Struggling European freesheet publisher Metro International says it has received a buyout offer from an unnamed suitor - a day before bosses plan to ask shareholders’ permission to raise new financing. The board of the Luxembourg-based Swedish company, that will leave its Fleet Street HQ this year, had planned to…

The world’s biggest free newspaper publisher Metro International made a €5.45 million (£4.84 million) loss on its online operations in the year to December 31 after continued web investment - €1.6 million more than its online losses the year before. The company claims it grew its print readership by 10…

—Metro store: National freesheet Metro is to launch an online shopping portal this month as part of a deal with e-tailer Affiliate Window, the same outfit that runs Sun Online’s store. The Associated Newspapers title aims to improve on its website’s 2.5 million global unique visitors since June by doubling…

—E-Metro: Freesheet Metro is the latest newspaper to roll out a “digital edition”. E-Metro, produced by digital publisher Yudu, tries to replicate the page-turning paradigm of a print newspaper or magazine. —Telegraph.co.uk: The paper has rebooted its mobile web offering in line with its ever so clean new desktop website…

Is this what happens when your business model is based entirely on free, ad-supported content? Sales at European freesheet publisher Metro International fell 8.6 percent to €81.5 million in the three months to June 30, and the group swung from a €1 million profit to a €1.9 million loss. CEO…