009 all KOS Media newspapers were free. In June both Kent on Saturday and Kent on Sunday became paid for in the newsagents, in order to increase availability, whilst the free copies were diverted to business rounds and home delivery. The mid-week local papers remain free. All titles have a fast growing online audience as they are available free as a page turning e-edition, or by subscription on Kentnews.co.uk.
KOS Media was purchased by Archant
in June 2010, having had had a minority interest in KOS Media since 2005.
.
These were joined in 2009 by four more local newspapers.
The latter two both serve Royal Tunbridge Wells
and are published on their respective title days.
); and BBC Radio Kent County Life for the BBC. This caused a complaint against KOS Media and the BBC by rival group the KM Group
.
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
in South East England
South East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. It consists of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
. The company operates local newspapers and internet sites throughout the county.
History
KOS Media's first newspaper, the Kent on SundayKent on Sunday
Kent on Sunday is a multi-award winning regional newspaper covering the county of Kent in the United Kingdom. It is published on every Sunday of the year and is available from supermarkets, garages and newsagents...
was launched as a free newspaper in 2002. The company is based in Smeeth
Smeeth
Smeeth is a village and civil parish, with a population of 846, adjacent to the parish of Brabourne, 5 miles from Ashford in Kent, South East England. It is a small village near Mersham Hatch Park on the A20 road from Ashford to Folkestone.The church of St...
, near Ashford
Ashford, Kent
Ashford is a town in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England. In 2005 it was voted the fourth best place to live in the United Kingdom. It lies on the Great Stour river, the M20 motorway, and the South Eastern Main Line and High Speed 1 railways. Its agricultural market is one of the most...
.
The company also produces YourKentTV, an internet based TV channel providing local news and features.
Until May 2009 all KOS Media newspapers were free. In June both Kent on Saturday and Kent on Sunday became paid for in the newsagents, in order to increase availability, whilst the free copies were diverted to business rounds and home delivery. The mid-week local papers remain free. All titles have a fast growing online audience as they are available free as a page turning e-edition, or by subscription on Kentnews.co.uk.
KOS Media was purchased by Archant
Archant
Archant is a publishing company, based in Norwich, England, United Kingdom. The group publishes four daily newspapers, around 75 weekly newspapers, and 75 consumer and contract magazines....
in June 2010, having had had a minority interest in KOS Media since 2005.
Paid newspapers
The company produces two paid for newspapers, both originally free until May 2009. Some copies of the paper remain free, having been bought for the reader by P&O FerriesP&O Ferries
P&O Ferries is the current name for the amalgamation of a range of ferry services that operated from the United Kingdom to Ireland and Continental Europe...
.
- Kent on SundayKent on SundayKent on Sunday is a multi-award winning regional newspaper covering the county of Kent in the United Kingdom. It is published on every Sunday of the year and is available from supermarkets, garages and newsagents...
(2002) - Kent on Saturday (2005) - previously the Kentish Saturday Observer until 2009
Free newspapers
In the summer of 2007 KOS Media introduced free, local papers for different parts of Kent. These are published on Wednesdays. The papers are listed below with their coverage as of March 2009- yourashford (13,039)
- yourcanterbury (14,668)
- yourdover (11,887)
- yourmaidstone (14,039)
- yourmedway (21,707)
- yourshepway (11,319)
- yourswale (10,316)
- yourthanet (15,449)
These were joined in 2009 by four more local newspapers.
- yourdeal
- yoursandwich
- Tunbridge Wells on Saturday
- Tunbridge Wells on Sunday
The latter two both serve Royal Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town in west Kent, England, about south-east of central London by road, by rail. The town is close to the border of the county of East Sussex...
and are published on their respective title days.
Magazines
KOS Media publishes magazines accompanying its paid for papers, such as the Review entertainment guide. It also publishes Isle Magazine (published quarterly for the Isle of ThanetIsle of Thanet
The Isle of Thanet lies at the most easterly point of Kent, England. While in the past it was separated from the mainland by the nearly -wide River Wantsum, it is no longer an island ....
); and BBC Radio Kent County Life for the BBC. This caused a complaint against KOS Media and the BBC by rival group the KM Group
KM Group
The KM Group, formerly known as the Kent Messenger Group until 2008, is a multimedia company based in the county of Kent in South East England...
.